Saddlesore 2000 Ride Report: The Long Ride Home – Kentucky to Texas (1086 miles)

The alarm on my phone went off at 4:45 a.m. EDT Sunday morning.  I didn’t want to get up but I could hear the clock in my head ticking away.  I needed to get moving and back on the bike…I had a lot of miles to cover in order to complete my ride within the allotted time. My dad knocked on the door to ensure I was awake; he was my back-up plan just in case the phone alarm wasn’t able to wake me.  I told him I was up and slowly rolled out of bed.  Tick-tock, tick-tock.  By 5:15, I was showered and dressed.

I felt good but my backside and the bottoms of my feet were slightly tender. I knew it was going to be a long ride home.  I drank a big glass of orange juice before heading to the garage to re-pack the bike.  It was chilly outside.  Dad said it was 54 degrees. I knew I needed to start the trip with my heated jacket liner. I didn’t want to repeat yesterday’s mistake.    I gave the bike a quick once over, put on my gear, and gave my dad a hug goodbye.  I was glad I had the opportunity to see him, even if it was for such a short period of time.  My dad opened the garage door and at 5:45, I rolled out of the driveway.

Shortly after sunrise in Kentucky

I made a quick stop for gas at the Five Star station by the Interstate.  I got my gas, completed my log entry, and got back on the bike.  It was an excellent time to be on the road. The Interstate was almost empty except for the occasional big rig.  I rolled back on the throttle, mindful not to out run my headlight…I didn’t want an unforeseen animal encounter to ruin my day.   Within minutes, the sky began to lighten as the sun made its way above the horizon.  I could feel my spirits lifting with the dawn of a new day.  The 118 miles between Louisville and Franklin passed quickly.  I enjoyed the ride while soaking in the scenery and chasing the shadows. I thought to myself, “Life is good.”

I pulled into the Pilot station in Franklin at 6:42 CDT just under two hours from when I started my journey home.  I was making good time but started thinking about the number of miles I had left to go.  It was overwhelming. I went inside to pick-up my gas receipt and noticed some pre-made breakfast sandwiches. I grabbed one and stepped to the counter.  I paid for my bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, got my gas receipt and hustled out the door.  As I woofed down my food and a bottle of Gatorade, I told myself to focus only on the next stop and not the entire trip.  I don’t know if was the food or the positive self-talk, but I felt better and got on the bike with a renewed sense of energy.

Farming is big business in Tennessee

Sunday was turning out to be a great day to travel.  I made my way down I-65 through Nashville and picked-up I-40 without hitting any traffic.  I kept my mind occupied on the stretch between Nashville and Jackson by jamming to the “Taylor Swift” and “ZZ Top” channels on Pandora.  I was thankful for the great cell reception because it might have gotten ugly had I been left alone in silence with only my thoughts.  Bluetooth headsets rule!  As I made my way off the Interstate and to the Love’s station in Jackson, I realized my backside was getting very tender.  I was happy to get off the bike for a few minutes.  I thought about the movie “Groundhog Day’’ with Bill Murray as I gassed-up, completed my log, ate some jerky, and got back on the bike.  The routine was getting old.

I snapped a few photos as I crossed the Mississippi River into Arkansas and prepared myself for another round of road construction slowdowns.  I was pleasantly surprised.  With fewer cars and trucks on the road, traffic didn’t slow to a crawl as it did the day before.  I made good time to the MAPCO in Wheatly beating my 12:04 planned arrival time by almost 20 minutes.  I decided to give my butt a break and make an extended stop.  After going through my normal fuel ritual, I went inside for a repeat of yesterday’s lunch…two chicken strips, two biscuits, and a bottle of Gatorade.  Lunch was good and I enjoyed the air conditioning.  I was glad to have the opportunity to shed my heated liner and sit in a position that didn’t make my backside feel like it was on fire.  Sadly my leisurely lunch was cut short by that damn clock inside my head…tick-tock, tick-tock.  Next stop Prescott, Arkansas.

