Improving dgrr

[evot23]

Originally Posted by tbuelna

I second the comment about newbies feeling unwelcomed. After trying to talk to several people my wife and I mostly got the cold shoulder before giving up. We hung out at the car show for a while and then hit the dragon and went home. Didn't even stay for the pic. I'm glad we went to see the cars...I love my FD, but needless to say, we will not be returning.

Don't give up so easily!

Originally Posted by JL1RX7

Sorry that happened to you. I have made many good friends at DGRR and others. Now I go to try to catch up with people.

Yes!

Originally Posted by 85rx-7gsl-se

What Vinnie said. Most FB and FC owners are very sociable

I see what you did there...lol

[TitaniumTT]

Originally Posted by 85turbo12a

^what he said...

hey wait...technically I am classified as "non-rotory" now...but I was there on time so :P

speaking as an eccentric, OCD, anti-social, mad scientistic and somewhat grumpy machinist type...I say if you cant talk to people at DGRR....

I'm not a machinist so I don't know who you're talking about

Originally Posted by 85turbo12a

hell not to toot the ol horn, but I am sure there were a lot of people with questions for me about mine...but I was too busy talking to others about theirs to stand by it all morning...that is why I have a build thread hehehe

That is not a bad thing.... in 2011 I wanted to go and talk to others, but kept getting pulled back to mine to answer questions and chat, which I am always more than happy to do....

Originally Posted by 85turbo12a

anyway, lets focus on important ideas rather than non-negotiable terrain limitations..

An idea i had today..and someone please alert me if its exists and i missed it, was to maybe have some sort of sign up sheet for various "runs" to different roads and the times and leaders of such groups, be nice to have the ability to see a persons car and face that you may not know that has volunteered to lead a group of cars to X road at X time so that someone new or old can find that person and get a run-down and status and be ready when time.

I am still learning that area and get lost a lot..but hell i will still take a group out if they want lol i drive slow too

for me this year i had my friends with me in their truck so i mainly just went with them at the pace they could run, there was no point in them trying to keep with the pack of 7s, kept me out of trouble too hehehe, but really i did miss some good group runs but oh well, next year.

communication was the biggest failing for me and a lot of other people, our phones wont work, the wifi at the lodge was garbage so even savanadan couldnt get a hold of me, and we rode up together, if we werent within eyesight it was hopeless, not sure what to do about that, that is a landscape issue with service providers...so having perhaps some experienced members organizing drives at designated times so as to sync up everyone out of communication would be nice.
perhaps a marker/chalkboard or series of clipboards for use in this.

the itinerary for the show and the photo shoot and all that is all good and works, but it is the "free time" that falls apart if you dont know specifically who is going where and when(especialy for new people that dont know anyone personally) like i was in 2011, but i just followed the smell

That is a double edged sword. The free time is just that and totally seperate from DGRR because of liability... that is about the simplest way to put it.

If someone wants to take the lead and organize something, and Phil please stop me if I'm wrong here but we've had a very similar insurance/liability driven conversation in the past, it needs to be seperate from DGRR.... correct?

Originally Posted by Pete_89T2

I'm a bit surprised by the comments of the DGRR newbies who said they got the cold shoulder from folks they tried to strike up convos with. Maybe they just had the bad luck of meeting the few snobs first, and first impressions carry a lot of weight. I'm not the most extroverted & socially talented sort of guy, but that's not my experience at all. My 1st year at DGRR was 2010, and I've been attending every year since mainly because everyone I've encountered here is so friendly and I always have a great time.

That.... absolutely that.... I lvoe it, I consistently say it's the highlight of my automotive year

[rx7 vinnie]

I hate to say it But if you didn't enjoy DGRR....... It's your own fault.

[85turbo12a]

Originally Posted by TitaniumTT

I'm not a machinist so I don't know who you're talking about


That is not a bad thing.... in 2011 I wanted to go and talk to others, but kept getting pulled back to mine to answer questions and chat, which I am always more than happy to do....


That is a double edged sword. The free time is just that and totally seperate from DGRR because of liability... that is about the simplest way to put it.

If someone wants to take the lead and organize something, and Phil please stop me if I'm wrong here but we've had a very similar insurance/liability driven conversation in the past, it needs to be seperate from DGRR.... correct?

right since i suck at quoting i will just respond in order...i cut metal...not html...



as for taking the time to answer questions about the car...there is never enough time...we all need to just get in one big circle and play spin the bottle for tech questions

as far as the liability aspect of organized "tours" I admit my ignorance on the details of such matters, just throwing it out there.

