Hi Paul
Nice to hear that you are getting it together - all below is not
arguable and I am sure that the experience of the past will only
result in improvements in the future, so on to another thought for
you - and no doubt some of the participants who prefer macadamised
surfaces will have a lot of nay saying on this - but for me, and
trust me I am not a dirt bunny, some of the best bits of last year's
ride were the offroad ie jeep track sections - so do tell - are we
going to get a bit more dirt or will it be more or less the same
ratio - I guess 20/80 dirt to pavement? Either way I will be back for
round 2, so out of curiosity.....? PS. Had the knee replacements
over the Xmas hols - an absolutely brutal pain experience which I
wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.... have now managed to junk the
crutches (after 5 years) and am very busy getting going back to
sufficient fitness for the next ride. Best rehab incentive on the
planet. Can't wait to play. Regards. Alex.
--- In GreatCycling@yahoogroups.com, "paul mckay" <paulm@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
>
>
> A few bits from Paul McKay.
>
> * I think I understand the dramas of the email and the clicks
not
> working. I you want one send direct please send me an email to
> paulm@... and for the next one you can register for more
> info on the home page
> * I have uploaded a wad of pics from last year and other rides
to this
> site http://picasaweb.google.com/paultmckay. It was fairly easy
(even for
> me) so if you have pics you want to share with others you can
upload on this
> system, send me an email and I can link it to this page
> * Thanks for your honest question Jinx and your inspiring
response
> Richard. I have been meaning to prepare a longer response so
perhaps I
> shall bang some words in now eh.
>
>
>
> My interpretation of the feedback on the ride is that people
>
> 1. Had a super time on the ride. The survey after the ride used
a "Net
> Promoter Index" process to measure this. It is a US marketing
methodology
> that suggests that in the long term most businesses rely on word of
mouth
> for growth and NPI sets about measuring this by asking customers if
they
> would recommend us to friends. You can check out the process here
> http://www.netpromoter.com/. Basically you take the top two scores
(9 and
> 10 out of 10 and subtract the bottom 6) - sounds harsh to me but
it's their
> system. Riders gave us a score of 54% which is comparatively
fantastic. I
> was personally thrilled when these responses came in so thanks to
all of you
> for putting up with our first effort. I must also say that it
was an
> amazing experience for me and the team of people working on the
ride. For
> me it really was one of life's great adventures - coping with the
different
> dramas of each day, meeting a host of new characters - for those
who didn't
> attend I can try and describe what it was like but I reckon I would
fail -
> you just had to be there.
> 2. My interpretation is that people are saying "wow that was
super" and
> also "we see where you are going with the plumbing bits and please
get them
> sorted by the next ride". I thought the score was generous and I
feel a debt
> to honor people's goodwill and faith. I think a few folk found
some of the
> complaining tiresome and thought they might have been a bit tough
on me.
> Most of the time when someone was complaining - I actually thought
they were
> not unfair and we do have lots to improve upon. I found people
appreciative
> and patient with our efforts.
>
>
>
> Our analysis of why we ended up with and almost finished shower
block,
> dishwashing and clothes washing facilities and a finished but not
> commissioned toilet block was that we/I was too soft when waiting
for the
> right people to make their commitments and putting up with less
than ideal
> performance delivery across many aspects. Let me be clear that I
reckon
> this is my fault - not theirs or anyone else. And I and the team
are
> working hard to resolve the key areas which I list as follows
>
> * Admin. We were not good at answering phones, responding to
phone
> messages, responding to emails and had a troublesome system coping
the admin
> around people's entries. This year we
>
> * Have a super team of people in the office who love the ride
and
> working real hard on the next one.
> * Our answering machine finally works and we are committed to
> returning calls by at least the day after they are left.
> * I am personally answering the emails to Information@ Each day
> * We already have a better online entry process and have a
super team
> of people putting together a host of further improvements and
adding some
> "dynamism" to the system
> * Jack is looking after volunteers and making sure we get back
to them
> and confirm their acceptance early.
>
> * Plumbing
>
> * I reckon the toilets were actually close. There were lots
that was
> great about them (the design, bowls, on the ground.) but the bits
that were
> not tidied up let us down terribly. We have a list of the things
we need to
> tweak with them including - brushes for each cubicle, consistent
water
> pressure, sanitary bins for the women, effective sight locks,
sumping twice
> per day, constant attendant... We also need to stick to the one
pan for 40
> people rule.
> * Showers. These basically just need finishing - seats, clothes
> baskets, a rose for each cubicle, find those grundfos pumps I keep
talking
> about that deliver constant pressure and flow rate, build the floor.
> * Washing up gear - again these just need finishing - a couple
of days
> will have shaving bars, clothes washing and dish washing
>
> * Catering - I thought most of the food was pretty good. We are
> concentrating our efforts on improving lunches, ensuring HACCAP
training for
> food workers, an possibly building our own portable kitchen
> * Town Liaison. Despite perceptions, all towns were contacted
in
> February (except Riebick Casteil (sp?) and all had many visits to
advise we
> were coming and to help them prepare for the ride. Some chose to
ignore
> this advice and some did not believe me. Only Calitzdorp and
Barrydale
> chose to forward emails to their list of local tourism providers.
This year
> we will continue to liaise, encourage, and cajole towns to make the
most of
> the events. We have had a fabulous response so far and expect that
we will
> have more welcomes like Calitzdorp and Barrydale and les like
Montagu.
> * Road Approvals. We have complete the application forms and
met with
> the head of transport for the Western Cape. I expect some
improvement but
> also have to acknowledge that it is common for many rides to be
finalizing
> approvals at the last minute. I don't like this and we will do all
we can
> to streamline the process, but I must identify that the admin and
> bureaucratic process seem constructed to ensure this.
> * Entertainment. This is effectively a function of the number
of
> people on the ride. I enjoyed much of the entertainment last year
and have
> a host of concepts to add this year and for future rides.
> * The Route. In my view this years routes are both better than
last
> year and I thought last years was stunning. In the Western Cape
there are
> no dull bits - it is all fabulous and the Mpum ride is just made for
> cycling.
>
>
>
> Sing out if you have any questions or thoughts on this.
>
>
>
> Paul McKay
>