When will planning for Freezing Saddles start?

Our Community Forums Freezing Saddles Winter Riding Competition When will planning for Freezing Saddles start?

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  • #917615
    cvcalhoun
    Participant

    As requested, I’m not replying to the original post, quoted below. However, so far, I haven’t seen even any of the “we start discussing and planning it” part that was supposed to start around Halloween, much less the “Registration starts” part that was supposed to start around now. And I’m itching to sign up. Anyone know what’s happening?

    @Amalitza 125526 wrote:

    ****PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS THREAD. **** This is a post to provide a single spot for information you will need to participate in this year’s Bike Arlington Freezing Saddles (BAFS). I will update this post as needed to keep information current. If you have a question, or think that something needs to be added or changed in this post, PM me please. Or post in a different thread. This one will work http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?9375-Freezing-Saddles-Sticky-Post&p=125540#post125540 This is not a thread to discuss or plan this year’s freezing saddles, just to have one place for people to check in on current status and find out what they need to know to sign up and play.
    =====================================================================

    What you need to know if you would like to participate in Freezing Saddles 2016

    Freezing Saddles 2016 will (probably) run from January 1 through the last day of winter (as it has in the past). This year’s game hasn’t been organized yet. If you would like to participate in BAFS2016, you do not need to do anything right now. Check back later and this post will be updated with sign-up and other relevant information as it is decided on.

    Rough guestimate of schedule based on previous years:

    Somewhere around Halloween: we start discussing and planning it. When this happens, I’ll edit this post to include links to relevant planning threads, for those that are interested.

    Somewhere around Thanksgiving: Registration starts. When this happens, I’ll edit this post to include instructions and links.

    Christmas day or Christmas eve or some day very close to that: registration closes. If you want to play, be sure to check back in sometime before that so you can sign up.

    January 1, 12:01am (12:00:01?) Game on.

    Somewhere in the approximate vicinity of the start of the game: there is a happy hour. Teams are announced. People will have to create and join their teams in strava. Even though you already registered, you’ll still need to find your team on strava, so you will need to make sure you know how to do this. Again, links and whatnot will be provided here when available.

    AND PLEASE PLEASE DON’T REPLY TO THIS THREAD.:p

    #1041871
    Raymo853
    Participant

    I am 100% sure I will not be joining a team this year, however, am willing to help with planning and setup. Plus I have ideas for two or three challenges, depending on how much I want to outlay for prize purchasing and making.

    #1041872
    Anonymous
    Guest

    I don’t know! You have all made a liar out of me! Or anyway a very bad estimator. I’m going to assume this is the start of planning and update the sticky to link here.

    #1041894
    Bruno Moore
    Participant

    Oh, worry you not. There will be a Brünø Coffee Challenge. I’ve been planning it since the last HH of BAFS15. Now, let’s get BAFS16 up and running…

    (Why’d our Team Assignment Mistress have to up and move to MSO?)

    #1041905
    Steve O
    Participant

    In the past, rcannon has taken the early lead on getting things started. I know not his level of interest this year. Others may have to step forward to fill the void. I will compile a list of to-do’s later today and you (yes, you) can volunteer to help. FS is a grass- roots effort. Everyone chipping in is what makes it work. There is no one “in charge”

    #1041913
    cvcalhoun
    Participant

    I’m willing to help out right now. However, I should probably not be assigned to any projects that will go beyond the end of this month, as my work plans are uncertain after that. If someone can give me instructions on what to do, perhaps I could work on getting people registered or assigning people to teams?

    #1041937
    Steve O
    Participant

    Here is my brain dump on the list of major items that need to be covered for Freezing Saddles. Some of these will require coordination (e.g. registration and assignment) and some will require additional sub-tasks:

    • Registration
    • Team and Captain assignments
    • Web site/Data/Strava integration, etc.
    • Initial Happy Hour
    • Pointless Prizes
    • Final Happy Hour

    Additional activities/efforts that enhance Freezing Saddles but are not necessary for it to function

    • Social/team rides
    • Side bets
    • Coffee clubs/happy hours
    • Social marketing
    • FSLNHPP

    As I have for the last two years, I will coordinate the Pointless Prizes.

    #1041942
    cvcalhoun
    Participant

    Okay, I’ll volunteer to set up a registration form, if someone can tell me what information I should be collecting.

    #1041948
    Anonymous
    Guest

    @cvcalhoun 128793 wrote:

    Okay, I’ll volunteer to set up a registration form, if someone can tell me what information I should be collecting.

    We might need to agree on how to assign teams first. Last year, elwbikes did some kind of fancy team assigning that involved a combination of regional grouping, handicapping, and randomness. The collected information included if people want to be on a VA/MD/DC team (or didn’t care) and zip code. But that’s only necessary if someone is going to do all that work again this year.* If we are going to use handicapping data for something, we need to know what data we want to collect. Last year’s results? People’s summer miles? People’s November miles? People’s self-predictions of what they might do? Probably also a good idea to first confirm we have @Steve O 128787 wrote:

    [*]Web site/Data/Strava integration, etc.

    and can use Strava again.

