notes for organizers and leaders
Part a: the planning stage
Planning and leading a run need not be a difficult or intimidating job. As discussed above, the participants will all be playing a small roll in helping to keep the group together, which takes much of the pressure off the leader. There are of course still some responsibilities the leader must take on.
Before beginning the planning process you should contact the club's events coordinator (see Contacts page) and discuss your general event idea and the date you had in mind. There may be events in the planning stage that are not yet posted on the website, and the events coordinator will let you know if there is a potential date conflict or if someone else is planning a similar event. Once a date is decided and you have the OK from the events coordinator, you can begin making firm plans.
There are several resources available to help with route planning. The book Destination Highways BC was designed for motorcyclists looking for the best paved twisty highways and side roads and is a fabulous resource for sports car enthusiasts as well. The Thompson Okanagan edition of the Backroad Mapbook is also a great resource. The website Google Maps is a great tool for planning a route if you use the full potential of the website. If you ask Google for directions from point A to point B it will typically give you the shortest main route, which is usually not what we want for back road zooming. However, Google Maps allows you to modify the route by clicking on the highlighted route and dragging it from one road to another. This gives complete control to map out all the great Miata back roads, and your completed map with the highlighted route will automatically calculate all distances and provide written directions. But beware; Google Maps written directions, especially on back roads, frequently do not reflect the real-life turns and situations very well. Google Maps also does not differentiate between paved and unpaved roads, whereas Destination Highways BC and the Backroad Mapbook do. And Google Maps does contain mapping errors. Typically the best strategy involves using several of these resources together and confirming the route and directions by driving the route in advance of the event.
When considering a route, remember to include several stops along the way for bathroom breaks. If the event is to run through meal time you will also need to pick a location to eat. You could choose to have members pack their own picnic lunch or dinner and stop somewhere along the run route, or you could stop at a restaurant.
Packing a picnic is the easiest and most flexible option. The timing of the stop is not as critical, plus there are numerous possibilities for scenic stops while traveling the back roads. You could picnic at any of the city, regional and provincial parks, beaches, highway rest stops and tourist attractions.
You may also choose to stop at a restaurant, but a large number of participants makes this option more difficult so there are several things you must keep in mind. The location you choose will need to have a good amount of parking. For example, picking a downtown restaurant with only street parking could result in members scattered over several blocks. Also, feeding an average-sized Miata group (from 20 to 40 people) at anything other than a fast-food restaurant will require some preplanning. You will need to call the restaurant in advance with an estimate of numbers, and if required you may need to call them back from the the meeting spot the morning of the run once you have an accurate head count. If the restaurant requires an accurate count before the morning of the event you will need ask members to RSVP. Another thing to consider is the time factor. It takes considerably longer for restaurants to serve large groups, so remember to factor that into the timing of your event.
Once you know where you're going you'll need to pick a meeting place to begin the event. Try to choose a spot with easy access in and out, keeping in mind that some locations may have easy access if travelling north but terrible access if travelling south. The meeting spot should have good parking with bathrooms available. A nearby gas station is a bonus too for those who forget to gas up. It is also advisable to pick a secondary meeting place and time for members from other towns. For example if the event begins in West Kelowna at 10:00 am and is heading south, choose a secondary meeting place in Penticton and have south Okanagan members meet the group there about 10:45. If heading north pick an appropriate spot in the Vernon area. Again, try to pick a location with good parking and easy access given the direction you're travelling.
Whenever possible it is recommended that you drive the route before the event date to make sure there are no unexpected problems like road closures or construction. It will also allow you to check the timing of the drive, making sure the meal breaks and bathroom breaks fall at appropriate times. When test driving the route also look for tricky intersections, blind turns or any other part of the route where people could easily make a wrong turn. Make note of any potential problems and bring them up at the meeting prior to the event.
Once you have a plan in place for your event, you need to write out all the event details and pass them on to the events coordinator. Provide the date, meeting times and locations, a rough description of the route, and the approximate amount of time the event will take. You will also need to let people know if you're planning a picnic or if you have made plans to eat at restaurant. If there are any specific attractions, parks or businesses you plan to visit, provide those details along with any website links to those places. Also, please consider whether there is anything that participants should bring with them on the event. If dining outdoors and there are not enough picnic tables available, you should suggest that people bring lawn chairs or blankets. If you're stopping at Village Cheese for a tour you might suggest that people bring coolers and ice so they can bring some cheese home. If you are stopping at a tourist attraction you should let people know if there is an entry fee... maybe they only take cash.
