48-in-10 Planning Minutiae

kwthom

=o&o>
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IBA Member
#1
There are a couple of other threads here that I'll reference by posting links on the topic of 48-in-10 planning:

https://forum.ironbutt.org/index.php?threads/48-10-plus-3-countries.1789/

https://forum.ironbutt.org/index.php?threads/routing-advice-for-the-northeast-48-10.1580/

https://forum.ironbutt.org/index.ph...tries-in-10-days-mexico-border-crossing.1605/

https://forum.ironbutt.org/index.php?threads/48-10-route-review.381/

I'm certain there are more that I still need to peruse over on the old forum.

Local Ohio Reconnaissance Info Needed

I need a little help...and only someone familar with northern Ohio would be able to answer this.

I'm planning an Iron Butt Association 48-in-10 ride. As I'm planning it now, I'm considering ending my 4th day on the road there in the Buckeye State.

The route is modified from a west-start 48-in-10 ride the Motorcycle Touring Foundation did a few years ago. As I'm running this route clockwise, it's taking me right across I-90, and I'm considering ending that day in the vicinity of Amherst, OH.

My rationale here is, I've done three consecutive 1000+ mile days to get to this point. This puts me on day 4 at a 12-ish hour day after 775 miles; this would be a day that spending a little non-riding time dealing with mundane things (y'know, laundry, etc.) and getting some really good rest. This might be a time to do so and plan for it.

Simply put, the Amherst area simply is another fuel stop on this ride. I'm not certain if there would be better accommodations closer to Cleveland (in any of the outlying areas, such as Middleburg Heights, Parma, Beachwood, etc.), or should I consider heading even further east (Madison? Ashtabula? Conneaut?)

I have kin that live outside the Columbus area, and I have NO plans to deal with any of that.

The answer isn't needed right away...trip isn't going to happen until 3Q 2018.

Thanks!
 

cacomly

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#2
What is this "planning" thing you speak of??? :)

Obviously first hand info is best, but I use sites like Travelocity or Expedia to get an idea of what accommodations are like in a certain area and understand what rates average.
 

kwthom

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IBA Member
#3
Dunno - maybe this is one of those rides that "winging it!" might not be the best path forward for success. :D

I can (and will...) do some of that research, but more interested in first-hand intel from he region.
 

Kith

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#4
On our 49/10 ride we had a 'plan' to make it to an over night area along the way but if we were ahead of the plan we would keep going, if a little behind stop when required. 10 days is plenty of time to do a relaxed 48/10. Remember the most detailed plans can go astray, I usually keep the planning to a bare minimum. Be flexible and enjoy.
 

kwthom

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#5
10 days is plenty of time to do a relaxed 48/10. Remember the most detailed plans can go astray, I usually keep the planning to a bare minimum. Be flexible and enjoy.
Interesting perspective...

Knowing the timeframe in which a ride like this needs to be done - as well as trying to accommodate the traffic conditions of, say, the northeast, I would surmise that some level of planning needs to be done.

You'd have to plan the route, or there's a lot of extraneous miles...as well as the estimated locations to consider stopping, if only to ensure the schedule is met.

As I've planned three consecutive 1000+ mile days to start with, having ~45% of the miles accomplished in 40% of the time allotted would allow the remaining time and miles to be at a bit more relaxed pace.

In theory.
 

cacomly

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#6
Interesting perspective...

Knowing the timeframe in which a ride like this needs to be done - as well as trying to accommodate the traffic conditions of, say, the northeast, I would surmise that some level of planning needs to be done.

You'd have to plan the route, or there's a lot of extraneous miles...as well as the estimated locations to consider stopping, if only to ensure the schedule is met.

As I've planned three consecutive 1000+ mile days to start with, having ~45% of the miles accomplished in 40% of the time allotted would allow the remaining time and miles to be at a bit more relaxed pace.

