After a three-legged red-eye air journey that took nine hours, and one last night at the Iron Butt Motel, I arrived at rally HQ before 9AM. Coincidentally Roger Van Santen was on the same flight from DFW to Tulsa, and invited me to ride with him and his wife to the rally HQ. That was great, riding with friends instead of taking a taxi. I went through the scoring process as if I had finished. This was part of my Spank learning experience, as I had made a few small errors that cost me some points. George was kind enough to allow my final few bonuses that I would have earned had the bike not broken. My total score, had I not broken down, would have earned me fourth place. It is no small consolation. I knew I rode a great rally.
Congratulations to Matt Watkins, first place, Tom and Rosie Sperry, second place, and Mark Crane, third. Obviously I was a DNF, but still it was a little surprising to not have my name called, and especially disappointing to not receive my finishers plaque. It's my first experience as a DNF, and hopefully my last. Traditionally DNFs are not mentioned at all during the banquet, no matter how heroic their efforts may have been. George had custom plaques printed for each rider, so there's one with my name on it that went into the garbage can.
Here are all the official daily rally reports.
http://www.sierraresearch.com/
http://www.sierraresearch.com/
http://www.sierraresearch.com/mc/
http://www.sierraresearch.com/
http://www.sierraresearch.com/
http://www.sierraresearch.com/
http://www.sierraresearch.com/
http://www.sierraresearch.com/
http://www.sierraresearch.com/
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