INZANE POLL

[JimC]

Hi everyone, my first poll, so forgive me if I did not lay it out correctly, or put in better answers, but this is meant to get people talking anyway, so the poll just opens up the conversation.  First of all, I understand that the committee goes through a considerable amount of work each year putting on this event for us, and I thank them for that great effort. I am in no way trying to change the way they have done anything.

I will start by saying the I thought that Roanoke was a great choice for INZANE, I thought it was a fantastic area to ride, some of the nicest riding I have ever done. The roads were great, the facilities were very nice, the staff was very good. I have discussed this with  all of the Wisconsin group and it was unanimous, they all agreed that they would not mind going back.

I understand that there have been issues with lower attendance when INZANE has been held at the same place two years in a row, I do not have an answer for that. But one thing I do know is that if we were at Roanoke for 2 weeks, we could not ride and see all of the great destinations the area has to offer.

With the above said, I have to think that having our event at this same hotel again would be a plus for the event staff,  It has to be much easier dealing with a hotel after having a recent, very successful event.

I realize that this is like opening Pandora's box, so if you have a suggestion for a better place, please ad your thoughts in this thread below. Keep in mind that we still do need a LARGE facility, 200 to 300 rooms, and can feed 300 to 400 people.
GREAT RIDING TO,  FROM, OR IN THE AREA, IS A MUST.

Thanks,
Jim

[f6gal]

Before folks start throwing out suggestions, please consider our site requirements.

Jim mentioned that we need a rather large facility.  Specifically, what we look for is a GZ hotel with 150-200 rooms, room rates around $100, and banquet space for about 350.  If the room rates are little higher, we can probably beat 'em down.

We would love to see your suggestions, but if you site doesn't have the above parameters, it's out.  

Thanks!

[Bighead]

Hell i would just like to be able to make one no matter where it is......and meathead is buying the beer

[Hook#3287]

Hell i would just like to be able to make one no matter where it is......and meathead is buying the beer

Really, again?

I've only been to one inzane, so I can't compare, but Roanoke seemed like an excellent choice.

I'd go back any year it's decided to be held there.

[baldo]

Hell i would just like to be able to make one no matter where it is......and meathead is buying the beer

Really, again?

I've only been to one inzane, so I can't compare, but Roanoke seemed like an excellent choice.

I'd go back any year it's decided to be held there.

Agreed, there is so much excellent riding down there you just couldn't do it in a week.

On the other hand I like seeing different areas of the country. I'd love to see the next held in Colorado area.

[Rams]

Roanoke was a wonderful experience and I wouldn't mind going back.    

Having said that, I like going different places each year.   So, I can swing either way on returning.

What I can safely say is, Billings was fun when we were there but I doubt I'll travel that far west again.   Blame it on a combination of things old bones, cost, travel time, ect.......  Though I had a great time, it took way too long to recover from that one.    Maybe, when I finally get to full time retirement things will change, I don't know but, I'm looking forward to finding out.    

Rams

[Oss]

Roanoke or. Southwestern pa works.for me as far as things to see
But don't know any big places.west of.penn state and it would need to be well southwest or west of that to be easy to get to rides


Grand canyon of pa  flight 93 memorial
West Virginia close by for the wanting long day rides
Beautiful state parks route 666 in NW alleghany park system

[RainMaker]

Have never been disappointed by the choices made by the administration, only in my inability to go every year. They know what they are doing.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Hell i would just like to be able to make one no matter where it is......and meathead is buying the beer

deal 

[sandy]

Hell i would just like to be able to make one no matter where it is......and meathead is buying the beer

deal  

If Bighead and Meathead were brothers, could we collectively call them Big Meat???

[Prescott John]

I live west of the Mississippi River, so somewhere out west is easier for me.  The desert is hot no matter which way I go.  Having said that, Roanoke was a spectacular place to ride and I wouldn't mind going back.  I would plan to spend a few extra days in the general area.  There is so much history and so many great roads.  I feel that the VRCC staff has always planned an excellent event for us.  Thank you staff and volunteers.
Prescott John

[The emperor has no clothes]

Hell i would just like to be able to make one no matter where it is......and meathead is buying the beer

deal  

If Bighead and Meathead were brothers, could we collectively call them Big Meat???

oh dear God

[97BLKVALK]

I would enjoy a Roanoke Inzane 20.  If there was a back to back next year in Roanoke I would probably ride to Northestern coast and up into the Canadian Rockies.