Over the Mississippi River into Arkansas

The ride to Prescott was enjoyable with blue skies and warm (almost hot) temperatures.  The only downside was I couldn’t find a seating position that would stay comfortable.  I felt like I was squirming all the time…and there’s not much real estate on a Sportster to squirm.  At one point I discovered I could put my feet on the passenger pegs and achieve a whole new riding position.  I’m sure as I passed through Little Rock several drivers thought I was crazy, “Hey, look at that guy, he must think his Harley is a sport bike.” I didn’t care what people thought, it felt good.  I enjoyed being able to lift slightly off the seat and let the air cool my burning nether region.

When I arrived at the Paramount Travel Center in Prescott at 2:37 I couldn’t wait to get off the bike.  I’d ridden 602 miles in 9 hours and 53 minutes and I was feeling it.  I let myself think for a moment about the 484 miles I had left to cover and I felt defeated.  I was ahead of my ride plan by about 26 minutes so I decided to take another extended break.  I grabbed a bottle of Gatorade from the cooler and went inside.  They had an Arby’s so I got a Beef-n-Cheddar and sat down.  I tried not to rush but that clock inside my head kept pushing me.  I told myself only two more stops before I reached home and then I’d be done…and it was only 148 miles to Sulphur Springs.   As soon as I sat on the bike my backside started burning again but with a renewed outlook I fired-up my trusty steed and pointed her west.

Arkansas Road Construction

The ride along I-30 in Arkansas is pretty scenic when you’re not hassled by road construction.  There are a nice variety of trees lining the highway with a couple of bridges and water crossings.  I tried to get comfortable and soak it all in.  For as much discomfort as I was in, I still felt an overwhelming connection with all that was around me.  It was a good day to ride.  I crossed the Texas State line at approximately 3:40 and felt like I was almost home.  There’s something mentally refreshing about knowing you won’t be riding across more state lines before completing your ride.  The 75 mph speed limit just east of Texarkana was a welcomed sight. I rolled back on the throttle and pushed towards Sulphur Springs.

 It was 5:04 when I got to the Pilot station.   I dismounted slowly as any movement in the saddle had become very uncomfortable.  I followed my routine – gas, log, and hydrate then took an extra minute or two to stretch my legs and back.  I plugged my headset into the power on my bike so it wouldn’t run out of juice and made my way back to the Interstate.  Daylight was burning and I had one more stop before my final push home. 

The leg between Sulphur Springs and Waco was the longest leg of the trip at 171 miles.  I tried not to think of the total distance to Waco but rather the landmarks in between…Greenville, Lake Ray Hubbard, and Dallas.  The thought of completing the challenge with the 48 hours motivated me despite the burning sensation I felt in my backside.  I adjusted my riding position frequently and performed the stretches fellow moto-blogger Tina Walker had recommended every few miles just as I had throughout the trip.  I was surprised at how the traffic picked-up as I got closer to Lake Ray Hubbard and then got even heavier in Dallas.  I didn’t experience any slowdowns but the number of cars and trucks on the road at 6:30 p.m. on a Sunday was a little unnerving.

Somewhere between Waxahachie and Waco

Luckily traffic thinned-out south of Dallas and I could relax a little.  I never gave too much thought about the lack of civilization between Waxahachie and Waco…there’s just not much there to see.  Fortunately as the sun got lower in the sky the shadows came out to play.  Anything to take my mind of the continual discomfort I felt in the parts of my anatomy that never see the sun.  I took several photos of the Shadow Rider and thought it might be cool to put together a collection of photographs revolving around riding and shadows.  The mind works in mysterious ways after being on a bike for over 14 hours and 851 miles.

The timestamp on my Valero Corner Store fuel receipt read 8:00 p.m.  I had made it to Waco and hour and nine minutes ahead of my ride plan.  I was excited.  I could officially end my Saddlesore 2000 ride in Waco because I had already crossed the 2000 mile point.  I’d ridden 2008 miles in approximately 43 hours.  I decided to wait and end my ride at home as planned.  I knew barring any unforeseen circumstances I could complete the entire 2172 miles within the required 48 hours…I only had 164 miles to go.

