2018 Tour of Honor

[Bill Lumberg]

It’s amazing how much longer it takes to do a TOH (mine kept me mostly to backroads the entire day, whereas the ‘16 run was 75% interstate- it’s all how the sites fall), vs. a purpose-routed SS1K.

 

[griff]

I'll be attempting a Trophy ride on Sunday. I have probably ridden about 200 miles in 2018, so maybe I won't have the stamina to complete it. Sad

I guess you had enough stamina to get 1st place in VA.

Thanks Griff. How long did your ride take?

SC was pretty easy. Started at 5:30, finished to the TOH loop at 2- about 440 miles. And then 200 miles home. Total of 660 miles - 13 hours including a long break with lunch after finishing the loop.

It looks like VA was kinda like a RAT - although a RAV ride around VA.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Bill Lumberg posted: It’s amazing how much longer it takes to do a TOH (mine kept me mostly to backroads the entire day, whereas the ‘16 run was 75% interstate- it’s all how the sites fall), vs. a purpose-routed SS1K.

That's why I like ToH and BMR rallies: the back routes! For example, if you were just visiting one Huey in Georgia for points, you get onto the interstate quickly, ride it as close to the chopper as possible, and take smaller roads to the actual site.

Because we're going from one bonus location to another, then a third and fourth, the most efficient GPS routing takes you down hours of two-lane roads, some of which don't even have a painted centerline.

Adventure, baby!

<edit, 5 mins later> Would offer congrats to some folks, but ToH deals in real names.

 

[RFlagg42]

I'll be attempting a Trophy ride on Sunday. I have probably ridden about 200 miles in 2018, so maybe I won't have the stamina to complete it. Sad

I guess you had enough stamina to get 1st place in VA.

Thanks Griff. How long did your ride take?

SC was pretty easy. Started at 5:30, finished to the TOH loop at 2- about 440 miles. And then 200 miles home. Total of 660 miles - 13 hours including a long break with lunch after finishing the loop.

It looks like VA was kinda like a RAT - although a RAV ride around VA.

It was a RAV, and the memorials on the Western side of the state were connected by very small roads. I wanted to be done before sunset so I had already ridden to the MD/VA border on the DELMARVA peninsula prior to midnight. I hit the last memorial right at sunset and only had about a 90 minute ride back home. Fun day, with the exception of the speeding ticket I got on the WV border...

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I’m on the road (agency vehicle, not FJR) 3 of the next four weeks. I will miss the bike sorely, and revisit the TOH run often while I’m trapped in an SUV.

 

[Uncle Hud]

^^^^ Sorry, bro. Nice new signature line.

 

[TripperMike]

Finally went for a "little bit chilly" ride yesterday. I had no previous plans to go yesterday, but it was just so darn sunny out in the morning. I checked the weather app on the phone and it was currently 10 degs. But the bug bit me. At some part of the day the forecast was a high near 32 degs at a couple of the locations. If I didn't go, I knew somebody else probably would be. So an executive decision had to be made.

An hour later (at this time it was a balmy 18 degs) I headed off. Completed the 630 miles in less than 11 hrs.

 

[dingrr]

Well, I did Florida 11-12APR and it was a very enjoyable trip. From Port Orange, I went counter-clockwise, heading north to Palm Coast. It was mapped out without any highway miles so I got to see quite a diverse countryside. There were some really long stretches where I started wondering if I would run out of fuel before I hit civilization! I did about half of the trip the first day and shot further west to Eglin AFB to pitch my tent about 100 yards from the gulf coast. Resumed the ride first thing in the morning, catching two coffee shops along the way. I snapped my last pics in Melbourne just as the sun was setting, leaving me to ride off into the sunset. Home after dark with 1060 miles.

 

[TripperMike]

Well, I did Florida 11-12APR and it was a very enjoyable trip. From Port Orange, I went counter-clockwise, heading north to Palm Coast. It was mapped out without any highway miles so I got to see quite a diverse countryside. There were some really long stretches where I started wondering if I would run out of fuel before I hit civilization! I did about half of the trip the first day and shot further west to Eglin AFB to pitch my tent about 100 yards from the gulf coast. Resumed the ride first thing in the morning, catching two coffee shops along the way. I snapped my last pics in Melbourne just as the sun was setting, leaving me to ride off into the sunset. Home after dark with 1060 miles.

I think that is something I really enjoy about this rally, getting to the memorials tends to take you on roads far less traveled. It gets us to take routes we wouldn't normally have an inclination to take.

 

[BkerChuck]

Hoping the weather cooperates for me this weekend. I'm hoping to leave out after work and try to finish the Mid-Atlantic Region. I have a decent route mapped out along with a route for SEO next weekend and some memorials while I'm out there plus 3 more on a different return route home. I've set a personal goal of 50 memorials this year and with the trip to Spearfish in June I think it's attainable.

Those "roads less traveled" are a huge reason why I love this event and try to continue bring more riders on board to share in the fun and excitement. Discovered some great places to eat along the way too!

 

[BigOgre]

^ Good luck. Gotta keep those few FJRs there in the top group.