Once you have all the information, it should be written out and sent to the events coordinator (the sooner the better) who will have it posted on the club website. When writing the text for your event, please keep it simple and to the point. Also try to be very clear and accurate with directions and make sure you are using the correct names when referring to meeting places and other locations. Also, please use plain text and avoid extra formatting such as tabs or multiple spaces, as it will all need to be removed and reformatted by the web designer anyway.
Before beginning the planning process you should contact the club's events coordinator (see Contacts page) and discuss your general event idea and the date you had in mind. There may be events in the planning stage that are not yet posted on the website, and the events coordinator will let you know if there is a potential date conflict or if someone else is planning a similar event. Once a date is decided and you have the OK from the events coordinator, you can begin making firm plans.
There are several resources available to help with route planning. The book Destination Highways BC was designed for motorcyclists looking for the best paved twisty highways and side roads and is a fabulous resource for sports car enthusiasts as well. The Thompson Okanagan edition of the Backroad Mapbook is also a great resource. The website Google Maps is a great tool for planning a route if you use the full potential of the website. If you ask Google for directions from point A to point B it will typically give you the shortest main route, which is usually not what we want for back road zooming. However, Google Maps allows you to modify the route by clicking on the highlighted route and dragging it from one road to another. This gives complete control to map out all the great Miata back roads, and your completed map with the highlighted route will automatically calculate all distances and provide written directions. But beware; Google Maps written directions, especially on back roads, frequently do not reflect the real-life turns and situations very well. Google Maps also does not differentiate between paved and unpaved roads, whereas Destination Highways BC and the Backroad Mapbook do. And Google Maps does contain mapping errors. Typically the best strategy involves using several of these resources together and confirming the route and directions by driving the route in advance of the event.
When considering a route, remember to include several stops along the way for bathroom breaks. If the event is to run through meal time you will also need to pick a location to eat. You could choose to have members pack their own picnic lunch or dinner and stop somewhere along the run route, or you could stop at a restaurant.
Packing a picnic is the easiest and most flexible option. The timing of the stop is not as critical, plus there are numerous possibilities for scenic stops while traveling the back roads. You could picnic at any of the city, regional and provincial parks, beaches, highway rest stops and tourist attractions.
You may also choose to stop at a restaurant, but a large number of participants makes this option more difficult so there are several things you must keep in mind. The location you choose will need to have a good amount of parking. For example, picking a downtown restaurant with only street parking could result in members scattered over several blocks. Also, feeding an average-sized Miata group (from 20 to 40 people) at anything other than a fast-food restaurant will require some preplanning. You will need to call the restaurant in advance with an estimate of numbers, and if required you may need to call them back from the the meeting spot the morning of the run once you have an accurate head count. If the restaurant requires an accurate count before the morning of the event you will need ask members to RSVP. Another thing to consider is the time factor. It takes considerably longer for restaurants to serve large groups, so remember to factor that into the timing of your event.
Once you know where you're going you'll need to pick a meeting place to begin the event. Try to choose a spot with easy access in and out, keeping in mind that some locations may have easy access if travelling north but terrible access if travelling south. The meeting spot should have good parking with bathrooms available. A nearby gas station is a bonus too for those who forget to gas up. It is also advisable to pick a secondary meeting place and time for members from other towns. For example if the event begins in West Kelowna at 10:00 am and is heading south, choose a secondary meeting place in Penticton and have south Okanagan members meet the group there about 10:45. If heading north pick an appropriate spot in the Vernon area. Again, try to pick a location with good parking and easy access given the direction you're travelling.
Whenever possible it is recommended that you drive the route before the event date to make sure there are no unexpected problems like road closures or construction. It will also allow you to check the timing of the drive, making sure the meal breaks and bathroom breaks fall at appropriate times. When test driving the route also look for tricky intersections, blind turns or any other part of the route where people could easily make a wrong turn. Make note of any potential problems and bring them up at the meeting prior to the event.
