The 2003

The 2003

Minnesota 1000

The motorcycle black madonna

Two-wheeled gypsy queen

And her silver-studded phantom cause

The gray flannel dwarf to scream

As he weeps to wicked birds of prey

Who pick up on his bread crumb sins

And there are no sins inside the Gates of Eden

Bob Dylan, 1965

Can’t sleep. The clowns will eat me.

Tom Roe #375, after last year’s Butt Lite

Hidey-Ho Strangers, Hooligans and Types-My-Mom-Warned-Me-About.. Is it June yet? Close enough - and about gosh-darn time for the 2003 Minnesota 1000. Without further delay, here’s all the news that you need to know, some you don’t, and possibly a few red herrings thrown in for fun.. Pay close attention! The next few pages are filled with information and answers to questions that you need to prepare for the MN1K. Please read and re-read them so you’ll have a thorough understanding of the rallys procedures. There might even be a test later, who can say. Here we go, in no particular order:

1) Odometer Check 4:00 p.m. to 6:45 pm Friday, June 13th

Every entrant in this years MN1K must ride the odometer calibration route. This testing will be done Friday June 13th from 4:00 to 6:45 pm. The odometer test will start at Moon Motors in Monticello, MN. You will be given a route sheet, which will lead you to the location of the Liar’s Banquet at the Vintage Grill. Look for Team Strange staffers at Moon for instructions and route sheets. If you miss this test, it will be given again between 8:00 am – 9:00 am Saturday June 14. Note: DO NOT set your trip odometer to zero at Moon Motors at the beginning of the odometer check!

Odometer Check Start: Moon Motor Sales, 414 Highway 25, Monticello, Mn. (763) 295-2920 Exit I 94 @ MN 25. Proceed north 1.5 blocks. Moon is on the right-hand side, just past Maus Foods.

Traffic Note: Friday afternoon from 3:30 pm until 6:30 pm, I 694, I 494 and I 94 heading to Monticello can be very congested. Alternate routes to consider would be US 12 to MN 25 north or MN 55 to MN 25 north.

2) The Liar’s Banquet 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Friday, June 13th

For those first-timers (and the drain bamaged veterans), the Liar’s Banquet pre-rally social event and rider’s information session will once again kick off the MN1K. Here, the deer in the PIAA’s grow in numbers, the bikes get faster, and the mileages increase right before your very eyes....er, ears. Who really got their GS first? Marty or Tim? Does anybody care? How did “Deerslayer get it’s name? Why don’t they give out the routesheets in May? Exactly what kind of Reverend is Eddie? Is he like Reverend Jim from “Taxi”, or is he like Reverend Jim from “Jonestown”? (Some questions are better left unanswered.) Anyway, this event is not to be missed. Meet your fellow riders, belittle the way they’ve set up their bikes and generally try to psyche them out.

Where:            Vintage Grill
                        101 Chelsea Rd. Monticello,Mn
                        (763) 295-3390

The route sheet given at the beginning of the odometer check will lead you to the Vintage Grill. However late arrivers should exit I 94 @ MN 25, proceed south to the second set of lights. At Chelsea Rd, take a left (east) and go about two blocks to the Vintage Grill.

When: Socializing/Banquet/Harrassment starts at 7:00

Riders Session starts at 8:00.

Cost: Included in your entry

It is assumed that all riders will be there. A limited number of guests will be tolerated. The cost for each guest to attend the banquet will be $20.00. If bringing a guest(s), please contact ken@ teamstrange.com no later than Saturday June 7.

3) Minnesota 1000 Rally Start 8 a.m.- 10 a.m. Saturday, June 14

The 2003 Minnesota 1000 will kick off from the Vintage Grill. Riders will begin checking in at 8:00 a.m. Pre-rally meeting will be from 9:30-9:45 with any last minute hand-outs, updates and words of advice. Riders will be free to leave anytime starting at 10:00:00.

Start: Vintage Grill

101 Chelsea Rd.

Monticello,Mn

(763) 295-3390

Exit I 94 @ MN 25, proceed south to the second set of lights. At Chelsea Rd., take a left (east) and go about two blocks to the Vintage Grill.

4) Minnesota 1000 Rally Finish 10:00:00 a.m. Sunday, June 15th

The Minnesota 1000 will end at Donahue Harley-Davidson. All riders must return by 10:00:00 a.m. on Sunday. Miss that, and you’re DNF. Yes, there is NO grace period. Team Strange rally staffers will be availible check-in riders starting at 7:00 a.m.

End: Donahue Harley-Davidson

Hwy 23 East

St. Cloud, MN

Donahue H-D is approximatly 3 miles east of US hwy 10 on the north side of MN 23.

Post rally Bar-B-Que and story telling will begin at 11:00 (please, hold the lies until then!) with the rally awards being given around 12:30 pm. The Bar-B-Que was included with your entry fee. Again, a limited number of guests will be tolerated. The cost for each guest to attend the post rally Bar-B-Que will be $20.00. If bringing a guest(s), please contact ken@ teamstrange.com no later than Saturday June 7. Guest tickets will be paid for at the rally sign-in at the Liar’s Banquet

5) Competition classes for the 2003 Minnesota 1000

Note: Riders are assigned to the following classes at the sole discretion of the Rallymasters.

A. Standard: all bikes not equipped with fairings. Windshields are allowed, as are soft saddlebags. If the windshield has a painted section, we consider it a fairing, and assign the bike to the touring class.

B. Touring: All factory touring bikes, and those equipped with "Windjammer” type fairings.

C. Sport: All sport bikes, regardless of size.

D. Sport Touring: Hard saddlebags, including aftermarket, define the class. If we see the mounting racks, etc. we're assuming you are running the bags.

