Rally Ralley Rules of Engagement

These rules are a cut and paste from the Team Strange Uniform rules. Use of Team Strange rules is with the permission of Team Strange and does not constitute an endorsement of The Rally Rallye by Team Strange or any of its principal officers.For simplicities sake I have culled the rules that I feel will pertain to the Rally Ralley. If an issue arises that is not covered here in these rules the complete Team Strange Uniform rules will apply. If it is not covered in the Team Strange Uniform rules the Rallymaster’s decision will apply and be final.

Questions are encouraged. Better to ask now than be hammered later. Remember, ignorance of the law is no excuse for its violation.

If for any reason you will be unable to get back to the finish on time you MUST call and inform me. Rick’s Cell number 952 836 9437, hotel front desk 608-783-1000.

MOTORCYCLE/RIDER REQUIREMENTS:

1. Must be currently registered and have a valid motorcycle license plate in place.

2. Rider holds a valid driver’s license, with valid motorcycle endorsement.

3. Helmet use required.

4. Signed acknowledgements of risk/releases, as required by the Rallymasters.

5. Swapping motorcycles during the rally will cause the competitor to lose ten thousand (10,000) points.

6. If you wish to collect bonus points, your odometer must remain functional. If it fails, you may no longer collect bonus points until it is repaired. Documentation of the failure and repair will be required.

7. Motorcycle must comply with all applicable Federal and State requirements.

8. Failure to complete check in procedures (including but not limited to mileage check and completion of rally paperwork) prior to established deadlines will result in a DNS (did not start) for the rider, and will be deemed a withdrawal from the event. In such event, no refund of entry fees will be made.

9. Motorcycle must arrive at all checkpoints and/or finish under its own power. Example: Your motorcycle breaks down 30 miles from the checkpoint or finish line. You and your motorcycle are transported to the checkpoint/finish line by means other than your motorcycle. You must return to the point of breakdown, then ride to the checkpoint/finish line.




RIDER CONDUCT:

1. Riders are expected to act in a sportsman-like fashion at all times during the rally.

2. Any attempt at cheating, even to the degree that you do not understand the rules, can result in penalties up to immediate disqualification.

3. In order to claim points for a bonus location, Riders must first have actually traveled to that location. Often, questions are used to verify a rider's presence at a specified location. In order to earn points, Riders must both travel to the specified location and correctly answer the question. Riders are expected to travel to the exact location specified in the bonus instructions.

4. Bonus points must be claimed. Unclaimed points shall not be awarded. Once your route sheet is submitted for scoring, you may not claim bonuses. Example: a bonus requires you to note the name of the river crossing Hwy. A at mile marker 103. You mentally note the name of the river but forget to write it down on your route sheet. Halfway through the scoring of your route sheet, you remember your error. Because you did not record the answer on your route sheet, you did not claim the bonus, and will not be awarded the points.

YOU MAY BE DISQUALIFIED FOR ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ACTS.

1. Failure to render aid to a participant or the public under emergency or life threatening conditions.

2. Violation of any of the Rules set forth herein.

3. The Rally Ralley is not a race. Excessive speeding will not be tolerated. RIDERS WILL BE DISQUALIFIED FOR RECKLESS RIDING OR EXCESSIVE SPEED.

4. Acts that endanger the general public, spectators or participants.

5. Discourtesy to check point workers, staff, sponsors or other participants. Please remember that the Rally staff is composed entirely of volunteers.

6. Excessive citations or gross misconduct.

7. Defacing, damaging or otherwise tampering with any rally-related item, including but not limited to removing a road sign or altering any identification related item, such as a rider’s identification towel.

8. Having someone pick-up or otherwise help obtain a bonus except as specifically provided for by the Rallymasters. This includes but is not limited to obtaining a bonus for another rider, or allowing another rider to claim a bonus for you. Example: Riders A and B travel together to a bonus location. On arrival, Rider B stays on her motorcycle while A carries Rider B's rally flag to the actual bonus. Rider A then photographs both her flag and that of Rider B. Both riders are subject to disqualification.

9. Failing to timely notify the Rallymasters of your inability to make the finish line on time. Rick’s Cell number 952 836 9437, hotel front desk 608-783-1000.

BONUS HUNTING

1. It is the rider’s responsibility to insure that he has all pages of the bonus list before leaving the start. Riders are advised to inquire about any last minute changes or corrections to bonus lists.

2. The bonus list will contain areas for riders to note information about specific bonuses listed. The bonus list, therefore, becomes each rider’s record of places visited, and points earned. Riders will only be provided with one copy of the bonus list. Do not lose your paperwork. Lost paperwork will not be replaced.

