Let me see,...the last time I rode to the Florida Keys was back in 2011 for the Iron Butt Rally. I've been hankering to go back for some time. So, when a couple of IBA Comrades announced they were going to attempt the Florida Keys SaddleSore 1,000, I thought here's the perfect excuse to ride to Key West again.
Mon 9/21: The ride plan is simple...depart Key Largo and ride the Overseas Highway (US 1) to the Key West Shell the back to the Key Largo Shell....repeat 4 more times.
The ride went well. Temperatures were tropical, hot and steamy. Got up to 95f at around 3 pm, but was mostly in the low 90s. Had a couple of cooling showers but no major T-storm events. It was a long slog to knock out all 5 legs (Key Largo to Key West to Key Largo). Traffic was not bad but annoying at some times, both in the towns and while on the open stretches over the Keys.
I used my FLIR PathFindIR thermal imagery camera during dawn, dusk and at night. It was a big help especially on Deer Key, where I spotted many of the endangered little critters on the side of the road. I've been looking at getting the PathFindIR II which has artificial intelligent software that draws a yellow box around warm blooded objects like pedestrians, animals and the like.
So, I'll be sending in the paperwork through the IBA Premier certification program and add the Florida Keys SaddleSore 1,000 to my long distance resume.
Here are the ride statistics at the end of the ride:
Start 3:30 am
Finish 1:21 am
Total time: 21:51
Total miles: 1,036
Moving Avg 51 MPH
Overall Avg 48 MPH
No LEO stops
No close calls.
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Garmin BaseCamp calculates the moving time at 20.1 hours through the communities and open stretches of the Overseas Highway for the 1038 miles of the 5 round trips. I have added 10 minutes stop time at each turn around point to obtain a DBR and refresh as necessary. That brings the total trip up to 21.6 hours. So, if I start at 3:30 am and maintain a moving average of 51.6 MPH and an overall average of 48.1 MPH I should finish around 1:00 am Tuesday.
Delays through the towns will affect the Ovg MPH. Weather could also cause delays. I do not rely on excess speed to make up for delays. If necessary I will take the entire 24:00 to complete the ride. I will eat and drink while riding. I've have en tire day's rations placed in food stores of my tank bag for easy access. Sun 9/20: It's an easy 5 hours to the Holiday Inn at Key Largo. There I'm meeting up with a couple IBA Comrades. Hey, this is turning out to be a Florida Keys Vacation! Arrived in Key Largo a little after 2 pm and met up with Joe, Tony and Greg. Tony and Joe are doing the Florida Keys 1,000 but Greg just rode down to have dinner with us. I got Greg to sign off on my IBA witness form.
I'm going to turn in early tonight. My plan is to depart the Key Largo Shell at 3:30 am after getting my start DBR. So, I want to get a good nights sleep start around 8:30 pm or so. Sat 9/19: Got up and headed to the Waffle House for breakfast. I don't usually eat a big breakfast when I'm on the road, opting for the quick continental fare at the hotel. But, the Waffle House was right next door so I treated myself. Besides, I have nothing but time to reach Key Largo by Sunday afternoon.
Stopped for the night in Ocala FL and ate at the Cracker Barrel next to the Best Western Plus. Fri 9/18: Departing home for the Key West 1,000. I'm lollygagging my way to near Homestead FL to rendezvous a couple of other IBA riders doing the KW1000 on Monday.
The weather was good all day. Temperatures were in the low to mid 90s and no showers. I-10 is exactly as I remember it...nothing interesting to tell. Except, for me dropping my Under Armour (stainless steel) drink bottle while traveling at about 75. No cars behind me so, no danger. But it did piss me off. I had just filled it up with a fountain drink with ice when I stopped for gas. After I returned to the Interstate I reached down to get the drink bottle and my thumb clipped as I was lifting it out of the holder. Plop.....I watched it bounce around as I lamented loosing it. In the years that I have been using that drink bottle this was the first time I ever dropped it.
So, just outside of Beaumont TX I punch up the nearest Academy Sports on the GPS and got me a brand new one. Same model....it has worked so well for me. I like it cause it is great to fill with hot coffee at the hotel and cold fountain drinks while on the road. It's made by Thermos so it keeps liquids cold or hot long enough to finish off the 24 oz.
I stopped for the night on the west side of Hammond LA.
The Florida Keys SaddleSore 1,000 is Key Largo to Key West and back to Key Largo 5 times, in less than 24 hours. The challenge of the ride is the shear monotony of riding the 103.5 miles back and forth, though the small communities of the Keys, and across the open bridges of the Overseas Highway.
I am starting the ride from the Shell station in Key Largo at 3:30 am on Monday, September 21, 2015. I want to get the most out of my normal circadian rhythm for the majority of the 21:36 of overall time.
I planned the trip using Garmin BaseCamp and produced the route data sheet you see here. Using a standard 10 minutes for each turnaround stop, to obtain a DBR (dated business receipt) the overall time is 21:36 minutes. So, if I maintain an overall average speed of 48.3 miles per hours I should finish about 1:00 am on Tuesday. My target moving average is 51.6 MPH
I am attending the Iron Butt Association's Regional Gathering in Kingsport, TN. Nestled in the scenic foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it will be an escape from the Texas heat.
Tue, 9/8: Doing research at the Perrysburg library trying to tie down the location of the 1903 post office location, where Wyman stored his motorcycle for the night. Then, riding west to spot Wyman signs at locations where the Project shipped signs. Mon, 9-7: Got all the way to Perrysburg OH Sun, 9/6: Riding to Albany to start work on the Wyman Route. Want to check out the Wyman Waypoint signs posted at locations where the Project shipped signs. Fri-Sat, 9/5: Hanging out at the hotel chatting up the Wyman Project. Thu, 9/3: After spending the night in Jackson TN, half way between Memphis and Nashville, I did the easy ride to Kingsport, arriving about 3 pm. Checked in and while returning to by bike I got stopped by Erin and Wayne. The next thing I knew there was a cold beer in my hands.... Wed, 9/2: Departing home headed for the AMA Museum Hall of Fame in Pinkerington, OH. I probably won't make it all the way to Pinkerington on Wednesday, before stopping for the night. I'm going to see if the Museum has installed the Wyman Memorial Plaque and Wyman Waypoint sign in the Hall of Fame exhibit. After visiting there on Thursday I will head south to Kingsport, TN for the Gathering.