   

Shadow Rider as sun sets in Texas

The sun dipped below the horizon as I rode out of Waco and the sky was completely black by the time I made it to Temple.  Strangely I was nervous about riding the rest of the way in the dark.  I think the mental and physical fatigue from riding so hard over the past two days had caught-up to me.  I watched the sides of the road closely for any movement.  I didn’t want to be surprised by a deer or other animal darting across the road.  As I neared Georgetown, traffic started to pick-up and I was actually happy to see other vehicles on the road.  I decided there was a modicum of safety riding in the midst of the swarm.  I could at least use their headlights to “see” farther down the road and for a reason I can’t explain felt less threatened by a potential animal encounter.

I must I lead a pretty sheltered life because the traffic through Austin seemed heavy for a Sunday night at 9:45 p.m.  I’d normally be getting ready for bed, so I wondered what all these people were out and about doing.  I ticked-off the miles after Austin getting more excited the closer I got to home. Buda, San Marcos, New Braunfels…I was almost finished. My bubble burst when I came to three full lanes of stopped traffic less than 5 miles from my exit.  Apparently TexDoT in their infinite wisdom had shut down several lanes for construction.  I struggled to keep from dropping the bike in the stop and go traffic for almost a mile.  I was physically exhausted.  I didn’t know how I would finish the ride if I stayed on the Interstate.  I watched for an opening and made my way to the shoulder and then through some roughage to the access road.

Traffic on the access road moved smoothly and it didn’t take long to make it to the EZ-Mart for my ending gas receipt.  I gingerly got back on the bike and rode the last few miles home.  When I reached my subdivision, I called my wife to open our garage door.  I pulled into the garage and turned off the bike.  It was 11:03 p.m. and my Saddlesore 2000 was complete…2072 miles in 46 hours and 13 minutes.

PROLOGUE

This ride gave me a new found respect for riders who do multiple1000 mile days.  I don’t know if I had another 1000 mile day in me.  My backside was tender for a couple of days after the ride but I felt good about my accomplishment.  I love my Sportster but may have to re-think its suitability for longer Iron Butt rides. I have no doubt that I could easily tour on it as long as I kept the mileage down to under 500 miles a day.

 

What’s next, I’m not sure.  I do know I enjoy Iron Butt rides and will do more. Hey, when’s summer solstice and the longest day of the year?  Now that could be an interesting Iron Butt ride…do 1000 miles before it gets dark.  Hmmnn, something to think about.

St Judes Chlidrens Hospital in Memphis

No this isn't one of the Great Pyramids...this is in Memphis

It's a Great Day to Ride!

On Bike Selfie

I look like hell - 2008 miles in 43 hours

SaddleSore 2000 Ride Report: The First 24 Hours - Texas to Kentucky (1086 miles)

I was anxious as I checked the bike over one last time before donning my chaps, jacket, reflective vest, helmet, and gloves.  The time for planning and preparing was over.  It was time to ride and ride hard.  I kissed my wife, told her I’d be careful then eased back on the throttle, and pulled out of the garage to clear skies and bright stars.  At 12:50 a.m., my 2000-mile 48-hour Iron Butt adventure was officially underway.

Sunrise in Sulphur Springs, Texas

I stopped at a station about 3 miles from home to top off my tank and get a time/date stamped business receipt to document my start, then made my way to the Interstate.  Unlike most of the day, I-35 was almost empty.  It was as if I had the entire Interstate to myself. I enjoyed the quiet solitude and cool fresh air.  As I neared Austin, traffic began to pick-up and I was surprised at how many cars were on the road at 1:40 in the morning.  I was on high alert for drunk drivers as I made my way through downtown Austin.  My mom always said, “nothing good ever happens after midnight” so I imagined there were a few cars being driven by folks that may have partied a little too hard.  I kept my distance just in case.

Traffic thinned out after passing through Georgetown and I was once again alone.  There’s something peaceful yet slightly unsettling about riding the freeway at night.  I enjoyed the stillness, but was on edge thinking about animals lurking just outside the reach of my high beams.  I was torn between taking advantage of the open road and making the best time possible and riding more conservatively.  My fear of an undesired animal encounter won out and I kept my speed down accordingly. 

