Hey guys,
Sorry for the long delay in getting back to this thread but I wanted to share some of the things I learned doing the Butt Lite Rally (especially as I'm preparing for the
Big Tex Rally that starts in a few weeks 10/15)
Doing a rally was, in some ways, easier than just doing long riding days. It really helped to have specific goals (in the form of the bonuses) in one's semi-aimless ramblings.
The thing I most feared, routing, turned out to not be so bad. I'd done a lot of pre-rally practicing with various techniques and programs using previous bonus lists. It really is a matter of gauging what you and your bike can do and building a route that just pushes the edge of your comfort zone. My approach was to pull up the bonuses on a map, layout the direct route from the start to the check-point (or the check-point to the end) to give me an idea of the approximate direct mileage and expected driving time. I then added in additional mileage for the time given (I figured about double - some folks figured about triple). After that I looked for either big point values or clumps of smaller points that added up to big points. I then looked for "connector" points to get me from either big to big or clump to clump as efficiently as possible. I then checked the mileage to see if it was "do-able" and either removed or added bonuses based on that. Once I had my basic route set, I starred (*) anything that wasn't directly on my route so that I knew what things I could drop if I was pushing my time windows and plussed (+) things that were outside my route but close enough to add if I was running ahead of schedule. Turns out, that was a pretty good strategy.
Scan through the entire rally pack - get a big picture view before getting down to the nitty-gritty. Look for the immediate bonus (something you have to do right now before you go anywhere). Look for the timed incentive bonus (somewhere the rally masters want you to go sooner rather than later). Look for the sneaky connector (something between where you are and where the rally masters are directing you that you could pick up on the way).
Be ready to head out immediately after the check-point rally pack is passed out so you can get to that timed incentive bonus without hurting yourself or others and still have time to pick up the immediate bonus and the sneaky connector on the way.
Don't be afraid to route on the fly when routing on the clock, especially if it means you get a big bonus for being somewhere else.
Allow extra time for everything, even the "easy" stuff.
The less gear you take into a rest, the faster you get started again. Pack light and keep it simple. Locking ram mounts and bike covers are worthwhile investments for saving time.
It's okay to keep something in reserve for the second (or third, or fourth) leg.
It's okay to second guess but try not to let it eat away your rest time. And, along the same lines, if numbers that did make sense are suddenly not making sense, change your approach, there's probably a glitch.
Fuel cells are not required but can certainly be advantageous. Getting fuel every 180-200 miles eats a lot of time (one BIG advantage that even a stock ST-1300 gas tank has over the Caponord's gas tank!).
Sometimes a paper map really helps get a better sense of perspective.
Locktite is your friend. I cannot believe how many bits rattled loose over the course of the rally.
Scanning the rally pack into your phone can be a real time saver when you need to double check that you read the directions correctly. It's so much
quicker to pull up the page on your phone than to dig out your rally pack (even if it's in your tank bag) and flip through the pages (especially in wind or rain).
Take your time before scoring to be sure you've got everything you need. When you are fresh, make a check-list of the "extra" points (as opposed to the bonuses) you need to claim in order to get credited for them. This includes, rest, calling, combos, finishing, special item, etc. bonuses.
Always check your camera before you leave the bonus location. Be sure the photo actually took and is a photo of what it's supposed to be of. With gloves on, the button doesn't always engage so the picture doesn't actually take.
If it's not fun, do something different. On my second day, I found myself spending most of the day on the Oklahoma Turnpike in very hot and humid conditions. It was miserable! So, that night, I decided that on day three as I traveled from Wichita Falls, TX to the check-point in Austin, TX that I would only ride roads in Texas that I'd never ridden on before and that were NOT major highways. This was a bit of a challenge since my folks live in West Texas and I've traveled that area quite a bit over the years. I spent most of the day on back ways county roads (not even state roads) and the entire day, despite the continued heat and humidity, was a lot more fun. I got to see some great roads that I'm 98% sure no one else in the rally even considered.
Over all, the Butt Lite folks put on a heck of good rally. They clearly spent hours and hours on planning and gave us some really great places to visit and you just couldn't ask for friendlier or more supportive rally masters and rally staff.
My goal going in was to attempt to ride an efficient route and, of course, I'd hoped to finish as well. Turns out, I did quite well in routing efficiency and averaged around 6 points per mile for the entire rally and over 7 points per mile during the second half! I finished 46th in the 1st leg and 15th in the 2nd leg to finish 30th overall. Yeah! Plus, I had an amazing final day.
Hope this serves as inspiration for others to take a leap of faith and try a multi-day rally.