Solar Eclipse 1000 Gold

#1
I'm late in writing the report. While on a family vacation by car is when I found out about the Solar Eclipse 1000. It had been a year since I had rode an IBA ride due to a broken leg. I had been thinking of doing one soon after returning home. I just wasn't sure to where.

My mind started working. I mentioned it to my wife who doesn't ride but she is supportive. She said go for the Gold. So I started planning the best route, least traffic, and best speed limits.

I selected Hyannis, NE, figuring there would be less traffic, clear skies, and higher speed limits in the west. I live in the Dallas area. I left home to get my first fuel receipt @ 1420 on Sunday so I could also get a BB1500. I stopped in Liberal, KS to sleep. Since I had to ride 300 miles before the total eclipse site and arrive at the beginning this was a good place to start. The eclipse was scheduled to start around 0930 MDT.

I got another fuel receipt at 0400 then headed NW. I avoided North Platte but ran into some traffic north to Hyannis but not much of a delay. I arrived at a convenience store at the corner of NE61 and NE2 @ almost exactly 0930 for my fuel receipt. There was not much of a crowd. The receipt had the wrong time (probably MST) on it but it worked.

After visiting with a few people I was ready to ride but I did not want to miss the total eclipse. My plan was to ride NE2 to the SE to Grand Island then joint I-80 on the way home. It so happened that the "total" was pretty much following that same path. I saddled up, rode slow down NE2. When the "total" was near I stopped to take in the full effect. Awesome!

After witnessing the "total" I calculated I could finish my 1000 miles from home in North Platte. Bad choice! Traffic was terrible the last 25 miles. Oh well, I originally planned to finish my ride in Oklahoma City so there is were I headed after fuel in North Platte. I believe North Platte was too close to the site of the total eclipse to count as a finish for the Gold so it worked out.

I used my fuel receipt from Liberal, KS as the start of my Solar Eclipse 1000 Gold and my fuel receipt from home for the start of my BB1500. Ending receipts were from Oklahoma City. I had been riding for 22 hours with short breaks and little sleep the previous two nights. I was beat.

I did get my certification in a timely manner. That is after I finally sent in the documentation. I'm a happy rider.