Rally

The very name conjures images of conflict and conquest!

Rallies come in many flavors, from laid-back gimmick rallies to complex and demanding time-speed-distance events designed to make the most seasoned automotive orienteer weep!

Generally speaking, a rally is an event on public roads in which a driver/navigator pair attempt to follow written instructions in order to get from the start of the course to the end within certain constraints.

Those constraints may involve the total distance covered, the time required to travel the route, the identification of various landmarks, the collection of certain objects, or forced decision making. Scores are then determined based on performance within those parameters.

The written instructions, while accurate, are not always as helpful as one might wish. The directions for a segment of the course might be obvious and literal, or shrouded in mystery with their successful completion requiring keen powers of observation and a quick mind. A clever and sadistic rallymaster can put the participants through a brain-wrenching journey filled with second-guessing, backtracking, and hairy odometer math.

One type of gimmick rally is a poker rally. At each of the checkpoints along the way a playing card is issued, and at the end of the route the holder of the highest hand wins. Another is a photo rally in which various landmarks on a sheet of photos must be identified and their mileage noted, with the accuracy with which they are located determining the winners. In a time-speed-distance rally the participants attempt to travel the course with an odometer reading and travel time as close to the rallymaster's official numbers as possible.

A rally is a hugely entertaining way to spend the day. It can also be the ultimate compatibility test between driver and navigator. Conquest! Conflict! The laughter at the end of the day as everyone shares the stories of their triumphs and tribulations is the most fun of all.