So you've got a question...?
- Can I bring the family
as my team for the GBES Navigational Rally?
Yes. But, the question you really
need to ask is: "Will my family enjoy being in a car, driving
around the desert, being up late after driving all day to get
here, then getting up the next morning to do it again, except
longer and out in the sun?" The GBES Navigational Rally
may not be appropriate for young children.
- Can I participate by myself?
No. The GBES Navigational Rally
is based on a two-person team. Driving, navigating, keeping a
speed average and hunting for caches while you keep you vehicle
moving through traffic control at a checkpoint is not possible.
We would be happy to let others know that you are looking for
a team member. Just send us an email.
- Can I request a specific
number for my team?
Yes. You may request any 4-digit number above the number 3. Numbers
1 to 3 are issued to the top three teams from the previous year.
To request a number contact Monty Wolf at montywolf @ gmail.com
(make sure you take out the spaces).
- Can I ride my motorcycle
or ATV?
No. Since some of the GBES Navigational
Rally is conducted on streets and highways, Nevada State Law
prohibits ATVs. The rally was created for two-person teams.
- Can I volunteer to work
during the GBES Navigational Rally?
Yes. Just email our Volunteer
Coordinator Cachleen at cacheleen @ yahoo.com.
- Can my car participate?
That depends on your car. If
it's a mini-van the answer would be a solid NO! Most SUV's should
be able to handle the course. You need to ask yourself if you're
willing to drive your SUV, truck or Jeep on roads with deep,
narrow washouts, large rocks, sandy surfaces and rugged terrain.
If this sounds like it's a little too much for your Subaru Outback,
well. . . you just answered your question. If, however, the above
description sounds like roads you've taken before, you're set.
If you participated last year, you should be able to compete
this year.
- Does the entry fee include
Saturday morning breakfast or evening Awards Banquet?
No. We are currently making arrangements
for the facilities and prices. We will advice all entries when
those arrangements are firmed-up.
- How are the GBES Navigational
Rally Speed Averages determined?
When the courses are finalized
and all of the waypoints and caches are laid-out the GBES Admin
Group will drive the course with an interval of 3 or 4 minutes
so not to influence the next. The times of all of the pre-runners
are averaged to determine the Leg and Course Challenge Speed
Averages.
- How do I file a Protest?
If you feel something has occurred that is not fair to you let
a Rally Official know about it as soon as possible after the
infraction takes place. If it is a protest against another team
write down the team's number and what you witnessed and give
it to the a Rally Official at the next checkpoint. The Contest
Committee will review your protest for correction or to penalize
the team in question.
- How late/long will the
GBES Navigational Rally be?
The courses are still being prepared.
However, at this time we believe you can count on around 2 1/2
hours for Friday night and at least 5 hours, but not more than
6, for Saturday. Mileage for the night rally will be around 50-70
miles and the day run will be 125 to 150.
- How rough is the course?
Assessing the roughness of a
dirt road is very subjective. There are far worse road out there,
but there are some that are smoother. If you're a seasoned off
roader, you will probably be at home on the course. If you're
new to the 4x4 scene you might think it's very rough. The object
of the GBES Navigational Rally is to give you a navigational
challenge, in a scenic, remote area of the desert, with the additional
task of finding caches in a competitive format.
- If I go to slow in Leg
1 can I make up that time in Leg 2?
No. The Leg Speed Averages (from
one checkpoint to the next) are for that leg only. If you find
that you were late when you arrived at Checkpoint 1, try to keep
your speed closer to the Leg Average by using your GPS-r Trip
Computer function.
- Is the GBES Navigational
Rally a race?
No. Think of the rally as an
organized drive in the desert on a rougher than average road
with navigational challenges, caches to find and speed averages
to keep.
- What is a Progressive Cache?
Think of it as a type of Multi-Cache. You will be given the location
of the first Progressive Cache on your Route Instructions. When
you find the first Progressive, you will notice that the next
Progressive's location is on the cache. Then you're off to the
next.
- What is an Abstract Direction?
You are given a waypoint at an
intersection that could require you to make turns at several
other intersections to get there.
- What is an Offset Direction?
With the Offset format of waypoint
placement the direction of a turn is not necessary. The waypoint
is placed on the road you are to turn onto at a distance that
would make it impossible to not know what direction you need
to drive. If you come at the intersection from a different way
than the way the course was laid-out (quite possible) you will
still know which way you need to turn.
