And the winner is...

Congratulations!  The top prize for The Red, the White and the Blue Road Rally goes to team Surfsup!  Indeed, the surf was definitely up and a fun time was in store for all.  Thank you to all the teams who participated.  You made this such a worthwhile event.  Please check back soon for the Results page, which will include a breakdown of team placement.  The Photo Gallery will also be updated, so look for your pictures to appear there soon.

Please leave any comments, suggestions or feedback directly on this post and we will be sure to take them into consideration for future planning.  Feel free to leave comments for future runners in the Guestbook.  Last, but not least...Make sure to let everyone know how much fun you had!  I hope to see you all at the next Starting Line...wherever that may be.

"The Roadmaster"

Sign Up & Sign In BONUS

For those of you who have already registered a team, here's your opportunity to earn some additional BONUS points.  I've added a new feature to the Photos page that allows you to post a comment along with a picture.  Each team member who leaves a message in the Guestbook will earn 5 BONUS points for their team.  So...take a look, sign up and then SIGN IN!

"The Roadmaster"

Welcome VP Community!

VP-30 OSC had decided to open their doors and extend an invitation to their fellow Jacksonville VP squadrons. We're glad to have you. Take a look around, start putting together a team and I'll see you at the START!

"The Roadmaster"

Please Note...The registration deadline has been extended to May 29th. However, the Road Rally will be limited to 28 teams, so sign up before the spaces are gone!

Team Lineup

Check out the new Lineup page for an up-to-date listing of all registered teams. If, for some reason, you have submitted your team info, but are not listed on this page and have not received a confirmation, please resubmit. Check back in the coming weeks for odds and statistics on all teams. Feel free to submit your own projections by commenting below.

"The Roadmaster"

Mother's Day Special

THIS WEEKEND ONLY...Sign your team up no later than Monday, May 10th and receive 15 Bonus points! See you at the starting line and enjoy your Mother's Day.

"The Roadmaster"

Pole Position

Want to get a jump on all the rest?  Here's your opportunity.  Register your team by May 1st and receive 25 bonus points...before you even get out of the gate!

"The Roadmaster"

Get Set...

Mark your calendars...I am excited to announce that VP-30 OSC will be hosting the Road Rally as their June Social Event on June 12th at 2:00pm.  This event will be open to all officers assigned to VP-30, their spouses and their guests.  Any proceeds from the event will be donated to COMPASS Jacksonville, a local organization designed to assist and educate Navy spouses.  Start getting your team together now, so that you can reserve your spot early.  I'll see you at the starting line.

"The Roadmaster"

New & Improved

Take a few moments to check out the new and improved funrallyusa.  Thanks to recent Blogger updates, which now support pages, it is no longer a "webpage," but a "website."  You won't have to scroll down an entire page to find the information you are looking for.  It is neatly categorized into separate pages, which can be accessed through the tabs above the posting section.  Take a look around and enjoy.

"The Roadmaster"

On Your Mark...

Thank you to everyone who visited the site and gave their input in the polls.  Rest assured that the planning is well underway.  I'm working hard to secure the final rally point and will announce the date and time as soon as that's done.  In the meantime, start getting your racing clothes together.  We'll be sticking to our theme of Red, White & Blue.  So, get ready to show your patriotic spirit!

As always, feel free to leave your comments, suggestions or questions at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of the post.

"The Roadmaster"

Questions, Questions...Who's Got The Questions?

I do...And I'd like your input. First let me say "Welcome!" to all of the first time visitors and "Welcome Back!" to any returning participants.  If you like what you see and want to join in the fun, take a few minutes to answer the polls above, so that I can begin planning the details for this year's Road Rally. Your answers will be important in ensuring that as many people can participate, as possible. More participants=More fun! If you have any other comments, please leave them at the bottom of this post. Get your engines tuned up...it's almost GO time!

'Til then,
"The Roadmaster"

Back on the Road Again

Okay folks,
I've worked through all of the issues and am ready to get back on track. With the holidays quickly approaching, I have become very busy. Despite this, I am working on setting up a date (hopefully in the spring) for a future run. I appreciate your patience and enthusiasm and anticipate posting the date in the beggining of the new year. Please check back for that and any other updates that might come up. I hope you can all make it for the Big Day!

Until Then,
"The Roadmaster"

On another note...

You may have noticed that I am no longer in Rhode Island. With that being said, I am brainstorming ideas for my next Road Rally, which I anticipate will be held next spring in Jacksonville, Florida. If you have any comments or suggetions, just post them to the website or e-mail me at theRoadmaster@att.net. Mainly, I'm looking for ideas for the next theme, so let me know what you'd like to see.
Also, if you're anticipating being in the Jacksonville area (or simply curious) and want to keep up with what's going on, be sure to sign up for e-mail updates below. It's the easiest way to stay up-to-date and receive instant notification when changes are made. I look forward to seeing everyone at the next "hunt."

"The Roadmaster"

Maybe next time...

I am disappointed to announce that the Newport Officers' Spouses' Club has unexpectedly cancelled the Road Rally that was to be run on October 17th. Unfortunately, I am currently trying to have all of my supplies and prizes returned to me that were left in Rhode Island for this event. Until this is resolved, I do not anticipate many updates to be posted. Please check back, however, as I hope to be up and running again as soon as possible.

