OR
The Hubris 1000
The four season ride should be a piece of cake, right? I've already have the certification for the Summer Solstice. This next one is just (just!) a SS 1000. And I have four (count 'em!) certificates on my wall including a BBG. I've learned from mistakes along the way and have honed my <ahem> considerable long distance riding skills and perfected my <cough> expert techniques.
OK, maybe not. But I can honestly say I've made so many mistakes on my other rides I ought to be well up that old learning curve.
Plus I have a easy out and back route. Virtually all Interstate. No challenging route changes are involved. No major construction along the route. There is even an almost full moon. Heck I can knock this off in under 17 hours easily!
Now, to be honest, I really don't think like that. A SS1000 is still something I plan for and get nervous about. I read about the guys with the 48 States plus, the guys with so many BBG certificates they could paper a wall and more. I won't even mention the guys in the Iron Butt Rally. I'm in awe of these supermen. But, still an out and back Interstate run should be doable barring the unforeseen.
And the Fall Equinox ride adds a kicker. Most SS1000s are any road, any bike any time..... Hold on there Francis, it's not any time, it's a very specific date.
With a typical SS 1000 where I see a strong weather front becomes for me, “Oh well, next weekend.” Not so the four season rides. This one had to be September 22. So topic one became checking the weather. From our home near Montgomery, Alabama I've have thought out and plotted routes that go south then west, south then east, north, north west.... heck all over the place. It seemed every route I looked at had some possibility of rain for 9-22.
But one looked promising. If I head south on I-65 then west on I-10/12/10 I can hit a station near Orange, Texas and have well over 1,000 miles. There was, per multiple weather sites, a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, but only near the turn around point. But if I leave at a really early hour it minimizes the time I ride in the dark while fatigued. Plus I could get to the turn around point before noon. So I may miss the afternoon storms altogether.
The plot thickens. The next item to consider is fuel stops. The first is easy. About ten miles from my house is the one I always use for start and ending receipts. Easy on and off fronting US 231, never out of premium, always has receipts at the pumps.... You know that expression, “Never say never”? Well, it has a cousin, “Never say always”. More on that later.
The other stops are found. National/Regional chains serving large trucks. I like them. Typically easy access from the Interstate. Open 24/7. So I found three. Each about 175 to 185 miles apart. My bike can go well over 200 miles per tank so I have a cushion. Plus a 1.25 gallon insurance policy gas container I carry on my top box rack for these rides. I've checked and all three stations are currently operating and open 24 hours. Plus there are fall back stations nearby if something changes. I've looked at the connections to and from the Interstate. All nicely located. Done and done. I put these on the little cheat sheet I tape on my dash.
This is part of my KISS program. It's to combat fatigue and uncertainty. Both drain critical (and in my case short supply) IQ points.
Basically my cheat sheet says something like:
I-65 => I-10 =>1-12 => I-10
Gas stop 1, I-65, exit XX, turn left, XYZ Brand
Gas stop 2, I-10, etc, etc, etc
At the bottom I put, !!BUBBLER!!
This last is to remind me to make sure Bubbler pings the gas station location specifically. I use Bubbler tied to Spotwalla and figure it helps the reviewer. It also helps me piece together the ride when the Google Maps address may not match the address on the receipt. It happens.
On my BBG a few months ago I planned the stops but then deviated from them. It did NOT work well and resulted in the final time being uncomfortably close to 24 hours. Lesson learned. I'm not going to do THAT again. Another more on that later.
The bike is ready. Recently serviced. Tires have some miles on them, but they have plenty of tread and are not cupped. Inflated to specs. Air shock checked. My clothing gear, snacks and water are laid out or already loaded on the bike. So no food stops needed, I'll snack on the fly or at fuel stops. I'll drink while at fuel stops. Ready to roll.
At least the bike was. I have trouble sleeping, well, always. But especially before a ride. So I made sure I had a good night's sleep Thursday night. I planned to do the same Friday by going to bed very early then leaving at Zero-dark-thirty Saturday morning.
Snag number one. Friday was a birthday celebration for best buddy and riding partner Mike. Can't, wouldn't, skip something that important. Hmmm, Mexican restaurant. I like the food, but let's see what they have that I want sloshing around in my innards for 1,000+ miles. Enchiladas it is! Don't bother looking up enchilada recipes in the Archives of Wisdom on the IBA site. They are not there.
We left the restaurant fairly early and I was home at 9. I'd planned to be asleep by then, but I had only lost an hour of sleep. Not so bad. Set the alarm for 1 am. Kiss my bride good night and promise to wake her before I leave for another kiss (Life is good).
Down I go, quickly and easily. And I slept right up until 10:30. Acid reflux.... My doctor has instructed me to avoid spicy foods, but he did not give me a specific list. I guess enchiladas are now on that list. At least on the list of foods to avoid before an IBA ride. OK, add Tums to the ride pack.
So I'm up and I stay up. In hind sight I should have left at 11 pm. But the plan called for 2 am. So I lay around and fail to doze back off until I call it quits and slowly start gearing up at 1 am. At least I have no rush to get ready by 2.
