I had planned my 10th 10/10ths for the late spring this year. It would have been #10 for my '05. This would have accomplished my goal of riding (10) 10/10ths for me as a rider and to do them all on the same motorcycle.
Also I had planned to ride the 50cc The Hard Way (NY to San Francisco) in September with an organized group ride and spend time in California with my 300k '05. Well things don't always go as we plan, and this was the case with me. In May I had a seal blow on the '05. It was the 2nd time for this seal. Although the parts for this repair are only $75 or so, the labor is huge. The decision was made to take my '08 off of "Garage Queen Status" and drill the tank and build a mounting platform for it, since the Gen. 1 and Gen. 2 are not compatible. I waited until the last minute, then delayed until the week before the 50cc THW the decision to add a fuel pump.
I expanded the 50cc THW ride by tacking on a return to the east coast via the "Sunset to Sunrise" ride. This would start in LaPush, WA and finish in Eastport, ME. I would then ride to Madawaska, ME and finish out the ride in Key West, FL. 3 pretty demanding rides back to back to back with transition rides and motels at the starts of each ride. This was one of the first rides that I have done that I actually felt I was prepared for. The major part of the packing was food supplies (Sunflower seeds, Welches Fruit snacks, cashews and Twizzlers bites) I made a decision to bring both the Klim Traverse and Badlands jackets. That decision turned out to be a major plus as the ride progressed.
Since the 3 rides were all in the context of a 10/10ths, departure time to the start of the 50cc THW ride was critical. The math was not workingg out for a 10/10ths finish in Key West within 10 days. I made the decision to start in West Palm Beach, FL, but not officially until I reached Mims, FL 160 miles north, where I would pick up a toll Pass and get witness signatures from a good friend and fellow LD rider Jim (fljab) and his wife. Jim was
the witness on my 100cc (My 2nd cert. ride) There was a scheduled rider's meeting at 4 pm that I would have to attend, so I departed West Palm Beach at 6 pm and departed Mims, FL just before 9 pm for the official start of my 10/10ths. The ride was uneventful to New York, and the motel stay gave me some rest before the start of the 50cc THW ride at 4 am the next morning.
The start of the ride the next morning had its drama, The pump did not give me a receipt and the store owners sought fit to lock the doors do to the large number of "Bikers" (Over 20 of us) that were at their station.
I finally got them to pass a receipt through the door cracked ever so slightly. The ride started off with me missing a traffic light and waiting at 4 in the morning for NO traffic to clear for the light to change. This would turn out to be the last time I would see 90% of the riders. On the ride venture across the country on I-80, I would learn a few things. I am indeed a slow rider and pace was going to be a key if I was going to pull off these rides. I really did not tire until I reached western Nebraska. I had packed a 6 pack of Mountain Dew in a cloth cooler to help me along on the ride. It was in western Nebraska when I discovered that the ice had melted a filled the bottom of my trunk with water. It should have been no problem as I had my previous log and witness forms in a zip lock bag… It was a problem. The forms were soaked and stuck together, the receipts were OK as I had put them inside another zip lock inside the zip lock bag. I spent western Nebraska through Wyoming stopping at rest stops with electric hand dryers trying to dry them and cleaning up the mess in my trunk (When I should have been resting) Besides the form issue, the 37 degree temperatures throughout the night made the riding difficult as I stayed with the Traverse jacket.
Salt Lake:
Soon daylight came and I made the decision to finish the ride out in San Francisco and take care of the stuck-together forms when I reached the motel in Forks, WA. So I continued drying the forms at every electric dryer enhanced rest stop along the way and not try to peel them apart until Forks. I fished the ride in San Francisco at the Golden Gate Bridge overlook after 44 hours. I think the majority of the riders were already there and I had 2 witnesses (Eric and Jerry) with familiar faces sign off on my end of ride forms. I did not stay there very long, leaving back east to I-5 and heading north. I picked up some fuel after about 2 hours of riding which gave me an unexpected BBG3000. Throughout the night I used a method that I have become accustomed to, where I ride/rest frequently until I feel rested enough to pound away the miles again. I chose to take a SW route to forks instead of an up and over route. This proved to be a good choice as rush hour traffic further north would have been a drag. The ride to Forks, WA was a pleasant surprise. I was on new to me roads that were not traffic congested. The roads were a welcome change over the interstate riding that I had been doing prior. The roads were sweeping through spruce forest that paralleled the Pacific ocean. A really nice ride!
