How to read a Roll/JART Chart, and what’s really g

[Timr]

Open these two links in additional windows then feel free to participate in this discussion.

http://sera.dirtrider.net/Images/Roll1.jpg
http://sera.dirtrider.net/Images/Roll2.jpg
Note: these are fairly large image files. High speed conection is advised. If you have low speed conection, have patience, download the images and save them to your hard drive so you can refer to them as this thread grows.

I’m trying to accomplish two things with this thread:

1. Help new enduro riders understand how to interpret the information that they receive at a race
2. Get some feedback from other enduro racers about how the roll/Jart chart and route sheets vary from region to region and series to series.

Ok, first let me qualify myself. I am by no means an expert on timekeeping or enduro racing. I’ve been racing enduros consistently since the ’94 season. I’m currently a mid-pack “B” rider. I usually finish anywhere from 3rd-7th in 200B, and about 17th-25th in Overall B. This in not the gospel of “Time Keeping” according to TimR, so please chime in and add your .02 cents worth.

The two above links are a “roll chart” that I purchased for $2 bucks at the sign up of the Meridian SERA enduro about 4 months ago. I remember when I was loading my roll chart holder at the Gulfport race, that I thought it would be fun to post a roll chart on DRN for a discussion, so I threw the roll of paper in my gear bag instead of tossing it into the trash. I finally got around to getting it scanned in so we can now discuss it.

So, what happens at the start of an enduro? Well, you roll up to the start line where they are counting down and starting the rows on each minute. You’ve either already set your clocks/computers to key time, or you are waiting to set a countdown on your clock/computer based on what’s happening at the start.

The start of and Enduro is a Known Control (KC). Therefore, there cannot be a secret check for 3 miles. There’s an AMA rule that states that a mile marker must be posted at the 2.9 mile mark for the purposes of checking the race mileage versus your own odometer.

If you’re looking at the first page that I posted, you’ll notice that the roll chart is layed out in long strips. Originally, I cut them and taped it into one long stip and then loaded it into my roll chart holder. I taped it back together in 8x10 mode so it would be easier to scan into the computer.

The format of the roll chart that we use is mileage on the left, and time on the right. Notice that the time on the right is based on Key time. This is why you should set your watch to be key time when your row leaves. Example: If keytime is 8:00am, and you’re on row 20 then your digital wrist watch should say 8:00am at 8:20am. I hope that makes sense.

Now, you’ll notice big Xs between the mileage after the start. This signals that these aren’t “possibles” or locations where a check can be because of the no check for 3 miles rule. Everything good so far? The next thing that you’ll notice is that almost immediately, there’s a reset at mile 2.5.

Why would the club do this? Surely, no one is tired after only 2.5 miles of trail at 18 mph. The reason that the club probably did this was to be able to put the first check where they wanted it. What this means is, they didn’t have over 3 miles of trail from the camp to the desired location of the first check. So, to get around this, they put a reset in to advance the mileage so they could put the check where the wanted to. I just so happens, that this enduro was held in a motorcycle park that was only 1000 acres big. BTW, the club did an excellent job laying out this race with the little amount of land that they had to work with.

So, in this race, there was no 2.9 mile marker, but it didn’t matter, because the posted mileage at the first reset allowed everyone to make sure that they had their odos/computers set to the proper mileage.

Turns out at this race, if I can remember correctly, that the first 2.5 miles to that reset was some very tight virgin trail, as a result, we only had about a minute at the first reset before it was time to leave.

Now, look at what happens after the first reset. There are possibles from 3.3 to 7.5. That’s 4.2 miles total for that section before the next reset. This may be a test section. At 18 mph, it’s hard to tell. It depends on how hard the terrain is. So, the club may have one, two or zero checks in this 4.2 mile stretch. If they have two checks, then the first check would have to be at: 3.3, 3.6, 3.9, 4.2, or 4.5. Why? Because if they put the check anywhere after 4.5, there’s not enough mileage left for them fit the second check in. You see, 4.5 + 3 miles is 7.5 (which happens to be the last possible before the reset). So if there’s going to be two checks, then more than likely, it will be at 3.3 or 3.6. If it’s at 3.3, then the rider must be careful. That’s the first possible after the reset, and if you leave the reset early “hot” then you might burn the check.

If there’s only one check in the section then it could be at any of the possibles. More than likely, it would be in the middle to the end of the section. If it was at the end of the section, and the terrain was really tight, leaving the reset early and riding “hot” would pay off in this situation.

Questions so far??? Comments?? I’ll update this thread with another analysis of the next section. Or, if someone would like to give their own interpretation then feel free. I know that there’s a couple of guys on this board who rode this race. However, it was so long ago, that I can’t remember where the checks actually were. That’s no big deal here though since our goal is to figure out what we can learn before the race when we’re preparing our computers and equipment for the ride.

