Doc1647545523 Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 (edited) Since this 3-state, 700 mile rally was just a weekend, I'll try to keep my part of the thread short. I didn't take many photos and hope that Brian (Coaster) and Chandler (Robochan) contribute their stories and photos. My apologies for the low-resolution pics. The rally started and ended in Dayton with an overnight in Buckhannon, WV. Saturday morning 50 teams staged in front of the Epilepsy Foundation of Western Ohio HQ in downtown Dayton: http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/2014%20Ohio%20Valley%20Rall/lineup_zps12124c41.jpg Rally North America rallies are timed road rallies with a scavenger hunt type of theme. When your team's time starts, you're handed a route card with clues to 8 or so checkpoints between your starting line and the finish point. The clue might be just a photo. It may be a description such as "the world's largest horseshoe crab" http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/2014%20Ohio%20Valley%20Rall/crabshell_zps5cdda1a2.jpg or something a little more vague, such as the bed and breakfast with the "best front porch view in Ohio." When you find the checkpoint, you need photo evidence that you and your co-driver were both there. Chandler at Hillbilly Hotdogs in Lasage, West Virginia: http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/2014%20Ohio%20Valley%20Rall/hillbillyhotdog_zps6dea5921.jpg Mothman statue attacking me (Point Pleasant, WV): http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/2014%20Ohio%20Valley%20Rall/mothmanattacks_zps68d83fdb.jpg Some of the checkpoints are tricky. One description spoke of an Indian massacre, General Anthony Wayne, the Treaty of Greeneville, and a 12 foot marble obelisk. Unfortunately, those clues tend to point you towards Fort Recovery (not the checkpoint). The real checkpoint was in the Big Bottom Memorial State Park, where the actual obelisk was neither 12 foot tall and did not match the picture "clue." http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/2014%20Ohio%20Valley%20Rall/obelisk_zps8f777017.jpg When our internet address brought us close but not to the right location, I figured we could just ask townspeople on the street of Stockport, Ohio, where the obelisk was. Unfortunately no one we could find knew anything about the memorial, nor were they familiar with the term "obelisk." I felt that I was among a tribe of humans who did not speak my language. Also, you often don't have cell phone signal, internet access, or assorted other navigational failures. At some points, paper maps were our best friends. We were on some great roads and saw some beautiful fall colors. After dinner in Buckhannon, we went to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum which was operated from 1864 until the feds shuttered it in 1964. It is the largest stone building in the U.S. http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/2014%20Ohio%20Valley%20Rall/Weston_State_Hospital_zps0f451abd.jpg The only larger hand-cut sandstone structure in the world is the Kremlin. At its peak, it housed 2600 mentally ill patients. Pretty scary how the mentally ill were abused in the past. There were ghost tours, flashlight tours, and paintball. It is quite the place to see, and I recommend it if you're in the area. Day 2 was the same general schedule as Day 1, but with different roads through West Virginia, Hocking Hills and southcentral Ohio. We had finished in the top 10 Day 1, but improved on that Day 2, but still not in the top 3. Shortly after crossing the finish line in Dayton, another driver pointed out to me that I had a tire going flat. It was a puncture on the inside sidewall, and of course no tires close to my size could be found in Dayton on Sunday afternoon. We brought the car back to Columbus Sunday night on a roll back and the great folks at Wheel Medic replaced the tire and had me on my way early Monday morning. Besides the "timed" awards, there are awards for best costume, best decal job, longest traveled, hard luck, and so forth. I'm hoping the other contributors to the thread have some photos showing those. There were themes including Smokey & The Bandit, Wayne's World, and this one which had something to do with champagne and drivers dressed as priests (I never quite got the whole thing straight in my mind): http://i355.photobucket.com/albums/r445/martyr65/2014%20Ohio%20Valley%20Rall/champagnecar_zps816e350d.jpg The monopoly crew dressed as monopoly board characters and got photos of the monopoly property streets they encountered during the rally (e.g., Baltic Avenue, Park Place, and so forth). These rallies are very inexpensive compared to the Bull Run, Gumball Rally, and such, and teams come from all over the U.S. and Canada to compete. This year, over $100k has been raised for charity by Rally North America. For information on the 2015 rallies (The Smoky Mountain Rally and the Ohio Valley Rally), go to the website here: http://www.rallynorthamerica.com/ Smoky Mountain Rally registration for rally veterans will open in a few weeks, November 1st. Registration for the general public will open December 1st. The 2014 summer rally (The Route 50 Rally) is recounted by Matt Farah of The Smoking Tire in a two-part video available here: http://www.rallynorthamerica.com/node/9 His videos give a very good feel of the rally. If you're interested in knowing more about the rally, feel free to contact me. CR members interested in participating in the 2015 