Cross Country Chase

[BoschZEV]

If someone is determined to cheat they will find a way. ... but after they have to wake up everyday they are alive with guilt knowing they are inferior and cheated other honest riders

If cheating is too easy to get away with people who otherwise wouldn't think of doing it, will. Also, one has to wonder how many races were won over the years, and championships awarded, by engines that both the tuner and rider knew weren't 100% within the rules? Presumably, those riders woke up every day free of guilt and quite pleased with the trophies and plaques they'd won.

Sure, someone who is determined to cheat, will, but the comment that door locks keep honest people out comes to mind. Enough safeguards have to be put in place to make it easy for honest people to stay honest. Apropos of this, years ago I was at the shop of someone who subsequently became a good friend and I asked him if I could get a closer look at a bike at the back of the shop. He looked puzzled and said 'of course'. I pointed to the sign saying only authorized personnel were allowed past that point as the reason for my question and he replied that the only people that sign deterred were people who he didn't mind coming into his shop.

[Jerry Wieland]

If anybody cheats they are only cheating themselves. Would take a special kind of lowlife to enjoy looking at a trophy they won by cheating. Anybody that rides an old bike better not need a trophy to satisfy him. It's all about the adventure and proving to yourself that you can do it.

John I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of cheating and then being able to even look at any award that may have come out of it. I was in the Chase and made every mile and saw absolutely no evidence of any cheating. Having been along in 3 Cannonballs and now The Chase, I have been impressed in general with the honesty and integrity of the participants.

The one thing in The Chase that upset me a little was the day that Jason waived the penalty for being late. My feeling is if you make rules, stick with them regardless of the reason for being late.

Jerry Wieland

[dane]

We’ve seen that before Jerry. Rules need to be adhered to

[T. Cotten]

We’ve seen that before Jerry. Rules need to be adhered to

I don't use emoticons, Folks.

Just insert 'rolling eyes'.

When I worked for an auto speed shop in the '80s, you weren't playing the game if you didn't at least try to ""cheat"".

Its a lot easier with AMCA judging...

....Cotten

[TechNoir]

I was in the Chase and made every mile and saw absolutely no evidence of any cheating. Having been along in 3 Cannonballs and now The Chase, I have been impressed in general with the honesty and integrity of the participants.

Hi Jerry, thanks very much for checking in to this thread. When I started it I didn't expect it to become a debate on if cheating was prevalent or not but it is good to know that you didn't see any. I only mentioned it because I have read one account of a Cannonball that alleged that some people did cheat.

Putting that topic aside I was wondering if you are able to share a few words about your general view and experience of the CCC?

Thanks,

John

[T. Cotten]

...When I started it I didn't expect it to become a debate on if cheating was prevalent or not but it is good to know that you didn't see any. I only mentioned it because I have read one account of a Cannonball that alleged that some people did cheat....

Its not about if somebody cheated, John..

Its about how well they did it that counts.

...Cotten

[Jerry Wieland]

Hi Jerry, thanks very much for checking in to this thread. When I started it I didn't expect it to become a debate on if cheating was prevalent or not but it is good to know that you didn't see any. I only mentioned it because I have read one account of a Cannonball that alleged that some people did cheat.

Putting that topic aside I was wondering if you are able to share a few words about your general view and experience of the CCC?

Thanks,

John

First off the rules in the Cannonball are so loose that I cannot imagine how one could cheat. About the only rule that you could violate and not get caught is the one that prevents you from getting help from your crew while on the road. You can get help from locals, other riders and members of the Cannonball staff but none from your crew until you are checked in at the motel for the night.

I found the Chase to be an enjoyable time but I had to do very little work on my bike. On the whole trip I added one quart of oil and adjusted the rear chain once. Minor stuff compared to some riders. Some of the credit goes to my experience on 3 previous Cannonballs. It did not hurt to win the Class III either.

