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So, to summarise, basically there is no future in the red dh whatsover, as it will always be potentially an access road? Or have I read that wrong?.
Hopefully a huge future in it but also a big challenge developing a great bike track on a pretty rugged bit of hill while providing a safe ATV evacuation route for injured riders. After lot's of trial and error and with the best brains from the SDA on the case we are now sure we are moving in the right direction.
SDA will be riding it next weekend, let's see what the riders say about it!!!
Oof just in time for lunch 🙂
Certainly there is some truth in what Andy is saying, however, it was not agreed that it would be one day a week~ can you imagine just how pathetic progress would've been if we'd agreed to that?
What's more, I clearly remember Andy saying if I were to accrue more days than the rent of the office, he could look into putting me on the payroll, though in fairness, he did mention this was not the preferred outcome. At this time, I stated I didn't want to take the piss, so when I finally tallied up my days, I took 10 off (i.e. £750) as goodwill and offered several payment options.
In the end, we did agree that it would pay this sesaons rent, but I think it's fairly obvious why I'm not returning.
Lets have a quick look at things that were originally proposed and agreed:
Red track finished, with berms and rollers built by engineering team by May
Pump track next to carpark in time for 2012 Macavalanche, once again built by engineering team
Cliffy lift open for Big Mountain Tours by June
I could go on...
i want to know abou the threatening chap in the saab. The rest is just trimmings.
Sounds an awful shame and a lost opportunity for both sides, as well as the potential users.
Maybe sitting down with a third party with slightly less interest to go through the issues, and try and work out a solution might be worth a go. Obviously both of you seem to have put a fair bit of effort into this in your various ways, and it would be a shame to see it go to waste.
it's a beautiful place.
webcam this morning:
[img] 
[/img]
maybe you need some sunny yellow filters over the webcams?
So it's just the engineering team who are a bunch of ****s?
A decent, challenging bike trail does not make a very good access road for an ATV. It'll be one or the other, not both. Rethink and start again.
he could look into putting me on the payroll
So he was to look into it then, never actually agreeing to put you on the payroll?
So he was to look into it then, never actually agreeing to put you on the payroll?
Interpret that how you see fit...
Best thing that could happen is that the Mods delete this post, and the two guys agree to differ.
As for you Tommygun... are you by any chance a samaritan ?
😆
Two sides to every story...
Lets have a quick look at things that were originally proposed and agreed:Red track finished, with berms and rollers built by engineering team by May
Pump track next to carpark in time for 2012 Macavalanche, once again built by engineering team
Cliffy lift open for Big Mountain Tours by June
I could go on...
Response from Andy on this would be nice...
Did I imagine it, or was there a "Thread Closed" on this one a few minutes ago?
holy unlocked locked thread, batman!
Bizzare way of dealing with it but I've just gone to get a coffee from the machine and I have a single chorley cake left in my desk.
I'm ready now so please continue but I'd like a request for more information on the heavy in the Saab.
The heavy in the Saab could be purely coincidental~ I have no hard evidence linking that incident to the resort; however, given the events of the day, the body language of certain people the next day and the fact that sometime later, I saw the same car parked in Caol, where many of the resorts management live, I'm trusting my instincts on this one.
For the record, I don't think Andy had anything to do with this.
[quote=edlong ]Did I imagine it, or was there a "Thread Closed" on this one a few minutes ago?
Aye - but think of the click-count.
>Even when I used to ski many years ago I would drive straight past Glencoe and on to the Nevis range.<
How very weird 😉
If I were the OP, I wouldn't have rested until I'd figured out who the Saab belonged to; completely unexpected aggression such as he describes is very unlikely to be coincidental. It's like something from the Wild West. Blimey.
Did I imagine it, or was there a "Thread Closed"
Good question
It was reopened as both sides of the argument have been behaving reasonably and also because the issue of trail facilities and their management is clearly a relevant issue for mountain bikers. However, the behaviour of other contributors who seem to think it's a suitable topic to degrade with their comments are likely to be the reason for any future thread closure.
If you have anything relevant and helpful to add to the debate then please do so. If you don't then please sit back and by all means read on.
Are you......
I reckon the usual tedious xenophobic "humour" will get this otherwise interesting thread closed again, bland (see Mark's comment).
It was merely a question!
But I'll remove it to keep the peace and in fairness didnt read past half way on page 1
I went to the police and tried to explain the situation, but was a bit confused about the digits of the number plate, so didn’t really get anywhere
sometime later, I saw the same car parked in Caol
I presume, when you saw the "same" car parked, you confirmed this (to yourself) with reference to it having a reg. no. very similar to the one you incorrectly noted at the time of the incident. If that is the case, why didn't you go back to Plod with this information?
It was definitely the same car... parked in Caol shopping centre, where my car was also parked: the driver (who I recognized) got in, reversed out and drove off without noticing me.
In hindsight, I should've gone to Plod, as I did now have the correct number, but at the time, I was with my parents, whom I didn't want to worry.
hmmm, think nobeer has a point, if you are going to do this seriously, you need a separate road for your atv's that's not part of the red.
why would anybody waste fuel to come to the track, if its potentially just been wrecked by an atv for whatever reason.
as for the current red situation, once the sda roadshow has been and gone this weekend, who is managing the repairs and development for afters.
oh, and from experience, some of your staff's attitude does actually suck.
having said that, good luck anyway, i thinks to make it pay, you will need it
Seems to me both parties have missed a great opportunity, given that most ski resorts make more profit in the summer from MTB's than in winter from the skiing, due to the heavy cost of snow management and the fact the equipment costs have already been taken into account.
