Twisty Roads Rally Group presents:

The Road Not Taken

August 2-3, 2008

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS



Philosophical Foundation For These General Instructions

There are no tricks, traps, or misleadings intended in these General Instructions, or in the Routebook, or anywhere else on this event.   Don't get cute.

A KEY TO SUCCESS

Understanding an event's General Instructions will eliminate many of your opportunities to avoid winning.

INTRODUCTION

This rally's ambition is to allow you to enjoy driving entertaining unpaved roads all night long, and to challenge you to precisely maintain specified average speeds on roads that avidly test your ability to do so.   The consistently smooth and persistently twisty roads are selected to provide vigorous enjoyable exercise.   As contestants, we cherish events which leave us thoroughly wrung-out and excited—and that is what we want to offer you.

The Road Not Taken primarily travels Siuslaw National Forest and Bureau of Land Management roads, authorized under special use permits.   The event's Headquarters will be in McMinnville, Oregon at Red Lion Inn & Suites, more or less across the street from Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, which is the home of The Spruce Goose.   If you need a room at the Inn, some are being held for The Road Not Taken participants for a limited time.   You'll get some kind of break if you tell them the pass phrase (The Road Not Taken) when you make the reservations.   Don't dally about making your Inn reservations, because they tend to have no weekend vacancies at that time of year (it is wine country, you know).   Reservations can be made by calling 503-472-1500 or clicking this link to Red Lion Inn & Suites, McMinnville, web site.

EVENT ORGANIZERS

Twisty Roads Rally Group
116 N Elm St
Yamhill, OR 97148
503-662-3417
twistyroads@twistyroads.net

Todd Terp 503-662-3417 todd@twistyroads.net
Bob Wakehouse 503-642-4578 bob@twistyroads.net
Paula Terp 503-662-3417 paula@twistyroads.net

CONTENTS

1. SCHEDULE
2. NOTICE TO NON-SCCA ENTRANTS
3. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS
4. CLASS DEFINITIONS
5. PRE-START CONTESTANT MEETING
6. EVENT HEADQUARTERS
7. EVENT SLEEPQUARTERS
8. OBTAINING ROUTEBOOKS
9. CAR ZERO, AND YOUR OBJECTIVE ON THIS RALLY
10. TIME ALLOWANCES
11. SECTIONS
12. GENERAL ROUTE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLE
14. CHECKPOINTS
15. TIMING SLIPS
16. MID-POINT BREAK
17. SCORING
18. ROUTE INSTRUCTIONS
19. CAUTIONS
20. MEASUREMENT AND MILEAGES
21. SPEEDS
22. EXPOSURES
23. FOREST FIRE HAZARD AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
24. SWEEP VEHICLES
25. WILDLIFE HAZARDS
26. NON-RALLY TRAFFIC
27. HOW TO QUIT THE RALLY BEFORE FINISHING
28. PASSING AND BEING PASSED
29. MOTION SICKNESS
30. IF YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE OFF-COURSE
31. IF YOUR CAR QUITS MOVING   (Flat tire,
      hungry ditch, mal-de-mer, whatnot.)
32. IF YOU ENCOUNTER A HAZARD TRIANGLE
33. IF YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY
34. COMMUNICATIONS
35. FUEL STOPS
36. UNPLANNED DELAYS
37. BANNED EQUIPMENT
38. TECH INSPECT, REQUIRED EQUIPMENT
39. OBSERVATION CONTROL
40. CLAIMS, PROTESTS, QUERIES
41. WAYS TO BE DISQUALIFIED
42. NOVICE RALLY DRIVER TIPS   (Bonus!  Now includes
      the answer to Life, The Universe, and Everything.)



         C   O   L   O   R   !  

1.   SCHEDULE

5-15-08 10:00 am   Event entry opens  
7-31-08 10:00 am   Event entry closes  
8-02-08   4:00 pm   Registration, tech inspect opens at Event Headquarters  
8-02-08   6:15 pm   Pre-start contestants meeting.   Mandatory.  
8-02-08   7:00 pm   CAR ZERO begins rally at Event Headquarters  

The following times currently are approximate estimates.  

8-03-08   5:00 am   CAR ZERO finishes the rally, arrives at Event Headquarters  
8-03-08   6:00 am   Last car should arrive at Event Headquarters  
8-03-08   6:45 am   Scores posted  
8-03-08   7:15 am   Results announced, awards presented  

2.   NOTICE TO NON-SCCA ENTRANTS

The Road Not Taken 2008 is an SCCA Regional Rally and is run under SCCA's 2008 Road Rally Rules, with exceptions as noted.   These General Instructions will provide you with all information that a non-SCCA entrant will need, but they are not a reprint of SCCA's complete RoadRally Rules.   Click   This Here to have a look at the SCCA Rules.