One thing that seasoned enduro riders will admit is that each club has the way that they like to do it. So, if you’ve ridden a certain club’s event a bunch of times in a row, you’ll get a feel for how they like to lay out the race. You’ll have a better chance of guessing correctly on check placement.
:D

 

[Jon K.]

Tim' if you only have a couple of minutes at the reset; you had better have already figured out what you are gonna do. The only way you could leave that reset hot would be to follow a group (row) of riders out of the check a minute or two hot. Then IF there was a check you might be able to throw your bike in the woods and circle back without getting busted. Or not.
If you can sneak in hot, it could gain you a point or two on the other end.
But busting the first check is a poor way to start a race. I think I would leave the reset just a few seconds hot and be ON MY TOES!! .:eek:
If there is a check right off; try to hit it on 02 seconds even if it is a tiebreaker; you should be able to gain a point on the other end with a little luck.

 

[Lemming]

Tim,

I didn't download the image, I'll do that tomorrow on a fast line. If you remember I didn't get to ride the Meridian event because of the southern spodefest. However, I don't see how they could have put a reset at 2.5 miles. According to rule VIII. C. 1. "No unknown checkpoint will be located within 2 miles before or 3 miles after the following known controls for all SERA events. There will be no resets between the start and 2.9 miles. Mileage will be posted at 2.9 miles". :eek:

 

[Timr]

Excellant point Jon, burning the first check is definately not the way to start off an event. Just ask any number of guys who burned the first check yesterday in Clanton. As always, you really need to be on your toes.

I didn't say that I would leave the reset early in this situation, but I am trying to point out to the inexperienced enduro rider when and why a person might leave a reset early, like 3-4 minutes early.

What you could do is ride up to a couple of 100ths of a mile before the first possible and then pull over off the trail into the woods. MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON't SEE A CHECK. By the time you see a check, it's almost too late. So, pull into the woods and shut off your bike. Then, listen to see if you can hear voices. Wait for the bikes that are on time to roll around the corner and listen to see if it sounds like the came to a stop or did they stay on the gas. If they didn't stop, then proceed with caution.

Or, you can leave the reset a little hot, like 45 seconds hot and ride to just before the first possible and then slow down and look. If you see the check, you better be able to ride very slowly until you clock says zero. If you don't see a check, go fast until just before the next possible and repeat the same process. This is know as "riding the possibles." The distance between possible check locations changes based on the speed average. Sometimes the possibles can be a far apart as .5 miles. If you can give yourself an extra minute to get over a tough obstacle like a fallen tree, a tough uphill, or a mud hole, you might come out of a section with a zero or a lower score than if you just went in right on time and tried to stay within your minute.

Another point that we've talked about before is for B & C riders to enter into Emergency (tie-breaker/green & white flags) checks early in the minute like at :02 when the check is placed at the front of a test section (this is a "going in" check). The thinking here is to forget about trying to get a perfect zero at :30 and already be 30 seconds into your minute when you can go in at :02 and potential not drop a whole minute at the check at the end of the section.

Lemming,

I'm sure that that's what the rule book says, but at this race, I guess they didn't follow the rule book to the word. There was a reset at 2.5, and I'm sure that it was put there for the very reason that I stated above. Of course, if someone would've protested the check's placement, and the reset, I'm sure that it would've been thrown out. However, nobody protested it.

As you well know, it pays to know the rules. The rules are not always adhered to by the promoting club.

Another AMA rule that goes unprotested in SERA is the marking of mileage at all turns along the course. To paraphrase the rule book, mileage must be marked at all major turns along the course, and must be noted on the route sheet (not the roll chart). Terry Cunningham brought this to my attention at one of our races about 5 years ago.

In SERA, nobody uses a route sheet. Not a proper route sheet where every turn and known control is marked. A few years ago, Masterlinks provided a roll chart that had all of the route sheet information imbedded into it. I found this to be very helpful. You could determine if a section was made up of mostly dirt roads and jeep trails or if it was all single track woods. It provided even more information to study before the race and you could figure out where the tests were going to be and how long they were going to be. It was fun to know what was coming up when rolling the chart along in it's holder.

 

[WoodsRider]

Timr - Excellent topic for discussion. I downloaded the rollchart and will look at it later. I will agree that the rules are not always followed. Just take a look at the AMA rule for mileage. It's a wonder we don't see more protests for mileage.

 

[Jon K.]

