The Florida Keys SaddleSore 1,000

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.

Full SpotWalla Map:  SPOT Gen3


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

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.

Full SpotWalla Maps:    BubblerGPS Pro and SPOT


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.

Fall Equinox SaddleSore 1,000

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.

Full SpotWalla Maps:  SPOT Gen3   BubblerGPS Pro (pictured below)


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.

The Grand Tour - West

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
• Wed 8/13:  Wilber shocks installed on the GSA at the Beemer Shop.
• Thu 8/14 - Sat 8/17:  San Francisco to Ogden UT  Grand Tour scouting
• Sat 8/17 - Sun 8/18:  Salt Lake City family visit
• Mon 8/19 - Tue 8/20:  SLC - Cheyenne Grand Tour scouting
• Wed 8/21 - Sun 8/24:  IBA International Meeting in Denver
• Mon 8/25 - Tue 8/26:  Ride home to near Wimberley, TX

Earth to Moon BunBurner Gold

"The Eagle Has Landed"

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
• Other interesting combinations....

NASA Apollo Missions

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.

Texas I-10 Solstice 'Day Ride'

Time for another Hard Riding Adventure!  On Friday I'm heading to Orange, TX for the start of the TX I-10 Solstice Day Ride.  I'm hoping to see other riders at the Texas Information Center at Exit 880, I-10 around 6AM on Saturday.  It's going to be fun.

See:  Full SpotWalla Map
 
Sat 2028:  Arrived at the finish in Van Horn.  I rode 1,014.7 miles between sunrise in Orange and before the 2109 sunset in Van Horn.  Was a fun ride and I highly recommend it.  My plan is ride the exact route and times for the rest of the Four Seasons rides in Sep, Dec and Mar.  It will be interesting to see how the time of year, weather and traffic affects the results.  I think I'll do up a spreadsheet to track the significant items for each ride.  Stay tuned.....

Sat 1820:  The temps got into the triple digits on this segment.  By the time I reach the outskirts of El Paso it was 103F with a hot cross wind.  I got Anthony long before official sunset.  It was 1720 MDT in Anthony.  Met Lowell Vahl, MTF member,  who was on his own ride.  We chatted while I was doing my pit stop routine while on the clock.  I drained my bladder, filled the tank and tasty good bottle, did the paperwork and headed out.  Traffic through El Paso was slow but not congested.  The speed limit is 60 MPH.  As usual I stayed with the flow of traffic. 

Sat 1440: Second pit stop was at Fort Stockton.  It was brief as was the last one near San Antonio.  The temperatures were mid 90s and somewhat dryer.  Still overcast with occasional showers.  They were refreshing.  I calculated the 'Sip Rate" of my 100 oz CamelBak hydration system so at 95f I take 5 sips ever 15 minutes.  This ensures I keep enough fluids flowing through me for the riding conditions.  I did not have to stop one time to pee between planned refuel pit stops.  It used to be hit or miss with my drinking.  Either I drank too much too fast and had to stop or drank too little.  So, this calibration seems to work better.  I used the table in the hot weather riding article below to develop the sip rate for each 5F starting at 85F.  Anal, I know.....

Sat 1050: Made the first pit stop just northwest of San Antonio after leaving Loop 1604.  The ride through Houston was smooth given it's Saturday.  Temperatures were pleasant but still rather humid.  Started to pick up some showers near Comfort.  Rather overcast with little detectible wind.  Hit the 80 MPH mark just crossing the Kerr County line at MM 492.  By the time I reached Ozona the showers had come back.  No steady rain, just 1 mile showers.  All my riding gear, with the exception of Klim summer weight gloves, are Gore-Tex so the rain shower are not a reason to stop to put on "wet weather" gear. 

Sat 0530:  Heading out early to make sure I will start the Four Seasons SaddleSore 1,000 by 0551, the official time of the summer solstice.  I want to get the starting clock DBR at the Exxon around 0545, have a cup of coffee then ride to the Texas Information Center for the sunrise start at 0614.  Got no idea how many motorcyclist will be there other than the few I know about who have contacted me.  But, I'll take a couple of pictures and post them later after I've finished the ride. 

