Iron Butt Rally - 2015

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 
• Moving Time:  55:28 = 3,772 miles / 68 MPH Mvg
• Pit Stop Number:  10 = 3,772 / 350 FED (rounded up)
• Pit Stop Time: 1:40 = 10 Pit stops X 0:10 per stop
• Rest Stop Number:  3 = 82:00 / 24 hours
• Rest Stop Time:  18:00 = 6:00 standard (day 1), 8:00 Rest Bonus (day2), 4:00 day3
• Bonus Stop Time:  6:51 = 82:00 LgHrs - 55:28 Mvt - 1:40 PSt - 18:00 RSt
• Bonus Stop Number:  41 = 6:51 / 0:10 per standard bonus stop
• Slack Time:  To be calculated after route/bonus number is determined

Leg 2:  06:00 MDT 3 Jul, ABQ NM 60 hours to end in 20:00 EDT 5 Jul, Kingsport TN (EDT)

• Route Selection:  2:00 planning on the clock
• Planning Miles: 2,760  (at 46 Ovg)
• Moving Time: 40:35 (at 68 Mvg)
• Pit Stop Number:  7
• Pit Stop Time:  1:10
• Rest Stop Number:  2
• Rest Stop Time:  12:00 (4:00 day 1, 8:00 RB 2 day, maybe)
• Bonus Stop Time: 4:14
• Bonus Locations:  25 (at 0:10 standard each)
• 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. 

2015 IBR Goals and Objectives

"A goal without a plan is just a wish." -- Antoine de Saint Exupéry

My goal is to complete the 2015 Iron Butt Rally as a Gold Medal Finisher.  I will strive for a personal best by scoring better than my IBR 2013 16th place position.  

In my opinion, successful Iron Butt Rally riders are those who safely reach the final check point on time and with enough points to achieve their goals.  A rider applies his or her knowledge, skills, and abilities using the tools of the sport, in a balanced way among several interacting performance elements to achieve success. See "LD Riding on the Clock -- An Organizing Framework"

Goal-setting involves establishing specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bounded (S.M.A.R.T.) objectives. Once these objectives have been set they become the gauge by which goal success can be measured. To achieve my goal I have identified specific objectives for each leg of the Rally.  These objectives are based on my analysis of the Ride Pace of previous IBR finishers.  This analysis reveals two significant metrics which help me identify the specific objectives to reach my goals:

1. Point Spread:  Gold Medal finishers achieve total points above 145% of the minimum to attain Finisher status.
2. Ride Pace:  Gold Medal finishers have an overall average around 45.0 MPH

Point Spread:  There is no way of knowing the minimum points to be considered a finisher until it is announced just prior or at the start of the leg.  This typically occurs at the opening banquet the night before the start of leg 1.  And, at the 6:00 AM  rider meetings for legs 2 & 3.  When the minimum is announced I can determine the point target (objective).

Specifically, I want to know how many bonus location points I must plan for to reach the 145% target over minimum.  Not all of the points will be bonus location points, or points I earn by successfully reaching a location and document the stop as called for by the bonus listing.  About 20% to 30% of the minimum bonus points can be derived from admin bonuses; tracking, rest, call-in and others.  By subtracting the points of the admin bonus from the 145% over minimum value I can then determine the target amount of location bonus points necessary to achieve the leg goal.  This becomes my bonus point target for the route selection task.  I will select bonus locations with the highest value for the calculated achievable miles and the available time.

Ride Pace:   Normally, I can maintain a 45-48 MPH overall average (Ovg) while riding on the clock.  My moving average (Mvg) varies depending on the geographical area but are generally 65-70 MPH in the western US and 60-65 MPH in the eastern US.  Apply these metrics with the announced leg hours and the rest is basic math.  Reference:  Rally Leg Plan Tool -- Profile

Listed below are the planning standards/assumptions  I use to calculate the number of possible bonus locations and bonus location total time for each leg.  Combine the number of bonus locations with the target points for the leg can lead to selecting a route that meets objectives:  145% of leg minimum at a sustainable Ovg around 46 MPH

• Planning on the Clock:  Zero for Leg 1, 2:00 hours for Legs 2 & 3
• Fuel Endurance Distance (FED) -- 350 miles of usable fuel range with small reserve
• Average time per Pit Stop -- 0:10 minutes each
• Rest hours per 24 hour period -- 8 Hours to earn full value of the Rest Bonus with 6 hours for each remaining 24hr period.
• Average time per Bonus Stop -- 0:10 minutes each or multiples of 10 min for bonus stops that require a specific amount of time greater than 10 minutes.

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 
• Moving Time:  55:28 = 3,772 miles / 68 MPH Mvg
• Pit Stop Number:  10 = 3,772 / 350 FED (rounded up)
• Pit Stop Time: 1:40 = 10 Pit stops X 0:10 per stop
• Rest Stop Number:  3 = 82:00 / 24 hours
• Rest Stop Time:  18:00 = 6:00 standard (day 1), 8:00 Rest Bonus (day2), 4:00 day3
• Bonus Stop Time:  6:51 = 82:00 Lhrs - 55:28 Mvt - 1:40 PSt - 18:00 RSt
• Bonus Stop Number:  41 = 6:51 / 0:10 per standard bonus stop
• Slack Time:  To be calculated after route/bonus number is determined

Leg 2:  06:00 MDT 3 Jul, ABQ NM 60 hours to end in 20:00 EDT 5 Jul, Kingsport TN (EDT)

• Route Selection:  2:00 planning on the clock
• Planning Miles: 2,760  (at 46 Ovg)
• Moving Time: 40:35 (at 68 Mvg)
• Pit Stop Number:  7
• Pit Stop Time:  1:10
• Rest Stop Number:  2
• Rest Stop Time:  12:00 (4:00 day 1, 8:00 RB 2 day, maybe)
• Bonus Stop Time: 4:14
• Bonus Locations:  25 (at 0:10 standard each)
• 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. 

