BB1500

[BwanaDik]

Well, I just completed a BB1500 from Conroe, TX to Baker CA. Still have to send in my paperwork but I think I’ll qualify.

The e-mail came in from my friend Jim, a winter time Cabin trip on December 5th in the Mojave! Woo hoo!! (these are old friends from my college days). So how do I get there? Fly? I hate flying, 900,000 lifetime miles is enough. Drive? Not in my Tacoma, I like my fillings where they are, thank you! Well then, let’s ride out!

I’ve always considered myself a bit of a Walter Mitty type when it comes to the hard core IBA/LDR stuff; I’ve not really considered myself in the “world’s toughest riders” category. I do have all the worn out gear (16 year old ‘Stitch, hammered BMW boots, etc.), and an LDR farkled out bike with all the electronic do-dad’s and lights so at least I look the part. And I have done some pretty tough rides at times in the past. Well, I believe this particular ride finally qualified me for the “toughest riders” part.

Route planning was a real exercise for such a simple run. I originally had planned to go thru central Texas then west by way of Abilene, Hobbs, and Roswell, and then pick up I-40 at Holbrook and on to Baker with some adjustments for distance. I sent a note to FJR Remington Rider about the routing because he did a BB1500 around this time last year (January, I think). He gave me a number of things to consider such as remoteness of the roads I was planning on, critters, cold, etc (thanks RR!). I ended up deciding on the I-10 slab run (rev. 6 of the planning) as this route made the most sense safety and temperature wise. Wifey was visibly relieved too.

Planned route

Two things about riding a BB1500 this time of year,

Cold

And dark

Two nights before departure and I’m running around the house all panicky about getting everything ready. I ended up doing exactly one thing at a time and completing the task so as not to fall prey to Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder AADD and not get anything done. The night before departure and everything’s ready and I’m actually feeling pretty relaxed. Weather report is for 30 F in the morning so I plan to delay my departure until 6:00 AM instead of 4:00 AM so as not to have to ride in the cold so much. Famous last words…..

30 degrees on departure, a sign of things to come. No issues with Houston traffic, and a breeze thru San Antonio.

Crusing thru West Texas

Some gas stop in the middle of nowhere

This guy was following me all day

80 MPH posted speed west of Kerrville, but a sustained 80+ MPH really hurts my gas mileage. I had planned out my gas stops for about 190-200 miles but that went right in the bin after San Antonio. My gas mileage dropped to about 35 MPG or less. A total of 11 gas stops, including the last one in Baker for check in.

Arrive in El Paso just in time for the evening rush hour. Struggled thru that for a while then a blast up the hill to Las Cruces for the night.

Up at 2:45 AM local time without my alarm clock going off and back on the road. The temperature was 28 in Las Cruces when I left and dipped to between 19F and 24F for the run between Las Cruces and Deming. I finally gave up in Deming and stopped at a Denny’s (“Always Open” what a wonderful sign to see!) to warm up and scarf down some scrambled eggs and bacon. Once I had thawed out some (“warmed up” is way too optimistic) I headed back out towards AZ. Made it to San Simon I think at which point I couldn’t feel my toes, they were more like little stones at the tip of my boots. I found a quick stop/chicken place where the food part wasn’t open yet but the guy let me sit there and thaw out my toes. I got to watch an old movie for a while that stared Fred Astaire and Frank Morgan (The Wizard of Oz) do a bunch of dance numbers (Broadway Melody of 1940?). Weird…..

Once thawed out, back on I-10 heading to Tucson. It’s amazing what a sunrise will do to lift your spirits. The sun started coming up and even though the temps were still down around 20F, I felt pretty good

Spotted a black FJR heading east somewhere between Benson and Wilcox. One of us?

Breezed thru Phoenix and continued on I-10 to turn off on 95.

U.S. 95. Interesting variety of road surfaces

Before

During

After

I was pressing my time at this point but Shelia was convinced I’d make Baker on time.

Uh oh, what's this?

Shit! A miles long back up for road construction. This is CA right? Can I filter around all these guys? Sigh, just sit tight for the duration

Into Baker with one hour to spare.

Got my finish witness from the lady that works at the Country Store and then treated myself to an early dinner at the Bun Boy. Job done!!

My moving average was actually closer to 44 MPH but I had to turn the GPS off for the night when I stayed in Las Cruces.

Baker Bun Boy

Bun Boy food porn to celebrate the end of the trip and a chance to eat real food for the first time in a couple of days (yum!)