3.   IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS

The organizers of The Road Not Taken are eager to help you enjoy the event.   If you have questions, please contact us, either by email to twistyroads@twistyroads.net or by phone call to (503) 662-3417.

SCCA sanction regulations do not allow organizers to answer questions regarding the General Instructions, except those questions which are submitted in writing (email is good) prior to the opening of registration at 4:00pm on August 2, 2008.   Such questions should be phrased, if possible, so that they can be answered with "YES", "NO", or "DOES NOT APPLY".   Answers to such questions will be posted at registration on August 2, 2008.   The organizers will not be allowed to answer questions regarding the General Instructions after registration opens at 4:00pm on August 2, 2008.

4.   CLASS DEFINITIONS

Class E (Equipped):   No limit is placed on the equipment permissible for use.

Class L (Limited):   The only restriction placed on the permissible equipment for this class is that the computation equipment must not receive a direct input from any distance measuring device.   All inputs for mileage must be made manually.

Class S (Stock):   Paper and "pencil", and timepieces, either electrical or mechanical, which cannot be varied in rate to aid in computation, are permissible.   Computational equipment is limited to any standard slide rule-type device(s), single memory, non-programmable calculator(s) and/or tables or books listing speed factors.   Curtas and similar mechanical calculating devices may not be used.   Mileage measuring equipment is limited to stock odometer(s) in the stock location(s) with a non-varying drive.

5.   PRE-START CONTESTANT MEETING

At 6:15pm, on August 2, 2008, a pre-start meeting will be held inside Event Headquarters.   The nature of this event requires schedules to be maintained, so please be present in the meeting room prior to the start of the meeting.   This pre-start meeting is important, so that we can assure that critical safety and etiquette concerns are well understood, and that contestants are informed of any new hazards or considerations.

NOTE   Organizers will not be allowed to answer questions regarding the General Instructions at this meeting or at any time after registration opens at 4:00 pm on August 2.

6.   EVENT HEADQUARTERS

The Road Not Taken Event Headquarters will be at Red Lion Inn & Suites, in McMinnville, Oregon.   It is just down the street from the biggest airplane ever built (The Spruce Goose, at Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum).

7.   EVENT SLEEPQUARTERS

If you need a room at the Inn, some are being held—for a limited time—for The Road Not Taken participants.   You'll get some kind of break if you tell them the pass phrase ("The Road Not Taken") when you make the reservations.   Don't dally about making your Inn reservations, because they tend to have no weekend vacancies at that time of year (it is wine country, after all)   Reservations can be made by calling 503-472-1500 or by clicking this link to Red Lion Inn & Suites .

NOTE:   You will be plumb tired after this event, and your circadian rythmn will be messed up, and the drive home will be the most boring driving you'll have done in the past day.   If you do have to drive home or elsewhere, please evaluate your condition carefully and honestly, and consider all of the drivers, passengers, and pedestrians who will depend on the quality of your driving.   Be sensible.   If you find yourself in an unexpected bind, please get hold of any TRNT organizer--we probably will be able to help make things better.

8.   OBTAINING ROUTEBOOKS

After all of their registration has been completed, and after 30 minutes before their rally start time, a vehicle's team must acquire up to two Routebooks (the rally instructions) from Event Headquarters.

9.   CAR ZERO, AND YOUR OBJECTIVE ON THIS RALLY

CAR ZERO is a fictional car which will start the rally exactly at 7:00 pm and follow the Routebook perfectly through the entire event, staying exactly on time at all times.   Your objective is to always be exactly your-car-number-of-minutes behind CAR ZERO.

The Routebook will tell you what time CAR ZERO begins each Section.   Checkpoint Slips will tell you what time CAR ZERO arrived at the Checkpoint.   Essentially, you will be attempting to precisely follow a predetermined schedule: exactly where you should be at any given time throughout the night has already been established before you begin the rally.

For example, if you are CAR #9 then you must start the rally at 7:09.   If CAR ZERO arrives at Checkpoint One at 7:52.81, then you are scheduled to arrive at Checkpoint One at 8:01.81.   You will receive penalty points for the amount you arrive at Checkpoint One earlier or later than 8:01.81.   You will not know where Checkpoint One is, or when you should be there, until you arrive at Checkpoint One.   You will arrive on time if you precisely maintain the speeds specified in the Routebook.

Exception:   If unexpected circumstances arise during the event, Rally Officials may instruct you to adjust all CAR ZERO times by some number of whole minutes, from "now" until further notice.   To make up an example, if a tree fell across the road then we might have to instruct you to add 15 minutes to CAR ZERO times, which means you have a 15 minute pause while we open the passage.   You then will remain 15 minutes behind your original schedule.   We may later instruct you to reduce that 15 minutes to 10 minutes, or to add another 5 minutes to the 15 minutes, or to return to original schedule, or something.   Such adjustments will always be in whole minutes, and will never be done for frivolous reasons (in fact, the need for such adjustments usually does not occur at all).

