Well, here's my advice Robert. Sorry it took so long.
First of all, and I can't stress this enough.........................RELAX!
Your first rally will be your most memorable, so have some fun with it. Really, don't go out and try to win it or kicks it's ass. If you find out you like doing these, you will have plenty of opportunity to get competitive. It won't happen on your first rally. Or your second. There is a learning curve to these things, and unfortunately, learning from your own mistakes is one of the best tools to learning. Now, I wouldn't be trying to come into last place or anything, but don't stress too much about being competive. I did my first rally at the 2004 LOE1000. Did it with another friend who had never done a rally and we went in blind and rode it together. We didn't do all that great, but we had a great time. I really caught the rally bug, and the whole way home I analyzed how I could have done better. But then I now had some experience to go by. Oh, and during that first rally, I didn't have a fuel cell, GPS, heated gear, aux lights........ Yes, those things help, and things like the fuel cell and GPS are critical items to being truly competitive, but you don't NEED them.
As for maps and GPS, my advice is to do the rally with paper maps. The GPS is a great tool, but it should be there to assist. The first time I had a GPS for a rally, I used it and computer mapping programs only and no maps and I lost the big picture. I was so busy looking at the trees, I couldn't see the forest. Some people can use only a computer, but I would say they are a minority. Iggy is one of them. And don't worry about the Jim Owen method. It's a great method, but IMHO for an experienced rally rider, as well as someone skilled in computer use. I may try to adopt the Owen method, but the fact is I still need to see the big picture on a paper map, and peeps like Jim Owen and Ignacio can enter the data (bonus info) into the computer twice as fast as I can. So with all respect to Iggy, it ain't for everyone. Especially on a 24 hour rally. So I would advise to map stuff on a paper map, devise a general plan, and then enter the places you think you will/can go into the mapping program and then GPS. I can give you some tips here when we talk. Yes, you want to develop a good plan, but I think it's more important to be able to adjust, or deviate from the plan while on the fly when needed. You can't plan everything. You usually don't know if a bonus will take 3 minutes, or 45 minuts to bag. You don't know what road construction, or traffic you will hit that will slow you down. As Clint Eastwood once said, you need to be able to 'improvise, adapt, and overcome' while running a rally.
As for mapping programs, I am going to disagree with Tom (even though he finished just ahead of me in the IBR
) and say learn to use Microsoft Streets and Trips. I have been using Garmin's Mapsource. I am pretty good with it, but it's cumbersome and not as user friendly as S&T. One of my goals before this year's IBR was to get proficient at S&T and use it, but I didn't do that and it hurt me in the planning stages of the IBR. It takes longer to find the locations with Mapsource than with S&T and S&T has this neat little 'optimize route' function that is
extremely handy when planning a route. After my IBR planning follies, I have now committed to learning and using S&T despite still being more comfortable with Mapsource. Since the LOE1000 is not too far away, use whatever mapping program you are most comfortable with, but I would highly recommend Microsoft's Streets & Trips for the long run. If you use S&T, then you also need to download GPSU (GPS Utility - google it to find it and you can easily get by with the free version). You need GPSU to download S&T data to your GPS.
Don't worry about how many points to go after. Try to plan a route with as many points as possible and that you can finish. Look at the approximate mileage that you think you can do (taking into account road types) and try to maximize the points you can get. Be conservative. Depending on the rally I have run, and the location of bonii and types of roads, I have done between 900 and 1600 miles during a 24 hour rally. Twisty roads and bagging many bonii mean less miles. But let me stress this - finishing is critical as far as I am concerned in your first few rallys. As you get a few under your belt, you will have a more clear idea of what your own capabilities are, and you can be more aggressive in the planning. And if you DNF, it won't be as big a deal after finishing previous rallys. BUT FINISH YOUR FIRST!!!! (Goes back to the having fun thing. DNFing is NOT fun)
Flares - as mentioned above, Utah1088 is the only rally that requires flares and is the only rally I carry them too. They are heavy and relatively large in size for something most will never use. A small strobe is what you want.
First Aid Kit - Forgot where I got mine, but head to Wally World, or better yet, Walgreens, and you will have several small kits to choose from.
Here's what I recommend bringing: several sharpies for initial planning and writing bonus info on the bonus sheets. Several colors of highlighters for planning - While plotting bonii on a map, color code them as to point value (High, medium, low), a grease pencil, calculator, pen, small pad of paper, some ziplocs or a banker's bag for storing receipts/photos.
Sounds like you are good to go on the Polaroids. Nothing fancy needed here. Just make sure you bring enough film and that the cameras are properly working.
A hydration system of some sort is highly desireable, as is a flip-face helmet. Make sure you have a tire repair kit onboard with some type inflation capability. I highly recommend some sort of small compressor.
Several flashlights is a good thing. A helmet mounted LED, or some other type of small clip light for reading your map, bonus sheet will be extremely helpful. I finally bit the bullet and bought the high $$$ littlelite and won't ever regret it.
Traditionally, the LOE has given out bonus info the night before. This is a double edged sword. You get more time to plan your route, but you also need sleep and it's real easy to stay up all night overplanning. Don't ask me how I know this.
As Tom mentioned, last year, for the first time, they ran the rally based on efficiency. Unlike any other rally, total points did not win, but the highest points per mile won. I don't know if they will do that again this year. Some mapping program skills will help here, but are not critical.
Once again, I can't stress enough to have fun during your first rally. You will always look back on it with fond memories, so don't take it so seriously that don't enjoy it. Since it's your first rally, I guarantee you will not win it or break the top 10. Too many other experienced rally riders that you will be competing against. But that's ok. If you catch the bug, and want to continue with these, you will get there with some hard work.
One thing that can make a significant differnce in how you do is your efficiency at stops. This is a decision you will need to make based on your priorities. A LOT of time can be lost at gas stops and bonus locations by not being efficient. Not being organized, not having a system at stops, talking with folks, talking with fellow rally riders, taking time to smell the roses will eat up precious minutes that most likely can be used for getting points. But there is no right or wrong here. If you run the rally like a machine, you may not have much fun. Nothing wrong with enjoying yourself along the way. Sharing the comraderie with your rally brothers, taking photos with a digital camera for your own benefit. These things eat up time, but may be worth it to you. For example, as much as I wanted to do well in the IBR this year, I also wanted to enjoy it and have some photos for memories. So I took several digital photos of almost every bonus location I went to as well as the polaroid. This took time and ate up precious minutes, but was a sacrifice that was worth it to me. (Someday, maybe I'll get around to that IBR report I would like to write.
)
Here is a link to my only rally write-up to date for your reading enjoyment:
SkooterG rides the 2006 Cal24
Good luck, and oh yeah......................
I forgot the most important piece of advice........................
[SIZE=18pt]DON'T CRASH!!![/SIZE]