I rode with 2 other bikes: a 1948 pan that made all the miles and my 1947 EL which a friend of mine rode. The #65 47 was DQ'ed because it was not the original that he started out on. It replaced another 47 EL of mine that started piston slapping on the way to Milwaukee and so my friend Willie back home loaded the replacement up and brought it to Milwaukee so Mike could at least enjoy the ride. The 48 pan for some reason needed the chains adjusted every night. The replacement 47 needed only one adjustment for primary and drive chain. Both were well oiled but I suspect the 48 had cheap chains.

One thing that I think should be changed is how terminally broke bikes are handled. The only thing they guarantee is to get your bike to the hotel on the day it broke and after that you are on your own. If you cannot fix it you are stuck. All accommodations are paid in advance and might not be cancelable. If you hired a shipper to haul the bike back from Key West you were out that money too.

Jerry

[TechNoir]

Hi Jerry, thanks very much for the feedback on your experience on this event. I had thought that a well prepared eligible bike should make all the miles with just routine maintenance and you words confirm my thoughts.

The contrast between cheap and better quality chain is interesting too. Bad luck with the breakdown for your friend Mike but it seems to me that he completed the event even if his official status is DQ.

I had also suspected that if you broke down you would get taken to that days destination only. This seems fair enough, if the bike is terminal then you are going home anyway. Any advance bookings that are not refundable are just the sorts of risks that we all take every day and if someone isn't willing to take them then they shouldn't take part.

Congratulations on your Class III win and thanks again,

John.

[riggpigg]

IMG_5684.jpg
The parking lot sure looked different in the evenings, crap spread out everywhere, guys hollering for oil, grease guns, wires etc......it was a lot of fun. Met some great new guys and ran with some old familiars. This run to me was a lot less stressful than the Cannonballs Ive been on, the tests added a lot of unknowns to the scoring and I liked it, even though I sucked at it. It's a great way for guys with limited time to participate. John did an excellent job on the course and the control riders were a big help. Jason and LeeAnn did a great job with this new format and ALL of the volunteers were as usual, EXCELLENT.....To put something like this together and make it gel just amazes me......Everything was just great.......


IMG_5747.jpg

At the end, it was a HOOT!!!

[PanheadFred1]

Does anyone know the details of how the "no-support" policy is implemented? Most bikes will have been delivered to the starting point, and will be retrieved at the ending point by the same vehicle. If a bike breaks down one of the organizer's trailers will pick it up and deliver it to the next stop on the route. However, if it's an "unfixable" breakdown the bike would be stranded at that stop for lack of room on the organizer's trailers. So it only makes sense that each rider's "non-support vehicle" be encouraged to follow close to the route from start to finish.

Obviously, a trailer and team of mechanic would be spotted if helping a bike that had broken down on route, but how are evenings handled? Is there a Parc Ferme that only riders have access to? That still wouldn't deter an unscrupulous rider from having access to the contents of his team's trailer parked nearby, since the odds of being spotted doing so would be small. Without some sort of policing it would be unfair to the majority of riders who I am sure are not unscrupulous. So, how is this handled?

I took part in the Chase also, I was #52 on a green Indian Chief. I did have some trouble along the way and got a battery from a friend in Murfreesboro and help with installing it in Chattanooga with friends there. But after making sure with the staff that it was ok.

That being said, I don't think there was any "cheating" at all, very few of the riders were in it to win it. The vast majority of us were like me, in it for the adventure and the personal challenge. And, I might add, the vast majority of us wanted everyone to do well and finish.

And , I found out a week or so ago that there will be another Cross Country Chase in 2021. I can't wait!

[Skirted]

I took part in the Chase also, I was #52 on a green Indian Chief. I did have some trouble along the way and got a battery from a friend in Murfreesboro and help with installing it in Chattanooga with friends there. But after making sure with the staff that it was ok.
That being said, I don't think there was any "cheating" at all, very few of the riders were in it to win it. The vast majority of us were like me, in it for the adventure and the personal challenge. And, I might add, the vast majority of us wanted everyone to do well and finish.
And , I found out a week or so ago that there will be another Cross Country Chase in 2021. I can't wait!

And here you are Fred