2014 Grand Tour Theme

[Lapchik]

Yeah, a lot of good stories actually. This was on the way to Hell, Michigan. Ended up buying a Concours on this trip. And Chad left me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APDKgKo4JCo

And the epic Grand Tour SS1000 with all the rain and I got sick. And Chad left me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWCUi6IYJEk

As for the multiple riders in the GT picture, riding with friends is its own reward. Or punishment. Depends on the ride

[texnmidwest]

A weekend early in the season and a weekend or two late in the season maybe?

I know! Extra points for wearing a silly hat! Double points for a Chicken hat!

[Willie]

The Double Point week should not be reintroduced. I did take advantage of it the last time, even planned a vacation week around it, but it is somewhat of disadvantage to those that can't take advantage of it.

With that said, a progressive type bonus is always cool. Like paired towns, Warren, MA (1 pt)then Warrren, ME (2pt), would be worth double of the first one and then Warren CT would be 4pt. Requirment would be that the State must be in the picture. Easy way to do that is allow Post Offices back in, but the sign must be a permanent sign and not a piece of paper.

Some thoughts.

I really did piss poor this year.

Willie

[texnmidwest]

(10-30-2013 12:32 PM)Willie Wrote:  The Double Point week should not be reintroduced. I did take advantage of it the last time, even planned a vacation week around it, but it is somewhat of disadvantage to those that can't take advantage of it.

With that said, a progressive type bonus is always cool. Like paired towns, Warren, MA (1 pt)then Warrren, ME (2pt), would be worth double of the first one and then Warren CT would be 4pt. Requirment would be that the State must be in the picture. Easy way to do that is allow Post Offices back in, but the sign must be a permanent sign and not a piece of paper.

Some thoughts.

I really did piss poor this year.

Willie

I just barely won cotton this year. Hope that next year I can get out to do more rally work and not have to buy that silly Paper so many danged breakfasts!

I like your idea of the paired towns.....it just works better for those with a lot of states close. I live in the Milwaukee WI area and HATE riding in Illinois. The next closest state in a 3+ hour ride away. If someone lives in Texas that could easily double.

I truly think the only fair way for extra points is a silly hat. But then again, any hat looks silly on me! So, that would be an unfair advantage!

I am game with anything FWIW!

[Lapchik]

We could try multiple town name signs in the photo makes multiple points. This one would be worth 6 points. You can see all the names on the original image.

[Frump]

Hats ... we can just go to the lowest common denominator and say hat must be a stupid team hat such as horned vikings hat, 3 corner patriot, cheese head or just be mostly pink. But to make it more of a challenge, you have to get someone else to hold your flag by your bike for you (local or another rider) while wearing your stupid hat? Limitation, 10 stupid hat points.

I like this idea better though and I hope its simple enough: The Alphabet Tour. Get towns starting with each letter of the alphabet (A through Z). Finishers must get one town starting with each letter in alphabet - get all 26 towns in alphabet to be a finisher. THEN add a twist by giving one point for each town with duplicate town names matching one of first 26 towns. This would be for all you over achievers and over planners, and there are a lot of you in this group. If you submit duplicate towns with same name, the state name must also appear with the town name in both photos. Duplicate names must be in two or more different states. To claim duplicates, state has to appear clearly somewhere in the photo, but doesn't have to be on the same sign, but must appear somewhere in the photo. No homemade signs. No license plates.

I'm guessing we won't get folks in with several hundred towns, but I'm thinking a creative rider and router could probably figure out how to get 200 to 400 points.

[Lapchik]

I don't like the hat idea. At all. Just sayin.

Getting someone not from the club to hold your flag is a neat idea though.

[StarWolve]

(10-30-2013 11:57 PM)Lapchik Wrote:  I don't like the hat idea. At all. Just sayin.

Getting someone not from the club to hold your flag is a neat idea though.

I'm not so sure about this - it's tough finding someone in the middle of no where at 2am... and some of the neighborhoods I was riding in were not the type of places I'd like to stop and make new "friends."

[AlvinB]

My opinions..
Double points week seems over-complicated.
I liked the town density that this year turned out to be.
The motorcycle shop idea sounds good, but may draw us to large cities rather than small towns, unless we limited it to one shop per town.
Hometown cafe's are always my favorites. Can we use them? Maybe the name of the cafe has to have the town name in it?
Simpler is better.

