FJRForum Official 2017 Iron Butt Rally Tracking/Analysis Thread

[RJAMT]

Most Japanese are required to take English starting in middle school. As one poster mentioned, unless they live near an American military base they rarely get to practice speaking it though. Hopefully his reading skills will be up to the task.

Having lived in several countries I know it is far, far easier to read a different language than to speak it. In Madrid I often read the newspaper without problem then made a fool of myself trying to discuss it with my neighbors.

 

[Texas T]

In Japan second language skills begin being taught at the elementary level. the issue is few Japanese have an opportunity to use the spoken language.

I was probably 12 years old and we were visiting a nice garden outside of Tokyo when a college student ran up to me. I thought I had done something wrong, but all he wanted to do was practice his English skills.

 

[rickcorwn]

The banquet is finished, the rally packets are handed out and the riders are now trying to wrap their heads around the concepts of "strings". A very special honor was awarded to Paula by Lisa Landry, there wasn't a dry Team Strange eye in the house. Updated photo gallery here

This incredibly prepared '77 GL1000 was in the hopeless class.

Even a beautifully welded skid plate!

I swear the rally riders get younger every year.

Rally packets, every rally rider's object of desire.

A packed house!

 

[jwhite518]

A very special honor was awarded to Paula by Lisa Landry, there wasn't a dry Team Strange eye in the house.

Delete the Team Strange, there was not a dry eye in the house, period. I was telling my wife about the banquet and when I got to that part it happened again. Damn, there is a lot of love for Peter and Paula.

Thanks for the great pics.

 

[Niehart]

Look in the RIP section to learn a little more about a very cool fellow.

Jerry's correct, great pictures. Thanks!

 

[FJR Flyer]

Dang, has the official IBR site crashed already????

"The service is unavailable."

EDIT: Its back online. Phew!

 

[Warchild]

The IBR site is taking a hammering the past three days, it is constanting throwing a 503 error, then it's back, then 503, then back, 503, back.... not a whole lot I can do about network traffic.

 

[Warchild]

Three hours to go until the Flag Drops. Riders are out by their bikes, nervous as a cat on a hot-tinned roof. Some of the rookies are shaking in their boots. I am about to go downstairs and see if I can wired them up any further....

"Hey, is that leak supposed to be there?!"

 

[FJR Flyer]

 

[SouthernCruizer]

If you really want to "wire them up", take a cup of dirty oil, puddle liberally under a bike or three!

(p.s. works best with HDs)

 

[cas42]

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

 

[cas42]

Oops. My attempt to quote Warchild came out all garbled up, so I'm doing it manually here:

"Three hours to go until the Flag Drops. Riders are out by their bikes, nervous as a cat on a hot-tinned roof. Some of the rookies are shaking in their boots. I am about to go downstairs and see if I can wired them up any further."

This is my first time following closely. Do they really stand by their bikes for almost 3 hours before the start?

 

[Ignacio]

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?

 

[danalipps]

"Three hours to go until the Flag Drops. Riders are out by their bikes, nervous as a cat on a hot-tinned roof. Some of the rookies are shaking in their boots. I am about to go downstairs and see if I can wired them up any further."

This is my first time following closely. Do they really stand by their bikes for almost 3 hours before the start?

 

[heynowref]

I know we've been asking about a live stream of the start for years - this year? or maybe Facebook Live?

 

[Ignacio]

"Three hours to go until the Flag Drops. Riders are out by their bikes, nervous as a cat on a hot-tinned roof. Some of the rookies are shaking in their boots. I am about to go downstairs and see if I can wired them up any further."

This is my first time following closely. Do they really stand by their bikes for almost 3 hours before the start?

It's not quite like you're required to be out there for three hours like some military standing-at-attention kind of thing. People are milling about, checking out of rooms, fiddling with farkles, talking with other riders, and doing last minute things.

That said, there is a critidcal period about an hour, half-hour or so before the start that you do have to be standing by your bike to get your odometer read and they use it as a final roll call of riders.

Once you get that done you could go back inside for a final bathroom break, toss your cookies, call your loved ones, have a final discussion with your shaman/shrink/auditor/higher power, etc.

Oh, and I see your handle name. Welcome to the forum and watching. Your hubby is on a short list of two that I'm rooting for to win,

 

[08FJR4ME]

I didn't think Wendy was going to be in the IBR this year. Looks like she is. I will be following her and wishing her the best of luck. Hoping for the podium at the end.

Dave

 

[Ignacio]

Not exactly a Facebook live feed (you'll have to look through your own friend list to see if anybody is doing it), but I did get a text from an observer at the line:

Hurry up and wait time. Parking lot is a ball of nervous energy.

 

[cas42]

@danalipps, thanks so much for helping me with my quote!

@Ignacio, thank you, I appreciate the explanation! Lol - that sounds a lot better (and less tiring) than what I had started picturing!

@heynowref, great idea on the FB Live!

Wishing all of the riders good luck and a fun adventure!

 

[RebeccaV]

Great pics, Rick C.!

Half and hour til liftoff. I'm not even there and I have jitters.