Once you have a plan in place for your event, you need to write out all the event details and pass them on to the events coordinator. Provide the date, meeting times and locations, a rough description of the route, and the approximate amount of time the event will take. You will also need to let people know if you're planning a picnic or if you have made plans to eat at restaurant. If there are any specific attractions, parks or businesses you plan to visit, provide those details along with any website links to those places. Also, please consider whether there is anything that participants should bring with them on the event. If dining outdoors and there are not enough picnic tables available, you should suggest that people bring lawn chairs or blankets. If you're stopping at Village Cheese for a tour you might suggest that people bring coolers and ice so they can bring some cheese home. If you are stopping at a tourist attraction you should let people know if there is an entry fee... maybe they only take cash.
Once you have all the information, it should be written out and sent to the events coordinator (the sooner the better) who will have it posted on the club website. When writing the text for your event, please keep it simple and to the point. Also try to be very clear and accurate with directions and make sure you are using the correct names when referring to meeting places and other locations. Also, please use plain text and avoid extra formatting such as tabs or multiple spaces, as it will all need to be removed and reformatted by the web designer anyway.
part b: event day
On event day the leader must hold a mandatory meeting for all participants prior to the run. (Note: Many members are in the habit of using the term "drivers meeting". Please do not use this term as it give's the impression that passengers do not need to attend. It is equally important that passengers attend the meetings. After all, more often than not it is the passenger, not the driver, who acts as the navigator and communicates with the group on the CB.) The purpose of the meeting is to inform everyone of the planned route and the location of any potty breaks, lunch stops etc.. It is also advisable to bring a map to the meeting so everyone can see the route and any stopping points. Whenever possible the leader should print off copies of the map and pass them out. Some maps may not have all the back roads listed, but the map should at least give a general outline of where the drive is headed and any stopping points along the way. The leader should suggest that members exchange cell phone numbers as added security, and remind everyone that gas tanks should be full and bladders should be empty.
The leader should also find someone to act as a “sweep” during the event. The sweep car is the last car in the group and lets the leader know via CB radio when cars get separated from the group so the leader can determine if and when he needs to regroup the cars or adjust his pace to compensate. The sweep car also keeps an eye out and informs the leader of any cars that may stop due to mechanical problems or for unscheduled potty breaks etc..
The leader should also find someone to act as a “sweep” during the event. The sweep car is the last car in the group and lets the leader know via CB radio when cars get separated from the group so the leader can determine if and when he needs to regroup the cars or adjust his pace to compensate. The sweep car also keeps an eye out and informs the leader of any cars that may stop due to mechanical problems or for unscheduled potty breaks etc..
part c: on the road
During the run, the leader follows the same breadcrumbing rule as the rest of the participants (see Notes For Participants Part A) which is to never turn off the road you are currently on unless you have visual contact with the car behind. The lead car should also announce all turns over the CB. For example “I’m turning right at the stop sign” or “stay left at the Y in the road”.
If traveling on a multi-lane road and there is a turn coming up, the leader should stick to the appropriate lane well in advance so that the whole group is ready for the turn. On multi-lane roads the leader should also announce the appropriate lane over the CB; something like "We're turning left at the next set of lights, so everyone needs to be in the left lane".
On the open highway, it is acceptable to use the left lane to pass slow traffic, but whether it is advisable to do so will depend on the length of the left lane, the relative speed of the OTM you wish to pass, and the distance to the next turn. It is important for the leader to create a substantial gap between himself and the OTM he passed to allow sufficient room for the other Miatas to follow suit. Also remember that it takes a significant amount of time for the entire group to pass a slower OTM. If traveling a long stretch of open 4-lane highway (for example, between Summerland and Penticton or between Winfield and Vernon) you will likely have sufficient time to allow the entire group to complete the pass. However, if the OTM is traveling only marginally slower than the group, or if the left lane will run out soon, or if there is a turn-off coming up, it may be wise to just stay behind the OTM. In the case of an upcoming turn, it is important for the leader to remember that passing must be completed by the entire group well in advance or members might be caught out in the wrong lane.
