FJRForum Official 2015 Iron Butt Rally Tracking/Analysis thread

[yooperbikemike]

Just spotted an obvious IBR rider on a silver/grey GS in a red 'stich on US41/M-28 in Ishpeming MI about a mile south of my place.

Looks like he's headed to the Keweenaw Historical Park Bonus -- gonna be close to make it during daylight

 

[grommet]

I'm planning to be there for the finish on Friday. Riding out from Wichita Thursday, and will include some nice mountain riding along the way in northern NM.

Any tips for when I'm there? What not to do? I don't want to get in the way, but do want to welcome in my friend Mr. Weston. And if the staff needs any last-minute volunteers to help out with something I'd be glad to do so.

 

[Twigg]

A question for Twigg.
I am sure you had your favorites that you were rooting for when this started. Now that you have a bike in the rally, who are you pulling for more. The ones you knew? or the one you gave a bike to?

I am personally following three Spots, and my own bike is not one of them They are all friends, two of them I have rallied with more than once, and they are both running in the top 10. The other is just a great guy having a blast on his motorcycle.

I can't say I have a favourite. It's such a tough rally that I want them all to do well. I have other friends in this event whose Spot links I don't have, and I can't split them in terms of favourites.

I gave my bike to Allen Hatcher. He was in the top 20 after the first leg. I can only think that the 2nd Leg was quite traumatic for him. He looked completely shell-shocked when I handed my bike over to him. His K12 has 235000 miles on it and I don't think it has ever let him down before. I hope that he enjoys the ride, and that he manages a half decent result because having that kind of event happen to you during the IBR must be very hard to take. I look forward to some honest observations from him ... he won't hurt my feelings

Dammit ... I want them ALL to win !!!

 

[Shane]

Here's a few pictures from today's bonus collectors at the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site--one of the two bonuses in Iowa.

Corey Neuhring (2011 IBR vet) and I met in West Branch, and the pictures are from both of us. He was able to stay for the larger group that came through later, I just got to be there for Matt Wise. May go back again tomorrow if more head this way!

Matt Wise

Note the FLIR and the note to self that "This is Fun"

Corey snapped one of me taking one of Matt, taking one of the bonus...imagine if there had been a mirror!

I think this is Chris Ross, taking the long way...

Perry Karsten

White Gold Wing, not sure of the name...

And, Lyle Monroe

One more of me and Matt that Corey took. Very nice guy.

Shane

 

[nankoweap]

Updated animations...

The entire 2015 IBR as of July 7 at 8P Central...
https://spotwalla.com/animator.php?id=283&idt=L

2015 IBR - Leg One
https://spotwalla.com/animator.php?id=283&idt=1

2015 IBR - Leg two
https://spotwalla.com/animator.php?id=283&idt=2

 

[LKLD]

I'm sure this might be a contraversial post but........why not open the spot feed to everybody so we know who is who. Not only do members on this forum have 'private spot feeds' but from the daily reports its not too hard to tell who most of the riders are. What needs to be done is NOT post where the bonii are. This will keep us, the mere mortals, guessing but will also keep the idiots that feel they just have to stalk the riders at bay. I'm all for encouraging these guys/gals on their rides. But if you want to support them, show up at the checkpoints and give whatever support you can. It's been proven year after year that when a rider needs help, the community responds. That is awesome.
I'll admit, I'm on vacation and am drinking lots of beer. But Iggy told me to be more involved in the forum community so here I am

You know, I understand where this is coming from. It would be great to know more about who's doing what, and to get a feel for their intentions. It would also make following a particular person's travels much easier. I get it.
However, I still don't want that to happen....because of fear. Fear that it would begin to attract much more people. Fear that more people would attract attention of major corporations, or worse....media. I could see media grabbing onto this, and turning it into a friggin' circus. All of us then would be wishing for " the good ol' days", back when it was much simpler. The simplicity of this rally is part of the intrigue for me. Most people don't have any idea what this is, just ask someone. Having this, in it's current form, is a priceless little secret. There is a relatively small group of us following along, which makes this a much more intimate rally.

I'll gladly sacrifice any additional info, to keep this the best motorcycle rally in the world.

