Calling the whambulance – bike races are expensive!
Over on RMM’s bloggy blog there is currently a heated discussion going on between Mr. Myerson (of bike racing fame), Mr. Dieter Drake (of Tour of the Battenkill and SPROCKETS fame) and the rest of the internet (including a reserved version of myself).
THE POINT OF DISCUSSION?
The fact that the Tour of the Battenkill entry fees are reaching, into what some may consider, the “insane”. For example, my race is going to cost EIGHTY-FIVE DOLLARS. So, this is too much for bike racers to pay. The Tour of Millersburg (an absolutely fantastic bicycle race) offers three stages over two days for $75.
MY COUNTERPOINT?
Over in the polite world of RMM’s internetland, I made a logical point devoid of penises and poop. But here in the anarchist moshpit of exit17, I would like to say that Dieter Drake should feel free to charge as much as he fucking wants for his bicycle race.
He’s not holding a gun to the head of your wife, screaming “DO MY FUCKING RACE OR THE BITCH GETS IT!”, and he’s not the US government demanding that you pay taxes or else the IRS will turn your life upside down.
HE’S A DUDE. WITH A DREAM. A dream to put on the most bitching bike race in the country. And, like your dream to do coke off the ass of a Thai shemale stripper, a dream that is not cheap.
His race has tons of cops, USA Cycling officials out the ass (officials are friggin expensive), race hardware, timing chips (last year’s results were a cluster fuck, hopefully chips will help) and the sacrifice of several goats to appease the gods of eastbumblefuck New York.
So, possible solutions:
1. If the entry fee is too high, don’t do it. The promoter will realize his mistake and adjust it in the future, and all will be well. And you will save $85+gas+hotel, and there are probably many races you can do closer to home that weekend.
2. If you think that the entry fee is just dandy, go ahead and race, and have a totally bitching time at the most organized race you’ll go to. You will also be out over $100 for your weekend experience.