The Hubris 1000
The four season ride should be a piece of cake, right? I've already have the certification for the Summer Solstice. This next one is just (just!) a SS 1000. And I have four (count 'em!) certificates on my wall including a BBG. I've learned from mistakes along the way and have honed my <ahem> considerable long distance riding skills and perfected my <cough> expert techniques.
OK, maybe not. But I can honestly say I've made so many mistakes on my other rides I ought to be well up that old learning curve.
Plus I have a easy out and back route. Virtually all Interstate. No challenging route changes are involved. No major construction along the route. There is even an almost full moon. Heck I can knock this off in under 17 hours easily!
Now, to be honest, I really don't think like that. A SS1000 is still something I plan for and get nervous about. I read about the guys with the 48 States plus, the guys with so many BBG certificates they could paper a wall and more. I won't even mention the guys in the Iron Butt Rally. I'm in awe of these supermen. But, still an out and back Interstate run should be doable barring the unforeseen.
And the Fall Equinox ride adds a kicker. Most SS1000s are any road, any bike any time..... Hold on there Francis, it's not any time, it's a very specific date.
With a typical SS 1000 where I see a strong weather front becomes for me, “Oh well, next weekend.” Not so the four season rides. This one had to be September 22. So topic one became checking the weather. From our home near Montgomery, Alabama I've have thought out and plotted routes that go south then west, south then east, north, north west.... heck all over the place. It seemed every route I looked at had some possibility of rain for 9-22.
But one looked promising. If I head south on I-65 then west on I-10/12/10 I can hit a station near Orange, Texas and have well over 1,000 miles. There was, per multiple weather sites, a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, but only near the turn around point. But if I leave at a really early hour it minimizes the time I ride in the dark while fatigued. Plus I could get to the turn around point before noon. So I may miss the afternoon storms altogether.
The plot thickens. The next item to consider is fuel stops. The first is easy. About ten miles from my house is the one I always use for start and ending receipts. Easy on and off fronting US 231, never out of premium, always has receipts at the pumps.... You know that expression, “Never say never”? Well, it has a cousin, “Never say always”. More on that later.
The other stops are found. National/Regional chains serving large trucks. I like them. Typically easy access from the Interstate. Open 24/7. So I found three. Each about 175 to 185 miles apart. My bike can go well over 200 miles per tank so I have a cushion. Plus a 1.25 gallon insurance policy gas container I carry on my top box rack for these rides. I've checked and all three stations are currently operating and open 24 hours. Plus there are fall back stations nearby if something changes. I've looked at the connections to and from the Interstate. All nicely located. Done and done. I put these on the little cheat sheet I tape on my dash.
This is part of my KISS program. It's to combat fatigue and uncertainty. Both drain critical (and in my case short supply) IQ points.
Basically my cheat sheet says something like:
I-65 => I-10 =>1-12 => I-10
Gas stop 1, I-65, exit XX, turn left, XYZ Brand
Gas stop 2, I-10, etc, etc, etc
At the bottom I put, !!BUBBLER!!
This last is to remind me to make sure Bubbler pings the gas station location specifically. I use Bubbler tied to Spotwalla and figure it helps the reviewer. It also helps me piece together the ride when the Google Maps address may not match the address on the receipt. It happens.
On my BBG a few months ago I planned the stops but then deviated from them. It did NOT work well and resulted in the final time being uncomfortably close to 24 hours. Lesson learned. I'm not going to do THAT again. Another more on that later.
The bike is ready. Recently serviced. Tires have some miles on them, but they have plenty of tread and are not cupped. Inflated to specs. Air shock checked. My clothing gear, snacks and water are laid out or already loaded on the bike. So no food stops needed, I'll snack on the fly or at fuel stops. I'll drink while at fuel stops. Ready to roll.
At least the bike was. I have trouble sleeping, well, always. But especially before a ride. So I made sure I had a good night's sleep Thursday night. I planned to do the same Friday by going to bed very early then leaving at Zero-dark-thirty Saturday morning.
Snag number one. Friday was a birthday celebration for best buddy and riding partner Mike. Can't, wouldn't, skip something that important. Hmmm, Mexican restaurant. I like the food, but let's see what they have that I want sloshing around in my innards for 1,000+ miles. Enchiladas it is! Don't bother looking up enchilada recipes in the Archives of Wisdom on the IBA site. They are not there.
We left the restaurant fairly early and I was home at 9. I'd planned to be asleep by then, but I had only lost an hour of sleep. Not so bad. Set the alarm for 1 am. Kiss my bride good night and promise to wake her before I leave for another kiss (Life is good).
Down I go, quickly and easily. And I slept right up until 10:30. Acid reflux.... My doctor has instructed me to avoid spicy foods, but he did not give me a specific list. I guess enchiladas are now on that list. At least on the list of foods to avoid before an IBA ride. OK, add Tums to the ride pack.
So I'm up and I stay up. In hind sight I should have left at 11 pm. But the plan called for 2 am. So I lay around and fail to doze back off until I call it quits and slowly start gearing up at 1 am. At least I have no rush to get ready by 2.