3. Occasionally, riders may be asked to verify their presence at a bonus location by purchasing an item at the location. These items will be turned in to the Rallymasters at the time each leg is scored, and become the property of The Rally Ralley. These items will not be returned to you. If you want one for yourself, buy two.

4. Rallies are not a "pure" scavenger hunts. Example: The bonus requires you to obtain a gaming chip from Las Vegas. The clear intention of the bonus is for the rider to travel to Las Vegas and purchase the chip. Do not stop at a gas station on I-15 and ask customers if they have such a chip. This is considered cheating and you will be disqualified, without a refund.

5. If there are time or date restrictions on a bonus, it is YOUR responsibility to insure that the time on the receipt you obtain for proof is correct and within the guidelines given. (Unless the bonus listing says otherwise, we will allow a reasonable variance [5 minutes in most cases] with the time).

6. Always make sure that the each receipt is readable.

7. All receipts that are submitted as a bonus item must contain the DATE, TIME, and LOCATION. In addition, all gas receipts must show GALLONS PURCHASED.





Photo Bonuses/Rally Towels

1. Some bonuses will be designated Photo Bonuses. In order to earn points for a photo bonus, riders must take a photograph depicting the bonus along with their rally towel (unless specifically directed otherwise by the Rallymasters).

2. All photo formats will be accepted, digital, Polaroid and film. Polaroid has been the standard for years but is of course fading away, if you’ve got a Polaroid and want to use it great. Film would be acceptable but you need to have it developed before you can get scored and that has obvious disadvantages. I will be attempting to accommodate most digital storage formats. But it will ultimately be the rider’s responsibility to be able to show the scorer your pictures. If your camera has a large enough screen on the back to see enough detail that will work. Otherwise you can download your photos and show them on your laptop.

3. Rally towels are not to be disturbed, picked up, or otherwise tampered with if encountered on the course. If you come across another rider’s towel, leave it alone. The other rider might be on his way back to pick it up, and he might be a bit upset to find it no longer there when he arrives.

4. Unless specifically stated to the contrary in the bonus instructions, the rider’s rally towel, including the number imprinted on the towel must be clearly visible in the photograph.

5. All digital photos submitted for scoring shall be in the format as originally recorded by the camera, with no post-processing, editing, manipulation, alteration, cropping, resizing, or enhancement applied.

General Guidelines Regarding Bonuses

1. Before leaving on your route, insure that the physical location description of each bonus matches your map (i.e. is Chicago really near Interstate 90 in Northeast Illinois?) If it does not, ask the Rallymasters for help. We do not intend to play cute tricks on you. If you cannot find each bonus on a map (or the city from which detailed instructions are given), either we made a mistake or you are doing something wrong.

2. If you get to a bonus destination IN THE TIME FRAME SPECIFIED and it is unavailable (i.e. closed, burnt down, moved etc.), do your best to obtain a replacement item. For example, if you are told to buy a Pepsi at Joe’s Café and Joe is out of Pepsi, buy a Coke. If the bonus instructs you to have breakfast at Joe's Cafe and Joe's burned down last week, go to another restaurant in the same town. If there are no other restaurants in town, get a gas receipt from the nearest gas station or some sort of business receipt from the same town. If these options are not available locally, ride to the nearest town and get a receipt. Document your attempts to comply with the bonus instructions, and advise the Rallymasters of your efforts. Caution: make sure that every effort is made to comply with bonus instructions before resorting to alternate proof. If you are the only rider who couldn’t locate Joe’s, you won’t get the points.

3. In order to receive points for a bonus, riders will have to successfully complete all instructions listed for the bonus. Rallies reward reading comprehension. If a bonus tells you to obtain a gas receipt from Fargo, but you submit a photo of the Fargo city limits sign, you will not get the points. Similarly, if you are required to get both the receipt and the photo, just one of the two will be insufficient. You must claim the bonus in order to receive points for it.

4. Although I visit each bonus location prior to the start of the rally, there are going to be things that will happen that are out of our control. Where possible, the rally will make adjustments as needed. For example, if you choose to ride to Bryce Canyon National Park to get the bonus located at the southern tip of the park and the only access road to the bonus is closed due to construction, you may go to the "Road Closed" sign and take a picture, record that the road was closed on the bonus sheet and you will receive credit for the bonus. However, where multiple paved access roads exist, you will be responsible to ride around to the other entrances. For example, if the bonus instructs to pick up a souvenir at Badlands National Park, there are three access roads into the park. Should one be blocked for any reason, it is your responsibility to try the others taking a picture at each road-closed sign.

5. When route directions are given, please consider them ADVISORY! While much care has been taken to insure their accuracy, I cannot guarantee them. Please remember that these directions are included to save you time searching for hard-to-find bonus places. We may have mis-typed a direction or turn. Please use common sense.