I fully expect the plan and objectives to be challenged by the operational environment as I ride the leg.  But, these organizing measurements will help me to make better decisions about changes to the plan.  Understanding how the allocation of total leg hours among the various uses aides me in maintaining a consistent ride pace and manage resources.  Once the slack time is determined I will spend it dearly.  I will seek efficiencies doing bonus. pit and rest stops.   I am committed not to purchase bonus stop time with the currency of excessive moving average MPH (speed).  Also, I am determined to get the quality rest I need during each leg, as it will pay dividends when making decisions as problems and/or stress occurs. 

During training rides and rally practice I will seek to validate the performance objectives I have set for the IBR.  Chief among them are the overall average and moving average MPH.  By training to and being able to maintain these ride pace objectives I achieve the best guard against falling behind plan.  I expect to ride in extreme heat during all the IBR legs.  I will practice riding in the heat, adjusting my riding gear and establishing a hydration regimen that sustains the ride pace. Ultimately, maintaining a balance among the performance elements while riding on the clock will guide the training and preparation activities. 

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

57,000 Miles of Hard Riding Adventures

It's been one year since I took delivery on the 2013 BMW R1200GS Adventure.  What a year of riding adventures it has been.

Besides accumulating a bunch of miles I managed to accomplish many of my ride goals this year.  The over arching goal I had for this rider year was to successfully complete my second Iron Butt Rally.  This goal tended to focus my riding efforts and activities.  Since the IBR I have been working on the ride report.  Instead of rushing to publish my musings about the Rally I thought I'd take my time over the winter months to do a more thorough job.





Listed below, in reverse order, are the Hard Riding Adventures for the last 57,000 miles.


October 2013:

• Big Tex Rally -- Posse Ride  Rally volunteer

• Fun with Bubbler GPS Pro New documentation application testing

September 2013:

• Round Trip to Salt Lake City  Family visit

August 2013:

• The Colorado 1,000n24  Fun rally in the mountains
• Micheline Anakee 3  Running blog of tire performance

July 2013:

• P.I.S.S.  Post IBR Stress Syndrome musing
• The Iron Butt Rally -- 11,000 Miles in 11 Days  16th Place Gold Medal Finish

May 2013:

• Texas 10,000 Miles in 10 Days  IBR Training ride

April 2013:

• The Cape Fear 1,000 Rally  IBR Training ride
• ROG -- Run Out of Gas Testing  Motorcycle performance testing

March 2013:

• 100ccc Gold Ride Plan and Report  IBR Training ride

January 2013:

• Using FLIR While Riding  New equipment performance training

December 2012:

• The FLIR PathFindIR Project  New equipment acquisition and testing

November 2012:

• The New Mount  New equipment acquisition and testing

P.I.S.S.

Post IBR Stress Syndrome:  A milder form of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) where the rider experiences continued stress related to performing in the Iron Butt Rally.  There are four symptoms:

Reliving the event

Memories of the event can come back at any time. You may feel the same anxiety and tension you did when the event took place. You may feel like you're going through the event again. This is called a flashback. Sometimes there is a trigger: a sound or sight that causes you to relive the event. Triggers might include:

• Seeing a motorcycle on the highway
• Getting gas in your car or truck
• Instantly look at your speedometer at the sight of LEO, even when you know you're not speeding
• Waking up in the middle of the night feeling like you must dash out and ride to some vague destination

Avoiding situations that remind you of the event

You may try to avoid situations or people that trigger memories of the IBR. You may even avoid talking or thinking about it.

• When asked about your participation in the IBR you may minimize the exciting or uncomfortable details
• You are reluctant to bring up the IBR in conversations with friends and family
• You procrastinate dealing with post IBR issues regarding your motorcycle
• You dread looking at the leg routes you did while on the clock for fear of seeing what you missed.
• The sight of a Cliff bar makes you want to rush out and get a double Whooper with cheese, super-sized fries and a large shake

Feeling Numb

You may find it hard to express your feelings about the IBR. This is another way to avoid memories.

• You may not have positive or loving feelings towards your motorcycle, other peoples motorcycles  and may stay away from the bike dealership
• You may not be interested in riding, planning a trip or anything to do with routing
• You may forget about parts of the IBR that hold valuable lessons or not be able to talk about them.
• You haven't touched your rally flag, plaque or opened your rally book since getting home

Feeling Keyed Up

You may be alert and on the lookout for things that might cause you a delay. This is known as increased emotional arousal. It can cause you to:

• Suddenly become excited or irritable.
• Have a hard time sleeping.
• Have trouble concentrating.
• Fear your actions are not optimal or experience efficiency anxiety.
• Have racing thoughts (but not at excessive speed)

Other symptoms?

Treatments may include but are not limited to:

• Exposure therapy -- Go for a ride, no plan, no schedule, no route
• Equipment recovery -- Detail your motorcycle, riding gear and equipment
• After Action Report -- Do a thorough ride report detailing all lessons learned on the IBR (Working on it)
• Physical training -- Start or continue a physical training program (IBR 2015 is just 750 days away)
• Accumulate fund$ -- Open a IBR15 savings account

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

IBR Full View Spotwalla Map    See:  IBR Daily Report

Mission Accomplished! -- Gold Medal Finish, 16th Place.  The result are in and I achieved my goals. I rode 10,484 miles and scored 77,051 bonus points.  See the official 2013 IBR Final Results.  I'll post all the details after I arrive back home. 


