Gunner’s Coast to Coast 50

AndyBlila

Premier Member
#1
So I’ve been itching to do this since my first IBA ride. I’ve been reading up on everyone else’s plans so here I go. I’ll update this as I go. I’ll be leaving San Diego on the 21st and heading out to JAX to make the run heading west. I’m stopping in Stennis MS for a couple of days (work) and then off to JAX. I’ll post a link to my spotwalla for anyone who is interested and I’ll most my ride plan this week! Here we go.......
 

Scott Parish

Premier Member
#2
Good luck. Riding coast-to-coast is such a great experience and provides a true measure of how well you will like LD riding on the clock. Looking forward to hearing how it goes for you.
 

cacomly

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#3
Was curious why you were leaving San Diego to go to JAX to start a 50CC but just re-read that you are stopping in MS for work. Enjoy the ride!
 

AndyBlila

Premier Member
#4
Good luck. Riding coast-to-coast is such a great experience and provides a true measure of how well you will like LD riding on the clock. Looking forward to hearing how it goes for you.
I am really looking forward to it. Hopefully I can get the plan up here this week and then the ride report as I go...
 

cacomly

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#6
Not only the work, but I like riding during the daylight hours as much as possible. I'll gain time going east to west and have more daylight hours. Not quite up to the 100 CCC yet.
You never know until you try :) And you could have hedged your bet by getting a witness for signed at they end of the first 50CC just in case.

I do understand the reasoning for why you want to do it from east to west. When I did my 100CCC the time zone changes headed east were really messing with my mind. I could not figure out why I was getting in to the mid point where I was planning for a few hours sleep at 4am when I got in around midnight on the west bound leg. Turned out it was the 2 hr time zone change, and the fact that the first leg was 50 hrs and not 48 hrs so I was departing 2 hrs later than I started.
 

AndyBlila

Premier Member
#8
You never know until you try :) And you could have hedged your bet by getting a witness for signed at they end of the first 50CC just in case.

I do understand the reasoning for why you want to do it from east to west. When I did my 100CCC the time zone changes headed east were really messing with my mind. I could not figure out why I was getting in to the mid point where I was planning for a few hours sleep at 4am when I got in around midnight on the west bound leg. Turned out it was the 2 hr time zone change, and the fact that the first leg was 50 hrs and not 48 hrs so I was departing 2 hrs later than I started.
Wouldn't work. I'm stopping for work and taking 5 days to go across.
 

Greg Rice

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#11
Good luck on your ride!

I always check the states DOT websites for any major construction projects along my routes, I listed the ones in your planned route below. I have a weather webpage with the weather along the 50CC route, see below.

Weather link.
http://www.gregrice.com/50CC_100CCC/50CC_100CCC_weather.htm


State Traffic Website Links
Florida

http://www.fl511.com/
Alabama
http://alitsweb2.dot.state.al.us/its/
Mississippi
https://www.mdottraffic.com/
Louisiana
http://hb.511la.org/
Texas
https://drivetexas.org/
New Mexico
http://nmroads.com/
Arizona
http://www.az511.gov/traffic/
California
https://traffic.511sd.com/
 

AndyBlila

Premier Member
#12
Good luck on your ride!

I always check the states DOT websites for any major construction projects along my routes, I listed the ones in your planned route below. I have a weather webpage with the weather along the 50CC route, see below.

Weather link.
http://www.gregrice.com/50CC_100CCC/50CC_100CCC_weather.htm


State Traffic Website Links
Florida

http://www.fl511.com/
Alabama
http://alitsweb2.dot.state.al.us/its/
Mississippi
https://www.mdottraffic.com/
Louisiana
http://hb.511la.org/
Texas
https://drivetexas.org/
New Mexico
http://nmroads.com/
Arizona
http://www.az511.gov/traffic/
California
https://traffic.511sd.com/
Thank you!
 
#14
I am. Not sure why it didn’t show. Thanks!
It all depends on timing when traveling through San Antonio and Houston. I timed my 100CCC departure to avoid peak traffic periods in Houston and San Antonio and sailed through both directions. Greg's advice to check state DOT websites for planned construction is good because even a ride at night when generally the traffic is lighter can be slowed significantly with lane or entire sections of Interstate closure. I nearly missed a BBG (25 minutes to spare) with a long stretch of I-40W (Kingman, Az to Parker, Ca) was single lane for construction on the east-bound side. Had me constantly doing the math in my head hoping I would make it to my planned end at Ludlow. Afterward - on the way home, the I-15S was completely closed at the 91 junction which had traffic stopped for miles as vehicles were being routed to city street exits - just glad I was off the clock at that point. Looking forward to the RR. Would be cool to meet-up somewhere local after both our summer rides are over to recap.
 

BigLew55

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#15
This looks like a great route that many of us have ridden successfully.

I agree that the el paso bypass works great.

I was surprised by how many stations required me to go inside to pay.

If you want to try a BBG1500, JAX to Van Horn is a great opportunity to embed one in this ride. I used it as plan A, and knew that Junction was the place to decide on whether to pursue it. If I wanted to bail, Junction was the place to stop, but if I wanted to continue, Van Horn had already been researched. The next day was not too bad, being a bit over 800 miles after sleeping for 8 hours. Just something to consider.

Greg's weather site is awesome on the go. I use it all the time.

Good luck and have a great ride!!
 

AndyBlila

Premier Member
#16
This looks like a great route that many of us have ridden successfully.

I agree that the el paso bypass works great.

I was surprised by how many stations required me to go inside to pay.

If you want to try a BBG1500, JAX to Van Horn is a great opportunity to embed one in this ride. I used it as plan A, and knew that Junction was the place to decide on whether to pursue it. If I wanted to bail, Junction was the place to stop, but if I wanted to continue, Van Horn had already been researched. The next day was not too bad, being a bit over 800 miles after sleeping for 8 hours. Just something to consider.

Greg's weather site is awesome on the go. I use it all the time.

Good luck and have a great ride!!
Thanks! As of right now, it looks like it will rain on me, off an on, from JAX to New Orleans. We California riders are spoiled by 360 dry days a year, but I will push through. I'm thinking for this ride I'll stop in Junction. After fighting the weather for 8 hours, I don't know if I'll have the energy to push through for the BBG. We will see, as we all know the weather report will change 14 times before the 29th! Good news is my Aerostich R3 Light will be arriving on Friday, they assure me it's waterproof, so I should be comfortable even if it does rain!
 

AndyBlila

Premier Member
#17
It all depends on timing when traveling through San Antonio and Houston. I timed my 100CCC departure to avoid peak traffic periods in Houston and San Antonio and sailed through both directions. Greg's advice to check state DOT websites for planned construction is good because even a ride at night when generally the traffic is lighter can be slowed significantly with lane or entire sections of Interstate closure. I nearly missed a BBG (25 minutes to spare) with a long stretch of I-40W (Kingman, Az to Parker, Ca) was single lane for construction on the east-bound side. Had me constantly doing the math in my head hoping I would make it to my planned end at Ludlow. Afterward - on the way home, the I-15S was completely closed at the 91 junction which had traffic stopped for miles as vehicles were being routed to city street exits - just glad I was off the clock at that point. Looking forward to the RR. Would be cool to meet-up somewhere local after both our summer rides are over to recap.

Absolutely! Not only recap, I'd like to pick your brain. You've been at this longer than I have. I really want to do the B2B2B Insanity and the 48/10!
 
#20
Looks good. Have you tried route planning in Google My Maps vs Google Maps? That way you can easily import to a GPS and also have available on your phone/tab for point-to-point routing as a back-up?