The Fate of Wheeltoberfest

[landy]

It’s clear to everyone who’s followed the event over the past few years that there has always been special attention given by some to the fact that the event has taken a turn from its original intent. We’ve been under the magnifying glass of an unfair bias. While we have been trying to grow the event and make it more inclusive, many original members feel that it was always intended to be a small, exclusive event. It’s been a learning experience for all of us over these years. Learning each other, compromising, and taking feedback from everyone.

It’s been said before that we will never satisfy everyone. While that’s true, we feel there is so much negativity coming from select person(s) about what this event has become that is is no longer worth it to us to continue to have Wheeltoberfest. It’s not worth it for this animosity to bleed over into the morale of those running the event and those attending it. At this point, so many people know about WTF that we would have no way of taking it back to what it used to be. The only way we know of to resolve this is for Sean and I to step away from it all completely.

We appreciate those of you who have indeed supported us through these past few years and it pains me to take something away from the community that I know many enjoy. We also appreciate those of you who didn’t agree with WTF’s direction yet were civil and respectful all the while. We also hope that all of you know that Wheeltoberfest was never a for profit business. Any excess we had at the end was given to the volunteer fire department every year. While I can’t say we never took a misstep, every action we ever took was to further your collective enjoyment of the event.

I am currently in possession of the domain name. If any of the original founders would like it, I would be happy to transfer it to you. Please contact me and we can hash out the details.

[fingas74]

landy previously said:

We’ve been under the magnifying glass of an unfair bias.

there was nothing unfair about the criticism that the event received. I stated it clearly for you earlier and hoped that would be the end of this "woe is me" attitude. For 2010 and 2011 I struggled to keep this from being an event where people had to pay more so that more stuff could be given, essentially i had to fight to keep it a "free" event. That ideas were publically batted around those two years to feel out what people would pay extra to make this that and the other happen struck a lot of people the wrong way. I took the criticism those two years, I never felt it was unfair criticism. There are a lot of people that wanted what wheeltoberfest was meant to be, you guys failed to realize that and are taking the backlash now.

While we have been trying to grow the event and make it more inclusive, many original members feel that it was always intended to be a small, exclusive event.

This makes my ****ing blood boil, you guys are showing why there is a problem with the current focus of WTF. You two don't ****ing understand a ****ing thing if you think that the original WTF was meant to be exclusive. There were no ****ing restrictions at all, run what you brung was the way it was laid out. Everybody was welcome from all over the state and later all over the country and we shared food, shared drink, lied about our adventures and were more inclusive than the event has been in 3 years. Just because we brought in more people doesn't make it more inclusive when for the past three years many new guys have complained of the lack of inclusiveness. The first two years not only was it inclusive it fostered many new friendships. You guys are so focused on numbers and what you can do and how many bands and all that dumb **** that you lost sight of what made WTF a desireable event. Yes the past three years drew more rigs but each year there was less interaction between attendees. You guys thought that meant you needed more classes, more meals, more bands and completely missed the ****ing boat. All of those things are distractions from the real interaction. Many of the original attendees still show up and share food, wheel together and generally ignore the forced festivities.

It’s not worth it for this animosity to bleed over into the morale of those running the event and those attending it. At this point, so many people know about WTF that we would have no way of taking it back to what it used to be. The only way we know of to resolve this is for Sean and I to step away from it all completely.

Actually it would be extremely simple for you to take it back. It would make planning super ****ing easy and it would take about $600 in sponsorship money instead of having to chase every freaking dollar to make it a "successful" event. You guys over extended yourselves and took off in the direction of the other events out there, those events have a place but so did the original WTF which you guys felt should be improved upon.

We also appreciate those of you who didn’t agree with WTF’s direction yet were civil and respectful all the while.

Where was anyone ever uncivil with you? That people voice their opposition does not make them uncivil.

[fingas74]

landy previously said:

We also hope that all of you know that Wheeltoberfest was never a for profit business.

Maybe there was no profit made from the proceeds paid to the park, but it is hard to say that there isn't a specific focus for this event when the sponser collage picture (along with all the attached pictures) in the thank you letter is a puff piece to one of the event organizer's family and has not a single picture of the sponsors that have been with us for 5 freaking years other than possibly being not cut off in the banner picture.


I've been blissfully silent but you guys couldn't let it go. This victim mentality is pathetic and it is not in character for you Landy. I like you Landy, I've never had a problem with you at all but you are overly emotionally invested in this and that is unfortunate. This event was ripped from my hands and bastardized, you didn't see me on here whining, that is until I couldn't take the "poor us" attitude any longer. You guys made a choice, it brought backlash, and now you want to play the victims. Sorry it doesn't work that way, you guys chose to ignore warning signs. Chose to ignore advice. You don't get to play the victim when you have to pay the price.

Was it a little petty of me to cease to defend the event just because i got unceremoniously booted from the planning team, ehh maybe, but you know what I really don't care. I was not going to be made an outsider and still take the brunt of the complaints. I never complained about you guys booting me but when people came to me with complaints this year my answer was simply "i'm not on the planning team". You guys complicated matters for yourselves, I tried for two years to save you from yourselves and you wouldn't listen and decided you didn't want my counsel anymore. Forgive me if I don't feel sorry for you guys being stuck in a hole that you dug for yourselves against better advice.

[RichJacot]

Hello Landy,

This year was my first time at WTF and I had a GREAT time! Even with it being my first one, my first wife and I were already talking about next years. I'm sorry to hear it was the last one. I only met you briefly but I'd like to thank you and the others for a great event!

Thank you and it will be sorely missed.

