Great job today team, with many challenges. Your volunteerism is greatly appreciated.

My observations:

• Our team was in place, on time, and provided needed and good communication.
• The race was new for CAARA and for YuKan. There are many lessons to be learned. I will be emailing the Race Director with a few recommendations. At the top of the list is our Checkpoint 4 at Lafayette St. and Derby St. Steve, K8ZBE was at this CP. He expressed his concerns about the intersecting traffic at a major roadway 4-way intersection with runners going all places across the intersection. I watched for a while and after working 35 YuKan races, I can say this was the worst situation I've seen. There was a police officer in the middle of the intersection doing his best, but he was overwhelmed. I know that the YuKan road manager also observed this and had similar conclusions -- it can't be repeated next year. 2nd on the list is CP1 at Harbor Ave. and Ocean Ave. Similar but less crazy, Police officer did a great job and the situation was under control. If I was alone there and did not have a police officer, I would have been calling for help. There must be a police officer at this intersection. I could not observe the whole course at peak times so if you have feedback about safety, please email me kevinlyonsk1kl@gmail.com.
• The Salem repeater worked well. It was important not to speak right after pushing the PTT. Pausing for a count of 1 helped to avoid clipping of the first words.
• We did not need the text group as a back-up but it seemed helpful to take some incidental traffic off-line and not tie up the repeater frequency. I'm thinking it would be good to have a text group every race. It is important to remember that the radio is a priority but checking the text group periodically might be helpful.
• It could have rained harder and it could have been colder! 😊
• We need regular reminders that CPs do not refer to course miles, but rather to intersections. Only Lead and Trail Vehicles announce miles or mile markers. CPs are not at exact mileage!
• We need to remember that there is no station to station calling (direct) unless at the direction of Net Control or with permission.
• CP stations had to have been cold -- and staying out there was not fun. Thanks to all -- the weather will get warmer (right?).
• Race course adjustments for next year's Marblehead race are needed, but we can only make recommendations to YuKan. They are historically good listeners.

If you have any feedback on the race, safety or otherwise, or any facet that we should try to improve, please share. I revise the Volunteer Guidance after almost every race.

Again, thanks for your service to CAARA, YuKan, and the road race community.

Kevin, K1KL