While traveling north along I-30, in a restricted one lane construction zone, a piece of road debris popped up from the back of the 18 wheeler in front of me. I swerved to the right to avoid it but the piece of tire tread hit the side of my bike right at my FLIR camera. It hit so hare the mount was deformed and also broke the cable connector, deforming the connecting pins. I was able to remove the damaged cable plug securing structure, straighten out the pins and reconnect the camera using good old wire ties. And, the camera still works....!
Ok, so I sent the AMA Museum about mounting the Wyman Waypoint sign and Wyman Memorial plaque and got a reply that both were mounted inside the Museum within the Hall of Fame exhibit. That saved me a trip to Pinkerington to visit the Museum. So, I turned right at Memphis and headed east along I-40 to the tip of Tennessee.
August 28, 2015 - 119,492 Odometer Miles Installed a new set of Anakee 3s today with a total of 12,362 miles on the old set. This includes those ridden in the 2015 Iron Butt Rally. I'm getting ready to ride to Kingsport TN for the IBA Regional Gathering event. So, I needed more miles than remained on the old set.
Well, the Anakee 3's did well for me in the 2015 Iron Butt Rally. I put them on prior to riding to Albuquerque, NM, rode the some 10,390 miles in the Rally than back home to Wimberley, TX. I'm still riding on the tires and will probably put another 2,000 to 3,000 miles on them before I get a new set. I'll post the video when I change them out.
During the IBR I had occasions to ride the Anakee 3's down miles of dirt roads. One was a 45 mile shortcut from Utah to Idaho and the other was in Colorado. The tires did their job splendidly. June 15, 2015 -- 107,130 Odometer
I'm riding in the 2015 Iron Butt Rally, "World's Toughest Motorcycle Rally" at the end of June. So, I'm mounting a new set of Anakee 3's on the GSA. Even with riding from home in Texas to the IBR start in Albuquerque, doing the 11,000+ in the rally, I expect to have plenty of tread back home to Texas. The video is of the set I put on back in November. Since then I have ridden several IBA rides, including The George A. Wyman Memorial Grand Tour, at full rally trim, on that set of tires. As you can see, with 15,582 miles on them there is still some tread left. No wear-bars showing and just the normal wear pattern one would expect. I'm confident I can ride the new set for the entire IBR, baring any road hazard damage. This time around I have a fully functional Tire Pressure Monitoring System and a backup, to avoid the near catastrophe I experience during the 2013 IBR, see below.
November 7, 2014 -- 91,548 Odometer
I'm having two new Anakee 3's mounted today after a few months of Hard Riding Adventure. One of those adventures riding to California to have new Wilber shocks installed. They seemed to help with the front tire wear pattern and rough ride. But, one might expect new shocks to make the ride a little smoother. None the less, the wear pattern is still visibleafter 16,003 miles. I am still very satisfied with the performance of the Anakee 3 sport touring tire. I will be using them again in the 2015 Iron Butt Rally.
July 19, 2014 -- 75,545 Odometer Miles
Rear - 14,778 Miles
Front - 14,778 Miles
Just returned from doing the Earth to Moon BunBurner Gold ride. At the start of the ride I had a little over 11,500 miles on the current set of
tires. I wanted to see how they would hold up under BBG riding conditions. I have a new set in the garage ready to be mounted when the bike
goes in for service next week. Also, I'm replacing the stock ESA
shocks absorbers and springs with a set of Wilber's. It will require me to send the shock
assembly out to California so WilbersAmerica can take out the stock BMW Showa absorbers and springs and install the Wilber's with new springs matched to riding weight. Watch Ted Porterdo the Wilber ESA Conversion procedure. The cost difference between front and rear BMW stock replacement ($4,037 p/l) and Wilber ESA conversion ($1,349 plus shipping) is astounding. I'm hoping a new set of shocks will have a positive effect on the wear pattern of the front tire, as it was getting a little "knobby" feeling. As for the rear, well, at almost 15,000 miles I couldn't be happier with the results given how hard I ride. Almost all of the mileage on this set has been on paved roads of all types. If you have any questions, feel free to make a comment.
March 6, 2014 -- 60,767 Odometer Miles
Rear - 11,780 Miles
Front - 11,780 Miles
Yesterday I had a 60,000 mile service at Lone Star BMW. Today, I had a set of Anakee 3 tires mounted on the GSA. I replaced the tires earlier than I would have normally. The current set had only 11,780 miles on them. But, I'm getting ready to put about 6,000 miles on the bike before the 24th of this month. I'm riding to Jacksonville FL to attend the annual IBA Dinner meeting then back home. Then I have to attend a professional development conference put on by Harley-Davidson's Riding Academy, in Las Vegas NV. As you can see by the pictures below they still had a couple thousand miles left on them.
August 13, 2013 -- 48,987 Odometer Miles
Had a set of Anakee 3s mounted today. I have decided to replace front tire every time with a new rear tire from now on. By the time the rear tire needs replacing the front tire still has lots of miles left on it but the wear pattern is starting to become irregular. This makes keeping the front tire through another cycle of rear tire problematic. So, two new tires every time from now on.
I fitted each wheel with a different tire pressure mounting system. Gone are the TireWatch internal sensors that caused me so much trouble. They didn't work while I was on the IBR. I purchased as set of TireGard TPMS. The sensors mount on the valve stems on the outside of the wheel. I'm using metal valve stems for added strength and stability. As it turned out the weight of the metal valve stems and the sensor brought the tire into balance eliminating the need for added balancing weights. The sensors work good. No issues there.
