Email Exchange Between Battenkill and RMM Subject: TOUR OF THE BATTENKILL PRO/AM

Below is the text of an email exchange between me and the Battenkill Registration staff that started about 12 hours after I registered for the cat 3 race. The exchange took place over a 4-6 hour period. It appears that I have more than one interloculator based on textual cues such as terseness of language and lack of punctuation in some of the emails, while others are well composed and grammaticality correct. Originally, I hadn't planned on posting this exchange online, but a few of my friends expressed interest in seeing it, so here it is.

Battenkill Registration:

We are surprised.


R. Michael McKittrick to Battenkill:

I hope that I am pleasantly surprised by an increased level of racer support. If I am, I will note it on the internet.

Battenkill:

Mr. McKittrick,

To be honest, we are very confused and a little suspicious of you registering, especially after your comments here and here. We would be pleasantly happy to give you a refund right now if you are in any way unhappy with the race staff, participant support, or the organization of the event.

We also don't have a record of you being a registrant in 2010. We think you would have been pleasantly surprised,then, at the level of racer support; wheel support (3 cars for many fields) and 5 Mavic pits on the course and at the starting line. There is no other race in the US that provides this level of racer support.

That said, if you decide to decline a refund, I hope you race well and enjoy the event in April.

Amy
Registrar
Tour of the Battenkill
www.tourofthebattenkill.com


RMM:

Suspicious? Are you kidding? Put on a good event and I will say good things. If your rider support is inadequate, I will say so too. Honestly, I would just prefer that your event goes well, so that I could enjoy it.

It is offensive that you suggest that I accept a refund for an event that I registered for less than 24 hours ago.




Battenkill:

We think you'll agree that your comments online are much more offensive and defamatory toward our event. Our suspicion remains and we reserve the right to offer a refund to anyone who we think could present a threat to the safe operation of the event.

Be well,


Amy
Registrar
Tour of the Battenkill
www.tourofthebattenkill.com


RMM:

Are you accusing me of being "unsafe" for your event because I have commented that your event may not represent a good value? Seriously?




Battenkill:

Calling the promoter an "A _ _ ho _ _" in public makes us very suspicious of that, yes. [please note that midway through this exchange, I called Dieter Drake an "asshole" twitter]

-
RMM:

Um...name calling is a far cry from a threat. I have no ax to grind. I just want to race my bicycle.


Battenkill:


then shut up and ride it.


RMM:


You should concentrate on running your event. I'll concentrate on training.

Need I remind you that YOU started this conversation?

RMM Throws Down the Gauntlet: Why I Registered for Battenkill.

I have received a trickle of comments about my decision to register for Battenkill. After my history of protesting the price of the race and the lack of rider support that the inflated race fee gets you, people seem surprised that I would participate in this event. In fact, I even got a personal email from one of the co-promoters that states: “We Are Surprised.”

An explanation is in order.

If you go back and read my original post, I never actually state that I would never do the race. I merely question the value of the race. I have also told many people that I would race Battenkill only if I thought that I had a reasonable chance of garnering a decent result. Part of me thinks that the further up the road you are in the race, the more the event approaches a decent value. My problem with the race has always been that for a $75 race fee you are riding dirt roads under-supported. For that proce, there should be far more neutral support than the promoter provides.

So why did I register for Battenkill? I registered because I am angry. I am angry about having a non-starter of a season in 2010. I am angry because I didn’t win any races in 2010. I am angry because I got my ass kicked in every cross race I entered. I am angry because circumstances conspired to leave me unfit and under-trained throughout 2010.

I channel my anger into training. My trainer is my friend. I have been grinding out 3 hours trainer rides on weeknights.

I will be fit for Battenkill. I will be fit and pissed off. I am paying $75 to kick ass and take names. I wouldn’t pay the inflated fee if I planned to perform poorly. You’ve been warned.

Train Hard.