FJRForum Official 2019 Iron Butt Rally Tracking/Analysis Thread

[Ignacio]

Special Notes for Participants and Watchers of this thread

1. Please refresh your browser sparingly during the Iron Butt Rally. If the forum experiences slowness--every time you refresh it only makes it worse for you and everybody else.
2. Also, for riders support request, please create another thread in this area. They need separate conversations and not cross-posted to this analysis/tracking thread.
3. The Iron Butt Rally is for the riders and not the followers. The organizers, volunteers, and all of us on this thread will be focused on rider needs and making sure they safely get home to their loved ones. While we have the privilege of a special virtual seat here, we're not going to add any drama that potentially distracts from riders' experience and safety...or the event organizers...or the stated goals of the Iron Butt Association.

Thank you and enjoy this special view of the rally--often with commentary from past IBR finishers.

FJRForum Management

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Official website including Daily 2019 IBR Reports

https://ibr.wvi.com/

2019 Spotwalla Tracking Page

https://spotwalla.com/locationViewer.php?id=664

Past Years IBR Reports, Rally packs, and other ephemera

https://ironbutt.com/?p=A664ABFB35EE69C6573E469384833B69

FJRForum Official 2019 Iron Butt Rally Tracking/Analysis Thread

FAQ For Watching Riders:

Q: Why are there orange icons mostly on the GPS tracking and occasionally a green?

A: Orange are breadcrumbs and the default transmission. Green means they pressed the "OK" button and usually mean things like, "I'm OK. I snagged a bonus. Something interesting happened. Other colors (e.g. yellow or red) are possible, but indicate "Help" and "911" respectively. If yellow occurs, certain people are notified the rider is concerned about something. While we likely wouldn't see a red...authorities are notified.

Q: Why do they appear to jump, pass each other, or not quite be in sync with the current time.

A: Transmissions occur nominally every 10 minutes or so, but can be delayed a bit more in the aggregate page for all riders. While we can't see the full details of the timestamp other than the date, delays are likely up to 20 minutes or so. And since rider's units are not necessarily synced up with each other--this can give the illusion of jumping. Treat the locations as an estimation.

Q: Why don't the numbers match up with riders and jump around?

A: They've done this on purpose so individuals can't be tracked for competitive, safety, and other reasons. Rider numbers are randomly rotated several times throughout each day. The page is meant as an aggregate indicator of where the field of riders generally are.

Q: Why can't I see individual riders GPS tracks?

A: Individual riders are allowed to share their individual pages with family and close friends subject to very strict rules including not sharing on social media or publicly as part of the large "going dark" rules. They can face serious scrutiny and/or penalty if they do...so are guarded in who they give access. If you known somebody, please don't bug them during the rally. If they didn't share with you before the rally--it's a choice. Remember this is THEIR rally...not yours..

Q: Can I come to a checkpoint and see what's going on?

A: Yes! You're encouraged to. Just please follow these principles outlined by Lisa Landry, Rally Master: "We love spectators and the energy they bring to event, not to mention the support offered to riders. We ask that you park away from the designated rider area and be sure to leave space for riders to easily access the hotel from the parking lot, especially as we get into penalty minutes."

Tidbits confirmed on the way:

• 6/13/ Bill Watt (IBR Finisher) is hosting a thread on ADVRider at https://advrider.com/f/threads/2019-iron-butt-rally-thread.1384517/
  
• 6/17 Three "group photo" bonuses in the rally with at least one during Leg 1 per Warchild. Fontana Dam on Leg 1, Astoria Lighthouse on Leg 2, Unknown for Leg 3.

