SS2000... if I'm gonna commute, I might as well commute

[TampaDave]

Planning to deliver my bike to Billings for the summer, I figured I might try to squeeze in a patch attempt somewhere in there. Currently thinking 2000 mi to the Black Hills, from Tampa Bay area, in 48 hours.

I'm kind of new to this, only run so far was a successful SS1000 last year. Wanted to run an idea by yall.

I'm kind of favoring a late start, like leaving Tampa Bay at 6pm. Dividing the ride into three segments basically. Should be able to press that first night. Long day following that -- a thousand miles more or less -- with a two hour time buffer before I absolutely have to stop. Third segment will be a more manageable 730 mile run, likewise with a two hour buffer.

That works for me, biological-clock-wise. Long as my head is on the pillow between midnight and 4am my time, with a short nap at noon, I'm good to go. Also I get to run the gulf coast states in the dark, so it won't be so hot. Decent weather window in the deep south, afternoon thunderstorms should be done by then. Kansas weather could be problematic, and I may have critter problems in AL and KS for those pre-dawn runs. Putting decent lights on the bike this week.

So. Two four-hour naps, two one-hour naps, and four hours for fuel stops, traffic jams, hail, and random annoyances.

Does that sound reasonable, or have I completely lost my mind?

 

[EricV]

Keeping up with your normal sleep schedule and what you understand about your body's biological clock/needs is always a good thing. Getting through Atlanta around midnight doesn't sound too bad either. Depending on your route, Memphis can get a little ugly when you're getting across the river, after that things open up.

Interestingly, Google Maps suggests this as a 29/30 hour run which is a 68 mph average speed. That would suggest you have a good buffer for sleep and stops. I would suggest at least one hotel stay for one of your naps, but I don't know how you plan to handle your rest stops. Some nap easier than others.

For my rhythms, I'd likely start at 0400 and end around 9-10 pm, sleep for 6 hours and repeat. Trying to get through ATL before Noon, which would hopefully avoid the worst traffic.

 

[Shawn K]

If you can stay in the saddle and keep your gas stops sub-10 minutes, an SS1000 on Interstate highways is about a 16-hour day.

When I did my coast-to-coast-to-coast run last year, I found it pretty easy to get up at 4:00, hit the road by 4:30, and be done riding by 9-ish at night. Get a good night's sleep, do it again the next day, and be done by normal bedtime.

You sound like you have a plan, though, so if that's what sounds workable to you, then give it a try. Just know your limitations and don't be afraid to stop if you need to. There's nothing about an SS2K that anyone needs to get injured over.

My $0.035. Your mileage may vary.

 

[TampaDave]

Thanks for the words of encouragement and caution.

My feeling is, sleep deprivation isn't much better for ya than speeding. Planning to stop at an actual hotel for the night time stops, don't want to be having to sleep with one eye open. Crank up the AC, charge up the electronics and check out. Gonna bank some sleep before I take off and shouldn't be in the hole more than an hour or two by the time I get there

Yeah Shawn I hear ya. I'm basically trying to tee up leg 2 to be a 1000 mile, 16 hour day. World doesn't end if I don't make it, but it's an interesting challenge, if successful that would give me the confidence to try a cc50 this fall. To date, farthest I've gone in one day is 727 miles; knowing what I know now, and given even a little help from the weather... we'll see

Gonna have to find an alternative to Atlanta, or Birmingham; I'm set up to hit either one at morning rush hour. 27 north out of Columbus sets up a couple of options, both of which avoid Memphis as well. Just as soon avoid all three honestly

 

[Shawn K]

Birmingham is nowhere near as bad as Atlanta. I honestly wouldn't give it a second thought. At worst, you might lose 30 minutes in total. Maybe.

And I lived in Memphis for a year. It's not that bad, especially at the time you'd be going through. Take I-22 to I-269, then north on I-55 and use the I-55 bridge. If you get to the bridge and traffic is backing up, just stay straight (don't take the turn for the bridge) and run up Riverside Drive to the I-40 bridge. Don't over-think it... you'll be fine.

 

[kerrizor]

@Shawn K is the bridge in Memphis still out?

 

[Shawn K]

@Shawn K is the bridge in Memphis still out?

Nope. I rode over it coming home from Heart of Texas.

 

[Stephen!]

Keep in mind that an SS2k is not two consecutive SS1k rides. It is "simply" 2000 miles in 48 hours. So if you get a good start, make good time, and manage to eek out a BBG out of the blocks, you still have another 24 hours to get a lot of rest and complete the remaining 500 miles.

 

[cacomly]

Keep in mind that an SS2k is not two consecutive SS1k rides. It is "simply" 2000 miles in 48 hours. So if you get a good start, make good time, and manage to eek out a BBG out of the blocks, you still have another 24 hours to get a lot of rest and complete the remaining 500 miles.

Also if you hit 1000 miles and are within 24 hours consider stopping for a fuel receipt so you can at least salvage that in the event something goes sideways down the road and you miss the SS2K

 

[EricV]

Memphis is not horrible now that the bridge is back in action on I-40. You want to follow ShawnK's route advice though. Do NOT think you can run smoothly up I-22 all the way. As soon as you cross into TN it becomes a massive slowdown of inner city truck traffic as it's the primary path for hundreds of FedeX and UPS trucks going to the main warehouses and ports there. I go up to Memphis once a month or so and for my destination I cross into TN on 22, then exit the second cross street to get to where I need to be. I've learned to avoid going further up if I can. I used to go to Air Cargo and it was always a hassle that last bit from the border to the airport and back.

Big Roads, Big Miles. If you're starting in Tampa Bay area around 6 pm, I wouldn't expect too much trouble with Atlanta. Even if you're starting slightly below the Bay, it's only ~7 hours to ATL.

 

[TampaDave]

Yeah I can make that work. Should be able to get to Perry GA early enough to bed down, through Atlanta at 530am, Memphis mid-day, 16 hour run to KC, downhill run to Sturgis, boom

 

[TampaDave]

Not having much luck with weather so far. About an hour from home I thought I was riding into a thunderstorm, although it turned out to be light rain. Which was fine until it started getting late and I started getting tired, figured it would be best not to push my luck.

So, up early nice day to start, kinda showery in the afternoon which is fine, but ran into a line of thunderstorms outside of Nashville with two more behind it. Primary and secondary route getting 40mph wind gusts, lightning etc. NWS says it lasts until like 6am although the local guy says it should be done by midnight. I'll get up at 3 and see what it looks like. Same basic weather pattern is expected tomorrow although further west I get, the less consolidated the storms are. Worst case I have a nice tour, still a possibility of bagging a patch along the way. We will see.

Gotta tighten up, farting around too much at fuel stops. Slowly dawning on me that pacing around a gas station isn't "rest." Lying on the ground at a rest stop for a ten minute nap -- that's rest. Plan tomorrow is less of one and more of the other.

 

[Baxter]

Stay safe!