Announcement: The first ever Oppo Road Rally (With Updates)

"Dusty Ventures" (dustyventures)
09/21/2016 at 14:00 • Filed to: Oppo rally

What’s better than an Oppomeet? An Oppomeet with bragging rights!

The Oppositelock Tour de Connecticut rally will be a single-day event across Connecticut. Competitors will be initially scored at the start line based on their vehicle (using a points system based on the Jalopmeter, exact scoring to be announced later), themes/costumes, and distance traveled to participate. Additional points can be earned along the route by hitting various checkpoints, making impressive roadside repairs, helping other competitors with their own roadside repairs, and various other noteworthy feats.

This is not a speed-based event. Being first to the finish line not only won’t make you the winner, but it will almost certainly mean you’ll have one of the lowest scores. Cars/teams can have a minimum of one person and a maximum of however many working seatbelts the car has. Any vehicle is eligible so long as it’s registered and insured. Bikes, trikes, sidecars, box trucks, duck boats, and 18 wheelers are welcome (and encouraged).

Here are the bits that are to be decided, and require Oppo’s input:
•The start/end points are going to be Douglas, MA and Greenwich, CT. Whether we go Douglas>Greenwich or Greenwich>Douglas is open.
•The date. I’m planning on putting this on in March, April, or May 2017. Interested in hearing what’s best for Oppos, as well as whether a Saturday or a Sunday would be preferred.

UPDATES: Consensus seems to be more towards May, so that’s where I’m going to aim to put it. I won’t be able to give specific possible weekends until Rally America and the ARA release their 2017 rally schedules. It will definitely be on a Saturday. Currently leaning toward starting in Greenwich and ending in Douglas.

If any of the people interested want to get on the mailing list early, leave your email in the comments or send me a message at howdeedoodat@gmail.com. Also, feel free to spread the word to those outside of Oppo. All are welcome to participate.

DISCUSSION (100)

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:01

man id love to do that if the RX7 swap is done. Its a ways away tho...

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:06

Being first will mean last in points. Maybe I could actually win that.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:06

i could be in on this.

they-will-know-my-velocity > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:10

Damn Yankees. Ain’t going to no gotdamned kinnectut.

No but really, come rally in Texas. We even have a rally school about 3 miles from CoTA in Austin.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:12

I’ll follow behind Opposaurus and give him that inevitable lift to the finish line.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:13

Definitely interested! You should probably start accruing email addresses for interested people so that you can coordinate details. Kinja sucks for that sort of thing. I would prefer a Saturday so that I can hang out and maybe stay someplace overnight rather than having to drive all the way home to NJ. Any particular reason for the focus to stay on CT/MA? Could always consider VT/NH for more interesting terrain.

Also, I really hope you are planning on avoiding interstates for this rally. I would enjoy exploring some dirt roads too as long as it isnt “real” off roading.

EL_ULY > they-will-know-my-velocity
09/21/2016 at 14:22

marshknute > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:23

I’m down for that! I live a few towns away from Greenwich, so I’d prefer to start there and end in MA, but it’s not a deal breaker if it’s the other way around.

Although Saturday mornings in Greenwich are fantastic because Miller Motorcars is open, customers haven’t showed up yet, and plebs are allowed to wander the showrooms and ogle the supercars.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:26

I find this idea intriguing, but the 15hr drive each way might make the logistics a bit difficult. haha

bob and john > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:29

....this sounds like fun. probably need to find a hotel or somewhere to crash, but i might be in.

The Lurktastic Opponaught > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:30

Near enough to my neck of the woods to work, and enough notice to not be booked already. Good deal. I’m interested, especially if it’s a Saturday.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:35

Kinja'd!!!

After an embarrassing defeat at Oppo Meet 2016, team Cletus-Vette won’t back down from a road trip. See you there.

Liam Farrell > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:37

I'd be interested, I'm not that far away. My mom grew up in that area. So if I took the rover, I could have an 11 person team?

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > bob and john
09/21/2016 at 14:37

Camp site if its warm enough! I plan on camping out at whichever area the rally ends out. Could be fun to have a post-rally bonfire!

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
09/21/2016 at 14:38

There should be a bonus for coming in 5th place or something like that.

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:41

Bonus points for buying a Craigslist car the day before the event, right?

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
09/21/2016 at 14:41

Road trip!

bob and john > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
09/21/2016 at 14:43

ehhh...I’ll admit i’m not much of a camping person.

I’ll have to see.

ttyymmnn > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:45

Sounds like a blast. But I’m in Texas. :(

Milky > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:46

Pencil me in for interested. Taking a vacation in the NYC/Philly area was already in the plans. May I ask why Douglas, MA?

