"To Pee Or Whee, That is the Question" (IBA ACT Insanity SS1600)
http://olafsbike.blogspot.com.au/
The Iron Butt Association has some weird and wonderful Certificate Rides for the truly crazy.
One of those is the "ACT Insanity Ride", which is a multi-lap event round the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) totaling at least 1610 kilometres. For my US readers, somewhat like DC). This looked like the perfect practice ride (being #5 actually) for me, prior to the Iron Butt Rally (IBR) in late June 2017. So I put a little note on the IBA Australia Forum, looking for a companion and some witnesses for this ride, knowing full well, that I would get limited interest in the dead of winter.
I was wrong.
Almost thirty riders and 15 volunteers offered to join me. In the end, fourteen committed to ride and nine actually showed up on the day, with others having bike-battery problems and not feeling well. The magnificent nine were all IBA certified riders as it turned out, and included; Derrick Sutton, Michael "Fatman" and Lynne Morris "The Pillion - LTP", Craig "Wombattler" Harcombe, Simon Bell, Ron "Grey Gentry" Perry, Barry "Spaz" Martin, Kerry "Cliff" Clifford, Russell "RusJel" Smith and yours truly, Olaf "Olly" Moon. And as you would expect, turned up on all sorts of weird machinery including KTM, BMW, Honda, Triumph, Harley Davidson and Yamaha kit. From a blue R1200RT to a canary-yellow Tenere and a fire-engine red VFR. There was also an FJR and a Royal Star!
This ride is not your normal IBA Event.
It requires pre-approval from the Association AND a record of every riders' lap odometer reading PLUS the normal 2-witness forms and petrol receipts. This I sought. Being determined to get all the paperwork correctly signed and completed would require a group of volunteers to be at the staging site for the full 24 hours, and to record all the "mileage" readings. Volunteers to stand in the freezing cold were Volunteers, Sheryle Moon, Sian Moon, Ed Husek, Lionel Haynes, Shane Jasprizza, Bill Beaton, Lisa Walsch and John Sullivan. To this crew, we owe a huge thank you! Also, on the day a few others such as Martin Little and Nev showed up, plus some visitors from various places to watch the action. Who was the tall silver-hair stranger with the ear-ring and Triumph jacket?
We submitted the route to the IBA for approval, based on the original ride done by three riders in 2011. In that time-frame a number of changes had been made to the roads, including the completion of the dual-carriage Majura By-Pass, which made that section of the route a little quicker and a lot more comfortable - but more highly patrolled by the police. Each lap was about 84 kilometres depending on who was measuring, and should take about 1 hour 7 minutes according to Google Maps. Anyone circulating under 60 minutes was certainly efficient, and probably had a particularly good run through the traffic lights.
The course went south down the Monaro Highway and then took two linked roundabouts, across to Tharwa Drive then to Drakeford Drive heading north. At Glenloch Interchange we took the West Belconnen slip lane, and headed west then north through Melba and Flynn up the "S'es". We then turned right at a T intersection, back to the Barton Hwy, then south to join Northbourne Ave. Here we turned left and headed up to the interchange with Majura Rd, then south past the airport to the Caltex at Hume where the start, stop and witness station was located. Here, Lionel had brought a large caravan, and with the approval of the station manager, parked here to create shelter for the volunteers. A table and chairs was also set up, to get a "process" of recording done in order, with each rider's ODO recorded on their own clipboard.
This ride was over the June Long Weekend, and so it was a "double demerit" points weekend, a fact NOT lost on the riders, who proceeded to ride past 8 fixed speed cameras on each lap (160 passes in total) and assorted hidden, mobile camera cars - of which at least four graced the course at different times. The police were well aware of the ride and visited on their police bikes and an un-marked car at one point, discussing long and hard what the "Iron Butt Hotel" (Signed caravan) was actually doing there. Immediately prior to the start, David Rolfe texted in, saying that his Harley had "failed to proceed" even after bump-starting down a hill, with a failed battery. Teaches you to ride it to Perth!
After a very short briefing from Olaf at 3.00am, including a clear safety-first warning, the crew headed off, following him on a "slow" lap so that they could learn the course and the location of the cameras. However, by the time we entered Majura Lane on the first lap, Olaf was passed by three speedsters! Nonetheless we all arrived at the gas station together and chaos ensued as each person met with a Volunteer, who had to find the correct clip board and record their details. Soon we were all headed off on lap two, and the witnesses got together in a huddle and decided to "get this shit sorted". Sian took command and arranged the boards in sequence of the riders leaving the lot, so that the correct one was presented to each rider, then returned to the back of the clip-board-line-up. Of course only Fatman and Lynne had marked their bike and board with a sticker (as requested although few knew what "LTP" stood for until later!) - this would have certainly helped everyone, especially on the change over of staff later on. One rider carried his clipboard, to make life even tougher for the adjudicators.
After a couple of laps, the pace smartened up considerably, as it was still dark with very few cars on the road. The full moon came out and the weather stayed surprisingly mild, rarely getting down to freezing point. My guess is that if it had been minus five celsius, then life would have been much tougher.
