Seems to be some misinformation and a lot of complaining going on here. I'll put all the facts on the table and if you still have gripes feel free to voice them.
• TexasTonka did 99% of the planning for the Roundup, which is very, very much appreciated. Kurt also planned 2 of our last 3 runs and the Christmas party as well.
• The plan was originally to leave from somewhere more central (Embassy Suites in San Marcos) but as of 1-2 weeks ago that was changed to southwest San Antonio to a.) make the drive on Saturday 270 miles vs 450, b.) ensure everyone could drink safely Friday and Saturday night because both meals were at the hotel, and c.) change the location of the Roundup to be more "fair" since the last 4 Roundups have been Austin-based (though the last 4 events have been in San Antonio or centrally-located).
• The few people I talked to didn't like the idea of the drive. For one, it was too long; we've had shorter drives in the past and people have expressed they wanted it cut down. In addition to the sheer length of the drive, these are other observations I've heard about Twisted Sisters:
- limestone cliffs on either side of the road, some with no guardrail
- limestone deposits on the road
- no shoulder
- no cell reception
That sounded complicated/dangerous to me. I offered up the idea of having a chase vehicle that could tow anyone that broke down, but was told one wouldn't fit down that road. The proposed solution to this "logistical nightmare" (as Kurt put it) was dividing the 80+ cars into 4 run groups, splitting by self-proclaimed skill level. In the interest of safety and enjoyment for the majority of the group, I proposed another format. 80+ high horsepower cars with drivers with varied skill levels in an unfamiliar area that has sheer cliffs, mineral deposits on the road, no shoulder, no cell reception, is 90 miles long and is a good 100+ miles from anywhere we'd have the car towed...seemed like an accident waiting to happen. Rather than just say "that plan *****" and not offer an alternative, I came up with a different format to propose to members. I'm not a tyrant nor a dictator, so rather than assume my opinion rules all I asked 6-7 fellow members who have attended this event for their opinion, and they unanimously voted for the new format, regardless of location.
• After I received that feedback I spoke to Kurt, who had heard completely differently. Rather than 2 guys make decisions for the entire club, we agreed on Friday night that a vote was best. I immediately went home, composed a survey in Survey Monkey and sent it out to the officers for accuracy and approval. Saturday at noon, I sent out the email to the entire South Central Texas distribution list and then some (121 total addresses). I downloaded the newest member list last week and manually checked every single email to make sure all members who are on the spreadsheet from national were entered correctly. In addition to that I sent Greg (Dallas VCA president) and Ivan (Houston VCA president) emails with the link to the survey, asking them to forward it to their members so they could weigh in. I would have sent it directly to the members but I do not have access to those distribution lists. Yes, I realize that the poll was short notice, but the San Antonio hotel needed an answer last week and Kurt was able to stall them till Monday. Every Texas region had an equal chance to vote; if members outside of my region did not receive the link to the survey, I apologize but unfortunately that is out of my control.
• Eddie (Fastzilla) is also posting misinformation. Here are screencaps of the survey that everyone should have seen:
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As you can see, there WILL be hot laps and road racing on Sunday, but other activities will also be available so the more people can participate.
• The San Antonio plan would require us signing a contract for $1500 more than we currently have in our treasury. This is because in order to receive a rate comparable to the Austin hotel we have to book a banquet room for Friday and Saturday to the tune of $5000. The thinking behind this selection was a.) "we don't spend money on anything else throughout the year, so we might as well exhaust the account on the Roundup as we have in previous years", and b.) "a lot of people complained last year that they could only have 3-4 drinks after dinner before driving back to the hotel, so if we eat IN the hotel we don't have to drink and drive." (Those were the reasons offered to me and are not my words.) The Austin hotel not only doesn't require 143% of our treasury, but the hotel manager literally emails Kurt every other day because he's hungry for our business again this year. When I spoke to him, he said he'd even throw in a banquet room for FREE on Saturday in case we hit inclement weather.
• For the record, the movie is planned for after dinner. In past years we haven't done anything after dinner, so rather than rent a large banquet hall and do dinner and the small presentations there, I thought it may be nice to do it outdoors and on a big screen. I figured while we were at it, we might as well throw on a movie while we're there so members that want to stick around and talk and watch a movie can; those that would rather hit the bars or hit the sheets can do that as well. Don't be mistaken; the movie idea doesn't replace anything from any previous format or from the San Antonio format. This activity is in addition to anything else anyone planned and is being done to extend the amount of time everyone has to socialize (more bang for the buck, if you will).
Bottom line: Everyone had an equal opportunity to vote. The email reached 121 members from me personally, and if Ivan and Greg hit up their members it reached more. Myself, Austin, nor the residents of Austin, are to blame for the format; the location and activities were voted on by due-paying members of our club. Maybe Austin was chosen because people like the location better, maybe it was chosen because people liked the activities better, maybe people would rather eat at a restaurant rather than a hotel, maybe it was chosen because the mouse slipped when someone was voting (though you can undo your vote)...but pointing fingers at an individual or a region's members is misplacing blame as well as futile. The alternative was pitched in an effort for the most members to have the most fun while being safe, realizing that not everyone can/will be pleased (as indicated by this thread). If you personally don't like what is planned, I apologize, but realize that even though you aren't tickled to death with what's going on, the majority of the people that will attend ARE because they prefer it. If you don't want to attend, you'll be sorely missed as this event is more about camaraderie amongst Viper enthusiasts as much as it is about driving, but your absence will be honored and understood.
Lastly, sending out an email to San Antonio-based Viper owners after voting has concluded will do nothing but further divide the regions by pitting us against one another. If they are a member, they already got the email. If they're not, they may not have but their vote shouldn't be counted as they're not paying for the event.
to what I can and can not say, I hope most of you on here can read through the lines.
, we can get all the San Antonio guys to join as well... Have about 7-10 Vipers out there with the Sol group?
