IBA JAX Daytona Party

I am attending the annual IBA Daytona Party in Jacksonville, FL this week.  It's towards the end of Daytona Bike Week so there are lots of bikes to see. 

Full SpotWalla Maps are:   BubblerGPS Pro and SPOT Gen3


It is always loads of fun seeing fellow Long-Distance riders and meeting new ones that come to the IBA Daytona Party for the first time.  I hope to be busy at the gathering promoting The George A. Wyman Memorial Grand Tour that was just made available on line. 

Sun, 3-15:  The ides of March....just a short ride home to Wimberley and the end to another Hard Riding Adventure.

Sat, 3.1415 Pi Day!  After enjoying the full breakfast I headed west to Texas.  The weather was good and the traffic pretty normal.  I got all the way to Orange before stopping for the night.  I stopped at the Super8, the same hotel I have been using for the IBA Four Seasons SaddleSore rides I have been doing.  One left, the Spring Equinox on Friday, March 20th.  I made a reservation for Thursday night.

Fri, 3-13:  Got up early again and waited on breakfast to open.  I set up the GAWMP Grand Tour display again, this time on an nice marble table across from where everyone would be signing in for the evening's banquet.  It would get lots of exposure and judging by how the cards and bumper stickers were disappearing, lots of interest.  Around 1000 am I was drafted to help scoring the Full Court SaddleSore 1,000.  That entailed examining the riders ending dated business receipt and verifying each of their required pictures were in order. 

About 3pm the IBA Daytona Party sponsors had a couple of kegs of beer in the Comedy Zone room.  After we were all loosed up with the adult beverages Mike Kneebone made the ride presentations to all the successful finishers of the Full Court SS and BBG rides.  All except one that is.  At the official IBA Daytona Party banquet Mike would present Greg Rice his completion certificate for the Full Press Bun Burner Gold, 1,500 miles in less that 24 hours.  This was Greg's 30th BBG....establishing a new Iron Butt Association record.  Now, what was something to drink about.....not that any of us really needed an excuse.  

Thu, 3-12:  I got up early to see off the riders for the Full Court 1,000 and 1,500 miles in 24 hours ride.  The official start time was 0555 and about 75 riders head out on the prescribed route.  The wouldn't be returning until about midnight.  Everyone had to be back to the hotel by 0555 on Friday morning.


I set up the GAW Memorial Grand Tour display with the blessing of Lisa Landry, the IBA Daytona Party event master.  She was very gracious and accommodating, providing us a table use all day. 

Wed, 3-11:  It was foggy when I left the motel in Pensacola.  I wanted to arrive in Jacksonville about noon so I was on the road at 0630.  I-10 was pretty much empty eastbound.  After the sun came up the fog started to lift and was completely gone by the time I was east of Tallahassee.  I did a quick stop to gas up and have a cup of coffee.  Smooth riding all the way into Jacksonville and I arrive at the hotel a little after 1235.   Arrived alive.....!

Met up with Dr. H to discuss getting the George A. Wyman Memorial 50cc Gold and Grand Tour rides certified by the Iron Butt Association.  He was meeting with Mike Kneebone, President of the IBA on an assortment of IBA items, one of which was the finalization of our Project proposal.  I would hang out with comrades while Dr H. met with the Grand Master of the LD world.  The good news came in a sms text msg at 1804....All Approved!  I celebrated with a couple of other LD guys by going out to dinner at the local Italian eatery....then back to the hotel for some beers.

Tue, 3-10:  Departed for JAX just after sunrise.  The weather looks a little unsettled as a big rain system moved through Texas heading east on Monday.  I'll post an update on the ride when I stop for the night somewhere in Florida.  I want to arrive in Jacksonville, at the IBA Daytona Party Ramada on Hartley, late morning or around noon on Wednesday.

It was cloudy all day but I didn't reach wet conditions until Lake Charles, LA.  Just sprinkles but it made the highway wet.  The spray from other vehicles on the road was wetter than the sprinkles.  By the time I got east of Mobile, AL, the rain had stopped.  I stopped east of Pensacola FL for the night at around 8pm.