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Originally Posted by MattR
Outstanding, What the hell was the reason this time?
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Well, first off, Hackett screwed up the permits and forgot parts that were specifically mentioned (like bringing back boards) so we started like 3 hours late. They ran the first stage, which I was at at the end of, and sent the cars on transit to stage two (which was only a 1/2 mile away). Well, the second stage wasn't clear and the cars just sat there for a while.
So, as the sun was going down, the decision was made to run stage 6 which was just stage one in reverse (and then 1 and 6 again, just back and forth on the one stage I was working). So we hurried to get setup for a start and sent the first car through around 5:30, and then we got word that first few cars though ended up finding civilian cars going the opposite direction of the competition. From there, the stage had to be stopped and everyone was asked to just run the stage as transit. When all the cars got to the end of the stage, they just ended up canceling the rest of the event because it was getting cold fast. We left somewhere between 6 and 7, and it was about 19 degrees out there, according to the clock we had with a temperature sensor.
What's worse about the permit snafu, is that we were delayed due to the
exact same reasons as last year. The control captains didn't have a copy of the permit (Hacket did, be he wasn't at the start of the rally) and the EMTs didn't have back boards. They said they didn't know they were necessary but the BLM ranger said it was spelled out explicitly in the permit. So, whoever dealt with the permits (probably Hackett again) forgot to mention it to the EMTs. The EMTs had to split up and one went to Gerlach and one to Nixon to try and find a backboard. Finally found one after 2+ hours or so, and that's what caused us to start 3 hours late.
Even though last year went relatively smooth, you could see that this event was happening despite Dave Hackett's poor coordination. This year, though, it was a different story when his laziness ended up biting everyone in the ass. After last year, I told myself I wouldn't work an event with him ever again, but I figured the rally stood a good chance of working again this year, despite Hackett.
I felt bad for the competitors most of all. We were at least dressed for the conditions, whereas they had to sit in rapidly dropping conditions too, but in fire suits and they couldn't really sit in their cars and burn fuel in idle to run the heaters. And they paid money too, which I don't think can be refunded, to run one stage. Hell, I ran that one stage too, close to my limit (which is no where near their's), but I didn't pay a dime.
All in all, we had some good times still just kind of hanging out, but it just sucks that only one stage was really run.