First Iron Butt Attempt Clarification

[CallMeJeff]

Hey Everyone: Newbie Question,

I plan on attempting my first Iron Butt ride in a couple of weeks, from L. A. to east Texas to see the eclipse on 4/8. It's 1500+ miles one-way, so I have to travel the whole distance to get to my destination anyway, Iron Butt or no Iron Butt.

I read that I can only qualify for a 1000/24hr. certification on my first submission.

Assuming I correctly document everything, including the first 1000/24 hr. segment of my trip, will I only be eligible for the SS 1000 certification, as seems the case, or will I be able to claim the BB1500/Silver/Gold ride as well?

The plain language suggests no, but wondering if documenting the 1000 on my way would make a difference. Since I have to travel 1500 mi. anyway, it seems a shame to not be able to get both.

Replies appreciated,
Jeff

 

[LeMaitre]

Hey Everyone: Newbie Question,

I plan on attempting my first Iron Butt ride in a couple of weeks, from L. A. to east Texas to see the eclipse on 4/8. It's 1500+ miles one-way, so I have to travel the whole distance to get to my destination anyway, Iron Butt or no Iron Butt.

I read that I can only qualify for a 1000/24hr. certification on my first submission.

Assuming I correctly document everything, including the first 1000/24 hr. segment of my trip, will I only be eligible for the SS 1000 certification, as seems the case, or will I be able to claim the BB1500/Silver/Gold ride as well?

The plain language suggests no, but wondering if documenting the 1000 on my way would make a difference. Since I have to travel 1500 mi. anyway, it seems a shame to not be able to get both.

Replies appreciated,
Jeff

Jeff,

Ira will chime in but you can do the normal Bun Burner. It is the Bun Burner Gold that you cannot subimit.

Ride safe,

-Mark

 

[Ira]

Hey Everyone: Newbie Question,

I plan on attempting my first Iron Butt ride in a couple of weeks, from L. A. to east Texas to see the eclipse on 4/8. It's 1500+ miles one-way, so I have to travel the whole distance to get to my destination anyway, Iron Butt or no Iron Butt.

I read that I can only qualify for a 1000/24hr. certification on my first submission.

Assuming I correctly document everything, including the first 1000/24 hr. segment of my trip, will I only be eligible for the SS 1000 certification, as seems the case, or will I be able to claim the BB1500/Silver/Gold ride as well?

The plain language suggests no, but wondering if documenting the 1000 on my way would make a difference. Since I have to travel 1500 mi. anyway, it seems a shame to not be able to get both.

Replies appreciated,
Jeff

Although completing and having certified a Saddlesore 1000 as a first IBA certificate ride is common, there are a variety of other rides that are acceptable. In this particular case, you could complete a Bun Burner 1500 (1,500 miles in 36 hours) to meet the requirement. And if you complete the first 1,000 miles in 24 hours or less and document your location at that mileage, you could apply for both the Saddlesore 1000 and Bun Burner 1500 certificates on the same ride.

Ira Agins
Iron Butt Association

 

[Crafty_rider]

Ira,

Would Jeff also be able to apply for the Solar Eclipse (or Solar Eclipse Gold) if he is at the viewing location at the end of his ride (and within a 24-hour/1,000 mile window) or does viewing the eclipse have to be your halfway point and then you continue the ride after the eclipse...? That is, providing he is using Spotwalla (as per the rules), which is rare for a first-timer...but I see Jeff is trying to get it working...

Don't want to muddy the waters (or darken the skies...see what I did there...), just curious...that's all...

Cheers!

 

[CallMeJeff]

Didn't know about this certification. Am curious as well.

 

[Crafty_rider]

Hey Jeff,

See details here: https://www.ironbutt.com/themerides/solecl/

If the weather cooperates, I will be riding 500 miles to Cheektowaga (near Buffalo)(NY) view the eclipse (even though it is literally happening right in my backyard).

Oh well...that's the nature of this "illness"...

Cheers!

 

[Ira]

Ira,

Would Jeff also be able to apply for the Solar Eclipse (or Solar Eclipse Gold) if he is at the viewing location at the end of his ride (and within a 24-hour/1,000 mile window) or does viewing the eclipse have to be your halfway point and then you continue the ride after the eclipse...? That is, providing he is using Spotwalla (as per the rules), which is rare for a first-timer...but I see Jeff is trying to get it working...

Don't want to muddy the waters (or darken the skies...see what I did there...), just curious...that's all...

Cheers!

The rules only specify that you need to ride at least 300 miles to your viewing location and document it. It does not specify that it needs to take place in the middle of the ride. So you can document it at any point after the 300-mile point.

Ira Agins
Iron Butt Association

 

[XYZZY]

I'm waiting with baited breath... the eclipse was almost a month ago... what were you able to accomplish?