The Current IBR Weather  (hat tip to Travel_Man)   FUN ALERT:  Drag the Orange Man icon, above the map scale ruler, to my location to see the Google Street View.   

Rally Leg Profiles:  There are 3 legs for a total of 242:00 hours on the rally clock.  The table contains my preliminary planning numbers for each leg.  The initial planning estimates will probably change once I receive the Rally book with the actual bonus locations and other requirements.  These estimates are based my known ride pace and moving average MPH experience.  Compare to an analysis I did of several past IBRs using the OA and MA MPH applied to the 2013 IBR clock hours.  See:  2013 Ride Pace Analysis 

Leg 1:  82:00  Start July 1 1000 EDT in Pittsburgh.  Checkpoint 4 July 2000 EDT in Pittsburgh
Leg 2:  65:00  Start July 5 0600 EDT in Pittsburgh.  Checkpoint 7 July 2000 PDT in Sacramento CA
Leg 3:  95:00  Start July 8 0600 PDT in Sacramento.  Finish 12 July 0800 EDT in Pittsburgh

GiddyUp!  1000 EDT Monday, July 1 -- I will not have time to blog during the rally.  Only private, password protected, maps allowed during the rally.  But you can find my last known location by looking for rider 415 (my IBA number) on the Spotwalla map above.  You can also check out the IBR Daily Reports blog for the latest on the progress of the Rally. 

Rally Check In: 

• Thursday - Friday -- Rider comradery and general hanging out
• Saturday -- Document check, waiver video, technical inspection of MC
• Sunday -- Banquet and Rally theme announcement

Deploy to Pittsburgh:  Thursday, 6/27 -- Left Memphis this morning around 6am for the final leg into Pittsburgh.  Weather was good with just a couple of wet spots from recent showers.  The bike is running great and NO audio issues with my zumo 665.  Reinforcing the RAM mount seemed to solve the problem.  Arrived at the Marriott in Cranberry Township just north of Pittsburgh.  Great hotel with all the amenities. The fun begins tomorrow....or maybe Saturday.  I forget....

Tuesday, 6/25 -- Departing for Pittsburgh.  Going to make an enroute stop in Memphis for an overnight stay.  It's about 1,450 miles from my home near Wimberley, TX to the start hotel just north of Pittsburgh.  This will be a final shake-out ride with hopefully no MC or gear issues.  

Prologue:  I'm riding in the 2013 Iron Butt Rally which is being held starting at 10:00 am, Monday, July 1 and finishing 8:00 am Friday, July 12.  The start and finish are in Pittsburgh, PA.  I'll be one of around 100 long distance riders from around the world.  The IBR is the premier long distance riding event held every other year.  More individuals have gone into space than have finished the Iron Butt Rally.  

My goal for the IBR is to reach the finishing check point in one piece, on time and with enough points to finish better than 23rd place.  But, I will consider a safe finish a worthy accomplishment, even without exceeding my 2011 23rd place Gold Medal IBR finish.  Having said that I'm planning on doing my best in "The World's Toughest Motorcycle Rally."

While I'm planning for a trouble free ride things just seem to happen.  The worst case would be a crash.  Followed by a DNF, or Did Not Finish, status.  This can happen if I'm over 2 hours late to a mandatory check point or do not accumulate enough bonus points to be considered a finisher.  Mechanical breakdowns are a common DNF reason.  I've been riding my GSA hard, without abusing it, since acquiring the bike in October 2012.  So, hopefully any mechanical issues would have exposed themselves by now.   The IBR rules spell out in detail how riders earn points or are penalized points for not following the rules and specifications.  Riders compete for finishing positions:

Finish Position

1. Podium -- Top 10 riders
2. Gold Medal -- Top 20-25 riders which includes the Podium finishers
3. Silver Medal -- Next group to about 35th place
4. Bronze Medal -- Next group to about 45th place
5. Finisher -- All remaining riders who secured enough points
6. DNF -- Did Not Finish

There are no magic formulas, no perfect rally bikes, and no jealously guarded secrets to being successful in the IBR.  Each rider is challenged to apply their skills, knowledge and abilities, using the tools of the long distance motorcycling sport, in a balanced way among several interacting and interdependent performance categories.  See:  Long Distance Riding on the Clock

Texas 10,000 Miles in 10 Days

Starting around 0600 on Saturday, May 4, I'm riding 10,000 miles in 10 days all in Texas.Xtreme! Iron Butt Association certification event challenges a riders' ability to manage risks, resources, problems and stresses of repeated long distance rides over a 240:00 hour period.  I'm doing this ride as an on the clock training exercise for the Iron Butt Rally (IBR) coming up in July.  You can follow along with me on the big Spotwalla Map below or zero in on the day by day tracks.

Spotwalla day maps  Click for current Texas Weather Radar

1. Sat, 5/4:  Wimberley - Orange - Harlingen - Del Rio, 1,074 - 1,074 leg - total miles
2. Sun, 5/5:  Del Rio - Big Bend - El Paso - Vega, 1,104 - 2,178 miles
3. Mon, 5/6:  Vega - Texline - Follett - Texarkana - Orange, 1,069 - 3,247 miles
4. Tue, 5/7:  Orange - El Paso - Van Horn, 1,016 - 4,263 miles
5. Wed, 5/8: Van Horn - Waskom - Wimberley, 1,020 - 5,283 miles
6. Thu, 5/9:  Wimberley - Laredo - Texline - Dalhart, 901/ - 6,185 miles
7. Fri, 5/10:  Dalhart - Ft Worth - Beaumont - Houston - Buffalo, 1,016 - 7,201 miles
8. Sat, 5/11:  Buffalo - Shamrock - Vega - Alpine, 1,012 - 8,212 miles
9. Sun, 5/12:  Alpine - Harlingen - Burleson, 1,069 - 9,272 miles
10. Mon, 5/13:  Burleson - Junction - Big Springs - Ozona - Abilene - Austin - Wimberley, 958 - 10,230 miles

Ride Report -- I write my ride reports around an organizing framework that captures the performance categories of long distance riding while under time requirements, or, "on the clock."

