2009 Iron Butt Rally - Official Daily Reports

[user 213]

It's a sign of true hardcore rallists when they are on the edge and still hunting boni. Still, I really hope Skooter has his bike clock set to PDT. One little mistake now and he's fooked.

PSD = IBR dreams for months to come for most of the riders. Waking up in a cold sweat knowing you have to be someplace and you overslept!

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Looking at that map, Iggy is not that much closer to the finish than Scooter. Let's hope they don't use too much time crossing the border. I can't imagine what the border guards are going to think when they see those guys pull up after ten+ days on the road.

A lot depends on the specific border crossing they use. I've crossed a few times at Chief Mountain, in the northeast corner of Glacier National Park, and each time it's taken less than five minutes. At some of the busier ones I've waited close to an hour.

Canadians stopped me at that crossing in early August and it took me 45 minutes to park, go upstairs, wait, sow papers, answer questions, wait for a background check, get papers and get going. I came back through BC to WA (and spent the night in spokane). They (US) had dogs sniff my bags, made me wait 30 minutes, open luggage, show papers, "Do you have any prescription medications without your name on the bottles sir?"... profiling I say! Just because I'm old and decrepit... But crossing both ways was a PIA.

 

[tcfjr]

The Day 11 report is now available on the IBR web site:https://www.ironbuttrally.com/IBR/2009/2009IBRday11.pdf

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

I would wager a guess that most of the Canadian traveling folk will cross back into US somewhere north of Spokane. Hopefully those border crossings go well. Also I hope all of the riders remember where they stashed their passports!

I take it that you don't need to show your passport to get out of the US and into Canuck territory, but it is required to come back in?

Go Davo!

You need it both ways, trust me, I know! <_<

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Again, I'm suprised Scooter is apparently staying in Kanuckistan, even given the possible bonni. You just can't make the same kind of headway there as, say, I-90/94.

BwanaDik, that may indeed very well be my fault. I did relay the information to Skooty that Toecutter had an inside track about a rather large herd of hyperactive Gerbils in Alberta, Kanuckistan.

Well Don, that's understandable then...

Doing highways from Calgary into BC then down into Spokane was torture (speed-wise) last month.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

This is fun. I'm going to miss reading these updates once the rally is done.

welcome to the fold. watchers go through withdrawal after each rally. Riders go through TSD.

Time Speed Distance?

Total Sensory Depravation?

traumatic stress disorder

Technically termed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder...

 

[Silver Penguin]

Wondering what I used to do with all the spare time I used to have, before getting addicted to news of this rally? Will there be some kind of program to help us with the withdrawals, when it's all over?

Many thanks to all who have posted news about the participants and their progress.

If any of the FJR team are reading this - GET ON YOUR BIKE AND RIDE!!!!!

Wishing all riders the best for the remainder of the rally, and the ride home afterwards.

 

[wingshot]

I was traveling east on I-90 west of Columbus, MT around 4pm. State patrol was closing I-90 due to a fire that started from a lighting strike.

Just checked the MT Road report and nothing was mentioned.........

Could it be just a temporary closure?

Flames were 40 high went I was riding through about 100 yards to the south of the highway. I was one of the last heading east to get through.

I believe I passed a couple of IBRs heading west that might have just got through. My blief is based on seeing the extra fuel tanks. Hard to see many details when both parties are making good time. In Hardin, MT tonight, cousin heard the news report on the radio about the highway being closed around 6:30 pm - MST.

 

[Warchild]

Shit, Iggy is now farther away than SkooterG.... me no likee....

SPOT snapshot as of 8:40 pm PDT.... less than 12 hours remaining.....

 

[Codive]

I was traveling east on I-90 west of Columbus, MT around 4pm. State patrol was closing I-90 due to a fire that started from a lighting strike.

Just checked the MT Road report and nothing was mentioned.........

Could it be just a temporary closure?

Flames were 40 high went I was riding through about 100 yards to the south of the highway. I was one of the last heading east to get through.

I believe I passed a couple of IBRs heading west that might have just got through. My blief is based on seeing the extra fuel tanks. Hard to see many details when both parties are making good time. In Hardin, MT tonight, cousin heard the news report on the radio about the highway being closed around 6:30 pm - MST.

OK, I looked it up (I'm an info junkie) and this is all the MT.gov people have said:

I-90

6 TO 16 MILES EAST OF BUTTE OVER HOMESTAKE PASS

Watch for Fallen Rock

THE BEAR CANYON INT THRU ROCKY CANYON TO 9 MILES EAST OF BOZEMAN

Watch for Fallen Rock

Is there a short detour through town or frontage roads?

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Come on Matt and Skooter!

From the Day11 report details:

"Behind Schedule

After Scoring Thunder Bay yesterday, Greg Marbach overslept last night and found himself about 1,400 miles from the finish at 9:21 a.m. Pacific Time this morning. Riding 1,400 miles in 21 ½ hours is usually nothing for Greg, but he’s not in Nevada today. He was in some town I’ve never heard of in the province of Ontario, and he has bonus stops he needs to make along the way back.

