“What are those funny men doing, Mommy?” little Susy asked, as she moved to her mother’s side taking her hand for comfort, “I don’t know honey, but I’m going to talk to the campground host about it”. Susy and her mother had been out for a short walk in the rain. As they approached the campground parking area, there were two motorcyclists, one dressed like a clown !!
He was wearing a bright yellow suit, with red gloves, and was riding around the parking lot, laughing maniacally !! Little Suzy knew that her mommy would take care of this, you betchya !!
What the heck was I doing out here, riding 5 laps around a parking area while laughing my a$% off, in the rain during a thunderstorm in Eastern Nevada. What on earth….?
This had all started about 6 weeks before WFO5 was due to happen. I don’t remember the exact banter that occurred, but George Zelenz made a comment about setting up a SS1K for running during the WFO.
I replied with some innocuous comment along the line of “If you set it up, I’ll run it”.
And the gauntlet was thrown.
George layed out the course - and this was different. He worked with Mike Kneebone of the IBA, and set this up with a kind of ‘rally’ flavor - we had seven stops to make, with pictures, so that we didn’t have to document gas stops. Which we made anyway – and if you think about it, this was adding seven stops to the route.
8 riders rode it. I rode it with BigDolma with whom I work. He owns a really sweet 04, and I was on my new 06A.
At the riders meeting the night before, George talked about the ride, discussed rules, and handed out the towels. Oh yeah, the towels.
During the rider’s meeting, I realized I was sitting in front of some VERY experienced IBA riders. I tried not to let this get to me - I kind of thought that the expectations were there of a good ride. And they were - but I now realize that a good ride is one that is finished safely.
When the rider’s meeting ended, I was surrounded by friends helping me with advice, TurboDave_98, Skyway, BlueStreek; all folks who had been there, and understood what was ahead. Skyway had run most of the route not too long ago during the WPF, and made certain that I understood the necessity for filling up in Tonopah.
My 2730 had crapped big time on the ride to WFO - and Skyway brought his with him, and proceeded to program in the route for me. I’m amazed and thankful that he did this.
Riders could start when they wanted – I think most elected to start at 05:00 Friday, some earlier, I don’t know if anyone was later. BigD and I started at 05:00, signed out by the infamous Beeroux.
[SIZE=14pt]"LET THE INSANITY BEGIN"[/SIZE]
Bonus #1: Virginia City
“At 1 C street (dead center of VC) TAPOT Bucket of Blood Saloon.”
MI – 5408 to 5433, 25 mi.
On the way into VC, we passed a rider receiving a performance award from Mr. LEO. While the first, this was not to be the last for the day.
BigD and I pulled up (there were several other riders already there) and pulled out our towels for the first time of the day - I lined up the shots, and ‘click’ - pictures put in their folder, towel in the tank bag, and off we went to #2.
Bonus #2: Silver Springs
“On the N-West corner of 50/95A TAPOT Nugget Casino Sign.”
MI – 5433 to 5468, 35 mi.
This one was uneventful – the sign was far larger than the casino.
Bonus #3: Hawthorne
“Just east of town on 3/95 to your south, TAPOT numerous Ammo bunkers spread across the desert.”
MI – 5468 to 5561, 93 mi.
Some of the riders had pulled up by the entrance to the facility, and were chased off by the guys with the guns.
Bonus #4: Tonopah
“Heading south on 95 through Tonopah, pass the turnoff (left) for route 6 to Ely, and proceed to Logan Field road and turn right. Find the Central Nevada Museum down on your left. TAPOT CNM sign in front of the museum.”
MI – 5561 to 5666, 105 mi.
This is where it started getting interesting. I was rolling on reserve (I think I did a poor job of topping off the night before) and just 3 miles outside of Tonopah, I stopped for about 15 minutes to discuss the day’s events with the lady holding the ‘stop’ sign. Seemed like the pilot truck would never get there. BigD had rolled ahead, as he had done a proper job of topping his tank and wasn’t dealing with that lovely flashing bar and the reserve countdown.