Riding and Risk Management:  There were no "close calls" while on this ride.  Unless, you consider a tornado warning a close call.  I define a "close call" as a surprise requiring an emergency action like a swerve, quick stop or evasive maneuver. Weather for the most part was good with some isolated patches of thunderstorm activity.  My rest management strategy helped keep me alert while riding.  I actively worked at managing risks.  Especially, in congested area, small towns, and while on open stretches of highway.  Anytime you can get back home in one piece after so many hours and miles in the saddle is a good thing.

The FLIR PathFindIR thermal imaging system I have installed on the GSA was invaluable.  It really helped me starting at dusk, through the night riding and early morning pre and post dawn riding.  The most dramatic plus is the reduced stress level riding at night.  I saw lots of warm blooded, heat generating, critters using the FLIR while riding.  In each instance I was better able to assess the threat and adjust the riding accordingly. 

Planning and Navigation:  The basic plan was ten legs of about 1,000 miles, +/- 100.  Riding time would start by 6 am and end before midnight.   I planned all 10 routes before the ride (see "Planning" below).   I purposely routed legs through large cities, small towns and over various types of highways and roads.  All the segment waypoints and the initial routes were loaded into by the zumo 665 and backup zumo 220.  I also had the MapSource/BaseCamp files on my computer which I carried with me on the ride to do mid ride re plans.  While navigating through small towns and congested areas paid special attention to how the zumo would route me through.  On several occasions I would over-ride the generated route in favor of a more effective path after zooming out the map.   I used the zumo 220 to do "what ifs" along the routes.  As the days progressed and the Spot track painted the paths on the map I wanted to avoid going over previous routes.  I changed several of the later leg routes to fill in the gaps on the map.

Ride Pace and Resource Management:  This was a major objective of this field training exercise.  I wanted to maintain a riding pace, over varying types of highways, through whatever weather, day and night.  This ride was about 80% op tempo of the Iron Butt Rally.  I also wanted to practice pit stop (refuel, refresh, repair) and rest stop procedures.  I spent each rest stop in a motel and got pretty good at down/up loading once parked at the motel.  During the IBR I will be spending most rest stops at motels so getting the routine down helped.  I kept an accurate log and documented each rest stop to IBR standards getting start and ending dated business receipts.  Because I'm using a Spot track I may not have to maintain a fuel log during the IBR but I plan to verify fuel DBRs and document the odometer reading on the DBR just in case. 

I hydrated while riding and most of my mid day meals were consumed while riding.  I use a 100 oz. CamelBak hydration system with insulated hose as well as a one litre drink bottle for tasty good no sugar drinks with electrolytes.  Morning meals consist of a high protein, low glycemic index bar with a cup of coffee.  Mid day meals are high protein bar, my own trail mix recipe with water or sugar free sports drinks.  I would eat another bar and some trail mix around sunset.  Upon arriving at the rest stop location I would pick a gas station/convenience store near the motel, get a pint of 2% or non fat milk, hearty sandwich, some fruit, chips and other goodies.  This purchase would establish the beginning of the rest stop.  I would return to the same location to get a cup of coffee, fill up and get an ending DBR. 

Ride Pace Stats:

• Total miles -- 10,230.2 GPS
• Total time -- 231:49
• Total moving time -- 147:28
• Total stopped time --  84:21
• Moving average MPH -- 69.4
• Overall average MPH -- 44.1

Fuel Consumption Stats:

• Total fuel stops -- 40
• Total fuel consumed --  271.05 Gallons
• Most fuel pumped  -- 9.147 Gallons
• Lowest/Average/Highest MPG --  30.2 / 37.5 / 42.8
• Total fuel cost -- $987.80
• Lowest/Average/Highest PPG -- $3.16 / $3.64 / $4.05

Lodging, Meals and Incidental Expenses:

• Lodging -- $582.29
• Pocket cash - $218.54
• Repair parts -- $69.55

Grand Total -- $1,858.18

Problem and Stress Management:  I was plagued by GPS audio problems starting on the first day.  This is an issue I have been experiencing with the zumo 665.  I am currently on my 3rd refurbished unit after the original failed before the 2011 Iron Butt Rally.  All the usual remedies seemed not to solve the issue.  While on the road I ordered a new wiring harness (cradle assembly) and had it over-nighted to my home near Wimberley.  At the end of day 5 I stopped at home to install the new cradle.  It seemed to work for some time, about 12 hours.  But, the issue came back.  I suspect the cradle is not stable at speeds over 70 MPH as the unit osculates somewhat in the Touratech mount.  So, doing the ride without audio is an inconvenience but not a critical issue.  It did cause some stress, as one might expect, until I resolved to ride without the audio for turn by turn or XM radio.  Navigation and WX radar were working just fine.

I was spending each night in a motel and getting quality sleep.  On the road I had several instances of bladder stress, 'cause I'm old, and I enjoy a couple cups of coffee in the morning.  I usually get about 2 hours down the road before I have to pay the 2 minute price of a comfort pit stop. 

I also experience a engine performance issue with the GSA which required a stop at Alamo BMW on day 4 to resolve.  They quickly identified the issue and applied their considerable expertise to correct the problem.  Kudos to Alamo BMW!!!  Thanks Comrades.

