Ok,
So here is a story I have been waiting to tell until after the names of the participants have been released, and since we have some down time, hopefully you will enjoy.
Friday, Aug 14 I was at Yamaha of Cucamonga getting the valves checked for the second time on my 06. While I was waiting around, I went out to lunch w/ Turbo Dave to wish him luck in the IBR. This was two days before he was to take off for South Carolina.
Anyway, after lunch I was waiting for them to finish my service (one exhaust valve out of spec), when I saw a 2007 FJR pulling up that was obviously set up for long distance riding with aux fuel, a rider in full Aerostich in spite of the 90 degree plus temps, etc. I went to meet the rider, and ask if he was heading to the start of the IBR. He said yes. He was stopping at YOC to purchase a set of tires to install sometime around the Santa Ana Checkpoint.
One of the reasons I am telling this story is to let eveyone know that Yamaha of Cucamonga is going to be offering 24 hour service for IBR riders around the time of CP 2. The owner said he lives just down the street, and if called would open up the shop for tire changes, oil changes, and whatever the rider needs, even after the 9PM Santa Ana checkpoint deadline. This is the great service that YOC provides, and if any FJR riders get into a bind in SoCal that requires a shop, there is a safe port in the storm.
The rider on the 07 looked vaguely familiar, and I asked his name, and did not recognize it. He said he did not spend much time on the computer, if you can imagine that. I guess some people are like that.
I asked him how many miles he had on his 07. He said 8K as he wanted a fresh ride for the IBR, so he just broke it in and got to know it, but kept it essentially new. This puzzled me as I knew he had to have done some serious miles to get into the IBR. So I asked him what his previous ride was. He said he used to ride a blue Triumph Sprint ST, which is pretty uncommon for Long Distance riding.
After just a second, I remembered where I had seen him before. Mark Dieck was one of the participants in the WPF rally, and he and his blue Triumph were prominently featured in the most excellent photos taken by the offical photographer. That is where I had seen him before.
It turns out that he has only had one certified ride, which was the 2000 Gerlachfest world record SS1K with 64 riders completing it, including lots of distinguished company. I hope he will be changing that over the next 10 days.
It was great meeting him and wishing him well on his way to the IBR, and I though you would like a little background info on one of the FJR participants. I am not positive, but I think that is his bike next to Catfish's Darkside FJR in the photo posted earlier in this thread.