The primary function I want a TPMS system to provide me is notification
of a sudden drop in tire pressure. I want a visual alert dramatic
enough to get my attention so I can get the bike stopped before I
compromise the integrity of the tire.
I am not impressed with the TPMS monitor though. It is a small devices which looks like it should be attached to ones key chain instead of mounting on a motorcycle. The low pressure "audible" alarm is impossible to hear when the motorcycle is moving while wearing a full face helmet. The "vibration" indicator is undetectable if the unit is mounted to the motorcycle. The "visible" flashing indicator is tiny and difficult to see when starring directly at it and undetectable in ones peripheral vision. The unit back light does come on when the tire pressure is low but unless it's night, that also is undetectable. AND, it these none motorcycle friendly attributes weren't enough.....the monitor unit IS NOT WATERPROOF! But, it's better than nothing. I'll have to get some experience using the TireGard system.
July 4, 2013 -- End of Leg 1, 2013 Iron Butt Rally
I was so looking forward to riding the Anakee 3s for the entire rally. But it wasn't to be. During Leg 1, coming out of New York City, on the NJ Turnpike, around 10pm, somewhere, the rear tire got punctured. With the traffic noise, especially the big truck next to me, and the irregular surface of highway I didn't catch that I had a rear tire problem. The Anakee 3s have such a stiff sidewall that at 70 MPH I didn't feel the customary shimmy in the rear end that a flat tire usually gives. Oh, what about the tire pressure monitor system? Hadn't worked since I left home.
At any rate, I got the bike out of the flow of traffic. Quickly found the puncture sans object. Plugged it up with a gummy-worm and was on my way. I was due to start an 8 hour rest bonus so I rode the bike to the eastern end of the PA turnpike and got a room. The next morning I checked the tire pressure, added a couple of pounds and headed down the turnpike to collect the string of bonuses along the way back in time for the 8pm check point just north of Pittsburgh. The rear tire was not right. I must have ridden it too long without enough pressure before getting it plugged up. It was compromised, out of round and getting worse. I know I would have to replace it anyway but now I was anxious it would last me back to the check point. It was Independence Day and nothing was available until after 9:30am Friday morning. Going over my options to get back on the road for Leg 2, starting at 6am Friday, I was thinking I would have ride the bike to the BMW dealer a few miles away from the check point and spend the couple of hours to get a new rear tire.
I had just scored the last bonus along the PA turnpike when "POW"....the rear tire blows! Kevin Lechner was just passing me and he must have heard the tire blow because he pulled over into an opening after the shoulder barriers. Again, the stiff side walls of the Anakee 3 made getting the motorcycle stopped safely easy work. I pushed the bike to the open, put it up on the center stand and checked out the rear tire. Yup, it blew out. Kevin offered to stay and help but I suggested he head for the check point. It was just a little after 4pm and I had plenty of time before the 8pm mandatory check point time. I was 18 miles from the hotel.
Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found
Just know you’re not alone
Cause you can always call Lisa's phone
I called the Rally Master, Lisa Landry, and informed her of my troubles. She did her magic cause inside of 10 minutes I got a call from some guy wanting my location grid coordinates. He was bringing me a wheel off of his buddies GSA to get me back to the hotel. It seems Jeffrey Smith and Scott Aucr, from MI, where hanging out in the parking lot at the hotel taking in all the sights when Tobie Stevens, maybe, I'm not sure, approached them about a rider needing help. Within the hour I was back on the road heading to the check point. My spirits began to soar as I could see my way back in the game. I still faced a significant delay starting Leg 2. Getting a new rear tire would add about 5 hours to my start if everything went right.
Pulling into the hotel parking lot I see Roger Sinclair waving me down and motioning for me to ride over to the back end of the parking lot. Roger Sinclair, 4th place 2011 IBR finisher, is one of those mechanical geniuses who instantly see the mechanical solution. And, Roger is one of the nicest guys you would ever want to know. But, anyways, he motions for me to park under the EZup where I figure they want to swap out my wheel for the borrowed one I had on the bike. I dismount, put the GSA up on the center stand and moved to get my tools out to remove the borrowed wheel. I could hardly get around to the pannier to get them when Roger's buddy, George Uber Alles was removing my wheel. Just then Roger asked if I had a tire. I told him no and of my plan to get one from the local BMW dealer in the morning after the start of Leg 3. "Nonsense!", he says as he points to a pile of new tires near George's truck. "Would a Metzler Tourance be ok?" he asks me. I instantly gave him my best bear hug as I almost broke into tears.
Inside of 20 minutes I had a new tire mounted on the my wheel, balanced and back on the bike. I chatted with Jeffrey and Scott about how fortunate I was that they had rode down from MI to be at the check point for the end of Leg 1. I thanked them both profusely. Got their names and addresses so I could buy each of them a subscription to Iron Butt Magazine. George jotted down the cost of the tire on one of his cards for me. I had my friends at PayPal send him significantly more money than he was asking for the new tire, as soon as I got back home.
Wow! I was overwhelmed with gratitude at how my misfortune with a common road hazard had turned into such a positive experience for me. During Leg 2 I moved up in the standing from 63rd to 30th place. This was only possible because of generosity, sense of urgency and willingness to help a rider, I experience from the LD community.
I publicly and personally thank Lisa Landry, Rally Master, the army of volunteers who got the recovery ball rolling, IBR spectators Jeffery Smith and Scott Aucr who supplied the GSA wheel and brought it to me as I was stranded on the road. Special thanks to Roger Sinclair and George Uber Alles who took time off from their day jobs to be at the IBR hotel, with all their tools, equipment and spare parts, just in case some stranded IBR rider need them. I am very grateful. Well done, Comrades!