Personal Courage and Commitment:  This event has been on my bucket list for some time.  According to the IBA records no rider has ever done an "in state" 10,000 miles in 10 day or a SaddleSore 5,000 in Texas for the matter.  So, I figured with a little planning, some time and money I'd give it a shot.  My goal was to complete the ride and get home safe and sound.  I was prepared to stop the ride if pushing meant I'd have to exceed my skill abilities, the capabilities of the motorcycle or the limitation of the environment.  Also, I would not employ excessive speeds to make up for problems and delays encountered during the ride. Since I planned in more than 6 hours each night I would use that cushion to spend on delays.  During the IBR I will maintain rest discipline while striking a balance between task and pit stops to compensated for delays.  I plan on dialing back my planning OA/MA numbers to build in more slack time.  This will require me to plan better routes and riding the route more efficiently for all three legs.  My individual goals the IBR are better than 23rd position and another Gold Medal finish status.

On The Road Musings:  Around the edges...side to side...up one way...down another...and a whole lot of in between!

Monday - End of the ride -- 10,230.2 miles.  Ok, back at home safe and sound.  Stopped in Austin to get a picture of me and the GSA in front of the state capital.  Over the next couple of days I'll be doing up the IBA certification paperwork then update this posting with all the details about the ride.  So, check back if you like.

Friday -- End of Day 7, the GPS is showing 7,200.4 total miles.  At the end of day 5 when I stopped at home I was at 5,283.  So, lost a few miles over the last couple of days.  The GPS audio is working fine after I installed the new wiring harness while doing a pit stop at home on Wednesday.  I've noticed a couple more things I want to modify when I get back home.  On Thursday it was raining like crazy, huge thunderstorms, hail and even a tornado warning.  Most of the bad stuff was east of me as I was heading north.  Weather was good on Friday.

Tomorrow, Saturday, I work my way back through Dallas up towards the Red River then do a chunk of I-14 before heading to Alpine.  Tomorrow is scheduled to be an easy day with just over 925 miles.  I'll plan to pad my total miles with the wrap up rides on Sunday and Monday. 

Tuesday -- Day 4, over 4,200 miles and all is well.  Day 1-3 was all round the edges of the state.  Today was I-10, east to west.  Tomorrow will be I-20 from it's end just east of Van Horn all the way to the border town of Waskom, where I'll head towards Wimberley for a pit stop.  The riding has been great with lots of good weather.  I have had a few problems with gear and equipment.  First, the rear tire pressure sensor conked out.  Lost all the audio on my zumo 665 GPS.  No turn by turn, no XM radio, no MP3 player.  And if that wasn't irritating enough the wiring harness of the GPS is shorting out causing the unit to go wacko from time to time.  Called ahead for a new harness which is at home already.  Will got it changed out tomorrow.  The issue caused me to cut 100 miles off tomorrows' route to get home a little earlier to do the repairs.  Still, riding 1008 miles tomorrow so no sweat.

The GSA was acting up starting on Sunday.  I stopped at Alamo BMW and got it tended too.  The dealership was great and took care of the issue without delay. I was there about 1:20 minutes.  I go the owner to do a IBA witness sign off form.  All is good.



Planning -- See the Multi Route Leg Plan for details

Texas is a big state with lots of interstates and good highways. The planning strategy is 10 1,000 mile route segments each ending at a location with available motels.  The routes will crisscross the state using all available highways and roads.  I am on a 240:00 clock and  must keep an accurate fuel log, rest stop start/end receipts and account for time not riding due to delays.  I will be using Spot to mark key route points and for tracking as supplemental support information.  The Spotwalla day-by-day map links will be submitted to IBA as supplemental route documentation.  Start, enroute and finish witness forms are required for this IBA challenge ride. 

IBR Activities -- See An Organizing Framework for context

• Planning and Navigation -- Plan the ride and ride the plan
• Riding and Risk Management -- Ride within my skill limits, capabilities of the motorcycle and limitations of the riding environment
• Ride Pace and Resource Management -- Maintain a steady ride pace while managing fuel, hydration, food and rest
• Problem and Stress Management -- Apply critical thinking, understand the operational environment, solve the right problem, adapt to the dynamic conditions
• Personal Courage and Commitment -- Push through the tough situations while doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason
• Motorcycle, Riding Gear and Equipment -- Exercise the all the gear to discover opportunities for improvements

IBR Tasks Exercised

• Select a Leg Route
• Navigate Leg Route Segments
• Conduct a Pit Stop
• Document Activities
• Conduct a Call-In 
• Conduct a Rest Stop
• Conduct Enroute Repairs
• Prepare for Check Point Scoring

LD Riding on the Clock -- An Organizing Framework

RIDECRAFT:  The collection of knowledge, skills and abilities used by a long distance motorcyclist to maintain a consistent ride pace, manage risk and achieve navigational objectives.

In my opinion, successful Iron Butt Rally riders are those who reach the final check point, in one piece, on time and with enough points to achieve their goals.  A rider applies his or her knowledge, skills, and abilities using the tools of the sport, in a balanced way among several interacting performance elements to achieve success.

Goal-setting ideally involves establishing specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bounded (S.M.A.R.T.) objectives.  Complex activities involving people, tools, and performance requirements can be described using a systems approach; the process of understanding how things, regarded as systems, influence one another within a whole.  Contrast systems thinking with linear thinking, where the least important element is at one end and most important at the other and all others somewhere in between.  The graphic below represents an organizing framework and systems approach for understanding long distance riding under the constraints of a rally event.  (See: Concept of a system)

 
RIDER & TOOLS:  Riders physical condition, characteristics and aptitudes combine with the function and capabilities of the tools they choose.  A riders physical attributes -- strength and conditioning, circadian rhythm, visual acuity, mental faculties and emotional temperament -- are brought into play.  The rider selects tools, such as the motorcycle, riding gear, navigation, computer/communications equipment and administrative aids to use in the operational environment (roads, traffic, weather, while subject to event rules).