Once the escort was done, and I arrived into town, BigD was waiting for me at a gas station. While we were filling up and visiting the loo’s, the town sheriff rolled up on his HD - he aimed for us, stopped just short of us, and the first words out of his mouth were “That’s my next bike !! I want a silver one!!” (This is NOT made up. BigD got a picture!!) So we chatted a bit with the Sheriff (Nut, he would have made Barney proud !! ) and saddled up. He wished us well and told us to be safe. Then he potatoed out of the station.
We proceeded to find the bonus, and towels and pictures ensued.
Skyway had made certain that I understood the necessity of having a full tank when we left Tonopah. I soon realized why.
Bonus #5. Great Basin National Park
“Just after entering the park on 488, turn right on Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. A mile from the end, find the Wheeler Peak Overlook. TAPOT Wheeler Peak. Proceed to the end of the road and do 5 laps of the parking area loop. This is for correct total mileage, and to freak out the very neurotic Camp Host. :^) “
MI – 5666 to 5922, 256 mi.
BigD and I rolled out of Tonopah, and running at a rate of 28 mpg arrived in Ely, the ‘corner’ for access to the GBNP. Thanks for the advice, Skyway.
This was the point that we looked at each other, and realizing that the pace we had been keeping was ‘on the edge’, and we decided to tone things down a bit. After all, we had 24 hours to do this, right? We fueled up, went into the Subway sandwich shop, and I ordered a 6 inch Ham on Wheat. With a large soda. I’ve found that keeping one’s body fueled and hydrated is muy, muy importante. This is about endurance, not speed. I had eaten breakfast at 3:30 that morning, and realized that the fatigue I was feeling was due to having not eaten in quite a while.
As we were saddling up, a rider on a GS rolled up to us and asked us where we were headed- “Wheeler Peak” BigD replied.
“Lot’s of rain and hail on the way - I turned back. There’s also a bad accident due to the weather.”
BigD and I looked at each other – discussed what our options were, and decided to see how far we could get. As we headed east on 93 out of Ely, an ambulance passed us moving the opposite direction. Lights, but no siren, and did not appear to be in any hurry. Hmmmm…….
As we started the climb over Connors Pass on the way to Wheeler Peak, we arrived at the accident site. A Honda 2000S sports car had apparently lost control due to weather/speed, whatever, and rolled. The first responders were there, cleaning up the pieces – and the looks on their faces told me this was one of those days that they hated their jobs. There was a LEO there beginning the investigation. Someone’s family received some horrible news that day.
Side note - I am impressed and Thankful that there are folks out there who are first responders. My Thanks go out to all of you. May God bless you and hold you safe.
As we continued on, we encountered windy rain, mud running across the pavement, lots of really ‘high pucker’ conditions. We climbed up and over the pass, dropping down the other side enroute to Baker, Nevada, where we would find the entrance to the park. I’m following BigD up the entrance, and we’re not sure about this – rain, distant thunder and lightening, and we’re getting a bit anxious. Just as we find the road to the overlook, we encounter an FJR on the way back down - I’m not sure who it was, but he stopped, and questions were asked. This is when we knew we were on the right path.
It’s interesting rolling up a mountain road in the rain – lot’s of twisties, unsure of the road surface, I can tell you that the “pucker factor” is there. BigD is a very careful rider - so I just followed his lead, and we took our time. The goal was to finish.
We hit the overlook, BigD stopped, and I rolled up next to him.
I’ve never seen his eyes quite that large.
“LET’S GET THE F*%$ING POLAROID AND GET THE F*^& OUT OF HERE !!”
My goodness !! I’d never heard him use language like that before. Maybe it had something to do with the thunder, lightning and rain we were experiencing.
