I just got my certification for my first SS1000 and I thought maybe some of my experience might help other people looking into accomplishing their first IBA ride. I loved the info available, and used it wholeheartedly, but because it was written by experts(or at least people with much more experience) it didn't fully prepare me for the emotions, the experience or mistakes that I would encounter. Sorry for the long post. if it is inappropriate I will take it down.
Some background first. I have been riding streetbikes since 1985. Started with dirt, then sportbikes, then cruisers. Considered by most to be a very competent rider, but more of what you would consider from appearance as a "biker." I had gotten to where I would travel frequently to rallies and gatherings but never really putting more than 450-500 miles in a single day. But the IBA has always interested me, the ultimate man and machine test of endurance and self discipline. So I was finally at the point, with a couple of buddies, that I felt ready to tackle the task.
So on to preparation. I scoured this website, youtube, and all over the internet for any tips and information I could get my hands on. There are plenty of tales of success and some tales of misery out there to learn from. So I was ultra concerned about making sure there was no doubt that our route was of proper length. I didn't want to put forth the effort only to have our documentation come up short so I planned our route with an extra 60 miles to give us a bit of breathing room, just in case.
None of us have touring rigs or GPS or the such so I used google maps, created the route, planned every gas stop, including calling to make sure the stations would be open when we would be arriving and that their receipts all printed their address and date. I compiled a spreadsheet with each stop listed, phone and address, with expected time of arrival(using google maps), a goal time of departure(using 10 minutes of fuel time), and blank spaces to log odometer readings and actual time from the receipt. Our ride was October 15th from Las Vegas to Mexico and back, leaving at 1 a.m. Stopping at a friends in Sierra Vista at the turn around for a 2 hour rest and home cooked meal. Because there are many routes across the desert and many turns, we probably had more stops than most people who do this with the longest single stretch being only 106 miles. But more on that in the actual ride. I also continually checked various weather apps leading up to the date to ensure that we wouldn't be attempting our ride during any major storms.
To prepare the bikes. We had all taken trips before so nothing was new here. In fact, we probably packed less than normal. We wanted to stay pretty light as the time frame was our ultimate goal. We all took the oath that if somebody broke down we would spend 30 minutes trying to get them back on the road, but any more than that and they would be left behind to be picked up the following day. Completely opposite of our usual philosophy but we were on a mission.
Now the ride. We had a friend meet us at the starting gas station 30 minutes early and filled out the witness forms and purchased a few bottles of water for each of us. We each waited at a pump for 1:00 a.m. to hit and all purchased gas at the same time keeping us on the same time frame.
And we were off. Due to the frequency of stops our first segment was only 40 miles. Full of excitement and anticipation of the day ahead, this segment was over in the blink of an eye. I did notice however that I needed to calm myself down and relax my riding position. I could tell that I was tensed up and it would be an extremely long day if I didn't continually remind myself to relax. Quick fuel up, drink of water, log our mileage, and shove the receipt into my inside vest pocket.
The next stop wasn't much longer. 52 miles. Blink of an eye again. But the short stops at the beginning are nice. Gives us a chance to adjust any gear on the bikes, any clothing issues, and get the routine down. Quick fuel, log the miles, receipt shoved in pocket and head out.
The next segment was still only 68 miles but at this point we are riding in the middle of the desert at 2:30 a.m. Only meeting the occasional truck but otherwise the roads are ours. I also chose our ride to coincide with the full moon for better visibility at night and the views even were amazing. The landscape was similar to riding across the moon, but with sage brush. Reminding myself the whole time, relax, enjoy the ride. At the stop, we all pull the same routine, and still not well practiced so there is a bit of a rush. Quick fuel, log miles, receipt in pocket, drink of water, head out. At this point we are still unaware of what to fully expect and here is something that nobody really had talked about before. At each stop in the beginning we were always in a light panic to make sure that we followed those steps and left fairly quickly. I think that probably added more stress than it should have. Remember, keep calm and relaxed. It is a long day and you really need to pace your energy as much as anything.
