Saddle Sore 1000

[Frenchy750]

Now that some time has passed, I'd say that yeah, I might just do a super long distance ride again... if there was a good reason to. The Saddle Sore that I did was part of a cross country ride, from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles, and by knocking 1000 miles out in one day, it gave me more of an opportunity to spend time in Yellowstone (where it snowed... in September) and not have to rush each and every day to complete the trip in the time I had off from work.

That said, I don't really think that riding super huge mile days just to ride super huge miles is really my idea of fun. Of course, YMMV. I'm glad to know that if the need arose I can ride 1000 miles (or more) in a day. I used to ride with a guy that wasn't happy unless we did 500 miles. Every day. We rode from Los Angeles to Alaska and back in 17 days. I saw a lot of road, and not much else.

I'd rather ride 100 miles and meet people or see a weird town, the biggest ball of yarn... whatever, than just rack up miles for bragging rights.

Having said all that... the idea of the IBR IS interesting...... and would be a hell of a story.

 

[Frenchy750]

 

[squeezer]

Yea! Did the cert just arrive? When did you submit it? I've been waiting on a BBG cert since mid October (then again, I did the ride in July, so they've haven't taken as long to return stuff as I did to send it in).

 

[Bounce]

Congrats on the paper coming back!

 

[jzzmusician]

Congrats on the ride. I hope to do one someday.

Excellent write up too, and great pictures.

You obviously took them when you were moving. Was this a one handed thing, or did you have the camera mounted? I've got a 3000 mile ride coming up this summer and would like to take picture as we're moving.

Bob

PS - I just finished reading part two of your blog. How'd you fall over and what happens next? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[jwhite518]

Congrats on the cert. I read your ride report on the blog. Nicely done, and some super cool photos. WTG, dude!

No wonder you were not inspired to ride another one. That ride was lame ass boring. The mid west interstates are lame ass boring. I recommend doing another one somewhere with some hills and curves.

 

[08FJR4ME]

Congradulations and nice write up.

WHAT NO COFFEE!!!!

I can't exist without the brown goo. 20 cup's a day easy.

 

[fjrb0]

I'd rather ride 100 miles and meet people or see a weird town, the biggest ball of yarn... whatever, than just rack up miles for bragging rights.

You mean like this??

 

[jwhite518]

I'd rather ride 100 miles and meet people or see a weird town, the biggest ball of yarn... whatever, than just rack up miles for bragging rights.

You mean like this??

No rally flag in those photos...gonna have to deny you the points.

 

[Bungie]

Congrats on the SS bud!

Buddy at work and I are looking at doing a SS1K down to EOM 09. Blue-skying at this point is a 1700km run down to Knoxville, doing the Dragon and Shady Valley, then riding up to EOM via the Blueridge Parkway.

 

[Frenchy750]

Thanks everyone!

I submitted all my SS1K paperwork in early September, and didn't hear anything back until a few weeks ago, when I got an email from the Iron Butt people informing me that my ride had been accepted and certified. The certificate arrived a few weeks later.

JWhite 518 - Yeah, the ride was kind of boring, but I wanted to make sure that I could finish what I started. I think trying to rail through 1000 miles of curves and twisties would be too mentally and physically taxing.Like you said, there aren't really a hell of a lot of curves in that part of the country anyway, and my friend and I were in the middle of a coast to coast ride. Riding the 1000 in 1 just fit into our plans.

Also, if you know of a place where I can ride 1000 miles of curves, hills and twisties, let me know!

jzzmusician - I just took the pictures with the camera in my left hand, pointed in the general direction of whatever it was I wanted to capture while riding. The shutter on that camera, a Canon Powershot A590IS has a slow shutter, so it took some timing to figure out how long it would be from the time I pressed the button to the time the camera took the picture. I had plenty of time to figure it out on the SS ride!

08FJR4ME - Yeah, no coffee. No stimulants at all. Stupid, but rules are rules. I honestly didn't have any.

fjrb0 - Yeah! That's EXACTLY what I am talking about! Let's ride!!

 

[jzzmusician]

Frenchy750 said,

"08FJR4ME - Yeah, no coffee. No stimulants at all. Stupid, but rules are rules. I honestly didn't have any."

I guess that takes me out. I can't my motor started without a cup of coffee in the morning.

And.........how'd your bike fall over?

Bob

 

[Frenchy750]

Bob,

I fought the law of gravity, and the law won.

The day after finishing our saddle sore, Dark Meat Snack and I headed west. We were on this great, desolate road in Wyoming, flogging the snot outta our bikes. The road was dead straight, perfectly flat and surrounded by nothing at all for miles and miles. Kinda like a postcard.

The three remaining synapses fired in my tiny brain, and I thought... postcard! Picture! I'll take a picture! I motioned to my riding buddy to go ahead, then come back for his close-up.

He went down the road, I parked, dropped the kickstand, and BAM! the FJR was down.

I parked on a slight incline without really paying attention (something that I excel at, just ask my girlfriend) The FJR, being slightly top heavy, obeyed the law of gravity.

Fortunately for me, I wasn't pinned under the damn thing, but at the angle it fell, there was no way I could lift Rain Cloud Follows up. Amazingly, on this desolate road a pickup truck happened by at that moment. The driver jumped out and helped me lift the bike, while my clueless riding partner was still blissfully unaware, miles down the road.

Sometimes I think I need a new riding partner...

The entire trip write up is on my blog, and can be found starting here:

The Epic Ride Continues

 

[jwhite518]

Also, if you know of a place where I can ride 1000 miles of curves, hills and twisties, let me know!

Colorado, Utah, California come to mind.

 

[Frenchy750]

If we can include the world's biggest ball of string, I'm in.

When do you want to leave?

 

[Harald]

Yea! Did the cert just arrive? When did you submit it? I've been waiting on a BBG cert since mid October (then again, I did the ride in July, so they've haven't taken as long to return stuff as I did to send it in).

They seem to be running a consistant 3.5 months behind. I mailed mine in the end of Sept and just last week received the email I've been waiting for. Hopefully the certificate and plate frame is on the way soon! :yahoo:

Oh, and most importantly....

[SIZE=36pt]Congrats Frenchy750 !![/SIZE]!

 

[fjrb0]

If we can include the world's biggest ball of string, I'm in.
When do you want to leave?

Frenchy, there's actually two, and they are balls of twine, not string. One is in Darwin, MN, the other in Cawker City, Kansas. Distance between the two is about 610 miles. Now, there is the largest ball of string in Weston, MO, adding that to the trip gets you up to 877 miles. All this assumes you leave from Darwin, go to CC, then over to Weston. Personally, we only stopped at the ball because, well, it was about 450 from the house, sort of on the way to Sturgis, and was a nice mid day diversion. Much better things to see and do out there, but if you're close, well, why not!

Oh, and BTW, congrats on completing the IBA. The guy that rode with me on the VTX NEVER sent his paper work in....

 

[Frenchy750]

You know, it's funny. I don't think Abi sent his paperwork in either, and the Saddle Sore was his idea!

Certification is nice, but it's the ride, and the accomplishment that counts, at least to me. The IBA could've not counted the ride, but that doesn't mean we didn't do it.

I'm up for seeing big balls of string, twine, yarn... whatever. I'm trying to plan my riding season now, and I want it to be different than just hitting national parks.

 

[KrazyKooter]

I've been thinking of doing a SS2k, and this gives me a good idea. From Dallas, to Darwin, MN back to Cawker City, KS and the home would be enough miles. Plus, it is somewhat interesting....

 

[zorkler]

Great job , great write up , The pictures were the iceing one the cake as they say .