I will start out with a full tank and refuel twice before reaching Anthony.  Then the final segment back to Van Horn to finish the SS1000.  Chat with you later.

Fri 1700:  Arrived in Orange.  It was a warm ride with temps in the low to mid 90s.  Except through the showers then it cooled off to mid 80s with lots of humidity.  I checked out the Exxon station near the Days Inn, where I'm staying, to verify the date, time, city and state information on the fuel receipt.  All is in order. Had several text messages from others doing to ride tomorrow.  Most are turning in early.  I had dinner at Senior Taco, cheap Mexican, but tasty.  Got my witness form signed off in the parking lot of the motel.  I'm set.  Going to reset the SpotWalla map to start recording tomorrow morning.

I'm going to extend the adventure by doing the summer solstice requirement for the IBA Four Seasons challenge ride.  Doing a SS1000 on each of the solstice and equinox events :  Jun 21 5:51 AM CDT, Sep 22 9:29 PM CDT, Dec 21 5:03 PM CST, Mar 20 5:45 PM CDT  Source:  Time and Date  I will be using the same route for each of the Four Seasons SS1000 rides.

I'm evaluating my hot weather reading gear and hydration strategy on this ride.  I have calculated the number ounces each mouth full sip from my CamelBak hydration system and used that measurement to establish a sip rate per 1/4 hour requirement for each 5 degrees above 80F.  A bit anal, but adequate hydration while riding long distance is essential when on the clock.  See Tom Austin's article in Iron Butt Magazine linked below for some prospective.

The Event  Ride Across Texas - Border to Border, Sunup to Sundown

A - Orange to B - Anthony

Ride Interstate 10 from Exit 880 east of Orange, TX, starting at official sunrise and ride to Exit 0 at Anthony, TX arriving before official sunset.  877 Miles, border to border, east to west.  Saturday, June 21, 2014, is the summer solstice and longest daylight period of the year.  Official sunrise at Orange TX is at 6:14 AM CDT with official sunset in Anthony TX is at 8:16 PM MDT.  That affords a rider 15:02 to cover the 877 miles. 

This is a "Rendezvous Ride" type event designed to extend ones motorcycle riding horizons,.  Meet up with others before and at the start.  Then head out by yourself or with a riding partner.   The routing is easy with fuel stations, cell phone coverage and efficient highway speeds all the way.  Meet up with friends at the finish as desired.  It will be "HOT" so, check out these tips for Long Distance Riding In Hot Weather, courtesy of Iron Butt Magazine.

Schedule
Friday June, 20:  Rendezvous in Orange TX, dinner and camaraderie. 
Saturday June, 21:

•  6:14 AM CST -- Depart from the Texas Information Center,  I-10, Exit 880
•  8:16 PM MDT -- Arrive at the Pilot Travel Center in Anthony TX, I-10 Exit 0

Sunday Jun 22:  Head back home.

Iron Butt Association -- SaddleSore 1,000 certification option.  Continue on from Anthony back to Van Horn and document arrival within 24 hours of starting DBR.   To certify this ride for the IBA will require documentation:  Start/Finish witness and documented fuel log with supporting dated business receipts.  See IBA SaddleSore 1,000 Rules.


Ride Planning

• Miles:  877 Miles, West on I-10,  Exit 880 to Exit 0, via 1604 Anderson Loop if desired
• Total Time to Allocate:  15:02 Orange sunrise 06:14 CDT to Anthony sunset 20:16 MDT
• Moving Time:  12:33  Source:  Bing Maps
• Pit Stops:  2:39 Refuel, Refresh, Repair as necessary

IBA Archive of Wisdom -- 29 Tips for Long Distance Riding. DYI LD Riding Training

The BunBurner Gold Trifecta + Insanity

Ride 1,500+ miles in less than 24 hours multiple days in a row. 

