Across this gallery, and the galleries for Leg 1 and Leg 2/Bingo, every rider who submitted photos in scoring is represented with no duplications on locations.

Across this gallery, and the galleries for Leg 1 and Leg 3, every rider who submitted photos in scoring is represented with no duplications on locations.

Across this gallery, and the galleries for Leg 2/Bingo and Leg 3, every rider who submitted photos in scoring is represented with no duplications on locations.

The location in Artemas, Pennsylvania is roughly 2.5 hours from the finish hotel in Coraopolis, PA. This meant that many riders would choose this as their last bonus on the way to the barn. We thought we might have a little fun with that.

The bonus instructions read: “Take a photo of the restaurant building showing either of the “Roadkill Cafe” signs on the front of the restaurant and your own face with your helmet off. Yes, we want a selfie photo here. Your rally flag is not required for this photo.“

We wanted to see their faces on that last night. No helmets allowed. Staff may be regretting that decision as a couple of these guys look like people the FBI would like to have come in for a chat. We also want whatever Ben Ernst had in his tank bag.

Nine of our top ten finishers chose this bonus at the end of their rally.

• From the FJR Forum on 6/18/23: “Wow! Third leg is six days long. Denver to Chicken, AK is 3000 miles. Then to Pittsburgh is 6700 total. And there is a chicken on the poster…”
• The chicken crossing the road… Maybe a choice for the riders about a transcontinental option or a food theme option? (editor note: BINGO on the food theme guess!!)
• Is that a Key West chicken?
• 5 items in the poster means 5 bonus categories, and “Exit 23” in the road sign supports that because 2+3=5.
• The direction the geese are flying must mean we’re going to Canada.
• The peach water tower is in Georgia; there’s a Road Kill Cafe in New Hampshire; the lake looks like the lake of oil created near Bakersfield due to a gusher from an oil drill; the cow must represent the Omaha stockyards; and so on. (editor note: Nope, nope, nope, and nope.)

Mike Heitkamp rode a great rally and finished second on his 2015 BMW R1200GSA with 151,128 points and 13,095 miles. Only 693 points behind James, covering 1,043 fewer miles.

Mike Best finished third on his 2018 Honda Goldwing GL1800 with 147,663 points and 13,059 miles.

In the “One of Them” appetizer posted yesterday; this line was included:

“There are also vets pushing through the night who cannot get enough of this pressure cooker and believe they can catch lightning in a bottle once again.”

James Owen has certainly caught lightning in a bottle, thrice now. Congratulations and well done!

We expect to have a follow up with more details from leg three in a few days.

Complete results are here: /standings/

Hey Lisa, Tulsa was awesome,
but we need major weather events here… and here.
Ian Crafar

Honorable Mentions

We immediately began discussing options and potential scenarios to keep the 2023 IBR on track and to hopefully minimize the impact of this disaster on the riders. We had 106 riders converging on Tulsa, with the possibility of having nowhere to sleep, nowhere to eat, and nowhere to get fuel. We looked at worst case scenarios and started hoping for the best.

After a few brainstorming sessions, discussions with hotel staff (who were in their homes), and rejecting several options as unworkable, a contingency plan emerged from the chaos. We lined up generators to be trucked up from Texas, checked for available rooms within a 50 mile radius (there were none), and looked into party tent rentals, among other options, during the process. The only glimmer of hope was that the hotel is in the same area as a hospital, which is usually prioritized for power restoration.

The plan that made the most sense included posting a message to the call-in bonus line to give the riders a heads up on the conditions in Tulsa. We needed to alert them what to expect and when they called to leave a message for points seemed like the most effective way to do it. We also prepared Dennis Bitner and John Ferber to provide additional info to the riders at the group photo bonus. It was decided to bring the riders in to the Checkpoint in the hotel parking lot (we were given permission to do this), get them checked in and their mileage recorded. Scoring would be deferred for the time being and completed in Denver at Checkpoint 2. We were still working on a solution for feeding everyone, but trucking in boxes of delicious (but cold) pizza was pretty high on the list of options.

Riders who arrived prior to the opening of penalty window would be given the Leg 2 bonus information and be allowed to depart at 8:00pm. Later riders who were in the penalty window would be given the info for Leg 2 on arrival and allowed to depart. Riders who missed the 10:00pm close of the Checkpoint would be a DNF, as is always the case. All riders would be required to take a zero point 6 hour rest bonus starting by midnight on Wednesday. There would be a 10,000 point penalty applied for not taking this rest bonus. This would keep the rally on the correct time schedule and allow the riders the time needed to get away from the area affected by the power outage. With that less than ideal, but workable plan in place, the staff proceeded to load up boxes and start moving.

Just before boarding the Southwest flight to Tulsa (the airport was still open), we received word the hotel had power restored. They didn’t know what the food or fuel situation would be, but it was still great news! In the hours we were in the air, things continued to improve in Tulsa. By the time we arrived at the Checkpoint 1 hotel, the parking lot was overflowing with power company trucks and the hotel was filled with tired linemen. It took a while to check in and get set up, there was still no food available, but we had rooms and air conditioning.

The rally disaster we were facing was averted, thanks to the hard work of the dedicated and exhausted linemen and the great hotel staff at the Tulsa Doubletree Hotel at Warren Place. Our thoughts and prayers are still with the remaining 100,000 people who remain without power in the Tulsa area.

Two-up team Alex Alpert and Vicki Leroux had a great ride and was in 17^th  place at the end of Leg 1. Sadly, family matters called them home and they let the RallyMom know they would not continue with Leg 2 of the rally. We wish them well and safe travels and hope they find things better when they arrive at home.

Despite several riders looking like it might be close getting to Checkpoint 1 in time on the Spotwalla tracking screen, there was only one rider who checked in after 8:00pm, receiving a few penalty points. He will be riding Leg 2, along with the rest of the competitors.