Note that all car numbers are even-numbered, and all Checkpoints include a two-minute pause.   If everyone and everything is always exactly on schedule, you will arrive at each Checkpoint as the car preceding you leaves the Checkpoint, and you will leave the Checkpoint as the car behind you arrives.

10.   TIME ALLOWANCES

If you are delayed for any reason (flat tire, wrong turn, navigator stomach evacuation, UFO abuction, school bus, collecting Sasquatch scat, just feel like it, whatever), then you may submit a Time Allowance (TA) at the next Checkpoint.   A TA will adjust your score at that Checkpoint as if your car number had changed by the number of minutes you select on the TA (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, or 19).

You cannot submit a TA for a Checkpoint after the Checkpoint crew has handed you a Checkpoint slip (because the slip has information you cannot have before you request the TA).

A TA will only affect your score at the Checkpoint at which it is submitted.   A TA does not change your car number or your schedule, so—despite the TA—you will leave that Checkpoint just as far behind schedule as you entered the Checkpoint.   All properly submitted Time Allowances will be accepted and granted without penalty—no questions asked.   No improperly submitted Time Allowances (more than one time selected, illegible, etc) will be granted.   Checkpoint crews cannot confirm that the TA is properly submitted.   When a TA is submitted, nobody can change it, and nobody can discard it.

At each Checkpoint, you may submit a TA for up to 19 minutes late.

NOTE: Regardless of any TA you submit, or do not submit, your time penalty for a Checkpoint will never be more than 2 minutes.

If you are more than 21 minutes behind schedule, you will receive the maximum Checkpoint score of 200 (2 minutes).

Note:   If you have a higher car number and are more than 21 minutes late, then a Checkpoint may have closed and gone away before you arrive (you will not know when you   pass that location).   This will not cause you any penalty or problem, and you must not   make any adjustment to compensate for a missed Checkpoint.   Scoring will automatically adjust if you miss a Checkpoint and its 2-minute Checkpoint pause.

You may miss a Checkpoint even if you are on schedule, if a Checkpoint could not be set up in the first place (Checkpoint placement schedules can be tight, so a small delay can prevent setting a Checkpoint before first car arrives, in which case the Checkpoint would be cancelled).   If you notice that you've missed a Checkpoint, do not assume that you have made any mistake, and do not attempt to adjust for the missing Checkpoint.   Just shrug it off.   It'll be all right.

Note: This probably will not happen to anyone on The Road Not Taken, bu if you are delayed within view of a Checkpoint crew, and the delay is not under your control (another vehicle is blocking the road, for example), then you should proceed into the Checkpoint as soon as safely possible and submit a TA request for the exact amount (to the .01 minute) of that delay.   Write the exact amount of at-the-Checkpoint delay on the Timing Slip in the special place provided, and be sure to give that Timing Slip to the Checkpoint crew before you take any slips they hand you.   Ask the Checkpoint crew to sign as witnessing the delay.   If the organizers and Checkpont crew agree that the TA request is for the witnessed amount of delay (reasonably close) and the delay was not your fault, then your score will be adjusted by the amount you request.

11.   SECTIONS

The rally consists of about 8 Sections.   The first Section will begin at Event Headquarters, when you start the rally, and the final Section will end at Event Headquarters when you finish the rally, the next day.   The end location of any Section is the start location of the next Section.   CAR ZERO will usually arrive at the end of a Section some minutes before the CAR ZERO start time of the next Section; so you will usually have some minutes of pause time between Sections, if you are basically on schedule.   If you are far behind schedule, you may not be able to start the next Section at your scheduled time, so you would then need to continue to submit TA's at Checkpoints for the amount of time which you are behind schedule still.

The start location of each Section, and the CAR ZERO start time of each Section, will be clearly identified in the Routebook.   Official mileage will be 0.00 at the start of each Section.

Some Sections, such as the mid-point break Section, will indicate that they have no Checkpoints, and all speeds listed in those Sections will be in grey to indicate that they are advisory speeds only.   Those Sections will allow ample time to complete them, and will usually allow extra time for a break.   You do not have to worry about being on time while you travel those Sections but you do have scheduled start time for the next Section.

12.   GENERAL ROUTE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLE

At all intersections where your next instruction does not apply, follow the intuitively obvious road that you are on.   There will be an instruction anywhere any doubt might exist, so you should never need to slow down and evaluate an intersection in effort to determine the correct route.