Epilog to follow.....

 

[BwanaDik]

Epilog....

After finishing the BB1500, I headed down into the Mojave Desert to meet up with my friends at the cabin, which was one of the points of this whole exercise.

So what does fatigue + dark approaching + poor off road riding skills + 700 pound motorcycle on street tires = ???

fail!

Ouch! Poor Miss Piggy!

It was a low speed get off, I basically just stepped off the bike when it went into the ditch. The problem was I was lined up on the wrong side of the road (the rut side) and didn’t have the wherewithal to maneuver to the correct line. I called my buddy Bill, who turned out to be about a half an hour away in Ludlow. When he arrived, we tried to upright the poor gal but no luck, we were lifting uphill. Happily there was space to get his truck by without running her over so we drove up to the cabin to look for help. My friends Jim and Kail were already there so we all went back and picked her up. Jim is an accomplished off road rider so he saved my bacon and rode her back to the cabin for me.

Not too much damage! Happily Miss Piggy came out OK. The only damage was a broken left mirror and some scrapes on the left side bag. Amazing considering all that weight going into the ditch! I think the subframe is bent but not broken.

This isn’t where I dumped her but a good idea of what the road is like

Miss Piggy safely parked at the cabin

The reason we all come out here

As my buddy Bill says, this is our church, we don't need a crystal cathedral

The Road Home

Jim rode Miss Piggy back out to the Kelbaker for me. I had reasoned with him that he could either ride her out for me or let me have a go of it then have to come by a little later and pick us both up from the ditch (again).

Success!

The return trip was back thru Phoenix again but this time out U.S. 60 towards Globe. U.S. 60 has really impressive scenery, it appears to be an active mining area. I stopped in Globe for a fill up, lucky I did, as dark was falling just east of Globe and “civilization”, such as it is out there, was rapidly thinning out. It began to be very cold and very dark east of Duncan on U.S. 70. Dark dark dark and cold cold cold. This was the original route I had planned to travel westbound on the BB1500 run. I’m sure glad I didn’t do it as I would have been passing thru there about 5:00 in the morning.

U.S. 70 East of Duncan

Made it to Lordsburg, Shelia routing me to the local Best Western with an open restaurant no less! 35F most of the way and almost zero traffic east of Duncan. Pretty lonely stretch of highway, I think I passed a car about every 30-45 minutes.

I left Lordsburg at 4:30 AM with the temps down to 28F or so again (the story of this trip!). Return trip was thru Las Cruces then north east to Alamogordo and White Sands.

Sunrise on I-10

Heading toward Alamagordo

White Sands, the largest gypsum dune field in the world. Got another stamp for my National Parks Tour

I wanted to stop at the Missile Museum but, when I saw the outside with all the big buildings and missiles, I knew I could spend the rest of the day there. Oh well, on the list for next time. 82 thru Cloudcroft and Mayhill was a pleasant surprise. Alpine woods and nice twisties.

On thru Artesia and Hobbs. Yeech!

I think Hobbs is even uglier than either Farmington or Buttonwillow. The local landscape around here doesn’t amount to much but then heap in a bunch of pump-jacks and rusty oilfield equipment and the combination is a total eyesore. About the best way to travel these parts is at WOT.

Hammered across west Texas to Abilene then picked up I-20 to Dallas and home. Again, it was between 28 and 36 the whole way from Abilene to Dallas.

I met a “road guy” while getting gas in Big Springs. He was traveling from East to West for the winter. He bummed a smoke from me while I was standing there trying (again) to warm up. He said he had enough money for beer but not smokes (his comment). He gave me a weather report for Dallas, where he had just arrived from, 27F and windy. He was an interesting fellow, obviously “homeless” but with a very large backpack. He was never intrusive or pushy, just a short conversation and he was off to mind his own business. So there I was, standing next to my $15,000 motorcycle with $2,000 worth of farkles and gear attached. I ended up giving him a few bucks for food (or more beer as the case may be). All of his stuff he had with him and he seemed to be perfectly content with it. No conclusions here, just an observation on a different way of life.

Back on I-20 again, hammering down the road at good rate of knots. Called wifey around 8:00 PM and told her I still had five or more hours to go and I was getting cold (again…sigh) and could she run some hot water into the tub so I could soak my hands and feet if I made it home tonight. She suggested either:

a) Stop at brother Bob’s in Ft. Worth for the evening or

B) Come home and she’ll crank up the spa and meet me with a glass of wine

Good ideas both, I hadn’t thought of either one, probably why she’s in charge around here.