June 20, 2013 - 35,302 Odometer Miles
Had a new set of Anakee 3s mounted today. These are the tires I will be using in the Iron Butt Rally. I will ride the 1,447 miles from my home near Wimberley, TX to Pittsburgh, PA, with an over night stop in Memphis, TN. I expect to ride about 11,000 to 12,000 miles in the IBR. So baring any road hazards along the way the Anakees should hold up for the entire rally. I got 14,000 miles riding from home, the 2011 IBR, and back home on Anakee 2s. If I experience a road hazard or excessive wear for some unanticipated reason, I'll just pay the price of a tire change on the clock. Decisions...decisions....it comes with the ride. At any rate, I'll post what the tires look like after the IBR is completed, 12 July.
May 25, 2013 -- 35,055 Odometer Miles
Front Tire -- 22,955 miles
After completing an in-state 10/10ths IBA certification ride I now have 22,955 miles on the front Anakee 3 I mounted at 12,100. As you can see from the high resolution picture there is some irregular ware but not as much as I experienced on the Anakee 2 at around the same point. There is still lots of tread available for safe riding. The Anakee 3s are noisy but not as much as the Anakee 2s. The rear tire has a little over 10,000 miles on it and still has lots of life left. During the 10/10ths I road over every kind of road and highway available in Texas. Including lots of rough chipset roads in west Texas not well traveled by the public.
Rear Tire -- 10,554 miles
The goal of this experiment was to give me confidence I could use the Anakee 3s during the Iron Butt Rally without having to replace the rear tire during the rally. As of this writing I am confident, absent road hazard damage, I can leave home with a new set, travel to Pittsburgh, and ride the IBR without worrying about a tire change. I got real good mileage out of the Anakee 2 "V" during the 2011Iron Butt Rally with over 14,000 miles on the rear tire. So, riding on a set of Anakee 3's works for me.
April 26, 2013 -- 24,579 Odometer Miles
As of this date I have put 12,479 (24,579 - 12,100) miles on the Anakee 3s. And, I am very happy with the performance and handling. I've ridden several times in wet conditions, including during the Cape Fear Rally, and the handling has been great.
As you can see from the high resolution pictures below there is still plenty of tread and good water channeling grooves throughout the contact patch. I measured 4/32 (3 mm) on the rear tire in the center at one of the lowest channels I could find. Judging by the profile of the tire there is not much flatting of the contact patch area. I would not hesitate to put a couple thousand more miles on the rear tire. The front tire shows just a little wear as you might expect. The uneven wear pattern characteristic of the Anakee 2 front tire is not much of an issue on the Anakee 3. I'm getting ready to do a 10,000 miles in 10 day training ride next week so I'll replace the rear but leave the front on the bike. I'll post a couple of pictures of the front when I get finished with the ride.
March 23, 2013 -- 19,360 Odometer Miles
I'm back home after a the going to Jacksonville FL for the IBA annual dinner and doing the 100ccc (plan) coast to coast to coast challenge ride. I really like the Anakee IIIs. Handling is great and the new tread design seems less noisy and smoother than the Anakee IIs. Cornering, dry or wet, is rock solid. And, I did notice better handling in the couple of times I went off pavement into the loose stuff.
After riding in the 100ccc (report) I want to document the wear on the tires. I rode the 100ccc in full rally trim (weight) to duplicate the stresses on the tires I might encounter while in the IBR. I have the tire pressure set at 38/44 PSI front/rear and endeavoured to maintain this pressure for the most part. So, after 7,260 miles (19,360-12,100) this is what the tread on the rear look like. I measured 6/32 (4.5mm) at the center of the tread. On the front tire there is hardly any noticeable wear.
I'll continue to document the performance of these tires here so check back from time to time. I plan on riding the current set in the Cape Fear 1K the middle of April. I'm hoping to put another 7,000 to 8,000 miles on them before the 10/10th I'm planning to ride in May. Need a fresh set for that training event. The event will be on a mix of Interstate highways and secondary roads. So, it will be a good workout for them and a closer match to the various pavement surfaces and speeds I'll encounter in the IBR in July.
March 6, 2013 -- 12,100 Odometer Miles
Today I had mounted Michelin Anakee III "V" front and rear tires on the BMW R1200GS Adventure.
I got real good mileage out of the Anakee II "V" during the 2011 Iron Butt Rally with over 14,000 miles on the rear tire. So, trying a set of Anakee III's seems a no-brainer.
I'm riding to the Iron Butt Association annual dinner in Jacksonville FL the weekend of 15 March. On Sunday, March 17, I'll depart Jacksonville FL for San Diego CA and back to Jacksonville, FL all in under 100 hours. This will be a good test of how the tires wear on the Interstates. All totaled it will be about 7,000 miles back home. I'll post a video below of the tire wear when I get back around the 22nd.
The Iron Butt Rally begins at 10:00 am Monday, June 29, 2015. Some 100 of the world's top long-distance motorcyclists will put their skills, knowledge and abilities to the test over 11 days and 11,000+ miles in what is rightfully billed as the "World's Toughest Motorcycle Rally."
Check out the 2015 Iron Butt Rally official page for daily accounts and updates. The strict IBR rules prohibit blogging during the Rally, so check the official page for the latest goings on.
The Rally is divided into "legs" each for a predetermined number of hours. While on the clock, riders navigate to optional bonus locations to collect points by documenting their arrival date/time/odometer and usually take a photo of a specified object with their Rally Flag in the picture. Riders must arrive at the checkpoint within two hours of the end of the leg or be penalized for being late. Each leg is scored before the next leg begins with riders receiving points for such things as verified bonus location visits, calling in at a specified time and documented resting times.
I am riding in the IBR for the third time. My goal is to arrive at the finish checkpoint on time, in one piece and with enough points to be a Gold Medal Finisher. I will strive to beat my personal best 16th place position in the 2013 IBR. See 2015 IBR Goals and Objectives.
The ultimate challenge of the IBR is to finish safely. To do that I must apply my skills, knowledge and abilities in a balanced way across several performance categories while on the clock and under grueling conditions. See LD Riding on the Clock - An Organizing Framework
Below are the planning metrics I will be using for each leg. These will help me make decisions about ride pace and using resources while on the clock.
