John,

I really do need to get over to see you. I will post up some links to local rallies.

To all of you,

Just this year I have put over 1000 stage miles on my car. Over 75% of that has been gravel or snow. I have slid around a shit load of corners and havn't really spent that much money. Some of the speeds have been slow but many more have been quite fast. In the end I have spent much more time rallying than working on my car or dreaming about it.

Robert.

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Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.

Thanks everyone for the comments. It's nice to hear what's going on in the gravel TSD "scene" (is there even a scene?) in the US.

Another question - is SCCA the only organization that sanctions road rallies / TSDs in the US?


Carl, you are probably right that being in one of the largest concrete jungles in the world might affect my perspective on availability of gravel TSDs. But I know there are (must be?) gravel roads around. Hmmm, may be time to start asking around or start closely scouring google satellite pictures.

Anders, I always hear most people say that gravel/snow/ice road TSDs are a blast, so even though I've never been to one myself, I get the impression that it is more due to perception than to reality. Although low visibility may be an asset when it comes to road rallies.

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http://www.max-attack.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/2008 05:18PM by Shenan.

Here are some links to Pacific Northwest events:

http://www.chuckanutscc.org/monsters-revenge

http://www.olympicrally.org/nobm/nobm.htm

http://www.rallybc.com/archives/2008/2008_HoD.htm

I will likely be at two of these events. Let me know if you are interested.

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Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.

There is a very strong road rally organization in Southern California with at least monthly events. http://www.itnrally.org

There is a two day event scheduled for this month. I've driven the first days roads before and they are great. No gravel but this is southern california and people are driving their street cars, not much chance of seeing a big turnout to chip their precious paint.

I've done rallies with ITN before and will do them again with my codriver Nolan. VERY well organized and a great bunch of people.

Kevin

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I like open light.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/2008 05:53PM by xman.

CORC is not SCCA, although its reach is somewhat limited.

http://www.corc-rally.org/

I plan on doing the OFR this year, since this is the first time it does not conflict with anything else I am doing.

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Pete Remner
Cleveland, Ohio

1984 RX-7 (rallycross thing)
1978
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.

Shenan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks everyone for the comments. It's nice to
> hear what's going on in the gravel TSD "scene" (is
> there even a scene?) in the US.


>
> Another question - is SCCA the only organization
> that sanctions road rallies / TSDs in the US?
>
Seems so, malhueresment.
>
> Carl, you are probably right that being in one of
> the largest concrete jungles in the world might
> affect my perspective on availability of gravel
> TSDs. But I know there are (must be?) gravel
> roads around. Hmmm, may be time to start asking
> around or start closely scouring google satellite
> pictures.
Mais, mon ami Brasiliene, MOVE!

why live there when it's so beautiful here in the PNW?
>
> Anders, I always hear most people say that
> gravel/snow/ice road TSDs are a blast, so even
> though I've never been to one myself, I get the
> impression that it is more due to perception than
> to reality. Although low visibility may be an
> asset when it comes to road rallies.

It's a cost/benefit/fun ratio that's pretty hard to beat especially in this day of 1200 buck entry fees for short 100 mile "Nationals".
>
>
>
> -----------------------------
>
>
>
>
> Edited 1 times. Last edit at Sep 11, 2008 by
> Shenan.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Thanks Kevin and Pete for the links! Kevin, I will have to check out one of their events. Have you ever tried the First Friday Nighters as well? Do any of these California groups put on any gravel events? If not, are the tarmac ones fun anyway?

John, meu amigo Americano, I wouldn't mind living up there, I think it's a gorgeous area. My wife would never stand for the cold(er) weather though. She still thinks it gets too cold in Southern California!

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http://www.max-attack.com

Shenan Wrote:

> John, meu amigo Americano, I wouldn't mind living
> up there, I think it's a gorgeous area. My wife
> would never stand for the cold(er) weather though.
> She still thinks it gets too cold in Southern
> California!

Mais mais mais! If she's Brasilienne then she's probably used to walking around very nearly nekkid! Oi oi oi! (My sister told me once: Never go visit Brazil, you'll never come back alive! You spend your whole life there chasing all the beauties!)

You can always do something if its um poco mas frio, just put on some clothes, or snuggle up!