Note:   Differences among vehicles' lighting and middle-of-night visibility on forest roads can "play tricks", so any given intersection might look major to some and insignificant—or even invisible— to others.   Therefore, some instructions will show intersections with roads that are so minor that it may seem absurd to write an instruction for it—yet to others in other vehicles with other lighting, the instruction might be essential.   Chameleon intersections.   The Routebook provides some assistance by shading minor roads, to help you recognize intersections that might sneak past you because of your particular lighting and circumstances.   If you miss such an intersection then you almost certainly followed the correct route (the instruction would be essential only if your lighting circumstances made the minor road look like the main road).   None of this should cause you a problem, except that if you do entirely miss one of these chameleon intersections, you could get confused or believe you are "off course".

14.   CHECKPOINTS

Checkpoints will be identified by official TRNT Checkpoint Signs, or suitable substitutes, that will be on display during registration.   Your arrival time at each Checkpoint will be measured as the front of your car passes the Checkpoint Sign.   You will not know the location of Checkpoints until you arrive at them.   In many cases, you will see the Checkpoint Sign only a moment or two before passing it.   Stay alert.

You must stop at each Checkpoint timing car (just ahead on the right) and turn in your Timing Slip, and receive a Checkpoint Slip from the Checkpoint crew.   CAR ZERO spends exactly 2 minutes at each Checkpoint, so you will have 2 minutes to complete this information exchange.

There is no outpoint or dead mileage at any Checkpoint.   No out-time will be assigned to you at any Checkpoint: other than the 2-minute Checkpoint pause, you simply "continue yoiur present speed and course" (but see New Feature, below).

New Feature: The Checkpoint Slip will also disclose the time that CAR ZERO arrived at the next instruction after the Checkpoint (and there will never be another Checkpoint before that next instruction).   This new feature, requested by Monte Saager, will allow you to use that next instruction as an outpoint for the Checkpoint, should you think you need to have an outpoint.   Unfortunately, there may not be a hard reference (sign, hydrant, factory) at that next instruction, so you'll have to take what you get if you need to have an outpoint .

Be alert when you approach that next-instruction outpoint, because others may be pausing there (out of the way, we all hope) or they may be pulling out in front of you (only at their correct time, we all hope).

Due to the narrowness of many roads, you may have to block part of the road when exchanging information at the control car at some Checkpoints.   Such situations will be as few as practical, and very low risk, and should present no difficulty for anyone.   However, please be alert, behind you in particular, when stopped at any Checkpoint, and leave the immediate vicinity of the Checkpoint car as soon as feasible.

Checkpoints may close after all vehicles have passed, or 21 minutes after the scheduled arrival time of the last contestant (which is when the last contestant would receive max score even after maximum TA has been applied).   If a Checkpoint is closed or gone when you arrive, it will have no direct effect on you, and you can successfully continue without even knowing that you've missed the Checkpoint.   You will be scored the 200 points maximum for that Checkpoint, and reimbursed for the 2-minute Checkpoint pause that you missed.

15.   TIMING SLIPS

At the start of the rally, you will receive a stack of two-copy Timing Slips.   Before starting the rally, carefully write your Car Number on all of your Timing Slips (anonymous or illegible Car Numbers on Timing Slips will be an unwelcomed problem during scoring).   You must submit a Timing Slip (both copies) to the Checkpoint crew at each Checkpoint.

Each Timing Slip will have a place for you to record your declared arrival time-of-night at the Checkpoint, if you wish, before submitting the Timing Slip to the Checkpoint Crew.   On the Timing Slip, the Checkpoint crew will record the time-of-night that they clocked you as arriving, then give you one copy of the Timing Slip and a Checkpoint Slip that will disclose the mileage and CAR ZERO arrival time at the Checkpoint Sign.

Note:   All time-of-night listings will be in 12-hour format, with no am/pm indicators (look out the window and use your judgment).   Checkpoint timing will be to the 1/100th (.01) minute.

16.   MID-POINT BREAK

At about mid-point in the event, you will have an extended break at Spirit Mountain Casino.   There will also be opportunity for refueling at Spirit Mountain Casino (the Casino now has their own large, modern gas station, open always).

17.   SCORING

At each Checkpoint, you will be scored one point for each .01 minute difference between the correct arrival time and your actual arrival time, whether early or late, up to the maximum 200 points (2 minutes) at any Checkpoint.

An additional 100 points will be added to your time penalty at a Checkpoint if you are determined to have "balked" (unsportsmanly stopped or slowed extremely) after seeing the Checkpoint sign--except that a balking penalty will not increase your time penalty beyond that maximum 200 points.   (That's SCCA rules. The Road Not Taken is not a rule-fudging contest, and we will be awfully disappointed if we actually have to deal with any nonsense such as this.)

You win if you have the lowest total number of points for the rally.

If two or more teams have identical total scores, they will achieve the same finish position.   The Sum-Of-Squares method will be used to determine which team gains actual possession of any physical objects awarded that finish position.