Tim; SERA rules take precendence over AMA rules. SERA rules (last time I checked) state that milage will be posted every whole mile. 1, 2, 3, 23, 46, etc. Even that rule is sometimes broken as clubs will put milages on 3.8, 4.8, 5.8, etc, in a 20mph section if the possibles fall on whole miles.
When I used the term "you" I did not mean you personally, but was addressing the readers at large.
Riding hot at 18mph is extremely hazardous as the possibles are every .3 mile and if the club milage is not spot on with your odo you can find yourself unexpectedly in the middle of a check. Again, I like to use the "duck and cover" technique. I might add that comparators are not as good as a good old fashioned clock and rollchart for covert operations.
11.4 change to 12 mph. There is absolutely no reason to run hot in a 12 mph section.
In fact I personally believe that 12mph should not be allowed. It is in poor taste IMO. .2 tenths is too precise. A few years back we allowed the club milage to be off as much as .1 mile. At 12 mph a club could (at that time) have checks @ 11.4, and 11.6, in the SAME SPOT and they would both be legal! :eek:
I would recommend riding in the middle of your minute and try to hit a tiebreaker on 30 seconds.

 

[justql]

Lemming- Is the Start considered a Known Control?
I tried using a Role chart once as a backup to my computer. I obviously didn't know how to load it and it wouldn't roll when I twisted it. I eventually crashed a broke it off my bars.

I do have a computer program that allows you to enter your own data and it figures all possibles etc. I've never been smart enough to figure it out. Do you guys spend alot of time looking at roll charts looking for possibles before a race? Do you try to figure out where the test are? The time keeping is what makes me ride enduros vs. other types of racing. I love to be riding hard and at the same time doing math in my head.:)

 

[Timr]

I would recommend riding in the middle of your minute and try to hit a tiebreaker on 30 seconds.

Jon,

Here is the point that I was trying to make(and the point that you stated in your previous reply. I hope this example will better demonstrate my point).

Let's say that you and I are riding on the same minute, and that we ride almost exactly the same speed. We enter into a test section that's 6 miles long run at 24 mph. Theres an emergency check at the front of the 6 mile test and a regular check at the end.

You and I ride the exact thing time through the test. For this example, our time through the test is 5 minutes and 35 seconds. BTW, we're on row 20. So here's what happens. I enter the emergency check at :02 I get my score card marked: 20:02 then, on the end of the section I get a 25 (due to the time that I entered the first check, I arrive at the second check at 25:37).

You zero the e-check with a perfect :30 So, your score card reads: 20:30 on the front end, but you get a 26 on the check out(your time at the second check is 26:05, you missed the flip of the cards by 5 seconds, your perfect score on the front end of the section cost you a whole minute on the back end, while my imperfect check cost me 28 tiebreaker points).

My score is: 5/28
Your score is: 6/00

I win! :cool: and we both rode the 6 mile test in the EXACT same time.

Lemming- Is the Start considered a Known Control?

Yes, the start is a known control, so is the gas stop, but not gas availables. The finish can be a known control too, but only if it's labeled a known finish as it is in the roll chart that I posted. All Restarts and known controls too.

Do you guys spend alot of time looking at roll charts looking for possibles before a race? Do you try to figure out where the test are?

Yes, and Yes! My enduro mentor is/was the king of riding possibles and not burning checks. He could read all of that stuff and ride fast at the same time. I find that the more time you spend studying before, the less I have to try and figure out during the race.

I try and figure out where the tests will be and how long they will be. I then try and make notes on the roll chart, so I can read them at the resets and know what to expect.

I know another very successfull A rider who marks places on the roll chart where he may want to gamble. He just writes the word Gamble followed by some ??? Then, when he reaches that point in the race, he decides what to do based on the how he feels, and what he thinks the club is trying to do. It's a total head game.

One time, this gamble payed off huge for this rider that I'm refering to. I know because I was manning the check where he came in. It was at my club's race in '96. We had a SERA and SETRA sanction that day, and there were at least 17 AA riders at this race. They included Joey Hopkins, Alan Gravitt, and Terry Cunningham. Hopkins posted the fastest score through our check at just under 3 minutes, Cunningham had a 3 minute score, and the rider that I'm talking about zeroed the check.

After the race, I asked him how he got through that tight section so quickly. He said that he had marked the spot as a place to gamble when he was studying the roll chart the night before. Then, he left the gas stop about 4 minutes hot and rode at a comfortable pace through that really tight section. The check that I was manning was really meant to be a going in check, but it was very hard to zero at 24 mph because of the 1.5 mile super tight section before it. This rider just rode to about .1 miles before our check and then pulled over where we couldn't see him and then waited for his minute to come up and the rolled in for his zero.

Some people mark up their roll chart with lots of different color high lighters. They use some type of system like pink for speed changes/yellow for gas stops and so on. I don't do that. I just use a blue or black ball point pen to make notes in the margin.

I can't imagine trying to ride the enduro with just computers and clocks and no roll chart. That's really flying blind. As we're trying to demonstrate here, the roll chart and it's information is there for you to exploit.