Cold Finish:
I arrived in Forks and checked into my motel room, then ventured out to Subway for 2 footlongs subs and supplies. I had made sure I had low salt cashews before the ride, but the mistake was made on the sunflower seeds and I was paying the price with my lip splitting open and swelling badly. I peeled apart my forms and fully dried and repacked them.
After a shower and a good nights sleep, I was ready for the morning ride into LaPush, WA for my witness and starting receipts. I found my stay and departure to be very special, as I encountered some really nice folks along the way. I got supplies, mainly chap stick and Mountain Dews and NO salt sunflower seeds for the ride back east. I stopped to take some photos along the way to I-90. My GPS wanted me to take a northern route circling down to I-90, but I enjoyed the southern route the day before and had concerns about traffic. Washington state was new to me and I really enjoyed the ride and felt really good with the nights sleep. The ride along I-90 was pleasant and uneventful (Except the temperatures) until about 3:10 in the morning about 40 miles from my scheduled fuel stop in Hardin, MT. I was riding in the left lane towards the center with the Aux. lights showing the way, when I saw a animal (Which I initially thought was a deer) venture out from the ditch in the center of the interstate and "Drop down" My thoughts flashed that it was a deer that had been struck by westbound vehicle and had made it to the east bound side before it collapsed. As I got closer (With both brakes engaged) I saw that it was a Mountain Lion in a crouching position. Now I was slowing at a quick pace as I approached, the animal turned and started to run parallel to my cycle to my left-front. I kept braking, then with one sudden cut, the animal swept in front of the bike and bounded to the right side of the pavement and off the road. Now forget Mt. Dew, none would be needed until sunrise when my heartbeat finally returned to normal. (And notice I did not use the term "Cougar" throughout)
I rested west of my fuel stop in Box Elder, SD and continued riding east through LaCrosse, WI where I started thinking about Chicago. I felt my timing was good for a sweep through Chicago instead of my usual ride south through Rockford, IL down I-39 to I-80. BIG mistake ! Wow, I really disdain Chicago travel. Night time, day time, makes no difference - It sucks. Fatigue began to set in and I began to use my frequent rest method
throughout the eastern turnpike riding. I chose to stay on the southward bending I-90 until taking a left just prior to Boston, MA. I linked back to I-95N and entered Maine. Wow Maine at night, it seems every time I ride to or in Maine, It is night. I really felt great though and made good time traveling north (After the construction zones) The rest stops in Maine are a Iron Butt Moteler's Ramada Inn! Heated, seldom visited and perfect! I stopped just short of Bangor and tried to find a gas station opened (Using the internet) in Eastport. Unsuccessful, I slept all night at the rest stop and headed out early the next morning. Once again the temperatures dipped down into the high 30's, but the ride was accomplishing as I was successfully completing my "Sunset to Sunrise" cert. at sunrise. I got my receipt and witness forms completed and with a photo, I headed out of Eastport.
Riding north feeling fresh just following the GPS ahead of schedule, I got a little complacent. I was enjoying Maine in the daylight and I assumed that I was headed to US 1 and along the border to Madawaska, ME. Then I was slowed by stop and go traffic, what was this? As I rolled up to the border crossing booth, I began chuckling at my unawareness. The lady at the booth asked me what was so funny, I replied with my explanation and apologized for having to go into my trunk to procure my passport. By the end of the stop, we were both laughing and I crossed over in high spirits. As I rode through New Brunswick, my mind recalled another ride I had made in the same area which had me on highway 2 west to Halifax, Nova Scotia for the start of a cross-Canada ride where I met Scott (Canadian FJR) 4 CORNERS - 10/10THS RIDE - Long Distance Riding/Iron Butt - FJRForum
I made good time to the crossing back into Madawaska, ME through Edmunston and remembered sleeping at the post office there during my previous visit on a cold night. The border crossing was a little more challenging, as the guard was curious as to my quick arrival from my previous crossing.