 

[Blubyu]

I'm sure this might be a contraversial post but........why not open the spot feed to everybody so we know who is who. Not only do members on this forum have 'private spot feeds' but from the daily reports its not too hard to tell who most of the riders are. What needs to be done is NOT post where the bonii are. This will keep us, the mere mortals, guessing but will also keep the idiots that feel they just have to stalk the riders at bay. I'm all for encouraging these guys/gals on their rides. But if you want to support them, show up at the checkpoints and give whatever support you can. It's been proven year after year that when a rider needs help, the community responds. That is awesome. I'll admit, I'm on vacation and am drinking lots of beer. But Iggy told me to be more involved in the forum community so here I am

This is a well-trodden discussion.

The Iron Butt Rally is held for the Riders, and the concerns of the spectators come a very distant last place.

The widespread adoption of SPOT, and the points available to encourage the use have implications for the safety and privacy of the riders.

Quite frankly, we are very lucky to get as much info as we do, and that is why everyone here and elsewhere who has access to private Spot links keeps very quiet about it.

Oh I totally get that. But read the thread...not everybody is really quiet about the personal SPOT threads they have access to. I just think that there is a happy medium to showing what they are doing and giving too much information. The reason for not showing total SPOT info was so that the riders couldn't get an advantage. I may be wrong but there are riders responding to this thread . If they are responding to this thread, they know what is going on. Either open it all up or impose infractions. Seems much easier to open it all up. I see no reason to impose infractions.

Require every rider to publish SPOT data and don't publish bonii. Best of both worlds right?

 

[Tyler]

Dammit ... I want them ALL to win !!!

In my personal opinion, they ARE all winners... just for taking this sucker on... for soldiering through situations that many of us can only imagine... and they keep on going... my kudos go out to every single rider who not only attempts this feat of riding but finishes... no matter the score... I hope each of them is proud of the challenge that they took on... I"m pretty sure we all are as are their families and friends. B)

 

[Uncle Hud]

Blubyu posted: <snipped> I'll admit, I'm on vacation and am drinking lots of beer. But Iggy told me to be more involved in the forum community so here I am

That right there got one of my scarce "likes" for the day.

==============================================

All y'all have it backwards.

Without the bonus listing, we'd just be watching a bunch of Spotwalla dots moving randomly around North America. Well, it would appear to us to be random, because we'd have no idea what the competitors were seeking. Landmark bridges? Statues of famous people? Presidential birthplaces? Who knows; maybe National Parks and National Monuments.

Nope. With the Rally Book and bonus locations, at least we can guess where they're going. Who's going there is still a mystery, but at least we know SOMEBODY is headed on a crazy all-or-nothing gamble to Provincetown for the Cape Cod bonus.

==============================================

And Miss Tyler hits it squarely, as usual. These folks are doing something I'm quite sure is beyond my capabilities.

I don't have the emotional stamina to deal with all the little shit that piles up inside my helmet in the heat and the rain and the tiredness and frustration because stupid traffic got you to the bonus a half-hour after sundown and now you're screwed because you wasted five hours for nothing and you don't really trust your GPS any more because it TOLD you to go this way but I've got four more days to go and how much money have I spent on this thing and even if I quit right now (which I really ought to do) I'm still 24 hours ride from home and ....

 

[Teehaml]

Bounce said:

If someone nurfed their bike trying to stalk a Spotter, I suspect the rules about public Spots may change like the rules were changed after the Dollywood fiasco.

I had to see what you meant by "the Dollywood fiasco"...

https://www.ironbuttrally.com/IBR/1999.cfm?DocID=16

 

[Ignacio]

Require every rider to publish SPOT data and don't publish bonii. Best of both worlds right?

The notion that organizers would ever require people to publish SPOT publicly is ludicrous and will never be done. In fact, after a report today (commented on in this thread) that a lookie-lou that may have wadded up a bike following a rider is a troubling sign that would concern me as a rider and organizer.

Organizers also for the very first time opened up the bonus list to live locations with rally. That's hugely unusual and they certainly didn't have to do it. They could lock it back down again until after every has visited a bonus as well...or not publish anything until the very end.

In fact, they could go completely black. No bonus list, no GPS anything shared, no reports. We could see riders off and then after its over they share who ended up winning after the banquet. It's been discussed and considered before.