We rode to the end of the road, found the parking area, and began running our laps in the rain. And wind. And thunder. About half way through the second lap, I noticed a family on the side of the area under a shade structure – and the little girl had hold of her mother’s hand – and it struck me as funny - I couldn’t help myself. I started laughing crazily - I considered just what we must of looked like, and I couldn’t help it.
This was the only time my face shield fogged up.
And if the campground host was neurotic before, he must have gone completely over the edge when he heard about this one.
We completed the 5 laps, rode back down to the overlook, and pictures taken, towels stowed, we were on our way back to Ely.
The weather had eased a bit - there were some heavy winds on the way back, but it didn’t last long. We fueled up in Ely.
Bonus #6: Eureka
“TAPOT Eureka Opera House”
MI – 5922 to 6081, 159 mi.
Uneventful. I gotta tell ya, there’s nothing like pulling up somewhere, dressing your rally towel on the bike, taking a pic, and then wondering what people think when they see the towel.
Thanks, George.
Bonus #7: Gerlach
“TAPOT fron of Bruno’s Country Club. You will be standing in front of the Mecca for Long Distance Riding. Many LD Rally events of infamous proportion have originated from here. This is also the site for the Annual Invitation-Only Cognoscente event Gerlachfest.”
MI – 6081 to 6376, 295 mi.
It’s interesting how as the day progresses, and the fatigue sets in, the bonus points are MUCH farther apart. Me thinks perhaps GZ is screwing with us?
This is the last bonus before returning to the barn. This is the one we’ve been looking for.
There is a section of Hwy 50 leaving Eureka that qualifies as ‘desolate’ I won’t go into detail, but one can examine the capabilities of the FJR on this road. I had been doing just that, when I noticed a mini-van parked in the opposite direction, far ahead on the horizon. When I see other vehicles, I roll off the throttle, and take it back down to an easy rate. As I was doing this, I noticed a car pull out from behind the mini-van, flip a u-turn, and head out in my direction. I slowly closed the distance between us, and as I started to wick things up preparing to pass, my helmet speakers SCREAMED into my head - and lights were flashing !!! WTF ??!?!?! That stealthy, dark blue sedan in front of me was one of Nevada’s finest -
And I gotta tell ya, he got my attention. He kept the radar and lights on for about one second – then shut them off. He was doing me a favor by saying “ I’m a LEO, I see you, I know what you’re doing. STOP IT.”
So I did.
So - he cruised along at 65 mph (5 UNDER the limit) for about 20 miles or so. And I followed along at a safe distance, at the same speed. As I was bumbling along, I started to think how I would handle being stopped by a LEO, as it’s been quite some time since that had happened. And I realized that I’d left my registration in my hotel room.
This little encounter could have had a far different outcome.
Well, Providence provided in the form of a Jeep Cherokee moving past us in the opposite direction at what must have been close to his top end - cause Mr. LEO pulled a really cool u-turn, hit the lights, and gave chase. As he passed me, I saluted - saying ‘Thanks!” and he waved back. I’m thinking he rides an FJR on his days off.
BigD and I are just grinding it out at this point. If we need gas, we stop. If we need a bio-break, we stop. If we want a pic, we stop.
Our goal is to finish safely.
Moving west towards Fallon (our next fuel stop) there is a section of Hwy 50 that passes through the Eight Mile Flat - and at the time of day we were rolling through there, the sun was hovering just over the horizon, blazing hugely, seeming to hesitate for a bit before surrendering the day to night. And we were headed directly into it.
I’m rolling along, my left elbow sitting on my tankbag, my left hand slapped on my face shield, and I’m peering out between my fingers – and I supposed I’m still a bit lucid, as I say to myself “This is F(&*ING NUTS”. And I stopped. BigD came back in a few minutes, and we turned this into a photo op - had some lemon drops, communed with nature, hydrated, and waited while Mr. Sol slipped below the horizon.
Fueled up in Fallon, and continued to grind away.
As we approached the turn off for Hwy 447, I realized that we would be doing this in the Dark. And I mean Dark. Really Dark.