Somewhere between Austin and Temple, I realized I was getting cold.  Prolonged exposure to the cool air was having a chilling effect and was beginning to make me uncomfortable.  I kicked myself for not wearing an additional layer but was thankful I had packed my heated jacket liner.  I wouldn’t be cold for long.  I pulled into the Smart Stop in Waco at 3:37 a.m., right on schedule.  I got gas, completed my log entry, and put my heated liner on under my leather jacket.  I was back on the road in less than 15 minutes.

My heated liner kept me toasty warm as I made my way through Dallas and beyond.  I felt good.  As the sky began to lighten, I was overcome by a sense of reverence.  I thanked God for the opportunity to experience the ride and for the promise of a new day.  No matter how dark the night, we can always take comfort in knowing the sun will rise to light our way.  Within minutes of my 6:26 a.m. fuel stop in Sulphur Springs the sun fully broke the horizon…it was glorious.  With a renewed spirit, I twisted the throttle hard for my final push out of Texas.

The sign at the Arkansas state line was a welcome sight.  There’s something mentally refreshing about
entering a new state. You feel closer to your destination and it gives you a boost of energy.  Unfortunately, my exuberance didn’t last long.  Shortly after stopping in Prescott for gas, the state rolled out the real “Welcome to Arkansas” sign--road construction ahead.  Mile-after-mile of one-lane only, time-killing construction.   I thought I was in purgatory as I crept along in a line of traffic moving 55-60 miles per hour.  I was on the clock and needed to average at least 63 mph to complete the ride on time. After what seemed like an eternity, the road opened up and I pressed hard to get through Little Rock and on to Wheatley as quickly as possible.

Arkansas Road Construction

I pulled into the MAPCO in Wheatly at 11:20 a.m., 35 minutes ahead of my planned arrival time.  I was pleased with my time but starting to feel the effects of the last 650 miles.  The backsides of my legs where they contact the saddle were starting to get a little tender. It was time to take a break.  I gassed-up, completed my log, pulled a Gatorade out of the cooler in my large Viking Bag, and went inside for something to eat.  They had a nice variety of everything, as long as it was chicken.  I ordered two chicken strips and two biscuits.  I must have been hungry because I thought they were the best chicken strips I ever tasted.  After an extended 45+ minute break, I felt rejuvenated.  I geared-up and pressed toward my next stop, Jackson Tennessee.

Sadly, Arkansas wasn’t finished with me.  Shortly after leaving Wheatley, the entire eastbound side of I-40 was shut down with one lane of traffic being diverted to the westbound side.  For almost two miles, traffic inched along before folks fully made the transition and began moving at 50-55 miles per hour.  The construction zone ended about 15 miles east of Memphis.  I twisted the throttle to make-up some time.  I was going 70-75 when I hit a poorly filled pothole and my cell phone popped out of its RAM mount on my left handlebar.  I watched in terror as it fell behind me.

My first thought was “my phone is gone and I need to keep going”, but my second thought was “what if I find it and it still works”.  Being the eternal optimist, I pulled over as quickly as I could and began my walk of shame.  I had no idea exactly where it fell off and wasn’t sure that it might not have been run over by an 18-wheeler.  I kept walking.  After what seemed like a quarter mile, I was ready to give up but at that moment saw it lying screen down on the shoulder. I picked it up. The screen was shattered and its body was mangled.  I had little hope that it would still work but gently pressed the home button.  To my amazement, the screen lit up and everything appeared to work.  Hallelujah!  I made my way back to the bike, put the phone back in the RAM mount, double checked to see if it was secure, and merged back onto the Interstate.

Finally, I'm leaving Arkansas!

The Mississippi River and Memphis were a welcomed sight.  Arkansas hadn’t been very nice to me and I was happy to see it in my rear view mirror.  Traffic in Memphis was light and I quickly made my way through the city.  I was a little distraught when I heard a woman’s voice in my helmet say, “low battery, goodbye”. With my nether regions becoming more tender with each passing hour, I couldn’t imagine five more hours on the road without some form of entertainment to distract me. Not to mention what my wife would start to think when her calls went to voicemail.  Although I didn’t want to lose any saddle time, I decided I’d look for a micro-USB/USB cable in Jackson so I could run power to my Bluetooth headset.

