FJRForum Official 2017 Iron Butt Rally Tracking/Analysis Thread

[heynowref]

Curious, from a former riders perspective, are any of them looking at this map right now and going , "Why the F am I here?"

Meaning why am I the only one in Buffalo (or wherever)?

I know they have started out with a "plan", but how quickly is that questioned when you see a map like this.

 

[Ignacio]

Curious, from a former riders perspective, are any of them looking at this map right now and going , "Why the F am I here?"Meaning why am I the only one in Buffalo (or wherever)?

One day into the rally after having ground out a personal ride plan Sunday night I'd be refreshing my iPhone to see the aggregate page and saying to myself, "Look at everybody so spread out all over the place! I have no good feeling if I'm doing well right now or if others are. That bastard Jeff has assembled a seriously diabolical puzzle."

And I'd then go through my ritual of scanning traffic, checking my speed, fiddle with my 2nd "what-if" GPS on any nearby bonuses not on my original plan, and know there's still 10 days of this thing to go.....

 

[BwanaDik]

Yes, two significant groups in the Wyoming area and in Appalachia. And the Canadian group has dispersed. WTF is in Las Vegas? 47 pages of stuff on Roadside America

 

[AVGeek]

I'm wondering if the rider showing in Vegas is on his way to Cabazon? They have the T-Rex from Pee-Wee's Big Adventure there, and the excessive heat warnings have finally been lifted here, so while still hot, it's much better than it was for the last week and a half...

 

[BikerGeek99]

WTF is in Las Vegas?

Hell - I'm trying to figure out WTF is in Columbus! A few riders have stopped downtown for something. I know that area fairly well and cannot for the life of me think of what is there that fits the theme. I think I'm gonna have to go do some recon.

 

[McRide]

Las Vegas might be on the way to the huge metal Dinosaurs and Horses and Perodactyles in Borrego Springs CA...

 

[Blind Squirrel]

... part of a string...

Can someone clarify how strings work? I read that if you combine bonuses together as part of a string so you can get more points.

• How many bonuses must you string together to start getting the increased points?
• Is there a finite number of bonuses you can string together, or do the points keep doubling each time after a certain number?
• Can any/all bonuses be strung, or are there specific spots that must be taken in a specific sequence to get the string?

Hi Scott! :wave:

From the Sunday Report -

"The bonuses are divided into five categories, with a twist in the puzzle. There are “strings”. If a rider can create a string by visiting 3 bonuses in a row from the same category, the third bonus value is multiplied by two. Multiple, separate strings are allowed."

Hope this helps.

So, if I am reading it correctly, a "string" consists of three (and only three) bonuses in a row from the same category. The rider can do this multiple times (separate strings are allowed). Seems like a big part of planning the string would be to make sure the largest point bonus stop is the LAST in each string.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

I'm wondering if the rider showing in Vegas is on his way to Cabazon? They have the T-Rex from Pee-Wee's Big Adventure there, and the excessive heat warnings have finally been lifted here, so while still hot, it's much better than it was for the last week and a half...

Dude (or dudette!) stopped in Vegas to put money on themselves to win the IBR!!

 

[danalipps]

They have been stopped in Vegas for a while now (seems like at least an hour). Hope everything is ok.

 

[101stpathfinder]

Columbus, Ohio

"Deer on a bridge". ?

 

[BwanaDik]

Looked like lunch at the In-and-Out

 

[grommet]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that at least half the riders do not have a master plan, and have basically just said, "Screw it, I'm going to go ride and have fun."

Why do I say this?

1. Word problems are hard. Most people struggle with them.

2. From a computational perspective, this problem is beyond several that are well known in the computing universe as the toughest nuts to crack. The TSP, for example - the Traveling Salesman Problem. Without strings, the IBR is like the TSP but with an additional variable of point value. With strings, it moves to a whole new level.

3. Some of the crucial information needed to solve the puzzle is not available. With the TSP, you have everything you need when you start. If your data changes halfway through the route, the only thing you can do is start over.

The only logical approach is to do the best you can at every stage. Since no one else knows the missing information either, the best methods will still be the best methods.

But back to my point, even with advanced skills in algorithm design and math, the problem is huge. Since most riders probably don't have those skills, I think they'll just shrug and give it their best shot.

IOW, just have some fun, and ride a long way.

Yeah, I know some people have laptops running on the road crunching data. I wish them the best too, and I'll be interested to see what comes out of it.

As an aside, back in the simple 'no strings' days, I did a little work on applying a decent genetic algorithm to the IBR. Started with a

, then integrated google maps into it.

 

[BwanaDik]

So a "string" is three or more boni in a row from the same category. So what is a "category"? Three fish items? three plastic statues? Three insects?

 

[heynowref]

At least weather is not an issue at all for these first couple days. Except for the extreme SE TX and NE US(where no one is) it is basically clear skies!

 

[eddiememphis]

Looks like the big blue bear at the convention center is in play.

edit- Downtown Denver

 

[BikerGeek99]

Columbus, Ohio
"Deer on a bridge". ?

Ah. That's it!

 

[reedg01]

So there are some riders going west on I-68, and some heading north on I-79. I wonder if they're going to converge on the Front Lawn Giraffe in Bridgeport, West Virginia?

https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/12719

 

[Uncle Hud]

grommet posted: I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that at least half the riders do not have a master plan, and have basically just said, "Screw it, I'm going to go ride and have fun."

I'm going to go out on a limb on the exact opposite side of your tree.

It takes too much money, a lot of rallying, a lot of prep time, and be lucky enough to have your name selected to compete in the IBR. Every single one of these riders has a plan. Maybe not a winning plan, but they're not out wandering.

Looks like three or four may be in my backyard this evening.

<edit, 5 mis later>

Jim Owen is in this year's event, and it's not his first. Ignacio posted something about how Jim tackles rally routing (https://mattwatkins.org/blog1/?page_id=2513) and I worked up something similar, posted here. There's also a thread on this Forum about the Traveling Salesman Problem and efforts to adapt computer algorithms to solve it.

What we do NOT know: the point value of individual bonus locations, and the point value (multiplier) of the string. Those are critical to optimizing the route, and -- as I understand it -- haven't been fully revealed to the competitors as yet.

My unworthy self would (first) plot all the bonii, (second) pick a direct route to the next check-in point, and (third) start adding bonus location "detours" to the direct route until I reached the time limit to hit the check-in.

Next, make a second pass to try to link strings together, and then -- after three hours -- call it done and try to sleep.

 

[BikerGeek99]

Looks like the big blue bear at the convention center is in play.
edit- Downtown Denver

Better that than that creepy horse out by the airport.

 

[BikerGeek99]

So there are some riders going west on I-68, and some heading north on I-79. I wonder if they're going to converge on the Front Lawn Giraffe in Bridgeport, West Virginia?
https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/12719

At least one rider stopped there.