Tuesday, October 3, 2017

The Big As Texas Rally - 2017

Welcome to the Big As Texas Party and Rally. This year’s ride event gives those who signed up an exciting opportunity to experience a taste of the famous Iron Butt Rally “The World’s Toughest Motorcycle Rally”TM

With permission of the IBR Rally/Route Master, we are using all the 2017 IBR bonus locations in Texas.  To be a finisher riders will have 24 hours to ride a minimum of 1,000 miles, visiting at least 6 of the IBR bonus locations.  Riders received the rally information package along with the BAT Rally Book and companion GPS waypoint files that contain the planning information.  Including the suggested GPS route for the SaddleSore 1,000. We modified the waypoints in the GPX and GDB files to assign bonus point values and availability to the standard three letter bonus code. This is for the convenience of the riders who have not yet experienced the complexities of rally route planning.

The BAT Rally is a transition ride event designed to exposed new members of the Iron Butt Association to the sport of competitive motorcycle rallying.  We have designed it to appeal to several different level of long-distance riders.  And, depending on the option a rider chooses, it can be as simple as ride through a series of locations along a suggested route.  Or, attack the bonus listing and craft the best route of a full blown competitive rally.  There are three options of participation for the BAT Rally:

  • BAT Rally SaddleSore 1000 – EzPz Point to Point:  Picture only, regardless of bonus time availability
  • BAT Rally SaddleSore 1000 – Bonus points awarded for meeting location and availability requirements
  • BAT Rally – Open Route:  Craft you own route with a minimum of 1,000 miles and 6 bonuses

The BAT Rally will recognize all finishers with a custom IBA certificate presented by Mike Kneebone, President of the IBA.  But, in addition to the top three point scoring riders we will recognize other "Distinguished Finishers" in a variety of categories.  This helps spread the notoriety and the allows participants to apply their ridecraft to focus on a particular goal.  Hey, it's all about having fun, right?

The BAT Rally animated SpotWalla Location Page shows the location, during the rally, of those riders how have joined the page.


Registered Riders

List of BAT Riders with SpotWalla links:
Allen Dye 1994 BMW R1100RS
Dan Lessert 2014 Honda CTX1300
Daniel Wallander 2005 Suzuki VStrom
Danny Dossman 2010 Honda ST1300
David Uhl 2015 Harley-Davidson Street Glide
Dennis Archer 2008 BMW R1200RT
Douglas McCleary 2013 Yamaha FJR
Gary Huff 2016 BMW R1200RT
Glenn Royal 2014 BMW GSA
James Cook 2017 Ducati Multistrada Enduro
James Craig 2016 BMW R1200GS Adventure
James Judge 2011 Harley-Davidson Street Glide
Jeffrey Konicek 2004 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad
John Hansen 2017 Harley-Davidson Road Glide
Kenneth Andrews 2016 Harley-Davidson Road Glide
Kevin Landis 2013 Honda NC700XDCT
Mark Campbell 2016 Honda Gold Wing
Matt Watkins 2017 BMW R1200GSA
Michael Schuster 2011 Victory Cross  Country
Robert Hall 2005 Honda ST1300
Robert Rehkopf 2014 BMW R1200RT
Spencer Bennett 1995 BMW R1100 R
Steve Wishard 2015 Suzuki DL650 V-Strom

