FJRForum Official 2015 Iron Butt Rally Tracking/Analysis thread

[LowAndSilent]

Knowing absolutely nothing about SPOT other than it showing where you are, what are the green & yellow vs. the orange?? Is that just indicating movement vs. inactivity?

Orange - Tracking mode. The SPOT unit sent out a ping giving its coordinates/info.Yellow - Custom message. I have mine setup to state that I'm calling it for the day and won't be moving for at least the next 4-6 hours. Each user can set it up however they want.

Green - An "OK" checkin. You have to manually hit that. For example, I hit it when I stop for longer than 10-30 minutes so my watchers know I meant to stop there for a longer period and the reason I'm not moving is other than an accident or other incident.

 

[Twigg]

Knowing absolutely nothing about SPOT other than it showing where you are, what are the green & yellow vs. the orange?? Is that just indicating movement vs. inactivity?

they are user generated,

The Green Flag is produced when the rider hits the "OK" button, and the Yellow when the "Custom" button is pressed. Each can be accompanied by custom messages.

Not all users use these buttons.

I use the "OK" when I stop for a bonus location or gas, and the "Custom" when I take a longer break or a rest stop.

In addition there are two other buttons .... One is the "Help" button that generates texts and emails to let friends know you are stuck, but okay, the other is "SOS" which will alert Spot and launch rescues services. A bit like dialing 911. Not sure how effective it is, I've heard mixed reports.

 

[Ignacio]

Knowing absolutely nothing about SPOT other than it showing where you are, what are the green & yellow vs. the orange?? Is that just indicating movement vs. inactivity?

Orange is the normal, "Reporting in! It's been about 10 minutes since I sent a signal."

Green is more likely, "I just pressed a button on my SPOT unit to tell people something special happened...like I bagged a bonus."

Yellow is a "custom" message that they've assigned some importance or meaning to beforehand. I see some right now with it on and bet it's related to them taking an extended rest break.

While we're seeing an aggregate feed of position--each rider is displaying a route to friends and family. They see the breadcrumb of their person including smaller orange dots, plus the green ones intermittently, and yellow if they choose it.

Or that's how I've done it with my SPOT in the past.

 

[Mudslide Miller]

3 great explanations at once! Thanks guys!

 

[Go Far]

Can't remember the year, 2011 or 2013, but the Alaska bonus was considered a fools errand and no way to make it....and three or four riders snagged it and made the checkpoint. Ya never really know on these things.And this sucks working for a bank with no forum access all day. I have a zillion pages to catch up on when I get home!

It was 2011 and it was a piece of cake!

 

[Uncle Hud]

Friends and family must be following on a private Spotwalla page, since the IBR page is scrambling the numbers every few hours. Probably isn't changing the green/yellow/orange of the rider's marker, just the ID number.

 

[ericboutin]

Awesome explanations of the Spot! Thanks! No mention in the official report about my man in Texas....he has spent pretty much this whole leg there and a large portion down near Corpus Christi....I got nothin!

I only wish I had the stones to compete in something like this so I'm not asking this for myself personally but generally....how do these riders get chosen? Surely not just anyone can sign up? I understand also that it is run completely by volunteers (amazing in itself) so I also assume that the cost to participate is all on the rider also, is there any prize money at all or just bragging rights? I'm really amazed from my armchair participation the last two IBR's at the professionalism of the whole "race" from organizers to riders that this thing hasn't gone mainstream with sponsors, tv coverage etc.....although I suppose that would take a lot away from it too.

Alright enough of the questions, I gotta hit refresh and see what's happening in Texas!

 

[puppychow]

Who is the IBR rider in Vernal? I am in Vernal also! Dammit did I miss a sighting!

 

[puppychow]

I suppose these are delayed public spot tracks? Delayed by how much, who knows? Gods of spot only knows and that would be JJ!

They were next door, walked over they are gone heading for Dinosaur NM. I speculate.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Can't remember the year, 2011 or 2013, but the Alaska bonus was considered a fools errand and no way to make it....and three or four riders snagged it and made the checkpoint. Ya never really know on these things.

It was 2011 and it was a piece of cake!

Might have been, but the armchair quarterbacks were calling those guys (you?) idiots when it was in progress. Maybe Texas is a piece of cake too with a lot of points. Only time, and the official scorers will tell.

 

[puppychow]

The nut job is running A/C. I wonder how much that is working in the intense heat.

 

[ericboutin]

Can't remember the year, 2011 or 2013, but the Alaska bonus was considered a fools errand and no way to make it....and three or four riders snagged it and made the checkpoint. Ya never really know on these things.

