Carl Stark
Active member
The third annual Wyoming Rally is in the bag and was a smashing
success! The Wyoming Rally is an 8 hour rally and had 11 entrants (9
solo riders and 2 two up riders). We collected $1000 for the local
KARES program, which works with autistic and developmentally disabled
children providing both respite and rehabilitation care. The money
came from registration fees and generous donations from Jayne Gourley,
Tamara and Stephen Vook, Mark Hill, Michael Boge (when Michael
registered he added a donation and then was not able to attend the
rally and he donated his entire registration fee also), Paul Peloquin,
and Rick Harvey.
Everyone that was involved, the riders, rally masters, volunteers and
even the kids at KARES had a great time. First off, we would like to
thank Dave McQueeney for all of his expert advice and the help he gave
us with making the bonus sheets look and read as professional as they
could be considering they were done by a couple of fairly computer
illiterate folks, designing the scoring sheet and providing us with an
immense amount of moral support. We truly enjoyed hosting him and
sharing our home with him for the time he was here. The rally flags
were hand painted by the kids at KARES. They had fun painting them and
they turned out very colorful and heartwarming. We had very dedicated,
conscientious volunteers to help with registration, scoring and the
“fake” odometer check which lead to the Mystery Bonus that was only
described as “You will know it when you see it”. The riders were the
best any rally master could ask for, a pleasant, fun loving bunch of
folks. We took many rides (two wheeled and four wheeled) over the past
year hunting bonuses .
Friday evening was registration and distribution of bonus packets. We
had a volunteer set up with one of our R80GS’s to appear as though it
was broken down, rear tire off, inner tube hanging from the handle
bars and he was looking as distraught as possible. The riders were
sent out to do an odometer check that took them past the “broken down
BMW”. This is where the “Mystery Bonus” comes in. This mystery bonus
came to be after we were gone for 2 months on motorcycles in Canada
and Alaska. On our ride we had 4 flat tires and a broken piston and
each time we were broke down, alongside the road, we were amazed at
how many motorcyclists rode by and did not stop to see if we needed
help. After about 5,000 miles of ruminating on this, the mystery bonus
was born. The bonus was claimed when the rally rider stopped and asked
if the distraught rider needed help. We were pleased that all but one
rider stopped. In his defense there was someone else, not in the
rally, stopped and talking to the broken down rider. The riders were
sent off for the evening to plan their ride for the next day with 71
boni that could take them to Cheyenne, Cody and Casper, Wyoming,
Sturgis and Rapid City, South Dakota, Harlowton, Terry and Cooke City,
Montana. Saturday morning we arrived at rally headquarters with a
good drizzle of rain coming down. Of course, the rally master had
three last minute bonus locations to hand out and then sent the riders
out at straight up 8:00AM. Scott Benson said just what many have
said, “I don’t mind riding in the rain but I hate starting a ride in
the rain”. This sentiment was felt by many. The only other bonus
besides the mystery bonus that was not available from 8-4 was a bonus
across the street from the rally headquarters. This was done so that
we, the staff, could enjoy watching the riders get off and on their
bikes and claim their first bonus of the day. To our surprise 2 out of
11 did not claim this bonus for whatever reason.
One rider, Jack and Marlene Backer, had a Spot tracker and we enjoyed
watching them on their journey and matching it up with the rain that
hovered over most of the bonus locations most of the morning. The
riders were due in at 4PM and all but one gets in on time. This is
much better than last year when 70% of the entrants did not finish. Of
the 71 bonuses available, the riders managed to hit all but 20 of our
bonus locations by heading out in all four directions.
Rally results are as follows:
First place overall and 2up with 4581 points was Jack and Marlene Backer.
Second place overall and 2 up with 4336 points was Stephen and Tamara Vook.
First place solo with 4152 was DeVern Gerber.
Second place solo with 3974 was a tie by Ken and Linda Schleman.
Third place solo with 3841 was Ed Gourley.
Mark Hill claimed the most bonuses (25), earning 3422 points and was
the most efficient by obtaining 13.37 bonus points per mile.
Scott Benson was the second most efficient with 2345 points.
Doug Plumley, 2164 points, without a doubt was the most excited rider
returning to rally headquarters.
Rick Tripp, 2001 points, his first rally attempt on his own.
Jack and Marlene Backer have attended all three Wyoming Rallies and
have taken first place overall and 2up class each time. This year they
had 245 more points than the second place couple. While auditing the
riders score sheets we noticed that Stephen and Tamara Vook missed the
las tbonus listed which was worth 555 points. The bonus read:
"71. Stupid Hurts Points 555 Available 8-4
Take 5 minutes to remember that a great rally is the one that you
return home from safe and undamaged. STUPID HURTS". 555 points left
on the table, ouch!
The rider who did not finish was Jeff Olson. He had a flat tire just
outside of Rapid City and was late returning to rally headquarters.
Jeff had a big route planned going to Rapid City and Mount Rushmore.
Jeff was one of the riders who DNF’d last year, also, having had
mechanical problems.
Mark your calendars for next year’s 4th annual Wyoming Rally.