[Hodges]

i thought the event was great. i went in 2010 and 2011 and had a blast both times. anyway...if anyone is looking for an October event, Southern Cruiser Crawl is every october in Hot Springs (at superlift) we went this year and had a blast. there is a raffle, awesome sponsors, a band, kegs, and awesome food though..so some of you guys might not enjoy it. just throwing it out there.

[Rsivley]

RichJacot previously said:

Hello Landy,

This year was my first time at WTF and I had a GREAT time! Even with it being my first one, my first wife and I were already talking about next years. I'm sorry to hear it was the last one. I only met you briefly but I'd like to thank you and the others for a great event!

Thank you and it will be sorely missed.

I second this 110%. Sorry if I am missing the point but I do have to agree with Landy from what I've seen. First year at WTF and if its done for then I will be following RichJacot to Superlift next year I suppose. Sad to see this go. Landy thank you again for all your effots and sorry I was unable to reach you on the cell to help more.

[landy]

Thanks for the support everyone! Who knows what event will rise from the ashes of this one.

Just to clarify for those misunderstanding. I'm not singling anyone out because that's not what I do. There have been many hecklers and lots of disrespect. I don't want anyone who decides to help out or be involved or attend get rolled into that and I sure as heck don't want anyone to feel sorry for us.

Whether any of us like it or not. We have hundreds of thread posts of proof of the stigma the WTF name now has.

Ryan, I know you're angry. Why do you think we are giving the name up? Trying to go back to keep it small would inherently make it exclusive. People would feel left out without any organization if the same number attended. You are more than welcome to do that. You can have it. Once again, you weren't booted out of the planning team. It was through a lack of communication that I removed your email account. I apologize for that, but please don't blow it out of proportion. You NEVER contacted me asking why. You have my phone number and my email.

You may also think I was alluding to you being one of the disrespectful people I mentioned. You actually weren't who I was talking about. There were plenty of others though.

[FJNewb]

This victim mentality that you are trying to portray Landy leaves me scratching my head. The same comments have been made the past 3 years, not just this year, about the direction the event was going. This is hardly new or putting you and Sean under a "microscope". It is the same comments and feedback that have been passed on the past several years, some were taken into account, some not. It appears that others were the ones addressing this issues though from the sound of it and this was the first year of full exposure to the feedback. Instead of posting this and trying to make others be the "bad guys" (I assume the original folks that came up with the event are the "bad guys") you could have simply PM'd any of us to transfer things over.


What does frustrate me is that you keep trying to peg those that have provided constructive feedback to this event as wanting it to be a "small" and "exclusive" event. That is complete BS in my opinion, but we appreciate you assuming, again, that its how it would be run. In reality it couldn't be further from the truth. Whole point of Wheeltoberfest was to get out meet folks and wheel with them while providing significantly discouted fees from the parks we went to (i.e. not pay more than non-wheeltoberfest folks going to hidden falls for the weekend as in the past years all because we need toilets, a massive camping space, bbq dinner, etc.). Anyone and everyone (including vendors) was welcome to attend so its far from exclusive. Size of the event is sheerly determined by how many folks signed up and wanted to go. So please don't lump the comments that you have received from many as "small" and "exlcusive" cause that couldn't be further from the truth. In the early years everyone shared food, interfaced with each other and helped each other out of the trails.

five-by-five previously said:

x 1,000 on the event. When MIGZ and I originally started getting things together over two years ago for the 1st annual Wheel-toberfest event at Katemcy our plan was to have this more as a fun-run than a vehicle specific, over-ruled, over-sponsored event. I'm not knocking the big get togethers like the Jambo and Lone Star Round-Up as those are great events, some people would rather not have all the pomp and circumstance.

You guys appears to have gotten caught up in focusing on "how many folks attend" and big name vendors giving away large products. That's created a bit of a sideshow from the original events purpose which has turned some folks off since the original premise of the event was quite different. Its partially the reasons why you've seen more and more fraction/exclusivity occuring over the past three years as some folks didn't come there for raffles/prizes/classes, they came there to wheel and get out with friends like the original concept. Each type of event has its place but what made WTF unique was that it was a multiday experience with a wide variety of people at low cost. Focus was wheeling, making friends, and helping folks out for the weekend. Not another summit, jamboree, southern cruiser crawl type event. Each has their place imo. And do not take this as a knock to any of the sponsors. They completely welcome the vendor community to participate in the Wheeltoberfest by getting out on the trails and educating folks first hand on their products. However, it was not about drawing as large of a crowd as possible to say to a vendor hey look, give us a product to give away since we have XXX folks attending. That I think any of us would fully admit.


Landy the one thing you have not touched on is what will you guys be doing with the DBA that Sean setup and has been much of the frustration surrounding the event. What are the plans for this?

[BigPoppa'sFJ]

I really don't have much to add since Mr. Reeves and Mr. Braun have covered it.

My interest lies here:

landy previously said:

Why do you think we are giving the name up?

FJNewb previously said:

Landy the one thing you have not touched on is what will you guys be doing with the DBA that Sean setup and has been much of the frustration surrounding the event. What are the plans for this?

[Voodoo Joey]

This is my first year for WTF and I though the event was a blast. However, I did not like the band and did not think that we needed one or for the most part think that anyone else wanted to hear a band. I thought that sitting around a fire and sharing stories was a lot of fun and would have been even more fun if the group was bigger. It's a shame that this free event seems to evolve around money and has lost track of really what people actually want to do and this is wheel. These are my thoughts and what I saw happening at this years event. I do hope that someone has the means and the initiative to keep the event going for years to come.