2015 Iron Butt Rally Leg Start/End Date/Time -- Starting and Ending in Albuquerque (ABQ) NM
Leg 1: 10:00 MDT 29 Jun, ABQ NM 82 hours to end 20:00 MDT 2 Jul, ABQ NM
Route Selection: 0:00 planning on the clock
Planning Miles: 3,772 miles = 82:00 Lhrs X 46 MPH Ovg
Slack Time: To be calculated after route/bonus number is determined
Leg 3: 06:00 AM 6 July, East US 100 hours to end 08:00 MDT 10 July, ABQ NM
Route Selection: 2:00 planning on the clock
Planning Miles: 4,500 (at 45.0 Ovg)
Moving Time: 69:13 (at 65.0 Mvg)
Pit Stop Number:12
Pit Stop Time: 2:00
Rest Stop Number: 4
Rest Stop Time: 22:00 (split among 4 days maxing the RB)
Bonus Stop Time: 4:46
Bonus Locations: 29 (at 0:10 standard each)
Slack Time: To be calculated after route/bonus number is determined
After the route is selected I will use the computed route miles, computed Mvg, pit stops, planned rest time and number of selected bonus locations to determine the slack time to the checkpoint.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I am participating in the 80 hour Big Tex Rally as a training ride for the 2015 Iron Butt Rally. The BTR starts in Albuquerque NM on Wednesday morning 10/15 and ends on Saturday 10/18 in Cedar Hills TX. Click on the camera icon to see the BubblerGPS Pro pictures.
Saturday, 10/18: The finish of the rally is at 1800 in Cedar Hills just south of Dallas. I got to the 44M pistol range bonus right on schedule. Shot my rally flag three times with a Springfield Armory 45 ACP then off to do cleanup bonus hunting on the way to the finish. I got another 2,000 points before reaching the finish. On bonus was to pick up a six pack of Shiner before arriving at the hotel. I really enjoyed getting off that bike and washing the road off of my throat with a cold Shiner! I didn't check into my room as I wanted to get the scoring process completed. The BTR uses self scoring method where each rider records their successful bonus list, in order and supplies all the documentation and photos to the scoring team for verification. I didn't finish in the top 10 but was happy with the ride. It was great training.
Friday, 10/17: I planned a more aggressive route for leg 2. There are a string of big bonuses out near Big Bend and a couple of hefty ones along the way. My goal is to arrive out at Chisos Basin in Big Bend NP around sunset. But first I had to ride to Laredo and Del Rio, where my mother was born. In Del Rio my bonus task was to secure a package of "Horny Goat Weed" along with a dated business receipt showing where and when in Del Rio I purchased it. I found what I was looking for at a local liquor store for $.99. On to Big Bend where I got there a little after sunset. The next stop was to sign the refrigerator of Iron Butt legend Voni Glaves in Terlingua. She is working on her second 1,000,000 documented miles by motorcycle. She and her main squeeze Paul greeted me with true West Texas hospitality. Off to the next bonus before I would seek some rest. It was the large arrow at the entrance to the Fort Davis Boy Scout Camp about 10 miles off of the main highway. I'm riding at night in West Texas and the critters are everywhere. My FLIR PathFindIR inferred thermal imagery critter detection system was clearing the way ahead. God, I love that farkle! I wanted to reach the shooting range at Pete's Pasture by around 1130 the next morning so after the Boy Scout bonus I rode to Ozona arriving around 0130. There I set my alarm and camped out on the deer corn pallets lining the front of the Stripes convenience store. Yes, I checked into the Iron Butt Motel.
Thursday, 10/16: The Texas Capital rotunda bonus is a mandatory stop before reaching the Galveston checkpoint. I maximized the Wednesday night rest bonus for 7,200 points. And, there is another rest bonus for me when I reach Galveston. The checkpoint closes at 2200. By that I mean the rally book for the second leg will be available from 2000 - 2200 only. Those that arrive after the 2200 close will have to wait till 0500 on Friday to get their leg 2 bonus listing. I did room services while I planned the next leg. Took a shower, loaded up the GPS and hit the sack.
Wednesday, 10/15: Let the ride begin! No time to do any blogging while I'm on the clock. Check out the map to see my course as I collect the bonus points along the way to Galveston. The weather was great today and the riding was even better. I chose a southern route towards Galveston that had enough points to exceed the minimum for the leg by 130%. Probably not enough to put me in the top 10 but I 'm not shooting for that kind of ride anyway. My goal for the Big Tex Rally is to practice for the 2015 IBR. I'm looking for consistent ride pace, good bonus task execution and accurate documentation.
Tuesday, 10/14: The parking lot at the Ramada is filling with motorcycles I'm not sure of the count for the 80 hour Big Tex Rally but I think there will be about 30-40 riders departing from Albuquerque on Wednesday at 0900. Today, I'm going to do pre rally tasks and get ready to receive the rally pack this evening. Then the fun begins....transforming the raw rally data into a configuration that will help me select the route to Galveston. I have to assign point value and availability to the published waypoints. Then select a string of locations that get me to the mandatory Galveston checkpoint on time. The method I use to accomplish this task can be found on my Ride Planning blog page. Check it out if you're interested.
Monday, 10/13: Departing home for the 700 mile ride up to Albuquerque. A thunderstorm was blowing through as I was leaving, I was at the bottom of the squall line so it only took a hour to ride out of it. On the other side it was head wind all the way to Roswell. Somewhere along the way the right speaker of my headset knocked out. How irritating! It always seems to happen on the way or during a planned event that these issues happen. I pulled into a Walmart and bought a set of ear buds. Now, all I have to do is to learn how to keep them in place. Maybe duct tape.....hummmm.
The fall equinox is Sep 22 9:29 PM CDT. I am riding my second leg of the Iron Butt Four Seasons challenge: complete at least 1,000 miles in under 24 hour on each of the four celestial events.
Monday, 9/22: Departed the motel at around 5:25 for the Exxon station. Topped off the tank and headed to the Sabine River turnaround at Exit 880 on I-10 west bound. It's the first exit after crossing over from Louisiana. Marked a SPOT and headed out.
