CAL 24 Report

[twowheelnut]

Got a field report from SkooterG flying down 395 en route to some points in Gorman, then he's off to Ojai for a checkpoint stop. Says he 'heard' that some riders blew the first checkpoint and called it quits... Maybe someone else has some more details? :dntknw:

 

[madmike2]

Hmmmm.... I think Skooter and Skyway are riding together. I'll be awaiting updates, Oh priviledged and informed, Grand Poohbah, sir.

 

[twowheelnut]

Hmmmm.... I think Skooter and Skyway are riding together. I'll be awaiting updates, Oh priviledged and informed, Grand Poohbah, sir.

They, um, were. Seems someone has an overly twitchy right hand.

 

[madmike2]

They, um, were. Seems someone has an overly twitchy right hand.

Yes, well, his reputation precedes him. And the other has a wife-unit who would be mighty unhappy should he get scratched or dented. Aaaannndddd, aren't these the pair who recently had a tete-a-tete with the CA state gendarmes?

 

[Toecutter]

Skiwi's just afraid of ending up in the hoosegow.

 

[vectervp1]

From what I recall 10+ riders DNF'ed at the first checkpoint. At least 1 DNF'ed the second checkpoint. I don't know much beyond that because I'm the one who DNF'ed the 2nd checkpoint. My GPS sent me to lands unknown when I told it to send me to Bridgeport CA. It put me in a situation where it was impossible to make the very difficult window to Checkpoint 2.

 

[madmike2]

.......because I'm the one who DNF'ed the 2nd checkpoint.

Sorry to hear your bad news, Art.

New GPS? :dntknw:

New gloves? :blink:

New glasses? :coolsmiley:

No finishing the rally "for fun"? :dribble:

 

[DougW]

I was one of the riders that got time bared on the first leg. I have always used paper maps in my past rallys but because of the obvious limitations and growing complexity of rallys these days I tryed using a lap top to find my boni and upload that info to my gps.

I would like to say that I was trying some brilliant all or nothing plan but the truth is I have no idea how I ended up 160 miles away from the 1st checkpoint with 1 hour 20 minutes till it closed. Matter of fact when I left the start I thought I would make it 20 minutes before it open. :blink:

In 2 weeks I going to the 1088, I might just leave the Lap top at home

 

[jwhite518]

I was one of the riders that got time bared on the first leg. I have always used paper maps in my past rallys but because of the obvious limitations and growing complexity of rallys these days I tryed using a lap top to find my boni and upload that info to my gps.I would like to say that I was trying some brilliant all or nothing plan but the truth is I have no idea how I ended up 160 miles away from the 1st checkpoint with 1 hour 20 minutes till it closed. Matter of fact when I left the start I thought I would make it 20 minutes before it open. :blink:

In 2 weeks I going to the 1088, I might just leave the Lap top at home

Hey Doug, didn't you used to ride a Beemer? I remember you from a few Cal 24s and you visited the White Stag in 06. Sorry to hear about your DNF. Hope you had a fun rally anyway. Please fill us in anyway - where did the route take you?

Jerry

(temporarily in Milwaukee)

 

[twowheelnut]

Sorry to hear this you two DNFers...

 

[vectervp1]

I was one of the riders that got time bared on the first leg. I have always used paper maps in my past rallys but because of the obvious limitations and growing complexity of rallys these days I tryed using a lap top to find my boni and upload that info to my gps.I would like to say that I was trying some brilliant all or nothing plan but the truth is I have no idea how I ended up 160 miles away from the 1st checkpoint with 1 hour 20 minutes till it closed. Matter of fact when I left the start I thought I would make it 20 minutes before it open. :blink:

In 2 weeks I going to the 1088, I might just leave the Lap top at home

I'm no rally expert or anything, but I learned that lesson last year. I found that for the most part I could work off paper maps faster than I could a laptop. Maybe its because I'm not as used to navigating around with Mapsource, but I think having a look a the 'big picture' on a paper map is very useful. It gives you an opportunity to step back and sometimes see where there are pockets of bonuses, and what bonuses may not be work going after.

I think that because 24 hour rallies are such a sprint that every minute of time is valuable. In a multi day rally you can spend the extra 10-15 minutes playing with a laptop because in the big picture, thats not a whole lot of time, but in a 24 hour rally, that can be the difference between getting another bonus or even making it to the checkpoint in time.

Good luck at the Utah 1088 in two weeks! I wish I could be there, but unfortunately this year is going to be a short rally season for me.

 

[DougW]

Hi Jerry, yep it's me. Can't tell you much about the rally, you only got the first leg boni at the start since I failed to make the first check I don't know what happened after that because I did not wait for the finish. What I do know is there was a tread that required you to visit 12 Raceways around the state. I am not sure if it was possible to visit all 12 and still make the checks. The cal 24 format has change a little from the ones you have done in that there is not a true base route like there was in the past. The only other thing I know is at the 1st check you had to race other riders in carts at a cart track in freemont.

 

[sychron]

My fellow rider mike (ST 1300) and I went for big bonus points in Coalinga and on Los Gatos Rd. leaving us too far from Fremont to make the check. We did get within ten minutes of the absolute closing but would have ended up with minus points even if we had squeaked in under the wire. Maybe next year.

 

[DougW]

My fellow rider mike (ST 1300) and I went for big bonus points in Coalinga and on Los Gatos Rd. leaving us too far from Fremont to make the check. We did get within ten minutes of the absolute closing but would have ended up with minus points even if we had squeaked in under the wire. Maybe next year.

I am the rider on the black 1200gs and black stitch that followed you into Coalinga and past you going the other direction on Los Gatos, I was wondering if you guys made it.

 

[twowheelnut]

I know who finished in second place!

Hints: He talks a wee bit funny and can whittle on aluminum billet like crazy.

 

[beerme]

Congrats, Ian!

 

[turbodave_98]

Great ride Ian. I am really proud of your accomplishment. Congrats to Greg and GZ also and to all the others that made the ride. It was a tough one for sure.

 

[BIODSL]

Great ride Ian. I am really proud of your accomplishment. Congrats to Greg and GZ also and to all the others that made the ride. It was a tough one for sure.

Yes, congratulations to Skyway. At the banquet I think he was in a little state of shock. All he could do is look at his plaque an murmur "I don't believe it." Quit pinching yourself, Ian, you're awake!

This year was a tough one. Different rally master and a different format had even the veterans chasing their tails. Good riders got bite. Some of us got lucky. For the second year in a row I made a mistake on the last bonus that cost me. I'll be back next year to try and break that nasty trend.

BTW, only two models of bikes in the top five: two K1200GTs and three FJRs. That should give you some indication of what the rally was like ; )

Paul Peloquin

Monmouth OR

 

[skyway]

Yes, congratulations to Skyway. At the banquet I think he was in a little state of shock. All he could do is look at his plaque an murmur "I don't believe it." Quit pinching yourself, Ian, you're awake!

It was something like :blink: or :shok: and a little of :stunned: for good measure. Being the last bike off at the start and the second checkpoint, had a lot to do with this. Checkpoints 3 and 4 went a whole lot smoother with planning. I also got my first ride on Lockwood Valley Rd., then down Hwy33 to Ojai with Skoot after riding for 14 or so hours, what a roller coaster of a road!!! :dribble:

I learned a lot again this year on how to plan, especially the importance of time management. Thanks Paul for the words of encouragement in Lone Pine about never giving up.

I was also the fastest lap finisher at the karting track, though I know Art did beat me. There was someone sitting next to me at the scoring table who was bumming big time, as he didn't write his track time on the bonus sheet.