Distinguished Finisher - Instead of the typical competitive rally where “winner takes all” the BAT Rally recognized finishers who distinguish themselves in many different categories.  All BAT Rally finishers received a handsome IBA BAT Rally certificate suitable for framing.  “Distinguished Finishers” received certificates emblazoned with how they stood out from the crowd in any of the categories below.
  • Highest Points per Hour:
    • GOLD - Danny Dossman, 2010 Honda ST1300, 8,537 / 24 = 355.7 PPH
    • SILVER - Kenneth Andrews, 2016 Harley-Davidson Road Glide, 8,115 / 24 = 338.1 PPH
    • BRONZE - Jeffrey Konieck, 2004 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad, 8,067 / 24 = 336.1 PPH
  • Lowest Points per Hour - William Buskell, 2017 Harley-Davidson Road Glide, 1,108 / 24 = 41.2 PPH
  • Highest Points per Mile - Kenneth Andrews, 2016 Harley-Davidson Road Glide, 8,115 / 1,502 = 5.40 PPM
  • Lowest Points per Mile - William Buskell, 2017 Harley-Davidson Road Glide, 988 / 1,108 = 0.89 PPM
  • Highest BBG Bonus Points Danny Dossman, 2010 Honda ST1300, 1,611 miles 8,537 points
  • Lowest BBG Bonus Points - Glenn Royal, 2014 BMW R1200GS Adventure, 1,538 miles 4,891 points
  • Highest String Points - Danny Dossman, 2010 Honda ST1300, 8,115 points in two strings
  • Highest String Count - Danny Dossman, 2010 Honda ST1300, 2 Strings (tie breaker is longest distance ridden)
  • Highest Average Points - Brian North, 2017 Triumph Explorer XRT, 6,973/6 = 1,162.2 points per bonus
  • Lowest average points - James Craig, 2016 BMW R1200GS Adventure, 1,042 / 7 = 148.9 points per bonus
  • Last Finisher - Jeffrey Konieck, 2004 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad, 23 hours 44 minutes
  • Fixed SaddleSore 1,000* 
    • Bobby Fox, 2014 Yamaha Super Tenere, 1,061 miles
    • Carla Cay Krull, 1994 BMW R1100RS, 1,088 miles 1st IBA Certification
    • Daniel Wallander, 2005 Suzuki VStrom, 1,071 miles
    • Eddie Feyereisen, 2007 Suzuki DL 1000, 1,064 miles
    • Eric Prall, 2015 Can-Am Spyder RT LTD, 1,023 miles
    • Jake Zojonc, 2016 Victory Magnum, 1,036 miles
    • Jay Masterson, 2009 Harley-Davidson Street Glide, 1,076 miles 1st IBA Certification
    • Jeff Taylor, 2013 Kawasaki C14, 1,046 miles 
    • Michael Schuster, 2011 Victory Cross Country, 1,036 miles
    • Philip Sears, 2012 BMW K1600GTL, 1,022 miles
    • Robert Hall, 2005 Honda ST1300, 1,053 miles
    • Spenser Bennett, 1995 BMW R100R, 1,078 milesThe Distinguished 
* BAT Rally SaddleSore 1,000 riders successfully scored each of the 6 bonus locations, in sequence order, along the fixed 1,000 mile course.  One bonus, the PMD - Waco Mammoth National Monument, required each rider to take a 45 minute tour.

Finisher Statistics  <= Click (Riders listed in alphabetical order.  Top 3 Finishers stings, below)


AGENDA:  The Hilton Garden Inn – Dallas/Allen, 705 Central Expressway S, Allen, TX 75 (33.0928, -96.6800) is the host hotel as well as the start/finish for the BAT Rally.

Thursday, Oct 5:
  • Noonish - BAT Rally staff arrives and available for Q&A
  • 3-5 pm – SpotWalla coaching in the lobby.  Bring your device and computer
  • 5-6 pm – Swapping ride tales in the lobby, near the refreshment stand
  • 6-8 pm – No host dinner at local eatery, to be decided by group
  • 9-10 pm – Rally staff available for route planning in the lobby
Friday, Oct 6:
  • 5:00 am to 5:45 am – CHECK-IN begins in the hotel lobby at 5:00am.  Check-in consists of submitting your completed Liability Waiver and picking up your Rally Flag.  Flag will not be issued without a completed Liability Waiver
  • A light breakfast will be served in our private ballroom for riders staying at the Hilton at 5am 
  • 5:45 am to 5:58 – Mandatory Riders Meeting at the main entrance portico of the hotel
  • 6 am – Riders depart
Saturday, Oct 7:
  • 6:00 am – BAT Rally clock stops
  • 7-9 am – Breakfast for riders staying at hotel
  • 9 am-Noon – Manual scoring for riders who did not take advantage of electronic scoring.  A completed Claimed Bonus form is required for manual scoring.  Bring your photo device and rally flag with you.
  • 4-5 pm – BAT Rally Certificate presentation in the ballroom.
  • 6-8 pm – Bat Rally Awards presentation and banquet in the ballroom.
  • 9-11 pm – More ride tale swapping in the lobby
Sunday, Oct 8:
  • 6-8 am - Breakfast for riders staying at hotel
Have a safe and fun ride home!