WARNING:  This Xtreme! motorcycle event is being performed by an experienced, but still amateur, long distance motorcyclist, on the public highways, actively observed by LEO of multiple jurisdictions, in whatever weather and traffic that happens along the route, without permission, endorsement, authorization, encouragement, or even a note from his Mother! 

Greg Rice is one of my IBA comrades.  He has asked me to be his turn around witness while he rides the BunBurner Gold Trifecta, the weekend of June 14.  This Iron Butt Association certified challenge ride consists of three consecutive BBG's.  Each of the three BBG must exceed 1,500 miles and be ridden in less than 24 hours.  He may do a 4th BBG if he's feeling good.  This blog posting is a peak inside the extensive planning, preparations and conditioning required, to maintain the consistent ride pace, manage resources, rest and risks, to be successful.  You can follow along with Greg via the SpotWalla map below.

SpotWalla Map -- Click this link to see Greg's full map.
Where's Tim

(During Greg's BBG Trifecta attempt I will be posting updates, pictures, and ride following observations below, with the latest posting at the top.)  Current Weather Maps

Congratulations!  He did it....and with the style and flare we've come to expect from Travel_Man. 


Tue 2310:  Success!  Greg arrived at the Ely finish with  time to spare. 
Tue 1915:   As Greg approaches the AZ/NV border he is entering the final stretch to the Ely finish.  It's about 270 miles and around 3:30 to the conclusion of the BBG Quattro.  Still has to negotiate rush hour traffic through Las Vegas, but I wouldn't expect that to be too tough of a challenge give what Greg has accomplished so far.   
Tue 1200: It is just 1000 as Greg approaches Albuquerque and hopefully rush hour traffic is winding down.  Greg slept in an extra hour before heading out on his 4th BBG.  He wanted to maximize his rest after the Trifecta.  His start DBR at Junction was around 0215 CDT.  Ely, NV is PDT. So, he needs to arrive at the finish by around 2300 PDT to be within the 96 hours from the 0200 EDT start on Saturday .  At his demonstrated pace that would afford him a couple hours of slack time,
Tue 0307:  Behold, The BunBurner Gold Quattro!  By now you may have deduced this epic IBA challenge ride was going to turn out to be something more than just another BBG Trifecta.  In the works and planning for some time, Greg got the blessing from Mike K to attempt, and if successful, submit for certification the Quattro.  That was back in March while he and I attended the IBA Annual Dinner.  Greg invited me to help when I suggested the name for this 'proof of concept' ride.  So, if Greg makes it to Ely, NV before 0315 EDT Wed he will have moved the BBG class bar up a notch.  But, hold the applause.  It is still subject to Mike's approval before the Quattro gets put on the IBA challenge ride menu. 

Mon 2130:  Trifecta Perfecta!  Number three is in the baggie filled with DBRs.  Oh yeah, and the witness forms.  But wait!  What now?  I guess the same old same old... refuel, refresh, replenish then REST.  Four, tomorrow is another day!
Mon 1915:  West Texas is famous for its dramatic weather.  As it would happen a gully washer of some note hit Fort Stockton just as Greg was approaching.  He could see it on his on board weather radar, and he even hung out at Balmorhea for a bit.  By the time he got to Ft Stockton the water accumulation had flooded most of the low part of town.  A semi was blown over during the storm which closed the Interstate causing Greg to go around the mess, and right into the flooded areas.  He's working through the navigation issues and is trying to get back on track.  
Mon 1500:  As Greg nears Deming NM he's about two thirds the way back to Junction.  By the time he finishes BBG3 he will been riding his Goldwing 60 hours since leaving his Florida start point.  Like many long distance riders Greg has made his motorcycle a 'comfort' zone.  What that really means is Greg has worked to eliminate all the issues that cause 'comfort' stress.  Those annoying things that if not corrected will cause a distraction from the riding task.  Check out Greg's comfort farkles using 'The Machine' link below.
Mon 0215:  On the road again.  Same route, same plan.  This is the final leg of the BBG Trifecta, but not the end of Greg's ride.   

