Mid Winter Ride

I'm heading out to west Texas for a little fun in the warm dessert sun.  I'm doing some recon stuff for a couple of events.  I got a new Samsung GalaxyS4 smartphone so I'm anxious test it out using BubblerGPS Pro.

SPOT2 SpotWalla Map

Saturday, 2/1:  Departed the Best Western in Alpine around 8:30 after breakfast.  I'm going to take I-10 home so just east of town I took the road to Fort Stockton.  It's about 325 miles from there to my house in the suburbs of Wimberley.  So, I topped off the fuel tank at the brand spanking new Flying J and after another cup of coffee hit the 80 MPH superslab. The weather was great with the temperatures in the high 60's and low 70's most of the way.  Stopped in Luckenbach to pee and see some of the goings on.  Saturdays sees lots of motorcycle traffic at this interesting big of Americana, mainly cause...."Everyone is Somebody in Luckenbach, Texas"  What a great mid winter ride.

Friday, 1/31:   I'm going to do a clock wise loop from Alpine to Marfa, south to Presideo then along the famed FM 170 river road to Lajitas, Study Butte, then on to Panther Junction in Big Bend NP before heading north to Marathon then back to Alpine.  I'm scouting out some particulars for the Motorcycle Tourers  Forum's Ride Around Texas evemt that is planned for this coming May.  I'll take some pictures along the way using BubblerGPS Pro but don't expect them to show up until I get back in 3G or 4G cell coverage.  BubblerGPS is supposed to hold the messages and photos when it is not in coverage range, so the will be a good test.

FYI:  The BubblerGPS app on my new Samsung GalaxyS4 worked great.  Check out the GPS track and pictures in the map above.

Marfa questions

After a leisurely breakfast I headed west through Alpine.  Alpine is definitely the economic bright spot here in West Texas.  I stopped at the Marfa Lights viewing area to capture some pix and info for a future riding adventure I'm working on for March.  On the way into Marfa I saw this mural so I had to stop to check it out. Seems someone has a lot of questions.

Since I was not on any kind of schedule I thought I'd so some sight seeing along the way.  I stopped in Shafter, almost a ghost town by now.  But, in the 70's it was the town of "Peidmont" location in the SiFi movie "The Andromeda Strain."  I recognized the church but most of the other buildings I remember from the movie have been changed over the years.

Presidio was my next waypoint along the way.  Checked out a couple of gas stations for hours of operation and pump availability.  It's also at the northwestern end of FM 170, the road which runs along the Rio Grande border of the US and Mexico.  The road was in great shape for this time of the year.  There were signs of recent TxDOT maintenance activities at some of the low water crossings.  I stopped at the high point on the road for a quick picnic lunch and to take in the sights.

Looking West

Looking East down the mountain

Just past the Lajitas Resort and Spa main complex is the Lajitas General Store.  It's normal hours are from 8AM to 8PM in spring time.  It has a gas pump that stays on 24/7 that can be used with a credit card.  Just 87 octane though.  I stopped for a cold drink to get a dated business receipt before continuing on my way through Terlingua to Study Butte. Study, pronounced Stoody Butte is at the junction of FM 170 and SH 118.  It has a couple of gas stations and a new convenience store.  Again, their gas pumps stay on 24/7 with a credit card.  The ALON station has up to 91 octane gas.

Lajitas General Store

ALON Study Butte

On my way to Big Bend National Park via SH 118.  The speed limits drops off to a mere 45 MPH once you enter the park.  It's best not to go faster than the posted speed limits in the park.  The Park Rangers take the speed limit very seriously.  My next stop was the park headquarters at Panther Junction.  It has a great gift shop with lots interesting items.  Leaving Panther Junction heading north to Marathon the temperature was 85F and beautiful skies.  I reflected on how fortunate it is to be unemployed and on a fixed income.  If you have never been to the Gage Hotel in Marathon I recommend you stop for a look-see.  It's supposed to be famous according to the locals, imagine that.   I does have a stuffed White Buffalo head in the bar.  A lot of American Native cultures revere the white buffalo as a great spirit. 

Thursday, 1/30:  After a couple cups of coffee I departed home on my way to a comrade's place to help him with a mechanical issue on his GSA.  Big Jim is so large he couldn't get the spring clip that holds the H7 headlight bulb in its socket.  I had to show him a trick I learned to make sure the spring clip doesn't come off while seating the bulb.  He was grateful and gave me a cup of coffee.  I tried to get him to ride out west with me but he wimped out.