The next segment again was short. 39 miles. At this point you longtime riders will be saying too many stops. With an extra 10 minutes at each stop we have now added 40 minutes in just a couple hundred miles. When all three bikes would have probably made it this far on one tank. But honestly from a new guys perspective it made the first 200 miles seem like nothing at all. Just a bunch of quick little runs. Still fresh, still great scenery and still reminding myself to relax. Quick fuel, log miles, receipt in pocket and head out.
Now the first longer segment. 100 miles. Dark still at the start I notice my headlight is loose and moving side to side. (Just that week I had mounted an LED light bar below to ride across the desert at night) Now I have a deep concern that each time it flops left to right it is loosening the mounting bolt and I will soon lose the bolt and the whole headlight and LED light bar. Sun is just about coming up. We still have 65 miles to go until our stop and I don't want to add unnecessary time to our ride(got that spreadsheet telling me so)so I put my feet on the passenger pegs, lay on the tank, and hold the headlight in place with my left hand while we turn onto the interstate. Up to this point the roads have all been desert 2 lane highways. Pull into the stop, quick fuel, log miles, receipt in pocket. And while my compatriots are getting a drink of water and having a smoke I buy a couple roles of electrical tape and made a mountain of tape holding my headlight and LED lightbar in place. I have tools, but it would take probably an hour or 2 to properly fix the headlight and we don't want to waste any time. At the same time my buddy with the 25 year old Harley notices his pipes may be coming loose, but as before, our slight rush/panic at the fuel stops seems to have made us forget to do anything about his pipes.
Next stop is only 33 miles away. Blink of an eye. quick fuel, log miles, receipt in pocket, fix taped headlight, forget about pipes, hit the road.
Next stop 73 miles. Sun is now fully up and we are hitting pretty good traffic coming into Phoenix on the interstate. We turn to take a bypass route, find the gas station, quick fuel, log miles, receipt in pocket, drink water, talk about forgetting pipes. Decide to grab some snacks like jerky. Do nothing about pipes. Head out.
The next segment is 94 miles and it is starting to really warm up. Traffic is slowing us down but we are still in good spirits, even with the small issues we are having. Remind myself to relax and enjoy the ride. Good scenery, good riding, good times. Gas station is packed. Waiting for pumps. Then the ultimate frustration. We had used Luvs truck stops for many of the stops. I knew they had detailed receipts, were open 24 hours, and always had food if we really needed to eat. Well each time they charge your card it puts a $250 hold so now my card will no longer work. Call the bank, argue with the guy on the phone, he removes the stop on my card, but after 40 minutes of talking I finally go to use my card and it still wont work. So from now on I have to use cash to purchase fuel which is a pain in the butt when you are collecting receipts and trying not to waste a ton of time. Walk in to give money, fuel up, walk in to get receipt and change, log miles, head out.
Now we only have 34 miles to our next stop, our halfway and turn around point. An hour behind schedule at this point due to the credit card fiasco. Stop for quick fuel then head over to a friend's house to get a couple hours rest. It is now noon as well so they prepare us a big spaghetti lunch with salad to give us the energy to turn around and head back to Las Vegas. My buddies each snooze for about an hour while I sit and visit. Refreshed and ready to hit the road. I believe this longer break in the middle of the ride was perfect to recharge our batteries and prepare for the long ride ahead. Even still, we forget to look at my buddy's pipes. 530 miles down, 530 miles to go.
The next few stops go just as before. Walk in to pay cash, quick fuel, walk in to get receipt, log miles, receipt in pocket, drink water, forget to fix pipes. At this point we have gotten pretty good at it so the panic is gone and the stops seem much more relaxing. No longer do we feel the rush even though we are still an hour off of our original schedule, but we had planned the ride to have 2 hours to spare.
At this point in the ride, the sun is beginning to go down, reminding me that my headlight is held on with massive amounts of electrical tape and no longer shines as brightly or in the correct spot anymore. I just decide to ride closer to my buddies. The one in front has the full array of Harley Daymaker lights and driving lights. Stop for fuel at the 200 miles out mark. Still feel pretty good but have been live streaming our stops and people are commenting how haggard we look. We calculate time and we had made up the lost hour at this point and we are actually on pace to finish with 3 hours to spare so we decide to really enjoy this stop. Something nobody talks about at this point is the sense of adventure, camaraderie, and accomplishment now that we know we will easily accomplish the task. We are feeling good, not tired, not sore. There seems to be a second wind and it gives us quite a boost.
