Cold Kiwi

**Paul in NZ** · 7th September 2016, 09:00

Originally Posted by Drew

This year's turnout might have been down a bit due to conditions of the site last year.

Was heaps better this year, word will spread I expect.

Day passes are just something else for the organisers to try and do. Poor cunts are busy enough now. Coloured wrist bands is an easy way to make it obvious, but getting folk to police it is still a bitch.

Was a fucken good time this year, I even made it onto the news article. Yay me.

I agree with Drew. There is just no way you could get the high speed land whale into the site with luggage/camping gear and a pillion the way it was last year. It carries its weight high and the pillion sits in the stratosphere. While that's OK at speed - at walking pace its a handful. Frankly getting on and off a ferry is a dramarama... Not blaming the organisers or anything - I chose the bloody thing not them.. But show it a gravel road and watch it sweat...

**MarkH** · 10th September 2016, 17:31

Last year it was a nightmare getting the ST1300 in and out of the rally, I decided then that I'd not be bringing it again (despite not actually dropping it) so this year I took the DR650. I don't mind the road riding on the DR and WOW, what a difference it made on the wet rally site having some off-road ability. Also the road in and out was way less nerve racking than last year on the ST1300. The ST1300 is literally twice the weight of the DR650, plus it wears road tyres.

This years rally was pretty good, had great weather on Saturday and wasn't particularly cold overnight (I was warm and cosy at least).

My bed (before I tidies up all the crap I had just dumped under the tarp the previous night when it was raining):

Sloping ground - no problem!
Under me was a down underquilt and over me was my down sleeping bag, between the down was nice and warm!

**jellywrestler** · 10th September 2016, 18:10

Originally Posted by Drew

Was heaps better this year, word will spread I expect.

Day passes are just something else for the organisers to try and do. Poor cunts are busy enough now. Coloured wrist bands is an easy way to make it obvious, but getting folk to police it is still a bitch.

i've been to the rally for 33 years, it's been tried several times and always comes back to people shitting on you and staying so they've given up
with your wonderful idea will then people ask for a night pass too just to watch the band, and then a one night stay pass?
very few of the costs to run the rally are not uniform for the weekend, i can only think of a couple, the bands and the materials for the events.

when i started the cemetery circuit rally i had day options, park your bike at the gate and be out by a certain time, 80 percent of them came back for the night, and their day pass was credited to the weekend rate and everyone was happy

**skippa1** · 11th September 2016, 10:42

Originally Posted by jellywrestler

i've been to the rally for 33 years, it's been tried several times and always comes back to people shitting on you and staying so they've given up
with your wonderful idea will then people ask for a night pass too just to watch the band, and then a one night stay pass?
very few of the costs to run the rally are not uniform for the weekend, i can only think of a couple, the bands and the materials for the events.

when i started the cemetery circuit rally i had day options, park your bike at the gate and be out by a certain time, 80 percent of them came back for the night, and their day pass was credited to the weekend rate and everyone was happy

So what you should do then is have a blanket rule that excludes those that have supported the rally for years and have had a change in circumstances that excludes them from being able to stay at night

**jellywrestler** · 11th September 2016, 10:55

Originally Posted by skippa1

So what you should do then is have a blanket rule that excludes those that have supported the rally for years and have had a change in circumstances that excludes them from being able to stay at night

no not saying that, it's just it's been done before and didn't work, some people would pay the day and stay in, pissing the club and others off, some would pay the day then decide to stay and want to pay the difference which was a logistical hassle, given the number of club members that is dwindling. they are up there again tidying up, there are just two local members most being two hours away some are now into their fifth weekend away at the site in a row sorting things.
why don't you write to the club and offer your suggestions on how it should be done?
either or it's about $25 to go to 2 1/2 hours at the stockcars, at $50 prepay for either a days or weekends entertainment is that too much? as said the majority of expenses are there for the whole weekend.
there are still a lot taking in their own food and cooking gear, this pisses the caterer off as it's a huge task to cater for the rally and the only reason they stay is that it's the companies annual away trip and an adventure.

**skippa1** · 11th September 2016, 11:02

Originally Posted by jellywrestler

no not saying that, it's just it's been done before and didn't work, some people would pay the day and stay in, pissing the club and others off, some would pay the day then decide to stay and want to pay the difference which was a logistical hassle, given the number of club members that is dwindling. they are up there again tidying up, there are just two local members most being two hours away some are now into their fifth weekend away at the site in a row sorting things.
why don't you write to the club and offer your suggestions on how it should be done?
either or it's about $25 to go to 2 1/2 hours at the stockcars, at $50 prepay for either a days or weekends entertainment is that too much? as said the majority of expenses are there for the whole weekend.
there are still a lot taking in their own food and cooking gear, this pisses the caterer off as it's a huge task to cater for the rally and the only reason they stay is that it's the companies annual away trip and an adventure.

