BMRx Rally - Friday 4:15 a.m. to Sunday 22:51

[Twigg]

So now the Leader Board on the Home Page is not accurate as it is only showing points gained in the last 24 hours.
Click the "Advanced" button under any picture submission to get the full board.

Thanks !

Do I dare say "I hope the IBR folks are watching... and learning?"

R.J. has built a wonderful event here!

Matt suggested that to Lisa in one of his photo submissions.

I imagine they are watching, RenoJohn has done a wonderful job developing this event over the years, and the "App" is awesome. The IBA is going to electronic submission for certificates. They will be slow to change the flagship event "just in case". I wouldn't be surprised to see the Butt Lite experimenting first though.

 

[RFlagg42]

I have participated in the BMR for three years now and one down side to this format is the requirement to use a cell phone to take photos. This really reduces the options available to quickly take high quality night photos.

In the recent Mason Dixon Rally, Rick Miller asked for volunteers to run the rally utilizing Bubbler GPS exclusively for taking and submitting bonus photos. Again, night photos are the only reason why I would never volunteer to do this during an "on the clock" rally. I discussed this with several other experienced rally riders, and all of them agreed with me.

Having said all that, I would more than likely participate in the BMRx if it runs again next summer as I have no current plans to run in a multi-day rally next year.

 

[Twigg]

I have participated in the BMR for three years now and one down side to this format is the requirement to use a cell phone to take photos. This really reduces the options available to quickly take high quality night photos.

Good point. I use the "Night Portrait" setting on my camera for almost all "night" shots. The flash gets the rally flag close to the camera and the shutter stays open to get the background (usually with the help of the bike lights). There are ways around this, but as you said, speed matters here.

Having said all that, I would more than likely participate in the BMRx if it runs again next summer as I have no current plans to run in a multi-day rally next year.

Wayne Boyter's seven day "National Parks" Rally looks to be a super event for next summer ...

 

[TripperMike]

And the Butt Lite 8 can't be overlooked. However all these multi-day rallies do tend to have a significant impact on the wallet.

Now to run off to that link and see how Iggy's doing......chow.

 

[Twigg]

Matt just submitted the wrong picture at a Bonus location.

I don't know quite how the App works, and how soon he would be notified, but I hope it is soon enough to go back for it. Those 3.3 points are valuable.

 

[RFlagg42]

Matt just submitted the wrong picture at a Bonus location.
I don't know quite how the App works, and how soon he would be notified, but I hope it is soon enough to go back for it. Those 3.3 points are valuable.

His only way to be notified is to check the website and scan through his bonus submissions. By the time he notices, I suspect he'll be too far away to come back.

 

[Niehart]

I see Matt's holding on to first, Yahoo!

 

[Twigg]

I see Matt's holding on to first, Yahoo!

It's very hard to tell.

Currently, when the mandatory points shake out, Matt is in a solid second place behind Erik Lipps. The Huvals are putting in a stellar ride but they are in a different triangle.

However, Matt's 3rd Day is Erik's 1st Day, so it is quite possible that Matt and Erik are neck-and-neck. All you can be sure of is that they are two superb competitors.

 

[Twigg]

Many riders are now stopped for the night.

Matt and Erik are both still moving for the moment. Matt has picked up a lot of points while Erik has been riding through a largely "point-free" stretch of the ride.

When they both stop, Erik will have the second "corner" and the mandatory points will even out. Matt and Erik will head the table for the West Triangle, probably with a small lead for Erik. It is much closer now than it was this afternoon.

Again, while the Huvals are in a different triangle, and not competing with Matt and Erik, much credit to them for a stellar ride.

Edit:

Erik stopped for the night before he made the "corner". That is 200 easy points in the morning and right now he and Matt are tied!

 

[Twigg]

Matt has the lead!

Riders have mostly been running around 3 1/2 hours after their 2nd Rest Stop. Most of them appear to have taken the full six hours. I'm sensing some tired guys out there.

Currently Matt is just shy of 4 points in the lead.

There are going to be some eyebrows raised after this rally, as the point spread will be tiny in the end. It is simply a function of the "BMR way of doing things", where the biggest and most difficult bonuses carry only 7.7 points, the easiest are 1.1 points each. So a 4 point lead is one, moderate size bonus.

 

[doug5551]

Thanks for your commentary and explanations.

I appreciate it as I would not understand it at all otherwise.

 

[Twigg]

Thanks for your commentary and explanations.
I appreciate it as I would not understand it at all otherwise.

You're welcome.

It took me a while to work out the complicated corner arrangements. Then RenoJohn let me have access to the full pack and it's amazing how much clearer things become when you understand the rules

This one is complicated too by the fact that riders were free to start at any of the three corners of their triangles. Matt started in Bend, OR, and Erik at the southern point. So today, Matt is riding most of what was Erik's first day, if you see what I mean.

I don't have complete information. I have Erik's Spot and I know his expected route. I have Matt's Spot but not his expected route. I can guess where he is going but he is better than me, so I would probably be guessing wrong

It Does look like they will be close at the end.

Shout-out too to Nancy Lefcourt. She is riding a BMW in a solid 3rd Place in the West Triangle. I am aware that others are doing well in other areas, but have not been following them as closely.