In theory.
Ken,
To put things in perspective, while I have not done a 48/10 I have done one or two 9 day long riding vacations a year since 2009 or so plus I have completed to IBRs where I have had goals on where I wanted to stop for each day but they were just that, goals. I have never planned out my hotel stays further than a day.

Essentially, for a riding vacation I decided about where I wanted to stop before I left in the morning and once in a while I'd book a room, but rarely did I do so unless I had a reason to believe the room would be difficult to reserve later in the day. Essentially, as I was drinking my morning coffee I'd scan the room availability in one of the sites I noted previously to get an idea of room rates and if I noticed that a large number of hotels were booked I'd consider reserving a room then. My reasoning is the same noted by Kith, sometimes I'd be tired early or weather would be an issue and I'd stop earlier than planned and sometimes I'd feel good and would keep going to get more miles behind me. For the IBR in 2017 the availability of a bonus location decided were I would be spending the night and if I was running late and missed a daylight only bonus I'd have to stop there as skipping it would have devastating consequences to the rally. When I decide I am ready to stop I will use my phone and GPS to find a hotel. The GPS helps me find a hotel on my route and then I use the phone to check availability, rates, and book. I have booked many a room while standing in the parking lot of a hotel then walked in and given them the confirm number.

For a 48/10 I agree that quite a bit of planning is required for the route and if running behind there is no "dropping" a location as is typically done in most rallies. I'd have goals as to where you should be each day but in my opinion they should be goals and if the opportunity arises you should keep going to build a cushion in case of weather, traffic, etc. I do realize that I am NOT a planner in any meaning of the word and some are. I sense that you may be and that is fine. If I had a strict plan I'd stress over trying to keep it. Some who are planners would stress just as much over not having one.

So, my suggestion is do what you feel you are most comfortable with and if you are a planner as I suspect then plan your route down to your hotel stays. Keep in mind the possibility of continuing on if you are feeling up to it and remember that most reservations can be canceled up until 4pm.

Best of luck to you
 

Kith

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#7
Thanks Chris, that's what I was trying to say. Basically once the route was created and a guesstimate of where I needed to be along the way each day to get to the final destination within the time constraints, all of the other stuff just happened. Once the plan was made, it was time to ride the plan.
 

kwthom

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IBA Member
#8
Appreciate the info, really... :D

On our 49/10 ride we had a 'plan' to make it to an over night area along the way but if we were ahead of the plan we would keep going, if a little behind stop when required. 10 days is plenty of time to do a relaxed 48/10. Remember the most detailed plans can go astray, I usually keep the planning to a bare minimum. Be flexible and enjoy.
Okay, so, based on the (rough) plan - and I know, apples to oranges comparison - by how much did you beat your plan? Or, did you?
 

Kith

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#9
I made the 48 state ride comfortably in 7 days 12 hrs ending in Oregon. Then to Alaska in 9 days 7 hours. My ride report is posted in the IBA Ride Report section titled 'Alaska is an Island'.
If you can get your hands on the Fall/Winter 2015 Iron Butt magazine, there is a good article of another person's 48/10 ride experiences.
I'd like to do the 49/10 again and then do it in reverse using perhaps another route home instead of backtracking the same way I got there.
 

kwthom

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IBA Member
#10
Nicely done! Re-read your RR, Kith.

Nope, don't have that issue of the magazine, unfortunately. At this time, PDF's aren't available for access it would seem.

Now you have me thinking. Create a route with suitable waypoints to get me to the most likely locations/corners (which could be common locations...) necessary for the journey. My first pass of futzing around has been one-a-day route, using Google Maps.

I suppose a final concern might be in those states that you literally zip in, get a receipt, and move on. I don't recall when or where I read it, but there's the report of running into a state to find the location chosen was either not open, had a bad receipt, or some such malady. I don't recall. Depending on location, it might be easy to whip out the cell and find an alternate - or it might not be.

I've not gone too far down the planning rat-hole - I don't think. :D Thanks for the insight.
 

cacomly

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#11
Nicely done! Re-read your RR, Kith.

