I just finished reading through all the Iron Butt related posts. I was not previously aware there were so many Iron Butt riders and so much experience and knowledge here. I would like to solicit your advice and counsel for my first SS1000.
My background: I'm old! I'll turn 73 in July. I rode a Honda CB-450 purchased new in 1973 irrc for abou a year until I traded it for a VW dune buggy. I didn't ride again until I was in the Philippines in late '79 and bought a Yamaha XS-1100 from the Navy Exchange retail store at Naval Station Subic Bay. The NEX was selling them overseas without the big import tax that was imposed on Japanese imports then.
I discovered I loved motorcycle touring and rode the Yamaha 10,000 miles in a less than a year all over the island of Luzon. I sold it in late '80.
I never even sat on a motorcycle seat again until 30 years later in July of 2010 when I succumbed to the temptation and bought a very nice, clean, low mileage used '06 ST1300 for my 68th birthday. I rode the ST south to the famous Three Sisters and that went well so I rode it to AR and rode AR-7 from Hot Springs to Harrison, AR. When I left a friend's home in Shell Knob, MO I rode a little over 600 miles home with only fuel and meal stops. I loved riding but didn't love the ST. Put 9,200 miles on it in six months but didn't like the riding position, no cruise control, and no sound system.
In January of 2011 I bought a new '10 Goldwing and rode it home from Shawnee, OK on a cold January day. I discovered I was not too old to take frequent long motorcycle trips on a Goldwing. By mid-October 2014, less than four years later, I had ridden the Goldwing through all 48 states and across Canada from BC to NS and had racked up 93,000 miles. I loved almost every mile of it.
My first trip on the previous Goldwing was out to San Diego and back in March 2011. On the return trip I learned about becoming dehydrated between SD and Tucson. Fortunately I realized I was impaired and guzzled a quart of Gatorade before I got in serious trouble. On the second day I rode from Tucson home about 740 miles. I was tired that night but still functioning.
I rode the new '14 GW about 640 miles in cold temps and light drizzle back in December. I'm not as young as I once was and don't try to fool myself that I still have the same endurance I once did.
I think I first heard of the Iron Butt Association in 2006 when I saw an Iron Butt frame on a BMW R1200RT in a Flying J parking lot in South Dakota. I was intrigued but didn't own a motorcycle at the time and didn't anticipate ever owning one again. The owner was an LAPD officer who told me he worked the "shootin' Newton" district of LA. He told me how he earned the IBA license plate frame.
About a year ago a member on "the other" GW forum cut and pasted an article from the Iron Butt magazine. I was impressed with the quality of the information and the writing and immediately purchased a subscription. After reading my first issue of the magazine I ordered a copy of every available back order. As I've slowly read and reread every article in every issue I've slowly moved from being fascinated but thinking I'm too old to attempt to become an Iron Butt rider to convincing myself, "I think I can do it."
I can't put aside the idea of attempting an SS1000. I really want to earn the certificate and the license plate frame! I realize that 99,999% of the population has no idea what it means and couldn't care less but you folks who read these forums know better than I do what it means and why even old men like me want to do it.
I've persuaded myself I want to try it. I first laid out a several potential routes across Texas. I considered Shreveport, LA to Willcox, AZ or Jackson, MS to Las Cruces. I also considered DFW to El Paso and return. West Texas - from Odessa to El Paso is simply barren and boring. The 80 mph speed limit is a plus and usually light traffic is good but it would be boring.
It's not my original idea but I like the idea of leaving Las Cruces at 12 noon to Albuquerque to Flagstaff to Phoenix, check into a Motel 6 in Phoenix for 4 or 5 hours then finish the ride back to Las Cruces.
I understand the basics: Maintain speed, minimize fuel/restroom breaks, carry snacks, Gatorade and bottled water, and be careful to obtain and save receipts and check to make sure each receipt has a time stamp. Record the odometer miles on each receipt. Fuel and save a receipt at each of the corners, plus, of course, the witness signature time, miles. location, etc at start and finish plus motel receipts with time stamps and clerk signatures as witness.
