Spring Equinox SaddleSore 1,000

This adventure is the last in a series of four 1,000 miles in less than 24 hour IBA challenge rides on each of the celestial events to qualify for the "Four Seasons SaddleSore 1,000" certification.

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Certified!  Received Iron Butt Association certification for my successful completion of the Four Seasons SaddleSore 1,000 Challenge.  I rode the final SaddleSore 1,000 on March 20, electronically filled using the IBA Premier Member Certification program on March 30 and received certification on April 7, 2015.  IBA Premier Membership...near-instant gratification. 

I completed all 4 of the Four Seasons SS1K events in Texas.  From the start in Orange, TX I rode Interstate 10 all the way to Anthony, turn around and ended in either Van Horn, Alpine or Fort Stockton.

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The 2015 Spring Equinox occurs Friday, March 20th at 5:45 CDT.  And in the true spirit of the IBA Four Seasons Challenge I will be riding my motorcycle heading into El Paso.  I will post a couple of remarks before I depart and again when I get settled into my hotel at the conclusion of the ride.

Fri, 3-20:  OK, here's the ride plan:  Depart the motel and head for the Exxon station to gas up and obtain the starting DBR.  Then ride east to the Sabine Turnaround to start at the most eastern Texas exit on I-10.  It's only a couple of miles but I want to duplicated the route I took on the Texas Solstice 1,000 I did in June.  The fuel stops are San Antonio, Fort Stockton, Anthony then back to Fort Stockton to end the ride. 

Left Orange at 0430 in a dense fog.  Oh, not my head but the weather was socked in with visibility about 1/4 mile.  By the time I got to Houston around 0600 it had cleared away.  It was overcast with temperatures in the mid to high 60s all the way to west of San Antonio.  I checked the radar on my zumo 665 and saw it was wet starting near Kerrville.  So, at my first pit stop just outside of San Antonio I put on my electric gear and Gore-Tex gloves.  It was wet all the way to Van Horn then cleared up nicely with blue skies and fluffy clouds all the way to Anthony. 

I did a quick pit stop and turnaround for the last segment back to Fort Stockton for the finish.  Filled up at the new Pilot station, popped over to Burger King for a veggie burger and medium fries.  Then to the Days Inn for a hot shower and a good nights sleep after 1,137 miles for the 2015 Spring Equinox.  Met two riders from Newfoundland at the hotel, who were just tickled to sign off on my IBA witness form.  Ah.....another Hard Riding Adventure in the clipboard.

Thu, 3-19:  Departed home around noon heading to Orange to spend the night.  The SaddleSore 1,000 will be done on Friday so I'm planning on leaving early from Orange to minimize traffic delays through Houston.

The ride to Orange was dramatically uneventful....and the weather was good.  I stopped at the Taco Bell for a Cantina Bowl before heading to the Days Inn to get settled in for the night.  The desk clerk witnessed my IBA form, as he had done once before.