Last 3 segments. It is dark, it is cold. We do our fuel stops, but no longer rush in any way. We barely talk at this point. The huge boost we just got came crashing down. This final 100 miles starts to become a challenge. Now it is less the distance, but because of the extended and numerous stops, it is more of an exercise in staying mentally sharp and staying awake. After following these 2 bikes for 21-22 hours, I am starting to see things oddly. I can see the bikes, but I see things that aren't really there as well. My mind is playing little tricks on me at this point. But we press on in silence in the cold dark desert. This truly is a time to stay focused and it is getting harder as time ticks by and as temps drop. Second to last fuel stop. Not a word was spoken. Pay, fuel, receipt, log miles, leave.
Final destination! We did it. 1077 miles according to my odometer. Plenty of extra to ensure we have the full 1000. Suddenly our silence and moodiness melted away. I can't describe the accomplishment and most people wont even understand it. It is one of those things that people will ask you "Why?" But it won't matter. Me and my buddies had a true brotherhood type of experience in doing it. We got our final receipts, had our witness come and fill out the forms and rode to my buddy's house to celebrate with a few beers. Not even half a beer in and we were all passed out sleeping still forgetting to fix the pipes.
So here are my final thoughts. Some parts were easier than I anticipated and others were harder. I had been told the final 200 miles were the hardest and I would say they may be right. The things I would recommend from my experience are to have the ride itself scheduled out to a tee. It made it nice that we always knew if we were ahead or behind of our schedule at every stop. I liked having our shorter segments and enjoyed the extra breaks, but for many people it may add too much total time and you may be more comfortable putting 3-4 250-300 mile stretches together, but for me it didn't seem hard at all with the shorter runs. Call your bank ahead of time to let them know you will be using your card more than normal and possibly in different states. You don't want to have your card quit working, using cash at a gas station can suck when you are trying to make decent time. All I can really say is just go out and do it. We are already planning our BB1500 and have future plans to do the CC50. Most importantly, do it with some friends. It was a bonding experience for sure. You won't soon forget it.
Some background first. I have been riding streetbikes since 1985. Started with dirt, then sportbikes, then cruisers. Considered by most to be a very competent rider, but more of what you would consider from appearance as a "biker." I had gotten to where I would travel frequently to rallies and gatherings but never really putting more than 450-500 miles in a single day. But the IBA has always interested me, the ultimate man and machine test of endurance and self discipline. So I was finally at the point, with a couple of buddies, that I felt ready to tackle the task.
So on to preparation. I scoured this website, youtube, and all over the internet for any tips and information I could get my hands on. There are plenty of tales of success and some tales of misery out there to learn from. So I was ultra concerned about making sure there was no doubt that our route was of proper length. I didn't want to put forth the effort only to have our documentation come up short so I planned our route with an extra 60 miles to give us a bit of breathing room, just in case.
None of us have touring rigs or GPS or the such so I used google maps, created the route, planned every gas stop, including calling to make sure the stations would be open when we would be arriving and that their receipts all printed their address and date. I compiled a spreadsheet with each stop listed, phone and address, with expected time of arrival(using google maps), a goal time of departure(using 10 minutes of fuel time), and blank spaces to log odometer readings and actual time from the receipt. Our ride was October 15th from Las Vegas to Mexico and back, leaving at 1 a.m. Stopping at a friends in Sierra Vista at the turn around for a 2 hour rest and home cooked meal. Because there are many routes across the desert and many turns, we probably had more stops than most people who do this with the longest single stretch being only 106 miles. But more on that in the actual ride. I also continually checked various weather apps leading up to the date to ensure that we wouldn't be attempting our ride during any major storms.
To prepare the bikes. We had all taken trips before so nothing was new here. In fact, we probably packed less than normal. We wanted to stay pretty light as the time frame was our ultimate goal. We all took the oath that if somebody broke down we would spend 30 minutes trying to get them back on the road, but any more than that and they would be left behind to be picked up the following day. Completely opposite of our usual philosophy but we were on a mission.
