Yearly Goal met, and re-set

[Ulvetanna_imp]

Sea, perhaps I should clarify, just doing a simple 1000 miles in 24 hours (Saddlesore... which can be done in about 18 hours), or 1500 in 36 (a Bunburner ...can be done in about 30 hours) although daunting, is not the type of thing that will generally push a rider into dangerous conditions. 1000 miles can be ridden in about 18 hours (I did 942 in 17 1/2 hours in 1977 with my wife riding pillion).

I'm talking about an Iron Butt Rally where competitors try and complete 11,000 miles in 11 days, that's 1000 miles a day, 11 days in a row. I know a couple riders who attempt these every other year when the rally is held (one is 79 years old, the other is 65 I think, both retired), have shared a hotel room with the younger one twice, and discussed this with them and they tell me you can't believe how mind numbing tedious that rally is and the fact that it pushes you beyond what one would think is humanly possible. How after the first day or two you are still so excited, but by the 4th or 5th day you can't believe you are doing it, by the 6th or 7th day you are regretting you ever signed up to do it, and regretting climbing on the bike, that at this point you are just determined to finish what you started, and by the 9th day you are excited again, this time about maybe finishing. 18 hours a day in the saddle, each day for a week and a half. Going on 3 or 4 hours a sleep a day (takes time to eat, take a shower, repair the bike). No consideration is given for weather conditions or temperature swings, road conditions, traffic etc. Regardless of what they tell you about safety, and I'm sure the organization stresses safety to the riders, the riders I know say they run supra illegal speeds when they can to gain a few extra minutes so that they can maybe lay down on a bench in a rest area later, or gain a few extra minutes for bike repair. The one I shared a room with ran off the road one year and crashed totaling his bike and had no idea why. Another year he hit a deer running at high speed and crashed totaling his bike (how would you like to be his insurance agent?). He has never finished the rally but is determined to do so. Exhaustion, fatigue and frustration take a terrible toll on these riders and many who attempt fail. The body and brain can only take so much. If it were easy, lots of people would do it.

I love to ride, but would not even consider attempting one of these rally's. I'm sure it would take all the fun out of motorcycling for me.

But 1000 in 24? I could do that. Easy peasy. lol

Everything The ferret wrote is 100 percent correct. These Iron Butt rallies are way over the top. Yes, the IBA will protest long and loud about all the safety precautions they take but it's as The ferret said: these riders are all about getting bragging rights by pushing themselves way beyond any reasonable limit of sanity. I've been in this game a long time and I know a lot of these folks. Speeding, taking chances, riding without sleep and into hazardous weather and conditions...The ferret gave but a few examples.

And The ferret jests. Doing a Saddlesore is not easy peasy. You're going to be awake 24 straight hours and be riding at night for a good deal of that. I'm sure I mentioned I did one just to see what it was like. 1100 miles in 21 hours. I drank a lot of coffee and struggled with the body's natural fatigue. It's just plain dangerous to ride without sufficient rest. I'm sure many of us have done it, pushing ourselves, but it's not a good plan.

Now if a guy or gal really wanted to do a Saddlesore just because, I don't say "no, don't even try it" but plan it well and be very well-rested and prepared before you embark. Beyond that I can't endorse any kind of LD riding. It's worse than texting and driving, really, because it is riding impaired.