18.   ROUTE INSTRUCTIONS

See sample Routebook pages, so you can follow along.   (The sample page may be a bit funky in the formatting, due to software conversions: The real instructions will be so much nicer!)

Each instruction consists of one row of 6 boxes, left to right.

The FIRST box, labelled ##, contains the instruction number.   Instruction numbers reset to 0 at the start of each Section.   For convenience, Instruction 0 will be a shaded reprint of the last instruction of the previous Section (because a Section starts where the previous Section ends).   At the bottom of that FIRST box, in light text, is the Section Number, for instant reference.   Note: The combination of Section number and instruction number (both of which are printed in that FIRST box) forms a unique identifier for that instruction.

A !, !!, or !!! appearing over the mileage indicates that that instruction contains a CAUTION (described later in these General Instructions).

If a mileage is underlined, it indicates that the instruction contains more than one mileage reference, because the instruction contains more than one point of interest.   The additional mileages will be found in the INFORMATION box, where they will again be underlined.   It'll be clear.

Instruction numbers begin at 1 for each Section (not counting the reference Instruction #0, which is only a reprint of the last instruction in the previous Section).   Sections are also numbered, so every instruction has a unique section#-inst# identity.

The SECOND box, labeled MILEAGE, contains two numbers.   Near the center of the box, in large, bold type, is the Section mileage at which the instruction must be executed.   Every instruction will include official mileage—and official mileage is the only official reference for an instruction.   NOTE: In a few cases, there will be two of these mileages, to indicate mileages at two significant points in the instruction.   In the lower right corner of the box, in smaller, lighter type, is the incremental mileage (distance to the next instruction); and the incremental mileage box will be shaded (to alert you) if the distance to the next instruction is very short.

The THIRD box, labeled CAST, will usually be empty.   If a number is present in the box, you must change your average speed to that many miles-per-hour, at that point.   If the first instruction on a page is underlined, it is just a reminder of what the speed is and has been.

The FOURTH box, labeled PAUSE, will usually be empty.   If a number is present in the box, then stop that many minutes at somewhere near the mileage shown.

The FIFTH box, labeled TULIP, contains a recognizable representation of the route at that point.   There will be a large black dot near the bottom, indicating where you will approach that part of the route, and at some other point in the diagram will be a large black arrowhead indicating where you must leave that portion of the route.

If a little dot appears in the diagram, it will indicate approximately where a specified sign is situated.   A large grey dot indicates something of note, which will usually be described in the INFORMATION box.   A thick dotted line alongside the road indicates an area of exposure (cliffs).   Braces along a road ( ] | [ ) indicate a bridge.   Other items may be included in a diagram, and should be obvious without detail here.   On intersections where we're sure the correct road is obvious because other roads are notably less improved, the lesser roads sometimes will be shown in grey, rather than black—but you might not always agree that a grey road is a "lesser" road.   If a tulip shows only a straight road, and perhaps a sign or hazard, then the tulip represents only a couple of feet of the road and—despite the tulip showing a straight road—the road may actually be in the middle of a corner at that point (in fact, that's almost guaranteed, since there are no straight roads on The Road Not Taken).

NOTE:   Diagrams are not to any consistent scale.   Don't quibble.

The SIXTH box, labeled INFORMATION, may contain additional information, cautions, English restatements of the tulip, sign quotes, or other stuff.   Signs will be indicated by quote marks surrounding all-uppercase words ("THUNDER RD", for example).

NOTE :   Though intended to be accurate as listed in the INFORMATION box, signs are not official references, and they may be missing or changed.   Official mileage is always the official reference.

19.   CAUTIONS

In The Road Not Taken instructions, official cautions which warrant unusual concern will include a ! or !! or !!! designation.   Take them seriously!!!   There are plenty of other hazards along the route—these are special.

The ! designation indicates a noteworthy hazard which is not too easy to screw up, or which offers a relatively minor punishment for screwing up.   Slow down and stay alert!

The !! designation indicates a hazard which is not hard to screw up, or which offers significant punishment for screwing up.   Slow way down and be real careful!!

The !!! designation indicates a hazard which is easy to screw up, and which offers severe, possibly life-threatening, punishment if you do screw up.   Slow way the heck down to almost crawl speed and be severely cautious!!!

CAUTION:   The instructions and cautions were all designed to work at approximately the specified average speeds.   If a caution appears to be not very necessary, trust that there really is a basis for it—and do not expect the next caution to also appear to be not very necessary.

There is a special consideration on The Road Not Taken: the difference in speed between   ho-hum   and   oh-oh!   tends to be very small, and the roads typically offer little room to fix an   oh-oh   so   oh-oh!   and   oh-shit!   tend to be somewhat synonymous on this event.

20.   MEASUREMENT AND MILEAGES

NOTE: If you are not competing with a rally computer, or are otherwise freaky about the "gnat's butt" details, then you won't need to memorize this stuff; however, you would be foolish to not carefully read it at least once.