Nope, don't have that issue of the magazine, unfortunately. At this time, PDF's aren't available for access it would seem.

Now you have me thinking. Create a route with suitable waypoints to get me to the most likely locations/corners (which could be common locations...) necessary for the journey. My first pass of futzing around has been one-a-day route, using Google Maps.

I suppose a final concern might be in those states that you literally zip in, get a receipt, and move on. I don't recall when or where I read it, but there's the report of running into a state to find the location chosen was either not open, had a bad receipt, or some such malady. I don't recall. Depending on location, it might be easy to whip out the cell and find an alternate - or it might not be.

I've not gone too far down the planning rat-hole - I don't think. :D Thanks for the insight.
Due to the nature of the 48/10, if you have any states where you are zipping in and out I certainly would plan for them and confirm hours and existence. And don't forget about an ATM receipt as a backup :)
 

Kith

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#12
Ken, send or PM me your email address and I'll copy the magazine article, pdf it at work and I'll email it to you. Interestingly the article 48 state ride starts in Arizona. Right at your back door and it finishes in Oregon, just a short ride back home. Hell you can be home in 10 days from your start!
 

Scott Parish

Premier Member
#14
Thanks @Kith for sending me that article...

Jerry's route appears to be similar to several I've seen.
Ken - do me a favor and forward to me as well. Love reading all I can regarding other's 48-10/48+-10 experiences. I wanted to do a couple different rides in 2018; but work commitments have conspired to limit my time - thus forcing me to combine two planned rides. I had originally planned to do a 48+10 at the end of May; but will now push to mid June. I will finish the ride in Hyder and from there ride to Banff where I will then ride the CDT to Antelope Wells, NM. Looks like it will be around 10K on paved rode and 2700 on dirt. The logistics of combining the two are a bit more challenging; but should be fun. The start date is a little flexible until I know the extent of the snow pack and when the passes through some of the higher elevation passes are open along the CDT.

Scott
 

kwthom

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IBA Member
#17
I can't find the original route I modified, but that modified route I've converted into 'daily' segments in Google Maps, as well as a simple text file of addresses.

So, in parallel, I'm building a simple route or two, putting that into the GPS, then taking a ride to understand what I'm learning.

I'm getting there - slowly
 

Rollin'

Premier Member
#18
After starting both my 48/10 and 49/10 the goal was to ride as many miles per day as possible to bank some time. No reservations.
The 49/10 had a second goal, I wanted to end on the 4th of July. I needed to average 880 miles a day to complete the 49/10 and on the start of day 10 I only needed to ride 165 miles. I could have completed the ride before the end of day 9 but again I wanted to finish on the 4th.

48/10 - http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/48-states-in-10-days-geography-101.376925/
49/10 - http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/the-road-to-hyder-49-states-in-less-than-10-days.598699/
 

kwthom

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IBA Member
#19
After starting both my 48/10 and 49/10 the goal was to ride as many miles per day as possible to bank some time. No reservations.
Expound on that last sentence for me...no reservations in how you planned/executed the ride?

I read a LOT of ride reports; yours were some of the better ones, simply from the way you described a lot of the 'intangible' issues that come up in epic rides like these. In fact, that may have been where I came up with this crazy idea of trying to cover 19 western/mid-western states in the first three riding days, then on day four (the impetus for me to create this thread...) backing off on mileage covered.
 

Rollin'

Premier Member
#20
Expound on that last sentence for me...no reservations in how you planned/executed the ride?

I read a LOT of ride reports; yours were some of the better ones, simply from the way you described a lot of the 'intangible' issues that come up in epic rides like these. In fact, that may have been where I came up with this crazy idea of trying to cover 19 western/mid-western states in the first three riding days, then on day four (the impetus for me to create this thread...) backing off on mileage covered.
Thank you!
I should have added more, should have been - no motel reservations. I didn't want to add anything that would stop me on a good day.