Now the ride. We had a friend meet us at the starting gas station 30 minutes early and filled out the witness forms and purchased a few bottles of water for each of us. We each waited at a pump for 1:00 a.m. to hit and all purchased gas at the same time keeping us on the same time frame.
And we were off. Due to the frequency of stops our first segment was only 40 miles. Full of excitement and anticipation of the day ahead, this segment was over in the blink of an eye. I did notice however that I needed to calm myself down and relax my riding position. I could tell that I was tensed up and it would be an extremely long day if I didn't continually remind myself to relax. Quick fuel up, drink of water, log our mileage, and shove the receipt into my inside vest pocket.
The next stop wasn't much longer. 52 miles. Blink of an eye again. But the short stops at the beginning are nice. Gives us a chance to adjust any gear on the bikes, any clothing issues, and get the routine down. Quick fuel, log the miles, receipt shoved in pocket and head out.
The next segment was still only 68 miles but at this point we are riding in the middle of the desert at 2:30 a.m. Only meeting the occasional truck but otherwise the roads are ours. I also chose our ride to coincide with the full moon for better visibility at night and the views even were amazing. The landscape was similar to riding across the moon, but with sage brush. Reminding myself the whole time, relax, enjoy the ride. At the stop, we all pull the same routine, and still not well practiced so there is a bit of a rush. Quick fuel, log miles, receipt in pocket, drink of water, head out. At this point we are still unaware of what to fully expect and here is something that nobody really had talked about before. At each stop in the beginning we were always in a light panic to make sure that we followed those steps and left fairly quickly. I think that probably added more stress than it should have. Remember, keep calm and relaxed. It is a long day and you really need to pace your energy as much as anything.
The next segment again was short. 39 miles. At this point you longtime riders will be saying too many stops. With an extra 10 minutes at each stop we have now added 40 minutes in just a couple hundred miles. When all three bikes would have probably made it this far on one tank. But honestly from a new guys perspective it made the first 200 miles seem like nothing at all. Just a bunch of quick little runs. Still fresh, still great scenery and still reminding myself to relax. Quick fuel, log miles, receipt in pocket and head out.
Now the first longer segment. 100 miles. Dark still at the start I notice my headlight is loose and moving side to side. (Just that week I had mounted an LED light bar below to ride across the desert at night) Now I have a deep concern that each time it flops left to right it is loosening the mounting bolt and I will soon lose the bolt and the whole headlight and LED light bar. Sun is just about coming up. We still have 65 miles to go until our stop and I don't want to add unnecessary time to our ride(got that spreadsheet telling me so)so I put my feet on the passenger pegs, lay on the tank, and hold the headlight in place with my left hand while we turn onto the interstate. Up to this point the roads have all been desert 2 lane highways. Pull into the stop, quick fuel, log miles, receipt in pocket. And while my compatriots are getting a drink of water and having a smoke I buy a couple roles of electrical tape and made a mountain of tape holding my headlight and LED lightbar in place. I have tools, but it would take probably an hour or 2 to properly fix the headlight and we don't want to waste any time. At the same time my buddy with the 25 year old Harley notices his pipes may be coming loose, but as before, our slight rush/panic at the fuel stops seems to have made us forget to do anything about his pipes.
Next stop is only 33 miles away. Blink of an eye. quick fuel, log miles, receipt in pocket, fix taped headlight, forget about pipes, hit the road.
Next stop 73 miles. Sun is now fully up and we are hitting pretty good traffic coming into Phoenix on the interstate. We turn to take a bypass route, find the gas station, quick fuel, log miles, receipt in pocket, drink water, talk about forgetting pipes. Decide to grab some snacks like jerky. Do nothing about pipes. Head out.
