Comments, Suggestions and Thank Yous

[snooter]

Just got home from another great MOTD.

Though maybe we could use this thread to do as the title says, make Suggestions, Comments and Thank Yous.

I personally would like to thank, everyone that came, all the vendors, all individuals and groups that had a hand in making this another great event.

I've already recieved some great ideas for next year and will be creating a file to store them in till October.(need some time to recharge the ol batteries)

Please feel free to share you comments and suggestions here. Please lets keep it constructive. I did go back a read every suggestion from last year and make a honest attempt to make as many changes as I could to incorporate those suggestions for this year.

If you want to be more involved next year, post up here also. I'll make note of it and contact you to see how we can make it work.

suggestions so far:
Put schedule upside down on name tag. (I like that one alot, I was always having to read thru the laynard each time)
Get Fontana to open up the ice cream shop.
Get Fontana to open up some food (like pizza) after the brewswap
Bring back Bingo.
Eliminate the Rain
Bring back the Wine Tasting
Become a better speller (Robin only wishes this was possible)
Map and legend for meetting locations and Whiteboard
More Vendors
Eliminate the Friday Afternoon registration slot
More Catagories for Car Show
Group Breakfast
Whiteboard and Maps in Registration area
Double Extra T-shirt orders (also get extra Brewswap and Midnight)
Offer "Darkness on the Dragon" T-shirts
Move Dragon Safety to front of Welcome Guide
Make "Don't Cross the Yellow Line" flyer per registration
Hold multiple newbie drive / orientation and include a slideshow

[wolf617]

Well, if we're gonna post Thank Yous here, I believe that you are deserving of a giant one. Along with everything else that you did, you did a great job leading the Dillsboro run.

Let's see...
Suggestions: order more sunshine for next year
Comments:
I can't wait 'til the next one!

[Fatherdeth]

Well, I'll just say Barry did a tremendous job putting this event on. The vendors were awesome as well!! Make sure the Yokohama guys are there again next year. Those guys are mad cool and very knowledgeable!!

Can't wait until next year.

[oxtox]

Originally Posted by Fatherdeth

Well, I'll just say Barry did a tremendous jon putting this event on. The vendors were awesome as well!! Make sure the Yokohama guys are there next year. Those guys are mad cool and very knowledgeable!!

Can't wait until next year.

what he said

already made my reservation .

[FranticFreddy]

Barry did an awesome job as did everyone else who either led a drive, organized an event, hosted a group "what ever you do" or came and set up a tent and peddled their wares. Thanks

Had a great time and all I can say is that it's going to be a long 360 days. And daughter says she wants to go back too.

[Cooper Guy]

Great job, Barry! I think most everything went off quite smoothly. I didn't hear any complaints during or after any of the events I attended, other than the rain. But even that was a blessing, sort of, for the Parade on Friday, as I have to say that was one of the most enjoyable rides on the Dragon, both ways, I ever had - no bikers, low traffic and just good MOTD drivers keeping a good pace. I heard other Parade attendees say the same thing. I'm sure their comments will be posted here.

Several of us that played the Bingo night commented on how we thought the Bingo was more interactive than the Casino night. I know my wife enjoyed this, too. I hope we do it again next year.

Barry, I do plan to help out next year. I have several ideas that I'll kick around in the "off-season" and send them to you in October. What I have planned will be something NEW that has never been offered before at MOTD.

Thanks again to everyone that made this an enjoyable few days. I always enjoy making new friends at events like this.

[TNMiniMama]

Barry, you and everyone really made my first MOTD a WONDERFUL experience. Thank you for all the hard work, all the wonderful laughs (you are a very funny man! I'm downloading pix into my facebook page now! I'll try to get them on the flickr site soon).
Awesome, awesome, awesome trip... LOVED the Dragon Wine, btw.
Can't wait until next year (my whole family wants to come... may have to buy another Clubbie, LOL)!

[wbarnhill]

An absolute tremendous thanks to snooter and all of the volunteers who made MOTD 7 a success! It was a blast.