The moon was in a waning state, so there was absolutely no natural light on this road.
Just prior to leaving for WFO, I had installed a set of Hella FF50’s - and this is when I used them. Turning on those lights, I now had this cone of light aimed out in front of me - using the road’s right side reflectors and the painted line, I was able to move the 77 miles to Gerlach at a comfortable pace - and made Bruno’s at 10:23 pm.
If anyone out there has not done any type of rally riding and is anticipating doing so, you MUST HAVE ANCILLARY LIGHTS. Word.
I’m not certain that I would have been able to safely traverse Hwy 477 up and back (154 miles) without them.
It’s an interesting psychological feeling when you FINALLY get back to Hwy 80, and realize you still have 29 miles to go to the hotel. Tired, dealing with heavy winds, you realize at this point that these rides aren’t about the machine. You can farkle your FJR so it bears no resembalance to stock - but the whole ride depends upon the rider – and that little speck of gray matter between the earplugs - the ability to grind it out, regardless of the situation; to make decisions, to UNDERSTAND the results of those decisions, and to move forward or to stop.
At this point, I’m moving west on 80, heavy side winds, and I’m not maintaining speed. Not a good sign, but at least I understand it. OK. I drink a little water, and I get behind a semi truck that’s moving at the limit- and I follow him.
Australian Jane gives me hope - she’s telling me directions, I’ve got the 60’s decade playing on the XM radio, and she guides me home.
Rolling up into the portico, GZ, Skyway, Ignacio, and others I can’t remember are waiting for me. It’s after midnight. I get Wonky stopped, make DAMN SURE that the sidestand is down ok, and hit the kill switch.
George asks me how I’m doing.
“My ass HURTS” is what I answer.
Start time: 05:00 AM Friday.
End time: 12:16 AM Saturday.
Miles: (recognized) 1,045.
I gotta get a custom seat.
I want to thank lots of folks for helping me with my very first SS.
First - Beeroux- George, Thanks for setting this up. This was a personal goal I set for myself almost three years ago – no bike, no understanding – and no opportunity. You gave me the opportunity. I bought the bike - I now have the understanding. Thanks.
BigDolma - This was a first for both of us. I’m glad you rode it with me. I knew that someone had my back, that I had a sounding board for my decisions, that I would be safe. Thank You. And Congratulations !!
ThrottleJockyTJ - Folks, this gentleman ran in the 4 am group. The reason I’m thanking him, is that he gave me a pair of sports boxers - no seams - that I wore during this attempt. It may seem like a small thing- but it was huge. I Thank You, and my posterior Thanks You.
Skyway - You not only let me use your 2730, but you programmed in the routes - your advice proved invaluable, and allowed me to make intelligent decisions during the ride. Thank You.
Ignacio - you parked my bike after it was over. I was having problems completing sentences, and you did me the favor of parking my bike. Something so simple. Thank You.
BlueStreek – you rode with Dave and I for 5 days prior to WFO – and I learned from watching you. You had completed the Mission Impossible ride with Toecutter and Skyway earlier this year, and having you on the ride with Dave and I was a bonus.
And then there’s TurboDave_98.
Dave, How do I say Thanks to you? Words don’t cut it.
Folks, I rode with Dave for 6 days prior to WFO – and it was a hoot !! But I realized very soon into the trip that Dave was giving me these ‘nuggets’ of information. He was mentoring me. I listened and I learned.
Dave had a brand new Mayer seat on his AE - and my seat was stock. After finishing day 5 in Eureka, I was having problems just sitting in any chair – even planting it on the porcelain was an issue.
Dave very generously traded seats with me for the trip from Eureka, California to Reno. (Day 6) He realized that I needed to reduce the monkeybutt as best I could before I ran the SS1k. This was a huge help. He then let me use his seat for the SS1k.
Mr. Hicks, without your coaching, mentoring, and seat, I don’t believe that I would have finished.
