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Subject: Iron Butt Associations "Saddle Sore"
Posted by: sarge33rd
- [76442923] Mon, Apr 02, 2007, 09:02
Did my ride yesterday. Harker heights to Van Horn and back. 1,146 miles according to the odometer, 16 hrs 57 minutes.
OK...made a few "discoveries" yesterday on the ride;
Nr 1- 1,000 miles in 24 hrs on a Goldwing, is easy. 1100 in 17 hrs is NOT.
Nr 2- Start carrying cash. An amazingly high nr of convenience store/truck stops along the interstate have signs "checks/debit cards for amount of purchase only". An equally high nr of these facilities lack an ATM.
Nr 3- You cant call collect, to a VONAGE phone nr.
Nr 4- I need to plan an alternate route for my 1500 mile in 36 hr trip. I-10W is THICK with deer, and riding that road at night on a bike is OUT of the question. Kerrville to Van Horn is approx 300 miles. (+/- a little) On that stretch of interstate, I stopped counting at 20 dead deer carcass along/on the road. I-35N is out, because of weather concerns. (I am going to go in late Apr). I-10W is out per the preceeding. I -10E across LA is out, I-20W is out because of weather and going into the mountains, so it looks like I-20 E into AL will be that route.
Nr 5- I-10W REALLY helps with this kind of a ride. West of Kerrville, the posted speed limit climbs to 80, so I was pretty much running at 88-90 for most of the day.
Nr 6- Fuel economy at 90, up and down hill, in 80 degree heat on the Wing svcks. 27 or so mpg. But its kinda hard to be upset when 27 mpg represents atrocious fuel economy. lol
At a gas stop in Junction on the way out to Van Horn, as I was filling my bike, fella next to me was filling his RV. One of those "bigger than a bus" 350k type ones. Guy is maybe 40, from Alberta IIRC, and he was FASCINATED by the bike. ALL kinds of questions. His wife btw, was NOT happy that he spent maybe 15 minutes talking to me about "how much fun is it?", "whats a good first bike?", "what should I look for in a dealer?", Yep...that boy is GONNA buy himself a bike now. I found it amazing, that a fella with a 350k RV was "envious" of my 10k motorcycle. (And my ego didnt mind it in the least!) He was on his way to see the "Great Canyon". :)
Another gas stop, this one in Ozona on my way back from Van Horn...2 older guys (60-65 I'd wager) were there with their pair of Suzuki Boulevards. One a C50T and the other a C90. We were talking and I was explaining about my Iron Butt ride and the requirements (this is about 4pm btw) when the one says, "You know...we just got these back from the dealership yesterday after our breakin service and we havent really been out on the highway very much."
(He looks over at his buddy)
"What do you say Bob? Should we tag along and ride with this fella to San Antonio and then come home? Really piss the wives off if we dont show up for dinner until almost 10 or so."
Bob says, "Sure. What do you say youngun? Mind if we tag along?" (Ego didnt mind being called youngun either. lol)
"Come ahead on..." says I...and we did. 3 guys who didnt know each other 15 minutes earlier, spend the next 2 1/2 hours riding down the interstate together.
And little stories like those folks...THOSE are what seperate travel via 2-wheels vs 4, and make the 2-wheeled variety so incredible.
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| 1 | TB
Sherpa
ID: 031811922
Mon, Apr 02, 2007, 23:55
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Good stuff, Sarge. I don't think I'd be up for a lot of night riding, especially with the deer, but sounds like fun.
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| 2 | KnicksFan
ID: 551391816
Mon, Apr 02, 2007, 23:57
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If you think 2 wheels are fun, you should try the motor-unicycle. :)
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| 3 | GoatLocker
Sustainer
ID: 060151121
Tue, Apr 03, 2007, 00:00
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Sarge,
That is strange about the deer.
In Jan / Feb when we did the E-W on I10, I didn't see a single dead deeer on the rode or the side of it.
Difference in weather maybe.
Seems strange.
Cliff
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| 4 | sarge33rd
ID: 99331714
Tue, Apr 03, 2007, 13:00
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It was a ball TB. Virtually no night riding to it though. I left the house about 4:45 Sunday am, so only a little more than anhour before sunup. Got home about 10. Maybe 2 1/2 to 3 hrs after sunset. Those hours, were all spent on I-35S/N. Easy shot w/o much exposure to risk other than te 4-wheeled variety.
Cliff...hunting season is over, so the deer arent in hiding as much as they have been. They've gotten over some of the skittishness, and they were EVERYWHERE. I had been "warned" that they were thick as fleas in that region, but I dont believe any warning given would prepare the uninitiated to just exactly how thick they are.
The 1500 mile-36 hr trip, is slated for Sun-Mon Apr 29-30. Killeen to Birmingham, AL and back.
Sometime next summer I hope to undertake the "killer" that the IBA calls the 50cc. Thats 50 hours for coast-to-coast. Either I10 or I20, from one ocean to the other. That one I fear, will be a real grind.
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