Arm Chair LD Rallies

[TriggerT]

There is a "Arm Chair" LD rally being run by the people who run the You're Not Superman Rally. Registration is open now, and 1st prize is free entry into the YNS actual rally this coming July.

I was pretty interested in this idea at first, since I want to do a few rallies this coming season, but have never done one before, and therefore need to gain some experience. As I read through the 10+ pages of information I printed off for the arm chair rally, I found that not only was I not interested in the doing this type of activity, but it was really starting starting to kill my interest in rallies all together.

I am wondering what people who have ridden in LD rallies think of this kind of computer only event, and if you participate or not. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that my interest in LD rallies is about the RIDING, and that is why I was turned off by the online event. I realize that to do well in rallies you have to be able to effectively plan, execute (ride), and record, and that practice would unquestionably be helpful, but sitting at a computer instead of on the bike for this amount of time is just not for me.

So LD guys, what do you think, am I missing something?

 

[airboss]

Not a rally type myself, route planning is a large part of what I do at work, so I'm just not interested in doing it as a hobby too. I'm thinking you would have to be very bored to sit in font of a computor that long.

 

[jwhite518]

I realize that to do well in rallies you have to be able to effectively plan, execute (ride), and record, and that practice would unquestionably be helpful, but sitting at a computer instead of on the bike for this amount of time is just not for me.

Based on that sentence I would not bother if I were you. I did the last one and I liked it, but I like the computer stuff. It was a long night of sitting in front of the computer, that's for sure. It was also good practice at route planning on the clock, and using computer based route planning tools. If you use a computer at all in your planning process, that's why you should consider the armchair rally.

 

[TriggerT]

Thanks for the replies guys. I have gotten pretty good at using the computer for setting up my routes, and have done so a few times under minor time restrants. We'll see if I regret my decission come real rally time.

 

[RenoJohn]

........ It was also good practice at route planning on the clock, and using computer based route planning tools. If you use a computer at all in your planning process, that's why you should consider the armchair rally.

I felt I was good at route planning (before running rallies) I had lots of tenure playing with computer mapping programs, GPS, maps etc ....setting up multi-day rides of fun
Come rally time some of the components of above transferred over

....BUT MAKE NOT MISTAKE: Route planning in "Rally Mode" is not like spending a few evenings on the computer planning a nice IBA ride or a fun multi-day ride. Rally mode is soooo much more involved -and time is your enemy and route planning takes time and is yet another element to running a successful rally.

*IF* this armchair rally helps with complex planning under the clock ---it may be great practice in honing those skills(?) I don't know if it does or not ...but if it does I'd consider doing it just for the practice of simulated "rally-mode route planning"

 

[stryg8r]

So LD guys, what do you think, am I missing something?

I don't think your missing anything. If you've never done a rally its going to be real hard to get excited about routing. I know before my first rally I had the same outlook. I did my first rally using a paper map and index cards. Had a blast but finished way down in the standings. I don't think I would have had as much fun if I had used a computer.

I'd suggest not even trying to do well in your first rally.

<Shameless Plug> Come out this May to the Bonzai with the attitude to just have a good time. You'll find lots of riders that don't use a computer for routing. These rallies are setup to try and level the playing field between the computer routers and paper map routers. With only 12 hours there is a greater advantage to getting out the door quickly, which is what the paper routers usually do. I think Dana (Opt8low) won the experienced class in 2007 using a paper map and based his routing on what roads looked interesting. </Shameless Plug>

I didn't participate in the last armchair rally because it just didn't float my boat either. This year I'm a little more tuned into honing my skills and I know a bunch of the others in the rally so that's the attraction for me. Plus once you've done a few rallies you can almost visualize yourself riding while your routing.

 

[jwhite518]

........ It was also good practice at route planning on the clock, and using computer based route planning tools. If you use a computer at all in your planning process, that's why you should consider the armchair rally.

I felt I was good at route planning (before running rallies) I had lots of tenure playing with computer mapping programs, GPS, maps etc ....setting up multi-day rides of fun
Come rally time some of the components of above transferred over

....BUT MAKE NOT MISTAKE: Route planning in "Rally Mode" is not like spending a few evenings on the computer planning a nice IBA ride or a fun multi-day ride. Rally mode is soooo much more involved -and time is your enemy and route planning takes time and is yet another element to running a successful rally.

*IF* this armchair rally helps with complex planning under the clock ---it may be great practice in honing those skills(?) I don't know if it does or not ...but if it does I'd consider doing it just for the practice of simulated "rally-mode route planning"

RJ, that's an intelligent, nuanced question. Are you sure someone else isn't using your login?

I can only speak from my experience last time on the ACR. In some respects it's like a real rally. You use your mad 'puter skilz (plus your noggin) to plan your best route possible. Where it diverges is in two areas.

1) The majority of your ACR time is spent actually acquiring the bonii in Google Earth, submitting them to the rally website, and tracking your mileage and time. I'd say that I spent perhaps 25% to 33% of ACR time planning, the rest was doing the "paperwork." So let's say the rally is 8 hours, you might spend 5 or 6 hours on execution. Those execution tasks don't carry over to real world rallying. In a real rally the majority of your time is spent riding a motorcycle.

2) When things go wrong. In a real rally you might break out your paper maps, look at your GPS, and make very quick decisions based on common sense. You need to keep moving so you decide and ride. Only in a dire situation would you actually bust out the laptop to do a serious replan. On the ACR your software is up and running and you would replan right away on the computer. You have the advantage of getting a pretty good preview of potential bonus locations before adding them to your route, plus very accurate time estimations.

Hope this helps. I'd like to see you in the ACR - I need someone to razz on IM during the show. :assassin:

Last thing - I shoulda said this first - the rally is on Jan 31. Same date as the White Stag. If you're like me, the ACR is a backup in case the WS is weathered out.

 

[JimNtexas]

I'm a computer geek with a SS1000 pending approval. I'm interested in this upcoming armchair rally, it looks like it would be helpful and fun. I plan to participate in a real rally this spring or summer.

I'm unclear on the amount of time I'll need to commit to the Not Superman armchair event. Can someone help me understand how long in actual clock time this event will require?

I ask because my wife has an income tax business to which I provide IT support, and this weekend is very busy for her.

TIA.

 

[OhioFJR1300]

I'm a computer geek with a SS1000 pending approval. I'm interested in this upcoming armchair rally, it looks like it would be helpful and fun. I plan to participate in a real rally this spring or summer.
I'm unclear on the amount of time I'll need to commit to the Not Superman armchair event. Can someone help me understand how long in actual clock time this event will require?

I ask because my wife has an income tax business to which I provide IT support, and this weekend is very busy for her.

TIA.

I don't have an answer for you, but I too would like to know what amount of time is required to do this. It looks like fun and since I plan to do some real rallys this year, it may be a good learning tool. Anyone know how many hours this ACR will require?

 

[Go Far]

I'm in on this 'rally'

I'm interested in the mental excercise and time clock pressure of the competition. The riding is missing for sure but, I know how to do that. A fresh spin on rallying is what I'm after.

The bike's splayed open like a fish in the garage, so I'm gonna give up some time on a Saturday night and maybe learn something new.

 

[jwhite518]

Anyone know how many hours this ACR will require?

Maybe 8 or 10 hrs, plus whatever prep time you put in getting ready. The RM hasn't announced how long it will be.