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:  The rider acquires knowledge of how things or processes work, gains skill using the appropriate tools, and develops abilities to achieve event task objectives.  The rider brings his/her life experiences into the sport.  These life experiences can enhance a rider's ability to be successful.  Knowledge, skills and abilities are acquired through experiential learning or learning by doing.  Still other insights are gained through task analysis, modeling, simulation and purposeful practice.  Skills honed after many miles in the saddle, hours behind the computer, and drills using the tools in the operational environment strengthen the rider's ability to achieve task objectives.

PERFORMANCE CATEGORIES: The long distance performance elements work together, interactively and somewhat mutually dependent.  Each has a relative importance with some critical to success.  Balancing these performance elements helps develop skills and abilities. Managing the various elements together develops efficiency and effectiveness, which increases the chances for success.   Mismanage the performance elements and the system becomes unbalanced, causing problems.  

• Riding and Risk Management -- Fundamental to the sport is being able to ride the motorcycle for long duration, over long distances and in all operational environments.  Developing riding skills takes training in the basics and purposeful practice.  Managing risks means riding good risk offset, within the limits of ones skills and abilities, the limits of the motorcycle capabilities and the limits of the riding environment.   Maintaining situational awareness and managing the risks of the ride is critical to success and avoiding a crash.

• Ride Pace and Resource Management -- Effective use of time for riding, pit stops (refuel,refresh,repair,replan), task stops, and rest stops while efficiently consuming fuel, water, food and rest.  A grasp of the relationship between time, speed and distance is at the heart of the ride pace.  This can be expressed and measured by the moving  and overall average miles per hour metrics. (See ride pace analysis)  Understanding how the operational environment affects these averages is important.  Managing the resources to sustain a riding pace can be crucial to success.  

• Planning and Navigation -- Plan the ride and ride the plan.  Planning is a continuous activity while on the clock.  Crafting a route that achieves individual goals and being efficient navigating the route is a challenge. The rider employs knowledge of routing techniques and skill using tools to develop an achievable route plan given his/her consistent ride pace.  Rider skills and ability to navigate the route are challenged by the dynamics of the operational environment.  Plans are almost always revised during navigation so planning skills are a key to success.

• Problem and Stress Management -- Problems lead to stress....stress leads to problems.  Developing a solution for the right problem, that adapts to dynamic conditions, requires critical thinking and an understanding of the operational environment.  If problems are not dealt with effectively stress builds and eventually affects the balance among the performance elements.  Small problems can quickly lead to catastrophic failures. 

• Personal Courage and Commitment -- Facing uncertainty, adversity, fear and significant risk requires confidence, integrity, discipline and a commitment to do the right thing at the right time.  Mental-emotional attitude, competitive drive and commitment to fair play affect motivation in ways that enhance or hinder reaching the objectives/goals.

The various elements of the performance categories are the subject of study among long distance enthusiasts.  Some of these elements are objective and can be examined in quantitative terms.  Ride pace and resource management in particular.  Planning encompasses more than just selecting a goal achieving route.  Routing is fundamentally tied to ride pace and resource management.  But, optimal routing is very much a creative process. It incorporates the riders understanding of the whole system to achieve the desired goal..  Managing risk of the ride is an individual concern, but it interacts with all elements.  Still other performance elements are subjective, like solving problems, maintaining a positive attitude, dealing with stress.  Examining the interaction of the performance categories can lead to ways to enhance training, fine tune skills and get more enjoyment out of the whole experience. 

All LD riders balance these elements in ways that are unique to their individual knowledge, skills and abilities.  Abilities lacking in one category may be compensated by competencies in others.  Iron Butt Rally podium finishers have demonstrated their mastery of the complex relationship among these factors and performance elements.  Given their personal characteristics, knowledge and skills, they have developed the ability employ the tools of the sport to achieve near legendary status.   

After thoughts...

The tools of the sport get a lot of attention among LD riders.  Which bike is best, getting the right aux fuel tank, aux lighting, GPS, riding gear, and on and on.  These tools are important and there are qualitative advantages to be gained.  But, when they become the primary focus, out of the context of the organizing framework, it's easy to over emphasize the tools significance.

There are many paths to knowledge and multiple routes to success in long distance riding.  The LD community as a whole is tolerant of differing views and challenges to the conventional wisdom.  In my opinion this makes the arena of ideas much more informative, exciting and sometimes amusing.

Ride Report -- 100ccc Gold

The 100ccc Gold ride is complete (pending IBA certification).  It was a very good ride with no adverse weather.  There were high head winds traveling west after Ozona, TX.  And, on the way back some nice tail winds through New Mexico.  There were the usual traffic slow downs going through Baton Rouge LA and on the return trip I caught morning rush hour traffic entering San Antonio.  The only construction delays I experience was on the west side of Las Cruces NM.

NERD ALERT! What follows is a review of the ride in terms of the performance factors I use to evaluate my long distance events.  I have found organizing my LD training efforts around these factors effective at isolating areas where I need to improve.

Riding and Risk Management:  I had no "close calls" while on this event.  I did not employ excessive speed.  I would maintain speeds faster than the slow traffic and speeds slower than the fast traffic.  I do not have a radar detector so I'm diligent about maintaining a consistent and effective pace.  The FLIR thermal imaging system mounted on the bike was a great help.  Especially, while riding at night in west Texas and through Florida.  It significantly enhances and extends the detection distance of warm blooded critters in and around the path of travel.  Being able to detect threats 6-12 seconds ahead really helps reduce the stress level while riding at night.  After six months of using the FLIR I am please with the decision to employ this advanced technology. 

