April 28th
Dear UMCA government,
This morning, another UMCA member stood up, saying what courage it takes to do so withthe lawsuits threats going around. He said that the UMCA management can sue him if they want to, but somebody has to take a stand.
Like UMCA already said to me, it was RAAM who was threatening the UMCA members and it was none of UMCA's business. I'm not an expert in lawsuits, but this is once again showing RAAM's imprint on UMCA.
Is UMCA and RAAM really separate organizations? This never can be ignored because it will neverblow over--even after I stop communicating what is concerning the UMCA members. We do hope UMCA realize what kind of hole they are digging up.
Mavis
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April 29th
Dear all (including those watching the yahoo list),
A few of you are starting to ask me personal questions.
My answers: Absoluately no one pushed me (the messenger of questioning UMCA members) to do this. I volunteered to put my heart into this and I can quit anytime if I want to.
I am motivated because I love the sport and don't want it to be endangered. I can't bear being quiet when knowing the risks UMCA is putting itself and the sport in. For example, based on what I know about how the non-profit business works, I did warn last year about possibly hundreds of members leaving due to the leadership problems we are experiencing here. Some laughed at me back then, but they now know I was right.
I have absoluately nothing personal to gain from this. I don't run any companyor anything like that.
By the way, I am planning to write the lessons from history in about a week or so and if one wasn't realizing why they are dealing with questioning UMCA members yet, they will hopefully understand by then.
Mavis
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April 29th
This weekend I am running my first race as the Calvin's Challenge Co-owner/ director. In the information that we are passing out to the racers, is the call for them to check out the UMCA. If they are new to this type of racing, we will encourage them to consider joining the UMCA and participate in the rest of the season. We are also plugging the races of our fellow race directors.
So, if the new racers at the race (about 30% are new) start checking out the UMCA because they had a great time at Calvin's and they come across the blog (I just can bring myself to say "save") that you are the spokesperson for, what are they going to think? Does what you are doing bring in new members? Or turn them off? The truth is that all bicycle club's membership ebb and flow with the times times. (the UMCA is just one big national bicycle club) We are in tough economic times, going bike racing is a luxury that is first to go off the spending list. I, myself, have cut back and canceled going to events because of the cost of just getting to the start.
As the membership ages, they quit racing and then quit renewing their membership, so it is always the goal to find new members to replace them. So far, I have not read one thing that would want me to join the UMCA based on what you have written. Airing one's dirty laundry in public is never a good way to make friends and have a positive influence on others.
You say that you have tried others ways, but have you ever considered that maybe you don't have the experience and talent to be involved in these kinds of negotiations? I'm going what I feel is the best way to improve the UMCA. Being a good role model to those I come in contact with. I took over an important race on the UMCA calendar that was going to discontinued. I try to make positive changes with positive actions. I have faith that those in that have been given charge with running the UMCA that they will make the best possible decisions the best way they know how. Right or wrong, good or bad I can't say, but all I can do is have faith in people to do the right thing. If they don't, they have to live with it, not me.
I really wish we could tap into Mavis's tenacity and energy. There are so many UMCA programs that need volunteers to help get them off the ground. Right now there is a big need for someone to manage the 100/200 mile TT championship that many of my racers are asking for. This kind of racing will bring in new members, which will inspire them to do the longer events which in turn could lead them to RAAM. And YES. the UMCA should own and have full control of their marque event. How it's done is up to the business people and lawyers, not me, a factory worker of 30 years that just likes to ride bikes.
Be safe out there,
Larry Graham
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Larry,
It's folks like you, Christine, Jeff and Julie that do things that actually make a difference - unlike Mavis!
John [Hughes]
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April 29th
John,
Good to know you are still reading my e-mails. Will you indeed be looking into ways to straighten out the problems the UMCA members are questioning about? How about the questions left hanging for months?
They are on the blog if you ever need to review them. I believe I have stated the reasons why we have lots of communication cleaning up to do if UMCA didn't do anything wrong.
I am trying to help straighten out all of this mess and the only way we can do this is to work together toward the best interests of UMCA's mission: Supporting all events equally--including RAAM. It's apparently appearing to be a conflict of interest to have non-profit UMCA and for-profit RAAM as business partners.