Need to add a shout-out for Timothy Allen. He too is riding an FJR and is close to Nancy. He just posted "Jiggs Fire Station". Just the fact he was there suggests he has a bold day planned. He should also have passed Erik on the road as one was leaving as the other was riding in ... Friendly waves all round.

 

[doug5551]

Wow I just checked and Erik and Matt are neck and neck tied at 1030.8.

Good luck to both!

 

[Tyler]

Nancy just shot to first place... this is fantastically exciting!! B)

 

[Twigg]

Nancy just shot to first place... this is fantastically exciting!!

Not sure what Nancy is doing. She just got the 100 points for completing her Triangle.

Nancy looks to have a solid 3rd coming to her, but I'm not sure if you can still hunt bonuses once the triangle is complete ... I'm guessing you can.

Currently, Matt has a lead. While I have no real idea of his planned route, I do know where he is and he appears to have fewer scoring opportunities remaining than Erik, who is about 8 points behind.

I think Erik is on schedule, but it's hot out there and although he has more opportunities, he still has to get them and close that Triangle in time.

This one is going down to the wire.

Does anyone know if Nancy's phone is behaving? She had complained that it was trying to die on her.

Edit:

I checked. Closing the Triangle is your last bonus of the rally. Nancy is finished now. She said she needs to head home for "other stuff". Good Ride!

 

[Twigg]

It's over!

What can I say ... Unless there is a late points adjustment, it appears that Matt and Erik have tied 1st Place.

What a frickin' awesome weekend for both of them, and many congratulations to all the riders who gave this guy in the bleachers a great time

 

[Uncle Hud]

I have participated in the BMR for three years now and one down side to this format is the requirement to use a cell phone to take photos. This really reduces the options available to quickly take high quality night photos.

OK, the 2015 BMR was my first rally ever, so the rookie is speaking to lots of rally veterans .... but I took quite a few night/evening photos by aiming my headlight at the bonus (background) and holding a small LED flashlight to my placard (foreground). It helped that I am not afraid of riding my FJR onto sidewalks and into grass. A few riders carried hand-held floodlights (like boaters use) to illuminate a bonus at night.

I think most night photos were credited, but the real beauty of the BMR is that it's 5 months long. When it gets dark, have a beer, go to sleep, and take that photo tomorrow morning or next weekend.

Matt just submitted the wrong picture at a Bonus location.
I don't know quite how the App works, and how soon he would be notified, but I hope it is soon enough to go back for it. Those 3.3 points are valuable.

As per BMR precedent, if you have the right photo but the wrong Bonus Code, you can just resubmit the photo with the correct code. If your photo doesn't match the sample, however, you're SOL. Again, if Ignacio is able to hang around for 10 minutes, he'll see his mistake via the almost-instant scoring and can take the necessary action to earn his points.

Bad photos happened to me a few times in the BMR, and frankly, it wasn't worth the effort to plead for redress. In one case I rode back to Huntsville, Alabama, a couple of weeks later and re-shot the photo -- just so happened I was on the way home from Celina, TN, and Joe Davis Stadium was only 60 minutes out of the way. Two other photos were approved because field conditions had changed since the original photo was taken. (See: BMRx Texarkana, AR, starting location, under construction this weekend.)

The BMR has no short-term time limits, and in that way it's very different from traditional LD rallies. You have from January 1 to Memorial Day to ride around and take pictures. You can schedule around rain and snow, fatigue, mechanical breakdown, family/work obligations, and any other conflict -- including "I just don't feel like it today."

The BMRx does have a short time limit, and is more like a traditional LD rally.

 

[101stpathfinder]

It's over!
What can I say ... Unless there is a late points adjustment, it appears that Matt and Erik have tied 1st Place.

What a frickin' awesome weekend for both of them, and many congratulations to all the riders who gave this guy in the bleachers a great time

+1

What an outstanding ride by both!

Congrats to all the riders and to the staff... and thanks for occupying much of my time this weekend-

... when I should have been prepping.

 

[RFlagg42]

OK, the 2015 BMR was my first rally ever, so the rookie is speaking to lots of rally veterans .... but I took quite a few night/evening photos by aiming my headlight at the bonus (background) and holding a small LED flashlight to my placard (foreground). It helped that I am not afraid of riding my FJR onto sidewalks and into grass. A few riders carried hand-held floodlights (like boaters use) to illuminate a bonus at night.

I think most night photos were credited, but the real beauty of the BMR is that it's 5 months long. When it gets dark, have a beer, go to sleep, and take that photo tomorrow morning or next weekend.

I completely agree with you with regard to the 5 month long BMR. My intent was to communicate why that format adds challenges to an "on the clock" rally. I've had countless scenarios in "on the clock" rallies where motorcycle headlights were not an option, and the options to control the camera exposure are just limited on a cell phone when compared to a real camera.

... when I should have been prepping.

You and me both !!!

 

[BkerChuck]

Congrats also to the Eastern Triangle winner and third place overall finisher Joel Tolbert on a Triumph Tiger. For those of you unfamiliar with Joel, he is the brains behind the Bubbler app that so many folks use and enjoy. Note that one of his pictures include his Tiger laying down and taking a nap in the dirt! Fortunately no major damage was done.