That being said,  looking out 2 years we have an established relationship with the hotel in Roanaoke and I would definitely go back in a couple.

I heard a lot of good things about the Michigan inzanes  that was before I started attending.

Thanks agian to the VRCC staff for selecting Roanoke.

Michael

[The emperor has no clothes]

Hell i would just like to be able to make one no matter where it is......and meathead is buying the beer

deal  

If Bighead and Meathead were brothers, could we collectively call them Big Meat???

Better yet if Skinhead, Bighead, and meathead were at Inzane, would we be referred to as Big Skinmeat ? 

[Bighead]

 

[vanavyman]

Roanoke or. Southwestern pa works.for me as far as things to see
But don't know any big places.west of.penn state and it would need to be well southwest or west of that to be easy to get to rides


Grand canyon of pa  flight 93 memorial
West Virginia close by for the wanting long day rides
Beautiful state parks route 666 in NW alleghany park system



Trish and I agree that the staff does an outstanding job finding and putting on our events.  Love Oss' idea of Southwestern PA and personally think the Charleston, WV area would be a real nice location.  Not really fair for us to comment too much on Roanoke, VA since it is so close to us, but here are a couple comments.  This location has been the site of the GWRRA VA District Rally for over 30 years due to its central location and great riding options.  Lots of interesting places to visit.  We would probably prefer a different location, but we completely understand the draw of this area and would love to come back. 
Dan & Trish

[Farside]

  Really liked Roanoke. The staff did a great job putting it together and the area was terrific.
 I'd go back to Roanoke next year and visit area that I didn't get to this past InZane. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

  Really liked Roanoke. The staff did a great job putting it together and the area was terrific.
 I'd go back to Roanoke next year and visit area that I didn't get to this past InZane. 

I've never been where there were so many roads period. Much less, ALL of them nice and curvy. I think I could spend a month there and barely ride all of them within a couple hundred miles.

[Serk]

I loved the area, I loved the host hotel (Other than WiFi issues and chasing us off from sitting outside and imbibing) and I fully plan on spending some serious time riding around that area in the future. I also love all my VRCC brothers and sisters, and love hanging out with 'em. (Yeah, even that one!)

But honestly, if Inzane is held at the same location again next year I'd probably go somewhere else, just for a change of route and scenery...

That's not meant as a threat, or anything of the sort, I just prefer to not do the exact same route next year as I did this year, no matter how lovely that route was.

[RainMaker]

Hell i would just like to be able to make one no matter where it is......and meathead is buying the beer

deal  

If Bighead and Meathead were brothers, could we collectively call them Big Meat???

oh dear God

Now that's fake news!

[The emperor has no clothes]

I loved the area, I loved the host hotel (Other than WiFi issues and chasing us off from sitting outside and imbibing) and I fully plan on spending some serious time riding around that area in the future. I also love all my VRCC brothers and sisters, and love hanging out with 'em. (Yeah, even that one!)

But honestly, if Inzane is held at the same location again next year I'd probably go somewhere else, just for a change of route and scenery...

That's not meant as a threat, or anything of the sort, I just prefer to not do the exact same route next year as I did this year, no matter how lovely that route was.

Same here. I want to see places I haven't been to yet. Roanoke was AWESOME.

[Willow]

... (Other than WiFi issues and chasing us off from sitting outside and imbibing) ...

In fairness I don't believe it was the hotel that challenged your imbibing outside but a disgruntled girlfriend (hotel employee) of the male hotel employee who had been confronted by some of our group for inappropriately using a handicapped parking space.

[Serk]

... (Other than WiFi issues and chasing us off from sitting outside and imbibing) ...

In fairness I don't believe it was the hotel that challenged your imbibing outside but a disgruntled girlfriend (hotel employee) of the male hotel employee who had been confronted by some of our group for inappropriately using a handicapped parking space.

Maybe, I wasn't aware of that issue, but there were multiple hotel employees threatening to call the police if we didn't disperse...

Being the goody two shoes I am I dispersed on the first warning but it kinda left a bitter taste in the mouth.

[Dagwood]

Yep, we were told on Sunday that the property would get in trouble if we had our beverages outside of our rooms. So we obliged and just got out our "water thermoses". As far as location, Roanoke was great, the staff is great as usual and I personally do not care where as long as I can see good people and have good roads and fair winds. 

