I'd like to open a "forum" for those interested in the Woodrat Mountain event "Ratrace" to be held May 30 - Jun 3. Please post your comments and share your ideas/information. Aloha!
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Rat Racer's Forum
I'd like to open a "forum" for those interested in the Woodrat Mountain event "Ratrace" to be held May 30 - Jun 3. Please post your comments and share your ideas/information. Aloha!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
31 comments:
The campsite can be found with google in the address: Cantrall Rd., jacksonville, OR 97530
There is a walmart and costco (right next to each other) less than 20 miles from campsite: 3615 Crater Lake Hwy. Medford, OR 97504
I haven't called [(541) 770-2010] the store to check the hours of operation but there's a 24hours walmart supercenter nearby (40 miles from campground):
135 N.E. Terry Lane
Grants Pass, OR 97526
Cool, Ray. Don't forget we can also ask Jetflap about a lot of this stuff because he used to live right there in Medford.
Seattle is 446 miles from campground; Portland, 296 and Oakland CA, 375 miles.
Oakland has the cheapest car rental rates and airfare from Honolulu.
I’d like to fly to Oakland on Wednesday, may 24th and return on Tuesday, jun 6. If your schedule is flexible and you’d like to share a car rental with me, please let me know! Don’t forget to check airfare prices at www.hotwire.com
I just checked the Rat Race web site and it says the comp is already sold out. No Hawaii pilots got in. They gave preference to ranked pilots (anyone who was in any comp last year, including all last year's Rat Race pilots). So we are on the waiting list to be considered by lottery after 30 days have elapsed if there are any open spaces (with ranked pilots still considered first).
Ray, you may have a better chance if you change your country to Brazil if you have a choice. You should check on that. You may be the only Hawaii pilot allowed in the comp!
I just talked to Gail, the organizer of the Rat Race, and she reassured me that there is a good chance ALL the Hawaii pilots will get in. Not only that but she encouraged all of us to consider attending as volunteers even if the comp itself fills up, because there will be a lot of opportunities to fly and learn and get a lot out of the whole scene there. So I am going to continue to make plans to go no matter what. I hope my last post above didn't bum too many people out. I was a bit crestfallen last night but Gail gave me a good pep talk and now I'm rarin' to go!
Yeah! Ray, Don and Motorhead Paul are all officially confirmed. Way to go guys. Here's how it breaks down for the rest of us:
35 spots reserved for foreign pilots
-17 foreign pilots confirmed so far (incl. Ray)
---
18 remaining foreign spots as of 3/1/06 @ 1:21 pm
- 6 ranked pilots postmarked 2/15 (incl. Bob)
---
12 spots left for 18 unranked pilots postmarked 2/15
So Team Hawaii's chances are currently looking pretty good:
100% Ray (Brazil)
100% Don (non-comp)
100% Motorhead (non-comp)
99% Bob (ranked from 2005 Nationals)
66% Sandy (unranked)
66% Dangler (unranked)
66% Suicide (unranked)
66% Jetflap (unranked)
66% Alex (unranked)
Add to that the likely participation of miscellaneous Hawaii volunteers like Reaper and expat Troy and you've got quite a strong team from our humble island.
We should know for sure after March 15. Keep all your fingers and toes crossed and let's make it happen!
for those working your T3 rating Rob Sporrer said "If you get at least 2 other people we can do it in Oregon right before the Star thistle. The date we could do the clinic would be Thursday May 25th at the rat race site." any takers??
attention campers:
Costco is having a special for the week. cooleman 4 person tent for $33.
can't beat that!! but hurry! for more supplies and cool shades (starting at $4.99) visit www.campmor.com and click on "hot deals" on the top left corner.
see ya!
Ray . . . The T-3 thing would be PERFECT.
Please keep me posted
I'd really love to go fro 3 weeks: leaving the night of thursday 18th and returning friday 9th. airfare from expedia.com at $378 and car (dollar.com full size) for $563.
enough time to fly MANY different spots!
looks like it is taking shape...
me and bob are thinking about leaving at the night of wednesday may 23th and return friday june 9th. we would be flying to oakland and renting a car there for some $434 full size and airfare at $378. any takers??? (i'll be trying to convince him to leave tuesday 23rd at night to arrive there wednesday....