Alan Barbic is also going to be cutting it close. At 6 a.m. this morning he was in the bustling metropolis of Watersmeet, Michigan, which is 1,633 miles from the finish and nowhere close to an Interstate. A Bun Burner Gold pace all the way in is required to put him in the middle of the penalty window.

More Mechanical Problems

Gary Jarl’s R1200RT is leaking final drive lubricant. It’s a prelude to catastrophic failure, but he is going to attempt to make it to the finish.

Matt Watkins called from Minnesota to report that he has blown a rear shock. His plan is to limp back to the finish realizing that the possibility of maintaining a top ten slot is gone.

Bob Mutchler has had major problems with his side car rig. Based on Bob’s call today, the sidecar actually became separated from the bike. He is back on the road, but unlikely to have enough points to finish.

Ken Meese switched from a rock hard Metzeler ME 880 rear tire to a stickier Avon Storm to run the last leg. After running the new tire down to the wear bars in 2 days, he was fortunate to line up a replacement tire yesterday without losing much time. But now he has had to spend about four hours dealing with repairs to his shift lever, which fell off of his K1200GT. Glen Pancoast took four hours out of his riding time to help get Ken back on the road. (No, he won’t get an extra four hours to finish.)

Alex Harper is stopping frequently to add oil to his third bike in this rally, a BMW GS. The bike has a serious oil leak that is soaking Alex’s left leg.

-3-

Other Problems

Tom and Rosie Sperry made their call-in bonus today from the side of the road while on their way to Saskatoon. It seemed like a good time to make the call because they weren’t going anywhere soon, having just run out of gas.

Richard Buber hit a small deer in Minnesota, but there was relatively little damage to either Richard or the bike. Some belly pan plastic is broken on the R1150RT. Both Richard and the RT are covered in deer excrement. The scorers are drawing straws tonight to see who gets to score him tomorrow morning. The honor goes to the short straw, of course. (However, deer excrement will probably smell better than some of the riders.)"

 

[Codive]

Looks like "600" is the only one left to deal with it.........

 

[Allan B]

Crunch time in Spokane is 0700 hrs PDT??? That is when the penalties begin - yes?

Cheers,

Allan

 

[Warchild]

QUOTE (Allan B @ Sep 3 2009, 08:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Crunch time in Spokane is 0700 hrs PDT??? That is when the penalties begin - yes?
Yes.

 

[Allan B]

QUOTE (Allan B @ Sep 3 2009, 08:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Crunch time in Spokane is 0700 hrs PDT??? That is when the penalties begin - yes?
Yes.

Thanks

Thanks



Cheers and thanks for the updates Warchild. We are all starting to get a bit jittery about those riders who are still WAY out there.

Allan

 

[GunMD]

Shit, Iggy is now farther away than SkooterG.... me no likee....
SPOT snapshot as of 8:40 pm PDT.... less than 12 hours remaining.....

As soon as I saw this I ran the numbers in Google Maps and nearly shit myself when I saw the distance remaining to Spokane...1052ish to go and only 10+ hours. CRAP! Then I realized it was displaying in Kilometers since the start point was in Kanuckistan. Phheeww!!! He could still arrive before the penalty phase begins! Go Matt Go!

And Skooter. Well, we're gonna have to do a survey to determine if is nickname will remain "Flipper" or if it should be "Sleepy" or "Alarm Clock". I dunno 'bout that guy...but for a Squid he aint too bad.

Go Greg Go!

I can't wait to hear 'bout Turbo, too!

 

[7xray]

OK, I looked it up (I'm an info junkie) and this is all the MT.gov people have said:
I-90

6 TO 16 MILES EAST OF BUTTE OVER HOMESTAKE PASS

Watch for Fallen Rock

THE BEAR CANYON INT THRU ROCKY CANYON TO 9 MILES EAST OF BOZEMAN

Watch for Fallen Rock

Is there a short detour through town or frontage roads?

No shortcut around either of those places but I wouldn't expect any real issues with rock. I think they have those notices up all the time. I live about 3 miles from Rocky Canyon.

Fred

 

[STL FJR]

Shit, Iggy is now farther away than SkooterG.... me no likee....
SPOT snapshot as of 8:40 pm PDT.... less than 12 hours remaining.....

Actually, according to Google Maps calculations, they are both almost exactly 995 km and 11 hours away from Spokane.

Talk about cutting it close.

WC, thanks for posting the SPOT. Any chance you can keep posting those throughout the night?

It's not like it would give any one a competitive advantage now. They're all headed to the Barn! :yahoo:

 

[tcfjr]

From ldriders, to set the scene at the finishing hotel:https://s320.photobucket.com/albums/nn335/G...IB%20Finish%201

 

[tcfjr]

In checking Iggy's possible routes back to Spokane, almost any road he chooses will have plenty of forest rats to worry about. Both he and Scooter will probably cross at the 24-hour Eastgate border crossing onto US-95, which should be quick.