Iron Butt (saddle sore) Complete

[bulldog]

After postponing for a day due to the tropical storm on the East Coast, I started my ride at 0300 Saturday morning and rode a total of 1,079 miles in 21.5 hours.
After starting out in Southern Maryland, I took the beltway up around D.C. and then 270, through the Cumberland area, up to 70 and across to *almost* Dayton OH before heading south to pick up 35 to 50 for a great twisty ride through OH, WV, VA and MD before catching the beltway again and heading back home. Thanks to Larry Gude for recommending 50 in a thread I read awhile back. Awesome ride.
Weather, for the most part was great riding weather. I hit a heavy bank of fog in the Cumberland area and a few very small patches of rain about 1.5 hours from home. Other than that, mix of sun and clouds which made it easy to stay comfortable.
What I learned:
- My bike is awesome and she never missed a beat.
- 1079 miles is a long way and they call it saddle sore for a reason.
- If you do this, find someone to go with you. I was alone.
- GPS, while not necessary, is a very useful tool
- Fully charged, my Sena Bluetooth will last 15 hours. Music is a good thing.
Led Zeppelin, Hootie and the Blowfish, Queen, Rod Stewart, Steve Miller, Marvin Gaye, Gordon Lightfoot and others make good riding companions.
- There's more, but I'm tired so I'm going to take my dog for a walk and eat some ice cream.
And for all you OCD'ers out there, yes, the bike has been washed and waxed.

P.S. There are no more bugs in MD, VA, WV or OH. They were all on my windshield. I don't remember who it was, but someone posted a tip about soaking a towel and putting it on your shield for a couple of hours to loosen up the bugs. Damn fine tip.

 

[DoWhat]

After postponing for a day due to the tropical storm on the East Coast, I started my ride at 0300 Saturday morning and rode a total of 1,079 miles in 21.5 hours.
After starting out in Southern Maryland, I took the beltway up around D.C. and then 270, through the Cumberland area, up to 70 and across to *almost* Dayton OH before heading south to pick up 35 to 50 for a great twisty ride through OH, WV, VA and MD before catching the beltway again and heading back home. Thanks to Larry Gude for recommending 50 in a thread I read awhile back. Awesome ride.
Weather, for the most part was great riding weather. I hit a heavy bank of fog in the Cumberland area and a few very small patches of rain about 1.5 hours from home. Other than that, mix of sun and clouds which made it easy to stay comfortable.
What I learned:
- My bike is awesome and she never missed a beat.
- 1079 miles is a long way and they call it saddle sore for a reason.
- If you do this, find someone to go with you. I was alone.
- GPS, while not necessary, is a very useful tool
- Fully charged, my Sena Bluetooth will last 15 hours. Music is a good thing.
Led Zeppelin, Hootie and the Blowfish, Queen, Rod Stewart, Steve Miller, Marvin Gaye, Gordon Lightfoot and others make good riding companions.
- There's more, but I'm tired so I'm going to take my dog for a walk and eat some ice cream.
And for all you OCD'ers out there, yes, the bike has been washed and waxed.

P.S. There are no more bugs in MD, VA, WV or OH. They were all on my windshield. I don't remember who it was, but someone posted a tip about soaking a towel and putting it on your shield for a couple of hours to loosen up the bugs. Damn fine tip.

Welcome home, sounds like you had a good time.
Neil Diamond should be on your list for your next trip.

 

[bulldog]

Welcome home, sounds like you had a good time.
Neil Diamond should be on your list for your next trip.

Actually, he is...as are others that I did not mention.

 

[desertrat]

Actually, he is...as are others that I did not mention.

GPS, while not necessary, is a very useful tool.

Yes! Especially if you have to deviate from your chosen route. Has gotten me past a few jambs when I had no idea what the side roads were. Try Quick Silver Messenger Service, " who do you love", nice tune to ride to I think.
All 20 minutes of it. There are many other versions too.
Who Do You Love? (1973 B&W) - Quicksilver Messenger Service - YouTube

Quicksilver Messenger Service [ 4 ] ~ ''Mona'' & '' Who Do You Love ? '' (Bo Diddley) 1969 - YouTube

Quicksilver Messenger Service-Who Do You Love Suite (Live 1968) Pt.1 - YouTube

Many others. How do you love, which do you love, when do you love etc. If it appeals to you.