Sun 2130:  Two down and two, uh, I mean, one more for the BBG Trifecta.  Same routine as BBG one. Refuel, refresh, replenish and rest.
Sun 2000:  I arrived back at Junction after riding to Van Horn and back.  It was warm starting around 1300, and got up to 105f as the day wore on.  Greg was riding in some of the same temps.  I was trying out my new LDComfort skull cap.  Dry, not much of a comfort difference.  Wet, only slightly more comfortable.  I'll try it again in my Texas I-10 Solstice 'Day Ride' next Saturday and let you know if I will integrate the skull cap into my 'comfort' system.  I'm sitting at the gas station waiting on Greg to show up.  Last I checked he was near Ozona.
Sun 0900:  Happy Father's Day!  Greg is almost to Lordsburg NM with the morning sun to his back.  By the time he reaches the Tucson turnaround it will be mid day.  I'm going to do riding in the local area most of the day.
Sun 0202:  Start of BBG number 2.  Junction to Tucson to Junction.  Nine hundred miles of 80 mph and the rest of the 1,520 at 75 mph.  There will be less traffic on this leg than on the leg from Florida through to Junction.  It's going to warmer though.  Once he passes Ozona Greg will be riding in desert all the way to Tucson. 

Sat 2140:  Arrived Junction way ahead of schedule.  Must have had a tailwind most of the way.  Of course, Greg does manage his pace well.  Not for a quick refuel, shower and a Quarter Pounder with cheese and some fries from McD's.  This was the easy BBG.  Riding over 1,525 miles would be tough on most any rider.  But for the BBG Master it was a good days ride.   Arriving early means more sleep.
Sat 1330:  Making good time.  Must be the smooth traffic flow on I-10.  At this rate Greg will probably make Junction by around 2215 or so this evening.  I'm heading out towards Junction, leaving around 1600, going to take a scenic route.  Greg has already made motel reservations for the both of us.  I'll pick up the keys so he won't have to mess with check-in when he arrives.  My plan is to meet him at the gas pump when he arrives and do my witness duties as he refuels.  
Sat 0900:  Greg is off to a good start a couple minutes before 0200.  He made the JAX DBR corner about 20 minutes ahead of predicted time.  The weather ahead on I-10 is looking pretty good and he should make the Alabama border around 1130 EDT...or 1046.

Ride Itinerary:  The table below is a schedule for each leg of the event.  Each BBG is considered a leg.  Each leg is divided into segments based on time, speed and distance to key route points, like route corners and the turn-around locations.  These are my calculations based on the route Greg chose.  I applied his parameters for average pit stop time, planned rest periods and his anticipated riding time for each of the route segments.  See: BBG-Q Rally Leg Plan Tool (MS Excel)

Note:  Times are listed in EDT.  Same time zone as will be posted by Greg's Spot messages and tracks.  (DBR = Dated Business Receipt)

Planning:  Being successful at this kind of long distance ride takes meticulous planning.  Selecting a route, timing out arrival times to each key way point, gas stops, rest points and witness points involves using mapping software and customized applications.  He uses his own proprietary scheduling application to provide information about his ride pace, pit stops (refuel, refresh, repair) and rest stops.  Like many in the LD community Greg uses on board navigation, weather radar, real-time traffic,  and communications equipment.  Each leg of the entire route has been plotted, documented and uploaded to multiple GPS units.  Back up documentation and even paper maps are included.

Route  --  The basic route Greg selected is starting near his home in south Florida, to Junction, TX, to Tucson, AZ back to Junction, then on to Ely, NV for the start of the "Poison" Rally  Over 90% of the route are on Interstate highways with the remainder on major US roads.  State Road Conditions:  FL, AL, MS, LA, TX, NM, AZ, NV

Ride Pace -- The key to successful long distance riding is a steady pace.  Greg will strive to maintain a consistent ride pace based on the legal speed limits, as adjusted for the flow of traffic and road conditions.  The ride pace takes into account time used for riding, pit stops and rest stops.  Good intel about current weather, ongoing construction, traffic and other issues will affect pace and navigation.   Greg has committed to a mandatory 4 hours of quality sleep each 24 hours, in a motel, at Junction, TX  (See -- Fatigue and Motorcycle Touring) 

Preparations: Like many in the LD community Greg keeps his motorcycle and gear it rally trim.   Greg whet through a major upgrade of his gear and equipment prior to the 2013 Iron Butt Rally.  Your can see the preparations Greg made to his Honda Goldwing, "The Machine"!  Things Greg did specifically to prepare for this BBG Trifecta + are listed below.

