Receipts Lost during Ride

#1
I conducted both the Saddle Sore and Bun Burner this past Friday and Saturday with two colleagues. 200 miles from finishing the Bun Burner my receipts 'departed' my vest pocket on their own ride. I have photos of my odometer, with the clock visible, at each stop that correlate with my colleagues receipts, as well as Facebook posts I made at some stops. I didn't always pay with my debit card since some of the gas stations we stopped had credit card readers that were loose; I've had my card skimmed before at a gas station so I'm leary of them. My debit card statement does have time stamps for the stops I used the card. With this preponderance of data, will it be worth my time to go ahead and submit our packets together or should I just chalk up the 1600 miles we rode to scar tissue learning?
 

Ira

Staff member
Premier Member
IBA Member
IBR Finisher
IBR Staff
#3
I conducted both the Saddle Sore and Bun Burner this past Friday and Saturday with two colleagues. 200 miles from finishing the Bun Burner my receipts 'departed' my vest pocket on their own ride. I have photos of my odometer, with the clock visible, at each stop that correlate with my colleagues receipts, as well as Facebook posts I made at some stops. I didn't always pay with my debit card since some of the gas stations we stopped had credit card readers that were loose; I've had my card skimmed before at a gas station so I'm leary of them. My debit card statement does have time stamps for the stops I used the card. With this preponderance of data, will it be worth my time to go ahead and submit our packets together or should I just chalk up the 1600 miles we rode to scar tissue learning?
If you lost all of your receipts, including your start and end receipts (your official start and end times and locations), it doesn't portend well, especially if all you have is partial credit card documentation (assuming it has the date, time, and location), the word of those on the ride with you (we don't accept those on the ride as start/end witnesses for you because of the obvious conflict-of-interest and would probably be the case here), photos of your odo and clock (which, playing Devil's Advocate, could be taken anywhere and correlating with your riding partners' receipts doesn't really document anything), and Facebook posts (which I don't think we've ever accepted as documentation).

That said, the basic rule is that it's up to you to demonstrate you rode the ride you claim by submitting sufficient documentation to do so. Ultimately, it would be up to the verification to determine if what you submit meets that standard. But you don't have much to lose by submitting - we only take payment of the fees if the ride passes review. If you do decide to submit, please include a note describing why all the receipts are missing.

Ira Agins
Iron Butt Association
 

cacomly

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#4
Sorry to hear the receipts were lost, hopefully you can pull together enough information. Do you have an ezpass or other automated toll paying mechanism that could help support your route?

I am starting to get in the habit of taking a photo of my receipts. It started during my SS5K on the way to Jacksonville this past March and I ended up losing a receipt. Fortunately I was able to print a copy of the missing one.

Something to consider for the future.
 

Howard Entman

IBR Finisher
Premier Member
#5
I have two suggestions for future rides.

First, as cacomly advised, take a picture with your cell phone of your gas receipt immediately after it comes out of the pump. This takes 15 seconds, and provides solid backup in case of loss or water damage on your paper receipts.

Second, go to the google play store and buy BUBBLER PRO for $10. This is an app for your android cell phone that will let you track your ride on spotwalla. A spotwalla map HELPS to prove your ride. (If you use an iphone, look for the app, SWCONNECT.)

As Ira suggested above, submit your documentation to the verification team.

Howard
 

Howard Entman

IBR Finisher
Premier Member
#7
As an android guy, I know some about BUBBLER. If anybody uses an iphone, they should check the SWCONNECT web site, but i do believe that TJ is correct. My error.
 

rodneyw71

KLR'er
Premier Member
#8
After reading Ron Ayres books it put the fear into me about losing receipts, or even losing a rally flag, I thought I had a fail safe system and I was at a bonus, put my rally flag on a sign and left it on there, had all my gear on, kicked it in gear, looked over my shoulder to make sure no cars were coming and seen my flag still pinned to the bonus, so now I have a checklist that I'll use next time.
You can take pictures with bubbler, I don't have a spot and use the app all the time, I like the idea of taking pictures of the receipts, never thought of that.
 

EricV

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#9
In regards to rally flags, some riders that are prone to leaving the flag behind simply clip their bike key to the flag. Can't find the key to start the bike? go back and get your flag!

Receipts - Lots of good ideas out there. I keep a mini fuel log that I fill out, using the receipt info, right at the pump. This requires me to find the necessary info on the receipt, and if it's not there, I catch it then and can get an alternate receipt. Receipts then go into a zip loc bag which is stored in a specific pocket on my jacket. I used to use a small cordura bag with a zipper that had a clip to attach to the outside of my tank bag. Worked great! Except it wasn't waterproof and in horizontal rain thru OH for 50 miles it got soaked and the receipts became un-readable. Lost some points at scoring due to that, but not enough to matter.

The photo idea is a good one. That said, I don't know of any rallies that would accept a photo of a receipt in lieu of the actual receipt, for bonus points. For a cert ride, perhaps a different story and certainly better than no info at all.
 

Paul Knight

Premier Member
#10
I believe that with the IBA premier membership you can submit the photos of your receipts and eye witness forms all electronically.

I will defer to the Admins for confirmation :)

Paul