I arrived home about 1:00 AM. I probably could have done a reverse BB1500 but I didn’t bother to get receipts and I think I was a little short of the mileage on the return trip anyway.

Done!

Phew!

Random Thoughts

When traveling in remote, cold areas in case of break down, cold gear (down boots, jacket, gloves) are a good idea to have as an emergency back-up. They can be packed down to almost no space but will be there if you need them. (https://www.rei.com/product/772100) I was surprised at how fast I got cold after I turned off my vest. Un-natural fibers (‘Stitch) hold no heat. Running full electrics at maximum amperage increases the possibility of an electrical failure, probably at the worst possible moment.

Tunes are good. Kept me sane on the Las Cruces to San Simon stretch. It’s the first time I’ve run with music in my helmet (I usually just listen to the voices in my head) and they were a major bonus. They distracted me from the cold for a bit, first time I’ve ever been glad to be distracted on a bike. Looks like additional farkling to come.

I could tell my earplugs were in right because it hurt when I put them in. Gotta do something about that.

The high beams on a Feej are good for 80 MPH on the Interstate as far as spotting forest rats and braking distance. I spent some time counting the Botts dots and figuring the distance between them. Go figure…..

High speed (Western States Interstate Highway Speeds) = poor gas mileage

Stopping can be a negative with cold unless you can go inside. Without the electrics turned on, my hands became colder just standing around. I’m not so convinced with the FJR hand grip heaters going off when the engine rev’s go down. I found that below about 28F, they could never really make up for the cool down cycle, even at full power (I just re-read that and realized how absurd that sounds). I had aftermarket grips on my K75S and I could warm up my hands by stopping in a lay-by and holding on to the grips for a while.

I now think cold is more fatiguing that heat. I found I involuntarily stiffened up my grip and my shoulders the colder it got. I had to make a conscious effort to stay relaxed the colder it got.

Dance tunes are good for your feet, I was listening to “‘60’s on 6” on XM and was tapping out the tunes all along the way. Maybe “’70’s on 7” next time for some dyno ABBA tunes?

I mostly ate Kellogg Special K energy bars with a Subway thrown in on one occasion. I remember when Sparky and I did our SS1k and we stopped and ate a burger. I almost fell asleep later from the food overload! Not again. Power bars are the ticket!

Stand up over bridge transitions. This exercises your thighs and helps control the motorcycle.

Long and cold in the saddle makes for poor bike handling skills. I almost dumped it in Alamogordo on a U-turn (slid out on some questionable road surface), poor handling skills going thru Cloudcroft (arms and legs were stiff from the cold).

Gerbing makes excellent vests. I may have to look into some electric socks if I do this type of nonsense again.

Most folks question the wisdom of doing this type of ride. I put it in the “personal goal” category, something I challenge myself to do and then achieve it. Yes, it’s a lot more fun to ride the twisties in northwest Arkansas or central Colorado in 75 F weather but it’s not the same level or kind of challenge. This is different, more of an internal goal.

All in all a good trip. Definitely had to use a great deal of focus and stamina on a number of occasions to keep on keeping on. I guess that’s why the qualifier of “world’s toughest riders” applies.

Count me in!

 

[tcfjr]

Very cool ride and report, BD!

Shit! A miles long back up for road construction. This is CA right? Can I filter around all these guys?

Yes. Yes you can. Take it slow and easy, and no one will mind if you "share" up to the flagman.

 

[TomInPA]

Nice trip report for the off-season (for most of us). Note to self: night riding on goat trails might not be a good idea after 1500 miles in the saddle.

I hope you got that spa warm-up and wine at the end of the journey.

 

[dcarver]

When traveling in remote, cold areas in case of break down, cold gear (down boots, jacket, gloves) are a good idea to have as an emergency back-up. They can be packed down to almost no space but will be there if you need them. (https://www.rei.com/product/772100) I was surprised at how fast I got cold after I turned off my vest. Un-natural fibers (‘Stitch) hold no heat. Running full electrics at maximum amperage increases the possibility of an electrical failure, probably at the worst possible moment.

My thoughts exactly! Bike quits running, it's 18F and falling, 0200, and getting colder. Not a good situation, actually, it's then survival mode.

Very good RR!