• New Olympia AST 2 Hi-Viz jacket
• New boots
• New deerskin gloves
• New LDComfort tights and top
• Cleaned Aerostich AD1 riding pants
• New tankbag setup, may mount a Microsoft Surface with GPS antenna
• Changed air filter
• Changed sparkplugs
• New helmet faceshield and sun visor
• Integrated the audio from the Garmin 2797 into the Gold Wing’s intercom system so I can hear the audio along with other GPS’s and radar detector and cell phone
• Updated the maps on the GPS’s
• Cleaned the Aerostich Hi-Viz tank panniers
• New tires
• Changed oil and filter
• Changed rear gear lube

About the Rider:  Greg is regarded in the long distance community as a specialist of the BunBurner Gold, IBA challenge ride.  He already has 2 BBG Trifectas to his credit.  His riding adventures are number 1 on the Top Ten All Time SpotWalla Trips.   Listed below are Greg's IBA certified BBG challenge rides:

• 2 Time finisher of the Iron Butt Rally with a top 10 Gold Podium finish in 2013
• 2 BunBurner Gold Trifecta
• 1 BunBurner 3,000
• 13 BunBurner Gold 

Greg is committed to safe long distance riding.  He rides within his limits, the limits of his motorcycle and the limits of the riding environment.  He knows the risks of exceeding those limits and is committed actively managing the risks.   He is a well conditioned and an experienced long distance motorcycling athlete who appreciates training at the edges of his performance limits. 
So, if you want to learn more about long distance riding?  --  See the Iron Butt Association "Archive of Wisdom"

Ride Around Texas Insanity!

The Ride Around Texas Insanity is a long distance motorcycle event sponsored by the Motorcycle Tourer's Forum and certified by the Iron Butt Association.  Sixteen, fifteen,  Fourteen RAT Riders will motor the 3,100 miles around the border of Texas in either 70 hours for Insanity Gold certification or 85 hours for the Insanity certification.  Rider will follow strict event rules and guidelines to secure a dated business receipt at mandatory checkpoints along the clockwise route.  The start and finish are at the Quality Inn, Childress TX.  Riders will depart between 5:00 and 6:00 AM on Monday, May 5, 2014.

I'm doing the MTF Ride Coordinator/Event Manager duties.  Where's Tim?  Texas Weather

SpotWalla Location Page:  Last reported location of RAT Riders (LID=Name) who joined the location page. SpotWalla link.  Click on their names to bring up their individual tracking maps.

Rider ID and SpotWalla Links:  H16=John Cooper, NRG=Nick Getzendanner, jm=John Martin, RFR=Robert Rehkopf, PFS=Paul Slaton, IBB=Dennis Archer, RGR=Rich Rulau, #F=Rex LeGalley, RAB=Roger Buis, DRG=Dan Buis, Everett Layton,

Gathering of the RAT Riders: Several riders are arriving at the Childress Quality Inn host motel on Saturday with the remainder arriving on Sunday.   I arrived around 14:30.  It was a toasty 96F in Childress and winds were gusting out of the south.   Met up with early arrivals Rich Rulau, Robert Rehkopf and John Cooper.  After a tasty meal at Subway we all chatted about biker stuff before turning in for the night.  On Saturday the rest of the RAT Riders arrived and we captured the moment ans Rex LeGalley arrives.  It was near 100F but Rex sets the LD rider ATGATT example.