Planning and Navigation: I divided the 100ccc into logical segments.  Of course the routing was easy, I-10 west to I-12 to I-10 to I-8 and back again.  I plotted the route on MapSource to capture the miles and travel time.  Then used the route turn by turn data to  prepare the timed out ride plan adding in the pit stop times and rest stop times.  I published the 100ccc RLPLite MS Excel spread sheet on 3/15/2013.  During the ride I had SPOT tracking on and sent a SPOT message at each fuel stop and rest stop.  You can refer to the spot markers to compare the SPOT date/time stamp arrival time (CDT) with that planned using Rally Leg Plan Lite tool.  I have recapped the segment plan vs actual times below.

Segment                                                                            Planned          Spot Time Stamp

1. JAX Start                                                                      05:00             03-17 04:59:41
2. JAX Start to Junction Rest 1 - 1,198 miles                     22:02             03-17 21:58:34
3. Junction Rest 1 to El Cajon Rest - 1,145 miles             21:17             03-18 21:20:09
4. El Cajon Rest to SDO DBR - 20 miles                          06:35             03-19 06:37:10
5. SDO DBR to Junction Rest 2 - 1,163 miles                   23:22              03-19 23:20:10
6. Junction Rest 2 to JAX Finish - 1,195 miles                   00:10             03-20 23:52:24

Ride Pace and Resource Management:   Maintaining a consistent ride pace was a major training objective during this ride.  This 100 hour "on the clock" event provided the opportunity to validate the moving and overall average MPH of my riding pace.  I used the calculations within the Leg Planning Tool to identify these two metrics as well as the required fuel stops for each leg segment.  Refer to the 100ccc RLPLite Excel file to see the planned segment and for the entire 100 hour leg.  As planned I had 8:49 of slack time should the weather, equipment malfunctions or heavy traffic cause delays.  Knowing time to each segment end would give me good information about the pace.  At the end of the ride I did a screen shot of the zumo 220 (powered continuously) that captured the actual pace performance to compare to the planned numbers.  They are pretty close which confirms the accuracy of the planning tool and the consistency of my riding pace.

Planned using the Leg Planning Tool (see Leg Statistics table in the 100cccRLPLite file)

• Total Plan Miles = 4,721
• Moving Average MPH = 72.7
• Overall Average MPH = 51.8
• MapSource Travel Time = 64:55
• Pit Stop Time = 2:45
• Rest Stop Time = 23:30
• Total Stop Time = 26:15
• Total Time = 91:10

Compare to the GPS screen shot of the performance data captured at the finish.

I maintained a consistent pace given the speed limits, traffic flow and overall conditions to help manage risk and reduce stress.  This consistent riding pace also aids in the accuracy of the fuel endurance distance calculations.  I had planned to stop every 300-350 miles to keep within IBA rules.  That distance is also the FED of my new GSA motorcycle.  It is not completely broken in yet and I have not achieve its best fuel mileage per gallon.  I captured the data for each fuel stop while preparing the IBA fuel log.  Refer to it for the details.  Below is a summary of the FED data:

• Enroute Pit Stops = 13
• Start/Mid/Finish Stops = 3
• Fuel Stops at Rest Stops = 3
• Fuel used Start to Finish =  131.8 gallons (133.393 total minus start fill up of 1.593 gallons)
• Miles per gallon for event = 35.9 (4,735.1 GPS miles divided by 131.8 gallons)
• Highest/lowest MPG = 44.4 and 31.7
• Farthest fuel load distance = 341.1 miles
• Highest amount pumped = 8.831 gallons
• Total fuel costs = $533.56 (High $4.40, low $3.69 and average $4.01 per gallon)

Problem and Stress Management:  There were no significant problems that caused stress and no stress that caused significant problems.  My rest management plan kept me well rested with 23:30 devoted to rest spread over the event.  At each rest stop I practiced my routine to maximize eyes shut time.  At Junction the first stop is at a store to get a healthy sandwich and a pint of 2% milk to consume before sleep.  Then to the hotel to check in, download the bike, shower, set the alarms, eat then go to sleep.  In the morning I refueled to get a start DBR then hit the road.  I hydrated while riding using a 100oz CamelBak with insulated hose.  I did experience several instance of bladder stress which caused me to make a unscheduled pit stop to refresh.  I'll work on slower consumption while riding to lessen excess bladder accumulation. I had one equipment issue that caused me stress.  The switch on my electric jacket kept shorting off.  I solved the problem by removing the switch and plugging straight into the lead from the battery.  I ate while riding using a combination of high protein bars with low glycemic index and custom trail mix.  I use a 32oz drinking bottle for tasty good zero calorie drinks with added electrolytes.  This kept my energy level pretty even throughout the ride. I avoided heavy meals opting to consume around 2,000 calories spread throughout the day.  My riding gear worked very well without stress causing comfort issues. 

Personal Courage and Commitment:  Seems a bit pretentious but it takes some degree of courage to push oneself through the tough times while maintaining a commitment to stopping the ride when one exceeds one's limit.  Because I managed the other performance factors within my knowledge, skills and abilities I did not feel I was exceeding my limits.  My commitment to being disciplined about staying focused on tasks made the ride interesting.  I kept my mind active, thinking ahead, anticipating problems or issues in a way that made the ride fun. 

Sundry Items:  The total cost of the 100ccc was $760.92 itemized below.  Combine the cost of attending the IBA annual dinner and the IBR pizza party before the 100ccc along with the redeploy back home from JAX pushes the total cost of this LD adventure to around $1,356.11.  But, who's counting?!