Suggestions for next year:

- Confirm event locations well before the event (I know things were a bit screwy with TVA and setting up the panoramic photo this year, and I'm sure things will be smoother next year!)
- I noted a number of information errors on nametags, was the data pulled straight from sign up?
- Is there the possibility of putting at the very least the abbreviated location where everyone will meet for events on the mini-schedule on our nametags? (GS for general store, TD for top of dam, BD bottom of dam, DG Deal's Gap, etc?)
- Midnight on the dragon got started a bit early, and I know some folks showed up around 11:45 to find that the Deal's Gap parking lot was completely empty, so maybe plan next year to start at 11:30 so when we get to Deal's Gap, we're close to the midnight mark in case anyone gets antsy
- Ice Cream Run left a bit early as folks were still getting out of the panoramic photo. Also if Bryson City allows us to utilize certain parking lots on the weekend, that'd be a great thing to look at.

That's about all I can think of! We'll be back next year, looking forward to it!

[davavd]

Thank you, Barry, for what you did to make this happen. We haven't met, but I know your face and every time I saw you, you were "on the job". I am glad to hear you enjoyed it. I don't understand what makes you tick, because if I was trying to do what you did, I would have been a miserable, tormented person and everyone would hate me. I appreciate your gift and how you are using it. This was my 3rd MOTD. I camped , canoed, mountain-biked, (all for the 1st time at MOTD) and other than the Welcome Dinner and Brewswap, didn't actively participate in any organized activities, and didn't do a single Dragon run after I arrived. Still I would not have been up there, 600 miles from home, having a BLAST at all if MOTD was not happening. I give you the credit for that. I know you had a lot of helpers and I'm grateful to them, too. You guys are all SAINTS!

[snooter]

Thanks for the feedback, all good points

- Confirm event locations well before the event (I know things were a bit screwy with TVA and setting up the panoramic photo this year, and I'm sure things will be smoother next year!) That was my bad, I caught the change on the welcome guide and totally forgot the website. Think we'll be at Fontana again, so this should not be a issue.
- I noted a number of information errors on nametags, was the data pulled straight from sign up? Unfortunately the data on the yahoo store was not pulled thru and I had to hand type everything. I hope to find another system for next year.
- Is there the possibility of putting at the very least the abbreviated location where everyone will meet for events on the mini-schedule on our nametags? (GS for general store, TD for top of dam, BD bottom of dam, DG Deal's Gap, etc?) I had all that info up in my Information tent that blew down the first day Thinking I might post the large maps, etc in front of the Rec. Hall next year
- Midnight on the dragon got started a bit early, and I know some folks showed up around 11:45 to find that the Deal's Gap parking lot was completely empty, so maybe plan next year to start at 11:30 so when we get to Deal's Gap, we're close to the midnight mark in case anyone gets antsy That would be up to the MKO crowd
- Ice Cream Run left a bit early as folks were still getting out of the panoramic photo. I've heard a couple of people mention this already. Also if Bryson City allows us to utilize certain parking lots on the weekend, that'd be a great thing to look at.

[snooter]

Robin and I really enjoyed the Bingo too. Like the constant prize factor vs. waiting the end like Monte Carlo. Thanks Pam and Steve and the PittStop crew for another great event!!

[NSX JR]

Thanks to all the organizers for putting so much effort into this, it was my first MOTD. Especially thanks to Steve for a spirited run halfway down Wayah Rd. coming back from the rib run.

Also, thanks to my DSC for keeping my car on the wet roads!

[CR&PW&JB]

I'll echo the previous "thanks" to Barry for all the effort he put into the event, including leading a number of the motoring runs. Thanks to the rest of the "staff" who assisted in the many various ways, too. The entire event went about as smoothly as you can expect for such a huge operation.

My only suggestion, and it's probably out of the organizer's control, is MORE VENDORS !! If there was anything about MOTD6 that was better than MOTD7 was the number of vendors. It's a lot of fun to visit them (and to give them some of our money). The more, the better.

I'll take this opportunity to also so how nice it was to see some "old" friends again and to meet some of the folks from here on NAM. That is always my most favorite part of MOTD.

[GreenCactus]

This was my first MOTD and I had a great time. I thought it was really well organized, which isn't easy for an event that big. A huge thank you to Barry (and all of the other volunteers) for their hard work!!

I can't wait until next year!!

[AutoXCooper.com]

Hello Barry, THANK YOU! for hosting a great event and to all the helpers you had too.

I'll be happy to print the Wine Glasses for next years Wine Event and maybe even show up to enjoy a glass.

