Fool's Gold 2019

FazerPhil

President IBA UK
Staff member
Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#1
It's getting close to the 1st of April again. For some it's all Fool's Day. For Iron Butt riders it's Fool's Gold day. Simple really. Ride 1500 miles starting and finishing on 1st April.

Who will succeed in completing a BunBurner Gold 1500 ride on April Fools day?

Anyone who completes the ride and gets it verified receive a very special "Fools Gold Ride Patch"



The fee for verification and a patch is £35 Verification is the same as normal

The rules of the ride are here.... https://www.ironbutt.co.uk/w3/bunburner.php

The rules as the same as standard Bunburner 1500 Gold rides except the ride has to be completed wholly on 1st April.. April Fools Day in the UK

This ride is only for Iron Butt members. New riders must complete a basic ride before attempting Gold and Extreme rides.
 
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Sleekit Fkr

Well-Known Member
#2
Hi Phil, Considering this afresh after half freezing to death last year!
A question though, what's the deal with the clocks changing?

They "spring forward" on the night of the 31st. Does this mean we have an hour less to complete the ride? Can we trust all receipts to be at the right time? Can it please be explained how this has been dealt with in the past, hate to fail due to a timing error not of my own doing!

Cheers,
 

GSears

Dambuster... Bouncing panniers...
Premier Member
IBA Member
#6
If your planning on using the M20 for this be aware the highways will probably have a 50mph limit with rear facing gatsos on the northbound carriageway which will be running just 2 lanes (North and south). The southbound looks as though it will be a lorry park......
 

FazerPhil

President IBA UK
Staff member
Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#8
The Time is the total time on the road. I will be aiming to finish inside 23 hrs in case till times are not changed at 1am.
If you wish you can choose your own route to avoid folkstone and the M20.
The M20 is a small part of the 1500 miles and you may loose an hour. If you are keeping it that tight then you will probably not succeed.
As for temperature I wear an Alpinestar textile suit with gortex. I'll have the thermal lining in over my LD Comfort underwear. Overnight I'll put my gerbin heated jacket on and plug it in if the temp drops below 5 deg c or it rains a lot. My heated grips will be on most of the time. I weather Alpinestar Gortex boots and have Gortex winter gloves.
Overnight it's easy to get cold and as the sun comes up it's impossible to raise your core temperature with insulated clothes on. So heated jacket or strip to pass layer in warm services to warm up
Good luck..
Who is in. I'm starting at Gordano on the recognised route and may go anti clock wise this time.
 

Sleekit Fkr

Well-Known Member
#9
The Time is the total time on the road. I will be aiming to finish inside 23 hrs in case till times are not changed at 1am.
If you wish you can choose your own route to avoid folkstone and the M20.
The M20 is a small part of the 1500 miles and you may loose an hour. If you are keeping it that tight then you will probably not succeed.
As for temperature I wear an Alpinestar textile suit with gortex. I'll have the thermal lining in over my LD Comfort underwear. Overnight I'll put my gerbin heated jacket on and plug it in if the temp drops below 5 deg c or it rains a lot. My heated grips will be on most of the time. I weather Alpinestar Gortex boots and have Gortex winter gloves.
Overnight it's easy to get cold and as the sun comes up it's impossible to raise your core temperature with insulated clothes on. So heated jacket or strip to pass layer in warm services to warm up
Good luck..
Who is in. I'm starting at Gordano on the recognised route and may go anti clock wise this time.
Planning on start/finish in Perth following the prescribed route. Still going to wait and see weather closer to the date before making a final decision.
 

Sleekit Fkr

Well-Known Member
#10
What's the thoughts of some more experienced Iron Butt members on this plan to avoid operation stack on the M20 during my Fools Gold 2019 attempt.

Leave M25 and make for Margate rather than Dover?

The mileage is almost the same as is the time (projected!)

Thoughts?
 

GSears

Dambuster... Bouncing panniers...
Premier Member
IBA Member
#11
You could always run further west towards Lands End. The shell garage at Carwin Rise, Hayle (24 Hour) is at the roundabout just off the bottom of the dual carriageway (A30). Not a bad run now its all finished. Keeps you 'more' away from London and the Monday commuters. New Gold route.JPG

Comes in as 1513 on shortest routing (for me). 23 hours on mapsource so probably 22:30 riding time.

Would need to run it past the Verifier for a definitive distance.....
 