Mavis
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Whew!
I don't do UMCA. I just subscribe because I DO support Ultradistance cycling. I don't even have a horse in this race!
I do California Triple Crown Doubles (60 Finishes). I Finished PBP 1999. And, I've been a SAG at over 100 Century+ events.
I don't know you or Mavis. Again, I have no horse in this race! Except, to support cyclists!
But, I've listened to Mavis' reports and wondered what was the purpose?
John, your reply, below, from you just SEALED THIS DEAL! for me!
John, if you had nothing to hide, you would not have taken this fine opportunity to applaud some Ultradistance folks with some really good comments with what you then turned into a Self-Serving attack at someone who disagrees with you?!
If there was ever an admission of GUILT, this WAS IT! This would stand up in any court!
So, I ALREADY don't like you or your methods! By your last email post, I ALREADY know you will go to any extent and all of your resources to support your effort to discredit anyone who opposes you and what I'm beginning to believe must be putting some bucks in your pocket?!
I don't know. I'm just asking?
Mavis, I don't know you. But, I LOVE you!
Yeah, John,...you can delete my email address from UMCA! I'm SURE you will do this at your earliest convenience!
Ah....no wonder UMCA is losing ridership! - Frank
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To the full UMCA BoD:
JOHN HUGHES IS A PIG. His latest untoward slander of Mavis demonstrates once again that he is destroying what is left of the tattered remains of the once noble and worthwhile UMCA.
Shame on all of you BoD members for allowing him to run amok and continue to demonstrate what a disgusting human being he is.
Hey John, despite your efforts to damage the 508's reputation, and promote other events instead (including and especially RAAM), we've got a record number of applicants. You see, you're really as impotent and worthless as the rest of us knew all along. Quit taking the UMCA down the toilet hole with you, please!
Chris Kostman
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The infective tissue in the body of UMCA has grown. The abscess of full of putrid stuff. The body can try to hide it, cover it or deny it or, but it comes to a point where the abscess will either need to be excised or it will explode and drain itself. If the abscess drains inward instead of outwards, then there is risk of sepsis and death. Do not blame the one who points at the infection,or the doctor that says the abscess needs to lanced and drained.. they are not at fault. I thought personal attacks were not allowed on the forum of the UMCA that the managing director created, and now it seems that the forum manager has failed to obey his own rules. (don't worry, I am not part of that forum, so I will not post there)
Cat [Berge]
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I suggest, once again no doubt, that you turn your sights on Rumsfeld and Rice, Mavis: RUMSFELD and RICE.
[Bill Dunn]
Lots of problems with this here reference including not good "evidence", seemingly poor interface in yahoo groups, and most sorry of all": no email address given for "Cycleman - Frank".
Again, Mavis et.al., I urge you to address the US Government, including the "playing dead" democrats instead.
[Bill Dunn]
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Bill,
Whatever are you talking about? Rumsfeld was removed from office ages ago. This is precisely what Mavis - and many others - think should happen to John Hughes, who has acted for an extended period of time with similar disregard for the constitution and bylaws, as well as the interests of the UMCA members.
Paul [Skilbeck]
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Correction Paul...John Hughes has always acted with the best interests of the UMCA at heart! You should be ashamed of yourself for telling anyone that will listen that John has not had the best interests of the UMCA at heart. It is people like you that seem to be trying to destroy the UMCA ... and for what purpose? Do YOU need the UMCA to cease to exist for any personal or political reasons of your own? Same question to you Mavis.
- Stuart [Nibbelin]
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To answer Paul's question down below, I was simply pointing to the whole dirty team backing Bush wherein in the name of their misguided and perhaps secret mission they have caused the maiming of 500,000 Americans let alone untold others. And you think just because Rummy is out of office he has just gone away? Maybe, but maybe not and in any event there's still "something rotten in Denmark".But wait. What about the main point? You know, that these kind of energies would be much better employed at the National level?!
[Bill Dunn]
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Stuart,
Why do you insist on browbeating people who express an honest opinion? Disagreeing with an opinion is one thing, but making character slurs is different altogether. Remember this: Your bullying ways won't stop the tide. Now let's try to keep this debate focused on the issues.
