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STAR NON-attendees……two questions

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Patmo:
Year after year we seem to have the same attendees at STAR and the % of members that attend has remained in the 25-30% range almost every year.  So for those of you that did NOT attend STAR and/or don’t normally attend a STAR, a couple of questions….

1) Why didn’t you or don’t you attend?

2) What would it take to get you at attend?

Please discuss….but remember this is for NON-attendees please.  I will start a separate “how to improve STAR” thread for those that attend on a regular basis.

DRB:
In answer to question number one three factors: location, time and COVID-19.  I have attended five STARS over the years the number one driver for me is the site location.  Number two is how much time away from my work can I afford in any given year, what other major travel do I have planned.  Finally the national state of COVID is not such that we are traveling much of anywhere.

As for what would it take you can only control the location.  A highly desirable location is our primary driver for attending STAR.  Even with a great  location there are always other factors that may prevent me from attending.

Rick Brant

09FJRrider:
Member since 2018, love the people and the association and the SE regional and JFF events.  Have yet to attend a STAR (Although I would really like to)

1) It usually comes down to travel cash available and PTO days balance
I can run out for a 4 day weekend trip a few times a year, but the week long hotel bill and more PTO days to take off are harder to swallow.

2) Just a personal thing to get some more family income and travel money saved up for next year..

60Aviator:
Was registered and planned on attending my first STAR. But after the unbearable heat at MOA National in Springfield was not looking forward to even hotter weather so home I went then off to WV where it was nice weather.

stevegrab:
I posted some in another thread where the question was asked...

I've attended a lot of STAR events, initially just those within a day or two ride of home (NE Ohio). Then I did a few out west, and really enjoyed those thanks to other members who showed me the ropes of trailering to an event, and had the trailer/tow vehicle as well.

For 2020 I planned to attend, then it was canceled. I was itching for things to do and did MPFB both 2020 and 2021, and STAR in 2021 as well. But I decided to do another trip with my brother that we had been trying to do before, riding the Deal's Gap area. So we went to Tri-STAR then on to Robinsville. Had I know that we'd be having STAR in Knoxville in 2022 I might have gone to STAR this year and waited for 2023 to hit the Gap. (I was apparently confused and thinking STAR would be in Colorado in 2023 and wanted to attend that, so another big trip to the Gap was probably not in the cards for 2023.

For me if it is within a 2 day ride, and the location (roads, sites, etc) look good, and I can get away from work I'll go. Well I also like to travel and room with another rider, so that part needs to come together. We have a conference from work that also occurs in mid-June, that prevented me from attending a few STARs. I may not need to attend as regularly, so it might not be an issue. But it still makes it a bit difficult to manage.

PS  We may need to accept that our numbers won't return to prior times, especially as our membership number have declined. I've been a member since 2001, attended a dozen STAR in that time (odd years for a decade, then like 5 straight in early 2010s and 3 of the last 7) and recall much larger events, with numbers more like 500 or more. But the membership numbers were higher, and the membership was also younger.

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