rallies will be meeting informally sometime in the next couple of weeks. Many thanks to those who donated for our team, thanks to our business sponsor, Wheel Medic, and thanks to teammate Robochan who was an excellent navigator and probably one of the best drivers in the rally. Edited October 19, 2014 by Doc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robochan Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 I thought i took more pictures than i did but i guess i was caught up in the adrenaline of the rally. First getting to Dayton after finding the tight entrance to the garage. http://i.imgur.com/fSDLbwj.jpg Youtuber ThatDudeinBlue showed up and i expect a video from him soonish. Super nice guy and i was pleased to meet him. Unfortunately he was loosing his voice and i never really got a chance to really talk to him. http://i.imgur.com/UGKqoIe.jpg The costumes were pretty funny. The priests were rather obnoxious but the monopoly group was hilarious. Also a team put a firebird on a mustang and became Burt Reynolds and Sally Fields for the day. Sorry for the poor image, never got a good picture of them http://i.imgur.com/B6xFrwl.jpg http://i.imgur.com/OJxdwHk.jpg Once the rally started i found my navigating weakness quickly as Doc was "calmly" asking where to go but once we got a direction and i started to find checkpoints i got the hang of things. I was wondering how competitive the composition would be and i soon found out. This is part of a group of 4 cars that got pulled over. http://i.imgur.com/e6kINCg.jpg The views were amazing and the roads even better. http://i.imgur.com/dBKH0sT.jpg Unfortunately not all roads in WV are paved. http://i.imgur.com/qchwUjQ.jpg We did finish the rally and i was rather surprised with how well we did. We pulled in at the finish line and started to talk to people, eat and enjoy our selves before the banquet when i notice another rally participant looking at the car then bends over to look at the wheels so i walk over and he points out a hissing sound. Sure enough there was an inner sidewall leak in the tire. With in minutes the tire was completely flat. The car ended the day on a rollback. http://i.imgur.com/XaERsRg.jpg The rally was a blast. Thanks for the millionth time for the opportunity and the compliments, Doc. I thought about Cody Converse a lot during the rally and am thankful, my fun did help benefit a good cause. PS thanks for the big foot esque photo next to the obelisk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 I'm working on editing a video of both days. Here is a pic though: http://i.imgur.com/CB8oxXhl.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red1993sol Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 Looks like you guys had a blast . I'd be interested in doing this next time possibly. Nice job guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImUrOBGYN Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 How much fun is that?! Sorry about the ending but the rest seems like a blast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coaster Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 Video is complete: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 looks like a blast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 CTS-V got pulled over!!! :no: Looks like a great time. Thanks for the video! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRTurbo04 Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 Awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robochan Posted October 20, 2014 Report Share Posted October 20, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Pomade Posted October 21, 2014 Report Share Posted October 21, 2014 Great vid - felt like I was on the rally. :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc1647545523 Posted October 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Day 2 video from That Dude in Blue: (Team Columbus Racing appears at 0:10 and again at 1:40) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiek2000 Posted October 26, 2014 Report Share Posted October 26, 2014 Looked awesome. I am hoping to do the smokey mountain rally come next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Man of Steele Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Super cool! Stockport is a favorite of mine , the roads all around there were built for riding or driving if you are a publord cager. The room at the top of the mill has a hot tub and a cool 360 view of the Muskingum. Definitly a cool place also not far from Marietta which is also old as hell and full of neat places like the Marietta brewing company. Info on the mill http://www.stockportmill.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HUMBLER1647545517 Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 This is part of a group of 4 cars that got pulled over. http://i.imgur.com/e6kINCg.jpg LOL...Dan got pulled over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiek2000 Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Super cool! Stockport is a favorite of mine , the roads all around there were built for riding or driving if you are a publord cager. The room at the top of the mill has a hot tub and a cool 360 view of the Muskingum. Definitly a cool place also not far from Marietta which is also old as hell and full of neat places like the Marietta brewing company. Info on the mill http://www.stockportmill.com/ +1. SR376 is a tried and true favorite of mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.