Thanks to everyone that stopped by to see us this year it's always great to meet our NAM Friends.

[bhelton]

This was also my first MOTD and it was a blast! Thanks Barry and all the volunteers for the hard work. I think everything I did went really well and smoothly despite the rain. I was a little late to the ice cream run due to the panoramic photo, but we just ran with some other folks that were late as well. While we're on it, thanks to Cabriopilot for leading that and most of all, tipping us off on the best Cuban sandwich I've ever had.

[JAB 67]

Ditto to all of the above. Another great MOTD.

[kgdblu]

Kudos, Barry! And to everyone else who helped out as well!
3 cheers to you all! A truly fantastic job.
Actually, while the rain was a pita, at least it prevented any forest fires

[GreenIguana]

Big THANKS to Snooter for hosting a great event and for helping me out of the mud with clean feet.... 3 big thumbs up - see you next year.

Mr. and Mrs. Green Iguana

[LeahLuvsMINIs]

This years MOTD was AWESOME! I had such a great time! Pamelalala did a great job on the BINGO, I think everyone had a great time! and it was really nice of the vendors to donate such amazing gifts!

I think the map of where events will take place is a great idea. Last year was my first MOTD and it was a little confusing so that would be great!

Less rain at the picture would be nice too but by now it almost seems to be a trend

Great job everyone!!

[welshmenwillnotyield]

Thanks, Barry, for a well-run and organized MOTD!

Thanks to ALL who attended our 5th Annual MKO Cigar Salon, after the Welcome Dinner, Wednesday night! We gathered $50 from donations and hat sales to give to the Graham County Food Bank [Cigar Salon's charity of choice this year]. For sure, you'll see us back next year!

WMWNY

[mellotron]

HUGE Thanks to everyone who organized, volunteered, and generally ran events, answered questions, vendors who brought their schtuff, y'all made this a great MOTD!

I second all of these suggestions:

Originally Posted by snooter

Put schedule upside down on name tag. (I like that one alot, I was always having to read thru the laynard each time)
Get Fontana to open up the ice cream shop.
Get Fontana to open up some food (like pizza) after the brewswap
Bring back Bingo.

Bring back the Wine Tasting

For sure! Would it be possible to spread out a bit and use a couple more tables? Would make it easier to see the wine labels when you want to find something again.

[spurvis]

Along with all the above, I too would like to send out a HUGE "Thank you" to you and all of your staff for MOTD '09. This event was everything I hoped it would be, and more! I'm just sorry I've never been available to get to MOTD in the five and half years I've owned MINIs. Fontana Village might as well be call "MINI Towne" for the week. Still giddy inside from the sight of so many great MINIs at EVERY turn. Counting the hours until MOTD '10! No really, I'm counting the hours.

[tedbone72P]

Awesome time! This was my first MOTD and I'm glad I went. My friend that I brought up there just bought a VW passat and is now trying to think how he can convince his wife to get a MINI so he can drive his own next year.

This has automatically become an annual trip. I already notified my boss that I'll be doing the same vacation next year.

Thank you to everyone that participated in putting the events together in making this a truly amazing experience!

Originally Posted by bhelton

While we're on it, thanks to Cabriopilot for leading that and most of all, tipping us off on the best Cuban sandwich I've ever had.

The best Cuban sandwich is right here in Miami from a store named "Sarussi".

Once again thanks to all and I look forward to seeing you next year.

[Edge]

Once again a fantastic time at MOTD... and a perfect way to destress from the realities of busy living. Thanks go to everyone involved in the setup and planning!

Barry - you did a fine job fitting into Mark Ferguson's shoes as he handed the reins over. I still think your official title should be Mr. MOTD next year.

My only constructive criticism was for the Bingo Night. I had a good time (I'd never played bingo before!), the prizes were really cool... but I miss the constant excitement and energy of Casino Night. I realize that Casino Night is a lot more involved to set up and run... and would probably cost more in fees to attend (since you have to hire an outside casino crew, etc.), but I'd gladly pay more to attend it, if it was to happen again.

Anyway - I don't mean to say I didn't enjoy Bingo Night. It was great! ... it's just that Casino Night was even better. Thanks Pam and Steve for all of your hard work! I always try to attend the PittStop events, because you guys go all out!