FJRForum Official 2015 Iron Butt Rally Tracking/Analysis thread

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PS: One comment regarding RiderX's statement "you are guaranteed good sleep at every checkpoint." My experiences were it was really difficult to close the laptop and turn out the lights and not keep tweaking my route plan so I could get to sleep. However, by then, sleep always came quickly. :)
I don't get it. At checkpoints there is nothing to route (in most past rallies). You get your fresh rally pack in the morning after a good nights sleep, no?

 
New pictures up from late yesterday and today, including the fun with hair. Just keep scrolling down to find more pics.
https://mls2go.blogspot.com/
Great photos!

The one captioned

"Lisa Landry dispensing IBR wisdom" may need to be modified---

Actually, my guess is the wisdom is going both ways. That's 1997 IBR Winner Rick Morrison
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HRZ- I don't know if Eric E. wants to swap the brake arm or not at this late stage, I was merely making the observation that having it would have been good planning.

Good on you for the offer/action. It may be possible to run the IBR on one set of PRes,but speed & temps will take their toll.

If I get a chance to talk to him I'll ask. My phone is 435-817-0809 if you need to reach me.

Eric V.

 
Things Get Real

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Picture Courtesy of Tobie Stevens

For as many pictures come up when you Google "Iron Butt Rally"--It's not a coincidence that you don't find any relevant pictures when you add the two words "Riders Meeting" to the mix. As the final riders cleared technical inspection sometime today and the afternoon hours wane in Albuquerque--there is about to be the most critical meeting for all riders and staff in a stuffy private room deep inside the hotel. This is a meeting you don't want to miss! I've been in it three times as a rider and twice as a staff member...IT'S ALWAYS INTENSE!

I've been watching riders this afternoon on my FB feed telling friends and family how "Things are about to get serious", "See you in 11 days!", and "Watch the official dispatches, I won't be posting anymore." and know these are all temporal tick marks the shift from "getting ready for the ride of your life" to "I'm about to start the ride of my life....gulp!"

In fact, I've worked at badged government facilities with less security than it takes to get through the gauntlet of staff protecting the doors of that room Rally Mistress Lisa will lead a meeting in. Last minute changes, protocols, , word of caution, technical details, and words of encouragement for the next 3 1/2 days.

I am actually nervous as I type this!

Expect that the next dispatch from Chris CImino later this evening to be both a treasure trove and a tantalizing tease of details about the rally in the next 24 hours or so.

There probably will be a pictures tomorrow morning leading up to the starting line at 10 a.m. MDT, lots of colored hair on Facebook feeds, and expect that aggregate SPOT map to have motorcycles fan out in lots of directions from ABQ.

My good friend, long-time forum member, & photographer Tobie Stevens has promised a direct feed of some of his special photos to share here. You all will be in for some special photo treats the next 11 days!

Remember that the first checkpoint is ABQ again on Thursday....so how much distance can riders cover in 23 hours before reaching apogee and 23 hours then to return? For one of our FJR riders, hopefully he'll be the first out of the gate after securing the most claps from the banquet/last supper this evening. I secured that position in 2013 with a horrible haircut, but I'm not sure died hair is a better alternative. Eeeeeek....snake!

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PS: One comment regarding RiderX's statement "you are guaranteed good sleep at every checkpoint." My experiences were it was really difficult to close the laptop and turn out the lights and not keep tweaking my route plan so I could get to sleep. However, by then, sleep always came quickly.
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I don't get it. At checkpoints there is nothing to route (in most past rallies). You get your fresh rally pack in the morning after a good nights sleep, no?
Maybe yes, maybe no. Since you're not on the clock checkpoints are the time and place to accomplish certain tasks. Depending on your circumstance there can be things that need attention. Equipment failures are common and sometimes bikes require attention. I've ridden two IBR's and did most of each without anytime of throttle lock; on both rallies I had those damn things fail. Comm issues are also prevalent. I've decided Zumo mount are a consumable since they seem to fail so much.

In 2013 all my food was on the bike. I had care packages staged at each checkpoint and replenished the bike with Ensure, trail mix and Clif bars at each. Oh, and don't forget to replenish water. Need to wash some LD Comforts? Why not do it off the clock? Need to wash yourself? 11 days without a certain amount of hygiene and I guarantee a nasty rash.

I have found myself FORCING myself to sleep. There's always something else that you COULD do.

 
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Jeezus... I go away for a couple of days to ride in South Dakota and when I come back, I've got 9 pages of posts to catch up on!
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Matt/Iggy - really digging the insight from your view not only as a participant but also the historical aspects and inside scoop!!

AJ/HRZ - you rock! But I knew that already...
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Okay, so now I'm caught up, I've run out of likes for the day, and I am eagerly anticipating the next 11 days.

Wishing each and everyone of you all the best on your journey... we are all cheering for you from the sidelines!
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My good friend, long-time forum member, & photographer Tobie Stevens has promised a direct feed of some of his special photos to share here. You all will be in for some special photo treats the next 11 days!

Tobie Stevens' photo abilities are just stunning....
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He snapped off this shot of Annie and I this morning...

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Ok, this photo deserves further comment.

In this photo, we see Mark Crane and Eric Jewell lining to do their Odometer Course runs, getting screamed at by moi for arriving to the hotel with 29 minutes until Tech Inspection closed. And also holding up all other check-in personnel... these two are always the last riders to show:

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As a result of this transgression, Lisa Landry has immediately added a new IBR rule: The "Eric Jewell" Rule: all riders *must* check in on Saturday. No more of this pushing the time limits during check-in business...
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Wow, looks like the bonus locations were chosen with a shotgun and a map!

 
Any intel on why the riders needed their laptops at the banquet?
Various pictures I saw had a minority with laptops. I don't know there was a "need". I thought the picture with Austin in the background, a picture of a bound rally book, and one of those pages having a table, people crunching data, etc....... indicated a tough puzzle.

 
I'll be watching this thread. I've never followed any of this before, but am intrigued, especially since I personally know a contestant (Tony). It's all foreign to me, so it'll be a learning process to follow what's happening. I found this page https://www.ironbuttrally.com/IBR/2015/Day-3.pdf and it was helpful in understanding how this works.

Best of luck to all the riders...especially Tony! :)

 
Mmm, I'm surprised that the large sarge posted photo's to Facebook in which one can read some of the bonus locations...
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It matters not.... all riders were given the *entire* bonus listing for all three legs last night.

What they - and the public - don't know is what bonuses are available to them on what leg, time constraints for that bonus, and what they must do to satisfy bonus requirements.

If anyone hasn't figured it out yet, riders are visiting National Parks this year. There are well over 300 of them. Ponder that.
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It matters not.... all riders were given the *entire* bonus listing for all three legs last night.
That's new isn't it? Kind of removes the world of the unknown of wondering what big bonuses are going to be in the next leg. Also time to plan each leg while off the clock in the beginning. Interesting...very interesting.

 
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