Fuel costs = 533.56
Lodging = $142.36
Cash = $85.00

ROG:  After arriving home on Friday 3/22 the GSA indicating 21 miles left till zero on the fuel range counter. Today, 2/28, I fill up a quart sized MSR fuel bottle and got on the motorcycle to run out of gas.  This is my first ROG on the new GSA.  When the GSA Fuel range guage hit zero I started an odometer on the GPS.  I was riding on I-35 at interstate speeds to burn up what was left in the tank after the ride back from Jacksonville.  By the time the motorcycle experienced complete fuel exhaustion I had traveled another 43.4 miles.  By this time I was doing a turn around via frontage roads off the interstate and pulled into the parking lot of a motel.  I could see an Exxon station less than a 1/4 mile away.  I poured the 0.25 gallons of gas from the MSR fuel bottle and rode to the Exxon.  There I put another 9.584 gallons into the tank.  That's a total of  over 9.8 gallons of fuel.  This is good information.  I will be confirming this with more ROG tests in the next couple of weeks.  I'll do a blog posting to document the results of this fuel endurance distance testing on the new bike.

Follow On Items:  I need to stabilize my FLIR camera.  At high speeds it tends to pulsate causing a slight distortion in the output to the display.  I was happy with the way the zumo 220 worked with the hard wire to the battery.  I want to find a better way to eat my custom trail mix while riding.  Using a zip log bag tucked away in my tank bag was clumsy.  I'm thinking a plastic cylinder, like a drink container, with a wide mouth and flip up cap.  That way I can mount it in a pouch on the side of the tank bag for easy access.  I also want to do some ROG (run out of gas) testing on the GSA.  It's getting well broke in now and I want to dial in the fuel endurance distance and consumption rates under several different riding conditions.  I'll do a blog posting of the plan and the results after the tests.

100ccc Gold Ride Plan

Thursday, March 14:  Beginning odo 12,464 & ending odo 19,360 for 6,896 miles

I'm riding to Jacksonville FL to attend the IBA annual dinner on Friday, March 15th and the IBR Pizza Party on Saturday.

Starting on Sunday, March 17th, St. Paddy's Day I'll be leaving Jacksonville Beach, FL at around 0600 EDT to start the Iron Butt Association 100ccc Gold challenge ride.  The goal of this event is to ride from coast to coast to coast in less than 100 hours.  You can follow my progress in almost real time by using the Spotwalla map below.  I will be using Spot tracking, also marking the start, pit stops and key points with the SPOT Check in/OK.  I'll be marking rest stops using the SPOT Custom.  Click on the marker to read the position data and embedded message.



The ride plan can be found here:  100ccc RLPLite  This plan is not a ridged "schedule" to keep but rather a measure for the riding pace; moving and overall average miles per hour.  Any pace efficiencies I gain between rest stops I will add to the rest time.  Any time delays I experience that put me behind the ETA at key way points will be charged to the ending slack time, rather than cut rest time short.  This strategy enhances the rest management plan and is part of the commitment to managing overall risk. 

I plan on departing Jacksonville Beach FL on Sunday 3/17 at 0600 EDT and arrive at Mission Beach CA on Tuesday 3/19 0430 PDT, 49:30 later.  During the first leg I will stop for rest in Junction TX and El Cajon CA.  The ETA to Junction is 2202 CDT 3/17 and El Cajon is 1917 PDT 3/18.  At 0410 PDT I'll head to Mission Beach for the turn around DBR to stop the clock on the first 50cc at about 0450 PDT 3/19.  The clock on the second 50 hours of the 100ccc begins with the DBR in SDO.  I plan on 30 minutes of dwell time in SDO to secure the turn around witness sign off before departing.  The plan calls for a 7 hour rest in Junction TX and an ETA to the JAX Finish at 0010 CDT  or 0110 EDT 3/21.  The clock runs out on the 100 hours at the JAX Finish a little before 1000 AM EDT Thursday 3/21.  The plan has about 8:45 of slack time for whatever might happen along the way.


I am doing this "on the clock" challenge ride to accomplish several objectives:

• Put more miles on the realitivily new BMW R1200GS Adventure.  From home near Wimberley to JAX to SDO to JAX and back to Wimberley will be almost 7,000 miles.  This will bring the total mileage of the new bike to almost 19,000.
• Get another merit pin for my windscreen.
• Practice IBR tasks and performance skills: 
• Conduct a Pit Stop to refuel, refresh, repair. 
• Conduct a Rest Stop
• Conduct a Call-In
• Prepare and Maintain Required Documentation
• Routing and Navigation
• Rider Pace (Moving and Overall Average MPH)
• Riding and Risk Management
• Rest and Fatigue Management
• Problem and Stress Management
• Hydration and Nutrition Management
• Personal Courage and Commitment
• Validate riding gear comfort and function
• Validate motorcycle load plan
• Validate add-on equipment function
• FLIR field testing 

I won't have time to blog along the way but will post results of the ride when I'm finished.  I will use the log entries, documentation and the GPS data to generate useful information about the trip.  The goal is to capture information about the following performance measures:

• Moving and Overall Average MPH for the leg and segments
• Pit Stop Time -- refuel, refresh, repair (using GPS track arrive/depart times)
• Fuel Endurance Distance & MPG -- leg and segments (compared to Mvg Avg MPH)
• Rest Stop Time -- check-in/refresh/sleep/check-out
• Bonus Stop Time -- SDO DBR time and to securing turn around witness
• Documentation -- Pit Stop, Rest Stop, Call-in, Witness sign off
• Total direct cost by category -- Fuel, lodging, meals and incidentals