Smilingcat, this is one of my big complaints. It seems like nearly every ride opens registration six months in advance, and then fills almost immediately. No room for a lazy procrastinating sort like me, who unless it's a really big event, doesn't like to commit until about 8 weeks in advance.

A ride director I know told me he thought the Death Ride organizers created an artificial shortage on purpose. He said that they first announced they were "limiting" the ride to a certain number, even though that number was the norm for prior years. This made people think they needed to rush to register early. Then with the rush to register early or be left out things got out of hand, and they went to the lottery.

Seems kind of like a tulip mania to me. Or maybe there just are more cyclists now, and the supply of event rides hasn't caught up with the demand yet. More cyclists is actually a good thing.