Carl & Jonnie
AVRM
Click here for slideshow of Rally Headquarters: https://tinyurl.com/3sc34f6
success! The Wyoming Rally is an 8 hour rally and had 11 entrants (9
solo riders and 2 two up riders). We collected $1000 for the local
KARES program, which works with autistic and developmentally disabled
children providing both respite and rehabilitation care. The money
came from registration fees and generous donations from Jayne Gourley,
Tamara and Stephen Vook, Mark Hill, Michael Boge (when Michael
registered he added a donation and then was not able to attend the
rally and he donated his entire registration fee also), Paul Peloquin,
and Rick Harvey.
Everyone that was involved, the riders, rally masters, volunteers and
even the kids at KARES had a great time. First off, we would like to
thank Dave McQueeney for all of his expert advice and the help he gave
us with making the bonus sheets look and read as professional as they
could be considering they were done by a couple of fairly computer
illiterate folks, designing the scoring sheet and providing us with an
immense amount of moral support. We truly enjoyed hosting him and
sharing our home with him for the time he was here. The rally flags
were hand painted by the kids at KARES. They had fun painting them and
they turned out very colorful and heartwarming. We had very dedicated,
conscientious volunteers to help with registration, scoring and the
“fake” odometer check which lead to the Mystery Bonus that was only
described as “You will know it when you see it”. The riders were the
best any rally master could ask for, a pleasant, fun loving bunch of
folks. We took many rides (two wheeled and four wheeled) over the past
year hunting bonuses .
Friday evening was registration and distribution of bonus packets. We
had a volunteer set up with one of our R80GS’s to appear as though it
was broken down, rear tire off, inner tube hanging from the handle
bars and he was looking as distraught as possible. The riders were
sent out to do an odometer check that took them past the “broken down
BMW”. This is where the “Mystery Bonus” comes in. This mystery bonus
came to be after we were gone for 2 months on motorcycles in Canada
and Alaska. On our ride we had 4 flat tires and a broken piston and
each time we were broke down, alongside the road, we were amazed at
how many motorcyclists rode by and did not stop to see if we needed
help. After about 5,000 miles of ruminating on this, the mystery bonus
was born. The bonus was claimed when the rally rider stopped and asked
if the distraught rider needed help. We were pleased that all but one
rider stopped. In his defense there was someone else, not in the
rally, stopped and talking to the broken down rider. The riders were
sent off for the evening to plan their ride for the next day with 71
boni that could take them to Cheyenne, Cody and Casper, Wyoming,
Sturgis and Rapid City, South Dakota, Harlowton, Terry and Cooke City,
Montana. Saturday morning we arrived at rally headquarters with a
good drizzle of rain coming down. Of course, the rally master had
three last minute bonus locations to hand out and then sent the riders
out at straight up 8:00AM. Scott Benson said just what many have
said, “I don’t mind riding in the rain but I hate starting a ride in
the rain”. This sentiment was felt by many. The only other bonus
besides the mystery bonus that was not available from 8-4 was a bonus
across the street from the rally headquarters. This was done so that
we, the staff, could enjoy watching the riders get off and on their
bikes and claim their first bonus of the day. To our surprise 2 out of
11 did not claim this bonus for whatever reason.
One rider, Jack and Marlene Backer, had a Spot tracker and we enjoyed
watching them on their journey and matching it up with the rain that
hovered over most of the bonus locations most of the morning. The
riders were due in at 4PM and all but one gets in on time. This is
much better than last year when 70% of the entrants did not finish. Of
the 71 bonuses available, the riders managed to hit all but 20 of our
bonus locations by heading out in all four directions.
Rally results are as follows:
First place overall and 2up with 4581 points was Jack and Marlene Backer.
Second place overall and 2 up with 4336 points was Stephen and Tamara Vook.
First place solo with 4152 was DeVern Gerber.
Second place solo with 3974 was a tie by Ken and Linda Schleman.
Third place solo with 3841 was Ed Gourley.
Mark Hill claimed the most bonuses (25), earning 3422 points and was
the most efficient by obtaining 13.37 bonus points per mile.
Scott Benson was the second most efficient with 2345 points.
Doug Plumley, 2164 points, without a doubt was the most excited rider
returning to rally headquarters.
Rick Tripp, 2001 points, his first rally attempt on his own.
Jack and Marlene Backer have attended all three Wyoming Rallies and
have taken first place overall and 2up class each time. This year they
had 245 more points than the second place couple. While auditing the
riders score sheets we noticed that Stephen and Tamara Vook missed the
las tbonus listed which was worth 555 points. The bonus read:
"71. Stupid Hurts Points 555 Available 8-4
Take 5 minutes to remember that a great rally is the one that you
return home from safe and undamaged. STUPID HURTS". 555 points left
on the table, ouch!
The rider who did not finish was Jeff Olson. He had a flat tire just
outside of Rapid City and was late returning to rally headquarters.
Jeff had a big route planned going to Rapid City and Mount Rushmore.
Jeff was one of the riders who DNF’d last year, also, having had
mechanical problems.
Mark your calendars for next year’s 4th annual Wyoming Rally.
Carl & Jonnie
AVRM
Click here for slideshow of Rally Headquarters: https://tinyurl.com/3sc34f6
