Are umbrellas allowed for the Solo Self Contained, or are they considered artificial shade ?
Heather "I don’t think an umbrella would be allowed"
Bogie "A similar question would be, what about the shade and draft that cars passing by will give you. For an umbrella, one would either have to hold it with one hand, or mount it somehow. It will add weight and vibration. I have mixed feelings, but i do not see this as a huge advantage especially since everybody could do this"
Marsh "it would be a hassle and probably slow folks down. I'm not sure but I think at the official BW race they are disallowed, Personally I wouldn't mess with one"
Croix "Before I ran the solo, I asked Marshal and it was a definitive no. As I was designing my cart, I hacked up and attached an umbrella to use, but then took it off after asking Marsh. And I agree, it is a form of artificial assistance like a gas station canopy."
Grant Maughan "I don't have a def Yes or No but it would be nice to have but it would be a hassle. One good gust 7 it would be toast, then you would have to carry all that useless debris the whole way..."
Lisa Bliss "My understanding is that carrying an umbrella is technically allowed. However, you would, of course, have to carry it the entire distance, and I would imagine that carrying one (or mounting one to a cart) whose size is large enough to block enough sun to make a difference would be much more of a burden than it's worth. Personally, I would never consider carrying an umbrella.Doing so seems oppositional to the "spirit" of the crossing. It's the desert. It's hot and sunny there. It's July. It's a solo, unassisted crossing."