Conference noted::bicycle

I remember a race that was held at MRO. I think it was back around 1984. The
United Way was the cause and Kathy Norton was running it. The course was 19
miles and about 20 rider participated. They also had a 6k or 10k run race.
I'd like to see more of these events but who has the time to run it???

Also I'd love to see a place where we could have weekly or bimonthly Crit's in
a Digital parking lot more for practice and fun rather then prizes. The entry
fee would be for the United Way. Maybe with the gift to the United Way the
doors would open for the use of the grounds. 

Tom

    	I'd like to offer whatever kind of help I can toward the
    organization and presentation of this sort of event. I've worked on the
    NEAR organizing committees, A-B Jamboree bike race, Tour de Lowell,
    etc, and sports car races - corner worker. I live west of 495, so 
    visits to Westfield would be convenient. - Chris

Here's a more-detailed proposal for a real Tour de Digital, which expands
on my first ideas about the event.  I think it would be exciting to have
a real, balanced, but minimal "Tour" in the spirit of the great pro races.
The biggest challanges are to keep the organizing effort low, and select
the events so that the maximum number of riders (who all have full-time 
jobs and other obligations) can participate.

I think the best combination is a flat Crit, a hilly Road Race, and a 
decent TT, with the winner being selected on the basis of overall time.
Premiums of a few seconds would be given to placing riders in the
crit and road race.  We could also have three jerseys -- sprinter's,
climber's, and overall, the first two being points-based.

Now, for the organizational part: to minimize effort, I think we should
seek to "piggyback" off of existing events.  If we were able to organize
a separate DEC-only race at the W-ave crits on a Sunday morning (much the
same way as qualifiers for the Bay State Games are currently held), that
could be one event.  Then if we merely made the Wayside Inn TT of the
following Wednesday count for the Tour de Digital, that would be another.
(There's no special need to separate things in a TT; plus the Wayside is
the "defacto" DEC TT.)  That leaves the Road Race, which could be held
on the Saturday before (any piggyback possibilities?).

That leaves the organization to getting the jerseys (Tom?), tracking the
points (Mark?), and getting OK's for the event (Chris?).

Sound good?  Now if I could only just be there!


MATT

    RE: -.1
    
    Your questions are good, but that's yet another line of discussion. 
    I've started note 1400 to discuss the various types of cycle racing,
    including road, criterium, and TT events.
    
    MATT

    	More on the last Tour de Digital. There were two races that
    day. one was a fun ride, this is ware people rode anything from
    a Mt. bike to a three wheeller. and a compittion race. This was
    all for a fun raiser. Out here in Westfield we have a great place
    to race. The race is around digital, this is all parking lot. It
    was roped off. There were no problems with parking or with car getting
    on the course. I would like to see a team from every digital plant
    get involed in this race. Have a little pride in how plant has the
    fastest rider. Then evry year after that move the race sight all
    over. This way every plant can get involed. and help out United
    Way. The phase Tour de Digital made the race sound good. It was
    not ment to have more than one day of racing.
    
    Love My Trek
    Mike

    There are certainly advantages to having the race on Corporate
    property, but if it expands to include other sites, I bet that the fear
    of corporate liability will (probably rightfully) scare the Employee
    Activities people away.  That's why I suggested sticking the Tour de
    Digital in the middle of established, off-site rides.  They already
    have insurance arrangements, and aren't as vulnerable to a mega-claim
    as DEC is in the case of an incident.
    
    The multi-day event idea was just a way to expand the race into a
    "real" tour.  If people don't want to do it, than of course they
    shouldn't.
    
    
    MATT
    
    

    	I tried to organize a club ride starting in
    the DEC lot at MKO back in 1987.  I was informed
    by Facilities, Personnel and Security that all
    non-DEC employees would not be allowed to park
    in the lot due to liability insurance reasons.
    I'd say that a race consisting of all DEC employees
    would be ok, but they will probably want everyone
    (including significant others) to park off site
    for such an event (What ever happend to community
    spirit?).
    				_Jerry

      <<< Note 1396.8 by GSFSWS::JSMITH "Support Bike Helmets for Kids" >>>
                 -< Better check with Facilities and Security >-

>    for such an event (What ever happend to community
>    spirit?).

Lawyers...

    FYI - The cycle portion of the Marlboro Lions Triathlon passes through
    the Digital/Hudson (HLO?) facility 3X during its 10 mile distance.
    
    In the race, there are DEC and nonDEC folks.  I don't know what
    kind of liability the race director takes on, or how it is that
    he manages to get this facility to agree to allow this, but he's
    had the race for 4 years (maybe 5) now, on the same course.
    
    BTW, the race director's name is Bill Fiske (Fiske Independent Race
    Mgmt - FIRM) of Marlboro, MA.  Don't have his phone number handy,
    but can get it easily if someone would like to follow up.
    
    Bill does all of his races in the name of some charity.  Don't know
    if this does anything for liability issues.
    
    ric b