>if i were to help in nov. would that disallow me from
>competing in H.W. '05 if a unexpected codriver spot opened
>up?
This issue came up last year, and we decided that even though it might be allowed by the letter of the law, we did not want to open up that can of worms. Though we know we could trust you, it could certainly make others feel that you were at an advantage having seen the course, even 6 months in advance.
Others of our committee have competed from time to time: myself, Mark and Mary Utecht, JB Lewis, Emily Burton-Weinman, Brett Corneliusen, Kathy Freund. When someone who will be competing is involved with the committee, their involvement is limited to non-course related activities. They don't even get to look at the course maps during the meetings.
There are plenty of areas where we'd love your contribution, and we'd appreciate your help on the course layout, but we draw a line between the two.