2010 Mason Dixon 20-20 Rally

[squeezer]

Registration is open!   Deadline to register is 4-24-2010.

http://masondixon20-20.org/

Rally dates: May 28-30.

Start/Finish: Hagerstown, MD


This is a great rally with a great staff. It pulls in an excellent field of top LD riders but is totally rookie friendly (in fact, I did my first Saddlesore 1000 in this rally -- if you've never done one, they'll give you the route and take care of the paperwork for you).

Let's see ST.N represent!

My registration is already in.  

[Gar]

Working on a kitchen pass for this one. I need to go back and finish after my DNF in 05.

[Tony T]

Working on a kitchen pass for this one. I need to go back and finish after my DNF in 05.

Ya be alright, you got one of them fancy bikes that practically rides itself.  

Tell Rick that Gettysburg said  

[Cablebandit]

I'd love to do this one but can't commit until I know what my employment situation will be.  Sadly by the way things look that will probably mean missing it again this year.

[squeezer]

I'd love to do this one but can't commit until I know what my employment situation will be.  Sadly by the way things look that will probably mean missing it again this year.

If you change your mind, there are at least two State College based riders planning for this (including me). Maybe we can head down together.

[Rocket_Cowboy]

This might be my one rally for 2010. Gotta see if I can make it work in the calendar, but I'm motivated to make this work.

[squeezer]

This might be my one rally for 2010. Gotta see if I can make it work in the calendar, but I'm motivated to make this work.

This time, I'll buy you one of Rick's beers.

(Go Eagles.)    

[DNA]

The negotiations are in progress - but as I have a new steed - I think it is mandatory.

Wopefully the wife agrees - but I'm also asking for 4 weeks to do alaska in JUly.

Being an average bell curve type of guy, and for safety sake - this could be a good shake down ride...

[squeezer]

Tell Rick that Gettysburg said  

Funny thing is, the last time I saw Rick, we were in Gettysburg.

Dave -- you gotta do it just to show the bike off. Does it have a Top of the Bell Curve sticker yet?

[Rocket_Cowboy]

This time, I'll buy you one of Rick's beers.

(Go Eagles.)    

I'll take you up on that!

[squeezer]

I'll take you up on that!

 


But, uh, never mind about that Eagles thing.    

[Rocket_Cowboy]

 


But, uh, never mind about that Eagles thing.    

Makes for good beer drinking conversation.  

[squeezer]

A quick bump because I think registration was held open through this week. If you've been thinking about it, jump in.

[DNA]

I will engage in serious negotations tonight.

Wish me luck.

[Tony T]

I will engage in serious negotations tonight.

Wish me luck.

 

[squeezer]

I will engage in serious negotations tonight.

Wish me luck.

You can do it!

I hope you're bringing the new GS.  I'd like to see it and I'll have a better chance when your final drive fails.  

[PawnBroker]

D'oh   I missed the registration deadline thinking that it was today 4/30/10.  Just send an email to the rallybastards asking to be put on a standby list.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  

[squeezer]

D'oh   I missed the registration deadline thinking that it was today 4/30/10.  Just send an email to the rallybastards asking to be put on a standby list.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  

 Bummer. Any news from Rick?

[DNA]

You can pretty much assume there will be last minute cancellations.
If you are flexible about the shirt - I'd bet you can get in.

[PawnBroker]

Ed, no news as of yet and as much as I like the rally swag it's the good times and the people that make me ride around for over 20 hours looking for stuff that makes rallying so much FUN.  Does anyone have Rick's email address, since I'm not thinking that maybe my email might have went to spam?

[squeezer]

Loaded the zumo today. I really just need to pack at this point. I wish we were starting tomorrow.

Is everyone else pretty well set?

[Tony T]

Good luck everyone. I hope y-all finish with a good standing.

Ride safe and take lots of bonus pictures.  

[DNA]

Quest is loaded and Yellow card is in the wallet.

I am down to basics like packing, rigging hydration and a light to read my maps inthe dark.

I still have no god way to manipulate the rally book - every year that is an issue as it is too big to fit my map case. and I risk loosing it.

Anyone have a great rally book solution?

[squeezer]

Quest is loaded and Yellow card is in the wallet.

