This is my attempt at the Iron Butt Association Ride, the "Saddle Sore 1000". To complete it successfully requires riding my motorcycle 1000 verifiable miles in less than 24 hours.
Why? I hear you ask .... "Because it's there!". And because I have something to prove to myself. That being my ability to rescue a wreck from a barn, and with a minimum of money (and maximum of care), I can turn the wreck into a machine capable of completing the task.
The Iron Butt Association has other, more extreme rides, but that would be cruel for a 34 year old motorcycle, and it's "aged but still relatively sound" rider. 1000 miles in 24 hours is extreme enough, no point pushing your luck.
Hat-tip to Julie Waters for the song idea.
"Talking Motorcycle Blues"
It's late in the evening, and miles I must go,
My bed I am missing, just say it ain't so,
That here on the Turnpike, the dawn is a-glow,
Two dollars to ride the next forty or so.
1000 miles and my wheels grip and spin,
The hardtop is crazy and I am all in,
But home it is calling, my honey is there,
I ride down the road with nary a care.
Where in the world is twigg?
If you happen to be reading this between 10pm CST on Saturday, and 7pm CDT Sunday, then I should be somewhere between Tulsa, OK and Tucumcari, NM trying to ride my motorcycle 1000 miles in less than 24 hours.
If I am not there, I either canceled, finished early, or failed!
To follow my progress on-line just click the link above. That will take you to a map that updates frequently. Page refreshes every 60 seconds. For those curious, I am using a Garmin GPS for route planning and my T-Mobile G2 is updating my position via Google Latitude.
The bike is ready to go, and I am as ready as I will ever be. This will not be easy. 1000 miles is a long way even if it is all Interstate. I have been watching the weather closely as we are entering storm season here, but so far it looks clear. 1000 miles on a motorcycle means a certain amount of discomfort, and the pleasantries of many gas station forecourts.
I am looking forward to this with very mixed feelings. Part of me just wants to be out on the road, and another bit of me wants it done. I am hoping it all goes well, because that is the point. It would be easy to do this on a modern BMW or Gold Wing, but this is my bike, it was dead until I revived it and I desperately want it to be healthy enough for the trip. I think it is, but it's a machine, so who knows.
If I fail then this Diary will go up again, when I try again. Some of the guys on the Iron Butt Rally, and some girls too, complete 11 000 miles in eleven days. They have better bikes than me, but many of them are older too. The riders, that is, not the motorcycles.
I will ask Mrs Twigg (limeyswife) to keep the Diary updated in the comments.
Here is the bike, pretty much ready to go:
This is the view I will have for about sixteen hours. On the left is the T-Mobile G2. That is my communication and entertainment. I can make and recieve calls while riding, and listen to music, all though my crash helmet. On the right is my Garmin GPS. Follow directions (I'm a guy, and good at that), and all should be well:
If you see this in front of you, while on your travels, please give me plenty of space, and a friendly wave:
Wish me luck!