amend the support truck rule

[Sean "Muncie" Brayton]

I want to suggest removing the "No support truck on the same route rule"

Lets amend it. "Support trucks must travel no closer than 500 feet to the nearest rider."


I am concerned about the ability of the sweep truck to get to each rider quickly.
If I am in a accident I want my crew to be right behind me to help me! we will be riding in some wide open country and emergency help might not be close.
If I need to fix my bike or get it to a safe location to fix it I don't want to have to try and get someone on the phone or try to explain where I am and then wait and wait.
Last The support crew are ore friends and family lets stay together and enjoy the ride.


Changing this rule will reduce the amount of work the staff has to do and it should help each rider finish more miles.

Please If you agree with me speak up this is ore event and we should all have fun.


Last.. The Cannonball Staff should be concentrating on SUPPORTING the riders. The more rules the more time spent policing riders. Keep it simple and make it fun.

[jurassic]

sean ,for starters ,if you dont return the questionairre and checklist that was due on aug. 1st ,you wont be riding anywhere. one of the reasons for the questionairre was to determine which individual support vehicles we can use as sweep vehicles.i have several dedicated sweeps,but would like to let the friends and family periodically ride along and help,rotating them daily. as to the support trucks on the route, thats simple, no one wants 60 trucks and trailers riding along our route with us at 35 miles per hour. seriously? all sweep vehicles will be behind the last rider.if you break down,you will have to fix it ,or wait till the last rider passes you. keep in mind that we do have sidecar support ,that can carry tools ,and supplies,and can stop with you if you break down , or call for help. even possibly pick you up on the flatbed. plus we have a shop truck that will be running along with us,and available at all the lunch and gas stops. you will be allowed to store your own tools or supplies in the shop truck. we are keeping it simple . cluttering up the route with the whole entourage does not make things simple . it makes things dangerous. as the run progresses we will try and tweak our approach to better support the riders ,but rule changes are out of the question with only four weeks left. this is it ,take it or leave it. this will not be all fun fun ,this will be very difficult . this is an endurance run.

[Sean "Muncie" Brayton]

"On most days, Support Crew instructions take Support Vehicles directly to the next overnight city by a route mostly different
from that followed by competing motorcycles"
My fear is that we will be so spreed out that the first rider and last can be more than 100 miles form each other. I understand not wanting to have 60 trucks following us. However Its my experience (In Brass auto tours) that each machine has a very different cruising speed and the group splits up quickly. I am not trying to start a fight. I only want to help make this a good time. It is a challenge and I like that. As far as filling out paper work I e-mailed mine in as soon as I got it. it must have gotten lost I will re-send ASAP

[Buzz Kanter]

I understand the concern about clogging the roads with old bikes AND large chase vehicles - might look like the circus is coming through town. Safety issues here.

But I also see Sean's point and feel he has valid concerns - the same issues expressed by several other riders.

I prefer to have our chase vehicle not too far behind - "just in case."

Isn't this forum a good place to air the issues and try to find the best solution for all concerned?

[Tim O'Day]

While I understand the problems associated with last minute rule changes or ammending rules, I also see valid cocerns regarding the support vehicles. Once the race is started and things shake out after a couple of days will we be able to re-evaluate the situation and maybe take another look at how every thing is working? Ofcourse the rules are in place to give logical structure to this historic undertaking but isn't there room to tweak things as we progress? I really appreciate the fantastic job the organizers have done. I look forward to being able to participate as a support personel. I'm also very glad this forum is open for discussion... Let's go racing!

[jurassic]

it has been my experience that motorcycles tend to ride in packs. we highly recommend this for the riders in the cannonball for several reasons. safety ,navigation and support are some good reasons. this will also help us better support the group as a whole. and also cut down on traffic problems. the ideal setup would be 8 to 10 packs of 4 or 5 riders that all cruise at the same speed and have the same fuel range. once we figure out the packs then supporting the riders will be alot easier. we can have a dedicated sidecar for each pack ,and we can move the sweep vehicles accordingly. john classen has tried to break each day down into 2 stages,before lunch and after lunch. with alternating start times we hope to have all the riders converge on the lunch and dinner stops about the same time. this is done so our lunch and dinner hosts can plan for our arrival. we dont want more than 50 miles between the first and last rider ,and will be working hard to avoid that. we will absolutly be re-evaluating the sweep and support situation on a daily basis,and even now are asking for input from all the riders and support crews. while we are looking for volunteers for sweep, keep in mind that sweep and support will be a hard job. they will have to navigate using the course instructions ,while making sure not to pass any riders. volunteers for sweep will also have to help any rider with problems ,not just their own rider. i am open to any and all suggestions on how to make sweep and support work better,short of having a truck following every single bike. whether you are riding in the competiton or just on a road run ,having your own personal chase truck shadowing you the entire length of the country defeats the whole purpose of what you are trying to accomplish here.

[jurassic]

.

[Tim O'Day]

(08-07-2010 09:51 AM)jurassic Wrote:  .

Well I guess a picture is worth a 1000 words...

[Sean "Muncie" Brayton]

I totally agree that a huge pack of support trucks mixed in would not be safe or visually pleasing. However the photo above is only one part of a long ride. I want to see it all. I want to ride every mile. I never want to need support. But........... So



How about something like



After the official sweep rig and support the the personal chase rigs go. They can take the bike route or the highway. Letting them go say 1 or 2 hours after the last bike. They will travel to the lunch destination. Arriving around the same time as the riders. Giving everyone a chance to service there bike and head back out. Again the support trucks hang back a hour or 2. Trucks are not allowed to travel amongst riders. Trucks are to travel at road speeds. Trucks are only allowed to follow a rider if it is important for safety.





I hope we can all ride in a pack but if one rider is separated and riding into the sun he or she will not create a large profile. It is in this situation that I think that his or her support truck should be used as a escort.





Rule number 15 E.L.E Everyone love Everyone

[AlanTravis]

""I hope we can all ride in a pack but if one rider is separated and riding into the sun he or she will not create a large profile. It is in this situation that I think that his or her support truck should be used as a escort""""
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This is an endurance Run.!!! The whole point of the competition , 100 years ago and now, is that the bikes and riders are prepared and were/are scored
for being so. No stinking " Private support trucks" or "Private support escorts",
Riders need to carry tools, parts, skills, and resourcefulness to make each days 300 mile stage. Days will be hard and not all bikes are "entitled " to finish each stage. Towns that are hosting our lunches have spectators that will be expecting to see bikes in a small staging areas. Some of the bikes will be standing in their glory because they have finished the first half of the days competition. Others will be attended by their rider to get ready for the second half of the days competition. There is no place at the lunch stop, or any where else inside a days STAGE, for private vehicles and crews escorting entries. All the motorcycles are faster than bicycles that may be on the same roads. Keep a giant triangle reflector on your back if being seen is so important.

. REMEMBER!,,,, VICTOR READS THESE POSTS!!!!!

I know ....VICTOR.... MUST frown on all this whining,

There should be a VICTOR,..." Spirit of the Event" AWARD

Alan.