It's not even November yet, and people have already been contacting me about when the date for the 2016 Grumpy Grind will be. I guess this gravel grinding thing is getting serious and people need to get their calendar year organized. So I contacted the farmer where the start/finish for the ride is, checked my spring break schedule (I'm a teacher), and double checked the dates of TransIowa (I like to ride that little race). When I had all of this delicate information in front of me, I did one final double check with the head of operations at my household and... behold, the date for the Grumpy Grind 4 was set for April 17, 2016.
Next order of business was to create some sort of graphic for the event. I always respect the hand-made works artworks that advertise different events. It's the folk art lover in me that draws me to these "raw" artworks. This years graphic was inspired by the "See Rock City" barn roof advertising campaign that used to decorate the south (and still does in some areas). I'm a big fan of printing making and will likely soon create a print that is more colorful and lively, but I needed to get something posted so the event could be placed on the "map"/calendars of those who need to plan their lives far in advance.
There will be some changes to this year's ride. Obviously the route will change. But registration requirements will be tweaked. So don't send me an email yet saying you are riding. There will be a rider limit this year, a date deadline for registration will be set, and postcards will likely be the required way to register. Why do these things? First I will say that it is not to create a hassle, nor is is because I feel like this event is getting to big for its britches. The reason for a rider cap is because there is only so much space on the farm for parking. A rider cap and registration deadline also gives me adequate time to prepare for an actual amount of participants that I will be providing Free goodies/food for. And as for sending me a postcard... I just like postcards, and art. And by requiring people to take one extra step in the registration process, I'll be weeding out those people who are more likely to become no-shows on the day of the ride. Those are the honest truths of how event organizers think. Organize an event yourself and you'll understand. I'll post these updates on the site over the next couple of weeks.
I'll be finding tweeking my course over the next couple of months and trying to update this blog more frequently. If you are reading this, thanks for supporting this event and showing interest. I'm already excited for April. It's going to be a great ride!
Next order of business was to create some sort of graphic for the event. I always respect the hand-made works artworks that advertise different events. It's the folk art lover in me that draws me to these "raw" artworks. This years graphic was inspired by the "See Rock City" barn roof advertising campaign that used to decorate the south (and still does in some areas). I'm a big fan of printing making and will likely soon create a print that is more colorful and lively, but I needed to get something posted so the event could be placed on the "map"/calendars of those who need to plan their lives far in advance.
There will be some changes to this year's ride. Obviously the route will change. But registration requirements will be tweaked. So don't send me an email yet saying you are riding. There will be a rider limit this year, a date deadline for registration will be set, and postcards will likely be the required way to register. Why do these things? First I will say that it is not to create a hassle, nor is is because I feel like this event is getting to big for its britches. The reason for a rider cap is because there is only so much space on the farm for parking. A rider cap and registration deadline also gives me adequate time to prepare for an actual amount of participants that I will be providing Free goodies/food for. And as for sending me a postcard... I just like postcards, and art. And by requiring people to take one extra step in the registration process, I'll be weeding out those people who are more likely to become no-shows on the day of the ride. Those are the honest truths of how event organizers think. Organize an event yourself and you'll understand. I'll post these updates on the site over the next couple of weeks.
I'll be finding tweeking my course over the next couple of months and trying to update this blog more frequently. If you are reading this, thanks for supporting this event and showing interest. I'm already excited for April. It's going to be a great ride!
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