I was able to grab a few during the Moonshine run but the weather caused a re-route and I probably got about a four or five less than planned. Also by riding with someone else who's not involved with this I was conscious about not veering too far off track. We did see a couple of nice monuments though and even spent some time at one talking to a Vet who was proud of the new park in Wayne County, IN and I think really appreciated us stopping by. That was time well spent.

Things are a little hectic at the moment but I'm looking forward to a few day rides up into New England to collect a few and even gave a quick look-see at a possible ToH SS throughout upstate NY.

 

[BkerChuck]

Just got back from our trip about a hour ago. 732 miles in about 48 hours plus a ferry ride from Cape May, NJ to Lewes, DE. Finished the Mid-Atlantic Region and submitted our photos. 3rd place trophy was still showing available so hopefully we are claiming it. 11 TOH memorials and 8 more pennies for the IBA Pressed Penny Insanity Challenge while we were at it.

One small snag while in Northern NJ. We'd hoped to spend the night in Sussex near the site of a TOH memorial but with weather being iffy hadn't reserved a room anywhere thinking it should be easy enough on a Friday in late April in an area without much going on. WRONG! Turns out there was a Spartan Race on Saturday and every hotel around was booked full. Had to ride about 20 extra miles that night in a spitting rain to Rahway, NJ where we paid WAY too much for a night's sleep.

 

[BkerChuck]

TOH scoring got through our pictures and all were good. We got the 3rd place trophy for the Mid-Atlantic region!

 

[Warchild]

It’s amazing how much longer it takes to do a TOH (mine kept me mostly to backroads the entire day, whereas the ‘16 run was 75% interstate- it’s all how the sites fall), vs. a purpose-routed SS1K.

I like to combined them when possible, and make a SS1K or BBG1500 while scoring all the states TOH sites in 24 hours:

Tour of Honor: 2011 Nevada - SS1K

Note TOH logo from this SS1K:

Tour of Honor: 2011 Utah - SS1K

This sure proved to be an interesting writeup....

Tour of Honor: 2012 Nevada - Extreme SS1K

The NY, NY Statue of Liberty bonus site in Las Vegas this year turned out to be an amazing shot - in the center of the busiest intersection in the city: Las Vegas Blvd and Tropicana Av.

These ToH runs have been a lot of fun over the years.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

I did a SS1K and got my TOH/IBA cert this year. It was a good time. Wasnt my first TOH sweep or my first IBA ride, but it was the first time I did both at the same time. And that made it cooler.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Congats! You're one of the World's Toughest Motorcycle Riders!

 

[BkerChuck]

Last weekend while attending SEOR I went Tour of Honor memorial hunting on the way out, during, and on the trip home. Managed to visit 8 more memorials and at 3 of them, 2 in Ohio and 1 in West Virginia I came across some small painted stones someone had left behind. Painted yellow like the TOH flags and sporting the number 343 I realized TOH rider Rob Carlo had already been at these locations. If I'm not mistaken 343 was his brother's NYFD engine company and his brother one of the souls lost during 9/11. I've been in contact with him through the book of face and asked what the protocol is when I find these. For the record, he requests they be left there, hopefully forever, in memory of his brother. For my part, henceforth if I come across any more I will be photographing them along with the memorial for my own collection

Just thought those of us participating would like to know. Be on the lookout for them! He's been placing them on the side or at the base of the memorials, not quite hidden but not too obvious. I know that as of Monday he was in the South Carolina and Georgia areas..

 

[BigOgre]

Thanks Chuck, that's good info. Will probably do the same by photographing them also. That's a nice touch on his part.

If you don't mind though, for the record the number 343 was the total amount of FDNY members killed that day, not including all the LEOs of varying agencies. From what I've read Mr. Carlo's brother was assigned to a Brooklyn Engine and one of the NY sites has us going inside that House. [Click on site NY3] Haven't been yet but looking forward to doing so soon. Definitely a cool memorial for the TOH.

 

[BkerChuck]

Ogre,

Thanks for correcting me! Any misinformation on my part was strictly unintentional and no disrespect of ANY kind was meant. I do know that Rob is requesting that flag number each year. When we saw the first stone we weren't sure what to do. Take it as a memento? Leave it behind? I logged onto Facebook and the Tour page looking for answers. Finding no clear indication of his intentions I felt that no instructions = no permission. Finding 2 more I posted to that page and included the pics tagging Rob and hoping for a response. He was gracious enough to answer back explaining that he hoped they'd remain, undisturbed, as an additional memorial. Definitely a cool touch and I'll be keeping my eyes open for more of them.

A cool site for anyone so inclined is WV2 in Fairmont, WV. https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1fPQl4w1sm-MdHa2AgEc3YjBeRzkUYJzM&ll=39.47046100000003%2C-80.13137800000004&z=8

There is a log book at the site to sign in and we found we'd just missed another TOH rider by 20 minutes! I've always thought it would be cool to run into another rider at one of the memorials.

 

[BigOgre]

Got an email earlier today from the organizers with the results of this year's ToH. Nice to see a few FJRs in the top and particularly a congratulatory shout out to Forum members TripperMike and BkerChuck along with his pillion for top 25 finishes. (Hope I didn't leave anyone else out.) Well done all!