E. Expert: Assigned to this class will be: Prior MN1K 1000 class winners; Known high-milers; Anyone entered in a past or future Iron Butt or ButtLite Rally; Any bike with larger-than-stock fuel capacity. Riders are assigned into the Expert class at the sole discretion of the Rallymasters.

6) Mileage, revisited

As many of you know, TeamStrange awards The Ray Bentdahl Award to any rider that compiles 5,000 miles in the first four Minnesota 1000’s they enter and The Keith Collins Award to any rider who compiles 10,000 miles in the first eight Minnesota 1000’s they enter. (Note the 2000 MN2K counted as 2).

These riders may be within striking distance this year:

Number	Name	Miles	Events	Possible Award
12	Kurt Henning	7102	7	Collins
18	Howard Stueber	7067	7	Collins
20	Charles Robinson	7819	7	Collins
58	Bob Johnson	9664	7	Collins
84	Pete Dean	8375	7	Collins
93	Marty Leir	8655	7	Collins
341	Mike Etlicher	3418	3	Bentdahl
361	Jim Simonet	3498	3	Bentdahl
365	Paul Jagodzinski	2806	3	Bentdahl

Thanks to Peter Dean, riders in the 2003 Minnesota 1000 will be required to maintain a fuel log, noting the location, date, local time, gallons pumped, and odometer reading. A printed receipt containing location, time, and gallons should be retained and presented to the rally scorers.

Let’s clarify this one right now. This rally is based on the notion of having fun while riding. The rules are straightforward and everyone is expected to follow them. They are enforced fairly and equally upon everyone. Please do not put us in the position of not accepting any or all of your route sheet or worse, disqualifying you from the rally for rules violations. Disqualifications will occur whether they’re discovered the day of the event or during subsequent auditing of your route sheets. You’ve been warned--and we’re not kidding.

The complete TeamStrange rules are available on the TeamStrange website at www.teamstrange.com. We’d recommend familiarizing yourself with them in advance of the rally. Additionally, every rider will be handed a printed copy at rally sign-in, because we want to make extra-sure that you can’t claim that you never had them.

An endurance ride is about riding. If you think wide-open, raw speed will help you do well, think again. In addition to the affect on fuel mileage and winds tiring you quicker, 21 or more mph over the speed limit is go-to-jail speed in most states. In fact, bonuses on the route are intentionally selected to discourage speeding (i.e. even if you went a bajillion mph, you’d just get there before it opens and have to stand around and wait). You want to risk your license for that?? To state the obvious, you can’t win a rally that you don’t finish.

In addition to all of your carefully selected riding gear, bike preparation, and extra accessories, we strongly suggest you have the following:

E) Sense of humor. (this typically tends to get used up as the rally progresses....)

G) A Poloroid or other instant camera if you will be collecting possible photo bonuses.

Note: Adam prefers “normal” size pictures, NOT those little “thumbnail” photos.

On the next pages are the Minnesota 1000 mandatory checkpoints. All competing class riders are required to do this. All riders are also eligible to win the prizes given away at the end of the rally. Please read them over carefully. Competing riders may use whatever (legal) strategy works best for them.

All photo bonuses will require that the bike that you are riding, in the rally, be clearly visible in the photo. However, if it is dark and you can obtain a photo that shows the required object, and your bike, it will be accepted. Remember that the photo must have the required contents clearly visible. If there is any doubt consider the photo unacceptable.

By rallys end, you must obtain all 5 mandatory points. Checkpoints may be obtained anytime beginning Saturday, June 7th, 2003 until Sunday, June 15 at 10:00 AM.. Every checkpoint obtained also earns competing riders a 200 point bonus. Obtaining less than 5 by the rally’s end will result in a 500 point penalty per mandatory point missed for competing riders.

Considering these variables, we suggest careful thought and planning for the competing riders. Now that we’re all clear on this, here’s how you do it....

Every time you visit a mandatory checkpoint, go up to the counter and tell them that you’d like to make the REQUIRED MINNESOTA 1000 PURCHASE. All checkpoints will be $3.

If they do give you a sheet, record the date, time of your visit on this sheet. Also record your odometer reading.

All money received at mandatory checkpoints is given back to the rally in the form of gift certificates which are given out as door prizes.

Mon, Thurs. 8:30am to 8pm,Tues., Wed., Fri.: 8:30am to 6pm, Sat. 8:30am to noon.

St. Paul H-D is on the north frontage road of I-94, 0.5 miles east of Century Ave.

1. Every answer/bonus stop/checkpoint MUST include date, local time and odometer reading.

2. No sharing of receipts. If you’re riding with another competitor, each rider must obtain their own required item.

5. If a bonus requires you to follow a specific road as part of the bonus and the road detours, you must follow the detour as directed.

6. The “no dogs in the pool area” rule has been rescinded until further notice.

11. All finishing positions and awards are tentative. We review all score sheets for accuracy and make adjustments as necessary.

12. If the rules and instructions seem unusually clear to you, you must have misunderstood.

13. If a judges decision is required regarding acceptance or validity on a rider’s score sheet, the decision will be made with regards to fairness for all competitors.

14. It is your responsibility to note the hours that a location is to be open. If you mistakenly get there some other time, that’s your problem.

15. No exceptions are made for uncontrollable problems including-but not limited to-weather, traffic, bike trouble, getting lost, trouble getting receipt, lunar phase, etc.

16. Politeness at all locations is critical. We are there because they invited us. You WILL be on your best behavior at the rally locations. Smile and thank them for what they’ve done. Without the checkpoints and volunteers, the rally would not happen. Let them know how much you appreciate what they’re doing for you.

17. What would be really helpful to you is if we would have included a list of specific unknown problems and occurrences you’re likely to encounter. That WOULD be helpful.

18. We feel that poor communication is a problem, but we don’t want to talk about it.