Traffic through Houston was not as bad as I expected it to be at 7am. First fuel stop was on the west side of San Antonio. It was the same place I stopped during the Summer Solstice ride back in June. After Fort Stockton the weather turned wet and it rained of and on all the way to near El Paso. Traffic through El Paso flowed real well at 5pm and it was a breeze to Anthony. Got gas and a quick coffee with banana nut muffin before departing east.
I wanted to be riding at the official time of the fall equinox event at 9:29 PM CDT. So, instead of stopping in Van Horn at just over 1,017 miles I rode to Fort Stockton for 1,133 miles. I arrive just before 10pm, well after the official equinox time.
Sunday, 9/21: Left home for Orange. I stay at the Days Inn for about $60. It is right around the corner of an Exxon station with good receipts at the pumps. I checked in and got Veronica, the desk clerk, to witness my IBA form. Things went very smooth. I turned in for the night.
I will be riding the same route and time table of the Texas I-10 Solstice 'Day Ride' I did back in June. Starting in Orange at 6:00, riding I-10 to Anthony, turn around and finishing in Van Horn.
Since the 22nd falls on a Monday I expect some traffic delays through Houston. Also, the equinox for the CDT zone occurs at 9:29 PM I will make sure I am still riding at that time to remain true to the spirit of the Four Seasons event, even though it is not necessary by IBA rules.
This Hard Riding Adventure is all about The George A. Wyman Memorial Grand Tour ride. I've been working on the Grand Tour Rider's Guide and have a section for each of the GAW waypoints from San Francisco to Cheyenne. Starting on Wednesday afternoon I'll be visiting all the points along the way to verify the particulars.
Follow along via the BubblerGPS Pro track below or the full SpotWalla Map. Watch for the pix at points along the way.
After reaching Cheyenne I'll be turning south to Denver to attend the Iron Butt Association International Meeting. I'm scheduled to give a "dinner talk" about George and his long distance riding accomplishment. Should be fun!
Tue 8/19: Fort Steele was the first point along the way today. Not too far from Rawlins it's right off of I-80. The park hours are 9am to 5pm during the summer and I got the just as the caretaker was opening up....at 8:20am. I was able to take a couple of pictures of the bridge foreman's building and the point were GAW may have crossed the river via the old immigrant trail. From there it was onto Walcott where GAW remained overnight. I couldn't find the hotel but there were lots of other buildings in the vicinity of the RR. I rode up to Medicine Bow passing several of the other points not accessible by road. Medicine had a nice depot turned into the local museum. Headed south to Laramie to the Lovejoy Bicycle Shop location. Then over the ridge to Summit then down towards Cheyenne. I was looking for the place where GAW got stuck and helped by SC Schrader (Shaver). No luck, the whole ranch are had been subdivided into ranchettes. I got to the Cheyenne UPRR Depot where GAW checked his motorcycle then I headed to the central library to look up where GD Pratt's bicycle shop was located. Got a 1902 city directory and found it no problem. The name of his establishment was the Grainger Cycle Company at 1711 Capital Avenue....no the parking lot of the Wells Fargo Bank. Dang.....
I left Cheyenne for Denver and the Iron Butt Association International Meeting.
Mon 8/18: Across Wyoming for the next two days. The riding out of the Salt Lake valley was great. First of the points along the way was Weber Canyon. The narrow gap that pilgrims traveled to the Salt Lake basin. I was following George's tracks going the other way....east! Got to Echo and checked out the Pilgrim Rock, what's left of it and the Weber pony express location. Rode past the Devil's Slide rock structure that GAW mentioned....still there. By the time I got to Evanston it was time for another cup of coffee. But first, a visit to where GAW slept on a chair for the night. The Evanston RR Depot, built in 1900, is still standing and completely restored. I met with Key Rossiter of the Uinta County Museum and she gave me a tour of the Depot as it was closed to the public. I told her the GAW story and she was very interested in all the details. Seems her Facebook fans love all this history stuff. But, anyway, the Depot is divided into two sections, men to the left, woman to the rights. That narrows down where George slept on the chair in the depot. How about that, I got a picture of the actual room George did an "Iron Butt Motel" stay.
In Granger, where GAW stayed for the night, I was able to locate the building that was the Hotel. It was donated to the school district in the 1920's but the basic hotel building is still there and intact. I visited all the points along the way except Spring Valley and Altamont tunnel. There was no access to either of these except on foot. At Point of Rocks I spoke with Paul Varley, who's family have been in the area for a hundred years. The Varley's had a thriving business in Bitter Creek. I asked him about it and if the road was good. It was and I went. Not much circa 1903 structures remain. Just the water tower and an old section house near the tracks. But I got the location marked and I was on my way. Wamsutter was another of those places that have seen better days. But I did go to the old part of the town and took pictures of the road that GAW rode through on Monday June 1, 1903.
I wanted to find the Continental Divide monument that GAW visited but it had since been replaced and moved closer to I-80. But, it was fun searching for it. I stopped in Rawlins for the night.
Fri 8/15: Over the top of the Great Salt Lake and on to Ogden. Just five stops today. Two of these, Tacoma and Terrace, will take me off the paved road. Both Tacoma and Terrace have BLM information signs on UT 30 where any motorcycle can get to without issues. But, I'm riding a Dual Sport motorcycle designed for off road riding. Tacoma was easy being just about a mile off the paved road. The gravel road out to the Tacoma station sight was hard packed and well graded. The only indication at the site is a BLM sign with the word "Tecoma" on it and the remains of the Tecoma station foundation Still is was great to get to the spot GAW rode through.
