!! thank you You may have a deal- I have a 450 I could use, here, I just need more gas on it. Its got a sub-2 gallon tank right now To be honest, an HP compass nav rally in the dunes scares the hell out of me- Kind of what makes it so enticing
It's diabolical !!!!!!!!! That's the part of the event I'm excited about The challenge The buzzards circling over our heads!! The mirage of a beautiful oasis!!! Okay I'm getting a little out there!!
Same here... however really like the bit I read on the website about how they will be programming some of the waypoints into everybody's gps each day. I am all for challenging navigation but not so keen on getting lost and dying in the desert.
There may be a FEW (possibly 3 or 4 on a long day) "waypoints" that your GPS could point you to, but those will only help you get back alive, they won't keep you on the course. Most target points (VCPs) in the dunes sections will not have "waypoints" or "proximity" alerts as Garmin defines them. Your GPS will not be able to point you to each VCP you're looking for. You WILL have a form of visual indicator on your GPS, however you won't be able to use it until you've already gotten close to the point. This is sort of how it's done in Dakar, with their expensive GPS. I created a new way that allows you to use a much cheaper Garmin, most likely one you already have. I can't explain my unique concept in detail right now , just be aware we want you to use the roadbook, compass heading, and odometer as the primary tools, and only use the GPS visual indicator the last few hundred meters.
Cool, exactly what I was hoping for (enough info to get back alive). The Garmin force is strong with this one I think I know how you are doing it but won't divulge your secrets.
Very few people will get that one. Meanwhile, I'll start looking for the building with tires used as a car park markers on GE. That'll keep me busy for a while
We've got the remote bivouac picked out. If you go there in Google Earth you can see we've been burning in a few new roads for each stage. Plus there's a pool there, in the middle of the massive dunes, with bikini girls all around. Check it out! Paste this into the GE search box, or click the link below: 39° 8.207'N 83° 27.032'E https://maps.google.com/maps?q=39°+...-119.306607&sspn=16.080839,26.784668&t=h&z=18
That settles it: We'll need to have 30L fuel tanks for this rally - That's 7 gallons for you imperialists!! Its a a long way to the bivouac!
There is some concern about navigation in Rally Diabolico. Though we are introducing a new concept that is related to navigation, it seems its being interpreted differently than it should be. In fact navigation will be pretty much the same as in any other cross-country rally. If you can read a basic roadbook, use a rally odometer, and read a compass heading from your GPS, you shouldnt have any unusual problems navigating in Rally Diabolico. Were not changing the basic way one navigates in rally. And were not throwing in tricks or mad scientist crazy stuff, . . . well, maybe a tiny bit of crazy. Its mostly the same old stuff youve seen before, though some of the terrain is a bit diabolical. By nature, navigating dune sections is somewhat more challenging than simple roads because the path to follow isnt clearly marked as a road on the ground, its on your compass. But if you follow your compass heading reasonably well, youll find the next waypoint just fine. Its an extremely simple concept. Big dunes can force you to zigzag off the defined compass heading at times, but it doesnt take a rocket scientist to mentally correct for that and keep yourself roughly on course. Whats different with Rally Diabolico is how you know you achieved that next virtual checkpoint (VCP), and how we score you at those points. In order to keep the cost of the event in check, weve developed a new low-cost approach to inform you that you have achieved a VCP using your existing affordable GPS. In Dakar and many other rallies, an expensive custom GPS is used, driving up costs. Experienced Dakar competitors may even find our approach makes dunes navigation slightly easier than what they are used to. Dont get me wrong, it will indeed be a challenge, but nothing a reasonably capable person could not handle. And when all else fails, try one of these options: 1) Go to one of the handful of safety or course waypoints we put in your GPS, and continue on the course from there. 2) Bail out and ride in the rough direction of the bivouac (youll know, its easy). 3) Follow the dozens of tracks in the sand ahead of you. 4) Look for someone who knows where they are, and buddy up with them. 5) Push the HELP button on your SPOT. 6) Call officials on your sat phone if you have one. If youre still concerned that it may be too tough, sign up for a navigation class from Dave at RMS.
You have my vote on the waypoints! It does increase safety and allows you to pick up the roadbook again in case you lost your way.
Next session is November 2-3. We still have a couple open slots and a rental bike available. Next option will probably not be until early spring unless we have specific interest. For what it's worth in the form of another opinion, HogWild writes roadbooks to perfection. I choose that word carefully. Navigation will be challenging because of the terrain covered, but will be straightforward in that the roadbooks will be accurate and precise. Dave
Ok, I can handle it, I just dont want to die a dessicated hulk, in between two humps of sand I can follow at GPS at the very least
I am so excited for this event. Hogwild's roadbooks have set the standard for years, and the roadbook is the lifeblood of the event.