I personally don't have much trouble meeting people there to go places, other than when I am off somewhere already because of no communication hardly...but for less independent folks...might help.

anyone have any luck with CB radios in those hills? something with range? who has the best cell service that works in all the areas?

not even worried about using a scanner or radar/laser detector, those guys up there know just where to hide if they wont you they get you.

just want to be able to communicate...or call for help...

[FC Zach]

I've thought about using a CB, maybe next year.

[91convguy]

My 91 vert happens to be in near mint condition and has always been in near mint condition. I payed good money for that lodge room a NV that weekend had great spot in front lot where it was parked during the night. Next morning when come down prep car for show that's when got rude awaking with bullhorn move my car to dirt lot across street. Hay TT just how many times have you had to show your car in dirt lot across street? inquiring mind would love know. Why can't the car show be held somewhere else like in Bryson so everyone can display there cars and feel as they are part of the show and not a rust bucket reject like TT thinks. It would also be nice if people living in the area or driving thought might enjoy looking at the cars and maybe even take interest in rotary power. I did not come on here to down the event as I stated before the event was ok but had a better time the following year hanging out at the mini event following year and that should not be. This thread is to make the event better was just giving a opinion.

[FC Zach]

Originally Posted by 91convguy

Why can't the car show be held somewhere else like in Bryson so everyone can display there cars and feel as they are part of the show and not a rust bucket reject like TT thinks. It would also be nice if people living in the area or driving thought might enjoy looking at the cars and maybe even take interest in rotary power.

I do agree with you here, I would be nice to see all the rotaries in one big lot. My only issue with this idea is that it's one more activity added to an already loaded itinerary and it's just convenient to have the show at the 'home' location.

When I say "loaded itinerary", that's just my opinion and I say that only because every year when I come out for this event I want to do so much and it seems as though I don't, there's just so much to do. The year before last I did make time to go on the zip line tour which was a blast! The raining didn't help this year and it kept us indoors most of the time.

I think it's convenient to keep the event as simple as possible and I'm perfectly fine with keeping the 'show' part of the event at the lodge. Think about the damn dam photo shoot, not everyone makes it there and if they do sometimes it may not be on time and get left out. . . I can only assume that the car show would end up like this if moved to a different location.

[DerrickS]

Originally Posted by 91convguy

My 91 vert happens to be in near mint condition and has always been in near mint condition. I payed good money for that lodge room a NV that weekend had great spot in front lot where it was parked during the night. Next morning when come down prep car for show that's when got rude awaking with bullhorn move my car to dirt lot across street. Hay TT just how many times have you had to show your car in dirt lot across street? inquiring mind would love know. Why can't the car show be held somewhere else like in Bryson so everyone can display there cars and feel as they are part of the show and not a rust bucket reject like TT thinks. It would also be nice if people living in the area or driving thought might enjoy looking at the cars and maybe even take interest in rotary power. I did not come on here to down the event as I stated before the event was ok but had a better time the following year hanging out at the mini event following year and that should not be. This thread is to make the event better was just giving a opinion.

Agree with this. I would like to see the car show cars organized all together. If it has to be somewhere besides the lodge, well that's fine with me. I didn't see a lot of the cars because they were scattered about, or I didn't know if they were part of the show or not.
Also, we had a local business owner stop by our car, and she also had a gsl-se that her father had bought her brand new. She just happened to be driving by and saw all the cars and decided to stop in. She was very interested in all of the cars, and wondered why there weren't signs around town telling others of the show. At the time, I didn't understand that the car show (and viewing of) was only for registered attendees, and so I didn't have a good answer for her. Now I know, but I would like to see that aspect changed to be more of a public affair.

Not a gripe, mind you. I am very appreciative of all of those that organized this great event. Thank you!

[reddozen]

Originally Posted by DerrickS

At the time, I didn't understand that the car show (and viewing of) was only for registered attendees, and so I didn't have a good answer for her. Now I know, but I would like to see that aspect changed to be more of a public affair.

Not a gripe, mind you. I am very appreciative of all of those that organized this great event. Thank you!

