What does a LD Rider do after they finish or win the IBR? I
That's a good question. I have a variety of answers to it because my answer has changed multiple times over a decade that I first rode an IBR. With the latest change still unfolding as I type, and something I haven't talked about with anybody really yet...so bear with me.
I was fortunate enough...and driven enough I think....to make my first IBR happen fairly quickly once I started LD riding in 2004. Finished my first SaddleSore on my newly acquired FJR with a BBG and rally about 6 months later in 2005. Then I was drawn for 2007 and pretty tickled with a top 20 finish.
So, after that IBR...I wanted to do it again and finish in the top 10.
And in 2009 another fortunate chance to ride and I had a flash of brilliance with a monster 2nd leg to move to 6th place. And then some mechanical and mental fog in the last leg and slipped to 13th. Still danged proud, but competing in an 11 day event is a different critter than short rallies.
So, after that IBR I reassessed and wasn't sure about riding the IBR again. Was it a 2nd solid performance I'd pulled off or a monkey on my back for a top 10?
I think it was both.
I didn't ride 2011, in part, from another commitment.
And in 2013 I got myself in the best shape I had been in the last 20 years, still wanted a top 10 finish and set my sites higher for a win. I had another monster 2nd leg with a move to 2nd place. And probably just as importantly....Higdon wrote about me!
But I'd made myself a bit crispy to get to that point and made a suboptimal route choice the final leg. I just didn't have in it me to face the humidity and heat of the south..which presents a fair question of whether I'm that tough after all...or tough enough to win the IBR. Throw in a full-on blown shock and slipped another spot or two to 5th place. One monkey off and pretty danged proud I've finished three IBRs, but do I now have the worst monkey of all on my back as I'm capable of possibly winning it?
I dunno...
I'd also done several special rides in 2014 and 2015 that were personal challenges and while I won't talk about them on the Internet...some of my LD friends know they happened and that's just fine...wink...wink.
You'd detect a trend here that I'd be aiming to try again in the next IBR and I would say I was on that course the summer of 2015to do exactly that. I rode in a 36 hour rally and was playing leapfrog with a former IBR winner, whom is my hero and also told me he was planning 2017. I decided that morning I'd apply for 2017.
But, then I hit a pair of sheep in the middle-of-nowhwere Wyoming that afternoon and splatted. Splatted hard.
My first
real motorcycle accident in my life. The kind of accident they call in a helicopter to take you to the regional trauma center kind. The kind that requires follow-up surgery to insert titanium pieces into your body and special notes from the doctor afterward how bad it was kind of stuff.
It rattled me. I'm still rattled. And I'm not going to apply for the 2017 for sure. I may very well be post IBR now and that's totally OK.
I decided laying in my bed before shoulder surgery that instead of going and buying a brand-new shiny FJR that I'm going to go pause LD riding and pursue my private pilots license. I want to learn to fly and am starting ground school TONIGHT! I hear planes are cheaper than LD riding....snerk.
So, I haven't signed up to ride in any competitive rallies this season. That's the first in 11 years and I'm a little unsure of my footing at the moment.
However, I do know I'll ride again. I'm already planning an adventure ride to Alaska this summer on my other bike. So, part of another my answer is going to be that I will probably shift more of my riding time to 300 mile days instead of 1300 mile ones that involve a hammock between two trees somewhere about dark. It means visiting some of the places I've spent 2 minutes at before or snapped picture of the entrance for...and actually enjoying!
I just know I've gotten to do some pretty magical rides and see some phenomenal places the past decade and this sport-hobby has lasted longer than usual for me that has tried a bunch of them in life. And I know I'll ride again.
And I know I've gotten away with a lot. Even after factoring in the broken bones and recovery time I've been lucky. Ask me about my relationship with the ET Highway sometime not online....heh.
I just don't know if I'll ride another IBR again and totally fine with it.
To somebody that wants to do the IBR.....I can only say that if you're truly driven enough...you'll find a way to do it. And there's already been a lot of good advice already given.
I hope that answers your question from one IBR rider's perspective.
Matt Watkins
IBA #332
