mehaffydr
Well-known member
Thsi year the NSR took on a new format, 54 hour with two mandatory 3 hour rest bonus. with a max mileage before penalties start was 1400 for each 24 hour leg and at 1450 your are disqualfied. So this was all about planning the high point low mileage route not just how fast my FJR is.
I started planning on a lager map 5' x 8' posting all bonuses and then trying to find the best route. I laid out about 20 different routes trying to find the perfect combonation.Which as you will see I did not.
We all met up at the Comfort suites in Jackson MO. had rider meeting and were told to be at opur bikes before 5:30 am.
I set the alarm for 4:30 and was off to get as much rest as possible as this would be limited the next 54 hours.
Up at 4:30 and got all packed had a little breakfast and out to the FJR. At about 5:45 am everyone was ready to go so they let us out the gates a little early.
I was off to my first boni in Louisville KY. got ther by 9:30 am. get the boni and was off to boni #2 in Ohio and #3 in Ohio also. after getting these boni I had already knocked out about 500 miles. Then off to the farthest boni on this leg which was in Wheeling WV. Lucily I must have been ther just in time because they were closing roads for some kind of parade but I made it through before it was to late. Now I needed to review my route to make sure I could make the check pointe on time. I was about 1.5 hrs ahead of schedule :clapping:
So I headed south to get a boni In Marrietta Ohio and then to Huntington WV. So far all boni are going smooth no problems at all. Here I need to get fuel so for the first time since starting I check my Cell phone and have a message from the Rally Master
I call him and he tells me they are a little worrried because my SPOT Tracker hadn't moved in hours. I assured him all is well and corrected the problem with the SPOT.
I thought I should recheck the last 500 miles on the route and relized if I wanted all the boni I planned I would go over on mileage which has a severe penalty and elimination if too excessive. So I rerouted missing 1 Boni in Ravenna KY about 300 points :angry: But i have plenty of time so I get the bonus I can and head back to check point hotel in Jackson MO. Get there about 90 min early get checked in and go for a few hours sleep. 1st half done with a total of 1385 miles just under the limit.
Alarm is going off at 8:30 am SAT morning I get up and think what the Hell am I doing? Then I regroup and get my shit together head to the bike load up and off to get the rest bonus recipt. Today I decide to go to Pratt kS even though the forcast is for 100 deg + temps in the afternoon. This is what I believe is the winning route and I am going to dam well ride it.
So first stop is about 120 miles away in West Plains MO. Small easy bonus. then next stop is 200+ miles so off to burn some fuel. I go to Fort Pratt KS., there is a bonus for any National Park Stamp and this one is right on my route. That was also easy so I am off to humbolt KS. Then Pratt KS. got both of those higher point boni and was feeling good Physically and about my ride so far. My next boni in Northern OK required light for photo and my GPS says I arrive at 9:00 pm. SO no time to loose this is a high point bonus. I role into this bonus with just enough lite for the Photo. BAGGED and moving on.
So now I am about 750 miles into leg two, time to recheck this leg for miles and time on remaining boni. Its looking OK but kind of close on time because my last 350 miles ore twisted two lane in Northern AR. and Southeren MO. So as I am approching the Ok AR border at about 3:00am I pass a car on the two lane and continue crusing When All Of a Sudden The Place Lit UP Like FREAKIN CHRISTMAS.. OK. state Trooper to be exact. So I just lost the 150 point bonus for keeping my license in the Envelope but didnt get a performance award because he really didnt know how fast I was going just new it must have been over the Limit :yahoo: He was nice about it and only cost me 5-10 min. So I am causiuosly off to AR. for next bonus. A picure of POPEYE the Sailor guy. Got that and rechecked GPS to final check point. HOLY SHIT I am going to get in only 30 min before closing and mostlly two lane. Get final Gas stop really fast fill tank and Cell and get moving across AR and MO. The sun is coming up so this seems to make me a little tired and I need my sun Glasses so 1 final short stop and quickly back in the saddle . I get into Rally hotel with about 10 MIN. to spare and 1360 mile. could have done another 40 miles that day so I gues I left a little on the table.
Now its time for scoring We did a self scoreing system were you enter your bonus and load your photo to the website then the Rally staff verifies. I entered all my stuff and thought a little sleep might be in order as I have just ridden 2750 miles in 51 hours. Just as I was about to pass out the phone rings and its my pal Smitty syas hey weres the banquet I am coming down. I say great whem will you get here (knowing he lives at least an hour away. and I want sleep) He says i am at the Jackson MO. Exit thats about 1 minute away.
So I get up and we head to the banquet to see how we did. we had an excellent BBQ and then the time comes for awards. I knew I had about 7500 points so when he announced 10th place with 6500 I was in the Top TEN :yahoo: As Jim went up the list this is when you dont want to here your name. Mine came O to soon as I placed 7th. So back to that route planning, I rode plenty of miles but there were 6 people who found a way to gather more points.