The next segment is 94 miles and it is starting to really warm up. Traffic is slowing us down but we are still in good spirits, even with the small issues we are having. Remind myself to relax and enjoy the ride. Good scenery, good riding, good times. Gas station is packed. Waiting for pumps. Then the ultimate frustration. We had used Luvs truck stops for many of the stops. I knew they had detailed receipts, were open 24 hours, and always had food if we really needed to eat. Well each time they charge your card it puts a $250 hold so now my card will no longer work. Call the bank, argue with the guy on the phone, he removes the stop on my card, but after 40 minutes of talking I finally go to use my card and it still wont work. So from now on I have to use cash to purchase fuel which is a pain in the butt when you are collecting receipts and trying not to waste a ton of time. Walk in to give money, fuel up, walk in to get receipt and change, log miles, head out.
Now we only have 34 miles to our next stop, our halfway and turn around point. An hour behind schedule at this point due to the credit card fiasco. Stop for quick fuel then head over to a friend's house to get a couple hours rest. It is now noon as well so they prepare us a big spaghetti lunch with salad to give us the energy to turn around and head back to Las Vegas. My buddies each snooze for about an hour while I sit and visit. Refreshed and ready to hit the road. I believe this longer break in the middle of the ride was perfect to recharge our batteries and prepare for the long ride ahead. Even still, we forget to look at my buddy's pipes. 530 miles down, 530 miles to go.
The next few stops go just as before. Walk in to pay cash, quick fuel, walk in to get receipt, log miles, receipt in pocket, drink water, forget to fix pipes. At this point we have gotten pretty good at it so the panic is gone and the stops seem much more relaxing. No longer do we feel the rush even though we are still an hour off of our original schedule, but we had planned the ride to have 2 hours to spare.
At this point in the ride, the sun is beginning to go down, reminding me that my headlight is held on with massive amounts of electrical tape and no longer shines as brightly or in the correct spot anymore. I just decide to ride closer to my buddies. The one in front has the full array of Harley Daymaker lights and driving lights. Stop for fuel at the 200 miles out mark. Still feel pretty good but have been live streaming our stops and people are commenting how haggard we look. We calculate time and we had made up the lost hour at this point and we are actually on pace to finish with 3 hours to spare so we decide to really enjoy this stop. Something nobody talks about at this point is the sense of adventure, camaraderie, and accomplishment now that we know we will easily accomplish the task. We are feeling good, not tired, not sore. There seems to be a second wind and it gives us quite a boost.
Last 3 segments. It is dark, it is cold. We do our fuel stops, but no longer rush in any way. We barely talk at this point. The huge boost we just got came crashing down. This final 100 miles starts to become a challenge. Now it is less the distance, but because of the extended and numerous stops, it is more of an exercise in staying mentally sharp and staying awake. After following these 2 bikes for 21-22 hours, I am starting to see things oddly. I can see the bikes, but I see things that aren't really there as well. My mind is playing little tricks on me at this point. But we press on in silence in the cold dark desert. This truly is a time to stay focused and it is getting harder as time ticks by and as temps drop. Second to last fuel stop. Not a word was spoken. Pay, fuel, receipt, log miles, leave.
Final destination! We did it. 1077 miles according to my odometer. Plenty of extra to ensure we have the full 1000. Suddenly our silence and moodiness melted away. I can't describe the accomplishment and most people wont even understand it. It is one of those things that people will ask you "Why?" But it won't matter. Me and my buddies had a true brotherhood type of experience in doing it. We got our final receipts, had our witness come and fill out the forms and rode to my buddy's house to celebrate with a few beers. Not even half a beer in and we were all passed out sleeping still forgetting to fix the pipes.
So here are my final thoughts. Some parts were easier than I anticipated and others were harder. I had been told the final 200 miles were the hardest and I would say they may be right. The things I would recommend from my experience are to have the ride itself scheduled out to a tee. It made it nice that we always knew if we were ahead or behind of our schedule at every stop. I liked having our shorter segments and enjoyed the extra breaks, but for many people it may add too much total time and you may be more comfortable putting 3-4 250-300 mile stretches together, but for me it didn't seem hard at all with the shorter runs. Call your bank ahead of time to let them know you will be using your card more than normal and possibly in different states. You don't want to have your card quit working, using cash at a gas station can suck when you are trying to make decent time. All I can really say is just go out and do it. We are already planning our BB1500 and have future plans to do the CC50. Most importantly, do it with some friends. It was a bonding experience for sure. You won't soon forget it.
