FJRForum Official 2017 Iron Butt Rally Tracking/Analysis Thread

[Uncle Hud]

Ndv21 posted: Correct me if I am wrong, but I understood that the riders were given all the bonus locations for legs 2 and 3 but not their point values. I am assuming that the point values for each of the leg 1 boni are known to the riders.

I think they know Leg 1 point values, too. My point is that this year's IBR might be scored like the Big Money Rally: no one cares when you collect the bonus locations. "Leg 1" bonus values may be worth double if collected during Leg 2. Or may be worth half if they're collected after the first check-in.

Now, I haven't read up on scoring and bonii and what have you -- so maybe us spectators do know those things. Wouldn't be the first time for me to be clueless.

 

[Ndv21]

Ndv21 posted: Correct me if I am wrong, but I understood that the riders were given all the bonus locations for legs 2 and 3 but not their point values. I am assuming that the point values for each of the leg 1 boni are known to the riders.

I think they know Leg 1 point values, too. My point is that this year's IBR might be scored like the Big Money Rally: no one cares when you collect the bonus locations. "Leg 1" bonus values may be worth double if collected during Leg 2. Or may be worth half if they're collected after the first check-in.

Now, I haven't read up on scoring and bonii and what have you -- so maybe us spectators do know those things. Wouldn't be the first time for me to be clueless.

I raise my hand on being the founder of the clueless club!

lol

It is also possible that leg 1 bonuses may not be available after the first check in...so who knows.

 

[Uncle Hud]

eggzackly.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Rider in Nevada is taking the gravel route to the Big Bovine of The Desert. Hard core.

Just crazy for a rider to go off of pavement… what the heck is the reasoning behind their actions ?

That's why I would ride some sort of a dual sport if I ever tried anything like this. IMO it gives the rider an edge over the competition.

 

[dcarver]

..and how many riders started with knobby tires?

 

[Ignacio]

Rider in Nevada is taking the gravel route to the Big Bovine of The Desert. Hard core.

Just crazy for a rider to go off of pavement… what the heck is the reasoning behind their actions ?

That's why I would ride some sort of a dual sport if I ever tried anything like this. IMO it gives the rider an edge over the competition.

I rode three IBRs and also have a dual sport in my stable. Never in any of those did I think a dual-sport of any type had an advantage over an FJR overall. The exact opposite in my opinion. The IBR is a transcontinental affair that just favors interstates by the nature of the miles it covers.

Even the most off-roadsy of IBR bonuses (Bristlecone in 2007 for example) with 30 miles of washboard x2 was still easily navigable by the FJR and only partly slower than a dual-sport for that small stretch. But back on the blacktop for 99% of the rest of the rally...FJR domination. And since 2007...the IBR is even less off-roadsy in my experience. My one time off-road in 2013 was totally my doing and still FJR rideable.

What I have found in the IBR though is they do occasionaly make some bonus locations encourage exploration of some naturally good two-laners, but then again the FJR eats the twisties up better as well.

 

[Niehart]

My one time off-road in 2013 was totally my doing and still FJR rideable.

Matt, wish I could find that video. JSNS

 

[dudeckp]

Just crazy for a rider to go off of pavement… what the heck is the reasoning behind their actions ?

That's why I would ride some sort of a dual sport if I ever tried anything like this. IMO it gives the rider an edge over the competition.

I rode three IBRs and also have a dual sport. Never in any of those did I think a dual-sport of any type had an advantage over an FJR overall. The exact opposite in my opinion.

I think he was just trying to get your GOAT.

Too soon?

 

[airboss]

https://goo.gl/images/DNjPkT
I'm sure the rider down in south texas paid a visit to this little gem

Got me thinking,

Maybe I should go camp out?

Rattlesnake Bridge, Tucson

 

[Ignacio]

My one time off-road in 2013 was totally my doing and still FJR rideable.

Matt, wish I could find that video. JSNS

Asked and answered:

What I did in 2013 and

. Note me about binning it about 3/4 of the way through and pure joy in my voice finding pavement near the end.
What I should have done instead.....all paved and WAY quicker & less stressful.

"Woulda, coulda, shoulda" - Jeff Earls, about the art of armchair analyzing your own rally after-the-fact.

 

[Dan S]

Rider in Nevada is taking the gravel route to the Big Bovine of The Desert. Hard core.

Just crazy for a rider to go off of pavement… what the heck is the reasoning behind their actions ?

maybe Ignacio can explain this. So what's the gnarlyist off road goat trail you've gone on Iggy? I couldn't take a dirt bike places that he's taken his FJR.

 

[marcusorelius]

Heck with the dual-sport. I would want a helicopter, he's been riding all afternoon in temps of 110 or more!

 

[Dan S]

You beat me to it. Your video does not show the first part starting up Hess "road" - ur is that "goat trail" Maybe that part was washed out the day I tried it but I turned around and road all the way back to Baker City, up 84 to LeGrande and came in the "back way" to Enterprise.