The RAT Pack

Javier gets a witness

Doni and Javier join the RAT Pack

Pre Ride Administrative Stuff:  Late afternoon on Sunday I'll conduct the rider's meeting.  A brief overview of the sequence of events, Q&A, ending with me witnessing each riders documents.  Riders rolled in one after another.  We conducted the Rider Meeting about 5:30 then proceeded to do the obligatory and all important start witness ritual.  Afterwards we wandered down the street to have a hearty meal together. 






Goings On Along The Way  


Wednesday 5/7:  I'm heading back up to Childress for the finish.  Should be on site by 15:00 or so.  This will be day 3 for the RAT Riders.  The miles, heat, stresses and the clock start to take their toll.  For the 70 hours RAT Riders, the clock runs out a little after 3 AM on Thursday.

Just outside of Roma Doni Evans got a flat tire.  He was riding with Javier when it happened. And, they managed to get to McAllen were Doni is awaiting repairs.  The good news is Doni was able to limp the motorcycle to the Kawasaki dealer in McAllen so no need to back track.  John Martin also suffered a tire puncture last night.  Got it plugged and rode to Houston to get a new tire.  He'll be finishing the RAT but may not make the 70 hour finish time. 

I arrived back in Childress around 2:15, it was 101F just outside of town.  So, the RAT Riders were being treated to another warm Texas afternoon.  There were scattered rain clouds with some showers visible. 

Tuesday 5/6:  Rested after a full day of riding the RAT Riders are on the move again.   Rex LeGalley would appear to be on BunBurner Gold pace as he approaches Del Rio around 7 AM.  Most everyone else are strung out between Van Horn and Marathon.  The weather is still good riding with little threat of thunderstorms until later in the day.

The dynamics of riding on the clock plays out as each rider's sustainable pace begins to show.  Even though they started virtually at the same time, approaching 35 hours into the 70 hour RAT Insanity Gold, riders are spread out over hundreds of miles.  Javier is signed up for the 85 hour RAT Insanity event, so he's got a lot more time and more relaxed ride pace.  Each rider has different knowledge, skills and abilities they apply while riding.  The personal challenge each rider faces is balancing all the performance elements in such a way as to get to the finish in one piece and on time.

The RAT guidelines and rules state that each rider must obtain a dated business receipt at each of the mandatory checkpoints.  And, in the spirit of the Ride Around Texas each rider is encouraged to follow the MTF designated route.  Riders have some leeway in this regard.  You will see the purists ride US 83 from Laredo (not a checkpoint). via Zapata, towards the next checkpoint at South Padre Island.  Some riders might elect to continue east from Laredo to US 281 then south towards McAllen/Harligen.

16:45:  Got a call from Rex LeGalley.  He just scored a SaddleSore 2,000 Gold, 2,000 miles in less than 36 hours.   Childress, all around the border of Texas to South Padre Island.  Rex holds several IBA records for long distance challenge rides.  He's a Mile "Over" Eater gluten.

18:00:  Tracking all riders is working well.  Only two RAT Riders do not have tracking devices.  Doni Evens and Mort Hudson.  Doni is riding with Javier, who sent me a text while he and Doni were in Del Rio.  Mort is part of the Hoka Hey Bunch.  He hasn't checked in yet but expect it soon.  So far, all is well and the RAT Riders are alive and kickin!  Update:  Hoka Hey Bunch all accounted for.

Monday 5/5:  The RAT begins!  The good folks at the Quality Inn were happy to start their near full breakfast starting at 4:30AM for the Riders.  Riders are departing between 5:00 and 6:00 by starting their ride clock with a dated business receipt.  The gas station next to the motel has their pump and cash register clocks set to Central Standard Time, or an our behind CDT.  No worries, just a simple admin note on the DBR can correct that.  The weather is going to be HOT....welcome to Texas!  Check out Everett Layton's link above.  It's the US Fleet Tracking application and it's pretty cool.  The Hoka Hey Bunch, Buis Boys and Mort Hudson are group riding the RAT with Dan, Roger and Everett being tracked by the USFleetTracking.

