EOM 2018 - Thank you and Feedback thread...

[extrememarine]

Another one in the books...

Thank you to everyone who had a hand in making this EOM a success! SWAG Masters Gerald and Brenda, MC Jason, Route master extraordinaire Lee Davis (and logo design), All the folks that helped with registration - Kristen, Rob & Marie, Mark(fjrvfr), Mark (wheaton), and many others that I know I'm missing...

Beth (Maggie Valley Inn) expressed her gratitude for everyone's patience with the other 'guests'. I appreciate everyone's patience as well - and thank you to those that helped with luggage and boarding of the buses.

Jordan's Initiative Donation - right now, the preliminary total raised this year is $1,640!! Once I finalize the rally fee account (shipping shirts, hats, etc), the balance will be added and sent to Chris.

Many have asked me already where EOM will be next year; many asked if we were coming back to Maggie Valley again. I'll get a thread going for that in a month or so. Remember the general criteria we look for - 100 rooms, $100/night or less, banquet space for 100 people, close proximity to twisty roads...

This year, I didn't do the forum/ screen name logo on the shirts due to the service I have used for that not being free anymore. I will make sure to ask this question for next year's shirts - screen name logo or not.

Another change I'm going to put in place for next year will be that any changes to shirt orders will be handled by refunding the original order and asking you to re-register to order a different shirt. That will avoid any mistakes I might make doing manual edits of orders in the store dashboard.

Please post any suggestions or comments here for improving the event.

Thanks!

Wayne

 

[Brodie]

Wayne

Thank you for a memorable event. I met some new friends, as well as renewing old friendships. The hotel was very good, and the staff went out of their way to please us as they accommodated the refugees from hurricane Florence. Im quite impressed by their hospitality.

All in all, Im glad I made the ride from the Left Coast.

Brodie

 

[bigjohnsd]

Many thanks for a great event. I look forward to a return trip, I may even encourage the Aussie to come once more too.

 

[dcumpian]

I certainly enjoyed myself on my first EOM. Learned a lot talking to many people and even improved my riding skills, more than I'd like to admit, lol.

Thanks for all the hard work ensuring these events are a success!

Regards,

Dan

 

[garyahouse]

I was so excited that Big Blue was up and running the day before leaving for EOM. It ran flawlessly for 1700 miles and I'm happy to be home again. Everything came together with perfect timing for me. My grandson was born the day before I left, and after a great time at the hospital with my daughter, all the plans for my EOM departure fell in place.

EOM was a hoot, as always, and I really enjoyed riding with Alan and Helen (Ionbeam) and Brodie. Unfortunately, being a Gen 1, Big Blue provided lots of extra heat on the way home to the Tampa area, and I'm reminded once again that there's no substitute for ice cold water on a trip like that.

The food at the hotel was amazing and the staff was very helpful, especially when I lost my key. I spent a frantic 45 minutes looking for it and was so very happy to locate it in the dirt against a curb just behind my rear tire. No idea how it popped out of my pocket, but so very glad I found it. That's a long way from home to be losing the only key I had. Brodie was telling me he carried a spare in his wallet. Note to self: get a spare. Talk about a sick feeling, but at least there was a happy ending.

I was really happy to hear that nobody got hurt this year. Correct me if I'm wrong, but last time I checked, except for a couple minor tip-overs, nobody went down either. I spoke with one fella who had a deer strike on the way in, but except for a broken left pannier and a very dead deer, the bike remained upright and rider uninjured.

We have a lot to be thankful for. As of this writing, my new pal Brodie is making his way through the California desert and battling triple digit heat on his way home. What a joy it was to get to know him and hear about his faith, his family, and his job. This year, EOM brought people from all over the nation, the weather was just great and it was indeed a blast. Thanks to good timing, we even dodged a hurricane!!

 

[chivvalry]

Another great event and my sincere appreciation to Wayne and his minions that make these happen for all of us! The hotel was fine, food was excellent, the weather was amazing even with the threat of rain on Saturday that never happened. I wouldn't be upset one bit to return to Maggie Valley again, either next year or the year after or whenever.

Ken

 

[extrememarine]

MotherNature was smiling on us - keeping that weather system pushed west and north of our core riding area.

I hit rain about 30 miles out from Maggie Valley on Sunday, but only for about 10-15 minutes. I know those who headed north towards home on Sunday were in it; I hit some on Monday about 30 miles from Spklbuk Farms in WV. My ride home from there on Tuesday was damp on and off for most of the day, including the last 80 mile sprint to outrun rain and a tornado warning in SE Michigan...

Another great event and my sincere appreciation to Wayne and his minions that make these happen for all of us! The hotel was fine, food was excellent, the weather was amazing even with the threat of rain on Saturday that never happened. I wouldn't be upset one bit to return to Maggie Valley again, either next year or the year after or whenever.
Ken