[Mark Larson]

I'm just getting ready to leave for Ojibwe, and wanted to wish everyone the best of luck. I hope everyone has a great time.

I know I sometimes come across like a grumpy old man, but those who know me will tell you I'm not! I love rallying and want everyone involved to have a fantastic time. I just feel personally responsible, either directly or indirectly, for the safety and enjoyment of almost everyone involved in some way or another, and I take that responsibility very seriously.

No one tries harder to ensure that you're all safe and that things work like they're supposed to. So, when I tease the ProRally guys about wanting shorter rallies than the ClubRally guys or not wanting to run in the dark, please realize that it's just teasing. When I tell you that we don't like to reveal the route ahead of time, it's not because we suspect you of cheating, it's only that a few cheaters in the past have ruined it for all of you. When I tell you we don't like to reveal our spectator locations until we have enough workers to staff the event, it's just because that's the reality.

So, please have a great time this weekend! We're expecting rain before and clearing during the rally, so hopefully the dust will be under control. We have 16 fantastic stages ranging from 1 to 22 miles or so with spectator points on 7 of the 16. The roads are in the best shape I've ever seen them, and they range from almost a two-track to scary fast. They're flat, they're hilly, wide, narrow and mostly smooth. We've got ample transit and service times, and though Friday's service is a bit crowded, Saturday's has plenty of room. We're a little over half night stages on Friday and well under half on Saturday.

We appear to have an excess number of workers coming, more than we've ever had before. If we put on a good show for them, we can count on staffing more areas for spectators next year, which would be very popular with our guests and sponsors.

I'm looking forward to a great time and wishing the same for all of you!

Mark Larson
Ojibwe Forests Rallymaster (who sometimes sounds like a grumpy old man)

P.S. Go faster!

 

[Greg Donovan]

mark larson wrote

"We appear to have an excess number of workers coming, more than we've ever had before. If we put on a good show for them, we can count on staffing more areas for spectators next year, which would be very popular with our guests and sponsors."

this is on track w/a theory that i had when the new spectator rules came out.

eventually we would get more people who would realize that the best way to see the rally was to work. this would result in a better volunteer workforce which would allow for more spectator points. that is great news mark. hope the event goes well.

 

[comicozzie]

>
>We appear to have an excess number of workers coming, more
>than we've ever had before. If we put on a good show for
>them, we can count on staffing more areas for spectators
>next year, which would be very popular with our guests and
>sponsors.

I did a media related e-mail blast on Tuesday night to all of the larger towns in about a 75 mile radius of both Walker and Bemidji. If the newspapers and TV affilites respond and I can get their reporters to some prime locations Friday, we could have a good amount of spectators for Saturday.

Jerry Winker
2004 OFPR Press and Media Guru