Besides camping at Buckley (5 minutes from LZ), or motels in Medford (~20 min?) from LZ; there's also the town of Jacksonville, which is apparently welcoming the paragliders with open arms, and is closer than Medford. See a list of places at:
lodging near Jacksonville (incl. Medford, too)
I believe that some of the Santa Barbara group stayed in a cabin for four last year, and that for this year they've found a cabin for 10. Real shelter and nearly real beds probably about 10 minutes from the LZ. Something to consider ... anybody want to contact someone they know in Santa Barbara to ask their recommendations? else I might email Raelynn ... Jeff do you know about these cabins? cheap? decent?
got mine: leave red eye monday 22nd and return thursday june 8th:
United Airlines 76
Boeing 777 Honolulu, HI (HNL)
Mon May 22 9:30 pm San Francisco, CA (SFO)
Tue May 23 5:18 am 2398 40A Coach Non-stop Confirmed
United Airlines 6229
(Operated by United Express/Skywest Sfo-Mfr)
Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia San Francisco, CA (SFO)
Tue May 23 7:21 am Medford, OR (MFR)
Tue May 23 8:43 am 500 10A Coach Non-stop Confirmed
United Airlines 6173
(Operated by United Express/Skywest Sfo-Mfr)
Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia Medford, OR (MFR)
Thu Jun 08 3:30 pm San Francisco, CA (SFO)
Thu Jun 08 5:00 pm 500 10A Coach Non-stop Confirmed
United Airlines 79
Boeing 767-300/ER San Francisco, CA (SFO)
Thu Jun 08 7:05 pm Honolulu, HI (HNL)
Thu Jun 08 9:21 pm
Right on, Ray! Got mine today too. The "Bling" itinerary:
Departure (HNL): May 26, 9:30 PM HST (evening)
Arrival (MFR): May 27, 8:43 AM PDT (morning)
Departure (MFR): June 4, 9:05 AM PDT (morning)
Arrival (HNL): June 4, 2:36 PM HST (afternoon)
I've looked a bit more into the lodging thing. I don't see the "cabin" idea as working out. There are some "cabins" in the area, but as they are quite nice, they are in the motel price range: $100/nite/2 people.
I posted on the Santa Barbara SA forum, but no one's answering back about what they know. The phone number I had for Duncan Cottage where I think they stayed last year is disconnected. Couple other places that I thought might have cabins also have bad phone #s.
You can stay in a "yurt" for $27/nite.
I've got my tix for the Grandma itinerary, driving from Oakland. Worst comes to worst (or just rain), I can sleep in the car.
Britt Music festival in Jacksonville doesn't start until June 9, so maybe motels won't be so bad while we're there. (Though there's also a soccer camp and Mem. Day w/e.)
I'm done thinking about lodging for now. I'll just show with minimal campling gear and see what happens.
there are some motel 6 in the medford area.... some $40 a night.... www.motel6.com
I'll be camping. in medford the local Costco and walmart are next to each other... they sell good camping gear and you wont have to carry it in the airplane on your way down ;)
7 Apr 06, 11:25
Alex: All Rat Racers need to sign up for a FAI Sporting License here: https://www.naa.aero/html/appsDownloads/membershipSL.cfm?CFID=1254768&CFTOKEN=23197730 (click Yes when asked if you want a Sporting License)
I just got my Sport licens, thanks Al.
I'm planning to camp with my Bronco and Paul. So, maybe a call to Paul (since he was there last year) would open up someone camping ideas?
Or like Sandy says " I'll sleep in my car if I have to?"
But I would rather have a nice riverside campground with Hot or cold showers?
Jetflap - you got any ideas?
Email from Gail Haley:
Cantrall Buckley Park group camping section has been reserved and prepaid. If you stay in the group section you will pay at Rat Race HQ. Besides the group sites there are many individual sites available paid directly to the park.
