Good on ya guys.
Now if we only knew exactly what happens in one of these Ralliez wud b good. I mean Sat nite we heard that they do 1000mile a day for 11 days. Yet can spend 3 or 4 hours in a spot getting points pieces. Then still have to get checked in.
So in Aussie. We would be doing 1600klm per day. Given our roads limits etc. If we take a good run down a freeway its 110 max. Ya with me still.... thats around 18 hours riding time all going well. Add fuel stops and if you then spent 4 hours looking plus checkin whetes da sleeping. We all know its about being safe. Ya cant go days on end with no sleep and stay safe?
Help me understand how it all works please
Ah Grasshopper. So you've never participated in a rally?
Do not be put off by the 11 day, 1000 mile per day IBR. That is one very special, extreme rally.
I too was like that once but you know what, I've never had so much fun riding a bike and, I've rallied solo and as a 2up team.
As Ziggy has mentioned, it is all about knowing one's strengths and weaknesses. If you are worried about staying safe, know this, the Rally Master will enforce rest period/s with non-compliance meaning a huge loss of points or more likely, a DNF status. That doesn't absolve you from staying safe either.
Rally Masters have our safety front and foremost at all times. They also want us to be a finisher.
Enter a rally with the objective being to have fun and to be a finisher. I'd rather come last than be a DNF or worse.
A rally can have any number of themes and/or objectives. It can be a 12 hour, 24 hour, 36 hour or any combination of hours and days duration in length. It could have a minimum kilometre distance or minimum points requirement or a combination of both, or any number of scenarios to be classfied as a finisher. E.g. you may be given a ceramic mug at the start of the rally and you must end the rally with the mug unbroken and still in your possession to be classed as a finisher.
Generally, photos need to be taken, so a waterproof camera would be advantagous. So too, knowing how to use said camera. Having a backup camera and battery pack isn't a bad idea either.
A "rally flag" to denote the rider or 2up team is generally provided and must be seen in all photos, unless the rally pack tells you otherwise.
Bonus locations could be day only or night only, so knowing how to take a pic of a reflective sign at night would be advantagous.
One thing that is probably a constanst is that there is no way that each and every bonus location can be reached in the given timeframe of the rally. Yep, not even in the great IBR.
The possibilities are endless and so is the fun and to make things even more interesting, ALL Rally Masters are supremely cunning, totally devious and can, and probably will, throw a "Curve Ball" into the mix at any point in time. Yes, they can even change any number of stipulations or rules just because they can. The Rally Master has the final say and totally at his or her discretion. All part of the fun.
The trick for the rally rider is to try and get into the mind set of the Rally Master to unearth which is the best route to take so as to gain the best possible outcome in the time period given.
Think along the lines of solving the time/distance equation for when we set off on an IBA length ride but with a few added tasks to do along the way. Rallying is fun, is a challenge, will test your little grey cells and a is great test of character. Then, when it's all over and the pressure's off, there's the Banquet and all the revelry and comradarie that goes with it. It's here when we can tell the Rally Master just what we think of them. I highly recommend entering and having a crack.