I would appreciate everyone's comments, suggestions, recommendations, and sound advice.
My background: I'm old! I'll turn 73 in July. I rode a Honda CB-450 purchased new in 1973 irrc for abou a year until I traded it for a VW dune buggy. I didn't ride again until I was in the Philippines in late '79 and bought a Yamaha XS-1100 from the Navy Exchange retail store at Naval Station Subic Bay. The NEX was selling them overseas without the big import tax that was imposed on Japanese imports then.
I discovered I loved motorcycle touring and rode the Yamaha 10,000 miles in a less than a year all over the island of Luzon. I sold it in late '80.
I never even sat on a motorcycle seat again until 30 years later in July of 2010 when I succumbed to the temptation and bought a very nice, clean, low mileage used '06 ST1300 for my 68th birthday. I rode the ST south to the famous Three Sisters and that went well so I rode it to AR and rode AR-7 from Hot Springs to Harrison, AR. When I left a friend's home in Shell Knob, MO I rode a little over 600 miles home with only fuel and meal stops. I loved riding but didn't love the ST. Put 9,200 miles on it in six months but didn't like the riding position, no cruise control, and no sound system.
In January of 2011 I bought a new '10 Goldwing and rode it home from Shawnee, OK on a cold January day. I discovered I was not too old to take frequent long motorcycle trips on a Goldwing. By mid-October 2014, less than four years later, I had ridden the Goldwing through all 48 states and across Canada from BC to NS and had racked up 93,000 miles. I loved almost every mile of it.
My first trip on the previous Goldwing was out to San Diego and back in March 2011. On the return trip I learned about becoming dehydrated between SD and Tucson. Fortunately I realized I was impaired and guzzled a quart of Gatorade before I got in serious trouble. On the second day I rode from Tucson home about 740 miles. I was tired that night but still functioning.
I rode the new '14 GW about 640 miles in cold temps and light drizzle back in December. I'm not as young as I once was and don't try to fool myself that I still have the same endurance I once did.
I think I first heard of the Iron Butt Association in 2006 when I saw an Iron Butt frame on a BMW R1200RT in a Flying J parking lot in South Dakota. I was intrigued but didn't own a motorcycle at the time and didn't anticipate ever owning one again. The owner was an LAPD officer who told me he worked the "shootin' Newton" district of LA. He told me how he earned the IBA license plate frame.
About a year ago a member on "the other" GW forum cut and pasted an article from the Iron Butt magazine. I was impressed with the quality of the information and the writing and immediately purchased a subscription. After reading my first issue of the magazine I ordered a copy of every available back order. As I've slowly read and reread every article in every issue I've slowly moved from being fascinated but thinking I'm too old to attempt to become an Iron Butt rider to convincing myself, "I think I can do it."
I can't put aside the idea of attempting an SS1000. I really want to earn the certificate and the license plate frame! I realize that 99,999% of the population has no idea what it means and couldn't care less but you folks who read these forums know better than I do what it means and why even old men like me want to do it.
I've persuaded myself I want to try it. I first laid out a several potential routes across Texas. I considered Shreveport, LA to Willcox, AZ or Jackson, MS to Las Cruces. I also considered DFW to El Paso and return. West Texas - from Odessa to El Paso is simply barren and boring. The 80 mph speed limit is a plus and usually light traffic is good but it would be boring.
It's not my original idea but I like the idea of leaving Las Cruces at 12 noon to Albuquerque to Flagstaff to Phoenix, check into a Motel 6 in Phoenix for 4 or 5 hours then finish the ride back to Las Cruces.
I understand the basics: Maintain speed, minimize fuel/restroom breaks, carry snacks, Gatorade and bottled water, and be careful to obtain and save receipts and check to make sure each receipt has a time stamp. Record the odometer miles on each receipt. Fuel and save a receipt at each of the corners, plus, of course, the witness signature time, miles. location, etc at start and finish plus motel receipts with time stamps and clerk signatures as witness.
I would appreciate everyone's comments, suggestions, recommendations, and sound advice.
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