- What is Rally School?
There are two types of Rally School. Driver Rally School will
focus on what driver's need to know to participate safely while
having the most fun possible. Navigator Rally School will give
the other members of the team to look for some sample caches,
use the GPS-r without entering a GoTo and learn other information
needed to make your rally experience fun and competitive.
- What is the Multi-Cache?
You will be given the location of the first waypoint in the Multi-Cache
on your Route Instructions. When you find the first Multi, you
will notice that the next Multi location is on the cache. Then
you're off to the next until you get to the cache.
- What makes the GBES Navigational
Rally unique for other rallies?
We have created a rally that
requires teams to keep a speed average on rougher than average
dirt roads, finding the correct route, while finding caches that
does not require you to have a $75,000 vehicle to compete.
- What will we be doing on
Sunday after the GBES Navigational Rally?
Nothing! Driving home! Grabbing
a few caches en masse! It's up to you! We have nothing scheduled.
- What will we have to do
during a Checkpoint Challenge?
You will have a limited amount of time to find a cache without
using the GoTo function of your GPS-r. You will be given the
coordinates and then you will have to walk while you watch the
readout on you GPS change as you get closer or farther from the
cache.
- What will we have to do
during a Course Challenge?
During a brief section of a Route Leg you will be required to
keep an exact speed average. All waypoints will be Standard.
There will be no Abstract Waypoints during Course Challenges.
The point breakdown is still being computed. No points will be
issued if you are too fast in the section. Maximum points issued
will be 50, minimum will be 5.
- When is the GBES Navigational
Rally?
Friday, May 20 and Saturday,
May 21 2005. Times TBA.
- Where can I buy a the GBES
Navigational Rally Shirt?
http://www.cafepress.com/wolfprints
- Where is the GBES Navigational
Rally taking place?
In the deserts and mountains
of Churchill County, Nevada. Rally Headquarters will be in Fallon.
The Starting Line will be at remote locations.
- Why a night rally on top
of having to drive around the desert for whole day?
Since most of the GBES Navigational Rally participants drive
several hours to attend we wanted to make sure your drive (some
10-hours or more) is worth the trip. We also want to give you
a lot of caches to find.
- Why can't everybody on
my team look for the Route and Progressive caches?
It's simple. Let's say you're on a team with just two people.
One person (the driver) is required to stay with the vehicle
to keep bottlenecks to a minimum while the other looks for the
cache. Now, let's say the next team behind you has 6 people in
the car. If one of them stays with the vehicle, that still puts
5 sets of eyes on the field looking for a cache that you had
to find using just one set.
- Will the the GBES Navigational
Rally continue rain or shine?
Yes. If it is really wet, the
course may have to be altered, but the rally will go on.
- Will there be a chance
to buy gas/diesel during the rally?
There are a couple of brief sections
that come near gas stations. However, if you take time to buy
gas at that time you'll be chipping away at your speed average.
We suggest you take care of your gas/fuel before you leave for
the Staring Line on Friday night and after the Friday rally is
over.
- Will there be restroom
facilities on the rally route?
Yes. There will be Porta-Potties
at the Checkpoints. But, keep in mind that most of the route
will be in remote locations.
- Why don't you provide waypoints
for every intersection?
The GBES Navigational Rally was
designed to be a competition. By issuing every turn we've taken
a lot of the competition out of the rally.
- Why don't you provide direction
at every turn?
With the Offset format of waypoint
placement the direction of a turn is not necessary.
- Why don't you provide the
times the teams are supposed to arrive at the checkpoint along
with the Speed Average?
This is part of the competition.
- Why don't you use real
caches in the rally?
With a 2-minute interval for
the day rally and a 1-minute interval for the night it's easy
to see we wouldn't want you at a cache for very long. You had
to look for it. The next team that's working on the same route
should have to look for it to. The exception will be the Multi-Cache,
which will be a Traditional Cache.
- Will the GBES Navigational
Rally be a Geocaching.com Event Cache?
Yes.
- Will I get lost?
Well, you might. But, will you
stay that way? Probably not. Let's remember that you should have
at least two GPS-receivers with you and you know how to find
a geocache. Finding your way back to where you knew where you
were, then taking the Other Road, should put you back on-course.
- Who on my team can look
for the caches on the route?
Any one person that is at least
15-years-old can hunt for the cache. But only one person, except
for the Multi-Cache. Every member of the team may look for the
Multi-Cache.
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