.  I really do feel sad for the people who lost their relative (I'm sure the organising committee feels the same.) I'm sure that they believe their case is special, but it remained their decision to withdraw from the event or not.The organisers had nothing to do with it. Life goes on after a family loss and the ECO organisers are just trying to make a success - not a profit.  Perhaps some of the critics should offer their services to the committee organising the next ECO - free of charge, of course, for the next year. They can show us all how to organise an event for 000 people including all meals, entertainment, routes and include refunds of prople who withdraw after the final closing date. If it runs into a loss, they can sommer fork out of their own pockets too.  0SD, how about you organising a similar event for your Yammie buddies so that I can piss on your arrangements for an event that I wont be attending anyway...? Maybe I'll sommer borrow a Yammie myself just to enter and come spoil your day - every day of the event by bitching about cheap plastic coffee, the lack of Earl Grey tea... whatever.  Don't knock anyone until you've walked a mile in their shoes.I've been involved in organising such events in the past.I've walked a few yards in their shoes myself.  It just so happens that my Yammie club is leaving very early on Friday morning up the Westcoast to Hondeklipbaai, Saturday to Pella including Road to Hell, and Sunday Pella back to Stellenbosch. On this ride, Fudmucker, I am sure you will spoil our ride, even if you borrow a Yamaha. If Minzi cancelled, and BMW club was unable to fill his place, then by no means can anyone expect the club to refund him anything, but they were overbooked??  