Rally Tennessee 2008 Rally Report
Apparently, armadillos get restless in the dark. These prehistoric looking mammals wear a suit of natural armor to help protect them from predators, but the consequences of ambling across the countryside without enough respect for the road are unfortunately clear as we drive through the early morning mist toward Rally headquarters. As riders, we recognize roadkill when we pass it and silently acknowledge that things can change quickly on the road at any given moment. That's an especially appropriate thought for today, since we are about to cover almost three hundred miles, thousands of vertical feet and hundreds of turns in Rally Tennessee. Add some friendly competition, 90 degree heat, and loose material through the sharpest corners and suddenly it sounds rather hypocritical to criticize the armadillo for its street sense.
But we already know that Rally draws a different kind of folk. The outrageous number of variables in this sport provides for an unpredictable experience that attracts only the most determined competitors. There's no such thing as a casual rally driver (or rider) and that's a good thing. Getting through any rally without incident or injury is goal #1. Today, safety awareness is especially high, since the roads are challenging, the terrain unforgiving and the weather just perfect for sunbathers but dangerously hot for guys and gals who will spend the day in a firesuit or full leathers.
May 24th looks like a perfect August day.The population of Linden, Tennessee (our host for this event) is 1,015 and between the volunteers and the spectators, it appears that very few of them are sitting home on this Saturday. The volunteer presence is impressive.
Volunteers set up a HAM radio antenna at Rally HQ. HAM radios are used to communicate during rallies since most rally venues are beyond the reach of cell services.
The local rescue squad is on hand and enjoys some of the best spectating out on the stages.While we wait for the 8:00 am start, the locals stroll by, looking at the machines and asking the obvious question: "Aren't y'all hot in that leather suit?" Some of us are doing better than others, thanks to a couple of Sled Dogs who have made the journey to join us as support crew and come to our aid with a little shade.
We ask for umbrella girls. We get umbrella gorillas. 
At least they get into the spirit!Just the same, we're glad they're here. Steve and Greg have become regulars on the tour - turning wrenches, making repairs, grilling up meals and scheming practical jokes to entertain us during the "hurry up and wait" portions of the Rally.
Mmmm. Freshly grilled steak tips.Finally, the waiting is over and it's time to get moving. Doug Morrison is the first TEAM MAX BMW rider to get on the Stage, piloting the same HP2 that he has run in every RallyMoto event held so far.
This is Doug Morrison's fifth RallyMoto.
Stage one, called "Tree Farm", doesn't let you ease into the rally. It's twisty and hilly and punctuated with blind crests and exposed corners. There are also rhythmic sections and long sweepers on this road that we have all to ourselves for a clean run before the cars get to it.
Chris Olsen. Early morning sweeper.
Max Stratton gets in the groove.Only the most confident drivers with the most capable co-drivers (navigators) will keep the pedal to the floor over the absolute crests on the stages. Riders really don't have that option. Even though we have been supplied with roll charts with stage notes for the course, they're impossible for us to use during a stage. All of the focus needs to be on riding with both eyes and both hands.
For a tarmac rally, there sure is a lot of dust!The plan is to ride 16 stages on four separate sections of road that each will get run twice in one direction and then twice in the reverse direction. On each stage, we will ride what we can see and call on our memories of past stages for hints of what's over the next hill or around the next bend. Often, we're surprised to find that a corner that was clear during our previous pass is now littered with gravel since the cars followed us through.
This is one reason why slicks are not allowed in RallyMoto.By 11 AM we have covered 78 miles and the mercury has just violated the 86 degree mark. We have a short break for service, reflll our Camelbacks and then take turns sitting in the cool hallways of the high school or ducking into the back of the local ambulance to cool off in their air-conditioned unit. While waiting for the riders to make their way out to run the morning stage routes in reverse, the spectators take time to appreciate the silence of the woods and scout for wildlife.
By 1 PM everyone is getting more excitement than they bargained for. Our photographer is informed by one of the rescue volunteers on the stage that the large brown snake he just missed stepping on while finding a good spot to shoot was likely a poisonous Copperhead. And the adrenaline is flowing on the course as well.
Ben Stratton gets his race face on.
Keith Ciampa put his XChallenge through its paces.
TJ Jarret on stage 5.
Joe Warner exits a sharp right on Tree Farm reverse.
After running each of the stages twice, everyone is feeling a little more confident than they had been on stage one. There's some passing going on and guys are pushing harder than they have all morning.
Doug Morrison puts pressure on Luis Figueiredo.
And executes the pass before the next turn.
Don't worry Chris, there's nobody behind you.It's amazing how different a road can look when you ride it from the opposite direction and this is the stage where a couple of riders and a few car drivers begin to make some mistakes. Luckily, the lapses in judgment throughout the afternoon are merely spectacular inconveniences and nothing more serious.
Yes, that's the co-driver sitting in the engine compartment, giving turn-by-turn directions to the driver after a mishap on stage 5.The incidents do, however, slow the pace of progress and by the time the sun is about to disappear behind the trees at 7 pm, there are still four stages to go.
Max Stratton pushes against a bright horizon, stage 9.
Aerial view of Doug Morrison. Stage 11.We mount our auxiliary lights and ride two stages through darkened tunnels of forest to complete the rally, which had officially been shortened to 14 stages.
Max Stratton makes a final sweep across the ridge on stage 13.It is a satisfying end to the day with all 14 of the bikes that started finishing proudly in Linden around 10 pm. We park the machines on the Main Street for a mandatory Parc Expose, free pizza and drinks and get the chance to mingle with the locals who are enjoying a warm evening of live music and dancing on the town green to celebrate the rally being in town. The little kids, who must have been granted an especially late bed time in order to enjoy this event, especially love examining our motorcycles.
It's nearly midnight and the results calculations are not yet complete when we're released to go grab some much needed sleep. It's been a long day, but regardless of the results, in the final analysis it was a good day to be on a BMW. Driving back to the hotel through the dark, we keep a sharp eye out for wildlife on the road. We have all managed to keep our soft leathery shells intact today and hope that tonight's a better night to for the armadillos.
Addendum: This report was held from filing due to some complications with official results. Indeed, it was a good day to be on a BMW. Doug Morrison placed first in Kings, with Max right behind him in second. Chris Olsen placed second in Production 2 and was 5th overall for the day. Keith Ciampa landed in fifth place in P2. Joe Warner brought home second place honors in Production 1, followed by Ben Stratton in third and TJ Jarret in fourth.
Friday, May 23, 2008 at 05:27AM 