I didn't want to take I-10 out to Alpine, where I was to spend the night, so I took the scenic route on US90.  It was a great ride and the sky opened up after Del Rio.  It was chilly when I started.  By the time I got to Marathon just east of Alpine the temperature was 77F. 

Static Display Data Sheet

HardTxRider

Tim Masterson, IBA # 415
HardTxRider@Yahoo.com
Hard Riding Adventures (Google it)

• Motorcycle -- BMW R1200GS Adventure, 2016, Odo @ ___________ Miles
• Auxillary Equip -- BMW fog lights, FLIR PathFindIR thermal imaging system, rear view camera
• Fuel Endurance -- 7.9 Gallons, Ranges: 300/350/420 at 80/70/60 Moving Avg MPH 
• Navigation -- Garmin zumo 590, zumo 665 , XM, Weather Radar, Live Traffic, smartphone links
• Communications -- SPOT Gen3, BubblerGPS Pro, Samsung Galaxy Note 5
• Hydration -- Mil Spec CamelBak 100oz, insulated pack and 6' modular hose, Under Armor insulated drink bottle
• Comfort System -- Sargent Seat, BeadRider ceramic, BakUp backrest, highway pegs, MRA X-creen articulating wind spoiler
• Tires - Michelin Anakee 3, 14,000 miles typical wear on rear tire, Slime pump/gummy worms
• Load Bearing -- Stock GSA panniers, Tank bag and Tool Box by Touratech
• Rider Gear -- Schuberth C3 Pro helmet with SRC Pro communications collar, Klim Badlands jacket and gloves,  Aerostich AD1 riding pants, TCX X-Desert Gore-Tex riding boots, ess Mil Spec ballistic day/night eye wear, Gerbing heated jacket, LDComfort shirt and shorts, Dr. Scholls compression socks
• Special Equipment -- Nikon CoolPix AW100 water/shock proof, Panasonic ToughPad FZ-G1, Garmin BaseCamp, MS Excel Rally Leg Plan Tool & Profile

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!

Sunday Ride

The weather is beautiful here in the Texas Hill Country.  So, I'm going out for a ride.  Nothing special, just turning recycled hydrocarbons to greenhouse gasses.  Should be fun.  I'll be using BubblerGPS for tracking and spotting things along the way. 



Luckenbach is a biker magnet on the weekends.  I may swing by there to hang out some.  Then maybe pop over to Javelina HD to watch the Riders Edge class.   Wait, never mind, this is starting to sound like I have a ride plan or something.

On the way into the village of Wimberley I saw this....thing.... at the local biker shop.


Check out the SpotWalla map above for pictures at some of my stops.

Using FLIR While Riding

11/16/13:  I like technology.  What "guy" doesn't?  So, the idea of HUD (Head Up Display) for a motorcycle helmet is high on my cool list.

Check out this article in c/net about the Skully P1 motorcycle helmet.
And, the Nuviz Motorcycle Heads Up Display.
And, the LiveMap Motorcycle HMD


I want to tether my FLIR PathFindIR and rear view camera to a micro display affixed to the inside of my helmet.  Of course, having the feed from navigation would also be way cool.  But, right now I'd settle for using the display for rear view camera during the bright time of the day and the PathFindIR dusk till dawn.

Technology is getting closer. 


This post is about using the FLIR PathFindIR thermal imaging camera to enhance and extend perception distance while riding on a motorcycle.  See: The FLIR Project posting regarding the acquisition and installation on my BMW R1200GS Adventure.  

Rider view:  Using the FLIR in daylight, at dusk, slight overcast.  From this prospective you can see the FLIR display clearly.  Although, not captured by the video camera the resolution of the display is good enough to see the thermal signature of warm blooded critters on the sides of the road 8-12 seconds ahead.  Through practice and experimentation I have found the FLIR most useful by doing a quick glance at the display to a point that represents 6-12 seconds ahead.

(Select Full Screen and HD Quality)

FLIR Field Testing:   The objective of this phase is integrate the FLIR under long distance riding conditions.  How best to employ the system, exploit its capabilities, and identify limitations under day and night operational conditions.