Getting the SS1K booked has been a goal of mine for quite some time. Now I’ve done it.
Gee …….. I wonder what’s next ?
He was wearing a bright yellow suit, with red gloves, and was riding around the parking lot, laughing maniacally !! Little Suzy knew that her mommy would take care of this, you betchya !!
What the heck was I doing out here, riding 5 laps around a parking area while laughing my a$% off, in the rain during a thunderstorm in Eastern Nevada. What on earth….?
This had all started about 6 weeks before WFO5 was due to happen. I don’t remember the exact banter that occurred, but George Zelenz made a comment about setting up a SS1K for running during the WFO.
I replied with some innocuous comment along the line of “If you set it up, I’ll run it”.
And the gauntlet was thrown.
George layed out the course - and this was different. He worked with Mike Kneebone of the IBA, and set this up with a kind of ‘rally’ flavor - we had seven stops to make, with pictures, so that we didn’t have to document gas stops. Which we made anyway – and if you think about it, this was adding seven stops to the route.
8 riders rode it. I rode it with BigDolma with whom I work. He owns a really sweet 04, and I was on my new 06A.
At the riders meeting the night before, George talked about the ride, discussed rules, and handed out the towels. Oh yeah, the towels.
During the rider’s meeting, I realized I was sitting in front of some VERY experienced IBA riders. I tried not to let this get to me - I kind of thought that the expectations were there of a good ride. And they were - but I now realize that a good ride is one that is finished safely.
When the rider’s meeting ended, I was surrounded by friends helping me with advice, TurboDave_98, Skyway, BlueStreek; all folks who had been there, and understood what was ahead. Skyway had run most of the route not too long ago during the WPF, and made certain that I understood the necessity for filling up in Tonopah.
My 2730 had crapped big time on the ride to WFO - and Skyway brought his with him, and proceeded to program in the route for me. I’m amazed and thankful that he did this.
Riders could start when they wanted – I think most elected to start at 05:00 Friday, some earlier, I don’t know if anyone was later. BigD and I started at 05:00, signed out by the infamous Beeroux.
[SIZE=14pt]"LET THE INSANITY BEGIN"[/SIZE]
Bonus #1: Virginia City
“At 1 C street (dead center of VC) TAPOT Bucket of Blood Saloon.”
MI – 5408 to 5433, 25 mi.
On the way into VC, we passed a rider receiving a performance award from Mr. LEO. While the first, this was not to be the last for the day.
BigD and I pulled up (there were several other riders already there) and pulled out our towels for the first time of the day - I lined up the shots, and ‘click’ - pictures put in their folder, towel in the tank bag, and off we went to #2.
Bonus #2: Silver Springs
“On the N-West corner of 50/95A TAPOT Nugget Casino Sign.”
MI – 5433 to 5468, 35 mi.
This one was uneventful – the sign was far larger than the casino.
Bonus #3: Hawthorne
“Just east of town on 3/95 to your south, TAPOT numerous Ammo bunkers spread across the desert.”
MI – 5468 to 5561, 93 mi.
Some of the riders had pulled up by the entrance to the facility, and were chased off by the guys with the guns.
Bonus #4: Tonopah
“Heading south on 95 through Tonopah, pass the turnoff (left) for route 6 to Ely, and proceed to Logan Field road and turn right. Find the Central Nevada Museum down on your left. TAPOT CNM sign in front of the museum.”
MI – 5561 to 5666, 105 mi.
This is where it started getting interesting. I was rolling on reserve (I think I did a poor job of topping off the night before) and just 3 miles outside of Tonopah, I stopped for about 15 minutes to discuss the day’s events with the lady holding the ‘stop’ sign. Seemed like the pilot truck would never get there. BigD had rolled ahead, as he had done a proper job of topping his tank and wasn’t dealing with that lovely flashing bar and the reserve countdown.