If the group has been separated by OTM traffic while on the open road or highway, the leader can use highway passing lanes to get the group bunched up again. Simply keep to the right lane and slow down to let OTMs pass quickly and easily in the left lane. The leader should announce on the CB the intention to regroup the cars by keeping to the slow lane. The leader can also regroup the pack by using a pull-out or rest area, but keep in mind that if the highway is very busy, a large number of cars would likely not be able to get back onto the highway in one group anyway, so stopping at a pull out may only be helpful if traffic is light. The leader should announce on the CB any plans to pull over.
When traveling through urban areas breadcrumbing becomes more difficult as there are fewer safe places to pull over if cars get separated. For this reason the leader should always attempt to re-group the cars prior to entering cities and towns. If you can't see the car behind and you are not able to safely pull over prior to a turn, try to give the car behind the best possible shot at seeing you by slowing down to delay making the turn for as long as possible, then make the turn and pull over as soon as there is a safe place to do so. If there is still no safe place to stop, drive as slowly as you can without impeding regular traffic.
With the greater potential for difficulties in urban areas, it becomes very important for the leader to announce all turns over the CB. It is also important for the sweep car to let the leader know if part of the group gets separated by a traffic light, or when the the entire group has completed a turn.
Once past the urban area and the last of the traffic lights it is a good idea to check the status with the sweep car and regroup if there is too much separation between the cars.
Although all the strategies above are all designed to keep the group together, the leader must bear in mind that pulling over too often or slowing down too much will take all the fun out of a drive. Don't expect to keep every Miata nose to tail throughout the event. A few OTMs among the group here and there is perfectly acceptable and is not cause to pull over or regroup. Try to keep the flow going, especially out on the twisty back roads, and remember that if everyone practices breadcrumbing, the group can be separated by significant distances without worry.
Also, if the group is travelling a great twisty road and a few cars get stuck behind a slow OTM, or if a few participants prefers to drive a slower pace, the leader should continue on at a normal fun pace and not be afraid to loose sight of some of the cars behind. As long as you breadcrumb at the next turn, there will not be an issue. Slowing down to keep the slower cars in sight is not necessary and will only serve to take the fun out of the drive for everyone else.
The trick to being a good leader is recognizing when to keep cars together and when to let them find their own pace and have fun on the open road.
If traveling on a multi-lane road and there is a turn coming up, the leader should stick to the appropriate lane well in advance so that the whole group is ready for the turn. On multi-lane roads the leader should also announce the appropriate lane over the CB; something like "We're turning left at the next set of lights, so everyone needs to be in the left lane".
On the open highway, it is acceptable to use the left lane to pass slow traffic, but whether it is advisable to do so will depend on the length of the left lane, the relative speed of the OTM you wish to pass, and the distance to the next turn. It is important for the leader to create a substantial gap between himself and the OTM he passed to allow sufficient room for the other Miatas to follow suit. Also remember that it takes a significant amount of time for the entire group to pass a slower OTM. If traveling a long stretch of open 4-lane highway (for example, between Summerland and Penticton or between Winfield and Vernon) you will likely have sufficient time to allow the entire group to complete the pass. However, if the OTM is traveling only marginally slower than the group, or if the left lane will run out soon, or if there is a turn-off coming up, it may be wise to just stay behind the OTM. In the case of an upcoming turn, it is important for the leader to remember that passing must be completed by the entire group well in advance or members might be caught out in the wrong lane.
If the group has been separated by OTM traffic while on the open road or highway, the leader can use highway passing lanes to get the group bunched up again. Simply keep to the right lane and slow down to let OTMs pass quickly and easily in the left lane. The leader should announce on the CB the intention to regroup the cars by keeping to the slow lane. The leader can also regroup the pack by using a pull-out or rest area, but keep in mind that if the highway is very busy, a large number of cars would likely not be able to get back onto the highway in one group anyway, so stopping at a pull out may only be helpful if traffic is light. The leader should announce on the CB any plans to pull over.