[Tailgate Tommy]

Roanoke was a wonderful experience and I wouldn't mind going back.    

Having said that, I like going different places each year.   So, I can swing either way on returning.

What I can safely say is, Billings was fun when we were there but I doubt I'll travel that far west again.   Blame it on a combination of things old bones, cost, travel time, ect.......  Though I had a great time, it took way too long to recover from that one.    Maybe, when I finally get to full time retirement things will change, I don't know but, I'm looking forward to finding out.    

Rams

I fell much the same way coming from Colorado to the east. To hot and traveling on Interstates is not much fun. I'm retired now so I would probably take my time going and coming next year.

[msb]

For some (probably many), having the event closer by enables them to attend when an otherwise inability to take sufficient time off of work or other responsibilities, health issues and/or inability to travel longer distances, budgetary reasons, etc may prohibit them from attending Inzane.
For others, the ride to and from Inzane is an important part of the event and riding longer distances to attend in regions that are new to them or otherwise appealing is a big part of the attraction and of their decision to attend in the first place. Personally, I'm in the latter group, but then again any location selected for Inzane is going to include at least some reasonably significant riding distance, extra expense, and time from my location.

If the goal is to attract as many VRCC members and Valk owners to each Inzane as possible, then it does make sense to keep in mind where the highest concentration of members reside (and of those  who do, or would attend) and look to make the location selection with that in mind. In this respect, it's obvious that having the event close to the West Coast is not as viable as having it closer to the East Coast. That being said however, keeping it towards the East coast multiple times in a row makes it less appealing for those from the West to attend at all....not only for the time, expense, and riding distance commitments involved, but also for the fact that there are only a couple decent routes to get across the middle of the country/continent, so making those commitments to do the same or similar long route two years in a row (or as was in my case this year, 2 out of 3 years) is not necessarily desirable.

Seems to me that a reasonable basis for location selection would be to continue alternating between an Eastern location and a more "Central" location, which gives most members from all regions at least an opportunity to attend. I realize there are other factors involved as well such as availability of suitable accommodation, weather, etc, which is why for the three I have been able to attend there has been a great amount of appreciation on my part for the efforts of the staff in pulling off such successful events.

Just one member's opinion...looking forward to finding out the location for 2019 and planning to attend.

[bludragon]

Returning to Ronoake would be fine with me. Or a repeat to Michigan would also be really good. Loved the Tunnel of Trees drive out there.

[ridingron]

How could anyone have ridden the good roads in 3-5 days? Let alone be bored with them? My Honda group went to the Blue Ridge  Campground for about 10 years. I never felt I had ridden all the roads in the area. We were sitting around the camp fire one evening when this came up. My comment was that I was from Florida. Any road with more than a couple curves was a good road. I could pull out of the camp ground and head up 276 to the BRP. Head south til I got to 215. take it down to 276 and go by the campground and do it again! After a few laps, turn around and run it the other way. It's a different route that way.    We rode a lot of roads in the area. We've since moved on too another campground. We hit some of the same roads but a bunch of new ones too!

I could go to Roanoke  (didn't make it this year) or some where else. Virginia, WV, east Tenn., western NC, and north Ga. offer many great roads. Ashville could probably accommodate a rally for us but I understand some wanting the western US.

[Bighead]

All good roads in all the places you mentioned  I just hope to be able to make one of these one day......it really sucks to not accrue vacation

[pstelter]

Whew!  So glad someone else opened up this topic!  Even though the event just completed, I imagine that initial planning  for next yeat needs to start soon, but didn't want to be "that guy" who asks about the next one.

While I did not attend Inzane this year (and probably won't next year), I'm curious to see how the site selections are made - does it rotate between east / midwest / west locations? 

Sounds like Roanoke was a good site, but if this is something that I attended every year, I'd want to mix it up.  Happy to provide any other input to selection committee if requested.

Hope everyone has a great holiday!  Shiny sides up!

Pete

 

[TNRACER]

Have attended many INZANES, wouldn't mind at all going back to some of the past locations.  But would prefer not to go back to same place two years in a row! HEY .... maybe we could start all over.
ZANESVILLE , OH

[The emperor has no clothes]

All good roads in all the places you mentioned  I just hope to be able to make one of these one day......it really sucks to not accrue vacation

You just get what time off your boss gets off ? How far in advance do you know ?