Once in Madawaska , I stopped by the 4 corners park and Subway (For 2 Footlongs) and back to the motel for a huge rest. I had planned a departure on the East Coast 2000 for 1 or 2 pm. I ended up starting at 11:35
(A little early) Temperatures throughout the ride south remained between 70 and 80 degrees for an ideal ride until Georgia. I felt great the whole ride and had very few difficulties. Fog throughout North Carolina found me trusting my luck with visibility, but other than that … clear sailing. I met up with Jim at a scheduled fuel stop in Mims, FL. Down to Key West via I-95 was a pain through Miami. Normally I would shoot west on I-595 to the turnpike, but I wanted to stay within the spirit of the ride. The spirit of the ride kicked my butt , riding stop and go all the way down US 1 to the Keys. The ride to Key West was enhanced by a sunset at the 7 mile bridge and the time became a consideration, as I wanted to make Key West within the 10 day time frame. Arriving in Key West, the pumps at the station told me to see the cashier. There was a long line, so I left to another gas station where I got the final receipt (In time by only 20 minutes) I rode to the Fire station to get my witness forms completed. They were very nice there, offering me a place to rest (I passed) and a Tee shirt (I took). The ride home was sweet and I arrived home early in the morning and everything looked different from when I left. 33 hours for the East Coast 2000 ride set a new ride standard for a 36 hour East Coast 2000 Gold.
https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=121ea57c8400eebf54
https://spotwalla.com/embed.php?id=121ea57c8400eebf54&scale=on&zoom=default&refresh=no
Wow… was this my last 10/10ths? Such a fun ride !!!
Also I had planned to ride the 50cc The Hard Way (NY to San Francisco) in September with an organized group ride and spend time in California with my 300k '05. Well things don't always go as we plan, and this was the case with me. In May I had a seal blow on the '05. It was the 2nd time for this seal. Although the parts for this repair are only $75 or so, the labor is huge. The decision was made to take my '08 off of "Garage Queen Status" and drill the tank and build a mounting platform for it, since the Gen. 1 and Gen. 2 are not compatible. I waited until the last minute, then delayed until the week before the 50cc THW the decision to add a fuel pump.
I expanded the 50cc THW ride by tacking on a return to the east coast via the "Sunset to Sunrise" ride. This would start in LaPush, WA and finish in Eastport, ME. I would then ride to Madawaska, ME and finish out the ride in Key West, FL. 3 pretty demanding rides back to back to back with transition rides and motels at the starts of each ride. This was one of the first rides that I have done that I actually felt I was prepared for. The major part of the packing was food supplies (Sunflower seeds, Welches Fruit snacks, cashews and Twizzlers bites) I made a decision to bring both the Klim Traverse and Badlands jackets. That decision turned out to be a major plus as the ride progressed.
Since the 3 rides were all in the context of a 10/10ths, departure time to the start of the 50cc THW ride was critical. The math was not workingg out for a 10/10ths finish in Key West within 10 days. I made the decision to start in West Palm Beach, FL, but not officially until I reached Mims, FL 160 miles north, where I would pick up a toll Pass and get witness signatures from a good friend and fellow LD rider Jim (fljab) and his wife. Jim was
the witness on my 100cc (My 2nd cert. ride) There was a scheduled rider's meeting at 4 pm that I would have to attend, so I departed West Palm Beach at 6 pm and departed Mims, FL just before 9 pm for the official start of my 10/10ths. The ride was uneventful to New York, and the motel stay gave me some rest before the start of the 50cc THW ride at 4 am the next morning.