Any rider that I see on the starting line who has a computer and no roll chart is a person that I have chance to beat even if that person is a faster rider than I am. (That doesn't mean that I do beat them, I just have a chance to because I kinda know what's going on and what to expect.)

BTW, none of this applies to the upcoming SERA/SETRA enduro at Maplesville Alabama. It's a real butt kicker. The kind of event where I could leave my clock, computer, and roll chart holder in the truck and still get the same score. It' one of those put you head down and ride and hope you can make it to the end of the race kind of races. DAMN! I can't wait!

 

[Timr]

Part II

Ok, so we completed the first section of the race. What come next? A reset. What is a reset? A reset is a point on the course where you advance the mileage on your odometer. What this does is create a situation where you have to wait for time to catch up.

The reset advances the mileage from 7.7 to 11.0 at 18mph. This results in a reset that will last for 11 minutes. So, if you ride into the reset 5 minutes late, then you have 6 minutes to hang out before you leave on time. If you arrived at this reset 15 minutes late, then you would want to continue riding and not stop because you would still be late. You would however, go from being 15 minutes behind to only 4 minutes behind.

Tip: It’s a good idea to calculate how long the reset will be in minutes and write that on the roll chart. That way, when you hit a check before a reset, you’ll know if you can ride slowly into the reset or if you need to keep on riding hard at your fast pace. The check workers will say: “There’s a reset ahead.” And that’s great that there is, but if you are farther behind than the length of the reset, you don’t want to waste more time by slowly riding into the reset, shutting off your bike, only to realize that you are still late, and you need to go!

This next section creates a number of possible scenarios. There’s a possible at 11.1 which is only 1/10th of mile beyond the reset. Then, after the first possible, the speed average drops way down to 12 mph. There’s 10 possibles at 12mph before the speed jumps up to 24 mph. This section is 9.7 miles long and should take 29 minutes to complete if you ride it perfectly on time.

Scenario #1: There could be a check at the very first possible followed by another check at one of the last couple of possibles before the next reset. If this was the case, then obviously the club would be trying to catch people leaving the reset early by putting the check at the first available possible. If there was a check at that location then what would you do as a rider? Well, first you would hope that you didn’t leave the reset early so you don’t burn it. Then, remember that there can’t be another check until 3 miles after that check. Now, if there is only 2 checks in this section, and the first one is at the first possible, 11.1, and the second is at one of the end possibles making this a long test section then why would the club use a 12 mph average for part of the distance? Two possible answers: 1. The first part of the trail uses dirt or jeep roads with bad rain wash outs, and they don’t want people really pushing the pace through there because of safety. Or, 2, there’s something else going on here. If the check was placed at 11.1, the next possible location for a check would be at 13.2. This would be a very tricky location for a 3rd check in this section.

More still to come...

 

[Timr]

WFO,

Are you Jonny Kemp?

 

[WoodsRider]

Timr - All this means diddly squat with these friggin' Brand X rules up here in New England, sorry DJ.

Up here, if you arrive late to a check that becomes your new minute. Also I don't believe there is no "three for free" rule, I could be wrong on this though. Basically it means my AMA rules comparator is worthless and it's back to the old, reliable digital watch and roll chart method.

My first attempt at a Brand X rules enduro was fairly pathetic, but I'm going to try another one this Sunday. I'll try to post some feedback after that event... maybe I'll get a chance to practice the "duck and cover" technique again. ;)

 

[DANIEL JOSEPH]

Originally posted by WoodsRider

Also I don't believe there is no "three for free" rule, I could be wrong on this though.

You are correct. There could be a check anywhere as long as it's on an even minute, every 4/10 at 24 mph, 5/10 at 18 mph, every 3/10 at 30 mph etc...

 

[Timr]

Originally posted by WoodsRider
Timr - All this means diddly squat with these friggin' Brand X rules up here in New England, sorry DJ.

;)

Woods,

You're on your own with that Brand X stuff. ;)

 

[Jon K.]

Tim; you got me! Guilty as charged!

If I were trying to bust someone in the woods in this event I would put the check at 12.0 or 12.2 .... right where you would least expect it!

Did I mention that 12 MPH should be outlawed?

But again, I would ride the most of the twelve mph stuff in the exact middle of my minute or maybe on 25 seconds to try to get that 30 second mark at a tiebreaker. A guy can walk 12 mph, so no reason to be in a hurry. However this all changes toward the end of the section. Starting at about mile 12.8 I would start riding at the very top of my minute, or maybe even a little hot in expectation of the "check-in" check for the 24mph coming at 13.4.

But then again, the Promoter knows this very well and might very well place the check at 13.0 to catch the eager beavers. No matter, Tim and I would hit that one on .02 :) :)