Once the escort was done, and I arrived into town, BigD was waiting for me at a gas station. While we were filling up and visiting the loo’s, the town sheriff rolled up on his HD - he aimed for us, stopped just short of us, and the first words out of his mouth were “That’s my next bike !! I want a silver one!!” (This is NOT made up. BigD got a picture!!) So we chatted a bit with the Sheriff (Nut, he would have made Barney proud !! ) and saddled up. He wished us well and told us to be safe. Then he potatoed out of the station.
We proceeded to find the bonus, and towels and pictures ensued.
Skyway had made certain that I understood the necessity of having a full tank when we left Tonopah. I soon realized why.
Bonus #5. Great Basin National Park
“Just after entering the park on 488, turn right on Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. A mile from the end, find the Wheeler Peak Overlook. TAPOT Wheeler Peak. Proceed to the end of the road and do 5 laps of the parking area loop. This is for correct total mileage, and to freak out the very neurotic Camp Host. :^) “
MI – 5666 to 5922, 256 mi.
BigD and I rolled out of Tonopah, and running at a rate of 28 mpg arrived in Ely, the ‘corner’ for access to the GBNP. Thanks for the advice, Skyway.
This was the point that we looked at each other, and realizing that the pace we had been keeping was ‘on the edge’, and we decided to tone things down a bit. After all, we had 24 hours to do this, right? We fueled up, went into the Subway sandwich shop, and I ordered a 6 inch Ham on Wheat. With a large soda. I’ve found that keeping one’s body fueled and hydrated is muy, muy importante. This is about endurance, not speed. I had eaten breakfast at 3:30 that morning, and realized that the fatigue I was feeling was due to having not eaten in quite a while.
As we were saddling up, a rider on a GS rolled up to us and asked us where we were headed- “Wheeler Peak” BigD replied.
“Lot’s of rain and hail on the way - I turned back. There’s also a bad accident due to the weather.”
BigD and I looked at each other – discussed what our options were, and decided to see how far we could get. As we headed east on 93 out of Ely, an ambulance passed us moving the opposite direction. Lights, but no siren, and did not appear to be in any hurry. Hmmmm…….
As we started the climb over Connors Pass on the way to Wheeler Peak, we arrived at the accident site. A Honda 2000S sports car had apparently lost control due to weather/speed, whatever, and rolled. The first responders were there, cleaning up the pieces – and the looks on their faces told me this was one of those days that they hated their jobs. There was a LEO there beginning the investigation. Someone’s family received some horrible news that day.
Side note - I am impressed and Thankful that there are folks out there who are first responders. My Thanks go out to all of you. May God bless you and hold you safe.
As we continued on, we encountered windy rain, mud running across the pavement, lots of really ‘high pucker’ conditions. We climbed up and over the pass, dropping down the other side enroute to Baker, Nevada, where we would find the entrance to the park. I’m following BigD up the entrance, and we’re not sure about this – rain, distant thunder and lightening, and we’re getting a bit anxious. Just as we find the road to the overlook, we encounter an FJR on the way back down - I’m not sure who it was, but he stopped, and questions were asked. This is when we knew we were on the right path.
It’s interesting rolling up a mountain road in the rain – lot’s of twisties, unsure of the road surface, I can tell you that the “pucker factor” is there. BigD is a very careful rider - so I just followed his lead, and we took our time. The goal was to finish.
We hit the overlook, BigD stopped, and I rolled up next to him.
I’ve never seen his eyes quite that large.
“LET’S GET THE F*%$ING POLAROID AND GET THE F*^& OUT OF HERE !!”
My goodness !! I’d never heard him use language like that before. Maybe it had something to do with the thunder, lightning and rain we were experiencing.
We rode to the end of the road, found the parking area, and began running our laps in the rain. And wind. And thunder. About half way through the second lap, I noticed a family on the side of the area under a shade structure – and the little girl had hold of her mother’s hand – and it struck me as funny - I couldn’t help myself. I started laughing crazily - I considered just what we must of looked like, and I couldn’t help it.