[StarWolve]

Just had another thought... something about "through the years". We always focus on the alphabet, but why not chronological order? For all of these ideas, we could only allow each year once.

Building corner stones - a wide variety of years here. Maybe a bonus for oldest building found during the GT?
Cars - a photo with a different car from each year (Can be difficult to judge when you find reproduction cars though) This one would be tough to put limits on though. A good car show (like the East Coast Grand Nationals) and you could probably cover every year in one day.
Historical markers - Easier on the East coast due to a longer history, but could still be a good one.

Just another idea or two.

[Willie]

(11-01-2013 07:58 AM)StarWolve Wrote:  Just had another thought... something about "through the years". We always focus on the alphabet, but why not chronological order? For all of these ideas, we could only allow each year once.

Building corner stones - a wide variety of years here. Maybe a bonus for oldest building found during the GT?
Cars - a photo with a different car from each year (Can be difficult to judge when you find reproduction cars though) This one would be tough to put limits on though. A good car show (like the East Coast Grand Nationals) and you could probably cover every year in one day.
Historical markers - Easier on the East coast due to a longer history, but could still be a good one.

Just another idea or two.

Dang I almost have all of New Hampshire Historical Markers. It has taken me almost 5 years to gather them all...at least I know where they are now. <g>

Willie

[MikeH]

I like the idea of historical markers but like Starwolve says might be an unfair advantage to the east coast folks.
Hey Willie how many markers are in New Hampshire?

My hope is to still get an idea squared away by Thanksgiving which is only a week away...crap.

[Shooter]

(11-20-2013 10:42 AM)MikeH Wrote:  I like the idea of historical markers but like Starwolve says might be an unfair advantage to the east coast folks.
Hey Willie how many markers are in New Hampshire?

My hope is to still get an idea squared away by Thanksgiving which is only a week away...crap.

Have you seen how many Historical Markers are in South Dakota? Some roads have them every half mile!!!!!!

True story....Google it.

[Lapchik]

(11-20-2013 10:42 AM)MikeH Wrote:  My hope is to still get an idea squared away by Thanksgiving which is only a week away...crap.

North South East West . . . . .doooo eeeeett
(I have an idea for the picture, too)
https://scontent-a-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hpho...1538_n.jpg

[Willie]

Hey Willie how many markers are in New Hampshire?

Been awhile since I logged on...at last count there was 235 of them.

Willie

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(11-21-2013 03:35 PM)Lapchik Wrote:  

(11-20-2013 10:42 AM)MikeH Wrote:  My hope is to still get an idea squared away by Thanksgiving which is only a week away...crap.

North South East West . . . . .doooo eeeeett
(I have an idea for the picture, too)
https://scontent-a-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hpho...1538_n.jpg

North South East West . . . . .doooo eeeeett

That would be The All the NEWS fit to ride to.

[Shooter]

Q: How do you keep an idiot in suspense?
A: Don't tell him the theme for the 2014 Grand Tour.

I know Mike is busy with work and what a burden it is to choose a new theme every year but I really want to know!!!!!!!

Depending on the theme I will need at least 3 months to plan routes and I don't want to waste time after April 1st.....whaaaaat?

[Lapchik]

(12-03-2013 06:33 PM)Shooter Wrote:  Depending on the theme I will need at least 3 months to plan routes and I don't want to waste time after April 1st.....whaaaaat?

OCD much? Or have you finally just completely lost it...

[Don Q]

Call it "I hate/love my state".Only towns that start with the same letter as your state of residents.

[Willie]

(12-03-2013 11:52 PM)Lapchik Wrote:  

(12-03-2013 06:33 PM)Shooter Wrote:  Depending on the theme I will need at least 3 months to plan routes and I don't want to waste time after April 1st.....whaaaaat?

OCD much? Or have you finally just completely lost it...

Please Please ... proper order...that is CDO <g>
Willie

[MikeH]

(12-03-2013 06:33 PM)Shooter Wrote:  I know Mike is busy with work and what a burden it is to choose a new theme every year but I really want to know!!!!!!!

Work isn't causing the delay as much as I can't find an idea that works well.