It was 2011 and it was a piece of cake!

Might have been, but the armchair quarterbacks were calling those guys (you?) idiots when it was in progress. Maybe Texas is a piece of cake too with a lot of points. Only time, and the official scorers will tell.

Just to be clear I never called the Texas man an idiot!! LOL

But I must admit I'm the idiot who can't stop watching him and wondering and speculating and deciphering and and and......

 

[gixxerjasen]

I don't think anyone has. And I don't recall being in that group with the Alaska runners, but I was certainly in the group doubting they'd make it. That turned my thinking around so much that I'm enjoying watching the lone wolves going after something everyone else has dismissed.

 

[JimNtexas]

Can't remember the year, 2011 or 2013, but the Alaska bonus was considered a fools errand and no way to make it....and three or four riders snagged it and made the checkpoint. Ya never really know on these things.

It was 2011 and it was a piece of cake!

Might have been, but the armchair quarterbacks were calling those guys (you?) idiots when it was in progress. Maybe Texas is a piece of cake too with a lot of points. Only time, and the official scorers will tell.

Just to be clear I never called the Texas man an idiot!! LOL

But I must admit I'm the idiot who can't stop watching him and wondering and speculating and deciphering and and and......

He very well may be diabolical genius, only time will tell.

He did make rest stop here in Austin last night. I was pretty tempted to go to that motel and take a picture of his bike, but then I reminded myself that the IBR is for the IBR riders, not for us fans peeking through a knothole in the fence. So I left him alone.

 

[Dan S]

I sure hope Jason or someone someplace is doing a time lapsed video of the Spot map.

 

[Timmer]

I sure hope Jason or someone someplace is doing a time lapsed video of the Spot map.

At least one person is.

 

[Twigg]

Can't remember the year, 2011 or 2013, but the Alaska bonus was considered a fools errand and no way to make it....and three or four riders snagged it and made the checkpoint. Ya never really know on these things.

It was 2011 and it was a piece of cake!

Might have been, but the armchair quarterbacks were calling those guys (you?) idiots when it was in progress. Maybe Texas is a piece of cake too with a lot of points. Only time, and the official scorers will tell.

Just to be clear I never called the Texas man an idiot!! LOL

But I must admit I'm the idiot who can't stop watching him and wondering and speculating and deciphering and and and......

The "Texas Guy" is a very fine rider who knows exactly what he is doing. He has picked a very bold strategy for high points. His problem might be that when he gets to the checkpoint, he could be exhausted. Only time will tell.

 

[BritRider]

OK Just under 36 hours to go in leg 1. Who has the farthest to go to get back to Albuquerque. i reckon its rider #136 near Grants Pass in OR. Quickest route on my Basecamp gives a I5, Hwy 58, I40 route of 1426 miles in 21hrs.

 

[Twigg]

I only wish I had the stones to compete in something like this so I'm not asking this for myself personally but generally....how do these riders get chosen? Surely not just anyone can sign up? I understand also that it is run completely by volunteers (amazing in itself) so I also assume that the cost to participate is all on the rider also, is there any prize money at all or just bragging rights? I'm really amazed from my armchair participation the last two IBR's at the professionalism of the whole "race" from organizers to riders that this thing hasn't gone mainstream with sponsors, tv coverage etc.....although I suppose that would take a lot away from it too.

Applications open around 18 months prior to the event. Part of the process is a description of your experience and why you want a place in the IBR. It is expected that all entrants are experienced rally riders, with at least one multi-day rally in their resume. This is not always the case, but it is most usual.

There are about 100 places. Some are reserved for riders the organisors want in. Ther est are drawn from the applicants. The first part of the draw is for IBA Premium Members. Those Premium Members that do not get a place in that draw are entered in the open-draw with all the other applicants, and they draw until the places are filled.

The IBA reserves the right t "invite" entries too.

The cost to enter is about $1800, expect to spend a great deal more than that by the finish

There is no prize money, just a nice trophy and your name on a Totem in Gerlach, NV

 

[jwhite518]

He very well may be diabolical genius, only time will tell.
He did make rest stop here in Austin last night. I was pretty tempted to go to that motel and take a picture of his bike, but then I reminded myself that the IBR is for the IBR riders, not for us fans peeking through a knothole in the fence. So I left him alone.

I totally would have gone to his rest stop, waited until he appeared, and introduced myself. That kind of thing does wonders for a rider's morale. It's lonely out there.