This was the only time my face shield fogged up.
And if the campground host was neurotic before, he must have gone completely over the edge when he heard about this one.
We completed the 5 laps, rode back down to the overlook, and pictures taken, towels stowed, we were on our way back to Ely.
The weather had eased a bit - there were some heavy winds on the way back, but it didn’t last long. We fueled up in Ely.
Bonus #6: Eureka
“TAPOT Eureka Opera House”
MI – 5922 to 6081, 159 mi.
Uneventful. I gotta tell ya, there’s nothing like pulling up somewhere, dressing your rally towel on the bike, taking a pic, and then wondering what people think when they see the towel.
Thanks, George.
Bonus #7: Gerlach
“TAPOT fron of Bruno’s Country Club. You will be standing in front of the Mecca for Long Distance Riding. Many LD Rally events of infamous proportion have originated from here. This is also the site for the Annual Invitation-Only Cognoscente event Gerlachfest.”
MI – 6081 to 6376, 295 mi.
It’s interesting how as the day progresses, and the fatigue sets in, the bonus points are MUCH farther apart. Me thinks perhaps GZ is screwing with us?
This is the last bonus before returning to the barn. This is the one we’ve been looking for.
There is a section of Hwy 50 leaving Eureka that qualifies as ‘desolate’ I won’t go into detail, but one can examine the capabilities of the FJR on this road. I had been doing just that, when I noticed a mini-van parked in the opposite direction, far ahead on the horizon. When I see other vehicles, I roll off the throttle, and take it back down to an easy rate. As I was doing this, I noticed a car pull out from behind the mini-van, flip a u-turn, and head out in my direction. I slowly closed the distance between us, and as I started to wick things up preparing to pass, my helmet speakers SCREAMED into my head - and lights were flashing !!! WTF ??!?!?! That stealthy, dark blue sedan in front of me was one of Nevada’s finest -
And I gotta tell ya, he got my attention. He kept the radar and lights on for about one second – then shut them off. He was doing me a favor by saying “ I’m a LEO, I see you, I know what you’re doing. STOP IT.”
So I did.
So - he cruised along at 65 mph (5 UNDER the limit) for about 20 miles or so. And I followed along at a safe distance, at the same speed. As I was bumbling along, I started to think how I would handle being stopped by a LEO, as it’s been quite some time since that had happened. And I realized that I’d left my registration in my hotel room.
This little encounter could have had a far different outcome.
Well, Providence provided in the form of a Jeep Cherokee moving past us in the opposite direction at what must have been close to his top end - cause Mr. LEO pulled a really cool u-turn, hit the lights, and gave chase. As he passed me, I saluted - saying ‘Thanks!” and he waved back. I’m thinking he rides an FJR on his days off.
BigD and I are just grinding it out at this point. If we need gas, we stop. If we need a bio-break, we stop. If we want a pic, we stop.
Our goal is to finish safely.
Moving west towards Fallon (our next fuel stop) there is a section of Hwy 50 that passes through the Eight Mile Flat - and at the time of day we were rolling through there, the sun was hovering just over the horizon, blazing hugely, seeming to hesitate for a bit before surrendering the day to night. And we were headed directly into it.
I’m rolling along, my left elbow sitting on my tankbag, my left hand slapped on my face shield, and I’m peering out between my fingers – and I supposed I’m still a bit lucid, as I say to myself “This is F(&*ING NUTS”. And I stopped. BigD came back in a few minutes, and we turned this into a photo op - had some lemon drops, communed with nature, hydrated, and waited while Mr. Sol slipped below the horizon.
Fueled up in Fallon, and continued to grind away.
As we approached the turn off for Hwy 447, I realized that we would be doing this in the Dark. And I mean Dark. Really Dark.
The moon was in a waning state, so there was absolutely no natural light on this road.
