Writing a Coursemarker Rallye

See Also

• Rallyemaster_Handbook

• Advice_for_New_Rallyemasters (even if you aren't a new RM) and especially its sections on
  • Choosing a Neighborhood (as you'll need good poles for coursemarkers).
  • Rallye Length to assure your rallye isn't too long or complex.

Write the Rallye

Actually, you probably want to perform all of these sort-of simultaneously, and then refine the results:

• Write the GIs
• Create the route

  It is cleanest if the RIs get beginners from the start to the finish, without depending on them to use "uninstructed T" rules or to see CMs; this helps keep rallyists from getting lost, even when they are insufficiently careful.

• Find reasons some RIs are invalid (based on definitions or rules in GIs)

  Try not to reward the same reason more than twice.

• Find reasons to supercede RIs (for higher-priority rules, like Notes)

  Do those RIs get done later (e.g., at a parallel sign)? or deleted (typically by DRI or CRI)?

• Find reasons to deviate from the "Turkey Route" (e.g., to visit streets named in the story).

Then you need to double check that no other street names interact with the GIs in ways you didn't think of.

Tracking your CMs and SUPPs/SIs

Create a spreadsheet with CM letters, numbers, type (SUPP or SI), and contents (SUPP parts or SI parts), and a number (perhaps a decimal) representing the order in which a rallyist should encounter them (or in which you'll explain them in the critique). Then you can sort the list in various ways to verify:

1. that each CM number uses the same contents (parts), no matter how many times it is used,
2. that each CM letter is used only once (unless you intend A1 and A2 to make A12 or something),
3. that only the CM letters you intend are used (A to Z and AA to ZZ, rather than PI, MU, or AAA?), etc.

You may also want to put the critique explanation next to each CM.

Suitable for Rallyes?

Double check that you aren't expecting rallyists to rallye

• on busy streets, where driving with traffic is too fast to search for CMs or street signs
• on wide streets, where drivers in the right lane cannot see street signs on the left (or vice versa).

Use a traverse along busy streets. Even crossing a busy street from a stop sign might take so long as to annoy rallyists; it might be fine when you check Sunday morning or Wednesday evening, but not on Saturday evening.