2013 Iron Butt Rally - The Inside View

[Mike Aldea]

https://tobie.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Bill-Shaw-IBR-13/30348770_cwmD6D#!i=2614357848&k=k26FzwV
New album posted...photos by Bill Shaw

A killer few pics from this Bill Shaw album...

<snip>

Getting them outta Dodge and on the road...

I prefer this shot of Dale dancing.

 

[BkerChuck]

And were these new boots properly "decorated"?

 

[wfooshee]

Meant to ask earlier, how did the folks going to PEI fare. Was that as much of a sucker bet as Key West? i wouldn't think so, with all of the other stuff between there and Cranberry, but still, that time spent is that time spent....

 

[Twigg]

Meant to ask earlier, how did the folks going to PEI fare. Was that as much of a sucker bet as Key West? i wouldn't think so, with all of the other stuff between there and Cranberry, but still, that time spent is that time spent....

 

[RayW]

ok....has anyone else looked at that pic of the Honda with the old style "racing" fairing and thought "Lapchick the Mad Hungarian" from "Gumball Rally"?

 

[turbodave_98]

I have been glued to this site since the first days of the gathering for 2013 IBR. This site is Prime info source for me.

As CBA # 5 and a rider in 2009 IBR, I wish all of the riders a safe and successful second leg. It is not too late to make up for some early mistakes.

There are the strong FJR riders that I am pulling for. I think it would be awesome for Wendy to make the top of the podium.

My experience in 2009 rally was the exhausting and persistent extreme heat in the southwest especially on I 10 and I 8. Heat is a killer!!I

I shall stay tuned in. Thanks Dale for the superb work to keep us informed.

 

[gixxerjasen]

That's avatar material right there!

 

[Justin]

That's avatar material right there!

At the YMCA!

 

[twistedcricket]

hrm...looking at the spot page... high percentage of the riders are headed towards or in Indianapolis...wonder what bonus location could be there?

Maybe they're playing leap-frog on the road and if they all basically see each other...

 

[russperry]

That's avatar material right there!

At the YMCA!

Do you think he's closer to the Indian chief, or the cop?

 

[qkslver]

hrm...looking at the spot page... high percentage of the riders are headed towards or in Indianapolis...wonder what bonus location could be there?

Maybe they're playing leap-frog on the road and if they all basically see each other...

I thought the `Brickyard", however the first several have went by that already.

 

[airboss]

That's avatar material right there!

At the YMCA!

Do you think he's closer to the Indian chief, or the cop?

Neither, think someone just ran over his Toe!

 

[BikerGeek99]

That's avatar material right there!

At the YMCA!

Do you think he's closer to the Indian chief, or the cop?

Neither, think someone just ran over his Toe!

Nah.

Pee-pee dance.

 

[Hello Kitty]

And were these new boots properly "decorated"?

In all seriousness, he needed a pair of boots. Not to be ragged on any further than his ridiculous haircut. I'm all for fun and jokes, but that just wasn't the time or place.

Now, at the finish, if Mr. Mountain thinks those boots won't have pink sparkles on them... Well, then, he's just not very bright

 

[Hello Kitty]

ok....has anyone else looked at that pic of the Honda with the old style "racing" fairing and thought "Lapchick the Mad Hungarian" from "Gumball Rally"?

That's Robert, forget his last name. Very nice guy. He's German, but I think told me he's living in Belgium now. There's some outstanding folks from abroad this year. Ian McPhee, The Cudlin's, among many others. We are so fortunate to get a chance to meet these folks and hear their experiences in the US.

His bike passed tech, but Warchild had a few 'suggestions' on some of the wiring.

 

[tel]

I wonder if the 5 guys taking the more northern route west on I90 are the same 5 who went to Key West? Nah!

 

[RayW]

While not efficient, but did anyone else notice that the most miles were completed by the oldest bike?
26 Scott Thornton 64 78 YAM XS1100 16954 4032

They are not the most miles, but they are high on the list. It's an impressive feat by any standards, and I hope he can keep the pace up.

One helluva ride so far.

You're right, Twigg.

In 9th place is JP Mountain on a 2006 FJR1300A, with 18936 points, 4340 miles, and 4.363 PPM.

He's the 82nd most efficient rider in the pack.

Last time I looked, this wasn't an 'Efficiency Rally'. Meaning most points win, not most points per mile. I've not yet ridden the IBR, but one rally in particular that I do participate in has the Jim Young Memorial trophy for the most efficient ride/rider (points per mile). My riding partner won that this year and we were 6/7th. The ONLY year the most efficient rider won, ever, was two years ago when efficiency was the criteria.

I'm not throwing stones, just pointing out, that's not the Holy Grail for winning a rally. Certainly helps to be efficient but sometimes you just can't, and often times, the big points require big miles. You can almost always score less points with less miles and be "more efficient".

Certainly PPM efficiency can be the difference between guys running very similar routes.

hey....as far as my EXTREMELY limited knowlege of baseball stats can tell, ERA never won the World Series either. But I've seen some pretty heated arguments over those stats!

This is our "World Series" so I say, anything to keep us thinking!

 

[Go Far]

One of the Wright brothers?

Eddie Rickenbacker?

 

[Justin]

Hmm, I wonder if the Richthofen Castle here in Denver will be a bonus location. A full scale replica of the Red Baron's plane is in the front yard

 

[Mike Aldea]

I hate to say it but I would guess that the spot tracker in Hershey is probably Larry Meeker's bike.
If you switch to satellite view and zoom in it seems to be sitting in an auto repair shop...and it has a flat bed tow truck sitting outside so it could easily have been the folks that were called to take care of his bike.

And I got the info about Larry's accident from the official Iron Butt report.

The one by Flint is interesting though. Zoom in on that view and it shows sitting on the freeway right in front of a rest area.

I've been having fun zooming in and guessing some of the bonus locations. One seemed to be an inclined railway. I was thinking though that the one in Pittsburgh would have been a MUCH more evil version of that bonus. From what I remember of the area it would be a BEAR to get to in traffic in any kind of timely mannor.

I'm a bit behind in my reading, but to be up to IBR cruelty standards wouldn't you probably need to combine visiting the two surviving Pittsburgh inclined planes (out of the original 23), Duquesne Inclined Plane and Monongahela Incline Plane, with a visit to the Johnstown Inclined Plane into one bonus. As far as I know there are no markers for the 21 dismantled Pittsburgh inclined planes so incorporating them into a bonus is probably impractical.

Duquesne Inclined Plane

Monongahela Inclined Planes (passenger & freight)

Johnstown Incline Plane