Pixel > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:46

Sounds epic. And I should have the drivetrain & suspension swap on the truck done by then, so I won’t Valdez the starting line.

Kinja'd!!!

Heck, I can tow this monstrosity as the support trailer, assuming nothing structural has rotted off by then.

Kinja'd!!!

I concur on getting email addresses and doing all the vital co-coordinating that way, as I have missed many important posts for stuff on Kinja.

Sam > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:47

I’d say put it more towards May, so that some of us who are further away have time to prepare. And wI’ll there be stickers? Because I’m only in it for the stickers.

Sam > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
09/21/2016 at 14:48

We could get the Midwest group from Oppomeet together and roadtrip out there!

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Pixel
09/21/2016 at 14:48

I REALLY want to get a shot of your awesome truck with my Corvette. Love that thing.

PanchoVilleneuve ST > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 14:49

This sounds fucking perfect for me, since I live in Stamford, right next to the finish point.

Also, being slightly selfish, late April, early May would be ideal for me because that’s when I swap my FoST back over to summer rubber (since we always get that one last fuck you snowstorm in early April). And since this is Oppo and the attendance will be like 90% ST Fords, I’m sure others will agree with me.

Also, doing this kind of road rally thing would be best if we had designated meeting points, for things like lunch and other points of interest.

An entertaining route would be to take advantage of all the old “paved-over colonial cart paths that don’t pass by anything in particular or connect much of note that isn’t better served by the proper highways that cross the state” that northern CT is full of, heading across the state to North Canaan and taking pretty much the entirety of Route 7 down to the Merritt and taking that into Greenwich.

Also, that drive would be fucking gorgeous in the fall. Speaking of, I was actually thinking about setting up a CT/MA Oppo meetup once there’s color in southern Mass to do the Mohawk trail.

PanchoVilleneuve ST > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
09/21/2016 at 14:53

Speaking as a CT Oppo, and seeing lots of people mention they’re from around here, there is a disporpotionate amount of CT Oppos, it’s pretty central for the whole Northeastern US, so it’s reasonable for NY/NJ/CT/MA/NH/VT/ME Oppos to attend.

PanchoVilleneuve ST > marshknute
09/21/2016 at 14:55

And taking a route up Route 7 means we get to drive past Alfas Unlimited, which is always nice to slow to a crawl past. They currently have a brown GTV6 parked in front that I want BADLY.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
09/21/2016 at 14:55

You gonna take the E36? ;)

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Sam
09/21/2016 at 14:55

This idea intrigues me as well.

PanchoVilleneuve ST > bob and john
09/21/2016 at 14:58

If you need a place to stay on the Greenwich end, Stamford is, surprisingly, a major business destination (it’s second only to Manhattan in the NY Metro Area for corporate headquarters/regional offices) and as such is full of fucking hotels of pretty much every price range.

Pixel > PanchoVilleneuve ST
09/21/2016 at 15:14

What if I want a hotel for sleeping and not fucking?

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
09/21/2016 at 15:15

Detroit Craigslist is full of strange, wondrous jalopies that are perfect for this

RallyWrench > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 15:16

This is has the potential to be all-time Oppo Platinum material, wish I could participate.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
09/21/2016 at 15:17

Or bonus for podium with the slowest 0-60 time and top speed or hp or something.

Dusty Ventures > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
09/21/2016 at 15:19

I will absolutely give someone bonus points for this

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
09/21/2016 at 15:25

I like this idea. TG style challenge?

yamahog > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 15:29

Towards the end of that timeframe I may be able to show up with something that will blow your doors off. I mean definitely stay within posted speed limits.

Eberle-Hills-Cop > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 15:29

I’m down, and would also be willing to help organize/work if this is a checkpoint TSD type thing.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Milky
09/21/2016 at 15:30

Greenwich CT is in the south west corner of CT. Douglas MA is just over the border from north east CT.

PanchoVilleneuve ST > Pixel
09/21/2016 at 15:30

I’m sure you can do that too, if you’re a bit of a weirdo.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 15:32

Count me in. I would prefer May because I will be out of school then and have more free time.

Bourbon&JellyBeans > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 15:39

Connecticut...yikes. Anyone wanting to do this in the DC area lemme know! Hope all goes well with the meet!

Justin Hughes > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 15:45

How can I not? Later rather than earlier in the spring means a better chance I’ll bring my bike. Oppo is sick of hearing about my BRZ by now. :)

EDIT: The wife has overruled me and said we should bring her EcoBoost Flex with Fluffy Bunny sticker. I can not argue with this logic, because bonus points.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
09/21/2016 at 15:49

Fly out and rent a car and win because it’s always the fastest

71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 15:57

OMGF, I’m so down!