 

[CallMeJeff]

Lol— didn't think I'd arouse such interest. I'm flattered.

From CA I wound up having to get off the bike in New Mexico about 3:30 a.m. because I was doing 75mph in 33°, and my under-protected hands (and feet) were freezing, intensely painful, stiff, and barely able to manipulate the controls, and was shivering intensely: definitely first stages of hypothermia. I pulled off in Lordsburg NM and spent 3.5 hrs in an EconoLodge lobby drinking hot tea and waiting for sunrise and higher temps. Finally back on road @ 7a.m. at 30°, but my core temp was up again so it was bearable. Consulting a wind-chill chart later I leaned that 30° @ 75mph feels like 9°, so 33° at that speed was a sub-freezing experience by a good margin.

That lost time cost me in the end: I traveled 1479 mi. by odometer (<— yes, I know) when I arrived at my destination town in east TX, but was at 38.5 hrs. since blast-off, so no time to run down the highway to an ATM/gas stop, then back to my target town to push myself over the line. So no Bun Burner 1500.

I did document the SS 1000, so that's in the bag, and though I didn't document my arrival at my destination town, it's on the SpotWalla record, so I think it's obvious I travelled well in excess the required distance for the Eclipse cert.

I'll take those consolation prizes, learn to prepare better for weather, including better gear and knowing predicted low temps for the time I'll be in the area, (and Lord, that stock seat was torture!), and call it a success and a great adventure! One thing's for sure: now a thousand miles seems easy.
+++ +++ +++

As a retired English teacher, I just can't resist being a little pedantic: it's actually bated breath, as in abated: reduced or ended; not "baited" suggesting fish-breath.

 

[XYZZY]

Lol— didn't think I'd arouse such interest. I'm flattered.

From CA I wound up having to get off the bike in New Mexico about 3:30 a.m. because I was doing 75mph in 33°, and my under-protected hands (and feet) were freezing, intensely painful, stiff, and barely able to manipulate the controls, and was shivering intensely: definitely first stages of hypothermia. I pulled off in Lordsburg NM and spent 3.5 hrs in an EconoLodge lobby drinking hot tea and waiting for sunrise and higher temps. Finally back on road @ 7a.m. at 30°, but my core temp was up again so it was bearable. Consulting a wind-chill chart later I leaned that 30° @ 75mph feels like 9°, so 33° at that speed was a sub-freezing experience by a good margin.

That lost time cost me in the end: I traveled 1479 mi. by odometer (<— yes, I know) when I arrived at my destination town in east TX, but was at 38.5 hrs. since blast-off, so no time to run down the highway to an ATM/gas stop, then back to my target town to push myself over the line. So no Bun Burner 1500.

I did document the SS 1000, so that's in the bag, and though I didn't document my arrival at my destination town, it's on the SpotWalla record, so I think it's obvious I travelled well in excess the required distance for the Eclipse cert.

I'll take those consolation prizes, learn to prepare better for weather, including better gear and knowing predicted low temps for the time I'll be in the area, (and Lord, that stock seat was torture!), and call it a success and a great adventure! One thing's for sure: now a thousand miles seems easy.
+++ +++ +++

As a retired English teacher, I just can't resist being a little pedantic: it's actually bated breath, as in abated: reduced or ended; not "baited" suggesting fish-breath.

Thanks for the reply. Getting caught in weather with the wrong gear is a universal problem. I think the influx of cheap Chinese heated gear is going to make planning for cold conditions an inexpensive precaution.

I bought a bike recently that is already set up for distance, including a Russel Day Long seat. I rode it 900 miles (two legs 180 + 620) home from the Previous Owner's, and I was ready for another 900 miles.

Thanks for the reminder of "bated breath", and I appreciate the smaller font to do it. I actually did know that, and I'll blame autocorrect for the mistake, because typically I know better. On that topic the couple of idioms that I always have to double check are jive vs jibe (agreement) and chomping vs champing at the bit.

 

[Russ Black]

My cousin lives in Lake Havasu City, AZ and she has a Super Bowl party each year. I've driven I-10 to/from her house on my bike without any heated anything for many years. I've only pulled over twice. Once on my Goldwing in a rest stop west of Sonora, TX, (28 degs @ 80 mph), my legs and my girlfriend got cold, and once in Lordsburg, NM on a HD I was moving from LHC to Terrell, TX. (32 deg @ 75 mph). My girlfriend was warm in the car following me. The HD didn't have a windshield nor any heated anything and my hands were so cold and felt as you described above. I have better gloves now. They are work gauntlets I got from a hardware store while riding my daughters windshield-less bike through the mountains of Colorado two winters ago. Warm, comfortable and waterproof.