Sounds like the Engineering 'team' need to be brought up to speed on the business benefits and if necessary incentivised to make it happen, teaching some of them to ride might not be a bad thing, in this day and age there is no room for negative workplace politics especially with the huge pool of would be workers that would replace them at the drop of a hat.
I think it was a mistake for the OP to expose this to the scrutiny of folk on here and my counsell would be for one last go at reconciliation and get this removed, it serves none of us well, other than maybe the click rate of STW towers. having said that i had no idea they had even opened Glencoe to bikes so i guess there is no such thing as bad publicity, if they do get their act together and build on last years progress.
Talk to anyone in the outdoor world about business generally last year being the worse year in living memory so not exactly a bellwether season.
fisgard - Memberoh, and from experience, some of your staff's attitude does actually suck.
+1. Nevis range staff aren't always the most welcoming but at least they're not actual ****s.
most ski resorts make more profit in the summer from MTB's
LOL!
Most resorts make so little money from MTBs in the summer that local businesses have to front-up cash to the lift operators to get them to open at all.
Always two sides, and I'm going to sit well on the fence.
All I will say is Tom is a genuinely committed guy, which was obvious from the Hot Diggity weekend (still one of the best weekends EVER). Andy equally keen to make the most of what the difficult Glencoe landscape has to offer and make Glencoe financially viable.
And we found the staff really great.
At Nevis Range:
"Do you think you could get our tandem on the lifts?"
"No." end of conversation.
At Glencoe the same day as we passed on the way home:
"Do you think you could get our tandem on the lifts?"
"Erm, never tried, but we'll sure as hell have a go".
And they did, and it worked, even stopping the lift at the bottom to check the balance, and again at the top and helping get Nancy off. And the rest is Glencoe history.
Such a shame its not worked out for everyone. Yes GC isn't Nevis, and as I understand it won't get the funding that Nevis does, but both times we were there with the bikes the vibe was great.
Fingers crossed everything gets smoothed out.
Rob
whitegoodman - Member
Seems to me both parties have missed a great opportunity, given that most ski resorts make more profit in the summer from MTB's than in winter from the skiing, due to the heavy cost of snow management and the fact the equipment costs have already been taken into account.Sounds like the Engineering 'team' need to be brought up to speed on the business benefits and if necessary incentivised to make it happen, teaching some of them to ride might not be a bad thing, in this day and age there is no room for negative workplace politics especially with the huge pool of would be workers that would replace them at the drop of a hat.
I think it was a mistake for the OP to expose this to the scrutiny of folk on here and my counsell would be for one last go at reconciliation and get this removed, it serves none of us well, other than maybe the click rate of STW towers. having said that i had no idea they had even opened Glencoe to bikes so i guess there is no such thing as bad publicity, if they do get their act together and build on last years progress.
Talk to anyone in the outdoor world about business generally last year being the worse year in living memory so not exactly a bellwether season.
STW in one paragraph. Someone who didn't even know there were trails at Glencoe, but will offer an opinion anyway!. 😉
At Nevis Range:
"Do you think you could get our tandem on the lifts?"
"No." end of conversation.
Given the mounting system and use of gondolas at Ft.Bill, they were probably right
[i]most ski resorts make more profit in the summer from MTB's[/i]
Any evidence to back that up?
Loving that whitegoodman post! Sounds like an outdoor-sports management consultant, which I hope don't exist.
I've found Nevis Range generally pretty helpful and friendly, and Glencoe the same (apart from the miserable bag that used to sell passes at the booth in the winter). It's a shame, as contrary to some of the negativity on this thread, Glencoe has a lot to offer snowboarding (IMO), and as part of a joined up approach in the area could be great for mountain biking. I suspect however, there will never be the necessary capital available to do it properly.
PS The SDA track a few years back was brutal and amazing in equal measure.
given that most ski resorts make more profit in the summer from MTB's than in winter from the skiing
Any evidence to back that up?
I was just about to ask the same question......
Because it certainly sounds like complete cobblers 😀
most ski resorts make more profit in the summer from MTB's
Doubt it, I am sure places like deux alpes and Valnord makes money but, nothing like the winter season.
The only resort I know of that apparently makes more money in summer is Lac Blanc.
I've found Nevis Range generally pretty helpful and friendly, and Glencoe the same (apart from the miserable bag that used to sell passes at the booth in the winter)
No comment 😆
In all fairness, Glencoe does have a lot to offer~ I can only hope if nothing else, this has been a wake-up call
Epic post by whitegoodman 🙂
Whitegoodman had a presentation by the team from Whistler Blackcombe in 2007 with costs, details and the number of Alpine resorts converting or due to convert, Whitegoodman worked in the outdoor (wintersports) business back then.
It is classic de seasonalisation all costs already amortised.
In a Scottish context, I believe CairnGorm Mountain makes more money in the summer than in the winter, but this is NOT from MTB. The profit comes from coach groups heading up the funicular at £10 a go to eat (expensive) tea and cakes at the Ptarmigan.
MTB is only viable as an income stream as part of a suite of summer diversification. IMO CGM could build some excellent trails on the Ciste side of the mountain, which also happens to be a great natural spectating ampitheatre. Now they just need a World Cup worthy DH run, and a number of Green/Blue/Red/Black trails (at least 2 of each, or a design that allows for closure for repairs without closing all runs of the grade). More trails means more repeat visits, means more profit.
Refers to self in the third person-internets hero 🙂