Angeles Crest 100 Pictures and More
As of the 2000 race, Kathryn Bassett has volunteered to do the updating on this new page - Pictures and Other Links that don’t fit into a category on the main page. If you have AC100 pictures on your web site that you would like to be linked, please email her kathryn@bassett.net with the URL. Note that Kathryn (never shortened please) is not the webmaster for the entire web site, just this page.
Picture links
Finish
Line
Shortcut Saddle
Newcomb Saddle
All along course by Christian PASIN
Explanation of In, Out, Through, and Dropped
Some of the checkpoints are logical rest points. A runner might be "in", be there awhile, then go "out". Or they might just "go on through". Finish Line for some reason is designated as a "through", probably because you go through the poles that hold up the sign. Dropped may be voluntary or because they got to a checkpoint after the cutoff time for continuing.
Tracking the runners - a job for Ham radio communication (link separate only if it gets too lengthy, otherwise leave on page)
what the Ham radio operators do at the checkpoints (and don’t do).
Something about the fact that there are two roles being played at each checkpoint - the racer’s checkpoint leader (need proper term), and the Ham checkpoint leader. Explain what the Hams do at the checkpoints, and what they don’t/can’t do.
the role Data Rock plays
Live updates - what the finish line data coordinator does with the information from Data Rock
Words to fit in appropriate places above. (Originally in my poll)
You may not be aware of the role the Hams play in the race, as there is not a lot of interactions between the running and radio communities. At each checkpoint, the Hams set up their radios with packet stations (like a modem for a radio), and as a runner comes in, out, or through a checkpoint, he or she relays that information to "Data Rock". (A play on words, since finish line is at a ball field called Johnson Rock"). That information gets sent as quickly as possible, but it may be 15 minutes to an hour later if there are problems caused by atmospheric conditions, or any other reason. Once Data Rock receives the information in their computer, the data coordinators have to "massage the data" to make sure there is no "garbage" in the data. That data then is given to the Hams at the finish line packet station, as we frequently get asked for information on runners. This raw data is hard to decipher quickly as it looks like this:
30,1234,T,123,1234,1,KD6KFA
(any guesses?)
Actually, you don't need to guess because I'll tell you. The first field is the actual date, like the 30th. The second is the time of the entry into packet. The third is the activity (the good ole in, out, through, dropped), followed by bib, time, and day; and the last is the call sign of the person who is running the packet station at the checkpoint. So first, to answer an inquiry, someone has to break loose of what they are working on, and scan down the list trying to look in the proper column for the bib number (they are ordered in order of date and time of entry), then look on a chart to see which call sign belongs to which checkpoint. As you can figure, this is very time consuming, and during the last 6 or so hours of the race, is a non-stop job.
Poll (do I want to put this on, or do I have enough date from responses so far?)
Now, on to the poll:
1) Which are you the most interested in?
A) Bib order
B) Time order
C) Both
2) If you had to choose between them, which would you choose?
A) Bib Order
B) Time Order
3) During the last hour of the race, it became impractical to update the web page in the way I had been doing, so I made a list of the people who were still on the trail. As they came in, I eliminated their bib number. In a few cases, there was confusion in regards to "what happened to?" a runner who was out of Sam Merrill or Millard but was no longer mentioned, even after the final post. Keep in mind that the information I'm giving is *not* the official data. The official data of who dropped, and finish time including seconds, is provided by Andy Morehead the official timekeeper. Some of the packet entries of raw data have to be added or corrected a day or two later in the database kept by the Hams, so info from the last couple checkpoints may not show up on the web page as having gotten into finish line. The *drops* should all be reflected, however, so if they are out of Sam Merrill or Millard, then they crossed finish line. The drop at Millard will be noted. With this background in mind, here's the question.
Were you watching during the last 15 minutes when I was updating within 2 minutes of when the runner came in?
A) Yes
B) No
4) The updates were sporadic - sometimes two updates in one hour, sometimes it was a couple hours between. For the most part this was because of technical difficulties on the part of Data Rock. How often did you check the page for the updates?
A) Before I went to bed, and after I got up, and just once or twice otherwise
B) Every 3-4 hours
C) Every 1-2 hours
D) I stayed glued, and refreshed my browser every few minutes - hoping for an update
5) Once this procedure becomes more polished, how often would you like to see the page updated?
A) Every 3 hours is fine
B) Every 2 hours
C) Every 1 hour
D) Every 1/2 hour
6) Would you prefer that comments I put in be at the top or the bottom of the list of runners (would you scroll down to see if there are any new messages at the bottom?)
A) Top
B) Bottom
7) Is there any other information you would like to see provided? (freeform question)
Please, please, please - When you respond to this poll, please edit out the main part of this message. Or better yet, just make a new message to me with answers (1A, 2A, 3B etc) and subject line of AC100 poll (so they sort together). This will make it much easier for me to tally the answers.