First Saddle Sore

[Ludwig61]

Thinking about leaving the house between Boerne and San Antonio this Saturday morning, having lunch in El Paso, and sleeping at home. 2005 FJR1300 with the previous owner's RDL. No risers - I need 36" sleeves on my shirts. Stock windshield, which I normally keep down low. I do have earplugs. I normally run at speed limit +10 and don't expect to change that. I have a throttle lock (previous owner) and wish I had cruise control. I've spent more than 8 hours in the saddle several times and haven't had a problem. Maximum mileage was around 600.

Forecast is low of 58 here, high of 89 in El Paso. Riding from cloudy to sunny and back.

Water bottles and nuts in the pannier or trunk. Change of clothes and toiletries in case I get too tired and need to stop.

I normally ride without music. Might play some this time. Need to get my Powerlet to charge my phone - the jack in the phone is loose. I always carry a spare phone battery, and will also be carrying a USB charging block to recharge my Sena 20S.

Anything I'm missing? Any recommendations?

 

[steveoreno]

Good luck!

 

[Canadian FJR]

Tire plugs and a pump.

Have fun.

Canadian FJR

 

[101stpathfinder]

* Might notify your credit card about your plans.

* +1 on tire plugs and pump

* Witness forms and log (Extra pens)

 

[Teehaml]

Good luck Ludwig. Post up a little RR...

 

[hppants]

Share your route with someone you trust/love who can help you if you need it. Someone who historically doesn't panic.

The range of temperature will be significant. If you have mesh, I'd ride with that and layer up in the morning. Better than sweating bullets under that textile sauna in El Paso.

Hydrate

Hydrate

Hydrate

Drink lots of water.

Drink water like a camel.

When you think you are no longer thirsty, drink more.

Pretend that your next sip of water will be your last for the next 10 days.

Oh - and one last thing.... please remember to hydrate.

 

[SFCJCA]

In addition to what has already been mentioned, I would pack chapstick, ibuprofen, eye drops and a waterproof, zip lock bag for receipts.

 

[Bugnatr]

Share your route with someone you trust/love who can help you if you need it. Someone who historically doesn't panic.
The range of temperature will be significant. If you have mesh, I'd ride with that and layer up in the morning. Better than sweating bullets under that textile sauna in El Paso.

Hydrate

Hydrate

Hydrate

Drink lots of water.

Drink water like a camel.

When you think you are no longer thirsty, drink more.

Pretend that your next sip of water will be your last for the next 10 days.

Oh - and one last thing.... please remember to hydrate.

I tried this on my first SS and had to stop to pee too much. Just drink like you normally do and some motrin if you get a little sore later in the day. Have fun!

 

[CraigRegs]

Don't feel hurried. It's 1000 miles in 24 hours, not 1000 miles without a break. There's plenty of time for a quick nap, a meal, and bathroom breaks. Good luck, ride safe, and enjoy!

 

[graler]

Good choice of route. Think of it as 6 discrete rides - each one a tank of gas long - mentally this is easier to process than thinking about 1000 miles. Your speed will allow you to be pretty loose at stops. Water is your friend even a few days before you start.

 

[Spud]

I've done a couple. Coincidentally El Paso is my preferred destination, it's just under 1100 miles from my house and a hell of a fun trip down there. Here's my advice. First time I did it I left at 4:00 am. Got down there a little before 9:00 pm and was pretty beat, was racing the sun not wanting to get there in the dark. Didn't sleep real great the (part) night before anyway.

Second time I left at midnight. To me it was the funner ride. Knocked out a ton of miles alone with little to no traffic, did all the dark riding while I was full of energy. Got to El Paso before dinner and felt a lot less tired than the first time. So--- consider leaving really early.

 

[BigOgre]

All good advice. Craig's post and carrying lip balm jumped out at me especially. My contribution would be to find podcasts or something similar to add to your listening pleasure. I can only listen to music for so long while riding but a good story or ball game can pass the time nicely.

 

[HelzBelz]

Unless you have a great memory - a notepad or someother device, to note things you wish you'd brought, for next time. And by the way, drink drink drink.. Water water water. Stay away from caffeine if possible.

Oh, one more thing. Drink water. lots of it. It's better than coffee to keep you awake.

You got this... piece of cake..

 

[Spud]

In addition to what has already been mentioned, I would pack chapstick, ibuprofen, eye drops and a waterproof, zip lock bag for receipts.

Good list. I like these for my eyes. Routine at every gas stop: get your receipt, lube your [eye]ballz and lips, ask yourself "why the F am I doing this again??!!!"

