As for new events, we have a wonderful new ride this year on June 30, the Red-Bell 100, which is a one-day century pledge ride to benefit Cascade youth programs and World Bicycle Relief. See page 1 of the December Cascade Courier for info to date:
http://blog.cascade.org/2011/12/cascade-courier-december-2011/

Two points:

1. Are you saying that even if there had not been all the griping on Facebook and your own community boards that you STILL would have had an RSVP2 last year? Without complaints? I commend the staff and volunteers for trying to make it right because the new system did fail, but I find it disingenuous for you to say that RSVP2 wasn’t a response to the anger and complaints about the registration system.

2. This is a “new registration system” that may well “fail to work as advertised”. (Although this thread proves that it is not “totally unforeseen”.) Therefore the previous question is valid: will there be an RSVP3 when people who don’t get to ride complain?

“Will there be an RSVP3…?______” nope. (will there be an increase in the 1400 rider limit? only if there is an increase in the number of beds available in Bellingham AND a relaxation of the customs and immigration rules for the return border crossing.)

I’m not opposed to a lottery, but I think each member should get to enter and get to have a number (3 or 5) of member entries they can distribute to their friends who are members. (Which is what I believe Lamar originally posted.) That way it would increase your odds of getting in. You still would only get to register once and you’d still have to be a member. If more than one person in your group got selected they’d relinquish their other entries. That seems more fair to me.

At least in previous years you could be rewarded for getting up early and/or being diligent enough to register when the process started. With this new system if my group isn’t fortunate enough to have our entry drawn we are out of luck and we don’t ride.

With the increase in the numbers cycling, getting into “events” IS getting more difficult — eventually, all events “max out” (RAMROD went to a lottery ~7 years ago!)

Lamar Bass says:
Monday, October 31, 2011 at 12:42 pm
10/27 UPDATE/CORRECTION: it will NOT be possible for each member of a group to enter the group in the lotteries — a name may be entered into the lottery only once, whether as an individual or as one of a group. the odds will be minutely better as part of a group: as a member of a group of 4 in a lottery with one other individual or group, the odds of being selected/winning are 1 in 2 or 50%; as 4 individuals in a lottery with one other individual or group, the odds are 1 in 5 or 20%; obviously, in a lottery with 2000+, the difference will be insignificant.

Please note that: (1) if your group “wins” the lottery, all are not required to register in order for others in the group to do so; and (2) if one of your group chooses not to register, their “right to register” CANNOT be transferred to someone else.

How you register depends on whether each and every one of you ONLY wants to ride if ALL of the group can go; or, if the group will ride even if one or more don’t make it in.

AND, if it doesn’t matter to your group whether you ride Fri-Sat or Sat-Sun, then enter both lotteries.

10/26 UPDATE: RSVP lottery procedures: You can enter both RSVP lotteries, but you will only be drawn for one event. RSVP1 will be drawn first. If your name is in both lottery pools, and you win RSVP1, your name will be removed from the RSVP2 lottery. The RSVP2 lottery draw will take place after the RSVP1 draw is complete. This will give participants a better chance of being drawn.

Option 1:
One group entry with all names, request to ride either RSVP1 or RSVP2.

Option 2:
Multiple entries. Each member of my group registers as the point of contract for their own group with all groups having the same members. i.e. 6 groups but only 6 total riders.