[Snfoilhat]

04/11/2014 23:15

3783 Stafford Lake, CA
2201 Soquel Demo, CA
1378 Prescott Park, OR
4460 Ft. Tuthill, AZ

All four projects will go forward without the grant, but isn't it a bummer northern California couldn't get it's act together here, organizationally?

Are there still a few thousand among us who knew what time it was, and are holding out (until say half-way to the deadline) to see which of the two CA candidates is the frontrunner, and then will support that one regardless of their personal preferrence?

Or did everyone vote their conscience with the unfortunate (but not unforeseeable) consequence that neither project gets the grant?

 

[uclamatt2007]

2 California projects is the problem. Much like you will see in Heisman Trophy voting for college football, 2 candidates from one area will dilute the vote enough to insure that neither wins.

 

[d-bug]

Maybe Bell did it intentionally, knowing Norcal would be unstoppable with pooled votes. So it was a way of leveling the playing field.

 

[dirtvert]

It really is a no-brainer.

The grant would help complete the entire Demo flow trail, but would only be a drop in the bucket for Stafford.

Also, let's see where everything stands in a week after the SOS effect takes place!

(Sea Otter Synergy)

 

[Hel Mot]

I would have said no brainer for stafford lake. Due to geography, I might never make it to stafford lake but, it seems the better project for mt biking. Stafford is a bike park in the Bay Area, bikes only, directional trails, and freeride like features. How many people have fought for directional bike only trails on public land? I agree that they will both happen so I'm not too worked up about it. I am excited to see mt bike advocacy reach the point where they say, this is what want and not settle for fire roads and multi use trails. I understand why those concessions have been made and they have led to the progress we have today. Good stuff! Wherever the money goes, good things will happen, I just hope it goes to bike specific project.

 

[fgiraffe]

04/11/2014 23:15

3783 Stafford Lake, CA
2201 Soquel Demo, CA
1378 Prescott Park, OR
4460 Ft. Tuthill, AZ

All four projects will go forward without the grant, but isn't it a bummer northern California couldn't get it's act together here, organizationally?

Last year the grants were in distinct type categories, this year it is regional. Might not be the organizational cluster-foo you perceive.

 

[Berkeley Mike]

There is a 650-700 vote gap that has existed for about 3 days and we don't seem to make a ***** in it. Sea Otter offers hope.

Demo offers what riders want; a trail worth riding now.

Stafford Park offers an important precedent for the future of mountain biking in the greater Bay area.

 

[dth656]

Hey matt,

haven't seen you at pal bmx for a while, hope all is well!

has everyone sent the link to their friends and gotten them to vote? i got 3 or 4 additional votes that way--it may help us close the gap w/ AZ!

 

[California_Dave]

I agree, it is important to get friends and family voting as well!

 

[CFT]

Looks like SOS didn't help enough for either of the CA projects - Votes currently stand at:
Arizona - 5175
Stafford Lake - 4122
Demo Flow - 2577
Oregon - 1491

 

[K-max]

I'm gonna lay out the gospel real quick. It's gonna hurt some of you but it's most definitely the truth. (this isn't directed at anyone in particular, just the sentiments I've been observing.)

The reason why the Flagstaff project is winning is because they're beating the bushes to get votes, not sniveling on forums and Facebook about some sort of conspiracy of a vote splitting scheme or setting up the Bay Area to fail. There are 8 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE BAY AREA. If we can't get a few thousand of those to spend a few minutes going to a website, clicking a button and checking their email, then God Bless Arizona, because they deserve it.

Here's the hallmark of a loser:

- defeatist attitude
- looking for the "flaw"
- blaming the "system"
- attacking the competition

By the way, Bell had nothing to do with choosing the finalists. That would be a conflict of interest. Finalists were chosen by IMBA based on project viability and potential positive impact to community. Which is why the Stafford Lake and Demo Flow projects were chosen. Both were very well organized and shovel-ready.

MY CHALLENGE TO YOU:

Get 3 of your non-riding friends or family members to vote, if you really want to win. Better yet, go hang out in front of a bike shop or sporting goods store, and ask people if they'll vote right then and there for your beloved project. Think about if 20 people did that. 1000 votes in a day? Conservatively?

The bottom line is, the winner will have won because they worked harder. So go out and work it!!!

 

[Berkeley Mike]

Outreach! Outreach! Outreach!

$100,000 for logging on and voting.

Advocacy doesn't get any easier.

 

[CFT]

Agreed K-max - well said!

 

[Snfoilhat]

Thank you for defining what was meant by the word "organization" in the OP. As in 'politcal organization', get-out-the-vote, etc. Most people already understood that, but there is at least on person in the thread who mistook it to mean something like 'the rules Bell/IMBA chose.' So thanks.

No thanks for the holier than thou attitude. You sound really tough whaling on the unnamed (and perhaps imagined) snivelers, but I doubt that tactic is going to mobilize the bay area vote. The concrete ideas are great, but the messenger is doing them no favors.

The whole point of this thread, for those who are arithmetically challenged, can be summed (ha) up in the following statement:

CA[SUB]Stafford[/SUB] + CA[SUB]Demo[/SUB] > AZ

or

CA[SUB]Stafford + Demo[/SUB] > AZ

It's not the number of votes. It's the distribution. Distribution can be manipulated through organization, arguably more easily than sheer turnout can.

But don't let all that get in the way of the type of enjoyment you personally derive from the forums, which are many things to many people. Looking down on others is cool too :skep:

 

[modbog]

i blame global warming. when California breaks off into the sea Arizona will be beach front. they're just thinking ahead.

 

[K-max]

I'm just calling it like I see it. The message can't always be candy-coated. It's a simple numbers game and we (we being both north AND south bay) have the numbers on our side. And trust me, the sniveling isn't imagined. But I'll leave it at that.

 

[JL de Jong]

I think that Bell should change the winner takes all concept. On-line voting isn't really the best way to distribute this kind of money, but if they changed it to:
$40k for first place, $30k for second, $20k for third and $10k for fourth at least all four of these worthwhile projects would get some money to help finish them.
It would also be nice if they set up an account for each of these projects for people to make donations instead of votes. 2000 votes = nothing, but 2000 gifts of $20 is a nice $40k for any of these projects.

 

[Hikers Only]

It's time to just pick one!!! I hate to be the bearer of bad news and I don't like saying this, but isn't it obvious Demo is not going to win!!! Both projects could seriously use the $$$ and I wish both could get it, but they aren't.

IMO Staford Lake has the best chance of wining so why don't we the MTB community get together and make sure the $$ come to the Bay Area

 

[dirtvert]

It's all over but the cryin'. It's not like people can switch votes at this point (and I probably would)!

Apathy > (the power of the interwebs)

FWIW- I think K-max is right, but not many people seem that motivated this month. Maybe all their energy went into Sea Otter or taxes or spring break. I dunno... Not being negative--just realistic!

Edit: Just found out Brian Lopes is attached to Stafford, so sorry--you can't have my vote (he cut the course).

 

[rndmrdr]

Outreach! Outreach! Outreach!

$100,000 for logging on and voting.

Advocacy doesn't get any easier.

Isn't the100K divided between the 3 regional winners?