to be honest, i don't even remember being at da'farm
a quick search of ncdsa's archive reveals the following:
On 11/7/2002 MARK MCCREE wrote in from 209.26.xxx.xxx:
FTR. Andy's phone bill is paid- I was just joking.
FYI. I have a launch ramp (DBL) under construction for use on the east coast. On a trailer- w/ scaffolding Roll it up to the event - flop it down and race.
On 11/30/2001 Chris Chaput wrote in from 63.168.xxx.xxx:
What may sound to some like a big "post season" bummer, I see as an opportunity. I may have to go it alone, but at least I'll be able to say that I went for it. I may not have a new idea here and I may fall flat on my face, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Here's the basic idea.
A Portable Slalom Event Kit
It seems to me that several well intentioned and hard working people have pioneered what I hope is the beginning of a slalom explosion. They have taken their ideas of how they'd like to see a race run and they put their money where their mouth was. My hats are off to all of them. They have created history. From this, we have been able to see what works and what doesn't work, what we like and what we don't like. Let me make that more personal. I have have seen what I like and what I don't like. Only from the efforts of others, am I able to make decisions on what I would do in a similar situation.
I am going to take what I've learned and put together the best, simplified and most cost effective system that I am capable of, and put it all out there for people to try. I have my own theories, my own pet peeves and my own ideals about racing and so it only makes sense that if I want to see things done my way, I've got to stick my neck way out and put them to the test. Perhaps the first test can be at an event like GBJ's "Gathering". Even though it wouldn't be a "real" race, I know what would happen if racers showed up where a timed course was in place. It's on.
I'm hoping that I would be able to consolidate the following items into an enclosed trailer and take it on the road this coming year.
-Course drawing tools
-Hundreds of cones (white, yellow, orange, red)
-Starting Ramps with smooth pumpable transitions
-A Christmas tree with audible tones
-Starting mechanisms and/or gates
-A redundant (wired) timing system
-Programming to allow for common starts or independently timed starts
-A "chase vehicle"
-A small computer network
-Large Whiteboards for bracketing and results
-Two Large Leaderboards, one for the top N riders, the other scrolls all riders/times
-A decent PA System
-A first aid kit
-Power supply, tables, chairs, tape, chalk, stopwatches, clipboards, rulebooks, cashbox, etc.
-Porta-potties not included.
What I propose is to have the fastest, most aggressive style of racing done under the most liberal set of rules as possible. Fewer violations, fewer DQ's, fewer mishaps and fewer re-runs and more racing. Easier said than done, I know. I am open to all comments and suggestions but I reserve the right to be stubborn, unreasonable and uncompromising. No blue cones, for example
My goal is to have a race where the course is explicitly predefined and publically announced well in advance. Each cone and circle will be numbered using two alternating colors in each lane (odd/even, white/red, yellow/orange). A "chase vehicle" with a cone god will follow shortly behind the racers and account for all displaced cones so that the coneheads can start resetting them as soon as possible. I want to have zero false starts and zero re-runs due to timer related issues. No foot fouls, no judgement calls, you either made the course or you didn't. No maximum number of cones hit resulting in a DQ. If you blow out of the course (DQ) on your first run and your opponent doesn't, you're history. There is an assumption that both lanes are makable and so if you don't make it, goodnight Irene. The course(s) will be easy at low speed and tricky at high speed.
We have it so good when compared to trying to put 4 downhillers or 6 lugers on a 2 mile course. This is made for prime-time-venue racing and I'm inspired to do what I can to help it along. My ultimate goal is to put as many smiles on as many faces as possible. I gotta get started now. Ciao.
On 6/14/2001 GBJ wrote in from 24.18.xxx.xxx:
I think starting ramps unnecessarily complicate slalom racing, and perpetually leave racers facing something at races that they cannot practice on at home. I think there's a general sense that they look better, or more professional, or something like that, but as I've said any number of times, I'm not racing for the audience, and am only secondarily concrned about how our racing looks to the general public. Besides, I worked for Ramptech, that didn't make me "ramp-guy extraordinaire", that means I worked for the "ramp-guy extraordinaire". Besides, I think if you're going to do it, do it right, which means I'm all for a trailer-mounted, self-contained, tow-into-place ramp system.