I am down to basics like packing, rigging hydration and a light to read my maps inthe dark.

I still have no god way to manipulate the rally book - every year that is an issue as it is too big to fit my map case. and I risk loosing it.

Anyone have a great rally book solution?

I use one of those clipboard/case things. It resides on the top layer in the top box. In the map case on the tank bag, all I have is a list of boni in the order I want to go and some random notes (like -- skip bonus X if after Y pm).

I'll show you at the rally -- after we've ridden our routes.  

[DNA]

I use one of those clipboard/case things. It resides on the top layer in the top box. In the map case on the tank bag, all I have is a list of boni in the order I want to go and some random notes (like -- skip bonus X if after Y pm).

I'll show you at the rally -- after we've ridden our routes.  

Sounds good - or I might just follow and let you find the locations.  

Oh wait - didn't we do that already outside Charlotte looking for a postoffice?

Thanks to the old man - we never would have found it!

[squeezer]

Oh wait - didn't we do that already outside Charlotte looking for a postoffice?

Thanks to the old man - we never would have found it!

   That's still one of the funnier frustrating moments I've had in a rally -- pulling up to the lat-long coordinates while you're there looking at the rally book, both of us looking around and going, "What the hell...?"


Anyway, I don't want to post my route for this weekend, but here's my tank bag sheet from the last Cape Fear so you have a better idea of what I was talking about. Since we had the rally book before the start, I was able to put in what to do at each stop. The rest of it -- the first number lists the page on the rally book where the bonus is listed, the three letter code is the bonus code (Rick has three digits, of course), and the second number is the point value.  That number-code-point value thing is also how I had the boni labeled in my zumo, so I could just look at the next item on the list and punch the same waypoint name on the gps.

This route didn't go that well, by the way. My route to BRV and PUM used the Blue Ridge Parkway, large sections of which turned out to be closed (I think I was the only rider in the country who didn't know that). After an hour or so of being rerouted to new "Road Closed" signs, I packed it in and ditched them. The time lost there also had me bail after WTY. I still ended up with a surprise top 10 finish, I think because most folks who didn't go south got nailed by the weather.

[DNA]

Ed - that is very similar to teh cheat sheet I keep on my tank bag as well - yours has more specific detail at each stop - mine has a overall map with cut and run time points to semi-automate decisions.

With Ricks rally - you have to open the rally book and get the instructions/directions to/at each boni - and I find myself doing an open book read next bonus (highlighted in color at table in the AM for easy to find) then tucking the book away - only to get it out again at each stop dance.

The book is a PITA.  Looing forward to seeing you solution and borrowing it for next year.

[squeezer]

Well, with the MD 20-20, I do pretty much the same thing. The clipboard allows you to hold open the page for the next stop, but that's the only trick I have to offer.

[DNA]

I saw a guy (Alex I think) who had a book made of plastic sheet protectors and reassembeled the rally book inside each sheet so he could turn pages and read it while moving.

Pretty slick - I'm sure that was why he consistantly beat me.

[squeezer]

Yeah, well, I think a lot about "acceptable risk" when I do these things now, and reading the book while under way isn't one of them.

But Alex -- jeebus, he's good. He was in my start in my lone win and the only thing I can figure is that his engine blew up half way through and he pushed it the rest of the way. I finished second to him in '09 Cape Fear and I wasn't even in the same orbit. He stomped the entire field again this year. I told him it would mean a lot to us if he'd beat us by a little bit less.    

Neither he nor Jim Owen are in this year's MD 20-20. There's +2 positions for us.  

[DNA]

He and I had a run in in WVA a few years back.

I saw him at one stop, and again at the next.

I went straight - fast as I could.  When he came in behind me he asked if I got the other one - he could not find it.

He had made another stop, could not find the tag, and then continued on to catch me.

we left at the same time.

He left me walking away within 2-3 miles on the dark on WVA mountain roads.  Me on the Sprint - him on a POS St1100.

I think he could win the big show some day.

[lionlady]

Chaz/guitardad plans his route, then uses big (5 x 7) index cards for each bonus he's going for, instead of using a route sheet. There's one card for each bonus. On each card, he copies the instructions for obtaining the bonus from the rally pack.  No need to waste time flipping through pages of the rally pack at every bonus stop, but its there if needed.