The start of the ride the next morning had its drama, The pump did not give me a receipt and the store owners sought fit to lock the doors do to the large number of "Bikers" (Over 20 of us) that were at their station.
I finally got them to pass a receipt through the door cracked ever so slightly. The ride started off with me missing a traffic light and waiting at 4 in the morning for NO traffic to clear for the light to change. This would turn out to be the last time I would see 90% of the riders. On the ride venture across the country on I-80, I would learn a few things. I am indeed a slow rider and pace was going to be a key if I was going to pull off these rides. I really did not tire until I reached western Nebraska. I had packed a 6 pack of Mountain Dew in a cloth cooler to help me along on the ride. It was in western Nebraska when I discovered that the ice had melted a filled the bottom of my trunk with water. It should have been no problem as I had my previous log and witness forms in a zip lock bag… It was a problem. The forms were soaked and stuck together, the receipts were OK as I had put them inside another zip lock inside the zip lock bag. I spent western Nebraska through Wyoming stopping at rest stops with electric hand dryers trying to dry them and cleaning up the mess in my trunk (When I should have been resting) Besides the form issue, the 37 degree temperatures throughout the night made the riding difficult as I stayed with the Traverse jacket.
Salt Lake:
Soon daylight came and I made the decision to finish the ride out in San Francisco and take care of the stuck-together forms when I reached the motel in Forks, WA. So I continued drying the forms at every electric dryer enhanced rest stop along the way and not try to peel them apart until Forks. I fished the ride in San Francisco at the Golden Gate Bridge overlook after 44 hours. I think the majority of the riders were already there and I had 2 witnesses (Eric and Jerry) with familiar faces sign off on my end of ride forms. I did not stay there very long, leaving back east to I-5 and heading north. I picked up some fuel after about 2 hours of riding which gave me an unexpected BBG3000. Throughout the night I used a method that I have become accustomed to, where I ride/rest frequently until I feel rested enough to pound away the miles again. I chose to take a SW route to forks instead of an up and over route. This proved to be a good choice as rush hour traffic further north would have been a drag. The ride to Forks, WA was a pleasant surprise. I was on new to me roads that were not traffic congested. The roads were a welcome change over the interstate riding that I had been doing prior. The roads were sweeping through spruce forest that paralleled the Pacific ocean. A really nice ride!
Cold Finish:
I arrived in Forks and checked into my motel room, then ventured out to Subway for 2 footlongs subs and supplies. I had made sure I had low salt cashews before the ride, but the mistake was made on the sunflower seeds and I was paying the price with my lip splitting open and swelling badly. I peeled apart my forms and fully dried and repacked them.
After a shower and a good nights sleep, I was ready for the morning ride into LaPush, WA for my witness and starting receipts. I found my stay and departure to be very special, as I encountered some really nice folks along the way. I got supplies, mainly chap stick and Mountain Dews and NO salt sunflower seeds for the ride back east. I stopped to take some photos along the way to I-90. My GPS wanted me to take a northern route circling down to I-90, but I enjoyed the southern route the day before and had concerns about traffic. Washington state was new to me and I really enjoyed the ride and felt really good with the nights sleep. The ride along I-90 was pleasant and uneventful (Except the temperatures) until about 3:10 in the morning about 40 miles from my scheduled fuel stop in Hardin, MT. I was riding in the left lane towards the center with the Aux. lights showing the way, when I saw a animal (Which I initially thought was a deer) venture out from the ditch in the center of the interstate and "Drop down" My thoughts flashed that it was a deer that had been struck by westbound vehicle and had made it to the east bound side before it collapsed. As I got closer (With both brakes engaged) I saw that it was a Mountain Lion in a crouching position. Now I was slowing at a quick pace as I approached, the animal turned and started to run parallel to my cycle to my left-front. I kept braking, then with one sudden cut, the animal swept in front of the bike and bounded to the right side of the pavement and off the road. Now forget Mt. Dew, none would be needed until sunrise when my heartbeat finally returned to normal. (And notice I did not use the term "Cougar" throughout)
