And you know what that means? It means we’re busy working on this year’s event! While Jason has been building this new website (which he tells me is almost finished but I think it looks great) I’ve been working on getting hotels squared away. After listening to last year’s participants mention how much they missed the extra night in Pickwick, we have good news; it’s back! That’s right! We’ll once again be staying Thursday and Friday nights at Pickwick Landing State Park.

All of the hotel information has been updated and we’re happy to report that the hotel prices for 2010 remain the same as they were for 2009!! We’ve also left in the Sunday stop at Euchee Marina and Resort and  Terrace View Marina as that was a popular option in 2009. If you choose to ride on down to Chattanooga on Sunday please remember to pack your luggage on your PWC because the luggage truck will be stopping at Euchee and Terrace View for the night. We will then ride on down to Chattanooga on Monday and continue with the schedule that most of the “regulars” are familiar with.

As the 2009 event came to a close, we began discussing a few important topics related to this year’s event. Over the past couple of years the costs of fuel for the luggage truck, the send-off and closing ceremony meals, T-shirts, and numerous “behind the scene” costs have risen drastically but the registration costs have remained the same. As you know the registration cost is what pays for these items and more. We have agonized over the decision but haven’t been able to come up with another solution other than to increase the registration fee by $50 for 2010. The registration fee will be $300 per PWC with one rider. The additional rider fee of $100 will remain the same. We hope you all understand our reasons for the increase and hope that we will be able to continue providing everything you have encouraged us to include in this event to make it great.

More updates are on the way, and Jason says that this new site has an RSS feed (whatever that is) so you can subscribe to updates, but if you’re like me and don’t know what he’s talking about just come back here often! The weather’s warming up and we’ll all be in the water soon and I’m sure you’re itching to put the skis in just as much as we are!

Dennis Beckley
& the Staff of the Tennessee River 600