For routing decision making, he'll note on the key bonus cards something like, 'if it is 2pm, then continue, if it is 2:15, then skip bonus K, L, M and continue.

As each bonus is hit, pertinent information is recorded on the card, and it goes to the back of the stack. The next bonus card is on top. I used this method for the The Void '07 and the Cape Fear '08, it worked pretty well. Unfortunately, near as I can tell, the real key to winning is being willing to ride like a maniac between bonus locations.

P

[squeezer]

That sounds like a good plan. When I rode the Void with Rick, he did pretty much the same thing except he used one of those index card pads with a spiral binding at the top. He attached it to a bungee cord stretched between the handlebars so he could flip over cards without taking his eyes off the road for more than a second or so.

I was going to try that, but I couldn't figure out what to do if it rained.

The problem with the Mason-Dixon is that we're given the bonus locations early -- Rick sends out the lat-long files -- but we don't get instructions on what to do there until the rally books are handed out at the riders' meeting, less than 1/2 hour before rolling off. I'm not sure there's any benefit to copying the instructions at that point.

[lionlady]

Well. Chaz used his "usual" rally method when he rode the MD2020 last year. You'll have to pick his brain when/if he shows up in Hagerstown on Sunday (he's teaching an afternoon MSF course this weekend, and won't be done til 6pm or so).

P

[DNA]

Maps and route sheet printing now.


If I ride my Perfect route: 2015

I hope for 1850+

I expect 1500


Winner= 3300+

[squeezer]

I won't break 2000. And did you really find a 3000+ route with all those daylight only boni and the mileage cap? I couldn't even plot one let alone ride it.

[DNA]

My 2015 route gets me back to the barn at 1:57 - so i do have a 3 minute window to work with

I will not break 2000 either.

I never actually found a 3000+ route - but that is what I am at the top of the bell curve.

[squeezer]

I think the 3000+ numbers going around are stinky bait -- like my "how far away until you can get a bonus twice" question. That's my favorite question evar.    

Then again, I just packed my "Top of the Bell Curve" t-shirt because I know I earned it.  

[DNA]

Home safe and sound.  Great seeing you all there.

I just wish STN has een more people representing.

Great rally!

Nice weather, no issues - good route.

The new GS sure made things a lot easier.

The GS was a far far better tool for this job.  Overall my best rally yet!  Having 300+ miles between stops was a really nice advantage. Having gone up to Ontario, down through NY and VT ( nice country up there BYW)  I was behind a bit (go figure..) so rode 285 miles straight to the finish line from Stone Point NY (close to west point?) without stopping (foot never touches down) in under 4 hours with 3 minutes to spare.

Here are few pics of that you missed.  Can you guess the theme?

[squeezer]

What DNA is leaving out is that he snagged a trophy with a truly impressive 5th place finish -- I think the only one up there riding without a fuel cell and the only one who hasn't run the Iron Butt Rally.  And he did that with a mid-rally route and strategy change.

Way to run with the Big Dogs!!  

[Cablebandit]

So does DNA need a soundbow, or lip of the bell shirt?


Edit:  Hmm, bell humor doesn't seem to translate with out a visual.

[Tony T]

What DNA is leaving out is that he snagged a trophy with a truly impressive 5th place finish -- I think the only one up there riding without a fuel cell and the only one who hasn't run the Iron Butt Rally.  And he did that with a mid-rally route and strategy change.

Way to run with the Big Dogs!!  

Sweet!!  Well done DNA!

[DNA]

Thanks Ed - it was agreta rally - my best ever.

Team Bell Curve is doing beter - I finally got a 5th you got a 1st.

Possibly we should change our name to "Team Inconsistent"?

You sure you are going into mini-retirement?  

[squeezer]

You sure you are going into mini-retirement?  

Yeah, for a couple of years. I made a promise. But I also promise I'll be back.

[guitardad]

What DNA is leaving out is that he snagged a trophy with a truly impressive 5th place finish -- I think the only one up there riding without a fuel cell and the only one who hasn't run the Iron Butt Rally.  And he did that with a mid-rally route and strategy change.

Way to run with the Big Dogs!!  

Congratulations, DNA!!