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
09/21/2016 at 16:00

Thought about that too, but I’m trying to keep costs down as much as possible next year while also trying to do race car things.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > bob and john
09/21/2016 at 16:08

Always AirBnB

shop-teacher > Justin Hughes
09/21/2016 at 16:09

She’s right.

They’re always freaking right, aren’t they?

shop-teacher > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 16:11

Sounds amazing. Being so far away during the school year means there is about a 0.001% chance of me participating, unfortunately.

Justin Hughes > shop-teacher
09/21/2016 at 16:17

Not always. But in this case, she’s totally right. We shall make our opponents tremble in fear of our Flex and the choo-choo of its blowoff valves.

Under_Score > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 16:31

Razor scooter!!!!

Dusty Ventures > Under_Score
09/21/2016 at 16:46

Bonus points if you do

Dusty Ventures > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
09/21/2016 at 17:04

CT because there are a lot of Oppos in the southern New England and greater NYC metro area, this should be within range of all of them.

Dusty Ventures > Milky
09/21/2016 at 17:11

The Squirrel got it

Dusty Ventures > Sam
09/21/2016 at 17:13

I can make stickers happen

bhtooefr > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 17:21

This sounds amazing, just not sure if I’d have the time to get there. Looks like about 9 hours to Greenwich, 11 to Douglas. If I’d be able to do it, I suspect a Saturday would be best - take Friday off work.

Also, fun fact: I can make my Prius score 5 points higher on the Jalopmeter than my Miata, and it only requires rules lawyering on one question.

Dusty Ventures > Liam Farrell
09/21/2016 at 17:32

If all 11 have belts

Liam Farrell > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 17:34

Yes. But it might be a little far to drive in that

Under_Score > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 18:56

I’m not coming, though, obviously. Sorry.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 21:36

Interested.

Would suggest late April/May as March/early April can still be rainy/shitty.

Either direction, or weekend day.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
09/21/2016 at 21:58

Or bonus points for a good number-of-breakdowns-to-percieved-vehicle-unreliability ratio. I think I’ll win that.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
09/21/2016 at 22:00

So if I put a fog machine in the engine bay of the 4runner and say it’s overheating does that mean I win?

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
09/21/2016 at 22:04

No but if you say start with a 250k mile german car and finish with no breakdowns you should get all the points.

Agrajag > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 22:06

I think this would be awesome. A sunday in march or april would work best for me, but I could in no way commit at this point.

No preference on start/finish order.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
09/21/2016 at 22:08

Or a stanced car and don’t crack the oil pan

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
09/21/2016 at 22:10

Or if you get an Allroad to the starting line, let alone finishing with it.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
09/21/2016 at 22:13

I’d be impressed if a cali oppo managed to get an Allroad there

Dusty Ventures > yamahog
09/21/2016 at 22:48

So...... not a Jeep?

Stef Schrader > Dusty Ventures
09/21/2016 at 23:48

Are there extra points for licking a car?

(Note: I don’t want to lick a car again.)

Dusty Ventures > Stef Schrader
09/21/2016 at 23:57

Yes. Yes there are. Licking a car is a good points bonus

interstate366, now In The Industry > Bourbon&JellyBeans
09/22/2016 at 00:14

I’ve been thinking about a Richmond-area meet at some point.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Dusty Ventures
09/22/2016 at 07:28

Makes sense, I mean CT is definitely a hell of a lot closer for me than my suggestion anyways lol.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > PanchoVilleneuve ST
09/22/2016 at 07:29

Yup, hoping the drive starts in CT and not MA. That would make it super easy to get to from NJ.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
09/22/2016 at 07:30

Well I can do pretty well then with a Miata for low hp bonus!

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
09/22/2016 at 07:31

I’d be impressed if a NY oppo managed to get an Allroad there, much less CA haha.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Santiago of Escuderia Boricua
09/22/2016 at 07:33

Only if you buy it sight-unseen and get the sketchiest possible example of said car, ala roadkill style.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Dusty Ventures
09/22/2016 at 07:35

Only if it’s rusty though!

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > PanchoVilleneuve ST
09/22/2016 at 07:37

Interested in your Fall meet, that sounds fun! Never really explored CT/MA much outside of going to Boston.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
09/22/2016 at 08:35

But rainy/shitty makes it even better! Driving in nice weather is so predictable and easy. Perfect top down weather is when everyone else thinks it is miserable outside. Haha I would definitely prefer it nice though so that I dont need to keep my snow tires on.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
09/22/2016 at 11:49

Do you have a white beetle?

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
09/22/2016 at 13:21

No it’s a Morris Marina