Learn Me TSD

Tell me about TSD rallies? I am assuming I don't need anything special except a stopwatch, a map and a navigator. Are there any around Huntsville?

Rule #1: Don't get lost.

Rule #2: See Rule #1.

Seriously, my wife and I have done several--yes, together. When we don't pay attention, we have problems. When we follow the instructions to the letter, we do okay. Once you're lost, though, then you're boned.

For gear, we use two watches--one for her, one for me to time the pauses--a clipboard and a pen. We have also found the groups welcoming to novices.

Oh, another thought: Drive your own rally. We did the Coker rally last year, and on the first day we caught the car in front of us. They were some of the top guys, so we figured that we screwed up. After catching them, we did an excellent job staying exactly a minute behind them. Guess what? They had a timing problem and were off time. We both got maximum penalty points for that stage.

At the next rest stop, they said that they saw us back there and wished they could have somehow let us know that they had a problem. Lesson learned.

Especially true around here where the rally masters like to send rally cars up and down the same roads. Expect to go through several intersections from every direction.

Do not underestimate the deviousness of the rally master. They love to mess with people's minds. It is nearly all mental.

Pay attention to the instructions and execute their instructions for uncontrolled intersections to a "T"

You forgot, you need patience and a sense of humor. SERIOUSLY!

Just trying to stay on course will keep the driver and the navigator more than occupied. Laugh at yourselves and have fun just trying to understand the bizzare directions. Don't fret time yet.

Drive the rally at the speed given and first try to follow the instructions. You will do pretty well if you pay attention to the route book and do not get lost. then you can start worrying about time after you have become confident on getting from start to finish. Then you meet a rallymaster like me and ..................

I had a good time when I did my first one, but I found out that I would rather go fast, or do it somewhere other than south FL. Some of the guys take it very seriously, and their dasboards look like KITT.

We did a TSD as part of preparing for the Targa Newfoundland. We were total novices - but nobody believes that when you roll up to the start line in a fully-stickered rally car with worn RA-1s and a WRC-spec rally computer bolted to the dashboard. We quickly dispelled the image by turning the wrong direction out of the parking lot!

It was good for us because it was a shakedown of a different sort than track days. We learned that our seats were not comfortable for 13-hour days, and Janel got comfortable with the rally computer. We got some practice taking and giving instruction. We also learned we had some exhaust getting sucked into the car with the windows slightly cracked. All good stuff and we did have fun. But we were bored. Janel spent the entire time telling me to go slower. Slower. No, slower. Yes, I know the speed limit is 35 but we have to go 33. With the computer, there were no calculations to do as I just set it to show current average speed, and we'd reset it at every change.

The guy who was having the most fun was in a TR6 with a non-functional speedo. He didn't care, he was just out on a tour with a bunch of cool cars. He followed us for a while, then got bored doing 33 in a 35 zone and went bombing past to play on the mountain passes.

But you can do them with a standard car on open roads, so it's a legitimate chance to get out there. For a certain mindset, they're awesome. Puzzle solving with the added challenge of the fourth dimension thrown in!

I just figured it might be a fun way to get the girlfriend involved in some kinda of motoring activity.

96DXCivic wrote: I just figured it might be a fun way to get the girlfriend involved in some kinda of motoring activity.

This is the reason I'm considering trying it. But I figure that I'll try it with someone else before I drag her into it.

96DXCivic wrote: Tell me about TSD rallies? I am assuming I don't need anything special except a stopwatch, a map and a navigator. Are there any around Huntsville?

I was about to answer yes, but then I realized that you were not talking about Huntsville, ON, Canada

Like others have said, stay on course, the rule of thumb is to drive 10% over the CAS you are given. Most rallies also have built in rules for Stop Signs (6s) and Traffic Lights (1 minute). Don't forget these.

Don't worry to much about timing on your first few.

Anyone who thinks a TSD is boring should try a winter one. Just sayin'

IMO, do not do a tarmac TSD. You will be bored to tears.