Sure, I'd like to see a different GM of the UMCA. I would like to see somebody that does not do secret deals, pervert the constitution to suit personal power goals, and obfuscate the rules to conceal incompetence. If the UMCA stands for things like that, then yes, it should be disbanded. However, I don't believe the UMCA is about that; there are just a few rotten apples in the barrel.
As for my further role with the UMCA, it will not resume until changes are made, but that would only be as a regular member. Sorry to burst your bubble, but I have had my fill of working for governing bodies; I have no aspiration to any official role with the UMCA.
And to Mavis, she's one of the best things the UMCA has going for it, as Lee Mitchell recognized when nominating her for a seat on the Board of Directors. She is young, intelligent, has loads of integrity, huge energy and focus, staying power, fresh ideas, and she wants to be involved. The fact that she is shut out speaks mainly to the inward focus of the UMCA voting membership (a paltry few) and BoD.
Paul [Skilbeck]
Bill,
You might be surprised to read this, but I agree with you about everything. It looks to me as though the UMCA executive has started behaving as the White House executive: bypassing the rules to promote an agenda that is not in the interests of the people, and which ultimately drags the organization down. Perhaps with better role models, the UMCA executive would have acted differently. Who knows?
You may or may not know, but I've been out of the struggle for more than a year now. I just pop my head up from time to time in order to keep some people guessing. But Mavis has remained involved, and I think we need to respect her decision to do this. Clearly this is a battle that she considers truly worth fighting, because ultra cycling has meant so much to her.
At least one member of the UMCA executive tried to scare her off with the threat of legal action (can you believe it?), which didn't even interrupt her stride. And from what I know of Mavis, she will not cease until she is satisfied with the resolution. I really cannot understand why the UMCA does not embrace such an ardent and energetic supporter, can you?
Paul [Skilbeck]
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Bill, Stuart, Paul, et al.
The political discussion belongs on any other group lists apart from this one.
I was answering an UMCA member's question about where to find the references of what was going on within the UMCA. Links are provided for this UMCA member and there's no more I can say here.
My reply to the questions here will be over at yahoo:
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/ultracycling-talk/
Mavis
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Everybody,
Oh my dear.
I do understand that Larry's wife said there are two drives in this world: sex and money. (I will rephrase that as love and money.) Which am I? It's my love for the sport that drives me.
Which is UMCA? There are plenty of reasons to wonder if it's the money drive of the RAAM business, which is appearing to shut out other "RAAM-like" events. So many questions are still not answered. The only way we can make the concerned UMCA members interested in what is best for UMCA as a whole happy is for UMCA to answer their questions.
I did publicly write to UMCA about two months ago that I will be more than happy to write an apology to be published in the UMCA magazine. This however can't happen without communication between UMCA government and the UMCA members.
I am a messenger taking it upon myself to continue asking the unanswered questions already asked by others for a long time.
Please understand that I am trying to work things between UMCA and the UMCA members by pointing out what the UMCA members are understanding about things. I don't think it will be a nasty thing to sit down and talk about the subject questioned about for a long time. After all, UMCA has been trying to explain they didn't do anything wrong.
Lawsuit threating, personal attacking, personal questioning, and personal mocking isn't how we can work this out.
I could be dropping UMCA and working the bigger levels, but I do believe the world will be a much better place if all of us work the small pieces we personally care about because those do build up to the national level. Furthermore, I never heard of the local government telling people to take their energy to the state government. Then the state government tossing them over to the national government. It will be unprofessional of them!
I do want to talk this out calmly as we possibly can. We can always have peroids of cooling down if we need them. Is UMCA willing to let me take down the brick wall and commuincate with the UMCA members?
If I mis-stated something here, please keep in mind that English is my second language and I am a nice person willing to talk with both parties and anyone in between. Those who did talk to me privately already know this. Stuart and Bill, you both didn't try to sit down with me yet. I will be happy to discuss things with practically anyone if they are willing to give me a piece of their mind about the UMCA subject itself and be specific about why they believe the evidences available out there are nothing or miscommuincations. This will be the kind of commuincation we need and want.
Mavis
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