Thats was a great Chicago song, but in Rallies time counts. It is the one measurement that is absolute…well sorta.
This is the final chapter on the MM1000. If you read the previous blog, I mentioned 20 seconds. I pulled into rally HQ at 6:12. They gave me a card and said proceed to the scoring tables.
Being brand new I had no idea what to expect. I went into the room just to scope out what was going out. There was a long table with 6 people sitting at it, all with laptop computers in front of them. After scoping the “Officials” out, I left to organize myself and make sure I had everything. Inside my clipboard and tank bag are the documents and receipts I needed. I grabbed a roll of scotch tape that I had brought with me specifically for taping the receipts to a piece of paper. Hey I am an accountant, I am used to providing documentation to folks.
First organizing point. Compare the Fuel Log I kept to the receipts I have. Check the receipts to make sure they all have the mileage written on them. Tape the first receipt to the log, then second staggered over the first, third staggered over third, etc etc.. Compare the log for completeness. First task complete
Second, tape the Beginning Rest bonus receipt to the Fuel log, find the second one and tape in a staggered manner like the fuel receipts. Task Complete
Reread the Rally book for the bonii I completed and make sure the Date, Time and Mileage is on all rally book entries, make sure I have complied with all of the written word. Reading is FunDaMental !!!
Tape the receipt for the Grade A, Dark Amber Maple syrup I purchased in CT to the fuel log. I realize I left both the syrup and my camera on the bike. Back out and grab these items. As I approach the scoring room, I flashback to those days when you enter your final exam room, SATs and CPA exams. "Hey this is only a game", I say to myself, I let the air out of my lungs and walk in.
All of the scorers are busy, so I take a seat against the wall and just start to daydream. One of the scorers is freed up and he looks at me and says, You ready?. Well here goes wish me luck.
It is at this point I realize I am really really tired. This is it. Nothing I do from now on will affect my outcome of rally. He asks me for my digital card out of the camera and plugs it into the reader attached to his laptop. I tell him it is easy. I only went to the Poison Ivy locations, Only 8 locations to verify. He goes thru these and makes a comment “Quite impressive, I haven’t done anybody that completed all of these” Wow this is a good sign, I think to myself.
Next he verifies my fuel log. All ok, everything is going great. He then is flipping the beginning and ending rest bonus receipts back and forth. He does this about 5 or 6 times and gets up. He says I’ll be right back. About minute later he comes back.
Me: “Is there a problem”.
Scorer: “Sorry Bill, we can’t allow your rest bonus”.
Me: “Why not”
Scorer: “You were not there the prescribed 2 hours”
Me: “What, Yes I was”
Scorer: “Your beginning receipts says 12:38:50, your ending receipt says 2:38:30.
Me: “Let me see them” I look and see there it is, 20 seconds shy of 2 hours.
Me: “You are going to disallow this for 20 seconds?”
Scorer: “Rob (the rally master) says I have to”
I now know why the Rally Master is referred to as the RB or Rally Bastard.
At this point I realized my score is cooked. Without the 5,000 points I can’t possibly obtain a good position.
He picks up the syrup. Again he gets up. WTF !. He comes back and Rob is standing over him this time. Bill the syrup was made in Canada and it had to made, bottled and sold in New England. I said let see that. I grab the nearest sharpie turn the bottle over and where it says PRODUCT OF CANADA, I put a “, Mass” next to it and say See Made in Mass. He chuckles. He has me on this one.
Fast forward to the award ceremony and the Rob, the rally bastid is announcing how everyone did.
In 10th place Bill Collins with 14,010 points in the Rally class. Now my real score is 19,010 in my mind. In 9th place ….. with 15870 points…..in 6th place we have ….with 18400 points, in 4th place we have Wayne and Robin Edkin with 21,000 points. So those 20 seconds cost me 5 places and 5th overall.
Today as I write this, I keep reminding myself …it’s just a game; it’s just a game …ohmmmmm ohmmmmm.
Final Thoughts: I achieved all of the objectives I set out to accomplish and in my mind I can say I finished 5th, but to all others I have to say I finished 12th. Somewhere between the award ceremony and the posting on the internet, I lost another 2 places.
Will I do this again? Isn't gluttony a deadly sin, do I need to say more? BAG!.
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