Overall it was a great time mostly good weather. A little Hot but almost no rain. Perfect for knocking down miles.
I started planning on a lager map 5' x 8' posting all bonuses and then trying to find the best route. I laid out about 20 different routes trying to find the perfect combonation.Which as you will see I did not.
We all met up at the Comfort suites in Jackson MO. had rider meeting and were told to be at opur bikes before 5:30 am.
I set the alarm for 4:30 and was off to get as much rest as possible as this would be limited the next 54 hours.
Up at 4:30 and got all packed had a little breakfast and out to the FJR. At about 5:45 am everyone was ready to go so they let us out the gates a little early.
I was off to my first boni in Louisville KY. got ther by 9:30 am. get the boni and was off to boni #2 in Ohio and #3 in Ohio also. after getting these boni I had already knocked out about 500 miles. Then off to the farthest boni on this leg which was in Wheeling WV. Lucily I must have been ther just in time because they were closing roads for some kind of parade but I made it through before it was to late. Now I needed to review my route to make sure I could make the check pointe on time. I was about 1.5 hrs ahead of schedule :clapping:
So I headed south to get a boni In Marrietta Ohio and then to Huntington WV. So far all boni are going smooth no problems at all. Here I need to get fuel so for the first time since starting I check my Cell phone and have a message from the Rally Master
I call him and he tells me they are a little worrried because my SPOT Tracker hadn't moved in hours. I assured him all is well and corrected the problem with the SPOT.I thought I should recheck the last 500 miles on the route and relized if I wanted all the boni I planned I would go over on mileage which has a severe penalty and elimination if too excessive. So I rerouted missing 1 Boni in Ravenna KY about 300 points :angry: But i have plenty of time so I get the bonus I can and head back to check point hotel in Jackson MO. Get there about 90 min early get checked in and go for a few hours sleep. 1st half done with a total of 1385 miles just under the limit.
Alarm is going off at 8:30 am SAT morning I get up and think what the Hell am I doing? Then I regroup and get my shit together head to the bike load up and off to get the rest bonus recipt. Today I decide to go to Pratt kS even though the forcast is for 100 deg + temps in the afternoon. This is what I believe is the winning route and I am going to dam well ride it.
So first stop is about 120 miles away in West Plains MO. Small easy bonus. then next stop is 200+ miles so off to burn some fuel. I go to Fort Pratt KS., there is a bonus for any National Park Stamp and this one is right on my route. That was also easy so I am off to humbolt KS. Then Pratt KS. got both of those higher point boni and was feeling good Physically and about my ride so far. My next boni in Northern OK required light for photo and my GPS says I arrive at 9:00 pm. SO no time to loose this is a high point bonus. I role into this bonus with just enough lite for the Photo. BAGGED and moving on.
So now I am about 750 miles into leg two, time to recheck this leg for miles and time on remaining boni. Its looking OK but kind of close on time because my last 350 miles ore twisted two lane in Northern AR. and Southeren MO. So as I am approching the Ok AR border at about 3:00am I pass a car on the two lane and continue crusing When All Of a Sudden The Place Lit UP Like FREAKIN CHRISTMAS.. OK. state Trooper to be exact. So I just lost the 150 point bonus for keeping my license in the Envelope but didnt get a performance award because he really didnt know how fast I was going just new it must have been over the Limit :yahoo: He was nice about it and only cost me 5-10 min. So I am causiuosly off to AR. for next bonus. A picure of POPEYE the Sailor guy. Got that and rechecked GPS to final check point. HOLY SHIT I am going to get in only 30 min before closing and mostlly two lane. Get final Gas stop really fast fill tank and Cell and get moving across AR and MO. The sun is coming up so this seems to make me a little tired and I need my sun Glasses so 1 final short stop and quickly back in the saddle . I get into Rally hotel with about 10 MIN. to spare and 1360 mile. could have done another 40 miles that day so I gues I left a little on the table.
Now its time for scoring We did a self scoreing system were you enter your bonus and load your photo to the website then the Rally staff verifies. I entered all my stuff and thought a little sleep might be in order as I have just ridden 2750 miles in 51 hours. Just as I was about to pass out the phone rings and its my pal Smitty syas hey weres the banquet I am coming down. I say great whem will you get here (knowing he lives at least an hour away. and I want sleep) He says i am at the Jackson MO. Exit thats about 1 minute away.
So I get up and we head to the banquet to see how we did. we had an excellent BBQ and then the time comes for awards. I knew I had about 7500 points so when he announced 10th place with 6500 I was in the Top TEN :yahoo: As Jim went up the list this is when you dont want to here your name. Mine came O to soon as I placed 7th. So back to that route planning, I rode plenty of miles but there were 6 people who found a way to gather more points.
Overall it was a great time mostly good weather. A little Hot but almost no rain. Perfect for knocking down miles.