Aggregate page for SPOT Tracking
https://spotwalla.com/locationViewer.php?id=664

2019 IRON BUTT RALLY HEADQUARTERS/START

All Start and Finish activities at:

Greenville Marriott
One Parkway East
Greenville, South Carolina 29615
(864) 297-0300

CHECK IN WEEKEND
Saturday, June 15

Tech Inspection/Odo Check 8am - 4pm
Rally Check In 8am - 4pm
Last Chance Dinner 6pm - Sold Out

Sunday, June 16

Tech Inspection/Odo Check 8am - 10am
Rally Check In 8am - 11am
Start Banquet 5:00pm - Sold Out

RALLY START
Monday, June 17
Motorcycle Impound 8am
Rally Start 10am

CHECKPOINT 1 INFORMATION - Thursday, June 20, 8pm - 10pm
Hilton Garden Inn Tri-Cities Kennewick
701 North Young Street
Kennewick, Washington, 99336

Penalty points accrue at 8:00:01pm
Scoring opens at 5pm
Leg 2 information distributed at 4am, June 21

CHECKPOINT 2 INFORMATION - Sunday, June 23, 8pm - 10 pm
Hilton Garden Inn Tri-Cities Kennewick
701 North Young Street
Kennewick, Washington, 99336

Penalty points accrue at 8:00:01pm
Scoring opens at 5pm
Leg 3 information distributed at 4am, June 24 Checkpoint 1

FINISH - Friday, June 28, 10 am

Penalty points accrue at 8:00:01am Scoring opens at 5am
Finishers' Banquet 6:30pm - Sold Out

Iron Butt Rules

2019 - https://ibr.wvi.com/ibr/2019/IBR2019Rules.pdf

In the past IBR threads (almost 8 years worth, starting in 2007 IBR), we have tried to keep the threads up-to-date and current as much as possible. Ignacio will manage the thread and after Warchild releases all IBR riders at the Monday morning start, he may be on the road for some time and may not have much day-time communication.

Here we go......

 

[Warren]

Thanks for the update, now back to lurking

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Does the rally conclude in Washington or South Carolina?

 

[Ignacio]

Does the rally conclude in Washington or South Carolina?

Pasted from near the top of the first post:

All Start and Finish activities at:
Greenville Marriott

One Parkway East

Greenville, South Carolina 29615

 

[Max Wedge]

Is there going to be public access to Spotwalla, or has that become too much of an issue? I see a password is needed right now....

And thanks to the FJR guys for letting us Bi-yearly members show up and flood the place.

 

[Ignacio]

Is there going to be public access to Spotwalla, or has that become too much of an issue? I see a password is needed right now....

Very likely. I imagine they'll do the same as the past few years with an aggregated page where you can see location of the field at the moment and numbers rotate around so one can't identify specific riders for any length of time. I changed "TBD" to "To Be Linked" for clarity. Once they announce the link--I'll include it on this thread.

 

[heynowref]

YIIPPPEEE!!!

 

[dudeckp]

(Reno)John, suggested a reminder/motivation message to put his IBR page together again this year.

Probably: https://renojohn.com/bike/iba2019/

Says he'll be at the start, so it would be a couple of days before going live.

Anyone else (who can't get enough IBR over the next two weeks) want to see John's page again this year???

 

[grommet]

In for this year's rally.

And I have an FJR now. I picked up Hotboot's '05 a few weeks ago. Fiona. She's been well taken care of.

I'm not ready for any rallying but doing plenty of LD riding. Heading to Alaska next month.

Thanks to all who make this a great place to watch the IBR.

 

[eddiememphis]

The second leg should be interesting. My guess is a lot of points in the southeast US and Alaska may be in play as well.

Last time northeast Canada proved to be to game winner, so that may be a factor as well, but these devious characters keep mixing it up so who knows what's going on.

I am very excited to see the bonus list.

 

[RJAMT]

I'm leaving in the morning to go to hang out, look at the bikes and cheer them off at the start.

Considering they have to get up to Washington then back down to South Carolina I expect to see some of them again around St. Louis once I get home.

 

[Flash9]

I went to the start in Minneapolis to watch & cheer on friends two years ago, amazing to look at some of the set ups on the bikes.

 

[dougc]

Ira posted new parking lot video this morning, was able to catch it live.

 

[brady]

Thanks for posting this Matt. I'm excited to head out to check point #2 next Sunday.

 

[Warren]

Ira also put out a second one this afternoon.