[Bighead]

All good roads in all the places you mentioned  I just hope to be able to make one of these one day......it really sucks to not accrue vacation

You just get what time off your boss gets off ? How far in advance do you know ?

Yep my time off is detirmined by his time off.....the only time I know of more than a month in advance is the first week of June every year ( family beach trip) but alas that is one week before Inzane .....in 20 yrs I have never accrued one day of vacation but I cant complaint too much I am paid well and health insurance is free and get a good amount of time off per year. Just not when I would like it  ???

[The emperor has no clothes]

All good roads in all the places you mentioned  I just hope to be able to make one of these one day......it really sucks to not accrue vacation

You just get what time off your boss gets off ? How far in advance do you know ?

Yep my time off is detirmined by his time off.....the only time I know of more than a month in advance is the first week of June every year ( family beach trip) but alas that is one week before Inzane .....in 20 yrs I have never accrued one day of vacation but I cant complaint too much I am paid well and health insurance is free and get a good amount of time off per year. Just not when I would like it  ???

I used to be at 5 weeks a year, now only 3. But we all have trade offs. I work all holidays but Christmas and can’t take anything November-January.

You know.....if they came down with food poisoning at the end of their beach trip, you might make it. 

[Bighead]

  can u send them some tainted meat?

[DirtyDan]

can u send them some tainted meat?

Taint beef and it taint pork.................

Dan

 

[Hook#3287]

All good roads in all the places you mentioned  I just hope to be able to make one of these one day......it really sucks to not accrue vacation

You just get what time off your boss gets off ? How far in advance do you know ?

Yep my time off is detirmined by his time off.....the only time I know of more than a month in advance is the first week of June every year ( family beach trip) but alas that is one week before Inzane .....in 20 yrs I have never accrued one day of vacation but I cant complaint too much I am paid well and health insurance is free and get a good amount of time off per year. Just not when I would like it  ???

I used to be at 5 weeks a year, now only 3. But we all have trade offs. I work all holidays but Christmas and can’t take anything November-January.

You know.....if they came down with food poisoning at the end of their beach trip, you might make it. 

5 weeks   If you took them at the same time, they'd have to retrain you.

[The emperor has no clothes]

All good roads in all the places you mentioned  I just hope to be able to make one of these one day......it really sucks to not accrue vacation

You just get what time off your boss gets off ? How far in advance do you know ?

Yep my time off is detirmined by his time off.....the only time I know of more than a month in advance is the first week of June every year ( family beach trip) but alas that is one week before Inzane .....in 20 yrs I have never accrued one day of vacation but I cant complaint too much I am paid well and health insurance is free and get a good amount of time off per year. Just not when I would like it  ???

I used to be at 5 weeks a year, now only 3. But we all have trade offs. I work all holidays but Christmas and can’t take anything November-January.

You know.....if they came down with food poisoning at the end of their beach trip, you might make it. 

5 weeks   If you took them at the same time, they'd have to retrain you.

At this point, I'm untrainable. 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

... (Other than WiFi issues and chasing us off from sitting outside and imbibing) ...

In fairness I don't believe it was the hotel that challenged your imbibing outside but a disgruntled girlfriend (hotel employee) of the male hotel employee who had been confronted by some of our group for inappropriately using a handicapped parking space.

Maybe, I wasn't aware of that issue, but there were multiple hotel employees threatening to call the police if we didn't disperse...

Being the goody two shoes I am I dispersed on the first warning but it kinda left a bitter taste in the mouth.

  We never moved we was doing nothing wrong . My thought was they wanted us in the bar paying $4.50 to $6.50 a beer depending on choice.

[old2soon]

This thing on drinkin in the parking lot-First-disclaimer I wuz not there. BUT I rekemember in Eureka Springs due to the heat Grumpy daprez and yers truly old2soon watching rides leave and the three of us with the first of a few morning beers in our paws!  Joe's thoughts appear spot on cuz I also recollect how spendy alcohol was in the bar at Lacrosse. Myself personally I prefer the ambiance of the parking lot with friends and cold ones out of a cooler and pitchin in to a "kitty" fer replenishment of funds for more cold ones. Try walkin out of a bar with yer drink to look at something on someone elses scoot. Again-I wuz NOT in Roanoke and just know what I've read here. Guessin Nobody had to wear stainless steel bracelets?  RIDE SAFE.