MOMC TC Tips

YOU SHOULD BRING THE FOLLOWING WITH YOU:

1. Waiver form

2. Membership forms

3. First Aid Kit (rigorous activities)

4. Sunscreen, bug spray (hikes)

PLANNING

Scheduling: When sending in your event write-up, have a primary day and a possible alternate day, so that the Activity Director can juggle all of our events and ensure that we have events on all weekends. Also, run make-up dates for weather cancellations by the Activity Director, because the club might have other activities scheduled for that day.

Event Description: See examples in the Shofar or on the website. You should include:

1. The date and time

2. A brief description

3. Your contact info: e-mail and phone (phone will not go on the website)

4. RSVP info: by what date; Also, Required, Recommended, Not Required 

5. Location and/or address for meetup

6. Cost

A Word About RSVPing.  If you want to ensure that people RSVP, state that RSVP is required. You might also want to reveal the event location and/or meetup spot when people RSVP. If you state the RSVP is not required or recommended, then you should be at the event location or meetup point, regardless of how many people RSVP. Since we want to make events as accessible as possible, RSVP required or recommended is most desirable. However, some events, which have a limited number of spaces or involve, traveling long distances, or requires a minimum skills levels, should be RSVP required

Familiarity (Hikes, Rides, XC Skiing): Know the trail or route that you will be using. If possible, hike, ride or ski it beforehand to get a good sense of time/distance/terrain. Also, drive to the event site to make sure that your directions are clear and precise.

Taking Calls/e-mails:  Expect a lot of calls late in the week!  Describe the activity, mention expected return-to-carpool-location time, and what equipment/clothing to bring/wear.   Have an answering machine with a suitable message if weather is iffy or if you are not around to return calls.  Most RSVPs come via e-mail so check your e-mail frequently. Keep a list of RSVPs with, phone #, and e-mail so that you can contact people if the trip is going to be changed or cancelled.

Carpooling: Try to have meeting places for carpools at T accessible locations or to arrange a pickup at a close by T stop.  Have detailed directions to hand out to drivers. Get a count of how many (what model, color?) cars are in the caravan. Mention possible rest stops en-route to hike, if any. Drivers should feel free to ask for contributions for gas on long trips.

Screening People: It is highly recommended that you screen folks for long or difficult hikes and bike sides. These types of events should be RSVP required. If you don't know a person, ask him or her about his or her experience level and get an idea as to what kind of shape he or she is in. Make sure that people know what to expect and what equipment or clothing is needed. If you don’t feel that someone has adequate experience or is not in good enough shape, you should feel free to suggest that your event is not be appropriate.
 

AT THE EVENT

Preparedness:  At the carpool, ensure everyone has proper clothing, food, water, footwear. I often bring extra water bottle, wind jacket, sweater, and glove liners.  

Safety:  Depending on the activity, you might want to bring basic first-aid kit with: bandages, cloth tape, antiseptic ointment, ace bandage, tylenol/ibuprofen. List the proper clothing, gear, and anything that people will need to bring for the activity in your event description.

Before the Event:  Go around and "do names". Get a count of how many people. Tell people what to expect (distance, time, elevation). Talk up the highlights (good views, etc) as well as the difficult parts. Have people sign the waiver form. Provide membership forms to non-members and see if they want to join at the activity. Point out the benefits of membership. An event is the best place to get new members.

At the Activity: At start of the activity, identify people who are experienced and who can help you keep an eye on things.  It is a good idea to stop about 10-15 min. into the activity and see how everyone is doing with the pace. Suggest clothing re-arrangement at this time. When hiking steep/rocky terrain, keep an eye on how people are placing their feet. If you see someone miss-stepping, STOP the group for a rest break. When hiking or biking in a group, keep a count of the number of people who are with you. Do recounts whenever you stop to take a break. Make sure that the last person in the group is always in sight. Stop at turns or trail junctions.

XC Ski:  Emphasis proper clothing: layers! If you're having lunch on the trail, mention this in event write-up - some people can't deal with stopping for long.

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Last Modified 28 August 2005