IZ hits 200!!!!!!

[RedValk]

Excellent...........

Now...how long to 250?

[G-Man]

What is the number we're trying to beat?  Which year had the best turnout thus far?

Enquiring minds want to know.

[MP]

+1 on largest turnout.  Which one, and how many?  What do we have to shoot for?  Is that bikes, or registered?

MP

[RedValk]

well....just being honest here....it would be hard to beat out some of the numbers from the early "hay day"....

like back at one of the IZs in Ohio...either the second or third...as i recall we had some 800+ bikes show up at the "1000 Valk March". Granted, not all of them were Valks.....but MANY were.

the bottom line is....trying to compare IZs NOW...to IZ's of almost 10 years ago...really isn't fair. Because this club...which is to be given TREMENDOUS credit ...both to the organization and its members...we're a very hardcore/loyal group to say the least...and we've endured for many years now....but...our numbers have been in decline for some time...for a bike that hasn't been made since 2003!!

As folks die off, sell their bikes, crash em', trade em, etc....the numbers keep thinning over time. then, throw in the economy, etc................  that's why a DIRECT comparison is kind of unfair.

Will we break those OLD records from 'long' ago? EXTREMELY doubtful (IMHO). But could we do better than recent years? YES. we possibly can! and that's something to strive for...a very reasonable goal in my mind!

I'm just trying to keep it in perspective...not trying to rain on anyone's parade or nothin'. I'm going to IZ....as...you never know, this year's IZ ....COULD.....be like this year's Cheaha. I'VE ALREADY DECIDED...I'm NOT...repeat NOT doing another Cheaha.....not like the format of past years. Due to our dwindling numbers...rising costs....(and rising stress and turmoil that comes with that combination)....we're NOT going to do another "formal" Cheaha. At least not like folks have grown accustomed to. Might we have some VERY LOW PROFILE event...like a "gathering" ....where we just ride to Cheaha and gather...do some informal rides...do some more informal group activities? MAYBE...time will tell. But we won't be having private lodges, bands, catered meals, and on and on....everything that had become known to be the Cheaha of TODAY.


Likewise, i think (and THIS IS JUST ME THINKING OUT LOUD...I HAVE NO FACTUAL INTEL)...it is possible IZ SOME DAY too...may have to change formats. So, my philosophy is....I'm going...while it is still what (or somewhat like) it has always been come to be known as. IE, the vendors each year...their numbers keep dwindling (eh, the bike aint been made since 2003....thus....vendor numbers...dwindling!). Getting prizes for any of our events....gets harder and harder each year. ETC.

So, when you try and compare numbers....well....it's just not a fair judgement. the numbers will be...what they are. they're bound to be down from events of years ago. the event....will be what we make of it..regardless of numbers. Case in point, my Cheaha numbers are running almost HALF what they were last year. Last year, they were down almost a third of the year before. And so on. This trend can be seen accross the board. Panama City Event....150-200 in its "hay day"....that event WENT AWAY a few years ago. Helen, GA VOA event....averaged over 100 in its "hay day"....went away several years ago. Cheaha numbers....going to go down again for the second year running. IZ numbers, sure, they've kind of gone down..........from the "hay day" of years ago.

again, it's a combination of numbers of bikes still existing, economy, etc.

anyway, that's my perspective on "numbers". they don't mean much...cause we're comparing "apples to oranges". You'd have to adjust them for inflation and the fact the bike aint been made in some time 

[G-Man]

What if we multiply the number people from the first Inzane by pi (3.14 not Lori's baked goods), then divide it by the number of black Valkyries who booked the rooms with the King beds, and then rounding that figure to end with the number of times Joe made the pages of Hellboy.  If we take this figure plus the number of days it rained the two years in Johnson City and cross reference that with the years before I even owned the Valkyrie, I'm sure we'd be close in numbers to those gatherings that might have been.

 

[Black Dog]

What if we multiply the number people from the first Inzane by pi (3.14 not Lori's baked goods), then divide it by the number of black Valkyries who booked the rooms with the King beds, and then rounding that figure to end with the number of times Joe made the pages of Hellboy.  If we take this figure plus the number of days it rained the two years in Johnson City and cross reference that with the years before I even owned the Valkyrie, I'm sure we'd be close in numbers to those gatherings that might have been.

You forgot to factor in the number of times hotel staff asks pool party goers, to keep the noise down, devided by the number of cans/bottles at said pool party 

Black Dog

[RedValk]

that there is some fancy cipherin' to be sure!

I just know i'm a goin'....i'm a gonna' have fun! Heck, I'm even gonna' go up via the Detroit airport...with NO BIKE. But that aint gonna' stop me. I'm hitch hikin' from Detroit (ok, sort of...that's a bit of an exageration!)...up to the event.

But....I'll be there with Sherry....bike or no bike.........

[Misfit]

I doubt that this is the last Inzane. The first Inzane in Colorado in 2006 was the largest according to Connie.

[Scott in Ok]

The first Inzane in Colorado in 2006 was the largest according to Connie.

That is correct Misfit.

Last year, 302 Pre-Registered.  You also have to account for folks who didn't show up after registering and also the many many folks who showed up to buy passes at the event.

Ya'll want a goal?  1000 Valkyrie Riders! (I'd settle for 500 tho )

-Scott

[f6gal]

like back at one of the IZs in Ohio...either the second or third...as i recall we had some 800+ bikes show up at the "1000 Valk March". Granted, not all of them were Valks.....but MANY were.

The first InZane was the largest of the Ohio InZanes.  The 800 bike count is extremely doubtful.  That number came from Honda supposedly clicking us in at the Marysville plant.  Our official count for the Guiness book was significantly lower... about 340, if I remember right.  
Our registration numbers for years 1 & 2 are sketchy (we've learned some lessons along the way).  However, based on our bike count, hotel bookings, and the number of ppl served at Sat. dinner,  we've estimated the attendance IZ1 at about 475.  IZ6 (the first Colorado InZane) was 526.

Without fail, each successive year in the same location is smaller than the year before, which is why we started moving it around.  Seems folks want to see new places... go figger.

[RedValk]

my point is still.....a positive point....that comparing numbers NOW...to numbers of old...still isn't fair. IE....i think when you look at the number of ACTIVE folks in the VRCC now......and look at the number going to IZ....compared to the number active in the old days (ok, i guess active is "relative" also...let's say "active" on the boards)....and the number that went to IZ.....what i'm trying to say is....IT IS A TRIBUTE TO THIS GROUP.........that we still have GOOD participation at IZ.

put another way, even if the numbers aren't as high as some past year..........given that there are PROBABLY less folks in the "mainstream" of the club compared to the years of old...........i think this group does VERY WELL in support of the event.

that was all i was trying to convey. I might have done a poor job of conveying that thought...........

And...my comparisons with other events....losing numbers....and some events going away....was just to give a comparison to how things have dropped off in many areas over the years. Some events....like Cheaha...and maybe even SOME DAY....like IZ?????  ...may have to change due to the environment (numbers, economy, etc.) of the future........

i also think ....JUST MY OPINION HERE....folks who say "ah, don't feel like makin' it THIS year...I'll catch ya' next year".....may some day come to wish they had gone...as IN SOME CASES (PCB, Helen, and to some degree now Cheaha next year)...some events....don't ALWAYS have a "next year".

that's all I'm sayin