So, what better to do in the Great 2020 lockdown than a Virtual Rally over the Easter weekend. What an excellent idea. I had fond memories of taking part in a couple of virtual rallies organised by Grim when I first started in the IBA UK. It helped enormously with the planning side of the rally. This would give me the opportunity to practise electronic bonus submission. An area I was not happy with and one of the reasons I do not take part in UK rallies.
OK 8 am Saturday 11th April, GPX file and link to rally book arrive. Read through and assimilated information. All the bonuses were about 100 points. No combos so no difficult planning. Getting the extra bonus by being quick off the mark and sending the emails as soon as possible would be the key.
08:13 first bonus location sent in. Header with Rider Number, Bonus, Odometer, Current Time.
In the body of the email screen shots of the Bonus Claimed and Google Maps route to next bonus.
Nope made a mistake already. Copied the MapSource route in my haste. Return to start and resubmit first bonus at 08:20.
Work through the next 3 bonuses totalling 306 points. Next bonus is worth 90 points sent, or so I think. Continue for fuel and on to subsequent bonuses.
At 14:50 I discover the bonus I thought I’d sent at 10:44 had gone into my deleted items. How, must be operator error. In a ‘Real’ rally this would have cost me one bonus. I now had to assume that my chain of bonuses was broken and all subsequent bonuses lost.
The deleted email resent. Now on 396 points and 7 hours in.
At this point I reviewed my rally. Did I want to sit in front of a computer screen for 4½ hours just to get back where I was. No, so I walked away. I knew I’d be a finisher as there was no minimum mileage requirement and no requirement to take the rest bonus. No requirement to return and finish at a set location. Your rally finishes at the last bonus claimed.
I have been informed I could have made it easier for myself. I could have sat at my computer and for the first 2 or 3 hours completed my emails and then using the tech available (apparently) sent them automatically at the requisite times.
This would have removed the possibility of the type of mistake I made. It would have been the same as using a self driving BMW motorcycle. I suppose in a few years……..
Not for me, I’ll stick to planning and riding. Whether that will be in rallies, who knows……
Not sure of my official final score, or even if I officially finished, as the scoring for this rally has been on a par with recent UK rallies.
The other reason I am reluctant to take part.
OK 8 am Saturday 11th April, GPX file and link to rally book arrive. Read through and assimilated information. All the bonuses were about 100 points. No combos so no difficult planning. Getting the extra bonus by being quick off the mark and sending the emails as soon as possible would be the key.
08:13 first bonus location sent in. Header with Rider Number, Bonus, Odometer, Current Time.
In the body of the email screen shots of the Bonus Claimed and Google Maps route to next bonus.
Nope made a mistake already. Copied the MapSource route in my haste. Return to start and resubmit first bonus at 08:20.
Work through the next 3 bonuses totalling 306 points. Next bonus is worth 90 points sent, or so I think. Continue for fuel and on to subsequent bonuses.
At 14:50 I discover the bonus I thought I’d sent at 10:44 had gone into my deleted items. How, must be operator error. In a ‘Real’ rally this would have cost me one bonus. I now had to assume that my chain of bonuses was broken and all subsequent bonuses lost.
The deleted email resent. Now on 396 points and 7 hours in.
At this point I reviewed my rally. Did I want to sit in front of a computer screen for 4½ hours just to get back where I was. No, so I walked away. I knew I’d be a finisher as there was no minimum mileage requirement and no requirement to take the rest bonus. No requirement to return and finish at a set location. Your rally finishes at the last bonus claimed.
I have been informed I could have made it easier for myself. I could have sat at my computer and for the first 2 or 3 hours completed my emails and then using the tech available (apparently) sent them automatically at the requisite times.
This would have removed the possibility of the type of mistake I made. It would have been the same as using a self driving BMW motorcycle. I suppose in a few years……..
Not for me, I’ll stick to planning and riding. Whether that will be in rallies, who knows……
Not sure of my official final score, or even if I officially finished, as the scoring for this rally has been on a par with recent UK rallies.
The other reason I am reluctant to take part.