2-up BBG Planning

[skyway]

Wifey and I are getting ready to attempt a 2-up BBG. We want to do it out in the wide open Nevada desert, with little traffic. We are planning the start/finish near to Hwy 395 around the Mono Lake area. So we are looking for some good advise for a 1500+ mile route from this area.

Any ideas?

 

[Warchild]

Riding distance: 1601.0 miles... so you might want to shave off a little....

OTOH, these roads are fast, Fast, FAST, so the 1600miles/24hours is (relatively) easier than it sounds.

You'll have to run the Interstate ~ 50-ish miles between Battle Mountain and Winnemucca (twice), but otherwise... it's all blazingly fast two lane blacktop.

 

[skyway]

Awesome, just what were looking for. Now I see that it does loop a couple of times, does this mean at each intersection I will need a gass reciept?

When a route such as this one, that is making a couple of loops, should I seek out a certified IBA rider for paperwork?

 

[Thug]

Looks like a nice little ride!

 

[skyway]

Looks like a nice little ride!

Ship your bike over and come join us. Nevada desert is fun fun fun.

 

[GunMD]

I can attest to the fact that some of those NV 2 lane highways are FAST. No shit, as I traveled across NV from Tonopah to Wendover on hwy 6 and hwy 93 early this summer on a leisure trip. I spent very little time in NV as I was able to ride 3 digits for more than 30 minutes at a time on three different occasions. I'm sure some of you serious LD riders have better stories, but for me the ability to ride that fast for that long was a first. I love Nevada for that reason.

The author of this post doesn't endorse or condone driving in excess of the posted speed limit at any time for any reason. The reader accepts all responsibility if anything the author has written is stupid, immature, insensitive, causes harm to person or property or gets your ass thrown in jail or served with divorce papers.

 

[Thug]

Skyway don't worry mate I've been seriously thinking about it!

 

[slapnpop]

I spent very little time in NV as I was able to ride 3 digits for more than 30 minutes at a time on three different occasions.
The author of this post doesn't endorse or condone driving in excess of the posted speed limit at any time for any reason. The reader accepts all responsibility if anything the author has written is stupid, immature, insensitive, causes harm to person or property or gets your ass thrown in jail or served with divorce papers.

That was with the speedo set on km/h, right?!

 

[GunMD]

I spent very little time in NV as I was able to ride 3 digits for more than 30 minutes at a time on three different occasions.
The author of this post doesn't endorse or condone driving in excess of the posted speed limit at any time for any reason.  The reader accepts all responsibility if anything the author has written is stupid, immature, insensitive, causes harm to person or property or gets your ass thrown in jail or served with divorce papers.

That was with the speedo set on km/h, right?!

Nope...good ol US MPH. How ironic that I wrote this a couple of days ago, and CHP found me yesterday. I may have jinx'd myself. Crap!

 

[Yambone]

Nice route! I never would have guessed that northern loop, it is well off the beaten track--perfect.

As far as tax collectors, beware around the little bergs of Austin and Eureka in particular. Also, that stretch of highway 50 (Ely to Austin) seems to have attracted more state patrols. "Loneliest Road" got a little less so in last couple of years, IMO. :agent:

 

[beeroux]

Between map points 8 and 13 sure looks like Jungo road to me.

Good luck with THAT!

GZ

 

[skyway]

Between map points 8 and 13 sure looks like Jungo road to me.
Good luck with THAT!

GZ

Looking at streets and trips, you may be right. I have only read about Jungo road and would not want that stretch of hwy to be part of a BBG.

 

[Warchild]

Between map points 8 and 13 sure looks like Jungo road to me.
Good luck with THAT!

GZ

Looking at streets and trips, you may be right. I have only read about Jungo road and would not want that stretch of hwy to be part of a BBG.

Crap, I didn't want it to route that way; I thought I told S&T to run you down to Fernley before heading north to Gerlach. You don't need *any* part of Jungo Road to be on this ride.

You'll want to re-do this routing to avoid Jungo Road, without question! Dashing down to Fernley will only pile on more miles, and since the above route is already 1600 miles, you'll want to par that down some.

Another thing you need to carefully consider is exactly WHERE you will be between the hours of 9pm and 6am, with respect to available 24-hour fuel. You may need to adjust your departure time accordingly.

I'm guessing you don't have an aux fuel cell, right? Route planning with fuel in mind is particularly critical for you, then.

A BBG is a rather stiff ride, even in Nevada.... has your wife have any LD experience? A BBG is not the way to break her into LD Riding, I can tell you that now. And if this is all done on the stock seat, your wife may have a rough time of it during the 2nd half of the run.

 

[skyway]

I'm guessing you don't have an aux fuel cell, right? Route planning with fuel in mind is particularly critical for you, then.

No fuel cell.

A BBG is a rather stiff ride, even in Nevada.... has your wife have any LD experience?

We rode the Cal24 together in June.

The 2-up BBG is her idea! She says any plate going on the bike has to earned by both of us.

 

[skyway]

So here is another route I put togeether. 1550 miles total. Roads look ok?

 

[turbodave_98]

Ian,

Very ambitious routing you have chosen using secondary roads. I would highly suggest that depending on the weather conditions forecasted for your date that you pick the one with the best temperature and least chance or rain and high winds.

I would strongly suggest that you run all of it on an interstate highway, out 1770 miles and back 1770 miles. if possible. Check the route with your MS Streets & Trips or other mapping tool.

Why, because it is much easier to navigate when you get tired(and both of you will), is best for gas/potty breaks/fastsfood at approximately 225miles(about what you can expect 2 up on your FJR without fuel cell) emergeny assistance(if needed between 2200-0600 hours). Also, you only need to get date/time stamped tickets at each gas stop and and the start and stop which makes keeping records less complicated.

As Kristie has the desire to do it and you have the strong motivation and desire to do it, then you will be able to complete it within the 24 hour limit.

I am offering this as my experience based on doing the BBG and the 100 CCC Insanity and a failed attempt at doing the BabyButt 1500 miler on a combination of .5 secondary roads and .5 interstates(I was certified as a 1kSS at about 1400 miles as I knew I could not make the full 1500). Max use of interstates improves your chances of safety and successful completion, IMHO.

Good luck. If you need to call me, do so. If you want to use my bike with the fuel cell, also let me know. I do not think using another bike will disqualify you if you are the only one who is the rider. Good luck.

 

[skyway]

Dave, you are right, it is more ambitious than an interstate out and back route. I just enjoy riding in the wide open desert and your comments on weather and emergency services is good advice to remember. The reason for choosing Nevada is that it is the closest wide open highway to home, without having to ride for a day just to get to a good start/finish point. The route shown has gas stations at no more than around 170 miles apart, but I will need to confirm that they are open 24hrs. The fuel cell would be a huge advantage and I have a design that would fit it in and around the rear wheel, though it will require a pump and the motorvation to build. So far the only reason I haven't sprung for a cell, is that currently what is available will not accomodate my passenger. I rode a little desert this weekend and while it gets windy in the afternoon, it died off around 5.00pm. If we had the time, I would attempt it now but we are just buried with commitments. So for now its only streets and trips.