 

[Ignacio]

A little analyses of some of the pictures starting to flow out of the IBR preparation:

1. Emergency contact cards. These laminates hang from riders necks with a provided lanyard and riders present them just minutes before the start to typically be punched as odometers are read. Basically a final roll call of who's riding. You get used to wearing them, dread having to pull out during the rally to remember the rally master's phone number, or in case somebody comes across you at the scene of an accident. They're typically also worth points as you turn them back in at the end of the rally.

2. Rally Waypoints. These USB devices have the necessary digital files for the event..usually waypoints in a few different formats including .gpx, .xls, .txt, and probably others since I rode last.

3. Marriott Points. Rally Master, Lisa Landry, has a prediliction for Marriotts and always gets riders good room rates. It does help to get a loyalty card for this hotel chain and usually by the end of the IBR you've racked enough points for a free room night to use after the rally.

4. Darkside. I shudder to include this one for fear the inmates from our very own NEPRT thread stage a thread coup, but but CT's do happen in the IBR.

5. Entertainment while you ride. I saw this and laughed. Skooterg gave me one of these in the 2009 rally that I mounted to my top case and could see it in my rear-view mirror as the miles chugged by and I raised one elbow....just....so. Unfortunately, for me the gift failed catastrophically before the 2nd checkpoint and looked like a hula girl in a saw-the-girl-in-half magic trick gone horribly wrong. What was extra-unfortunate for me is that I had spent the first two legs figuring out the actual oscillation rate and then the third leg estimating the number of cycles before it had failed. One does very strange things over the course of 11 days riding many, many hours each day.

6. It's just a flesh wound. One would think tearing apart a motorcycle is uncommon two days before the IBR starts, BUT every one I've seen clear back to 2005 has AT LEAST one person tearing into things to this level. I don't have stats, but I think most that do tear into their bike do end up finishing.

7. 11.50 gallons or less. I first helped tech inspection in 2005 and been the part of formally measuring 3 fuel cells via elaborate method involving highly accurate scales, hydrometer, thermometers, and a SAE-qualified engineer on hand. However, I was told the first day, "Measure the overall dimensions of the tank, figure volume in cubic inches, and divide by 231. This will give you gallons. If that measurement doesn't exceed 11.5 minus the rated size from the manufacturer of the tank (FJRs are 6.60) then they're fine." I see Brian is estimating the size to see if it might be one that bares extra scrutiny.

more later. company arrive and I have to make them gin and tonics.....school just ended here.

 

[doug5551]

Great post, Matt.

The only time I took off my emergency contact card to either sleep or shower, I would put it in my boot so that I would be sure to remember to put it back on.

I used a car tire on my FJR in the 2011 IBR and it performed perfectly. My riding partner had a catastrophic tire failure on his motorcycle tire and he was very lucky that there was a motorcycle shop close and open to get him back on the road. I tried to nap at a very nice Oklahoma rest stop while contemplating if I would be forced to go on without him. Was very happy he got it resolved and we could continue on together.

Earlier today I was reading one of your Spank ride reports. You describe how when on rally time, you just get your pic and then move on. I found a bonus you briefly visited and I am going to visit it and take pics to share with you as soon as I get to the location.

I am grateful to Jerry White for teaching me how neat it was to do Bonuses Revisited.

 

[Ignacio]

Mr. Harrison has dispatched his first report. Day -3 is up at https://ibr.wvi.com/

Of particular note was the reference at the end by the scribe that Jeff Earls sounds like he's delivering up a delectable puzzle for the riders.

 

[Warchild]

Mr Dan Simmonds was a victim of a Yamaha Throttle Position Sensor..... ring a bell?

The dealership had four technicians swarming his Tenere the moment they rolled it in the service bay.

They slapped their diagnostic computers to the bike to read the codes - Throttle Position Sensor failure.

Now comes the perfect part... there is only ONE Tenere TPS in stock in the entire US... and it's in Seattle.

It is being over-nighted as I type. If everything is good, Dan should still get through Tech Inspection tomorrow afternoon. Sunday is a legit backup time to do Tech/Odo, if that's needed.

And if it all goes bad and the new TPS doesn't solve the starting issue, we have other contingency plans in the works.

Bottom line is that this ************ is riding in this ******* event, and that's all there is to it. We are going to make this happen, whatever it takes.