Cantrall Buckley Park - No reservations taken, first come first served.5 minutes from Woodrat LZ. $10 per night, up
to 10 people and 2 vehicles. $1 per pet, must be on leash at all times. Toilets and showers are available.[Sandy's note: there is one shower house M/F split, plan accordingly!] No electricity, hookups or trailer dump station. [Sandy's note: so how can folks charge their radios, cellphones? maybe at HQ?] Go through the town of Ruch on Hwy. #238, approx. 1 mile, turn left on Hamilton Road, go approx 1.5 miles and turn right on Cantrall Road, cross bridge and turn left into campground.
Additional information:
www.mphsports.com/ratrace
www.southernoregon.com
www.jacksonvilleoregon.org
Ashland Visitor & Convention Bureau
541-482-3486
Grants Pass Visitor & Convention Bureau
800-547-5927 | 541-476-7717
Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce
541-899-8118
Medford Visitors and Convention Bureau
800-469-6307 / 541-779-4847
I asked Gail about charging radios and also about camping and she responded:
You will be able ot charge batteries at the HQ. We set up a charging station.
As far as camping, I believe it is $10.00 per spot not per person. I will need to do more checking. The group camping is a bit cheeper then the idividual spots. It is about $8.00 per spot.
I'll be arriving early and could reserve a spot for the group!
Perhaps Ray and I can get two side by side sites as we will both be going in early.
As far as charging radios, cell phones, camera's, etc, buy a cheap ($30) car inverter that plugs into the lighter. I have a dual one for the Bronco and it works great.
You can get them at Radio Shack or Auto parts stores?
mph is offering first aid/cpr classes charging only the red cross ($25) fee. it will be Monday May 29th 9:00-1:30ish.
I'm in!
How to organize your own FAI-sanctioned comp at:
FAI Competition handbook
interesting info! ... like ... how to make sure pilots are not flying in clouds, etc.
Did you find the RatRace flying cartoons yet?
They're under the 2005 winners/results page as track logs.
There's a good one where you can see many of the turnpoints.
And another
where Tom McCune, Will Gadd, and Luis Rosenkjar battle it out.
It may not look like much is happening at first, but as long
as the clock on the upper right is ticking, the show has started.
I like to set the speed at about 40. Also, move the slider until
the gliders appear (there's probably a delay while they're on launch).
Please, imput these on your GPS to our next task! Start with 00 (zero zero) to make it eazier!
00Green
N 21º 18’ 35.4”
W 157º 39’ 34.5”
00Banana
N 21º 18’ 33.3”
W 157º 38’ 59.1”
00Bear
N 21º 19 38.7
W 157º 41’ 13.3”
00Blue
N 21º 19’ 40.0”
W 157º 39’ 30.5”
00Yellow
N 21º 19’ 11.5”
W 157º 40’ 7.4”
00Hawk
N 21º 18’ 57.4”
W 157º 39’ 58.2”
00Apple
N 21º 18' 34.9"
W 157º 39' 27.1"
00white
N 21º 19'16.0"
W 157º40'53.7"
00reggae
N 21º 19'57.3"
W157º41'39.0"
00rock
N 21º 19'33.9"
W157º39'45.7"
00Red
N 21º 19'06.1"
W157º42'16.5"
00tango
N 21º 19'12.6"
W157º40'00.3"
00gray
N 21º 18' 37.4"
W157º38'58.8"
00Black
N 21º 18' 36.0"
W 157º 39'34.3"
see you at makapuu!
Ray
Note that the format used for the RatRace and the required format for reporting landing position is degrees, decimal minutes i.e., hddd° mm.mmm’ (for example, N19°08.165', W100°41.678' ).
continuing comment above ... the number end up a bit different. For example, 00Black becomes:
N 21 18.600
W157 39.572
00Gray:
N 21 18.623
W157 38.980
00Tango:
N 21 19.210
W157 40.005
and so on. The first part stays the same, but the minutes can be a bit different.
good info at: http://hirr.blogspot.com/
thanks sandy!
Post a Comment