Operational Environments:  Videos in both thermal and visible light spectra. (click on YouTube link when available)

• Country roads:  Hazard ID &  Hill Country roads
• Interstate highways
• Approaching on-coming vehicles
• Scanning shoulders of curves
• Intersection and city/town traffic:  Village Ride at Night
• Fog and rain
• Illumination vs Detection  

Video Capture Methodology 
Listed above are or will be several videos showing how the FLIR can increase perception distance to gain advance notice of possible hazards on the path of travel.  Some demonstration videos will be a mix of both day and night riding conditions.  There are two types of videos, 1; showing how the road ahead looks from the rider's view and 2; of the thermal image captured by an in-line DVR.  Edited into the DVR recordings will be using visible light rider view, provided by the motorcycle's OEM lighting, captured by GoPro Hero3 action camera using low light settings.  The Hero3 is mounted on top of the FLIR housing to match the prospective views.  This technique provides both visible light and thermal spectrum.

Using the FLIR PathFindIR thermal imagery while riding works differently than using just axillary lighting.  The primary advantage of using FLIR over axillary lighting is thermal contrast. The FLIR system does not detect the "temperature" difference the way a thermometer registers degrees.  Rather, the PathFindIR camera captures the differences in the frequency of the electromagnetic spectrum in the infrared ranges. 

To detect objects the human visual system looks for object signatures which differentiates it from the background.  The term visual salience is used in cognitive science to describe the features that make objects detectable.

The size of the “difference” with the background must become higher than a “threshold value” before the object becomes salient, or in other words, draws attention.  In terms of naturally camouflage animals, consider the following attributes that have traditionally been mentioned that help one to detect an animal hazard in the riding environment.

Visual Salience

1. Movement – shapes moving in a static environment or not moving in a dynamic environment will draw attention. 
2. Shine from reflective surfaces – Eye reflection of animals at night..
3. Shape – humanoid and animal shapes draw attention
4. Silhouette – a contrasting blob against the background.
5. Color and texture – natural camouflage and animal surface textures are hard to detect especially at night.
6. Shadow – the mind can calculate probable shapes from the shadows cast – especially human and to a lesser degree animal shapes.
7. Spacing – regular spaced objects form a pattern that will draw attention.

Thermal imagery facilitates detection by inducing readily detectable contrast into the natural background.  By highlighting the infrared signature of animals against the neutral background detection of hazards is significantly enhanced.
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Night Riding Basics:
Riding at night poses a special problem for motorcyclists.  Reduced visibility ahead increases the possibility of striking something in the intended path of travel.   Debris on the road, or worse, an animal if struck can result in severe injury, possible death.

It takes training and purposeful practice to reduce the risks of riding at night or under less than ideal visual conditions like fog, heavy rain, smoke or dust.   Using the MSF Rider Radar concept helps to prioritize one's attention while riding.  The table below is how I prioritize the threat for hazards ahead:

  Threat Zone                                           Threat Level
Distance Ahead                 Path of Travel                       Shoulder Margins

      2 Seconds                         Extreme                                High
      4 Seconds                         High                                      Medium
      6 Seconds                         Medium                                 Low
     12 Seconds                        Low                                       Low

Anything in the 4 second immediate path of travel must be dealt with.  A moving hazard anywhere in the 4 second range can quickly become a High threat.  The maneuver choices are reduce speed and/or swerving around the hazard.  The objective is to see hazards before it gets within the total stopping distance of the motorcycle.  Specifically, perception distance, reaction distance and braking distance.  Purposeful practice can reduce reaction distance and a well maintained motorcycle can reduce braking distance.  The FLIR PathFindIR is designed to enhance and extend the perception distance.

Perception distance is how many seconds ahead a potential hazard is recognized.  Under ideal conditions during the day it is possible to see 10 to 12 seconds ahead.  At 60 MPH 15 seconds ahead is one quarter mile.  At night or under less than ideal conditions seeing only 4-6 seconds ahead is the norm.  Sometimes using auxiliary lighting may extend this to 8 seconds.  But these bright lights, like the high beam, must be turned off for approaching traffic. The FLIR PathFindIR can extend this perception distance out to as much as 15 seconds.  And, provides a white hot thermal image of warm blooded hazards within 4-8 seconds ahead.