Rally advice for a first timer

[TheAxeman]

:help: Next month me, Geezer, and Daughter of Geezer are going to be running in the RHODYRALLY and since its a first time for me can anyone explain exactly how this works. I'm assuming that they give us a number of destinations to shoot for where we have to take a photo of ourselves and then are awarded a particular number of points. Are these points then combined with the number of total miles traveled over the course of the rally to determine your score? Can you actually place higher by logging more miles but less bonus points? Is there a particular strategy I should try to apply?

The honor of the forum is at stake here so any help is appreciated. :good:

 

[Ignacio]

Well, the webpage doesn't seem to be coming up for me so I can't peruse whatever specific rules they might have.

It's been my experience with the Utah 1088, SPANK, and impending Iron Butt Rally is that you get a menu of bonus destinations to ride too. It's a smorgasbord that is impossible to eat everything without becoming very, very sick and/or being hauled away in a 4 wheeled vehicle with lights and siren of some sort. The trick is planning a route of which of the bonii (plural for bonus) builds the collection of highest points AND then executing that plan.

Mileage itself isn't a factor. In fact, sometimes more mileage to get points will yield less of an "efficiency bonus" in some rallies like the Cal 24.

In the SPANK rally last year there was a six hour session that the rally master mockingly told riders to "get ready to ride your wheels off" and whoever gets the most points per mile for that six hours would then get massive bonus points. A fair chunk of the field figured out the logic of this and my solution was to gas up, ride 10 miles to a single bonus and spend the afternoon checking out a Navajo ruin, ride 10 miles back and park the bike for 4 hours and try and take a nap. Gassed up after the 6 hours and got like 500 points per mile. I got more points for NOT riding than riding.

It ended up being a case of figuring out the puzzle the rally master had built.

If it ends up being about raw mileage....it ceases being a rally and becomes that other 'r' word that is four letters long. I would doubt it's anything about that.

These rallies have also involved either answering a certain question only answerable at the bonus, taking a picture of a provided rally flag, picking up some piece of evidence at the bonus (like a business card), or something clever to combine with your mileage log to prove you were you claimed.

I suggest reading the stories of riders at the Utah 1088 and reading through a bonus pack at the IBR site.

I think my best advice for a first rally is to enjoy it first because the experience ends up making a whole lot more sense on the ride home and following days. I set some simple goals in a certain order.

1) Finish.

2) Finish safely.

3) Finish without a ticket.

and if I did all those then icing on the cake was

4) Finish well.

 

[squeezer]

Ignacio speaks truth. Take everything he said to heart.

My 2 cents worth of additions, and worth every penny:

As a general rule, don't expect points for miles. Rallymasters don't really want to encourage speeding for obvious reasons regarding liability and the image of the sport. Focus on putting together an efficient route -- most points for miles ridden (tho' I'm terrible at that -- and I always bite on the sucker boni).

Monitor yourself as much as your ride. Stop when you're tired. This isn't worth dying for.

Gold Bond Powder is your friend.

 

[Canadian FJR]

The most important thing to remember is to "have fun". If it ain't fun there is no sense in doing it.

Canadian FJR

 

[vectervp1]

My advice is to listen to the rallymaster and read your rally pack carefully.

Oh, and don't hit a deer.

 

[DougW]

The one thing I always tell first timers is make sure you have fun ! It's great to place well, but don't stress yourself out about it.

Make it an adventure, pick boni that look interesting to you or take you over roads that look fun to you.

 

[TheAxeman]

Oh, and don't hit a deer.

THAT part I already know....I almost T-boned one of those fuckers yesterday. All I can say is thank God for ABS and oversized shorts.