I rested west of my fuel stop in Box Elder, SD and continued riding east through LaCrosse, WI where I started thinking about Chicago. I felt my timing was good for a sweep through Chicago instead of my usual ride south through Rockford, IL down I-39 to I-80. BIG mistake ! Wow, I really disdain Chicago travel. Night time, day time, makes no difference - It sucks. Fatigue began to set in and I began to use my frequent rest method
throughout the eastern turnpike riding. I chose to stay on the southward bending I-90 until taking a left just prior to Boston, MA. I linked back to I-95N and entered Maine. Wow Maine at night, it seems every time I ride to or in Maine, It is night. I really felt great though and made good time traveling north (After the construction zones) The rest stops in Maine are a Iron Butt Moteler's Ramada Inn! Heated, seldom visited and perfect! I stopped just short of Bangor and tried to find a gas station opened (Using the internet) in Eastport. Unsuccessful, I slept all night at the rest stop and headed out early the next morning. Once again the temperatures dipped down into the high 30's, but the ride was accomplishing as I was successfully completing my "Sunset to Sunrise" cert. at sunrise. I got my receipt and witness forms completed and with a photo, I headed out of Eastport.
Riding north feeling fresh just following the GPS ahead of schedule, I got a little complacent. I was enjoying Maine in the daylight and I assumed that I was headed to US 1 and along the border to Madawaska, ME. Then I was slowed by stop and go traffic, what was this? As I rolled up to the border crossing booth, I began chuckling at my unawareness. The lady at the booth asked me what was so funny, I replied with my explanation and apologized for having to go into my trunk to procure my passport. By the end of the stop, we were both laughing and I crossed over in high spirits. As I rode through New Brunswick, my mind recalled another ride I had made in the same area which had me on highway 2 west to Halifax, Nova Scotia for the start of a cross-Canada ride where I met Scott (Canadian FJR) 4 CORNERS - 10/10THS RIDE - Long Distance Riding/Iron Butt - FJRForum
I made good time to the crossing back into Madawaska, ME through Edmunston and remembered sleeping at the post office there during my previous visit on a cold night. The border crossing was a little more challenging, as the guard was curious as to my quick arrival from my previous crossing.
Once in Madawaska , I stopped by the 4 corners park and Subway (For 2 Footlongs) and back to the motel for a huge rest. I had planned a departure on the East Coast 2000 for 1 or 2 pm. I ended up starting at 11:35
(A little early) Temperatures throughout the ride south remained between 70 and 80 degrees for an ideal ride until Georgia. I felt great the whole ride and had very few difficulties. Fog throughout North Carolina found me trusting my luck with visibility, but other than that … clear sailing. I met up with Jim at a scheduled fuel stop in Mims, FL. Down to Key West via I-95 was a pain through Miami. Normally I would shoot west on I-595 to the turnpike, but I wanted to stay within the spirit of the ride. The spirit of the ride kicked my butt , riding stop and go all the way down US 1 to the Keys. The ride to Key West was enhanced by a sunset at the 7 mile bridge and the time became a consideration, as I wanted to make Key West within the 10 day time frame. Arriving in Key West, the pumps at the station told me to see the cashier. There was a long line, so I left to another gas station where I got the final receipt (In time by only 20 minutes) I rode to the Fire station to get my witness forms completed. They were very nice there, offering me a place to rest (I passed) and a Tee shirt (I took). The ride home was sweet and I arrived home early in the morning and everything looked different from when I left. 33 hours for the East Coast 2000 ride set a new ride standard for a 36 hour East Coast 2000 Gold.
https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=121ea57c8400eebf54
https://spotwalla.com/embed.php?id=121ea57c8400eebf54&scale=on&zoom=default&refresh=no
Wow… was this my last 10/10ths? Such a fun ride !!!
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