And we need more people up here with passion and fire!
Bring your own heat!
>
> -----------------------------
>

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

I haven't done a first friday nighter, but I know guys who go to them regularly. The Old Roads is definitely my favorite and the roads are great. I believe that one goes up and down Mt. Palomar. I bet the organizer and some die hards would be really stoked to hear interest in a gravel rally, I know I would be interested also. They seek out gravel sections where possible but provide alternate routes for the prima donas who don't want to chip their paint.

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I like open light.

John: she's American, I like the blondes. I have been wanting to bring her up to the NW to visit on vacation. Maybe she'll love it, who knows? It's true about Brazil. That's what happened to my dad: he went down there and never wanted to come back.

Kevin: Sounds cool, especially that they have gravel sections. I definitely need to come to some of these events and check them out. Thanks!

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http://www.max-attack.com

"you learn discipline"
yeah, because the organizer is giving you, and the guy behind you really dirty looks cause your a punk kid, in a trashed car, giving TSDs a bad name by blasting the corners, and making up the one minute gap waaay too soon.

that being said, there is no better training for a co-driver-driver. lots of time to explain what is going on in the check-points, routbook and what not.

The PNW is great for TSDs, there are roads and organizers.

slow. THat is how i'd describe most tsds. they set the average and you make it to a twisty bit, and to stay in the average, you end up riding the very uncomfortable line between- too slow to set up and attack, too fast to rail.

good -
scenery, scouting, procedure practice, dinner (or breakfast if it starts at 9pm and goes till 6am) and beer, people who are WAY into it.
adventure- you never know exactly what is going to happen, and since you've just spent at least 6hrs driving, there will be something to talk about.
bad -
TIME - takes hours for maybe 10 minutes of "brisK" driving, Frustration- being good to rally means not being a hooligan on peoples "extended driveways", or ruining their sport by getting them banned from the area.

do it because your interested in rally, want to see what's going on, and want to meet people. dont if you think driving is anything like performance rally.
ps. enter seat of the pants class, takes a lot of the un-needed stress out of it.

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"I put the hurt on dirt" - adam crane
http://CraneRallyCrew.com
corolla gt-s "Patches"
Op: S.S.

Adam,

"do it because your interested in rally, want to see what's going on, and want to meet people." I totally agree.

TSD driving is not the same as stage rally driving. There is no attacking. That is not the point and that is what I would call driving with discipline. The fact that you are sometimes being forced into driving at awkward speeds makes you a better driver. The primary differences between the two types of rallying are that you don't have the outright top speeds and the subsequent corner entries.

"the organizer is giving you, and the guy behind you really dirty looks cause your a punk kid, in a trashed car, giving TSDs a bad name by blasting the corners, and making up the one minute gap waaay too soon." If you are not going to play by the rules don't bother. This could be a huge problem because we only get to use the roads we do because we maintain excellent relations with the communities. It is critical to all forms of the sport to maintain access to the roads. If that means that I have to slow down to 19kph when passing a few houses, I am happy to do it!

"takes hours for maybe 10 minutes of "brisK" driving" I disagree with you on this one. Using last weekends Crestline rally as an example:

5.5 hours drive time to the event. Saturday 9 hours rallying. 20% paved transit, 80% gravel regularities. Sunday 5 hours rallying. 5.5 hours drive home. $350 entry included: wine and cheese tasting Friday night, dinner and hotel room Saturday night. 800km total rally distance. I was sideways on 90% of the corners. There are a lot of corners in 800km.

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Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.

Rallymech Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Adam,
>
> $350 entry included: wine and cheese
> tasting Friday night, dinner and hotel room
> Saturday night.

Right there is something that put me off some events way back and would be annoying now.
Baked-in foo foo stuff and fixed lodging costs.

Kevvie sez: I'm allergic to both wine AND cheese! What do I get instead?

800km total rally distance. I was
> sideways on 90% of the corners. There are a lot
> of corners in 800km.
>
>

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

In New Jersey there is the PBX Pine Barren Express a Dirt TSD rally.
The pine barrens are mostly dirt roads with cranberry bogs next to them.
I believe it is SCCA sanctioned.
Nick Leone

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Nick Leone
Former scca member

I've done that one before and had a good time.

Anders

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Grassroots rally. It's what I think about.