SPANK Pre-Report

[Ignacio]

I'm planning to do an extensive and thorough write-up of this incredible event. Suffice it to say I had a great time, learned a bunch of things I plan to do better in the IBR next year, and a few things not to do.

I also had never been to New Mexico before and can safely say that I've seen a fair chunk of that state. :blink:

A couple of pictures:

Riding Friday evening from Joshua Tree, CA to Santa Fe, NM for a 15,000 point bonus meeting up with Ira Agins. (I'm the sweaty, slimy, and sunburned one on the right).

Saturday afternoon, 8/19. "Biblical" rain near Silver City, NM. I'm trying to get to Gila Cliff Dwellings before 5 p.m. closing for 8000 points, but there is just no way I can ride any farther. Hard rain, lightning, and a road being washed out makes me find this oasis of cover just before the even harder stuff hits.

The morning after the storm at about 9000'. 10 miles from Gila. The monsoon season is very strange in that about 50 miles away as the crow flies is very warm and dry. The bonus is worth about 5,000 points today.

The whopper of points that I saved until Wednesday morning, 8/16. Chaco Canyon Ruins are worth 17,000 points today and I can still make it to Colorado Springs 420 miles away........except that the multiple days of rain have turned this road into a pit of mud that feels like Honda Moly axle grease. I think the FJR looks like a dead cockroach.

Damage included a scraped shin, scraped sidebag, bruised ego, and about 4 places in the finishing order.

 

[Fencer]

Did you knock the saddle bag off/ broke it?

 

[Ignacio]

Did you knock the saddle bag off/ broke it?

No, I took it off and set it aside at this point. After the shot I also put my tank bag over by the saddle bag to lift up the bike.

The 2% grade nearly made it nearly impossible to pick up the bike. My boots started slipping and I had to grab some rocks from the side of the road to help my footing.

No real damage. The tipover happened at about 5 mph.

 

[GalaxyBlue]

wow!

I guess God was getting even with you in New Mexico!

Sorry to hear about the drop, But glad your ok!

 

[Groo]

Nice pics... one word... Sunscreen...

 

[kaitsdad]

Iggy,

I'm impressed.

I dropped my bike in the parking lot at work last week - and it took 3 of us to right it. On dry asphalt. In daylight.

(Yes, Skyway's sliders have now saved BOTH sides of my bike)

[SIZE=14pt]You be da man !! [/SIZE]

 

[skyway]

So what are you saying, the FJR 'ain't no flat tracker? :lol: It always pains me to see a wounded bike in action.

Congrats on your ride Iggy, I look forward to the extended report. :clapping:

 

[Ignacio]

I'm impressed.
I dropped my bike in the parking lot at work last week - and it took 3 of us to right it. On dry asphalt. In daylight.

I hate to burst your bubble further, but we're all wusses.

Skert is about 5 feet nothing and demonstrates lifting up a mondo-massive and loaded BMW here. I had to remove a side bag to do my lift.

So what are you saying, the FJR 'ain't no flat tracker? :lol: It always pains me to see a wounded bike in action.

Yeah, that's true. I can pretend she's a dual sport all I want, but when the handlebars whip lock to lock trying to compensate for a body that's doing ever-increasing lateral phugoids.....I was longingly wishing I was riding my old XR75.

....splat..... :blink:

 

[Fabone]

Skert is about 5 feet nothing and demonstrates lifting up a mondo-massive and loaded BMW here. I had to remove a side bag to do my lift.

I did that technique once when I was pissed, flipped it over to the other side. :lol:

 

[tel]

Congrats Iggy on your top ten at the Spank.

That looks like one tough rally.

tel

 

[Bugnatr]

Nice pics! Sunburned is better than a bee sting-eh? I learned all about the FJR's traction control in the mud last winter in my own driveway. Looking forward to reading the full report.

 

[Ari Rankum]

Seeing a Feej on its side is always gut wrenching, even if it's not your own. I'm glad it's not damaged. Having to keep such a top-heavy bike upright while riding on snot is something I hope I avoid for the rest of my Feej's life.

Congrats on your finish. It looked very well contested for. Great pics - thankls for posting them.

 

[user 213]

You did good Iggy. You made some hard choices, going for some harder points than I did. Me no like mud roads. :dribble: Dirt's ok though.

I got lucky and didn't get struck by lightning in Texas. Though I was sure I was going to be with 5 mondo cells all around me heading into and out of Prada Marfa.

 

[Ignacio]

You did good Iggy. You made some hard choices, going for some harder points than I did. Me no like mud roads. :dribble: Dirt's ok though.
I got lucky and didn't get struck by lightning in Texas. Though I was sure I was going to be with 5 mondo cells all around me heading into and out of Prada Marfa.

Thanks. I did try and go big on the second leg and felt good about my riding part of the rally. Combine a little bit of mother nature and messing up on my fuel log....twice and I could definitely have done better at the scoring table. That's OK. All was a huge help to riding the IBR next year.

By the way, I half thought you all that went to Prada Marfa were smoking something....until I came back home and Googled.

To those that watched this rally from your Barcolounger.....enjoy this link for what OCFJR and others described as a surreal vision in the middle-of-nowhere, Texas.

 

[tripletango]

You did good Iggy. You made some hard choices, going for some harder points than I did. Me no like mud roads. :dribble: Dirt's ok though.

I got lucky and didn't get struck by lightning in Texas. Though I was sure I was going to be with 5 mondo cells all around me heading into and out of Prada Marfa.

Thanks. I did try and go big on the second leg and felt good about my riding part of the rally. Combine a little bit of mother nature and messing up on my fuel log....twice and I could definitely have done better at the scoring table. That's OK. All was a huge help to riding the IBR next year.

By the way, I half thought you all that went to Prada Marfa were smoking something....until I came back home and Googled.

To those that watched this rally from your Barcolounger.....enjoy this link for what OCFJR and others described as a surreal vision in the middle-of-nowhere, Texas.

Iggy you did well - what a difficult rally in the first place then the weather was absolutely not expected. Re the mud been there on my big scooter where the mud is slicker than owl shit. Bike is almost impossible to hold upright as tires have zero bite and bike goes where it wants, just like ice. Thankfully I was not on the FJR or I would have gone down.

I don't know how you got the bike back up. Sometimes you dig deep and become extra strong and determined. The weight of the loaded bike and the mud, almost impossible alone. Congrats on your performance

 

[bmwhd]

Skert is about 5 feet nothing and demonstrates lifting up a mondo-massive and loaded BMW here. I had to remove a side bag to do my lift.

I did that technique once when I was pissed, flipped it over to the other side. :lol:

I've seen Skert do this in person twice and I still can't believe it nor can I duplicate it.

 

[SkooterG]

Yo Iggy, that photo of the FJR above the clouds is absolutely awesome. Think you can send me a high res version?

Consider yourself very lucky on you ooopsie. Last time I went down in dirt, it was at about 2mph and I had to replace a sidebag because the mounting broke, and also had to replace a PHID lens housing ($$$), and also the Top Gun bracket and U-bracket (only sold in pairs). T'was an expensive little oopsie for me. Glad you faired better.

 

[devanator]

Iggy, I did the same thing during the MN1000 this year. Me and my boy went down coming out of a mud puddle at about 5-10 mph. Nothing happen to us physically but it scrape my paint and bruised my ego. Glad your ok. Good job to all of you rally participants.

devanator

 

[Rogue]

Good job!