LOTOJA Logistics
For those doing LOTOJA next month, do we need to huddle up for an hour and work out the logistics? Some of the things I've been thinking we need to figure out are [with my commentary in brackets]:
1. Transportation from Boise to Logan [Can we borrow a 15 passenger van for the support vehicle and use Steve O's trailer? Has anyone talked to Bobby / Steve?]
2. Race Support [How many support vehicles do we need? My mom is planning (and excited!) to be one of our support drivers].
3. Race tactics [I think we should have a plan going into race-day as to whether we want to stick together and finish as a team, break into subgroups, each man for himself, etc?]
4. Where / when are we leaving Boise on Friday 9/9? [I'm flying into SLC from Portland on Friday night, 9/9 and my mom is planning to pick me up from the airport and drive up to Logan. I need to figure out where to meet you and whether there will be a spot for my mom to crash.]
5. How to pay for this and who's owed what? [My experience is that it's easier to collect cash up front than in arrears for stuff like this. I think we should have everyone pay $150 or so upon loading up the van in Boise (will $150 cover it?), to pre-pay for gas and lodging.] Any volunteers to do this?
Jason, as the LOTOJA veteran, what else do we need to figure out?
General Thoughts
So here are some general thoughts.
1. It probably makes sense to get together for a short meeting sometime soon. My schedule is crazy, but I'm generally in town on Friday - Monday. Let me know what works.
2. I think we should try to find two drivers for a couple of reasons. First, I think we will probably get split up. At least I'm pretty sure I will be spit out the back of the team group by the first climb. It would be great to have an advance team driver and a second driver. Second - Matt's mom is willing to support drive, but it would probably make a lot of sense for her to drive her own car from Logan to Jackson because the drive home to Salt Lake doesn't got through Logan. Anyone have any ideas of someone from Boise willing to drive the van (assuming we get one)?
3. I think we will get split up. I'm hoping to keep Dan Gale to his promise that he will stick it out in the back with me. I need his strong legs on the last 100 miles of flats to pull me into Jackson!
4. It looks like I have an event I have to attend in Salt Lake on Thursday night of that week, so I'm probably going to have to either get a ride with Matt on Friday night (he's getting in really late to Logan) or hitch a ride with someone going from Salt Lake to Logan (I have a bunch of friends either riding the race or support driving so I should be able to get a ride). I'll have all my stuff (bike, etc.) ready to go and I can drop that to someone's house on Labor Day.
5. We have enough beds in Jackson for 8 people. One room has two beds (a queen and a pull out) that we should probably reserve for Matt and his Mom. That leaves 6 beds in two rooms. Just an FYI as one or two of us may be hitting the floor on Saturday night depending on whether we get another driver.
6. I'll get final pricing for the hotel rooms prior to our meeting.
Agree
I'm thinking Jason and I will be together the whole ride. Hopefully we can hang with the group until the climbing starts. Then we will suffer together for the duration.
Time is ticking
If we are going to get together I would say the sooner the better. Tuesday and Thursday evenings during the week are good for me or any time Saturday or Sunday.
meeting needed
It sounds like we need to get together to talk over the logistics.
Scheduling
Weekends might be a little tough with family activities to meet. How does next Tuesday, 8/23 at 8:30 PM at my house work for everyone? Jason, we could dial you in and put you on speaker or something, as we need you there in some form. . .
That works for me.
That works for me.
I'm in
that sounds like a great time.
Confirmed - Tonight
Looks like tonight will work for most everyone. We'll meet at my place from 8:30 - 9:30 and dial Jason in. See you then!
see ya then.
Thanks for setting this up. Did everyone get the e-mail about the race bible?
Departure Sept 9th.
Good News! I spoke with my boss and I should be just fine to leave by 1:00. There is even a chance I may be able to leave the meeting by 11:30ish, which means I could possibly leave as early as 12:30. It's a Lotoja miracle!
um...
Whether you're approved or not, there may be a kidnapping to make sure we're on the road on time! So watch out if it looks like there are stalkers outside of your meeting...
Logan lodging info
Here is some of the contact info for Terry White, my uncle who we are staying with on Sept. 9th.
435-245-4764
434-890-3133 My cell
435-770-8385 Judy’s Cell
Other emergency numbers include:
435-770-8386 My son’s Cell – Bryant White
435-770-4364 My son’s cell – Justin White
However, we may all be running the snake river so we may be terrible hosts – However, you will be welcome to my home at anytime. Lets touch base with each other that week.
80 East 300 South
Wellsville, Utah 84339
Quick Update
Two items:
1. We still need to find a second support driver. Jon Gale indicated he might be available and willing. Ladd and Dan, can you help wrangle him in and fill him in on the details?
2. Please get me a check before next Friday for $150 payable to TVCC for gas for the van and the hotel. We'll use the TVCC credit card to pay for the room and gas so nobody has to go out of pocket. $150 per person should make it cost-neutral to the club.
Looking forward to the race!
sounds good.
That sounds like a great way to handle the finances. I know Steve was going to check on a sister as a second driver as well. It really would be safest to have two drivers. The nice thing about having one travel down with us, is it makes it logistically easier after the race. Also, have we heard if they would allow Jason to transfer his number to someone else?
Going solo...
I know I"ll be on my own after we hit the first big climb. I'm wondering how to handle the feed zones. I would expect our support vehicles to stay ahead with the main group. Would they be able to leave my food in the feed zone and mark it somehow so I can get it? I'm also wondering how I'll get in contact if I miss a feed zone cutoff or the cutoff for darkness. Hopefully we'll have cell coverage.
concerned
The last thing I want is for one of our team to be stranded without sufficient supplies. We need to think this through. Do we have any word if Jon or Steve's sister can drive? I wonder if Steve Luke or someone would want to just ride the route (they are public roads) so there was another team member along.
Assuming. . .
. . . we have two support vehicles, my opinion is that we should have one in the front ahead of the lead group and another one in the back. We should instruct each of the two drivers that they are accountable for specific riders, and they should have radios / phones to communicate if/when changes or mechanicals occur.