Final Results: Iron Butt Rally 2011

[Sorry followers for the late post today – had trouble with the internet connection this morning.]


The finisher’s banquet was just as eventful as people thought it would be. As the final scoring was finishing up yesterday morning, everyone was talking about points, scores, routes and placement between Leg Two compared to what people had done in Leg Three and their anticipated score. After scoring, the IBR staff audit all the top scores again to make sure of the spread and make any adjustments needed. So no one really knows until it’s announced who the IBR winner is.

Kirsten’s afternoon was a mix of bleary-eyed details: get the dinner tickets, get the bike to the shop for service, take shower, finally, lay down for an anticipated 2 hour nap. Just as she was starting to fall asleep, the phone rings and it’s an IBR staff member saying she needs to come back down in 45 minutes. So the nap turned into 30 minutes of hard sleep and then she headed back down to scoring. Turns out it was for a final interview with the Top 10. As she came down the stairs to join the group, the rally master walked by and voiced my thoughts- what a motley crew! Everyone there had ridden an excellent route, but a very hard Leg Three. Now that they had stopped moving, every step took focus!

The banquet was full of stories as rally banquets are- many people, ok everyone, had at least some form of “if only…” that was eating at them. It amazes me how you start off the rally with the whole country and 11 days in front of you and the deciding point can literally be 3 minutes here to start your rest bonus on time, 60 seconds at the finish to beat the penalty points, or just 5 miles and a left turn to get a state and finish the rally. One fantastic rider, who probably would have been in 2nd or 3rd place, missed Mississippi. By forgetting to put a waypoint in his GPS, he didn’t make the turn, and ended up with a DNF- did not finish- after a hell of a ride. He lived every rider’s fear on this rally and came to the dinner showing grace and honesty- and had a couple drinks bought for him!

There were lots of cheers all around as all the finishers were announced – 76 out of 87 who began the rally. Special awards went to those who successfully completed the Four Corners ride, in the midst of this rally. The interesting thing about the top finishers was that each of the probable routes were represented in the top 10- an Alaska ride, a Four Corners ride, and the State Capitals ride. Then we got to the top 10 announcements- 10, 9, 8, 7, and in 6th place on a RT with 13,110 miles and 23,123 points – Kirsten Talken-Spaulding!  Our friend Roger Sinclair was 4th place (hooray for the showing from Virginia!) Jim Frens in 3rd and Eric Jewell in 2nd. And the winner was a total surprise – no one had really calculated on Peter Behm because he finished both Legs One and Two in 13th place. But he kicked it up to high gear in the final leg and rode a 5,000+ mile route that put him on top. Amazing. 


The rest of the evening was storytelling and congratulations. It was a late night and we’re somewhat rested and lingering over breakfast this morning. We’re on round three of riders cycling through the communal table, some off to start home today. We’re going to pick up Kirsten’s bike later today - it deserved its rest too! Today is a day for relaxation. Tomorrow, Kirsten begins the ride back across the country for home…. maybe via the Motor Maids convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan…
.Read the full IBR report of the final tally.