.bmp&contenttype= "\"WRAP YOUR CRANK!\" CRANKSKINS.com")
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Hi, I'm Bill Deputy - owner/creator of this website. I used to race mtn bikes before I started this site (it's currently close to 20,000 pages). I'm learning new software so that I can make the site more manageable and instantly update thousands of pages. Currently when I make a change on the menubar I have to update all of the static pages and then load them onto the hosting site's computer. It takes four days - day and night with the site's current size. The picture in this article is of me learning the new software........ that's how it is when you are 51yrs old........ old dog, new tricks kind of thing. Problem is I'm not really a computer person but a window contractor in Wilm., DE.
I purchased online training and have pulled two all night study sessions during the deep freeze of the North East in the last couple of weeks. It was slow going but I finally made a break through last Friday night.
The ever patient Les Leach - an incredibly fast Expert racer and real computer person (he designs website's for a living) has helped me greatly with the more technical aspects of the site like the Upcoming Races section plus he designed the new menubar. Les put a spell checker on the Racer Profile form and saved the site from catastrophic problems at the hands of an amateur like myself. Thank you Les!
Pat McMahon - another real computer person in Newark, DE also deserves a big thank you for saving the site from security breaches that were allowing a hacker to take over the server and send out millions of messages. He came to the rescue and tightened up things plus saved the site from the log files that grew so large so fast that they had to be rotated weekly instead of monthly. Thank you Pat!
The site almost died in late 2002 after I contracted a bad case of website burnout. I have had an exciting time snapping almost all of the 20,000+ pictures on the site and have covered events from Florida to Vermont. It's been a real rush and great fun as the site has taken on a life of it's own.
I helped Don Morrison with the original Mid-Atlantic Super Series in 2001 and 2002. It was a compilation of 10 races in four states, PA, MD, DE and NJ. In 2001& 2002 it was called the mountainbikeRACER.com Mid-Atlantic Super Series. Don did a great job but decided to do other things after the close of the 2002 Series. Brian and Anne Hess stepped in and took over the Hibernia race and the series for 2003. They are doing a great job and have wonderful support from Trek/Volkswagen.
I was spending way too much time experimenting with ways to at least have the site pay for itself. I received a buck a racer in 2002 for website coverage and tried to sell pictures but that idea failed. It just didn't pay for all the time it takes to deal with the site's organization and interaction with all the racers, promoters and sponsors. I spent more on equipment (cameras, tent, software, etc.) but it was the time that was really costing. I ended up begging for donations and several people were kind enough to be quite generous........... I received about $500 in 2002. Thanks so much to all of you who contributed! I received letters from several different racers explaining how their lives had actually changed because of the site. That was heartwarming and helped keep the site online during the tough times.
OK, so what's up now???
Some promoters contacted me in the fall of last year (2003) to put together a "local" series.......... I figured instead of turning the site off........ which really was never an option, I'd jump back into it with both feet. So I accepted the offer and started off with three races all in close proximity. While trying to coordinate dates with other races the "local" series expanded into five classic races in four states. They all have seasoned promoters at the helm and it will be great fun covering the events. The age groups will be the same as the Mid-Atlantic Super Series with the addition of one Single-Speed class, and one Clydesdale for the first year.
Michaux Maximus (April 25th, 2004) and the Fair Hill Classic (July 18th) have never been in the same series. That is an exciting combination! Now that I almost have a grip on the software upgrade I will finally be able to start creating the pages for the MCS 2004.
I intend to start covering grassroots racing all over the country in the new format. Remote input of news, interviews and pictures will add a new dimension to the site. Stay tuned.