Terrace was a bit more of a challenge but the pay off was splendid. A couple miles off UT30 and I intersected the actual RR bed that GAW rode over. It is straight as an arrow right into Terrace. It was an incredible experience to be in such an isolated place riding in GAW's tracks. When I got to the Terrace site it was struned with the remains of the once thriving station complex. There lots of broken bricks where the RR roundhouse stood and I could see lots of other structural remains. BLM has two "Terrace" information signs and I took close ups of each. BLM also produces a map of the Trancontental Railroad National Back Country Byway which traces the old RR around the top of the Great Salt Lake. I was very early in the day and I decided to follow it around just like GAW. I got about 8 miles and the road was washed out. So I turned back to the cutoff to UT 30 and took that route.
Update: I learned the Zenda siding location is not were I thought. So, I'm adjusting the location back to my original conclusion at the RR siding near Pioneer Park in Brigham, UT.
The last two stops on this leg were the UPRR Express Office where GAW picked up his two tires and a gallon of oil. And, the LH Becraft Bicycle Shop location just a couple of blocks from the Union Station. Then I headed to Salt Lake City to stay the weekend.
Thur 8/14: East over the Sierras and on to Nevada. What a great ride today. I managed to get to all the GAW points along the way. I stopped for the night in Wells, same as GAW, and will do all the Utah waypoints tomorrow. Check out the pictures at the waypoints on the map above. I also took lots of other pictures with my camera. At Donner Summit and Palisade I took pictures of the tunnel GAW had to ride through as he followed the tracks. All pretty interesting. The Upsal location is not accessible by road so I put an offset waypoint on the highway. When I got there, there was no place to run off safely. So, I'll probably change the task to for information only.
Wed 8/13: Chilling out at the Beemer Shop. The shock install went great and I was back on the road about three. I headed up the ferry terminal at Vallejo, where GAW spent his first night on the road. Check the map for the stops I made along the way. I stopped in Colfax for the night, just like George.
Tuesday: Since I have all day to scout out GAW points I'm riding to Oakland to visit the final resting place of GAW. Then cross the bay to SF to visit the SF Ferry Terminal east, Lotta's Fountain and the 1903 location of the California Motorcycle Company to take a picture of what's there now. At Lotta's Fountain I'm going to identify the possible buildings to mount a GAW Memorial plaque if the political track, to get it mounted on or near Lotta's, doesn't work out.
The Mountain View Cemetery is beautiful! Very well run and maintained memorial park in Oakland. I had an excellent conversation with my point of contact at MVC regarding GAW. They are in the midst of reprinting all their tour documents, brochures and portfolios. The committee that makes the decisions about who gets into the Famous People locations meets in September. They are very keen to include GAW and a memorial plaque somewhere appropriate on the grounds.
After leaving the paying my respects to GAW I headed over the bridge to San Francisco. Check out the pictures in the map above. After I finished in SF I dashed down to Scotts Valley to check into a hotel for the might. Tomorrow, I'm having my ESA shock redone. On the way down from SF I got to practice my California "lane splitting" techniques.....so exciting!
Sun & Mon: Left the Wimberley suburbs at noon. The plan was to ride to Van Horn and stop for the night. But, by the time I got there the sun was still high in the sky so I rode to Anthony at the border. The temperatures and winds were good on Sunday all across west Texas. Got an early start on Monday. The plan is to get to I-5 in California around sundown. Riding was good with no traffic or construction issues. But the temperatures started to hit triple digits around Tucson and stayed hot all the way to Banning CA just past Palm Springs. Got up to 112f for most of the desert starting at Phoenix through Palm Springs. I styed hydrated with chilled drink in the Under Armor insulated drink bottle and cool water from my insulated CamelBak Antidote system. With the quick release bladder/hose connection it makes carrying the bladder into a store easy. Because the 100oz bladder is flexible it fits under a soda fountain ice dispenser with ease.
I got to Wheeler Ridge, on I-5 around 2000 local time. Had a veggie Cantina Bowl and bean burrito from Taco Bell. Checked into a brand new Microtel for the night and all is well.
This is going to be a leisurely paced trip but I do have sort of a plan. I'll be posting the blog along the way, using my usual format, of the most recent posting on top.
Sun 8/10 - Tue 8/12: Make my way to Scotts Valley, CA
July 16, 2014 is the 45th anniversary of the launching of the Apollo 11 mission to land on the Moon. In the spirit of "Every ride an adventure!" and to honor that date in history, I will ride from Earth, TX to Moon, PA, a distance of over 1,500 miles, in less than 24 hours. (Hat tip to Rich Rulau for the idea.)
Pre-launch staging will be conducted in Muleshoe, TX the day prior to scheduled July 16th departure from Earth. The route after launch from Earth will pass through Amarillo, TX. Then through Springfield IL, continuing on to the final destination of Moon, PA. A distance of 1,511 miles according to the rocket scientists at Bing Cartography. By doing a IBA Challenge Ride from Earth, TX to Moon, PA one earns "IBAnaut" bragging rights.(see disclaimer below)
BubblerGPS Pro map via SpotWalla Tracking Central. This map link will show my ride up to Muleshoe, Earth to Moon, and the ride back home. The map below shows my Spot Gen3 map of the Earth to Moon ride only.
Launch Pad
Wednesday, 7/16: Launch pad was at the Alon station in Earth. I had previously verified the accuracy of the all important IBA starting dated business receipt, of DBR. I arrive at 0230 for a cup of coffee to go with my breakfast bar. Got a backup DBR in the store just in case. The morning air was very comfortable, in the low 60s. I put on my electric gear before departing the Muleshoe hotel. Segment 1 - Earth to PS1:I launched out of Earth right on schedule at 0300. DBR was 0257 and I pressed the starting SPOT button right at 0300. Pit stop 1 was just west of Oklahoma City. I would ride north through Amarillo then I-40 east. I had my FLIR system activated to help me detect warm blooded critters along the path of travel. Good thing too for just prior to Amarillo there was a deer on the I-27. I was alerted to it well outside the range of my head lights or about 1/4 mile. By the time it was in light range it had noticed me and was moving erratically. I scrubbed off speed and waited for it to decide where to go. The rest of the ride was good with just a couple of rain sprinkles along the way. Arrived at Pit Stop 1 a few minutes early at 0725, but who's counting?