 

[FJR-RemingtonRider]

Great RR, Read every word.

.

Truly a trip down memory lane for me as I read along; some of the familiar territories mentioned.

You are right about the landscape, There are some interesting rock formations...

Heck, I didn't know there were so many darn windmills in Texas.

.

First pic of Ms. Piggy sideways, scared "tha bajeebers" out of me, read on to see it worked out okay.

You said it right, after 1500 miles in the saddle, you are not the same rider.

Really didn't think it would be that cold this time of year, but I see it was just as cold.

The worse part, as you said is having to stop for gas and turning off the electrics.

.

Congrats on finishing and making it home safely. Hope the frame is not bent on Ms. Piggy.

Enjoyed it, thanks for sharing.

 

[Lonestarrider]

Great report. That is tough enough for sure to stay in the saddle for that long in the cold especially at night. You never really know how cold you are until you stop.

 

[Lonestarrider]

Great report. That is tough enough for sure to stay in the saddle for that long in the cold especially at night.  You never really know how cold you are until you stop.

 

[BIODSL]

Thanks for the report and congratulations. While cold, it looks like the sun shone a bunch. I'm envious: rained an inch here today.

Total agreement about cold vs. heat. I can deal with 108, 28 for any extended period of time takes it's told on me.

 

[redtail]

Great report and very timely!

I have a BB1500, in my head at the moment, that includes Nevada, Utah, Arizona and SoCal. I know I should wait till spring but might not be able to.

I went through some of the same experience in the cold, when a heated vest quit working. I piled on what other shirts I had and used my rain gear as a wind breaker. It got me through, but at one point I realized I wasn't really prepared to survive the night if I had to pull over and wait out the storm. I'll pack better next time.

It is hard to explain to people who don't "have" to do these things, why we do these things! Great story and thanks for sharing!

 

[FJRBandit]

Enjoyed the RR BW. Great set of pics from what will be a lifelong memory for you! Thanks for sharing it with us and I hope Miss Piggy is OK.

 

[Desert FJR]

"Spotted a black FJR heading east somewhere between Benson and Wilcox. One of us?"

It was probably me if it was late morning of Dec 3rd. I waved to most people, but didn't focus on the type of bike. Great story!

 

[pcarrigan]

Great story and pics util you dumped her over in the sand. Luckly you didn't break off the clutch lever that sucks when your out in the middle of nowhere. I use to drive truck on that road with the highway paving project we would have to wait almost a half hour for that pilot car to get back. We dont mind motorcycles creeping up to the front of the line, its safer to pass when were sitting still. Congrats again on your BB1500 I'm planning a SS1000 pretty soon.

 

[ionbeam]

...Luckly you didn't break off the clutch lever that sucks when your out in the middle of nowhere...

That rarely happens to an AE.

 

[Mount Rainier]

Congrats on realizing your adventure. Thanks for taking the time to share.

Cold will zap energy much faster then heat. Good for you for having the good judgment to allow someone to jockey the FJR back to pavement. All and all you seem to have been thinking and making sound decisions all along the way, including the one to make the trip in the first place and the one to push on home to the SO.

We'll never be able to adequately explain it to the non-believers what the motivation for something like this is. It's just something that is done. We just need the endurance and adventure fix. :yahoo:

Keep Going!

 

[wheatonFJR]

Great report and excellent pictures of your "church".

THANKS for sharing. :clapping:

...Luckly you didn't break off the clutch lever that sucks when your out in the middle of nowhere...

That rarely happens to an AE.

Man, you know everything! :lol:

 

[scubabiker]

If someone made a farkle that would turn the FJR into a DRZ as soon as the front wheel went off road, life would be complete. Thanks for posting. I did 1127 miles in 18 hours last year, although fun, the time limit puts a damper on stopping to smell the roses along the way. Who knows what you could have learned from your new found friend

 

[BwanaDik]

Thanks for the comments guys, and yes I did get the glass of wine (or two) and the soak in the hot tub :yahoo:

Also found a video that pretty well depicts us trying to get Miss Piggy out of the ditch :lol:

 

[BwanaDik]

WOO HOO!!!

Got the special envelope from Mike last night! Certificate for the BB1500 complete! :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:

I had been sweating my single final witness documentation but I guess the rest of it was good enough to qualify.

What's odd is I never got an e-mail and I can't find where the check was cashed?? Oh well, job done, I'll throw some donations to the IBA later just to make sure.