I have a question about the IBA ride TIPS and caffeine

[scythefwd]

I've been at your caffeine intake level. Graveyard shift for over a decade and too many 13 hour shifts to count. Advil helped me on the weekend days to offset the withdrawal. I could go to sleep after a quad espresso from Starbucks. (never wasted money on that again)

In terms of mental fatigue, fine motor skill movements can help offset this, like digging something out of your tank bag or putting a couple M&Ms on top of the tank bag and moving them around with the clutch hand. Even tapping out a rhythm with your fingers on the bars as you move along. Anything that requires a secondary focus to repeat or maintain.

In terms of boredom, math works for me. I'm always thinking about time, speed, where should I be, and when, at points ahead on my ride. How many miles I've ridden, Vs the time that has passed, figure that out mentally to come up with my average miles per hour. Then work out when I should be at my next gas stop based on that average, break that down to a known distance up ahead, (like some city on a sign I just passed that says XXX miles ahead), so when should I be there to stay on target or be ahead of target, etc.

You're moving, so you can work on things you need to get done for the move. Mental list making keeps your brain at a higher level.

In regards to comm, yeah, it's not going to last the entire trip. Your plan of shutting it off may meet your needs well. As a back up, consider a short hand list of your route turns taped to the tank in a zip lock bag if you don't have a tank bag w/a map window. Just a simple thing like:

I-64W (96.9 mi)
Merge I-64W/I-81S (30.6)
Exit 191 I-64W (116)
R 2 lanes merge I-64W/I-77N (61.4) Toll
Follow I-64W (500)
Exit 3B I-70W (232)
Exit 20 MO-7 (keep left onto MO-7S/NW Hwy-7) 2.0

That is basically the correct map lol... I can, without directions get to Missouri from VA without any issue.
Turn left on Richmond
Turn left on Liberia
Turn west on i66
Turn south in i81
turn west on i64 and ride for 5 states (give or take)... bout the time I see IL, I have about 6 hours left. My comms will probably get turned on as I approach MO on i64, since St. Louis is where I'll be changing roads.

I will have my gps (google maps) floating just above my fork stem and thats powered by a pigtail off the battery... I'll have visible route confirmation the whole way. My plan is to start early in the day.. round 3AM so I've got a full night in before and I'm fresh when it's dark out, and I wont fall asleep with the sun out. This will put me making MO about 5PM.. and leaving me with just about 3 hours left of sunlight and about that much to drive...


The last step in the move is this ride.. its all done.

 

[psycoreefer]

I carry a set of regular old ear buds and just plug them into my phone to get me through the 'dead' battery zone on my helmet comms. I find that listening to something 'engaging' helps to rejuvinate me when I start to feel bored. If I put on a favorite pod cast, a standup comedy routine, or a good audio book it helps to keep my mind active. Music doesn't do it for me at all, works really well for my wife though.

 

[scythefwd]

I carry a set of regular old ear buds and just plug them into my phone to get me through the 'dead' battery zone on my helmet comms. I find that listening to something 'engaging' helps to rejuvinate me when I start to feel bored. If I put on a favorite pod cast, a standup comedy routine, or a good audio book it helps to keep my mind active. Music doesn't do it for me at all, works really well for my wife though.

Ive tried that but not had much luck with fitting buds under my helmet... I'm music all the way. Get me anything with a driving bass line or guitar line and I'm hyped.... Anything from old aerosmith to nu metal or speed rap and I'm away as all hell. It's not what I normally listen to... but it does get me going for a workout or a ride.

I wont be able to charge up the comms in route. The battery is attached in a pocket at that back of the helmet, and the charging port (bad design from sena/hjc) is facing my neck. I'd need at a minimum a slim line right angle connector and the ability to tolerate it while still wearing the helmet for 3 hours (uninstall of the unit is a PITA... the battery is hardwired ... again an oversight by sena/hjc to the speakers and control box ).

 

[kerrizor]

Ive tried that but not had much luck with fitting buds under my helmet... I'm music all the way. Get me anything with a driving bass line or guitar line and I'm hyped.... Anything from old aerosmith to nu metal or speed rap and I'm away as all hell. It's not what I normally listen to... but it does get me going for a workout or a ride.