 

[Squirley]

I'm wondering if the rider showing in Vegas is on his way to Cabazon? They have the T-Rex from Pee-Wee's Big Adventure there, and the excessive heat warnings have finally been lifted here, so while still hot, it's much better than it was for the last week and a half...

Dude (or dudette!) stopped in Vegas to put money on themselves to win the IBR!!

^^^ Best comment so far

 

[Bounce]

Wow, Sunday's Day-1 report is up now -- and it's 17 pages!
https://ironbutt.com/ibr/_2017/2017IBR-Sunday-June25-Day-1.pdf

The actual list of riders is even included!

By my calculation there's a little less than two hours before the start. 58 degrees sounds and clear with a slight breeze sounds like a nice morning.

And I know that there are both butterflies in my riders stomachs as well also a sense of peace that you've had 18 months to get ready for this moment. Ying, yan, and you're gonna be starting an epic adventure.

Any IBR veterans lurking that have thoughts about what it's like the morning of the rally?

Only 3 hours by the bike? It seemed like an eternity that didn't have enough time in it. Besides... who could sleep?

I'm with the others who gnawed the gristle of self doubt.

 

[Bounce]

I remember graveyard hunting in the darkest hour of the night at GBU. We had 2 bright LED flashlights illuminating the bonus and the rally flags, while we took our pictures (pretty low-res as IBA standards dictated). Those point and shoots don't have the best low-light capability, but we managed, but perhaps the scorer's frustration mounts rider after rider.

You think point and shoots are bad you should try Polaroids at night

Speaking of Polaroids...

I was walking across the parking lot in 03 the evening before the bikes were to be in impound for the night. My Polaroid slipped from my hands, skittered across the parking lot, and assumed Dead Parrot status. I dashed to the other side of Missoula to a Walmart, snagged a replacement, tossed all the packing, and stowed it before dashing back to the starting line. It wasn't until some time later when I tried to take a late-night photo of the Helium Monument in Amarillo, TX that I learned the flash on the new camera didn't work. I went to a newby Walmart and found a like-replacement, took it to the cashier, explained it was only 2 days old, and was told that without both the receipt (which I had) and the original packing, they wouldn't accept it. I wasted an hour and a half with those chuckleheads (something that wears on any Rider). I gave up, headed back to the bike and was half way there when I realized I should buy the damned 3rd camera and be done with it. When I came back the cashier remembered me and the long discussion with the "manager". Turns out he was some self-important nobody who was wasting my time. The cashier got the real manager over who took the packing from their new camera and used it; giving me my replacement like should have happened before.

I had planned to be in OKC for my rest bonus but cooled my heels in Armadillo instead.

I'm still mad and that was 14 years ago. It also speaks to the mind-muddle several days into the rally. Some things seem obvious after some rest but all I could think of was the new camera and the hours until sun up (I had tried aiming my aux lights at the monument but even that didn't show up good enough to score the points).

 

[RJAMT]

My FJR did quite well "off asphalt". I just got scared of how much it would cost to fix when it inevitably went down on some remote forest road.

I would guess that reliability, comfort and range are tops on the list for an IBR bike.

 

[STL FJR]

There's a rider at our St Louis Zoo's "Giant Turtle Playground" right now. Certainly in keeping with the theme!

 

[Bounce]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that at least half the riders do not have a master plan, and have basically just said, "Screw it, I'm going to go ride and have fun."
Why do I say this?

1. Word problems are hard. Most people struggle with them.

2. From a computational perspective, this problem is beyond several that are well known in the computing universe as the toughest nuts to crack. The TSP, for example - the Traveling Salesman Problem. Without strings, the IBR is like the TSP but with an additional variable of point value. With strings, it moves to a whole new level.

3. Some of the crucial information needed to solve the puzzle is not available. With the TSP, you have everything you need when you start. If your data changes halfway through the route, the only thing you can do is start over.

The only logical approach is to do the best you can at every stage. Since no one else knows the missing information either, the best methods will still be the best methods.

But back to my point, even with advanced skills in algorithm design and math, the problem is huge. Since most riders probably don't have those skills, I think they'll just shrug and give it their best shot.

IOW, just have some fun, and ride a long way.

Yeah, I know some people have laptops running on the road crunching data. I wish them the best too, and I'll be interested to see what comes out of it.

As an aside, back in the simple 'no strings' days, I did a little work on applying a decent genetic algorithm to the IBR. Started with a

With luck, the designer has broken everyone's routing programs and forced them all to use their noggins.

 

[Bounce]

Rider in Nevada is taking the gravel route to the Big Bovine of The Desert. Hard core.

Just crazy for a rider to go off of pavement… what the heck is the reasoning behind their actions ?

Off road options have been normal for many IBRs.