 

[bulldog]

There were two, rather sad portions of the ride.

Just after getting on the beltway Saturday morning, traffic was forced to divert due to a fatal accident. Luckily, I caught it at a time and in an area where rerouting was easy.

Same thing happened on 50 in WV, came upon a huge backup of traffic to be told there was a 3 car accident and that medevac was coming in. Folks I talked to had been sitting still for 30 minutes, but luckily, after about 5 minutes of me stopping, they rerouted us around that wreck.

 

[Larry Gude]

After postponing for a day due to the tropical storm on the East Coast, I started my ride at 0300 Saturday morning and rode a total of 1,079 miles in 21.5 hours. .

That's a pretty good clip. Not too much stopping to smell the roses on that trip!

 

[Larry Gude]

Thanks to Larry Gude for recommending 50 in a thread I read awhile back. Awesome ride. .

 

[Larry Gude]

And for all you OCD'ers out there, yes, the bike has been washed and waxed.

P.S. There are no more bugs in MD, VA, WV or OH. They were all on my windshield. I don't remember who it was, but someone posted a tip about soaking a towel and putting it on your shield for a couple of hours to loosen up the bugs. Damn fine tip.

We're leaving for New York in a few hours. If you leave now, you can join us.

 

[bulldog]

We're leaving for New York in a few hours. If you leave now, you can join us.

I would love to, but I'm guessing that my wife, my work and my ass (in that order) would not be very supportive of such a journey.

Ride safe.

 

[bulldog]

That's a pretty good clip. Not too much stopping to smell the roses on that trip!

I have it written down at home, but I think I remember my super-fancy-dancy odometer saying that my average speed for the trip was right about 60. Total, actual saddle time was 19 hours and some-odd minutes.

 

[Larry Gude]

I have it written down at home, but I think I remember my super-fancy-dancy odometer saying that my average speed for the trip was right about 60. Total, actual saddle time was 19 hours and some-odd minutes.

That's moving on. Especially considering the route.

 

[aps45819]

I've thought about doing this and it seems like the easiest way would be to do it all on I95

 

[bulldog]

I've thought about doing this and it seems like the easiest way would be to do it all on I95

It certainly would have been faster, but I really enjoyed the ride through the Cumberland area and the twisties on US-50, while a time-killer, were a blast.

 

[Larry Gude]

I've thought about doing this and it seems like the easiest way would be to do it all on I95

Why in the hell would anyone want to do that??? May as well get in a car.

The joy of long rides is hour after hour, mile after mile of leaning, of curves, of the sights and smells and sounds of a good, long motorcycle ride. Man, I reach this state where the longer I go, the more I want to keep going given the right roads. It doesn't all have to be Tail of the Dragon or Rt 50 but, the highway?

The endless monotony of the interstate and trucks and people on their phones mile after mile, hour after hour. I'd need iron in my head, not my ass, to deal with that.

 

[Larry Gude]

It certainly would have been faster, but I really enjoyed the ride through the Cumberland area and the twisties on US-50, while a time-killer, were a blast.

I'd argue they didn't 'kill time'. They were time well and fabulously spent.

 

[itsbob]

Congrats!

I keep debating the Sena, and other BT choices for headsets, but the idea of it going dead on the road, and charging my helmet every night I'll stayed wired to the Autocom..

Got XM through the ZUMO.. so NEVER without music, can't imagine riding without a soundtrack..

 

[Shaolin_Raptor]

Pledge multi-surface and a microfiber cloth is perfect for the windshield. No scratch, no dull.

 

[itsbob]

Pledge multi-surface and a microfiber cloth is perfect for the windshield. No scratch, no dull.

Plexus...

I've heard Pledge before but I think that comes from Plexus smelling like Pledge. Plexus can be used on windshields, visors, and anything plastic with great results, not sure I'd use Pledge on a visor.

I may be confusing the use of Pledge on a visor to the use of Rain-X on a visor.. Rain-X is a HUGE No-No..

 

[Shaolin_Raptor]

Pledge is fine on a visor too. Or it is for my ff visor.

 

[GWguy]

I just clean the windscreen with Windex, and follow it with Turtle Wax Ice. The Ice fills in the small scratches and fewer bugs stick to it.