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Sleekit Fkr

Well-Known Member
#12
You could always run further west towards Lands End. The shell garage at Carwin Rise, Hayle (24 Hour) is at the roundabout just off the bottom of the dual carriageway (A30). Not a bad run now its all finished. Keeps you 'more' away from London and the Monday commuters. View attachment 3458

Comes in as 1513 on shortest routing (for me). 23 hours on mapsource so probably 22:30 riding time.

Would need to run it past the Verifier for a definitive distance.....
Sounds like a plan GSears. Will dig into this in the coming days. Staying away from the SE corner seems good!
 

Sleekit Fkr

Well-Known Member
#13
You could always run further west towards Lands End. The shell garage at Carwin Rise, Hayle (24 Hour) is at the roundabout just off the bottom of the dual carriageway (A30). Not a bad run now its all finished. Keeps you 'more' away from London and the Monday commuters. View attachment 3458

Comes in as 1513 on shortest routing (for me). 23 hours on mapsource so probably 22:30 riding time.

Would need to run it past the Verifier for a definitive distance.....
I get this route to 1528 using MyRoute-App. 25hrs. 7 stops for me. Thoughts?
 

GSears

Dambuster... Bouncing panniers...
Premier Member
IBA Member
#14
First, submit it to the verifier for distance checking.

Then

Is that shortest or quickest route?

Typically my shortest route can be up to 1.5 hours slower than the quickest on a long ride.

Mapsource which usually overestimates my travelling time shows 23 hours for the quickest route. If you add 7 x 6 minute stops you have 18 minutes left........

If you average 70mph (travel at the limit, but remember some parts of the route are slower) it will take about 22 hours to complete your 1528 mile route.


This ride is always going to be tight, but it is one of the harder 24 hour gold rides.... (in my opinion)

Remember safety is primary, have a 1000 mile alternative route planned in case you decide enough is enough. (At what point can you return home and complete 1000 miles)
 
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Sleekit Fkr

Well-Known Member
#15
Yup, tried and failed last year so we’ll aware of what I’m taking on.

I did try shortening slightly in areas but took it to about 1503, bit too tight. I’ve sent it to Martin to review. Agree about over estimating time, most applications seem to do this to varying extents.

I’ll probably go for it as it stands now, still fun no matter the outcome and there is always next year if I fail
 

John ZRX

Active Member
#16
Can I ask for some clarification re verification rules for UK Bunburner Gold. Link at start of this thread takes me to a page which says as an extreme ride Bunburner Gold requires two witnesses plus start/finish receipts, link from there goes to full rules and documentation for Bunburners where it says photos of start/finish receipts and odometer in same photo but doesn't mention witnesses.
I'm considering this at the mo (depending how the RTE the preceding weekend goes) using the RBLR Bunburner Gold Route and have also been checking out how to cut out the Kent corner, with maybe extensions along A30 and A40. Rather than asking Martin to check again something already submitted I'd be grateful if his confirmation or otherwise of Mr Sears proposed route above could be posted here when judgement is handed down. In particular an acceptable South West corner checkpoint to ensure M11, M25, Dartford Crossing is followed. Would Clackett Lane Services M25 alone fit the bill?
Thanks
 

GSears

Dambuster... Bouncing panniers...
Premier Member
IBA Member
#17
John

New UK rules allow for a photo of the receipt adjacent to odo etc for start and finish. If you use this method no witnesses are required.

Clackets ensures the route goes down the east side of the M25 and along the south side. Its a 'standard' receipt location for that purpose.

Hope this assists.
 

GSears

Dambuster... Bouncing panniers...
Premier Member
IBA Member
#19
Yup, tried and failed last year so we’ll aware of what I’m taking on.

I did try shortening slightly in areas but took it to about 1503, bit too tight. I’ve sent it to Martin to review. Agree about over estimating time, most applications seem to do this to varying extents.

I’ll probably go for it as it stands now, still fun no matter the outcome and there is always next year if I fail
If its verified as 1503 and you get the receipts at the specified locations no problem, its an efficient route. I think the original Fools Gold route is about 1506. The Dambusters comes in at 1000 miles...... Remember that's the minimum distance possible. You will undoubtablely ride further.
 

John ZRX

Active Member
#20
GSears and Sleekit Fkr - Thanks to you both for replying. Will have to see how I feel after Dambusters but will aim to have some sort of plan in place just in case the madness takes hold. Good luck with your respective endeavours