Shuey
Site Supporter
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2007
- Messages
- 2,099
- Location
- Niceville, FL
- Bike
- FJR1300 ES, 2018
- SPOT
- LINK
- STOC #
- 7005
Some thoughts on what's happening after the riders arrive. This year, many arrived back after riding through torrential rain and winds coming south down I-25 in Colorado. You breathe a sigh or two of relief as the hotel comes in to view, maybe even a smile as you return "home." You pull up to the entrance and pause while your ODO is read and are given a document to carry with you to scoring with your finish time and ODO reading. Dripping wet, you ride off, park your Steed for the evening, grabbing your stuff to head into the hotel.
Some riders will go immediately to scoring and if there's a sufficient line waiting, sign up, go find a table, pile your helmet, wet gear and stuff on the floor, go to the restroom then find a space to finish organizing your materials for scoring. Double check everything written, download photos to your laptop from your camera, then remove the SD card from the camera and put it in the scoring envelope. While doing this, you scarf up some of the food and drink provided and wait your turn at scoring. When called, you get a smile and are pointed to your scorer. The first question after a greeting is usually, "Do you have everything you need for scoring with you and are you ready to be scored?" Once you say yes, you're not permitted to leave to fetch anything you might have left in your pile of stuff. The scorer then carefully and methodically goes through what you've brought, checks out all your photos comparing them to what you've claimed. Any differences of opinions are resolved on the spot with the aid of more senior staff members whose judgments are final. Once finished, the rider is shown their score sheet which they sign if they agree it's correct. Then, the rider picks up their pile of stuff and heads off to check in to their room.
The other option is to check in to the room first, drop your stuff there, get refreshed, change into something more comfortable (and dry) prepare your scoring materials then head down to scoring. You have 60 minutes from the time you pulled up outside and stopped the clock to be signed into scoring ready to be called.
The challenge for most riders is insuring their paperwork to claim boni for the leg is complete and accurate and that you're claiming all the points earned. If the rider doesn't claim it, even though receipts and photos prove they earned it, they . . . don't get it. Your tired, just barely drying off, body still vibrating from long hours of riding as you dashed to the Leg finish . . . maybe not at your peak mental capabilities.
Once your done with scoring, time to shower and sleep before the bonus data for Leg 2 is released at the 6am riders meeting in the morning . . . whoa, not yet. Next item is to do anything that needs to be done to insure the Steed is ready to start and roll in the morning. Your not on the clock, so why not make a quick run out to top off fuel; might save you a stop when back on the clock. Check the oil and other fluids. Anything leaking? Tires. Give them a spin, any cuts (if they were punctured and leaking, you'd already know) how's the tread. So, adjust and fix anything that needs it, secure electronics if you hadn't already, maybe put a cover on, then head back inside. Your Steed is ready, your turn.
OK the rider standings at the end of Leg 1 are up.
Stay tuned,
Shuey
Some riders will go immediately to scoring and if there's a sufficient line waiting, sign up, go find a table, pile your helmet, wet gear and stuff on the floor, go to the restroom then find a space to finish organizing your materials for scoring. Double check everything written, download photos to your laptop from your camera, then remove the SD card from the camera and put it in the scoring envelope. While doing this, you scarf up some of the food and drink provided and wait your turn at scoring. When called, you get a smile and are pointed to your scorer. The first question after a greeting is usually, "Do you have everything you need for scoring with you and are you ready to be scored?" Once you say yes, you're not permitted to leave to fetch anything you might have left in your pile of stuff. The scorer then carefully and methodically goes through what you've brought, checks out all your photos comparing them to what you've claimed. Any differences of opinions are resolved on the spot with the aid of more senior staff members whose judgments are final. Once finished, the rider is shown their score sheet which they sign if they agree it's correct. Then, the rider picks up their pile of stuff and heads off to check in to their room.
The other option is to check in to the room first, drop your stuff there, get refreshed, change into something more comfortable (and dry) prepare your scoring materials then head down to scoring. You have 60 minutes from the time you pulled up outside and stopped the clock to be signed into scoring ready to be called.
The challenge for most riders is insuring their paperwork to claim boni for the leg is complete and accurate and that you're claiming all the points earned. If the rider doesn't claim it, even though receipts and photos prove they earned it, they . . . don't get it. Your tired, just barely drying off, body still vibrating from long hours of riding as you dashed to the Leg finish . . . maybe not at your peak mental capabilities.
Once your done with scoring, time to shower and sleep before the bonus data for Leg 2 is released at the 6am riders meeting in the morning . . . whoa, not yet. Next item is to do anything that needs to be done to insure the Steed is ready to start and roll in the morning. Your not on the clock, so why not make a quick run out to top off fuel; might save you a stop when back on the clock. Check the oil and other fluids. Anything leaking? Tires. Give them a spin, any cuts (if they were punctured and leaking, you'd already know) how's the tread. So, adjust and fix anything that needs it, secure electronics if you hadn't already, maybe put a cover on, then head back inside. Your Steed is ready, your turn.
OK the rider standings at the end of Leg 1 are up.
Stay tuned,
Shuey