When traveling through urban areas breadcrumbing becomes more difficult as there are fewer safe places to pull over if cars get separated. For this reason the leader should always attempt to re-group the cars prior to entering cities and towns. If you can't see the car behind and you are not able to safely pull over prior to a turn, try to give the car behind the best possible shot at seeing you by slowing down to delay making the turn for as long as possible, then make the turn and pull over as soon as there is a safe place to do so. If there is still no safe place to stop, drive as slowly as you can without impeding regular traffic.
With the greater potential for difficulties in urban areas, it becomes very important for the leader to announce all turns over the CB. It is also important for the sweep car to let the leader know if part of the group gets separated by a traffic light, or when the the entire group has completed a turn.
Once past the urban area and the last of the traffic lights it is a good idea to check the status with the sweep car and regroup if there is too much separation between the cars.
Although all the strategies above are all designed to keep the group together, the leader must bear in mind that pulling over too often or slowing down too much will take all the fun out of a drive. Don't expect to keep every Miata nose to tail throughout the event. A few OTMs among the group here and there is perfectly acceptable and is not cause to pull over or regroup. Try to keep the flow going, especially out on the twisty back roads, and remember that if everyone practices breadcrumbing, the group can be separated by significant distances without worry.
Also, if the group is travelling a great twisty road and a few cars get stuck behind a slow OTM, or if a few participants prefers to drive a slower pace, the leader should continue on at a normal fun pace and not be afraid to loose sight of some of the cars behind. As long as you breadcrumb at the next turn, there will not be an issue. Slowing down to keep the slower cars in sight is not necessary and will only serve to take the fun out of the drive for everyone else.
The trick to being a good leader is recognizing when to keep cars together and when to let them find their own pace and have fun on the open road.
impromptu club drives
There's beautiful summer sunshine in the forecast and you feel like taking a drive to a park for a picnic supper one evening to break up the week. Or maybe it's fall; golden leaves cover the twisty rural back roads and an unexpected burst of warm dry weather settles into the valley, just begging you to throw the top down and head for the hills. You check the OVMC calendar... darn, nothing on the schedule. Not to worry! You can easily organize an impromptu run yourself with very little notice. There are a just few simple things you need to do:
That’s all there is to it.
Keep in mind that impromptu runs should be limited to fairly brief, straight-forward, casual drives. For example, a drive out to Fintry for a picnic, or a drive through the East Kelowna orchards to look at the blossoms. More extensive runs (those spanning several cities, needing multiple meeting spots or multiple stopping points) require more extensive planning and aren't suitable as impromptu drives. Please refer to the OVMC Drive Manual for notes on organizing club drives.
- Contact the events coordinator (see Contacts page) to discuss your idea.
- Decide on a meeting place. A central location with easy road access in and out is preferred. Access to a washroom is a nice bonus! There are several common meeting places in the Okanagan that the club has been using for many years. Just ask the events coordinator for help if you are unsure where to meet.
- Pick a time.
- Have a rough idea where you’re going and how long the drive will take. You will need to inform everyone of the destination and any stopping points prior to departure.
- Decide if it will be a picnic event so people can prepare.
- Send the above information to the events coordinator. Time is usually tight when planning last-minute events, so if the events coordinator is unavailable you may send the information directly to the communications coordinator. Your information will be distributed to the membership via email and be posted on the website if time permits. Please try to send the info at least a day in advance if possible. The sooner the better of course, as there is always the possibility that we will not be able to pass along your information in time.
That’s all there is to it.
Keep in mind that impromptu runs should be limited to fairly brief, straight-forward, casual drives. For example, a drive out to Fintry for a picnic, or a drive through the East Kelowna orchards to look at the blossoms. More extensive runs (those spanning several cities, needing multiple meeting spots or multiple stopping points) require more extensive planning and aren't suitable as impromptu drives. Please refer to the OVMC Drive Manual for notes on organizing club drives.
please note
Members from the north or south Okanagan areas are encouraged to organize events in your region even if attendance would be difficult for members from other regions. For example, if you held a short evening drive and picnic supper mid-week in Naramata, many Vernon members would likely not be able to travel that far on a week night. This is perfectly acceptable. It is not necessary or even practical that all events be accessible to members from all regions, as some members live as much as three hours apart. Our goal is to organize an equal proportion of events in the north, central and south Okanagan regions.