Segment 2 - PS1 to PS2: Departing the Oklahoma City area I took a northeasterly route to the towards Tulsa and beyond to Springfield MO and PS2. By this time the weather had cleared but the temperatures were still on the chilly side. A cold front had moved through the area the night before and pushed all the hot air to the south. Segment 2 was uneventful, just good riding. There were some tolls along this route and I was delayed some at the three pay points. But, traffic was good and no issues.
Segment 3 - PS2 to PS3: Ride pace has been good with no traffic delays. Hit the Springfield MO metro area and arrived at the preplanned station about 10 minutes early. My goal for having planned stops was not to be a slave to the schedule but to provide me information about the ride pace. Weather still pleasant with temperatures in the mid 60's. During planning I picked stations with easy off easy on locations and did google earth recons for each station.
Segment 4 - PS3 to PS4: By the time I arrived at PS4 I had been on the move 18 hours having stopped three times for pit stops. Still, I felt good and no issues with comfort stress. I arrived at pit stop 4 with a few minutes to linger while off the bike. I took this opportunity to get shed of the accumulated TexMex and other meals that had been processed. It is amazing how much better riding is after a healthy purge, LOL.
Segment 5 - PS4 to Moon: The accumulated miles were starting to wear on me. My knees in particular were creating comfort stress. Standing up a few times takes care of this as well as extending my legs out on my highway pegs. Still, 20 hours in the saddle is a long time. So, I pulled off at a nice Love's travel center, had a cup of coffee and stretched my legs a bit. It felt good and the coffee perked me right up for the final trek into Moon. I turned north near Wheeling WV and did the river road. Was a great ride even in the dark. I had my FLIR system on since dusk and it was working wonderfully. Didn't seen any critters but was amazed at how the large cooling towers and smoke stacks appear in thermal imagery. I looked like something out of a science fiction movie.
Lunar Landscape
The "HardTxRider" has landed: Arrive at Moon right at 0130. Got the clock stopping DBR at the Sheetz station, went in to by some food and rode across the street to the Super8. Saw Rich's bike parked right out front so I pulled in right beside him. Got the clerk and her assistant to witness my IBA BBG form. Another Iron Butt ride in the baggie. I got up the next morning around 0800 and had breakfast with Rich in the lobby. Then I headed to the township to find a couple of photo ops. What an adventure!
Ride Statistics: GSA Odo 72,572 to 74,089 = 1,516 Miles, GPS 1,517.4 Miles
Total Time: 22:33 DBR to DBR
Moving Time: 21:30
Stopped Time: 1:03
Moving Avg MPH: 1,517.4 / 21:30 = 70.6 MPH
Overall Avg MPH: 1,517.4 / 22:33 = 67.4 MPH
ATGATT
"IBAnauts"
Tuesday, 7/15: Pre-launch staging took place in Muleshoe, TX. About 20 miles west of the Earth launch pad. I met up with fellow IBAnauts Rich Rulau and Perry Linn. Rich was doing a BBG with a 2AM scheduled launch. Perry's intention was a SaddleSore 3,000 Earth to Moon to Earth. Rich, Perry and I went to a local TexMex eatery for the traditional IBAnaut dinner. We got our IBA witness forms documented, with the help of "BikerBill" Bill Norris who rode in from Lubbuck. I entered pre-launch sleep period at 2000 with a 0200 wakeup.
Earth to Moon planning with proposed route and mission profile. The mission profile contains the time, speed and distance calculations as well as the planned enroute fuel stops. The mission profile contains the Garmin BaseCamp generated route and anticipated travel times for each route segment beginning at the Earth launch location through to the Moon landing location. This raw data is then fed into the Rally Leg Plan Tool to time out the entire mission giving estimated times of arrival at all route segments and to the final landing location in Moon. It can be used to compare planned and actual riding times.
I am planning to complete an IBA BunBurner Gold challenge ride during this event. It requires me to ride, and document to IBA standards, over 1,500 miles in less than 24 hours. By choosing to ride a BBG on a specific date, from and to specific locations, means I don't get to pick the weather or avoiding congested areas. About the only flexibility I get is the departure time and expected waypoint times along the route. So, this type of BBG is more challenging that the optimally chosen route and day to ride. If for some reason I don't finish the ride in less than 24 hours I will apply for a regular BunBurner 1,500 which can be accomplished in less than 36 hours. Either way it's going to be a nice motorcycling adventure.
The return flight from Moon is still in the planning stages. Of course, I hope to make it an adventure out of that ride. So, I'll be scouring the space between Moon and my home base for fun opportunities. Stay tuned.....
OK, here's a fun idea. Do any IBA SaddleSore or BunBurnner ride between Earth, TX and Moon, PA and lay claim to a "IBAnaut" designation. Ideally, starting on an anniversary date of any Apollo Mission. All rides should start from Earth, TX of course, unless you are an eastern extraterrestrial. Just think of the fun combinations:
BunBurner 1,500 -- One way from Earth to Moon in less than 36 hours
SaddleSore 3,000 -- Round trip from Earth to Moon back to Earth in less than 72 hours
BunBurner Gold -- 1,500 Miles one way from Earth to Moon in less than 24 hours
BB Gold 3,000 -- Round trip from Earth to Moon back to Earth in less than 48 hours
Apollo 11 -- 16 July 69 Launch date Apollo 12 -- 14 November 69 Launch date Apollo 13 -- 11 April 70 Launch date, DNF Apollo 14 -- 31 January 71 Launch date Apollo 15 -- 26 July 71 Launch date Apollo 16 -- 16 April 72 Launch date Apollo 17 -- 7 December 72 Launch date
No other manned Earth to Moon missions
Disclaimer: The designation "IBAnaut" is not an official Iron Butt Association label for any ride. Just my attempt to add a little fun to the event.
Mon 9/21: The ride plan is simple...depart Key Largo and ride the Overseas Highway (US 1) to the Key West Shell the back to the Key Largo Shell....repeat 4 more times. 
