As of Tuesday, February 19, the PALM ride is filled. We have more than 700 participants (plus staff and sags) who have submitted their applications. Therefore if your application did not arrive by today's mail, you will unfortunately not be able to secure a place on this year's ride. If your application arrives after today, you will be automatically added to next year's mailing list. As I said in my last entry, we are pleased that so many people are interested in PALM but we also feel very badly that we have to turn away potential riders. If you are not able to ride on PALM 27, we hope to see you in 2009!
Ellie, PALM Mail Granny
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
Almost filled!
With today's mail pickup, it looks like we have about 650 participants for PALM, plus sags and staff. Assuming we continue our pattern of receiving 25 to 40 applications each day, it looks like we will likely be filled by Monday, February 18. I believe that will be a new record! We are pleased that so many of our riders sent their applications back so quickly, but we also feel sad that we will likely turn away others who would like to join the ride. Once we know we are filled, I will try to post the web addresses of some of the other rides that have daily distances similar to PALM such as GOBA, in Ohio. Think spring!
Ellie, PALM Mail Granny
Ellie, PALM Mail Granny
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Maybe you don't have that much time
Right after I did the post last night I got an email from the woman that picks up the PALM mail. We got applications for 84 people yesterday. Now we are up to 590 and our cutoff is 700. If you haven't already mailed your application, I don't like your odds.
I mentioned that I had 95 confirmations mailed but the person who does the first half of the registration process (in Florida) was 200 behind. I got a big box today in the mail. She is no longer 200 behind. I'm 200 behind. Actually I'm 500 behind if you count what's been received, but the other 300 are not sitting on the left side of my desk, waiting. Did I mention that I'm taking a winter break for a few days? I hope I can forget what I have to come back to.
I mentioned that I had 95 confirmations mailed but the person who does the first half of the registration process (in Florida) was 200 behind. I got a big box today in the mail. She is no longer 200 behind. I'm 200 behind. Actually I'm 500 behind if you count what's been received, but the other 300 are not sitting on the left side of my desk, waiting. Did I mention that I'm taking a winter break for a few days? I hope I can forget what I have to come back to.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
You still can get on PALM
We have the applications from 500 people (not counting staff and SAGs). Last week we had applications from 350 people, so we added 150 people in the last 8 days. The rate has dropped from 35-40 a day to 25-30 a day. While this means we are filling up rapidly, you still can get on PALM.
As you may know, I work on the registration: I enter the applications into my computer and print out confirmation letters. Another staff member gets the applications first, checks them, fills out stuff for the accountant, and sends them to me. She's in Florida. When we were at 350, she had not seen an application yet. Now she's processed applications for 295 people of them. I finally got some applications to process on Friday (and Monday) and I've processed applications for 95 people. So I'm 200 behind my fellow registrant and 400 behind the real count. This is daunting. And I'm going to be out of town this weekend. It may be a while before you get your confirmation letter. Try to be patient. If you've mailed in application already, you are on the ride.
I had the usual glitches when I tried to process this year's applications. This year we have a jersey you can buy and last year we didn't. I was concentrating so much on getting the directions to the start and end sites to print out right on the confirmation letter that I didn't notice that the jersey field was missing. So if you ordered a jersey, you wouldn't know it from the confirmation letter. Fortunately the very first application (Kevin Degen, who else) was ordering a jersey and I noticed it. That saved some calls.
As you may know, I work on the registration: I enter the applications into my computer and print out confirmation letters. Another staff member gets the applications first, checks them, fills out stuff for the accountant, and sends them to me. She's in Florida. When we were at 350, she had not seen an application yet. Now she's processed applications for 295 people of them. I finally got some applications to process on Friday (and Monday) and I've processed applications for 95 people. So I'm 200 behind my fellow registrant and 400 behind the real count. This is daunting. And I'm going to be out of town this weekend. It may be a while before you get your confirmation letter. Try to be patient. If you've mailed in application already, you are on the ride.
