2011 Annual Meeting & Expo

[G.Cook]

Well Di , you need to give yourself a huge pat on the back for doing an outstanding job in taking this particular bull by the horns for the MMBA .
Word has it that if you hadn't stepped into the breech to get the job done it wouldn't have been done at all .
Weather that is true , and I'm betting it is , or even partly true thank you very much for stepping up .
I'm thinking if your in charge next year it could only get bigger and better .

[Di_bear]

Thanks, Greg.

[cmkovick]

Thanks to everyone that helped get this together. I brought my 7 year old and bought him his first jersey (an MMBA jersey) he said he is ready to ride the trail now.

One idea that others may like?
Maybe add in a few more times that the Silent Auctions end.
For example: Iceman entries, have 1 end at 11am, 1pm, 3pm.
This would allow people to come early and still have the opportunity to get in on the auctions without having to commit to a full day. For someone like me I like to bring my young kids to show them who it is that support, build, and maintain our trails, but they can only last so long before they get cranky...

[Di_bear]

Thanks to everyone that helped get this together. I brought my 7 year old and bought him his first jersey (an MMBA jersey) he said he is ready to ride the trail now.

One idea that others may like?
Maybe add in a few more times that the Silent Auctions end.
For example: Iceman entries, have 1 end at 11am, 1pm, 3pm.
This would allow people to come early and still have the opportunity to get in on the auctions without having to commit to a full day. For someone like me I like to bring my young kids to show them who it is that support, build, and maintain our trails, but they can only last so long before they get cranky...

Yeah, I think that is a good idea for multiple items such as three Iceman entries. Only bid on one at a time.

[SANTA_CRUZ]

First of all, I’d like to thank all the people for their hard work in organizing and setting up this event. Thanks in particular to Diane for an outstanding job ! Here is my take on it with the positives and negatives in no particular order.

There was definitely a smaller crowd this year for some reason and it seemed to empty out sooner. I only saw a few people from the Poto chapter and kept looking for the chapter table because I was going to display a map of the Morton-Taylor trails and place a pile of the trail descriptions. But, it was not to be found, so after carrying them around for too long, I placed them on my friend’s swap table (thanks pimpilicious).

There definitely seemed to be more swap tables set up this year making for many bike parts to look at. Many great deals to be had although I really didn’t need anything.

I really missed Marne this year, she always brought a warm & friendly vibe to the event.

The guest speakers were really good. The Brown County park trail system sounds like a must do destination for this summer and Mike from IMBA was very interesting and gave us a big picture look at the present and future of where this sport is headed.

I was a bit disappointed when there were no chapter leaders season updates and the FAFL awards process was kind of strange. No presentation, just go over to the side, check your name or names from the list, grab your T-shirt and pint glass. Nice gifts, but volunteers that donated their time should get a little more recognition for their hard work like in the past when it was in the same room with your peers (like we used to do at the Springfield Oaks location).

See you again next year.
SC

[Di_bear]

SC,

We will be handing out FAFL awards for next year's expo. This year, we did it like we did last year (go grab your shirt). The FAFL hours situation was also one of those "who does this?" things, so it was a bit of an issue. We have learned from this and this one of those areas that *will* be greatly improved, next year. We are also planning to have VOTY awards for chapters (again, this is one of those things that no one really knew anything about).

Di

[gearswhatgears]

I have been the last couple years to the Lansing, and it seems the crowds are alot smaller than when it was at Springfield Oaks. I would think being better located in the center of the state, attendance would be up. Oh well.

Nice thing is the MBC is on the way back, which is usually where I end up.

[i69whitey]

thanks to all the migrant workers

jude had a blast ridin all day
nothing better than a tired, sweaty kid smellin' like piggy *beep*

[MBRA]

I've been attending the Expo since 1999. I think the MSU Pavillion is the best location. Back in Springfield Oaks the crowds seemed bigger because you had 500 people in a much smaller space. Now it's like there's 3x more people, but 6x more space.

For cyclists with kids, the indoor track is AWESOME. My son literally disappeared and spent about 2 hours riding the track with some new friends he made, while we held the roller races at the MBRA tent.

I'd love to see the event incorporate more cyclists, road racers, tourists, etc and become Michigan's own Interbike type event.

Great job everyone involved.

[Schwinn_Fanatic]

I think this is the first year I missed since 2002 or 2001. Sadly.
It really didn't work out for me, but congrats on a successful expo, from what I hear.
The swap meet was the highlight for me for a number of years. However, the past 3-4 years saw a steady decline in the swap meet, and my need for odds and ends parts has dwindled to almost zero.
Those two things in tandem have eaten away at my willingness to make the drive to the expo.
Based on my experience last year, the MSU Pavillion really is the best location we've had, however, there is a coziness or vibe that Springfield Oaks had that seems to have gotten lost in the shuffle. For all its negatives (and there were many), Springfield Oaks had a distinct charm to it.
I hope to make it next year though!
-Mark

[SANTA_CRUZ]

I have to agree with you Mark, Springfield Oaks did have a certain warmth, coziness, cool vibe or whatever you want to call it. Although it seemed a little crowded, there seemed to be enough space for everything that was going on.

Plus, everyone was in one room, not split into two, so you would always get a larger crowd for the guest speaker which we had many great ones over the years. It seemed like you had more time to spend in the swap area before the meeting activities started and I always seemed to find whatever part I was looking for when I needed it.
I never really experienced the negatives that people refer to and I didn't attend the last year it was there when people were complaining about the lack of heat. I miss the raffle, too, I always seem to win something.

In addition, Team Toyota participates in the MS150 every year (for the past 14) which used to start and end at
Springfield Oaks, also. So, I was there in the cold of winter and the heat of summer. The swap area was where
you would go for a much needed massage and the meeting area was the baggage pick-up and they charged for parking. But, the new location at Lake Fenton High School is much nicer in comparison and easier to get to/come home from, so that's a big plus.

Ahh, the good 'ole days, can't bring 'em back, just go forward and the MSU pavillion is a good venue for this.

SC

[MBRA]

YO!


http://www.mbra.org/indexx.php?module=n ... alman_mbra


2011 was another GREAT Expo!!!!

[Creamy]

Hey thanks gang the expo was a BLAST! It was awesome meeting and working with Jason Wells on the pumptrack, you couldnt get us out of there! So bittersweet to work all day dialing it in then bulldozing it, sigh, that berm was sick! we work all year to get berms like that!!! The Swap meet was cool lotsa goodies, just wish I actually had, um, money! alas, saw alota cool bikes n stuff, anyway for our first expo, i thought it was great fun! Now we are super stoked about building a pump track upnorth!

[Tom L.]

I have to agree with you Mark, Springfield Oaks did have a certain warmth, coziness, cool vibe or whatever you want to call it.

I always thought it was just drafty and freezing and cramped with really bad acoustics but what do I know? ;-)