Official measurement is not scheduled until after these General Instructions are printed.   Details of official measurement vehicle, conditions, etc., will be posted at Registration at Event Headquarters, with copies available on request.   Correct arrival times are computed by the method specified by SCCA regulations.   On each instruction, the mileage is at the beginning of the first intersection, if there is one.   If the diagram shows no intersection but does indicate a sign or distinct landmark, then the mileage is at the beginning of the sign or landmark.   If neither intersection, nor sign, nor distinct landmark is shown in the diagram, then the mileage is at the approximate beginning of the diagram.   If more than one intersection, sign, landmark, or combination thereof is shown in a diagram, there might be two mileages listed.

Your odometer may differ quite a bit from official mileage; the first Section of the rally will be suitable for determining that difference.   Be aware that wheelspin and other variables may cause stock odometers to "wander" considerably.   The zillions of snug unpaved corners on The Road Not Taken offers challenge for even the best electronic rally odometers.

21.   SPEEDS

Specified speeds are "average" speeds.   You will not be able to always drive at the specified speeds, because you will have to slow for corners, hazards, and difficult stretches of road.   Therefore you will need to drive a little faster, where safely possible, in order to compensate for the slow-downs, so that you arrive at Checkpoints as if you had travelled constantly at the exact specified speeds.   A steady pace (not the same as "steady speed") will safely serve you well.   Avoid chasing things around: instead, tweak your pace.   You will achieve greatest success—and enjoyment—by being persistently smooth, steady, relaxed.

Understand that the ability to maintain a specified average speed depends on many factors, such as the type of car, the type of tires, the condition of the car, the condition of the tires, driver experience, driver skill, driver condition, quality of lighting, weather, road surface condition, and so on and on.   Particularly on The Road Not Taken, minor differences in one of these factors can make a large difference in how easy it is to maintain the specified average speeds.   Don't attempt to drive at the specified speeds when you cannot safely do so.   If the specified average speeds are consistently too fast for you to safely maintain, then complain to us at the end of the event—but don't drive at speeds you cannot safely maintain.

22.   EXPOSURES

Most of The Road Not Taken course runs along mountainsides, so you will usually be driving with a steep bank on one side of the road and a steep drop-off on the other side.   The term, "exposure" describes where at least one side of the road is open and has a significant drop-off.   The term, "hidden exposure" describes where at least one side of the road has a significant drop-off that is not readily apparent, due to roadside shrubbery or heavy forest. (The bases of roadside trees are often 10-20 feet below the road, on a steep bank; and a "wall of shrubbery" along the outside of a corner often is a remarkably thin and flimsy curtain which is blocking an expansive view).   Exposure, either hidden or open, is almost constant through the entire course.   We've noted in the instructions some of our favorite exposures and hidden exposures, but it would be ludicrous to attempt to note all of them.
Summary:   It is imperative that you stay on the road.

In addition to exposures, the road edges throughout the course are usually razor-thin, slick, abrupt, soft, infirm, booby-trapped.   They are evil.   Shun them.   (The expression "use all of the road" would be unsound advice, indeed, on most of these roads.)

23.   FOREST FIRE HAZARD AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

Fire hazard is generally very high this time of year, regardless of current weather.   Be real careful.   Don't start something.

24.   SWEEP VEHICLES

The Road Not Taken will run at least one sweep vehicle, on a schedule shortly behind the last competitor's schedule.   The sweep vehicle may be able to provide minimal basic assistance, and will be able to communicate with Headquarters.

25.   WILDLIFE HAZARDS

Abundant wildlife, in considerable variety, lives on The Road Not Taken.   The noteworthy risk is collision with deer or elk.   Deer will generally be seen alone or as a family of 2-4.   Elk—which are generally bigger and heavier than your car, or truck, tend to stay in large herds; and those herds like to cross roads in long single-file chains that refuse to be disrupted.   If you see an elk, be very alert for others.

26.   NON-RALLY TRAFFIC

Most of the route will of course be on less travelled roads; however, the roads will be open to public two-way travel, and you will encounter oncoming traffic.   Please drive with headlights on even in daylight (to give others half a chance, you know).   Be alert.   By all means be very courteous—an annoyed citizen can be a real bad thing for this event and future events.

27.   HOW TO QUIT THE RALLY BEFORE FINISHING

If you disappear, we will search until we find you.   If you are unable to complete The Road Not Taken, you must notify a Checkpoint crew or other rally official.   If at all feasible, please also check in at Event Headquarters, so that we are certain that you have safely made it back to civilization.

28.   PASSING AND BEING PASSED

If you notice a vehicle closing from behind you, do what you can to let the car get by you as soon as safely possible.   If you approach a car from behind, stay back a safe distance and be patient—make good use of your TA's.   If you are coming up behind another competitor, consider that you may be ahead of your schedule, and should back off some.   In any case, keep your lights well mannered, and be considerate of fellow competitors (yeah, even if they are in your way).

