Tour of Honor Flashback

Bill Lumberg · Sep 30, 2016

While I was tinkering with the bike yesterday, my Tour of Honor "trophy" for being first to hit all Georgia sites arrived. Took me back to 1 April when the TOH 2016 opened. First picture is the first site I hit, at just after 4am April 1st. It was raining so hard I couldn't get close to the memorial, had to go on foot. Flash flooding to the top of my boots. The monsoon-like rain would continue for hours as I headed toward the Georgia coast, escaping Atlanta before either dawn or traffic reached zombie central. Some gear, to include the rally flag, never dried out the entire day.

The second picture is the last site of the day, about 1011 miles later, around 10:30pm the same day, still an hour away from home in the north Georgia mountains. I can't wait until next year.

https://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah174/nrj1corp/2016_rider233_memorialGA2.jpg_zpsaoebztdu.jpg

https://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah174/nrj1corp/2016_rider233_memorial.jpg%20ie.%202016_145_GA1_zpsbsd6uhjl.jpg

BkerChuck · Sep 30, 2016

Very nice! Congrats on a first place trophy too!

I'm thinking of going more aggressive next year and trying for a trophy and TOH saddlesore.

Bill Lumberg · Sep 30, 2016

I did a ss1k, with all associated required documentation, on my TOH run. Well under 24 hours I had all required docs and receipts and witnesses. Just never sent it in. TOH emailed and said I'd provided all required docs to them to slam dunk it, and urged me to do so. I just never bothered with it. At some point, it became about the sites and the ride and the zen. Keeping the documentation and fuel receipts to support all the jinks and hanks of the TOH site run was tedious. But once you have a system it's not that bad. A tank bag for your log and receipts is a must. I stopped for fuel like 20 times where I didn't need it just to lock down my route for a reviewer.

griff · Sep 30, 2016

Congrats again on your GA first place finish. You even had to go into that submarine museum during business hours to get a pic. I was second in GA and also in SC. Those trophies are cool. I'm gona try and get a first place trophy next year, but I know I'll have to compete against you nut cases that start as soon as the sites are released.

BkerChuck · Sep 30, 2016

Bill,

I've got 2 SS1k rides under my belt, 1 in this year and 1 last, both done during a 24 hour rally. The really cool thing about doing it as part of TOH is the cert from the IBA will be a special one not the normal SS certificate. That's why I'm hoping to do that next year. I figure lots of folks have done saddle sore rides. I want mine to all be different from the norm.

I'm still going to hit some stops before the end of the season.I hit 7 memorials and a flag mural going to and from EOM. I have 6 memorials and a flag mural routed for my ride home next weekend following the Void Rally. Once the bonus locations come out Saturday I'll see if I can snag one or 2 during the rally itself. I managed to do that last year during the Mason Dixon 20-20 that were right on our route.

Safe travels!