Keeping my chin up!
"The Roadmaster"

Welcome NOSC Members!

I am excited to announce that the Newport Officers' Spouses' Club has decided to invite their members to run the rally as their October social. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone October 17th and am sure you'll enjoy every minute of the fun, just as much as the previous participants did. Please feel free to e-mail me with questions/comments, or post them directly to the site. Some aspects of the road rally may change, and I'll keep everyone updated as more details come in. Also, you can sign up to receive e-mail updates below. I can't wait to see you all at the starting line!

"The Roadmaster"

What's New?

First, I'd like to announce that the intial clue for this run of "The Red, the White & the Blue" will not be posted to the website. This is simply to preserve the possiblity of repeating the rally in the future. If you've already signed up, look for instructions in your Team Captain's inbox.

Second, check out the latest addition...you can now receive updates via e-mail. Simply fill in the form below to subscribe. You'll receive an e-mail each day that new posts are added. No new posts...no e-mail.

That's all for now. See you at the starting line!

"The Roadmaster"

New Polls!

For everyone who missed out on the first run of "The Red, the White & the Blue," for whatever reason, please check out the two new polls I've added. Due to recent Navy-wide changes, we may find ourselves in Newport longer than initially anticipated. If so, it might be possible to run the road rally a second time. I need to guage the interest, however, and find out what month(s) work best for everyone.

Please respond only if you are SERIOUSLY considering taking part, so I can get an accurate count. Naturally, it is only open to those who did not participate the first time around. If you belong to an organization that might be interested in running the rally as a fundraiser, please contact me to discuss this possibility. I've created this event purely for fun and, therefore, collect only enough money to cover my expenses. It could be altered, however, to fit your fundraising needs. Until next time...

Have Fun!
"The Roadmaster"

Slight Delay?

I realize that there was a slight delay in the printing of the advertisement in the Navalog (printed 5/1). I apologize for any problems this may have caused. A few of you have already contacted me about putting together a team at the last minute. I understand that this can take a little time and will try to reserve a spot for you. In the meantime, if anyone else finds themself in a similar situation, please e-mail me and let me know. The registration deadline has passed, but I will try to add your team, if possible. I hope this is helpful and am looking forward to seeing everyone there!

"The Roadmaster"

Almost There

Just a quick reminder that the sign-up deadline is quickly approaching. There are still some spaces available, so send me your team information if you'd like to fill one of these vacancies. I have heard from a few of you who are interested in being paired up with other parties, but am waiting until sign-up ends to actually match people up. I have a strong suspicion there may be more of you out there who do not yet have a complete team. If you'd like to participate, just send me your information, and I'll do my best to form compatible teams. That's all for now.

"The Roadmaster"

Keepin' on Track

Just a few more tidbits...Everything is moving along smoothly as the rally date approaches. You may notice that I've moved the sign-up deadline back two days to May 2nd. This is just due to a calendar error (I can't read the calendar, apparently). I'll need a weeks notice to plan for the number of people/teams, so this is the absolute latest that you can sign up.
Also, I've added a slideshow to the website with photos from a previous road rally that I participated in with some friends (Yes...this was my inspiration!). I hope you enjoy them and maybe even find a little inspiration of your own.

'Til the day we meet once more...
"The Roadmaster"

Keep 'Em Comin'

First let me say that I am really excited about the enthusiastic response I have been receiving. It looks like this is shaping up to be quite a blast. With that in mind, I would like to encourage everyone to post comments and questions directly to the website, so that I can address any questions/concerns to everyone at the same time. Allow me to clarify a few points now.

A few people have asked if it would be beneficial to be familiar with the area. This is a definite "YES!" It sort of "goes with the territory" that familiarity with streets, etc. will help you to get around much more easily and, therefore, quickly. However, possession of a good map (or two) should allow anyone to be able to complete the road rally. Hint: there are various free maps available at the Gateway Visitor's Center on America's Cup Ave.

A point on costumes: These can be as intricate or as simple as you choose. You may take the theme literally or stretch it as far as your imagination will allow. That is entirely up to you. It just makes the road rally more fun (running around in public dressed like a bunch of bumbling buffoons!) and signifies to others that you are participating in an event. Plus... it makes your pictures that much more memorable!

As far as children are concerned, the rally is designed for adults. However, those of you with older children may wish to invite them to participate. Those with younger children may bring them along in their car (even though they are not team members), but this is not very conducive to getting around quickly and, therefore, not recommended. If you do not want to leave your children with a babysitter for more than a few hours, you may bring them along to the dinner/party (see Qualification tab SIGN UP section). On the other hand, you are certainly free to take a night for yourselves to participate in "Grown-up Time."

On a similar note...the puzzles/questions in this road rally are designed to be DIFFICULT (though not entirely impossible). Keep this in mind when deciding who will participate. The intention is to reduce the likelihood that any team will complete everything and receive full points, thereby reducing the likelihood of a tie.

As a reminder, the road rally begins with this website. Do not overlook this important fact, as it may cause you problems "getting out of the gate" and lead to unnecessary "pitstops" further down the road.

"The Roadmaster"