29.   MOTION SICKNESS

This event challenges one's motion-sickness tolerance.   More than one "I-Never-Get-Carsick" navigator have lost their title on The Road Not Taken.   If you have any doubt or concern, it might be wise to take preventatives before the start of the event (even effective preventatives typically aren't so good at curing).

30.   IF YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE OFF-COURSE

  1. Stop in a safe place.

  2. Unless you definitely know you are off course, you might want to wait several minutes to see if any following cars show up and prove you are actually on course after all.

  3. Cautiously—and slowly—retrace your route.   Even if you are off course, be alert for other contestants who are coming at you in the process of making the same mistake you made.   Please do not intentionally travel the "real" rally route in the opposing direction.
All instructions include official mileage.   Sign references are liberally included.   Instructions should be distinctive enough that if you become off-course, it should be obvious within reasonably short time.   No instructions are more than five miles apart.

31.   IF YOU BREAK DOWN, HAVE A FLAT, GET STUCK IN A DITCH, WHATEVER

  1. Determine whether anyone needs critical first aid.   If so, follow the IF YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY procedures, below, rather than these procedures.

  2. If possible, move your vehicle so that it is not a hazard to following contestants.

  3. Place the "OK" sign, in the back of the Routebook, where following contestants can see it.

  4. Place a reflective hazard warning triangle back down the road a reasonable distance, and around any nearby corner, so that following cars can safely stop before they get to you.

  5. Write down, on a spare piece of paper, your car number, your location's Section number and mileage, and a brief but clear description of the problem.

  6. Give the informative piece of paper to the next contestant, so they can deliver it to the next Checkpoint.

  7. Take care of the problem, being careful to not block the road.
NOTE   If you intend to "limp" to civilization, please wait for the sweep vehicle to arrive, so that you don't present an obstacle or hazard to following contestants.

32.   IF YOU ENCOUNTER A HAZARD TRIANGLE

  1. Slow way the heck down to crawl speed as quickly as you safely can.

  2. Unless the disabled vehicle has the OK page displayed, stop at the disabled vehicle and determine whether emergency assistance is needed.   Note the time, so that you can submit a TA at the next Checkpoint—in this case more than 19 minutes will be accepted, if needed (we won't penalize you for providing emergency assistance).

  3. If urgent assistance is needed, please stay and provide what help you can, and make sure triangles are properly placed, and that your car is out of the way.   The next car to arrive should gather information and deliver it to the following Checkpoint.

  4. If urgent assistance is not needed, or assistance is being provided by another contestant, then gather information (Car Number, Section Number, Instruction Number, mileage, description of problem and severity of problem).   Deliver information to following Checkpoint.

33.   IF YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY

If you have an accident, particularly if someone is hurt, you almost certainly will not be thinking as clearly as you honestly believe you are.   Take that for granted and be alert to it.

When the next contestants arrive, ask them to help you and consider that their judgment may be better than yours, at that point, even if you don't believe it.   Be aware that, in those circumstances, you may be unaware of your own injuries or the severity of them.   Be cautious.

After an accident, there are two immediately important considerations:
  1. You must assure that you are not in a hazardous location.   For example, if your car is blocking the road just around a corner, it would be important to place warning triangles up the road around the corner.

  2. You must also assure that critical first-aid is rendered to anyone needing it.
Which of those two immediate considerations should be first priority will depend on the situation:   Use your best judgment, and confer with others if available.

If you have a medical emergency, and have an opportunity to do so, place the red-cross sign, from the back of the Routebook, where following contestants can see it.   If you are not absolutely certain that you do not have even a potential for medical emergency, please don't put out the OK sign.   If you've had an accident, you will tend to not notice important indications, so be very hesitant to say "I'm okay".   Note that The Road Not Taken organizers reserve the right to be adamant about getting you to a medical facility for a checkout.   We will try to mind our business but if, after consulting with the event's EMT, we really think you should be taken to a medical facility—please do try to cooperate.

34.   COMMUNICATIONS

Due to the great efforts of McMinnville Amateur Radio Club (MARC), every Checkpoint and rally official will have radio communications with Event Headquarters.   To avoid interference with The Road Not Taken rally communications, please do not transmit with any radio equipment.

If you encounter an emergency, the next Checkpoint will almost certainly be the best place for you to seek assistance.   It is generally not recommended that anyone drive back on the route to a previous Checkpoint, due to the hazard of oncoming rally traffic and unreliability of reversing the instructions (on this event in particular).   Sweep will have communications, but may be some time behind you.

The emergency phone number throughout the course will be 911; however, in many places a cell phone will not work, and it will be very difficult to explain your location to those not involved with the event.

