Justin, you in? The ride prep at SRH worked out pretty good last time. Even got TomS out of the cave.
Yeah, must have lost the other picture of the cop in my rearview just outside of Glenellen. No new ride this year, but perhaps a new Olin in the back to break in, And a bad case of "I wish winter would end!"
I had a blast last time with ADVBMR, akkurt and jusinconsistent! Like Justin, I never submitted the paperwork - I've still got it all in a ziplock with my shop manuals... All I can say is "badges?!, I don't need no steenkin' badges!!" Anyway, would love to do the trip again. I didn't take a layover @ Fairbanks last time, just kept riding close to the speed limit with short breaks here and there and if memory serves I believe I made it with about 2 hours to spare. [edit] Here's the 2011 Iditabutt thread for reference. Yep, just checked my time from that run. Out 10:12 5/21/11 In 8:06 5/22/11 [/edit]
May 19th is the Gold Nugget and I've volunteered to provide a ride for a pillion on the bike course. GIven the way winter is lingering on, it might be wise to bump the date out a bit further.
I'm in, but somebody else has to take the ticket this time, or I am going to need a lawyer. (anybody know one?) May 18th does seem a little ambitious, but I can probably make it happen. 800 huh? your still looking for a bike as reliable, comfortable, consistent, and fast as your old red 1100.
Definitely in! +1 on a meeting at Spenard Road House to nail down details. Maybe instead of gift cards for the volunteer witnesses after the fact they can join the group for planning?
Awesome! Yes, the speed limit with frequent short breaks has to be the ideal approach. No rest stop in Fairbanks for me this time. Did you find another brand new "used" motorcycle to break in? What do you think you will be riding this time?
Nope, still have the same pair of 1982 vintage bikes - unless someone makes me an offer I can't refuse on something more modern Knock on wood both are up and running reliably after some minor maintenance over the winter. Might take the Virago this time though, it has a little more umph and with a swap to a Seca rear wheel, the RPMs and vibrations at speed are lower than the GL500.
No, of the four of us I think only justinconsistent and ADVBMR actually rode within sight of each other. Kurt and I were on our own, but would see them from time to time at rest/gas stops - in my case kinda tortoise and hare style. I'm a relative riding noob atop a loose formation of 30 year old bike parts so I try not to flog them too much. Anyway, we each had everyone else's cell numbers and were on the same route - so help was probably never more than about 30 minutes away if something went pear shaped on us.
If something happens it really depends on the situation. If I were to get a flat, for example, I wouldn't want anyone slowing down for me. I'll have the trailer ready to go in Anchorage if something comes up, maybe even with a driver standing by. I agree with Beezer, riding your own ride is the way to go. If your pace happens to match someone else's, that's cool. It's more important to be safe and enjoy the ride than to keep sight of each other or finish at the same time.
Your route is a little longer than necessary but, depending on weather, might actually be best. From Valdez, you can go straight north up the Richardson Hwy through Isabel Pass and still get over 1000 miles. But Isabel Pass can have snow nearly any month of the year, just like Atigun Pass, so it's best to watch weather forecasts for Delta Jct and Paxson a few days before you do the ride. For witnesses, you only need a single start witness and a single finish witness. The witness is only attesting to your odometer reading, and if you intend to leave really early in the morning, they can even check it the night before. Just don't ride 50 miles or so to your starting point the next morning. But 4 or 5 is no problem. You have to get a time/date stamped receipt for your official starting time. It's a good idea to select your starting point (a gas station is usually the best), then make a purchase there a day or so before to make sure their receipts have all the necessary information printed clearly. Same thing with your finish time - it will require a printed receipt (or a time & date slip from an ATM - if you're just checking your balance, for instance). You also need a receipt from your "corner" points. For instance, with the route you've laid out it would be Valdez, Tok, and Fairbanks. Oops! Didn't notice you had yourself going out to Chena Hot Springs, too. A receipt there would be necessary instead of Fairbanks, but you would probably need to get another one down around Healy or Cantwell, too. Don't know why you would go out to Chena Hot Springs. Not a good plan for your first SS1K That said, it is up to you to prove that you have ridden the full route and not taken any shortcuts. Your receipts will accomplish that. Be sure to make out a trip log, as the IBA rules describe. I'll usually make up a rough one as I travel, then transcribe the info onto a proper form at home. At the recommendation of one of the most accomplished Iron Butt riders in the world, I have made up my own forms that refer to the start and finish witnesses as "Verifiers" rather than "witnesses" as some police departments will not allow their officers to sign as "witnesses". For the basic rides, i.e. the Saddle Sore and Bun Burner 1500, anyone can witness. Once you get into the extreme rides then you need three witnesses unless they are police officers, firemen, motorcycle dealer employees, or IBA official witnesses (of which I am one here in Alaska). Once you have finished a Saddle Sore 1000 (SS1K) or two, you might consider attempting the Alaska Gold 1000 (Homer to Prudhoe Bay or vice versa in 24 hours) or the Haul Road 1000 (North Pole to Prudhoe Bay and back to North Pole in 24 hours). Inmate Hobo and I did the latter together a few years ago to inaugurate that ride, but several other riders managed it a few years earlier, during the '01 Iron Butt Rally. Dick Fish told me he rode from Fairbanks to Deadhorse and back in 18 hours during that rally, and Shane Smith (who finished 2nd overall) had to have done it too. Then George Barnes and Bob Hall both had to have accomplished it a few days later, with Hall winning 1 million bonus point with his ride (George DNF'd) and coming in first overall in the rally.
'82 was a might good year! My '82 Suzuki did 4 round trips to Deadhorse (the first starting in Key West) and was the bike I was riding when Hobo and I did the first Haul Road 1000. It would probably still be good for another one. You'll never wear out that GL500.
It was after I'd done at least a dozen 1K days that I finally got my act together and sent in the required paperwork. A friend, who had an '03 Wing identical to mine except for the color, rode into Glennallen one afternoon and said "Let's do a Saddle Sore 1000". So I knocked off work a little early, gassed up, and off we went, north to Fairbanks. South to Anchorage, where we started feeling the effects of riding all night after a day of working, and took a brief nap (man!! was it hard to get going again) then on down to Homer. Coming back north from Homer to finish in Anchorage, he wanted to hurry. No! I said. This is when we are most likely to do something stupid and crash. We'll just take our time and as long as we finish within the 24 hours we're fine... and safe. I think our time was something like 22:30, but we arrived safe and sound. No need to hurry, really. Much better to be safe, even if it means not quite meeting the deadline. There'll be another day.
Very great info Alcan !! I'll probably will skip Chena hot springs. And just past by Fairbanks instead and back into the parks highway. Looks like a fun run. I was planning leaving at 4 or 5 am and be done by 10...11pm ? Trying to avoiding any night riding.... U know.. Crazy moose