I had the usual glitches when I tried to process this year's applications. This year we have a jersey you can buy and last year we didn't. I was concentrating so much on getting the directions to the start and end sites to print out right on the confirmation letter that I didn't notice that the jersey field was missing. So if you ordered a jersey, you wouldn't know it from the confirmation letter. Fortunately the very first application (Kevin Degen, who else) was ordering a jersey and I noticed it. That saved some calls.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Latest PALM numbers
As of February 12, the registration count is somewhere about 500 participants. So please don't delay in getting in your registrations!!! Once we are filled, we really are filled -- even if your friends are on the ride, you have already purchased your airline ticket to Michigan, you have done the ride for the past 20 years, etc. If you don't have an application, please note that you can now print one out from the web page -- just follow the application link from the links listed on the left side of the homepage. We know it is is cold and snowy right now -- after all, this is winter in Michigan. But just think -- another two months or so and biking season will be upon us. See you in June!
Ellie, PALM Mail Granny
Ellie, PALM Mail Granny
Thursday, February 7, 2008
After the Super Bowl, Lent
The great thing about the Super Bowl is that you have a lot of time to kill. The pre-game is 3 or 4 hours. Lots of time to catch up on things. I finally uploaded the PALM photos taken by Holly Johnson who was our PALM photographer last year. It takes a while to upload 300 photos to Flickr. And I finally created a page for PALM 2007 on the website and added all the links to photos that people have sent me (thanks to Ellie Knesper, Bill Richardson, and Tim Mercer). I chatted about the ride on the web page, but it's been so long I've forgotten that there was a summer. If anyone has some memories of PALM 2007 or any links to photos or blogs, email them to me and I'll be glad to add them to the website.
As you've heard, we have 350 people who have signed up for PALM 2008 already. At this rate (35-40 a day) we will reach our cutoff of 700 riders by Feb 15. So once again, if you are planning to ride PALM this year, mail in your application now. (Don't have an application? Download one.) If you have sent in your application and plan to ride with someone, be sure to tell them to send in their application now.
It's great that we have 350 people already, but I work on registration. I'm 350 people behind and I haven't seen the first application to process yet. Since I work, I can only average processing about 35 people a night. I have a good 10 days of work ahead of me. I guess this is what Lent is all about. And you thought Lent was the time between the Super Bowl and spring training. Wrong.
For Lent I'm giving up coffee, actually caffeine. I drink way too much of it. When you do that and give it up, you get withdrawal symptoms. (Hmm. I guess that coffee is not that good for you). I don't get headaches. Instead my joints ache like when you have the flu. Another thing, if you give up coffee, you can't read anything before noon. It makes for interesting situations at work. I'm thinking of wearing a bike helmet when I'm sitting at my desk. However I sleep like the dead at night.
As you've heard, we have 350 people who have signed up for PALM 2008 already. At this rate (35-40 a day) we will reach our cutoff of 700 riders by Feb 15. So once again, if you are planning to ride PALM this year, mail in your application now. (Don't have an application? Download one.) If you have sent in your application and plan to ride with someone, be sure to tell them to send in their application now.
It's great that we have 350 people already, but I work on registration. I'm 350 people behind and I haven't seen the first application to process yet. Since I work, I can only average processing about 35 people a night. I have a good 10 days of work ahead of me. I guess this is what Lent is all about. And you thought Lent was the time between the Super Bowl and spring training. Wrong.
For Lent I'm giving up coffee, actually caffeine. I drink way too much of it. When you do that and give it up, you get withdrawal symptoms. (Hmm. I guess that coffee is not that good for you). I don't get headaches. Instead my joints ache like when you have the flu. Another thing, if you give up coffee, you can't read anything before noon. It makes for interesting situations at work. I'm thinking of wearing a bike helmet when I'm sitting at my desk. However I sleep like the dead at night.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
PALM is filling fast!
As of today, PALM already has received registrations from approximately 370 participants. So we are over half filled! If you are hoping to ride on PALM this summer, it would be a good idea to get your application in as soon as possible. Because of our contracts with the schools, we have a limit of approximately 700 participants. Please realize that it might be a few weeks before you receive your confirmation letter. All PALM staff are volunteers, and most have full time jobs, so it will take a while for the volunteers who take care of the registrations to get caught up with this flood of applications. Please be patient! If you have questions or concerns, please email us at palmbiketour@yahoo.com or call 734-669-0172. See you in June!
Ellie, PALM Mail Granny
Ellie, PALM Mail Granny
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