In response to all your questions I would first like to reiterate what I have said from the beginning. "If you have questions not related to general event info, you contact me thru the website.
sean-d@americanwheeler.com. The AW phone # has been posted in "about us" for a while now. The phone # is 704/550-4187. You now have no excuses for not getting the answers to your questions.
The race committee is a group of volunteers that have generously given up their evenings to answer your questions and have done an exemplary job. After reading some of you responses, I commend them for keeping their composure.
I would like to also say that unfortunately the State of NC has not yet posted our registration. We too are frustrated by this and call them daily. We are a licensed LLC and have the # to prove it. However, that # is just like your Soc Sec #, you do not post it on the internet or give it out to anyone. With that said I would like to point out that we have signed national and regional sponsors to the event and I am quite sure they would not have given us their money if we weren’t a fully licensed, legal and operational company. Also, the NPO AW foundation is currently being approved and has not yet taken a dime for its cause. As the website says “stay tuned”.
All your environmental concerns are good ones and I will refer you to Woody's last response. Remember too that we stronger in numbers. When a company throws an event and people get behind it, we create solidarity. When an issue about the land we play on comes up, we will have the strength to fight back. Also remember that the URE Nat For is designated as a multiple use park. The wheeling trails are zoned for such and are expected to deteriorate and be maintained. We have pulled all the permits necessary and there is NO CONCERN that any event or amount of wheelers on any given weekend will EVER close the park to our usage. This can be further proven by the Ranger Office. In terms of liability and insurance, you cannot insure a racer, that is what health insurance is for. The event is insured for the spectators (including volunteers and staff), the forest and the vendors. American Wheeler is totally open to all your ideas and concerns. We also want to make sure that impact from the event is minimized. Although we have volunteers, we also have paid staff to act as managers, security, and general event staff. Volunteers are welcome but remember, they are volunteers, not staff and will not be covered by L&I insurance.
We want to hear from you. But if you don't use the contact info provided then the blame is on you for not getting an answer. With that said I use this analogy. If you want a date with a girl, you don't ask her friend, you ask HER! Please do not bombard the board with your questions if you are not going to ask American Wheeler first. NO ONE ON ANY BOARD CAN ANSWER A QUESTION ABOUT THE EVENT BETTER THAN ME. So please use the contact info and get your questions answered. Thank you,
Sean-D