I get it.....its too hard so it wont be done

**jellywrestler** · 11th September 2016, 11:29

Originally Posted by skippa1

I get it.....its too hard so it wont be done

Originally Posted by jellywrestler

why don't you write to the club and offer your suggestions on how it should be done?

it's not hard, it's been done several times and everytime people shit on the club and others who have paid so they just move on to more productive things.
if you think you have a situation as you say, why not contact the club before the rally and ask them for a deal, they will listen, they are there to make it happen, they have people with special requirements who may have one leg etc for safer access to toilets, they are looked after, but on the day they really have a lot on so best do it early.

**MarkH** · 11th September 2016, 13:02

Originally Posted by skippa1

So what you should do then is have a blanket rule that excludes those that have supported the rally for years and have had a change in circumstances that excludes them from being able to stay at night

Who is being excluded? Anyone can pay $50 and stay for however long suits them.
I've been to many things that cost a LOT more than $50 for a day, that price is pretty reasonable even if not staying overnight.
In fact those that stay longer and buy food are contributing more, maybe they should charge MORE to someone just there for the day?

As mentioned it isn't like it would cost less to hire a marquee for a day than 3, so many costs are unaffected by how long someone can stay. I can't even think of what savings the organisers would make by more people just coming for the day. They can say that anyone that just wants to come for the day is welcome, but they still need the fifty bucks so they can cover the expenses. Shit ain't free, yo.

**skippa1** · 11th September 2016, 15:25

Originally Posted by MarkH

Who is being excluded? Anyone can pay $50 and stay for however long suits them.
I've been to many things that cost a LOT more than $50 for a day, that price is pretty reasonable even if not staying overnight.
In fact those that stay longer and buy food are contributing more, maybe they should charge MORE to someone just there for the day?

As mentioned it isn't like it would cost less to hire a marquee for a day than 3, so many costs are unaffected by how long someone can stay. I can't even think of what savings the organisers would make by more people just coming for the day. They can say that anyone that just wants to come for the day is welcome, but they still need the fifty bucks so they can cover the expenses. Shit ain't free, yo.

No one asked for free but why should you be charged for a whole event for a few hours attendance? Particularly when you have supported the event over many years, paid full price, brought your food there then through no fault of your own you have a bike accident that renders you incapable of attending for the full event? Still want to support, still want to pay, just want a fair charge to do so

**skippa1** · 11th September 2016, 15:27

Originally Posted by jellywrestler

it's not hard, it's been done several times and everytime people shit on the club and others who have paid so they just move on to more productive things.
if you think you have a situation as you say, why not contact the club before the rally and ask them for a deal, they will listen, they are there to make it happen, they have people with special requirements who may have one leg etc for safer access to toilets, they are looked after, but on the day they really have a lot on so best do it early.

Fair call....

**jellywrestler** · 11th September 2016, 16:02

Originally Posted by skippa1

No one asked for free but why should you be charged for a whole event for a few hours attendance? Particularly when you have supported the event over many years, paid full price, brought your food there then through no fault of your own you have a bike accident that renders you incapable of attending for the full event? Still want to support, still want to pay, just want a fair charge to do so

one guy brought in his sons ashes this year, his son got in for free......

**jasonu** · 11th September 2016, 17:03

Originally Posted by jellywrestler

one guy brought in his sons ashes this year, his son got in for free......

Was he riding an FJ1200?

**jellywrestler** · 11th September 2016, 17:13

Originally Posted by jasonu

Was he riding an FJ1200?

singing dust in the wind probably.

**MarkH** · 12th September 2016, 17:11

Originally Posted by skippa1

No one asked for free but why should you be charged for a whole event for a few hours attendance?

Well, because letting you camp overnight was never what cost anything. In a way letting those that travel a few hours stay overnight is thrown in for free, the real cost is in putting on the event at all. I understand that fifty bucks seems like a bit much for a few hours, but there are plenty of events of different types that cost more than fifty bucks for only a couple of hours (ever try going to a concert?). The fact is that the people that stay for two nights do not cost the club more money, they actually end up spending more (food & booze) and the club would be foolish to charge people more to stay longer.

All I was saying is that you aren't being excluded, just asked for fifty bucks - which at the end of the day is not all that much money. You have the choice to go and pay or not, but at least you get that choice.

I read about your accident and I must say that it was a right fucker of a thing to happen, you seem to have a great attitude about it though which must help get you through it.
But in the case of the Cold Kiwi I just don't see it working out offering cheap day rate passes, especially when it doesn't make sense to encourage riders to just come for the day and to hand over less cash. Next Cold Kiwi I'd be happy to throw a tenner your way to help you pay the fifty if it is just too much for you, be easier than seeing the club screwed over like Jelly was saying has happened when they tried offering cheaper day passes.