I gave up - Pressed Penny Insanity Challenge

DrNeo

Premier Member
#1
I'm generally not one to give up easily, but after many hours of reflection, I realized that completing this IBA Challenge just wasn't for me.

For those of you who don't know, the Challenge is to gather "100 pressed coins from 100 unique sites in at least 20 states – at least five states must be west of the Mississippi River." Pennycollector.com is what most folk use to find machine locations, I found that it was fairly accurate.

I had started my Pressed Penny Insanity Challenge in May by stopping at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Ohmaha, NE during a SaddleSore 1000 ride. I was in/picture/pressed penny/receipt in about 10 minutes. Over the next couple months I would repeat this 10 to 15 minute endeavor 23 times in 9 different states.






This ride took me from Key West, FL




All the way up to International Falls, MN




After I got back from my Key West Trip - fun story here - I catalogued my pennies and started planning on which machine sites to hit up next. I was sitting at 23 with plenty of pennies around me that I could easily snag.

The moment I decided to bag the ride hit me when I was in downtown Minneapolis, it was 90 degrees out, and I was enjoying stop and go traffic. I had left that morning from home trying to get a pressed penny at Sex World (hey, a pressed penny is a pressed penny) when I realized that I was missing the whole point of the ride. Yes, there's a good handful of these pressed penny machines are located at tourist traps (Sex World included), but a lot of them are located at places (museums, zoos, etc.) that should be enjoyed.

Am I disappointed that I didn't get the certificate? No, not at all. I'm actually proud that I decided to stop the ride, I wasn't having fun any more and I don't think I was riding for the right reasons. Will I attempt the ride again? Maybe, but I've got a lot of other rides to do first ;)
 

IBA ZX-9R

Well-Known Member
#2
Before I completed my first SS1K, my primary goal was to just complete the minimum distance. After all, I was on a sportbike, so would already be handicapped. But then as I mapped out route after route I kept coming up with the same conclusion you did; this wouldn't be fun, so why am I doing it? I can't do long distance straights, which was what all my first routes were, mostly out and backs on freeways. What I really wanted were roads with S-turns, bends, curves, and mountainous river scenery. That's where my joy of motorcycling comes from. And I told myself before the first ride, it's not worth dying over. I will try my damnedest to finish, but I repeated this to myself in the ride's closing stages. If I was not riding safely, I was ready to pull over and end it.

As motorcyclists, I think we all desire something from our rides that excites us to want to do more.

So I agree with your conclusion. What I tell other riders, friends considering an IBA ride, you just need a ride/route challenge to turn the quest into an adventure. Then it's something you look forward to, as well as, look back upon fondly.
 
#3
Thanks for sharing this. I'm going to go read about your epic "fun story" soon.
I understand the frustration of starting an epic ride, or multi-day ride, only to get stuck, soured or stranded with bad weather or bad health or bad traffic. It really sours the whole thing, and it's smart to stop the ride when you aren't enjoying it anymore.
However, if you're anything like me, after a hiatus, my motivation will often return with a change of season, newfound free time or a riding buddy.
Keep hold of those coins. They're worth far more than a penny each.