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MAP,
DIRECTIONS
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Rolls are held on "The Course", which:
- Begins at the bottom of Tech Ave(right in front of Margaret Morrison's rotunda thingy
and by the CFA parking lot),
- Runs up Tech Ave between the old gym and GSIA / Posner
- Crosses Frew and runs along Schenley Drive, which encircles Flagstaff hill
- Passes Phipps Conservatory and goes to the left of The Monument
- Takes a right onto Frew Street
- Follows Frew behind Scaife / Porter / Baker / Hunt to the finish line (shortly
before the interesection with Tech Ave).
A map can be
found here. The red X denotes
CIA's staging area (inside the glass lobby in the back of GSIA / Posner). Walking directions
to our staging area can be found here.
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Rolls occur Saturday and Sunday mornings during most of the fall semester (usually
until the snow flies) and from mid-February through Carnival (late April) in the
spring. Exact start / end dates for rolls vary by year; your chairperson will
email data to you as soon as s/he gets that data. If you're interested in staying ahead
of the game, subscribe to the assocs.sweepstakes bboard.
On a roll day, preparations by mechanics and drivers begin about two hours before sunrise
(see
below for a timeline of what happens and the
current events page for current times).
Pushers usually don't show up until about half an hour before we start rolling, to
give themselves time to warm up and stretch out. We then roll from shortly before
sunrise until 9:00 a.m. It's early, but it's strangely addictive. :-)
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Each organization involved in buggy is assigned a portion of the work needed to prepare the
course for rolls each weekend. Some teams sweep leaves and rocks off the course in the mornings,
some man barricades stopping cars from entering the course, and some haul hay bales to the chute.
CIA bags parking meters. This means that at 8:00pm on the day preceding a roll day (i.e. Friday
and/or Saturday evening), a group of CIA members walks around the course and places yellow plastic
"No Parking" bags over all the parking meters; it usually takes 30-45 minutes, which isn't
too bad. The optimal number of baggers is at least 3 or 4; much less and it takes quite a bit longer.
Baggers meet at the buggy room to get the bags shortly
before 8:00pm. This is something the organization is responsible for; each member is strongly
encouraged to help out with this task at least once a semester.
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Basic rolls timeline
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Sunrise - 2.5h |
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Mechanics get wakeup calls |
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Sunrise - 2.25h |
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Mechanics show up at buggy room |
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Sunrise - 2h |
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Drivers show up at GSIA |
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Sunrise - 1.75h |
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Drop tests & coursewalks start |
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Sunrise - 0.75h |
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Pushers get wakeup calls |
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Sunrise - 0.5h |
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Pushers arrive at GSIA for warmups |
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Sunrise |
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Rolls start! Whoohoo! |
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9:00am |
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Rolls stop! Booooo! |
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9:10am |
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Carry buggies and gear back to buggy room |
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9:30am |
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Go make large quantities of pancakes! Whoohoo! |
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Mechanics
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During rolls, mechanics are responsible for hauling equipment to
GSIA, prepping buggies, loading drivers, keeping tabs on
any incidental damage done to the buggies during rolls, moving buggies to and from the course,
catching buggies at the end of Hill 5, and any other tasks that come up that are related to the buggies
or drivers. A couple mechanics need to accompany the drivers and chairperson on the coursewalk to watch
for and clear any rocks, branches, or other debris along our line. Between rolls, mechanics need to talk
with their drivers to make sure any problems that developed during the previous roll are dealt with.
In short, the mechanics are responsible for the drivers and buggies whenever they're not actually rolling.
Safety first! Mechanics report to the head mechanic, the chairperson, and the assistant chairperson.
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Drivers
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Hmm, this is a tough one, isn't it? :) Drivers show up almost as early as mechanics so that we can do
"drop tests" (a simple brake test, similar to capes). Once drops are completed (each buggy
that's rolling that day must complete one), all drivers go on a coursewalk with the chairperson and
some mechanics. During coursewalk, the driver should mentally prepare him/herself for rolls, review
the line, and go over any feedback from the last time s/he rolled. Drivers shouldn't worry about the condition
of the course unless they notice something no one else did; the mechanics are along to look for debris and such
to allow the drivers to concentrate on driving. After walks, drivers have a bit of a break before loading into
the buggies. Shortly before rolls start, the mechanics will get the buggies prepped and load the drivers.
Then, it's rolls rolls rolls! Drivers should be sure to complain if something is bothering them (ill-adjusted
harness, fogging problems, etc.), since that's the only way to get it fixed. :) Driving details are discussed
with each driver individually; wouldn't want to let all those secrets out in the open, now would we?
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Pushers
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Pushers have the simplest, yet the most physically demanding, job of all
CIA folk. During rolls, pushers practice pushing, on the hills assigned by the
push captains. Practicing not only solo pushing technique but exchanges is
a vital part of rolls. Pushers also help carry buggies to the street just
before a roll; ask a mechanic about proper buggy-carrying technique. If there
are enough pushers out (and we're short on support people), pushers may be
pressed into service to help time their compatriots.
It's also the responsibility of pushers to debag between rolls and help the
mechanics carry the buggy gear back to the
buggy room after rolls.
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Support
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Support crew has the most eclectic list of jobs of them all. :-) During rolls, support people
man the second transistion and chute flags (targets for the buggy drivers, and
crucial for safe rolls), time the pushers, drive the follow car, photograph rolls
(and other CIA events), and relay messages. Without this behind-the-scenes
work, CIA buggy would run about as smoothly as the stubble of a mechanic who's been
in the garage for three days straight. ;)
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Or, "Where do I get
my anti-r*** dance outfit?"
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In the event of precipitation or excessive ice on the course, it is possible
that rolls will be cancelled. However, always assume there will be rolls unless you
hear otherwise! If they are cancelled, your chairperson will email all of CIA as
soon as s/he finds out; often the post goes to assocs.sweepstakes slightly before
the chairperson gets the information, so checking there might give you a slightly
earlier indication. If you don't have email access at home, feel free to call the
chairperson's home phone; s/he will change the message on his/her answering machine
as soon as possible after rolls are cancelled (the number is 412-681-9541 for the
'01-'02 school year). NOTE, HOWEVER: even if rolls are cancelled, CIA
needs to remove the no-parking bags. Unless an email goes out saying otherwise,
please meet at the buggy room at 8:00am
to debag. The more the merrier!
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