Riders soon got their lines into order, making some serious swoops around the seven round-abouts on the course, a Canberra speciality. Some were already grazing their pegs within a couple of laps. Even a few inches off-line could make for an excessively exciting exit, especially on RA number four, where all signage had been run-down by another vehicle, so arriving at this one was always an adventure, with an off-road option.
By lap three, I was smiling to myself. My bike has a long range tank fitted, and some of those on more traditional Yamaha-lys were going to be at the pumps after lap three or four. And so it was. This spread the riders out, and as some stopped for gas, food and a pee, this become even more pronounced. Foolish me had drunk tea and water before leaving home, and had to stop mid lap to relieve myself behind a tree - much to the laughter of a couple of other riders! This was not the last time for this little caper either, as the weather became colder, my need became stronger.
At sun rise the traffic began to build. We had not planned for not one, but three major events at the Exhibition Centre in Canberra (EPIC), so traffic became epic at EPIC with the Farmers Market, Dog Show and Handmade Market all happening at the same time! Thousands of cars entered and left from Northbourne Ave, a good thing at one point as we were slowed unnervingly to a crawl, right past a hiding camera van. God favors the brave on occasion!
And so it continued, lap after lap. On lap fourteen, many riders had retired for a short lunch break, but having been "in front" and noting that this is NOT a race, I was overtaken by Wombattle as I went for my sixth pee and some extra petrol. My support crew were stuffing sandwiches and hot chocolate down my throat at each lap, which was much appreciated.
We then proceeded to ride together by mutual but unspoken agreement, a delightful exercise as he is such an accomplished rider. Many will know the sheer joy of riding with someone who constantly rides perfect lines and the ideal pace. Wom is one of the very few who meets this standard and is an absolute pleasure to have as a riding mate.
For the last lap, we were both beat, and he asked me to lead. It was dark and just before 11pm, so I did, and it ended up being one of the most perfect laps we could have had, with no traffic lights, few cars and a constant pace. At 57 minutes, it was also one of the quickest, but not so fast that were pinged by the hidden camera car at Dairy Flat, aiming at all the ski traffic drivers. While I rode in ahead of Wombattle, he had stopped with me for my final pee, so would have finished at least three minutes ahead if I had let him. So he went for the final receipt, and I followed. How appropriate! Such is the life of the Long Distance Rider, a style and skill that I value in all my mates.
Others rode into the gas station over the coming hours with the last at 1.24am, well ahead of the 3.15am maximum time. To all of you, congratulations, it was a tough ride with the crazy Canberran traffic, constant stops and starts. And to all the volunteers - we could not have done it without you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Olly
http://olafsbike.blogspot.com.au/
The Iron Butt Association has some weird and wonderful Certificate Rides for the truly crazy.
One of those is the "ACT Insanity Ride", which is a multi-lap event round the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) totaling at least 1610 kilometres. For my US readers, somewhat like DC). This looked like the perfect practice ride (being #5 actually) for me, prior to the Iron Butt Rally (IBR) in late June 2017. So I put a little note on the IBA Australia Forum, looking for a companion and some witnesses for this ride, knowing full well, that I would get limited interest in the dead of winter.
I was wrong.
Almost thirty riders and 15 volunteers offered to join me. In the end, fourteen committed to ride and nine actually showed up on the day, with others having bike-battery problems and not feeling well. The magnificent nine were all IBA certified riders as it turned out, and included; Derrick Sutton, Michael "Fatman" and Lynne Morris "The Pillion - LTP", Craig "Wombattler" Harcombe, Simon Bell, Ron "Grey Gentry" Perry, Barry "Spaz" Martin, Kerry "Cliff" Clifford, Russell "RusJel" Smith and yours truly, Olaf "Olly" Moon. And as you would expect, turned up on all sorts of weird machinery including KTM, BMW, Honda, Triumph, Harley Davidson and Yamaha kit. From a blue R1200RT to a canary-yellow Tenere and a fire-engine red VFR. There was also an FJR and a Royal Star!
This ride is not your normal IBA Event.
It requires pre-approval from the Association AND a record of every riders' lap odometer reading PLUS the normal 2-witness forms and petrol receipts. This I sought. Being determined to get all the paperwork correctly signed and completed would require a group of volunteers to be at the staging site for the full 24 hours, and to record all the "mileage" readings. Volunteers to stand in the freezing cold were Volunteers, Sheryle Moon, Sian Moon, Ed Husek, Lionel Haynes, Shane Jasprizza, Bill Beaton, Lisa Walsch and John Sullivan. To this crew, we owe a huge thank you! Also, on the day a few others such as Martin Little and Nev showed up, plus some visitors from various places to watch the action. Who was the tall silver-hair stranger with the ear-ring and Triumph jacket?
We submitted the route to the IBA for approval, based on the original ride done by three riders in 2011. In that time-frame a number of changes had been made to the roads, including the completion of the dual-carriage Majura By-Pass, which made that section of the route a little quicker and a lot more comfortable - but more highly patrolled by the police. Each lap was about 84 kilometres depending on who was measuring, and should take about 1 hour 7 minutes according to Google Maps. Anyone circulating under 60 minutes was certainly efficient, and probably had a particularly good run through the traffic lights.
