Dawn Patrol TRACK SETTING PARTY!!!

[Mmagus]

I am so glad Gordon mentioned this in another thread as it needs to be anounced early.

Our Track Setting Party for the next AX on Dec. 17th will start at 6:30 AM! We do not have access to the lot on Friday night due to an event so we will need lots of extra workers so we can get the track set efficiently. You may say to yourself; "So Mr. AX Whippingboy, why don't we start even earlier?" To which I reply. Sunrise is at 6:45, and we can't work well in the dark, so be there at 6:20AM and ready to roll at 6:30 (aka the Butt-crack of Dawn) when we should have enough light to get started.

Come on out!

Help YOUR club!

Drop a reply here so we know who to look for. If you DON"T, when your guilty conscience gets too much to bear, show up anyway and lend a hand!

Mark, Gordon, and Jerry

[ScandinavianFlick]

i will be there.

[Dan Chambers]

"So Mr. AX Whippingboy, why don't we start even earlier?" To which I reply. Sunrise is at 6:45, and we can't work well in the dark, so be there at 6:20AM and ready to roll at 6:30 (aka the Butt-crack of Dawn) when we should have enough light to get started.

If I may make a suggestion ....

It's been my experience (as former AX Chair, former CDI, current insomniac) that first light for this time of year is 6:00 ... plus or minus a few yawns. So, why not have the "crew" show up at 5:30 to 5:45 to:

A) Retrieve and position the Trailer in place and unhook the Trailer
B) Unload the trailer/set up the pits
c) Load all the cones in the truck in preparation for a first-light track toss

This is how we historically handled same-day track-tossing for AX's (and on the very rare occasion, PDS Sunday AX's). I don't want to go telling you guys how to do your job, or what "the best way to do this" is. The best way is your way. I'm just saying ....

I'd be happy to meet you guys at 5:00 for a "git 'er done" morning (get the truck/trailer, position them, start setting up the pits, run for coffee, start loading cones, get Tech materials to Tech Inspection area, set up run for pit-to-grid ingress/egress, set up pre-grid cones, start getting the Timing Equipment in place, set up a table and chairs inside the trailer for the morning registrations folks ... sheesh, there's a lot to be done in the morning!!!)

Or, I'll shut up, stay in bed until 6:15, sip some hot coffee in the warmth of my den in my flannel PJ's, and make Tech Inspection by 7:29 AM.

Let me know how I can help. See you Saturday.

[Mmagus]

WHAT??


There is a 5:30 that isn't shortly before dinner???




If we get a decent crew we should be fine with 6:30. We will chalk the track as best we can on Friday to help make things roll Saturday Morn Jerry, Gordon and I will get there about 6 to have the trailer ready to roll at 6:30 when the crew arrives. If you want to come help with that Dan (or anyone else) it would be great!

Mark

[ScandinavianFlick]

In my (admittedly limited) experience as equipment chair, it seems to have generally taken from 6:30 to 8 just to set up the equipment, ez-ups, and timing gear. I'm willing to start at 5:30 if I can get enough help (i.e. someone to pull the trailer, since i'm trucking incompetent ). We can pitch cones in the semi-darkness, as the ropers will correct their positioning.

Just my $.02 worth; you guys obviously know this stuff far better than I do.

[Mmagus]

In my (admittedly limited) experience as equipment chair, it seems to have generally taken from 6:30 to 8 just to set up the equipment, ez-ups, and timing gear. I'm willing to start at 5:30 if I can get enough help (i.e. someone to pull the trailer, since i'm trucking incompetent ). We can pitch cones in the semi-darkness, as the ropers will correct their positioning.

Just my $.02 worth; you guys obviously know this stuff far better than I do.

Andrew,

Good thinking plan on getting there at 6 with the other AX chairs. That way we can get much of the Equipment unloaded and ready to set up at 6:30 while the rest of us are working on the track.

If however a contingent is ready and willing to arrive at 5:30 and get goin. I would NEVER say no.







***I'll just see you at 6 when I get there

[M-tinker]

I can be there at 6am or earlier if needed. I've helped set up AX with BMWCCA before but never done PCA AX, so I'll just be following instructions.

As usual I'll bring my cot to catch a nap later

-Fred

[Dan Chambers]

I can be there at 6am or earlier if needed. I've helped set up AX with BMWCCA before but never done PCA AX, so I'll just be following instructions.

As usual I'll bring my cot to catch a nap later

-Fred

Fred - I can meet you at 5:30, if you want to get an earlier start on the Trailer/pit set-up (I can help with that, too). Mark/Gordon/Jerry, is the Trailer still being left at the Security Office parking area? Email me the track map with exact details of the Trailer location, and I'll park it where it needs to be, and Fred, myself, and any other dawn-patroller will start "getting to it".

Now, in my best Tom Comeau voice: "What the H@#$%'s wrong with you ... bunch 'o candy-a@#es. I know you aren't gettin' your beauty-sleep ... you'r too ugly for that! If a 72-year old man can get here at 05:30 hours, what holding you back?"

(Boy, I miss that guy.)

Anyone wants to get there before 6:00, I'll run for coffee. For the rest of ya, "I'll bring a pillow."

[Mmagus]

Dan et al,

Yes the truck and trailer will be located at the same place over near the security office. And YES I do need my beauty sleep.

Actually the time choice is a combination of several things. While we do want to make sure there is usable light, other factors come into play. I know Jerry comes from Escondido so I am accounting for his drive time...plus I know that he is very dutiful and therefor is terminally EARLY. If i set it for 6, he tends to arrive about 5:30. We will have been at the lot at 10am on Friday for the date getting meeting and will chalk the course then which can be the most time consuming part of the process. The BIGGEST reason for that time stamp is based on the wonderful support that the set up crew has provided all year With their stupendous assistance, I am confident that we will have everything ready to go on time.

That said, I greatly appreciate your abundance of enthusiasm and willingness to get there earlier. As you well know we will be doing this throughout the upcoming year and I invite you to come out on a regular basis to add it to the mix of workers that regularly help. I also really apreciate this conversation...as it keeps the thread stuck to the top of the forum.

All the Best,
Mark
Lead AX Whippingboy

[gocart]

I'll be there at 5:30! Coffee and donuts, he!! yea. Of course I may have to take a nap later in the day.

How much would the city charge to turn on the lights in the lot? Just kidding.

"First light" is 6:13 on Saturday. (according to my surf calendar)

What we need is one of those line chalkers, like they use to line the playing fields. It would be much easier to see than dry wall.

[CrashBrown]

Oh Boy, I can see a fight brewing over Fred's cot later in the day! (I think Jackie took some great pic's of Fred napping at the last AX, gotta' see those). I'll get there early as well and lend a helping hand, but as far as lining the track with a chalker vs. dry wall . . . I don't know anyone that wields it better than Mr. Bumpus and I can't imagine anything improving on the speed of which he outlines the track (other than the speed of the vehicle), the man's a chalking genius!

[Kim Crosser]

Hi,
Just a note from your friendly timing group...

Please try to center the trailer between the Start and End points AND maybe move the Start and End points closer to the trailer. We have been experiencing signal strength problems with the WiFi to the start/finish sensors at the last couple of AX events.

Thanks,
Kim & the rest of the timing trailer gremlins...

[M-tinker]

Yes! coffee will do for me. I'll be there @ 5:30am.

Cot is free for others to use, as long as you don't mind having a picture taken

[ScandinavianFlick]

Sorry guys, I'm not going to make it to this one. I may have pulled a muscle in my neck... driving hard (or lifting heavy things) isn't really an option for me right now.