2009 Iron Butt Rally - Official Daily Reports

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The above is just a comment, only my opinion and not a suggestion; just my feeble brain trying to make sense of the completion status.
I look at it this way, I'm very proud of all of the riders in the IBR, regardless of their personal outcome. I'm immensely proud of my friends that completed the rally, regardless of their score.

This was a competitive event. Just riding would not win it. Just being an efficient hooverer of bonus locations would not win it. Just riding along, grabbing what you could and having nothing bad happen the entire rally would not win it.

The winning rider needed a multitude of skills, and needed to operate in a manner flexible enough to deal with the constant changes, both his own, and the external events of new bonus sheets at each checkpoint, the weather, road issues and many other tiny details that get lost in the hurricane of necessary things to do during a multi-day rally. Including managing your body and mind so that you can continue to perform at the necessary level. And the ability to overcome problems, whether they are of your own design, or from external sources.

Because of all this, the IBA team determined that a certain level of competency in all of these disciplines would be required to be earn the label of "Finisher". Not being privy to their discussions, I surmise that riders, with this full knowledge at the start, would have a benchmark by which to plan their efforts. In a competitive event, having some idea of your expected level of performance is key for many to drive themselves. Sometimes they have the will, but are unable to execute it in a manner that reaches that predetermined plateau. This doesn't mean someone failed. It certainly doesn't mean they didn't push themselves! It only means that this time, their efforts were not enough to rise to the pre-determined level the event hosts had established for "Finisher" status. They have still earned our respect by competing in an event few choose to even enter, where fewer are chosen and still fewer complete their ride to the end.

To all the riders - Well Done!

 
Just a note here, and forgive me if this has been mentioned already, but -
Jerry White's SmugMug page has tons of excellent photos from the start of the rally.

Really great shots of farklage etc.

Thank you Jerry.
Great shots indeed. Note that they're for the 2007 IBR, not the 2009.
Yes, thanks Pat. OCfjr kindly PM'd me with the same correction.

What a dork I are. Sorry.

 
Here is a followup report on John Stanforth. I didn't know about a rider to add to Medjet coverage his son mentions. doctorj

Update on dad. He is still out in Reno in icu. They will not medjet him until he is in stable condition and then he will be transferred to Miami Valley trauma center in Dayton, Ohio. Sunday night was his first good day. They gave him an epidural and he was able to eat. They are still giving him oxygen for his breathing and he will have to have a ventilator to fly home. Thank you all for the well wishes, thoughts and phone calls. Everyone needs to make sure they have the "bring the bike home" rider on their medjet policy. He is coherent and said that he went through the windshield and landed on his head then his left side and the bike went towards the right. He said if he did not have his helmet on, he would have died. So everyone remember, all the gear all the time. Thanks for much.

 
So he wanted to get stranded someplace with a final drive failure? I guess that is better than the old "We ran out of gas line."

 
Were any "ride reports" or other info on the rallye written up by any of the participants on other forums?
Give them time to decompress. There is always a lot of things to take care of before you start reporting on your ride.

My ride was over early enough that I was able to put out a report before the others. All that spare time in airports and on planes.

Here are assorted ramblings.... some have to do with the IBR

https://www.whereisbobl.com/journal/

Bob L

 
Were any "ride reports" or other info on the rallye written up by any of the participants on other forums?
Give them time to decompress. There is always a lot of things to take care of before you start reporting on your ride.

My ride was over early enough that I was able to put out a report before the others. All that spare time in airports and on planes.

Here are assorted ramblings.... some have to do with the IBR

https://www.whereisbobl.com/journal/

Bob L
Thanks for posting the link it was a good read.

 
What I'd like to know is post IBR emotions; alarm clockitis, dreams of oversleeping, the endless road unfolding, the big boni drifting away while trying to close the distance, the fact it's just over, and now the dread of cubicle life instead of persuing and living the dream.
This was only my first IBR and it's early to say. But there's a couple things I've noticed. First, I had a heck of a time riding home. I mean difficulty. I was exhausted. Could barely make 150 miles without stopping and every night I'd wake up in a panic, not sure where I was, what day it was or where I needed to go. this never happened during the rally. I think I'm coming down from some serious adrenaline. I'm also starving all the time. Though that seems to be lessening. Thankfully

I think that for me, staying on at the finish for at least an extra night is the way to go to help with the panic in the night - the extra time to get out of 'travel mode' should have helped.

going back to work? TOTALLY NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. I shaved my head for the rally and don't want to hear it. I'd do it again though, it was the way to go! And I don't think it looks that bad. I might keep it like this anyway, it's so wonderfully easy.

