Winter Solstice SS1000 2023

[bikerbill]

Winter Solstice SS1000
Dec 21, 2023

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly​

This Ironbutt ride is part of their Four Seasons award. The goal is to ride an Ironbutt certified ride on the first day of each season. The rides do not have to be consecutively done and can take place over several years if needed.

I recently rode the Autumn Equinox SS1000 on September 23, 2023. Of course the next available season ride would be the Winter Solstice SS1000. I had weighed my options for riding this ride in this year based on several factors, weather being the main factor.

For planning the Four Seasons rides I decided to make a game out of it. For each ride I would plan to stop at towns with an appropriate name for season I was riding. For my Autumn Equinox ride I visited towns with “Fall” in their name. Wichita Falls, Falls City, and Grandfalls were visited.

For my Winter Equinox SS1000 I visited Blue Ridge, Coldspring, and Winters. My Spring and Summer rides towns will be revealed once I have completed them.

I had not ridden more than a trip to Lubbock and back in the previous weeks so my ride mojo was very weak. I had been prepping Hidalgo in the hope that conditions would be favorable for this ride. Prep included a new set of tires. A trusty Dunlop 404F on the front and a new Michelin Commander III on the rear. This Michelin is new to me as the previous models have either been discontinued or discontinued in my size. Let’s see how well this new tire works.

The ScottOiler automatic chain oiler stopped working on my trip back from Rankin back in last month. I contacted ScottOiler and was given instructions on how to clean it. Let’s see how it goes.

The weather forecast for this ride was showing some rain possible along some parts of my route but the weather radar shows only some scattered showers west of me. I assume that these showers will continue on their current headings and I will miss most of them.

Now, on to the report.

The Good: Temps were excellent from the low 40’s to the mid 60’s the entire trip. New tires are on Hidalgo. Winds are light and favorable. Hidalgo is performing very well.

Leg 1
Levelland to Blue Ridge​

On the previous ride I elected to leave out very early and it worked out very well, aside from me needing to take extra naps due to it interrupting my regular sleep cycle. I elect to try this again.

Starting this trip at 12:25am I am feeling very good. Traffic is very light, temps are in the low 40’s, the wind is not against me, and the new tires are rolling along smoothly. My first planned stop is in Seymour, 187 miles away on US82. I have ridden this section of highway many times and it went by without incident. I did stop for a ten minute nap near Guthrie to help my eyes reset.

At 3:34am I get gas and coffee at the Allsup’s then continue on towards Wichita Falls, then eastward on US82, past Sherman, to Bells where I turn south on US69, then TX160 to my first themed stop in Blue Ridge. I had taken this northern route instead of the more direct southern route due to ongoing road construction on US380 between Denton and McKinney. It added only nineteen miles to the distance but only eight minutes to the time.

The Blue Ridge stop was not a fuel stop. But at 7:17am I had a breakfast burrito and coffee to document the stop. Fuel would have to wait a few more miles until Farmersville at 7:47am. I’m a little behind schedule but have a large buffer to allow for it.

Leg 2
Blue Ridge to Coldspring​

I head south towards Rockwall where I take I30 west to I635 south. Then it’s I20 west then I45 south. This metroplex highway system, while efficient, is for the birds!

Riding down I45 towards Buffalo has decent traffic but is not unbearable. A few ‘Elephant Races’ occur but not enough to cause any stress on my part.

Somewhere around Richland I spot a billboard advertising Peach Blossom Honey at exit 178. I call my wife to see if she would like to try some of it. So I stop at Cooper Farms in Fairfield to pick up some of that honey. We’ll see if it was worth the stop soon.

Stopping in Buffalo for fuel I top up the tanks at 10:26am. This 145 miles was a shorter fuel distance but it helps split the distance to my next stop that would be at the limit of my fuel range.

Continuing south on I45 I then take Exit 103 at New Waverly to TX150. Then it’s eastward on a nice ride to Coldspring, the second themed stop of this ride.

Arriving at Coldspring at 11:57am I again fill up the tanks then get a quick snack. I am just past the halfway point in this ride. 642 miles traveled so far.

The Bad: Rain has coalesced over a sizable part of my route. Truck traffic on two-lane roads is slow with no opportunities to pass and they’re spraying up water.

Leg 3
Coldspring to Winters​

I turn around and go west on TX150 back to I45 north. I have been snacking so far today with no real food so I stop at Madisonville to get something to eat.

When I get back on I45 I realize that I am heading south, not north. Oops. I make the turnaround about five miles later to go in the proper direction.

I run up to three navigation devices. A Garmin XT, A Garmin GpsMap478c, and the Waze app on my iPhoneSE. Sometimes there is a discrepancy in their suggestions. When it happens I usually go with the majority decision. In this case both Garmin units want me to exit I45 at Centerville to TX7 but Waze wants me to exit at Buffalo to TX164. To add to the confusion Centerville is exit 164 and Buffalo is hwy 164. I review both routes, with the TX7 being my original plan. Remember those showers I was observing at the start of this ride? I checked the weather radar and they have coalesced into a large rainstorm that is covering the next 200 miles of my route. And Waze is wanting me to go around Waco in all this. I think Not! If I’m going to ride in the rain I will avoid large metropolitan areas. I exit I45 at Centerville.

It’s not to say that this decision was not without its own issues. Namely that this route is mostly two-lane. And I found that this route has a good amount of truck traffic. I also found that there aren’t many passing lanes built-in. So this part of the ride is really more of a slog. Riding in the rain is not my preferred weather but I can deal with it. My gear is rain proof, except for my boots.

I follow TX7 to Moody when I turn north on TX317 to avoid having to follow a large truck that has been blocking my path for the past several miles. Then it’s up to McGregor to take US84 west to my next fuel stop in Gatesville. I fill up at 4:16pm.

I continue west on US84 to Santa Anna then a quick run up US283 to Coleman, then TX153 west to my next themed stop in Winters.

I take an extended stop here to rest, get a bite to eat, and put on my Widder vest.

The Ugly: Water is collecting in the ruts in the road and light winds aren’t drying them out. The new rear tire is not channeling water at all so hydroplaning becomes an issue. Heavy fog sets in after the rains are gone.

Leg 4
Winters to Levelland​

It’s only 199 miles to home and I know the roads once I get past Sweetwater are easy and fast. Leaving Winters I am feeling good. I continue west on TX153 to TX70 north. As mentioned above I have been keeping my speed down due to the hydroplaning and fog issues. Once I hit I20 west in Sweetwater all that is behind me and it’s clear all the way to the barn. Turning west onto US84 towards Lubbock I can almost taste the finish.

Remember that I mentioned that my boots are not waterproof? That is becoming an issue because wet feet and mid 40’s temps do not make for a comfortable package. I deal with it by moving my legs and feet a lot to keep circulation going.

Getting to Lubbock I take Loop 289 west to Hwy114 west for the final stretch towards Home. I pull into the Stripes fuel station and top up the tanks for the final time today at 10:39pm. Hidalgo and I have traveled 1,199 miles in 22 hours and 14 minutes. It’s not our quickest Saddlesore but we made it back safely. And considering what we had to deal with I am comfortable with it.

Ride safe Everybody.
Biker Bill

PS: My CMA chapter has a riding mascot and this month I am in charge of him. He is a leather clad monkey and his name is DooRag. This is his first Ironbutt ride so he will be getting a SS1000 pin to put on his vest.

PPS: I am shopping for a new rear tire to replace the Michelin Commander III that gave me the hydroplaning issue.