I wont be able to charge up the comms in route. The battery is attached in a pocket at that back of the helmet, and the charging port (bad design from sena/hjc) is facing my neck. I'd need at a minimum a slim line right angle connector and the ability to tolerate it while still wearing the helmet for 3 hours (uninstall of the unit is a PITA... the battery is hardwired ... again an oversight by sena/hjc to the speakers and control box ).

Yeah, that's why you see most people avoiding the built-in Sena units.. they're great for puttering around town for a couple hours, but on a long ride, they're shite.

 

[scythefwd]

They claim 8 hours talk time.. if its just my gps.. it may last MUCH longer than that... it only talks in that 700 mile stretch when I get off for gas

 

[Stephen!]

especially when hydrating at other stops.

I would suggest waiting until you stop to hydrate is a pretty poor plan and a waste of time. On board hydration systems are a staple for the serious LDRider...

 

[rneal55555]

I would suggest waiting until you stop to hydrate is a pretty poor plan and a waste of time. On board hydration systems are a staple for the serious LDRider...

And they can be as simple as a cup holder and/or a couple of water bottles bungeed somewhere.

 

[scythefwd]

Drinking 16 oz of water every couple of hours is more than sufficient to keep you hydrated.. especially if you start hydrated. That will have me drinking close to 2 gallons during the ride. Unlike some folks who are able to stretch out to 300 miles on a tank ... I have a max range of 120-150 before I have no choice but to fuel up or call AAA... My stops are much more regular than most. That's also about 2x what I drink in a normal day... and unless its blazing hot during my daylight hours of the ride... I'll not be sweating it off any faster than I'm taking it in.
Monitoring my hydration is one of the few things on this trip I'm not worried about...

 

[scythefwd]

And they can be as simple as a cup holder and/or a couple of water bottles bungeed somewhere.

Unless you can figure out drinking from a bottle or something in a cup through a full face helmet.. its a full stop either way...

 

[Greg Rice]

Just out of curiousity, does that hold for the IBR? Your 48/10? I just knocked out my own 48/10 and didn't change my caffeine habits at all.. curious what other folks do.

Yes, that goes for the IBR and any LD ride.

 

[rneal55555]

well I have a modular so I can drink my Coffee in the morning.

 

[scythefwd]

I'll drink my coffee before I get on the bike... I'll go fuel up, and purchase water bottle. Next stop, after fueling up, I'll do some quick stretches (mainly lower back, legs, and chest) and down the water, walk inside, and grab a water for the next stop. I seriously considered getting a modular when I replaced my helmet last time, but none of the ones in the shop fit me nearly as well as the f70 I ended up getting. Knowing my luck, I'd end up with a straw up the nose before I found my mouth with it.

That said, any time Im going on a long trip (car, plane, week long camping, etc) I pregame the whole week before drinking a TON of water (ok, probably not a ton, but about 1.5-3 gallons a day) to make sure I'm fully hydrated before the start.

Yes, I'm aware of the risks of dry land drowning and my limits for what I can handle for water intake. I'm also acutely aware of what dehydration starts to feel like (having spent more than a little time in deserts and "dry heat" in my life). Hydration is probably the last thing for me to really worry about because I already have that routine down pat.

 

[Stephen!]

And they can be as simple as a cup holder and/or a couple of water bottles bungeed somewhere.

My "system" is a 2-liter bladder in the bottom of my RKA tank bag...

 

[Stephen!]

Drinking 16 oz of water every couple of hours is more than sufficient to keep you hydrated.. especially if you start hydrated. That will have me drinking close to 2 gallons during the ride.

You missed the point entrely. While maintaining a moving average of 60 mph, every minute you spend stopped drinking water, is another mile behind you get on the ride.

 

[Stephen!]

well I have a modular so I can drink my Coffee in the morning.

...and a hose slips into a non-modular full-face quite easily.

 

[lakota]

I would suggest waiting until you stop to hydrate is a pretty poor plan and a waste of time. On board hydration systems are a staple for the serious LDRider...