On the last day as I was heading toward the finish - well, Sandpoint anyway - one of my friends called and asked how I felt so close to the end. I told him that if they give me another bonus pack, I'll take it. Not sure if I would have really... However, I'd rather be running the IBR than going to work in the morning.

 
What I'd like to know is post IBR emotions; alarm clockitis, dreams of oversleeping, the endless road unfolding, the big boni drifting away while trying to close the distance, the fact it's just over, and now the dread of cubicle life instead of persuing and living the dream.
This was only my first IBR and it's early to say. But there's a couple things I've noticed. First, I had a heck of a time riding home. I mean difficulty. I was exhausted. Could barely make 150 miles without stopping and every night I'd wake up in a panic, not sure where I was, what day it was or where I needed to go. this never happened during the rally. I think I'm coming down from some serious adrenaline. I'm also starving all the time. Though that seems to be lessening. Thankfully

I think that for me, staying on at the finish for at least an extra night is the way to go to help with the panic in the night - the extra time to get out of 'travel mode' should have helped.

going back to work? TOTALLY NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. I shaved my head for the rally and don't want to hear it. I'd do it again though, it was the way to go! And I don't think it looks that bad. I might keep it like this anyway, it's so wonderfully easy.

On the last day as I was heading toward the finish - well, Sandpoint anyway - one of my friends called and asked how I felt so close to the end. I told him that if they give me another bonus pack, I'll take it. Not sure if I would have really... However, I'd rather be running the IBR than going to work in the morning.
I actually enjoyed the dreams and the altered state after my first IBR. It was much less after the 2nd one, and not at all after the 3rd. I actually kind of missed it.....

 
I shaved my head for the rally and don't want to hear it. I'd do it again though, it was the way to go! And I don't think it looks that bad. I might keep it like this anyway, it's so wonderfully easy.
Ok see I read this and said "hey sounds like a good idea to me, what's the big deal?" Then i saw your screen name... and then checked you profile. Now the full weight of "I shaved my head" sinks in...

The sacrifices necessary to compete in the IBR!

r68.jpg


Congrats on a great ride and top 20 finish by the way!

(I assume that's you as all the other women had hair in their score reports...)

 
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What I'd like to know is post IBR emotions; alarm clockitis, dreams of oversleeping, the endless road unfolding, the big boni drifting away while trying to close the distance, the fact it's just over, and now the dread of cubicle life instead of persuing and living the dream.
This was only my first IBR and it's early to say. But there's a couple things I've noticed. First, I had a heck of a time riding home. I mean difficulty. I was exhausted. Could barely make 150 miles without stopping and every night I'd wake up in a panic, not sure where I was, what day it was or where I needed to go. this never happened during the rally. I think I'm coming down from some serious adrenaline. I'm also starving all the time. Though that seems to be lessening. Thankfully

I think that for me, staying on at the finish for at least an extra night is the way to go to help with the panic in the night - the extra time to get out of 'travel mode' should have helped.

going back to work? TOTALLY NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. I shaved my head for the rally and don't want to hear it. I'd do it again though, it was the way to go! And I don't think it looks that bad. I might keep it like this anyway, it's so wonderfully easy.

On the last day as I was heading toward the finish - well, Sandpoint anyway - one of my friends called and asked how I felt so close to the end. I told him that if they give me another bonus pack, I'll take it. Not sure if I would have really... However, I'd rather be running the IBR than going to work in the morning.
My first IBR I rode 700 miles home the next day - in time for dinner IIRC. I rode the bike one more time the next day, and then parked it more-or-less for 3 months. My second IBR was a 2000 mile ride home, I took 2 days for that one. And then sold the bike and swore off LD Rally's. Which lasted maybe 6 months.

I had a serious bout of depression after the '07 IBR. I made a huge point-loosing mistake that cost me something like 25 finishing positions. After spending 2 years of vacation money and time, as well as spending most of a year and a half prior in prep, I felt I'd screwed the pooch. Yes, there were extenuating circumstances, but it was still my screw up. After the banquet I almost cried myself to sleep. Being exhausted didn't help.

Would I do it again? Hell yes, and I'd spend every dime my credit card could handle to do it. I'm addicted, fsk AA, I'm perfectly happy the way I am.

Nancy congratulations on an awesome ride!

 
Heck Nancy, it's already grown out some. I thought you looked great at the finish. Maybe a little clean up trim around the ears and some taper and it's all good. I may be biased though, former Marine here. ;)

Congrats on a great ride. And not looking like burnt toast when you finished.

 

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