    Anyway, at a minimum…
    Forum name
    Email address
    Strava number
    Handicapping info, whatever we are going to use
    Anything else we decide we need to make teams like regional info, willingness to be a team captain etc

    *My suggestion would be to randomly assign teams, and use handicapping data (whatever it might be– last year’s results probably easiest) to check if teams are too lopsided based on predetermined acceptable limits. If too lopsided, discard results and re-randomize. This would be my suggestion because randomizing is 1) EASY and 2) means people can’t be penalized for over-performing last year or over-estimating their miles (and can’t game the system by under-estimating their miles or being a slacker:) last year), but probably do need a mechanism to discard a random result that puts Rod Smith, Vicegrip, dcv, Subby and KayakCyndi all on the same team. But if people enjoyed being on locally grouped teams and someone wants do the work of figuring out how to make that happen, I won’t argue about it or anything.

    #1041952
    Mikey
    Participant

    I have some ideas for side bets again. Although anyone is able to put them on. I can coordinate just to keep things straight.

    Also I know my wife and I plan to participate, although she (as an alumna) is opting for the slacker team.

    I vote against November miles as handicap since I haven’t seriously logged a ride since the end of the NBC.

    #1041953
    Mikey
    Participant

    I have some ideas for side bets again. Although anyone is able to put them on. I can coordinate just to keep things straight.

    Also I know my wife and I plan to participate, although she (as an alumna) is opting for the slacker team.

    I vote against November miles as handicap since I haven’t seriously logged a ride since the end of the NBC.

    #1041955
    Steve O
    Participant

    @cvcalhoun 128793 wrote:

    Okay, I’ll volunteer to set up a registration form, if someone can tell me what information I should be collecting.

    I suggest you go back to previous years to get ideas.

    #1041957
    Steve O
    Participant

    @Mikey 128804 wrote:

    Also I know my wife and I plan to participate, although she (as an alumna) is opting for the slacker team.

    For the record, I am anti slacker team. Sign up to play the game. Those who don’t want to play the game are more than welcome to be “friends” of Freezing Saddles and help with rides, happy hours, prizes, side bets or anything else. We can keep a page with their names on it if it makes them feel more a part of it. But I think it’s pointless to have a “team” that isn’t really playing the game.

    Here’s what I wrote last year on the same topic:
    @Steve O 101118 wrote:

    My two cents:

    The Slackers should not be a “team.” Just a group. Since, by definition, they are not caring about their riding, no stats should be kept and most definitely not on the leaderboard. If you want to be a slacker and want to keep track of your winter riding, then join the game for real or just use your own Strava feed.

    Perhaps they can be called the Slacker Freezing Saddle Supporters or Spectators or something. Their names can appear somewhere on the site, perhaps with bios highlighting their pusillanimousness.

    They may participate in individual side bets, but since they are not a “team,” they cannot participate in team side bets.

    As a “group” they can organize rides or happy hours or hold events or anything else they like. Since they aren’t really playing the game but want to pretend they are, they should take it upon themselves to more actively volunteer for the stuff that makes FS work.

    Personally, I think the existence of the slackers is pointless. A slacker can do everything he or she wants without having to fill out the silly form: banter on the forum, come to coffee clubs, help arlingtonrider with happy hours, make pointless prizes, enjoy group rides, etc. If you just want your name somewhere on the web site because it makes you feel good, well, fine.

    #1041958
    Tim Kelley
    Participant

    @Steve O 128808 wrote:

    For the record, I am anti slacker team. Sign up to play the game. Those who don’t want to play the game are more than welcome to be “friends” of Freezing Saddles and help with rides, happy hours, prizes, side bets or anything else. We can keep a page with their names on it if it makes them feel more a part of it. But I think it’s pointless to have a “team” that isn’t really playing the game.

    I’d be in favor of participating as a slacker individual. I don’t want to be on a team, but I’d like to have my name on a scoreboard with a tally of how many points I have just to see what kind of score my regular riding gets me.

    #1041959
    Steve O
    Participant

    Here is the introduction rcannon wrote last year, which is still applicable:
    @rcannon100 101029 wrote:

    Please keep in mind that this is a game of the forum, by the forum, and for the forum. The whole point is a bunch of friends coming together to goof off. We hope that people will join in the reindeer games, come to happy hours, participate and even organize pointless prizes and side bets, and join in group rides.

    Take care inviting weirdos to join. If you dont think the weirdo is going to join in the forum, or come to a happy hour, or join a group ride – maybe don’t invite them. If on the other hand the weirdo likes reindeer games, and is interested in adopting a puppy, maybe they are perfect. Every year new people assimilate into our community during FS. But there are also those who sign up, never show up, never play – and we then have to deal with how to fix our game.

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