 

[Ludwig61]

Canadian and 101st, I have no experience with plugs and hadn't thought about them. I do carry a floor pump when I ride as a support vehicle at charity bicycle events, so that's easy to add. Amazon should deliver my Stop&Go plug kit Friday.

HPPants, that is exactly my plan. Mesh jacket with a zip-out waterproof liner and a separate quilted jacket under that, mesh overpants over cargo pants, mesh boots. Insulated "winter" gloves to start out, summer gloves after it starts getting warm. Shed and restore layers as early as I think about it. Any longer means discomfort.

SFCJCA, hadn't thought about pain meds, chapstick, or eye drops. I find drops make my vision very blurry and normally prefer oral hydration. It might be my RGP contacts. I normally wear Oakley Radar Range inside a full helmet to keep my eyes moist, anyway. I might as well take drops as it is better to have and not need, than need and not have. A ziplock will live in my trunk.

Bugnatr, I do worry about needing to stop to pee, particularly given the distance between public restrooms on this stretch of road. I probably won't mind that in the back part of the ride, though. HT to HelzBelz on using it to keep me awake.

Craigsregs, I'm planning to treat this like my Houston-and-back trips. Stop whenever I feel like it, even not be successful, if that's what it takes to be safe.

Graler, I normally drink at least two liters every day at my sedentary job. Keeps me from sitting too long.

Spud, hadn't thought about starting that early. I guess it would be nice not to start with clear lenses, switch to dark, and have to switch back. But I'm planning on having lunch in Clint with relatives, so I can't move it too far up. And I'm really leery about deer. This will be my first, so I can't wonder why I'm doing it again, yet

Helzbelz, Google Keep is my primary list tool.

 

[BkerChuck]

I've only done 2 so far and am hardly an expert but will throw in my .02.

I found it helpful to plan all of my stops. Even the gas stops. By doing this it becomes a series of 5 or 6 smaller rides and I can easily see where I am against my proposed time line. I budgeted time for a fuel/bio/snack/water break at each stop. This enabled me to have a goal in mind with an allotted period of down time, about 7-10 minutes max. I knew at each stop where I was against a master time line and could easily adjust accordingly. I sometimes have back issues so I take ibuprofen before I start my ride and take one or 2 more at each stop to stay ahead of the discomfort. I also try to get off the bike and stretch when I get fuel to minimize any issues.

I use a tank bag and keep one bottle of water and some easy to handle snacks in there. With my modular helmet if I get caught up in traffic I can catch a few sips or a quick bite at a traffic light.

Beast of luck and I look forward to the report!

 

[Bill Lumberg]

Saline is your friend. When I'm doing a long run, I use a tank bag. Shades, saline, log book, receipts, etc. go in the bag. I photograph receipts with an iPhone as soon as they print. I fuel on the bike a lot of the time, only coming off a few times to take a leak and to grab a red bull or water (or photos for TOH). While I normally don't remove my modular helmet during runs, on an all-day run, I remove the helmet when I get off the bike, just to let blood flow. I use FOBO so I get tire pressure and temperature alarms, which is nice.

Everyone is different. When I'm on a bombing run, my fluid and food intake is minimal. I hydrate the day before and the day after, generally drinking only every other fuel stop and eating less frequently than that. On a particularly hot day, I drink half a bottle of water at each fuel stop. At the end of the run, once you're safely off the bike, nutrients found in one shot of Jack Daniels or a tall Miller High Life will usually offset those you may have depleted during the run.

Even on the best seat, I can't sit for 16 hours. Not in an office, not in a truck, not on a bike. So I stand frequently in the latter part of an all day run. I've been known to carry a cheap stadium foam/vinyl cushion in the topcase, for use during the middle third of a 1000+ mile run. I throw it away at a fuel stop. Not due to a seat deficiency, just something different to promote blood flow so I'm not sitting on the exact same pressure points all day.

 

[flars]

As mentioned earlier: an SS1000 is 'relatively' easy. There is PLENTY of time to make the ride. Lots of time to stop to stretch and relax. I rode my first one from Tampa Florida to Lavaca AL for lunch with the motorcycle tourer's forum. Lunch was 2 hours of bull snarking. I still made it back home with about four hours to spare. And I (probably) didn't go more than 8 over the limit. The route was 500 miles of interstate, 500 miles of two lane.

 

[PapaUtah]

Even going gonzo requires a break or two in there...take the time...don't fret...hydrate, pass on the greasy, starchy, sugary foods. Have some entertainment cued up, audio books even. Play mental games on the road...yep, anything to keep your mind active and alert. Track something then do all the stats on it in your head. Oh, and watch out for the Hell's Angels...although some of them will give you advice...