Again, this rally is about the riders. Not you, not me, and not others that aren't riding. Trust the people that have been organizing it since 1984 know what they're doing and be tickled they're letting us be included in a significant way.

But Iggy told me to be more involved in the forum community so here I am

To clarify, what I suggested is if you're going to be promoting a product on this forum I'd encourage you to be involved in the forum as an FJR owner and forum participant. We really appreciate FJR owners first and foremost.

Enjoy the best open seat on the internet.

 

[Auburn]

I am thankful for the access we have been granted and hope that it will continue. I have learned more about rallying and the 2013 IBR is the reason we entered the How the West Was Won rally in Big Sky in 2013.

If we had more time, we would enter more rallies with the eye of someday trying to get into an IBR. But we have to settle for certificate rides for now.

 

[Teehaml]

That rider heading towards Bowling Green on 231 is having some heavy weather...

 

[eflyguy]

Doing the IBR on a Ninja 250 is just mind boggling.

FIFY

 

[Go Far]

And particularly poignant with some fresh adjective is the period of the rally we're entering. I call it The Fog, but Iron Butt Funk is an even better description.
Ride through the funky fog Iron Butt Riders!

Right about now- day 8/9- was when it happened to me. Carry on Riders!

 

[HotRodZilla]

IF a rider wadded up his bike while stalking an IBR guy, the responsibility falls on the rider. I would hope someone doesn't freak out and take stuff dark, but it could happen.

As much as everyone says this rally is all about the riders, I totally get that. However, without spectators, many events eventually fall off the map. This is the first IBR event I've ever watched, and it's been pretty interesting. To hear of them going and then coming back, with no ability to get updates or whatever would limit the number of people that get drawn into doing it, and I sure as heck wouldn't care about it. Haha...

There has to be a happy medium with the rider's safety and ability to run their route without being harassed being the top priority. I know a rider who wasn't happy that his route was discussed in one of the daily reports because it wasn't hard to figure out what he was doing and copy him from almost anywhere. He is not on the public SPOT because he wants his plan to be his plan. Paranoid, over competitive? Absolutely not. In my opinion, he's making good tactical decisions about HIS ride, and wants to keep others from reading his mind.

Hopefully, people don't do dumb stuff that brings unwanted attention to the riders. A good hello or a note is great, but pacing one and crashing is never good. I hope that's not what happened and some random guy just randomly crashed...we'll see.

Until then, I hope my guys keep cranking it out!

 

[discochris]

Looks like one rider up at Keeweenaw in the UP and one coming up thru Wisconsin to the Apostles. Wishing good vibes as its nasty deer country up this way after dark. I've ridden up this way at o'deer thirty many times including two MN1000 rallies, and a LS 1000, and keeping your wits is important.

 

[Blubyu]

But Iggy told me to be more involved in the forum community so here I am

To clarify, what I suggested is if you're going to be promoting a product on this forum I'd encourage you to be involved in the forum as an FJR owner and forum participant. We really appreciate FJR owners first and foremost.

Enjoy the best open seat on the internet.

Iggy - I meant no disrespect. My bad for throwing your name around. It was meant to be funny and it wasn't taken that way totally my fault.

I totally agree about people following the riders. I think that is a bad thing. If bonii weren't publishes but SPOT was, we'd still be able to speculate on the rally

And I totally agree we don't need the media involved. I'll now return you to our regularly scheduled broadcast.

 

[Twigg]

Lisa will never make Spot available like that, simply because of privacy issues.

I'm surprised she released the bonus locations in advance, the IBR has never done that before and it is very welcome.

Remember last time, all the speculating about where "Nutjob" was headed. A few knew, and they remained commendably silent while the speculation raged on.

We get more every Rally, and it will keep coming only as long as we behave

 

[RenoJohn]

Looks like one rider up at Keeweenaw in the UP and one coming up thru Wisconsin to the Apostles. Wishing good vibes as its nasty deer country up this way after dark. I've ridden up this way at o'deer thirty many times including two MN1000 rallies, and a LS 1000, and keeping your wits is important.

Ya, the riders up there have captured my attention too. After Apostles, I wonder if they'll continue to Voyageurs? ....if so, and since in the area -might as well go to Warroad, Bonus or not, it's not a genuine trip to MN unless it includes Warroad.

Hockey, beer, walleye. ....oh and rhubarb pie.