Gravel ones are good, mud is better, snow is best. Go with the intention of being able to screw around in the car. Being good at TSD's is hard (this guy has done over 15 of them and still sucks). Also, having a rallymaster that likes to make things challenging is good. I don't think anybody would ever call the Trail of the GNU or the Thunderbird tsd's boring.

Learn to read road signs. If you know what all those little white squares with random numbers are, it can help keep you on track during a "confidence stage". (The rallymaster will say turn left on main, then right on 1st avenue...but there will be 25 miles between the two. They want to test your confidence in your navigation).

Agree with your navigator that you are there to have fun, no one is winning anything, and blame is banned.

It is also important to know the difference between an TSD and an STD.

http://www.tsdroadrally.com/

http://www.goss.com/catrrh.htm (book on TSD rallying)

96DXCivic wrote: Tell me about TSD rallies? I am assuming I don't need anything special except a stopwatch, a map and a navigator. Are there any around Huntsville?

The local BMWCCA chapter will be holding one near Memphis October 23. The Rallymeister that we use is very good (devious) and has plotted TSD's for some of the past national CCA events. PM me your email address and I'll make sure you get all the details once they are confirmed.

My wife and I did one a couple of months ago in Nashville. It was her first, and my 5th or 6th. Lots of fun!

Do one now.

My roommate and I have done maybe four in the last year and have had a ton of fun. They're easy and you might even win some trophies in a novice class (we've won two). Our first was a night rally, which made the learning curve steep, but it was a blast.

gflint wrote:

96DXCivic wrote: Tell me about TSD rallies? I am assuming I don't need anything special except a stopwatch, a map and a navigator. Are there any around Huntsville?

The local BMWCCA chapter will be holding one near Memphis October 23. The Rallymeister that we use is very good (devious) and has plotted TSD's for some of the past national CCA events. PM me your email address and I'll make sure you get all the details once they are confirmed. My wife and I did one a couple of months ago in Nashville. It was her first, and my 5th or 6th. Lots of fun!

I am busy the weekend.

Detroit region SCCA had some of the best TSD events I have ever run. The GNU, and press on regardless are a hoot. One year at the Son of Snow Drift event, there was 18 inches of snowfall over the course of the day, that made it fun.

If running a TSD in michigan, wear the appropriate tires!

The second rally I was ever in was a TSD. (The first was a gimmick rally that I navigated - we won.) My navigator had never done a rally, but was familiar with cars, driving, timing, etc. It was a night rally, in an unfamiliar area of the state. We ran in the unprepared class. We had a blast and came in second, 2 points out of first.

Trust your navigator, don't turn your head and try to read the instructions. You might end up going sideways, like we did in my '85 Civic.

mmmmm.... 85 civic

I'd like to get my wife to try a TSD with me. There is one coming up this fall, but we may wait for the March Lamb in the spring, just to give the idea enough time to gestate.

digdug18 wrote: mmmmm.... 85 civic

Probably #3 on my list of favorite cars I've owned.

/threadjack

HiTempguy wrote: IMO, do not do a tarmac TSD. You will be bored to tears. Gravel ones are good, mud is better, snow is best. Go with the intention of being able to screw around in the car. Being good at TSD's is hard (this guy has done over 15 of them and still sucks). Also, having a rallymaster that likes to make things challenging is good. I don't think anybody would ever call the Trail of the GNU or the Thunderbird tsd's boring.

This sounds like excellent advice. That one we did would have been a different beast in the snow.

I have done a couple of TSD events, not really my bag. I found it kind of boring...especially compared to "real" racing.

This coming season my business will be sponsoring several TSD events throughout the NW. I wont be participating since I will be too busy running the event, but I am trying to think of a way to make it a little more exciting for participants!

Josh

It has been just over a year since I did a TSD, but I kinda miss it.

I had a pretty good navigator. Not that we ever won anything, but we got along well enough to be in the same car for 5-7 hours at a time. When things go pear shaped , though, you need to have a good enough demeanor to not kill each other. (this is one reason that I recommend NOT doing an event with a significant other.)