35.   FUEL STOPS

There will be opportunity to refuel during the mid-point break.   If your vehicle cannot travel 130 miles of twisty, mountainous terrain on one tank of fuel, please contact the organizers about alternate arrangements.   Carrying casual containers of spare fuel will not be permitted.

36.   UNPLANNED DELAYS

It is possible, due to unforeseens such as trees across the road, that you will receive emergency instructions that the rally has been delayed X minutes.   (It has happened a couple of times.)   From then until emergency instructions specify otherwise, you must add X minutes to all CAR ZERO times.   If such rally delay is in effect when the mid-point break arrives, you may receive emergency instructions to reduce the duration of the mid-point break, to return to normal schedule (or get nearer).   We won't ask you to reduce mid-point break to mid-point rush.  

37.   BANNED EQUIPMENT

In participating vehicles, the following are not allowed.   We won't strip search your car in search of these items—but play along, if you would, please.
If you have any doubts or questions, please contact the organizers.

38.   TECH INSPECT, REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

In order to complete Registration, your vehicle must pass Tech Inspect, where your vehicle will be examined for obvious safety hazards and required equipment.   Please be certain that your vehicle will pass such inspection.   Some examples of what we will be looking for:   worn out tires; loose projectiles in the cockpit; dilapidated suspension; malfunctioning lights; dilapidated safety belts; leaks; unsecured scuba tanks.

This Tech Inspect cannot assure you that your car is safe: we expect you to assure that your car is in safe rallying condition, before you arrive.   This Tech Inspect will be done only to give us organizers some confidence that vehicles are not blatantly unsafe.   We certainly do not want to deny any vehicle's entry to the event, and we will be as flexible as possible, but we will appreciate if you do not test the extent of that flexibility.   We will not accept excessive risks to competitor safety; public safety; this event's image and reputation; or the image and reputation of any entity involved with this event.

The following equipment will be required. If you are flying-in for the event, and need assistance with the equipment, contact us.
At registration you will need to affirm vehicle registration, permission to use vehicle, vehicle liability insurance.

You will also need a functioning odometer to follow the course.   A timepiece will be necessary to know when to start each Section.   Writing utensils and spare writing paper are   handy.   Flashlights and batteries certainly make sense.   Coastal mountains can be chilly and damp even in August.  

39.   OBSERVATION CONTROL

To meet SCCA requirements, there will be at least one Observation Control on this event.   The Observation Control crew will report to the organizers any illegal, dangerous, or unsportsmanlike conduct they observe.   Observation Control locations probably won't be identified, and require no action from you.   Throughout the event, any undesirable conduct (dangerous, unsportsmanlike, uncivil, illegal, so on) will be severely untolerated.

40.   CLAIMS, PROTESTS, QUERIES

If there are any formal claims, protests, or queries, they will be handled as prescribed by SCCA regulations.   Basically, claims for other than mathematical errors must be submitted on appropriate forms, at appropriate times, with appropriate fees, which will be refunded if the claim is granted by the claims committee.   Detailed information will be available at registration and during scoring.

41.   WAYS TO BE DISQUALIFIED

SCCA regulations require that you be disqualified if cited or writtenly warned by law enforcement—or if judged guilty by the organizers—of the following:
SCCA regulations require that you be disqualified, or otherwise penalized, for the following:

42.   NOVICE RALLY DRIVER TIPS
         Bonus!   Now includes The Answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything.

The Road Not Taken will challenge your ability to consistently drive smoothly and steadily.   Though the assigned average speeds are not high, there are thousands of corners to challenge your ability to maintain a smooth, steady pace.   A hard-throttle/hard-brake technique would be risky, make you work hard, and slow you down.   Smooth driving is quicker, easier, and safer.   The Road Not Taken will make you prove it to yourself, one way or the other way.

Most of The Road Not Taken route is on narrow road with ditches on each side.   In most cases, the ditch on one side is waaaay worse (hundreds of feet deep) than the ditch on the other side.   If you have an "oopsie" and find yourself suddenly driving along in a ditch, it is probably not the worst place to be.   If you instantly jerk the wheel to pop you out of that ditch, then you probably will fling yourself across the road—into the worst place to be.   So, if you find yourself driving in a ditch, you will do well to slow down and ease out of the ditch gently, carefully.   Don't trade not good   for   very bad.

Cars on loose surfaces tend to become unsettled when you lift off the throttle or apply brakes.   Be wary of doing either of those things in a corner.   If your car goes wild on you, giving a bit of throttle will probably calm it down a bit, so you'll have better luck steering the car where you want it to go.



Twisty Roads Rally Group
116 N Elm St
Yamhill, OR 97148
(503) 662-3417
twistyroads@twistyroads.net
http://twistyroads.net