2011 IBR - The Inside View

[ChrisW]

Allllllrighty, then.... here are the riders as of 5am PDT on Day 3.... what do we see here?

I got the impression from earlier posts that Denver wasn't available until leg 3.

 

[John Tubb]

This is the best forum going, I've been a lurker since the last IBR and finally signed up tonight. The insight from Warchild, SkooterG, and Jeff Earls is just gold. I've learned that any time a big dog talks to listen, I was so lucky to be able to listen to Jim Owen last year at a presentation he did and then he even spent some time one on one with me when I introduced myself to say thanks and that I was in the IB5K and gave me some great advise. Anyone thinking of a rally I say sit down and listen to those that have been there done that and you will learn more then you can imagine.

This rally is bumming me out big time since I had to pass for financial reason after the IB5K last year. I would have loved to ride this ride and see what I could do to be competitive. I really think I would have considered the 4 corners, but as the experts have noted if the capital points can make up for it I might have stuck to that approach since I know Maine and FL suck (I've lived in both and been to both locations). You can fool me with west coast and desert locations, but I know the East coast pretty good!

 

[McRide]

Where and When are the check-in windows for legs 1, 2 and 3?

 

[John Tubb]

Where and When are the check-in windows for legs 1, 2 and 3?

Check page 8, it has all the details you need.

 

[McRide]

Where and When are the check-in windows for legs 1, 2 and 3?

Check page 8, it has all the details you need.

Thanks.

Did anyone get a spotwalla snapshot of how many were 'seen' leaving Blaine (and at least having a 4 corners in their back pocket)? This is probably about 90 minutes after the start.

 

[101stpathfinder]

Thanks Jeff for hanging out here. I'd post up more myself, but it seems this other rally is taking place at the same time and I'm trying to fire up a plan to ride the Utah 1088. Your, WC's, and Skooter's comments have been quite to the point...I was thinking the whole 4 Corner/Hyder/Capitals thing. I would have gone capitals myself on the bet that later legs would be worth more points....what little I know and guess. Monster miles would be my underlying goal hoovering up of many of them as I could.

I did figure out state capitals about 6 months ago and excusing checkpoints and order of legs figured a 12,500 mile route from Washington....hmmm.

Off to bed...to get ready for tech.

Best wishes for a good ride Iggy... I"m Thinking your amazing string of 2s will end on the + side!

 

[Warchild]

cdg is on the move, but still needs to kick it.

Concur, but, I wonder WTF is he doing taking HWY 287 out of Denver.... the dude needs to stream north.. this snapshot was approx 6:30 pdt this morning:

I'll bet several of you clever folk can figure out the FJRforum member pointed to by the red arrow...

 

[velvet fog]

Think about the 4 corners vs capitals this way:

48 capitals X 100pts per capital = 4800 points = 4 corners

I think there will be far more than 4800 points available from the capitals, so it would be better to invest those miles chasing capitals assuming that doing 4 corners and enough high value capitals to get a higher point total than all the capitals is not possible.

 

[huron52]

I'll bet several of you clever folk can figure out the FJRforum member pointed to by the red arrow...

Actually you should be able to figure quite a few by the letters.

 

[101stpathfinder]

Imagine a X-tra bonus in legs 2 + 3 for repeat capitals.... :dribble:

 

[Warchild]

Actually you should be able to figure quite a few by the letters.

Indeed. Many apparently aren't too concerned about it, and it's cool we can follow them in near real-time...

 

[Bounce]

The thing I like best about the route is the chunk of I-90 between Rockford (where I live) and Chicago, or even anywhere to head south after you stay on I-90 past Rockford. Why do I like it, well it is all under construction. A good 40 miles of it. I have made it from Rockford into dowtown Chicago in as litle as 1:15 when leaving in the wee hours of the morning. This morning, with leaving Rockford at 5:00 am it took me 2.5 hours. I don't want to think about what it could be like at rush hour, or if there is an accident.

STILL? I got stuck in that crap heading out of Chicago during 2003. I thought I'd never get clear of that mess. It went from the city all the way to the state line and was crawling along at night on roto-milled roads. I did grab the Planetarium and John Dillinger Museum but that road was painfully slow.

I've held comment until now simply because everyone else has covered my thoughts better than I could. I'd have passed on AK but picked up the NW corner just in case. Depending on points, I'd have picked up OR & the capital before heading E. The current map has me scratching my head about what some riders are thinking. Sometimes the shortest distance takes the longest time and yet a few folk seem determined to take those slower routes.

I think there will be far more than 4800 points available from the capitals, so it would be better to invest those miles chasing capitals assuming that doing 4 corners and enough high value capitals to get a higher point total than all the capitals is not possible.

but there's also the school of thought that says it's better to go for fewer, larger point stops than a lot of smaller points that require increased routing and complexity.

 

[TriggerT]

Did anyone get a spotwalla snapshot of how many were 'seen' leaving Blaine (and at least having a 4 corners in their back pocket)? This is probably about 90 minutes after the start.

Of the Spot devices transmitting at the time, I counted 15 riders who made the trip up to Blaine. Not sure if it is OK for me to post the 15 that I wrote down or not, so I will hold off on doing so until told otherwise.

 

[CraigRegs]

Looks like they are going to be moving through my area today, and I wish I could take off from work to try and intercept a few riders.

I know exactly how ya feel Tim. I see MEJ on the outskirts of Des Moines, and several other riders pointed this way, and here I am, stuck at my desk. I feel like I should be standing on an I-35 overpass with a banner cheering these folks on!

Great insight from all you veterans. Really enjoying the coverage!

 

[jwhite518]

Of the Spot devices transmitting at the time, I counted 15 riders who made the trip up to Blaine. Not sure if it is OK for me to post the 15 that I wrote down or not, so I will hold off on doing so until told otherwise.

Spotwalla screens are public. No problem describing what you saw on those screens. So post up!

 

[BikerGeek99]

I just wanna know if my avatar is a bonus and, if so, how many points it'd be worth?

And if it ain't a bonus, it should be.

 

[101stpathfinder]

I know exactly how ya feel Tim. I see MEJ on the outskirts of Des Moines, and several other riders pointed this way, and here I am, stuck at my desk. I feel like I should be standing on an I-35 overpass with a banner cheering these folks on!

Great insight from all you veterans. Really enjoying the coverage!

... and now west out of Des Moines- I like this route!

 

[LowAndSilent]

Did anyone get a spotwalla snapshot of how many were 'seen' leaving Blaine (and at least having a 4 corners in their back pocket)? This is probably about 90 minutes after the start.

Of the Spot devices transmitting at the time, I counted 15 riders who made the trip up to Blaine. Not sure if it is OK for me to post the 15 that I wrote down or not, so I will hold off on doing so until told otherwise.

EDIT: Mea culpa. Wrong info.

I don't see why you couldn't post the SPOT tags of the riders you knew who headed north. Just don't go throwing around their real names.

 

[kaitsdad]

I'll bet several of you clever folk can figure out the FJRforum member pointed to by the red arrow...

Yep. I installed his cruise just last month - I really hope I didn't F up the install .........

 

[TriggerT]

On hold, sorry I shouldn't have posted that so soon.