The course went south down the Monaro Highway and then took two linked roundabouts, across to Tharwa Drive then to Drakeford Drive heading north. At Glenloch Interchange we took the West Belconnen slip lane, and headed west then north through Melba and Flynn up the "S'es". We then turned right at a T intersection, back to the Barton Hwy, then south to join Northbourne Ave. Here we turned left and headed up to the interchange with Majura Rd, then south past the airport to the Caltex at Hume where the start, stop and witness station was located. Here, Lionel had brought a large caravan, and with the approval of the station manager, parked here to create shelter for the volunteers. A table and chairs was also set up, to get a "process" of recording done in order, with each rider's ODO recorded on their own clipboard.
This ride was over the June Long Weekend, and so it was a "double demerit" points weekend, a fact NOT lost on the riders, who proceeded to ride past 8 fixed speed cameras on each lap (160 passes in total) and assorted hidden, mobile camera cars - of which at least four graced the course at different times. The police were well aware of the ride and visited on their police bikes and an un-marked car at one point, discussing long and hard what the "Iron Butt Hotel" (Signed caravan) was actually doing there. Immediately prior to the start, David Rolfe texted in, saying that his Harley had "failed to proceed" even after bump-starting down a hill, with a failed battery. Teaches you to ride it to Perth!
After a very short briefing from Olaf at 3.00am, including a clear safety-first warning, the crew headed off, following him on a "slow" lap so that they could learn the course and the location of the cameras. However, by the time we entered Majura Lane on the first lap, Olaf was passed by three speedsters! Nonetheless we all arrived at the gas station together and chaos ensued as each person met with a Volunteer, who had to find the correct clip board and record their details. Soon we were all headed off on lap two, and the witnesses got together in a huddle and decided to "get this shit sorted". Sian took command and arranged the boards in sequence of the riders leaving the lot, so that the correct one was presented to each rider, then returned to the back of the clip-board-line-up. Of course only Fatman and Lynne had marked their bike and board with a sticker (as requested although few knew what "LTP" stood for until later!) - this would have certainly helped everyone, especially on the change over of staff later on. One rider carried his clipboard, to make life even tougher for the adjudicators.
After a couple of laps, the pace smartened up considerably, as it was still dark with very few cars on the road. The full moon came out and the weather stayed surprisingly mild, rarely getting down to freezing point. My guess is that if it had been minus five celsius, then life would have been much tougher.
Riders soon got their lines into order, making some serious swoops around the seven round-abouts on the course, a Canberra speciality. Some were already grazing their pegs within a couple of laps. Even a few inches off-line could make for an excessively exciting exit, especially on RA number four, where all signage had been run-down by another vehicle, so arriving at this one was always an adventure, with an off-road option.
By lap three, I was smiling to myself. My bike has a long range tank fitted, and some of those on more traditional Yamaha-lys were going to be at the pumps after lap three or four. And so it was. This spread the riders out, and as some stopped for gas, food and a pee, this become even more pronounced. Foolish me had drunk tea and water before leaving home, and had to stop mid lap to relieve myself behind a tree - much to the laughter of a couple of other riders! This was not the last time for this little caper either, as the weather became colder, my need became stronger.
At sun rise the traffic began to build. We had not planned for not one, but three major events at the Exhibition Centre in Canberra (EPIC), so traffic became epic at EPIC with the Farmers Market, Dog Show and Handmade Market all happening at the same time! Thousands of cars entered and left from Northbourne Ave, a good thing at one point as we were slowed unnervingly to a crawl, right past a hiding camera van. God favors the brave on occasion!
And so it continued, lap after lap. On lap fourteen, many riders had retired for a short lunch break, but having been "in front" and noting that this is NOT a race, I was overtaken by Wombattle as I went for my sixth pee and some extra petrol. My support crew were stuffing sandwiches and hot chocolate down my throat at each lap, which was much appreciated.
We then proceeded to ride together by mutual but unspoken agreement, a delightful exercise as he is such an accomplished rider. Many will know the sheer joy of riding with someone who constantly rides perfect lines and the ideal pace. Wom is one of the very few who meets this standard and is an absolute pleasure to have as a riding mate.
For the last lap, we were both beat, and he asked me to lead. It was dark and just before 11pm, so I did, and it ended up being one of the most perfect laps we could have had, with no traffic lights, few cars and a constant pace. At 57 minutes, it was also one of the quickest, but not so fast that were pinged by the hidden camera car at Dairy Flat, aiming at all the ski traffic drivers. While I rode in ahead of Wombattle, he had stopped with me for my final pee, so would have finished at least three minutes ahead if I had let him. So he went for the final receipt, and I followed. How appropriate! Such is the life of the Long Distance Rider, a style and skill that I value in all my mates.
Others rode into the gas station over the coming hours with the last at 1.24am, well ahead of the 3.15am maximum time. To all of you, congratulations, it was a tough ride with the crazy Canberran traffic, constant stops and starts. And to all the volunteers - we could not have done it without you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Olly
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