I kind of like this idea, but I'm not sure how it would work out... It may get into liability issues, and if it's fine for them to hang out at the car show, why not the damn. What if a non event participant won the car show... then how would that work at the banquet?

[TitaniumTT]

It absolutely does.

[evot23]

I think Derrick is referring to the car show as being more accessible to the public (ie in a bigger lot with all cars together, etc) and having it open/advertised in the sense that it is for the general public to enjoy as much as it is for all of us. The lodge space limits the public from coming in to view the show very easily. And since space is limited, only registered cars are in the lot.

As it is now, on the day of the car show, spots at the lodge are reserved for registered attendees participating in the show. Not fair if nonregistered people are taking up registered spots.

I would think that only registered attendees cars are able to win anything.

[rgould]

We've attended the last 3 years and continue to look forward to the next. We didn't know anyone that first year, but we quickly made new friends. Each year is a chance to catch up with them, and also meet new people. It is a wonderfully diverse crowd brought together by the love for the cars and the rotary heritage.
We like NV, especially being able to hang out on the front porch, but it would be better if the car show could be located elsewhere where all cars registered for the event were included, regardless of condition. If you are registered, meaning you received a tag for you and your car, you and your car should be able to participate, without prejudgement. Not all of us expect to win anything, but all should be allowed to participate. The final judging has always seemed appropriate, but the preliminary judgement due to space limitations seems to cause most of the negative feelings.
Consider as a possible alternative location the Ingles grocery store on Hwy 19 in Bryson City. It has a large parking lot right along a main road, food and beverage, and most likely has restrooms. Car show could be same time, day and duration as usual, with just a change in location. We love DGRR and plan to attend as long as we can. Many thanks to all who make it happen.

[afgmoto1978]

Anybody ever though of holding the car show at the Dam? It seems to be a place with more room. Say have the car show start in the morning and then do the Damn Dam photo shoot at the end. With the way the Damn Dam photo shoot is setup it would aid in the car show judging since each specific make is parked right next each other.

Only bad thing is lack of amenities. But there is restrooms available at the dam.

[WE3RX7]

I agree that NV is a bit crowded for a show of our size, and if we can have it elsewhere, than that would be more ideal.

Another idea on the car show is to not include entry to the car show as part of your registration, but supplemental instead. Not everybody attending this event (myself included) has a "show" car, nor cares to display it. It's why I leave my car(s) at the cabin most of the time. This would drop the cost of registration down a bit and cut down on the "well.. I paid for this but I'm not being included" mentality which is what I feel is more of the problem here. It's all about perception. I'm not hating on the event at all, but car shows aren't everybody's thing and making it optional has a lot of advantages:

1. You can limit car show entries (say we only have room for 50 cars, first 50 to register for the show, get in, the rest can still attend the show but not compete)
2. Makes the cost of the event a bit cheaper (not that I think it's overpriced) for those who don't care to take part in the show.
3. Gets rid of the "I didn't get included" or "I got shunned" or "What exactly did I get for my registration" - all of which are things I've heard and then some in the last 5 years I've been coming to DGRR.

The negatives are a bit more work on the organizer's end to separate those people out and a bit more work to the website to accomodate the supplemental registration.

Just a thought. Regardless, I think everybody is approachable at DGRR and I've really never had a negative experience with the people. Looking forward to next year.

[Pete_89T2]

Originally Posted by afgmoto1978

Anybody ever though of holding the car show at the Dam? It seems to be a place with more room. Say have the car show start in the morning and then do the Damn Dam photo shoot at the end. With the way the Damn Dam photo shoot is setup it would aid in the car show judging since each specific make is parked right next each other.

Only bad thing is lack of amenities. But there is restrooms available at the dam.

This is an interesting idea... Certainly would solve the lack of car show parking space issue, and being back-to-back, it could allow for freeing up some agenda time too. After folks have had lunch, you could gather for the show about 1, have all the cars lined up and ready for judging by ~2PM, hang out and then do the photo shoot around 4PM. Folks can use the AM for free time (the Dragon is much more fun in the early AM hours anyway!), or spend that time shining up their cars for the show if they are inclined to.

Also it would have solved the one problem I had this year - I spent a little too much time having fun on the Dragon Saturday afternoon after the show, so I arrived a little late to the Damned Dam photo shoot and was turned away. Being back-to-back with the show, there's no excuse to miss the photo shoot if you're already at the show.