Guess I’m not a serious rider. Don’t have one. Don’t want one.

 

[BigLew55]

Guess I’m not a serious rider. Don’t have one. Don’t want one.

Someday you may want to start riding serious miles and change your mind...

 

[Russ Black]

I'll drink my coffee before I get on the bike... I'll go fuel up, and purchase water bottle. Next stop, after fueling up, I'll do some quick stretches (mainly lower back, legs, and chest) and down the water, walk inside, and grab a water for the next stop.

This is the best advice I've seen. Based on the original post, Your prepping up for your first IBA attempt... I am 99.99% confident that it is going to be a SS1000. You will not be looking for bonuses etc. and are really only competing with yourself. The clock is in there too, but not to the extent it was when the national maximum higway speed was 55. Most of the people that I know do a SS100 in about 16-18 hours. That gives you around 6-8 hours to spare. This knowlege can be a hindrance too thinking you have plenty of time and taking too many long breaks. This is how I explain what doing a SS1000 is like that even non-IBA'ers can relate. Pretend you have to attend a funeral a 1000 miles away and you need to get there because the service starts in 24 hours. The good news is that you get to do your planning way ahead of time. Don't over think it. I plan the corners and or the start finish points of my ride, making sure I have more than enough miles, and I just ride as above. Especially if I'm riding the interstates with the higher speeds. When I stop I buy two waters. I drink one there and put the other in my drink holder which I sip on as I'm running down the road to the next stop. You'll do fine I'm sure, Good luck

 

[scythefwd]

You missed the point entrely. While maintaining a moving average of 60 mph, every minute you spend stopped drinking water, is another mile behind you get on the ride.

at maintaining 60 mph (which is 10-15 below speed limit on most of my route) just travelling speed limit with a 10 minute stop for fuel a quick stretch, and buying a bottle of water to drink at the next stop should be pretty easy to maintain. I can down a 16 oz bottle of water in about 90 seconds without a second thought...

My ride claims 16 hours in the saddle... getting 2 minutes further behind at each stop over 11 stops (say its 15 minutes vs 10).. puts me at 161 minutes added on to that 16 hours, or about 19 hours... making the ride still quite easy to complete...

 

[scythefwd]

This is the best advice I've seen. Based on the original post, Your prepping up for your first IBA attempt... I am 99.99% confident that it is going to be a SS1000. You will not be looking for bonuses etc. and are really only competing with yourself. The clock is in there too, but not to the extent it was when the national maximum higway speed was 55. Most of the people that I know do a SS100 in about 16-18 hours. That gives you around 6-8 hours to spare. This knowlege can be a hindrance too thinking you have plenty of time and taking too many long breaks. This is how I explain what doing a SS1000 is like that even non-IBA'ers can relate. Pretend you have to attend a funeral a 1000 miles away and you need to get there because the service starts in 24 hours. The good news is that you get to do your planning way ahead of time. Don't over think it. I plan the corners and or the start finish points of my ride, making sure I have more than enough miles, and I just ride as above. Especially if I'm riding the interstates with the higher speeds. When I stop I buy two waters. I drink one there and put the other in my drink holder which I sip on as I'm running down the road to the next stop. You'll do fine I'm sure, Good luck

Thanks for the affirmation of that plan. I've done 1k (actually about 1600 miles) in 25 hours after a night of no sleep (coincidentally, for a funeral), just not on a bike. I know that changes the game entirely. The pregaming and prepping will make this a much easier trip than that one. I've done this route before in a moving truck, and very very little of the route is under 70 mph (comparatively I have 5 miles to the interstate, and about 50 miles in WV, the rest is at the very end of the trip, where I'll be nearly 70 miles over so I should be able to stop about 30 miles from my end and have a receipt that can count as my end point if time is short). I made IL, roughly 700 miles in this last time in 12 hours... and that was due to limitations put on my by my moving truck. There were a couple hours where it could not even maintain speed limit and at times was 20 mph below limit due to hills.

You are correct.. ss1000, no bonuses, and just for myself. I don't think I could compete with others on a ride.. I am just that kind of laid back when I ride. Folks want to speed away.. let em.