Departure went off on schedule with all 14 RAT Riders heading north.  As the day wore on they made their ways up, across and down the pan handle.  About 8 PM Javier and Doni diverted off US 180 to get some fuel in Dell City.  Then back on route heading for the Trans Mountain Pass.  By night fall several riders were leaving Anthony, through El Paso heading towards Van Horn.  As of 9pm the Hoka Hey bunch was fueling up at the Pilot station in Van Horn.  Just a few miles ahead was Rex, heading south east towards Marfa. Leading the pack on this first day is Rich Rulau.  It will be interesting to see where the riders will rest for the night. 

The RAT Riders Return:  Starting early Wednesday afternoon and well into the evening RAT Riders began arriving back at the motel.  The Hoka Hey Bunch arrived as a group, as they were throughout the entire ride.  As of late Wednesday riders were trickling in one at a time.  A couple of the early arrivals need to leave so we assembled their documents, recorded them and the departed for home.  Most other riders would postpone documentation after a good nights rest. 

The Hoka Hey Bunch arrives

As of 2 PM all riders are accounted for.  Javier was weather delayed a little west of Texarkana and is on his way to the finish.  Doni Evens elected to not finish the ride.  John M and Dennis A are doing their documents package as I type this.  So, the ride isn't complete till the paperwork is done.

Collection of the Documents:  On Thursday rider will start to package their ride documents by putting their dated business receipts into chronological order on sheets of paper.  This will help with the verification process done by the MTF.  The rider get to keep their documents.  After assembled I take high resolution pictures of each page.  These will be posted on a Google drive accessible by the verification team. 

Adios Amigos: A few of the RAT Riders and I are going to enjoy one last RAT meal before departing in the morning on Friday.  I plan on heading west to scout out my next Hard Riding Adventure.  This one is coming to a close...

2013: A Year of Adventures

I knew 2013 was going to be a high mileage year.  I had lots riding goals to accomplish.  I started the year with 3,507 miles on my 2013 BMW R1200GS Adventure on January first.  On December 31st the odometer read 57,987 for a 2013 grand total of 54,480 miles.  I went through some tires during the year.  I have been running Michelin Anakee 3 tires since the first tire change after taking delivery of the GSA in October 2012.  The Anakee's are supposed to be high mileage adventure touring tires.  I'm still doing the evaluation of their performance and will post updates as I make them.

Risk management is something I work at while riding.  Riding many miles, on all types of highways, in all types of traffic conditions and in all types of weather I'm happy to report I had no "close calls" while riding during the year.  I define a close call by an instance of emergency maneuvering to avoid a crash after being surprised by a road or traffic condition. And, as far as riding and risk management goes acquiring, installing and using the FLIR PathFindIR thermal imaging system was one of my most important and innovative 'farkles'.  It was invaluable for riding dusk, night and before dawn.  Especially useful during the 10,000 Miles in 10 Days ride in Texas and on the  IBR.  Using the FLIR while riding helped me to detect and identify warm blooded critters way out of the reach of my driving lights.  I can't imagine riding between dusk and dawn without it.

Of course, my primary riding objective was achieving my goal for the 2013 Iron Butt Rally.  I had many training rides leading up to the IBR during the first half of the year and some therapeutic  P.I.S.S rides afterwards.  Listed below are some of the highlights of the riding adventures during the year.

January:

Using Proximity Point Alerts on the GPS

Big Bend Video Shoot

The Clock Is Running

March:

100ccc Gold Ride Plan

Ride Report -- 100ccc Gold

April:

LD Riding on the Clock -- An Organizing Framework

ROG -- Run Out of Gas Testing

Cape Fear 1,000 Rally

May:

Texas 10,000 Miles in 10 Days

July:

The Iron Butt Rally -- 11,000 Miles in 11 Days

August:

The Colorado 1,000 -- 2013

September:

Round Trip to Salt Lake City

October:

Big Tex Rally -- Posse Ride

IBA Big As Texas Party -- Republic of Texas 1,000

November:

Fun with Bubbler GPS Pro

2014 Is already shaping up to be a fun year.  I have applied for a position on the 2015 Iron Butt Rally.  If I am drawn for a slot I'll be doing several focused training events and rides to keep my riding skills sharp.  I am in the preliminary stages of planning a trans Canada ride with a comrade during August.  I want to ride my motorcycle from The farthest eastern city, St. John's NS to Vancouver BC.  That should be fun.  And, if drawn for a IBR slot, good Canada ride training.  The IBA International Meeting is taking place in Denver in August.  So, the plan is to head there at the end of the trans Canada adventure.  I'll keep my schedule open for more Hard Riding Adventures!

