Passes & Canyons Blog

The OFMC takes a break alongside the road.

It’s that time of year when, for the last however many years, John has emailed us his plan for next year’s OFMC trip. When you have a large group going you can’t just roll into town and expect to find rooms, and you can’t wait to the last minute to make reservations. So John has generally sent out the plan in November or December, with assignments as to who makes reservations in what town.

Well, John’s health issues have led him to sell his bike and so, if the OFMC is to continue its 29-year tradition then someone else has to step up to do the planning. I stepped up.

Have I ever mentioned how John so very frequently griped about people not reading his emails and not answering questions he needed answers to before he could proceed with planning? It took me less than a week to fully appreciate the reasons for his irritation.

Judy and I came to understand long ago through our jobs or other outside involvements that for the most part, people just don’t read email. If you send an email asking four or five questions you are almost guaranteed to receive replies–if you receive replies–speaking to the first question. The other questions do not exist.

We’ve tried various strategies. Number the questions, and then say in the email that there are X number of questions and please answer them all. Send only very brief emails with only one question. Whatever else you can think of.

So this year the guys in the OFMC agreed that we might be interested in taking two trips, the usual week-long trip that guys with jobs are limited to, plus a longer trip for those with more time.

Now then, here I am trying to develop some plans and wondering whether to plan two trips or one, when to plan each of them for, and where to go. I sent the guys a note asking about five questions. In the week following I received two replies, and in each case the person responding spoke to exactly one of those questions. Finally a week later I did get a reply from Friggs, who actually answered all questions. And even he didn’t read all of my email and so one of his answers was based on a mistake in understanding.

So I’m doing what John always did, which always annoyed me: I’m making all the decisions myself. I’ll present them with a done deal. From now on I guess this is my trip.

Biker Quote for Today

Always go with the choice that scares you the most. Take the road that has more curves, because these are the choices that are going to require the most from you. Never stop challenging yourself.