Just prior to leaving for WFO, I had installed a set of Hella FF50’s - and this is when I used them. Turning on those lights, I now had this cone of light aimed out in front of me - using the road’s right side reflectors and the painted line, I was able to move the 77 miles to Gerlach at a comfortable pace - and made Bruno’s at 10:23 pm.
If anyone out there has not done any type of rally riding and is anticipating doing so, you MUST HAVE ANCILLARY LIGHTS. Word.
I’m not certain that I would have been able to safely traverse Hwy 477 up and back (154 miles) without them.
It’s an interesting psychological feeling when you FINALLY get back to Hwy 80, and realize you still have 29 miles to go to the hotel. Tired, dealing with heavy winds, you realize at this point that these rides aren’t about the machine. You can farkle your FJR so it bears no resembalance to stock - but the whole ride depends upon the rider – and that little speck of gray matter between the earplugs - the ability to grind it out, regardless of the situation; to make decisions, to UNDERSTAND the results of those decisions, and to move forward or to stop.
At this point, I’m moving west on 80, heavy side winds, and I’m not maintaining speed. Not a good sign, but at least I understand it. OK. I drink a little water, and I get behind a semi truck that’s moving at the limit- and I follow him.
Australian Jane gives me hope - she’s telling me directions, I’ve got the 60’s decade playing on the XM radio, and she guides me home.
Rolling up into the portico, GZ, Skyway, Ignacio, and others I can’t remember are waiting for me. It’s after midnight. I get Wonky stopped, make DAMN SURE that the sidestand is down ok, and hit the kill switch.
George asks me how I’m doing.
“My ass HURTS” is what I answer.
Start time: 05:00 AM Friday.
End time: 12:16 AM Saturday.
Miles: (recognized) 1,045.
I gotta get a custom seat.
I want to thank lots of folks for helping me with my very first SS.
First - Beeroux- George, Thanks for setting this up. This was a personal goal I set for myself almost three years ago – no bike, no understanding – and no opportunity. You gave me the opportunity. I bought the bike - I now have the understanding. Thanks.
BigDolma - This was a first for both of us. I’m glad you rode it with me. I knew that someone had my back, that I had a sounding board for my decisions, that I would be safe. Thank You. And Congratulations !!
ThrottleJockyTJ - Folks, this gentleman ran in the 4 am group. The reason I’m thanking him, is that he gave me a pair of sports boxers - no seams - that I wore during this attempt. It may seem like a small thing- but it was huge. I Thank You, and my posterior Thanks You.
Skyway - You not only let me use your 2730, but you programmed in the routes - your advice proved invaluable, and allowed me to make intelligent decisions during the ride. Thank You.
Ignacio - you parked my bike after it was over. I was having problems completing sentences, and you did me the favor of parking my bike. Something so simple. Thank You.
BlueStreek – you rode with Dave and I for 5 days prior to WFO – and I learned from watching you. You had completed the Mission Impossible ride with Toecutter and Skyway earlier this year, and having you on the ride with Dave and I was a bonus.
And then there’s TurboDave_98.
Dave, How do I say Thanks to you? Words don’t cut it.
Folks, I rode with Dave for 6 days prior to WFO – and it was a hoot !! But I realized very soon into the trip that Dave was giving me these ‘nuggets’ of information. He was mentoring me. I listened and I learned.
Dave had a brand new Mayer seat on his AE - and my seat was stock. After finishing day 5 in Eureka, I was having problems just sitting in any chair – even planting it on the porcelain was an issue.
Dave very generously traded seats with me for the trip from Eureka, California to Reno. (Day 6) He realized that I needed to reduce the monkeybutt as best I could before I ran the SS1k. This was a huge help. He then let me use his seat for the SS1k.
Mr. Hicks, without your coaching, mentoring, and seat, I don’t believe that I would have finished.
Getting the SS1K booked has been a goal of mine for quite some time. Now I’ve done it.
Gee …….. I wonder what’s next ?
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