Fun with Bubbler GPS Pro

11/15/13:  The developer of BubblerGPS Pro has made a change to the "Fuel" text option.  Users can now select a format for text they put into the SMS bar.  This effectively and simply solves the "Fuelly" issue.  Thanks JoelT, well done!

11/14/13:  On of my riding comrades brought to my attention that a quirk in Bubbler SMS texting function makes updating Fuelly -- MPG posting unusable. Fuelly is a great app and I've been using it for a year with over 165 fill ups.

Normal updates to a rider's MPG log happen when the rider sends a SMS text message the Fuelly telephone number in the following format:  Odometer Price Per and Gallons.  Example 57500 3.599 8.700  After receiving the text message Fuelly updates and returns the last tank MPG and running average MPG. 

I was excited about combining recording my fuel stops with Bubbler and updating Fuelly at the same time.  I tried it three times since the SMS function was added to Bubbler.  The first time I tried it worked as expected.  The second and third times not so good.

Eric sent me an email when he found out the Bubbler is adding the word "Fuel" to the SMS text string when one presses the Fuel button.  This extra text ("Fuel") in front of the expected Fuelly string give Fuelly heartburn and it rejects it.

So, JoelT, if you're listening, maybe you could help us out by removing the word from the Fuel button SMS string.  Or, add it to the end of the user text.  Using Fuelly's SMS FAQ, anything after the first three numbers is treated as notes and can be free form text.

I'm still liking Bubbler and want to work to make it more useful for the LD community and beyond.  I have made the Bubbler tracks and waypoint postings primary for my blog maps with a link to my SPOT track/msgs secondary.  Using the Bubbler makes posting sight seeing pics to the blog map a snap. 

Original Posting on 10/5/13:
I was reading Iron Butt Magazine, Fall 2013, and came across on an article about Bubbler GPS.  It's an Android app that works seamlessly with SpotWalla.  I embed Spotwalla map in a lot of my blog posts.  Bubbler GPS comes in two flavors; Bubbler GPS Lite which is free and BubblerGPS Pro for $9.99.  Check out the website for the differences.  I bought the Bubbler GPS Pro version.  Since I already had a Spotwalla account getting Bubbler GPS activated as a new Spotwalla device was incredibly easy. 

Bubbler GPS Pro allows one to attach icons, user text and pictures to the message markers that end up on the SpotWalla map. Below are the six different message categories the one can choose.  As an example to record a bonus location using Bubbler GPS Pro follow this procedure:

1. Type the Bonus Location and Odometer reading in the text box
2. Click on the camera icon to activate the smartphone camera.  
3. Frame and snap the picture.  Accept or Retake as desired
4. Press the Bonus Location (Finish Flag) button.

The app then sends all that information along with the picture to the current SpotWalla map.  Below is a Spotwalla map I created to test Bubbler GPS Pro out.  It gives you a taste of how the program works.  I still need to do more experiments to get the procedures down.  But I'm very pleased with the way it works.

I used a Casio GZ'One Commander, 3G, with Verizon.  I kept the phone in the upper left pocket of my Klim Lattitude jacket and had no reception issues.  I started with a fully charged battery and ended 4 hours later with about 60% juice left.  The battery consumption rate while not an issue on short trips would require plugging the phone in to the bikes 12v charging while on extended trips.  I ran my regular Spot II along with the Bubbler GPS Pro app.  You can compare the Bubbler GPS map below with the Spot II SpotWalla Map