There were some things on the "arrangements" side which would have been wise in 2009
Bike Rental Arrangements - If one intends to rent a bike in Austin, one might wish to make sure it is not a major triathalon weekend or else reserve it months in advance.
Bike condition checks - We intended to check out all the bikes but something happened and we didn't. So Nathan ended up riding his first leg 50 miles plus with a slightly rubbing brake, hardly a help for a first time rider on his first 50+ mile ride. So maybe next time we really need to check the bikes, like spin the wheels etc, before we take off.
Deciding a ride date a year in advance: In an effort to be courteous and democratic we attempted to include everyone in on the process of deciding a date. This was honorable but people just wanted to be told what the date is and plan ahead. So next year we'll make the decision early and go with it, so we can get first dibs on the time slot.
Camping Arrangments:
We lucked out by using a tent, but if we had showed up with the trailer on this weekend without a reservation we would have been hosed. There was a musketeer convention or something so it was all filled up. There is also the issue of whether we would have chosen this campsite if we knew it was going to be a musketeer convention, but that's a different topic.
Friends and Invites:
Wondering if it would be a good idea for Nathan (others) to invite friend(s) to come along ? This could make things better or worse, and is also a liability question.