After about an hour and a half of silence, which really wasn’t bad, I lucked upon a Wal-Mart just off the Interstate in Jackson.  Getting in and out of the parking lot took forever but I found what I needed and reestablished my communications and entertainment capability.  I rode another five miles up the Interstate to my designated fuel stop and filled-up. Even after searching for my phone and my Wal-Mart detour, I was about 5 minutes ahead of my plan.  I was thankful I had been able to run 70-75 miles an hour for most of the trip. Barring any additional delays, I calculated I’d get to my dad’s by nightfall.

Although there was some road construction and moderate traffic, my ride from Jackson through Nashville was uneventful.  I was able to maintain a good speed and the weather was perfect.  As I rode through Nashville, I remembered at one time there was an Oscar Mayer plant just off I-65.  I watched for it but never saw it.  I guess it has long since closed but thinking about it put a smile on my face as I sang the Oscar Mayer Bologna song from my childhood.  I’m glad I have a full-face helmet, otherwise people would’ve thought I was crazy.

Shadow Rider

I crossed the Kentucky state line at approximately 5:35 p.m. with a renewed sense of energy.  It felt good knowing that I only had a couple of hours left on the bike.  It had become almost impossible to find a comfortable spot to sit in the saddle or place my feet on the pegs.  I was happy to take a short fuel break in Franklin.  I stretched and ate a little jerky after filling my tank.  After drinking a quick bottle of Gatorade, I mounted the bike and rode knowing my next stop would be it for the night.

Making my way up I-65 I couldn’t help but be impressed by the green pastures and smell of fresh air. 
Kentucky is a scenic place and the ride to Louisville was proving to be quite enjoyable.  As the sun moved lower on the horizon, it was peaceful watching the landscape change colors and the shadows come out to play.  I snapped several photos of the shadow rider riding next to me.  Shortly after crossing into the Eastern Time zone, I called my dad to discuss dinner plans.  He told me dinner was waiting for me.  I pulled into my dad’s driveway just as the last bit of daylight was consumed by darkness. I pulled into the garage and slowly got off the bike.  It had been a long day.  I covered 1086 miles 18 hours and 55 minutes. In just about 9 hours I’d be doing it all over again.  It was time to eat and go to bed...

It fell off the bike at 70 mph and still works!

Riding with the shadows in Kentucky

Who is this guy and why is he following me?

Changing landscape as sun goes down

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Coming Soon…Saddlesore 2000 Ride Report: The Long Ride Home – Kentucky to Texas (1086 miles).

The Key to Iron Butt Certification…Document, Document, Document

I’ve ridden the SaddleSore 2000 in my head a hundred times and I’m comfortable with my ride plan. I’ll start at 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, 3 May and with a little luck will finish by midnight on Sunday, 4 May. If all goes as planned, I’ll complete the 2000-mile ride within the required 48 hours. All that will be left to do is turn in my documentation package and pay the certification fee. Sounds easy, right? Wrong.

 To be fair, the process isn’t too difficult but it is rigorous and requires attention to detail. The Iron Butt Association doesn’t just hand out certificates and pins to anyone who claims to have completed an Iron Butt ride. They make you prove it, and they do that by requiring you to document all aspects of your ride. Once you’ve submitted your package, they do a thorough review to verify you rode the ride you claimed.

 For SaddleSore and BunBurner rides, the documentation requirements are the same. You’ll need to provide:

• Information on yourself and your motorcycle 
• Certification fee (check or money order) for ride being certified Signed witness statement for both the start and end of ride 
• Log of all stops Copy of all gas receipts (time and date stamped) annotated with odometer reading at the time of stop 
• Map showing an overview of the route followed 
• Notes on difficulties encountered (i.e. unable to obtain a receipt, etc.) or any other information to assist the verification process 

 For me, these requirements were a little overwhelming at first. I was concerned I might miss or forget something along the ride and not have what was required to complete the certification process. To keep this from happening, I created a certification documentation package template in Microsoft Word. I used the template to create the certification package for my Texas Tour of Honor Extreme BunBurner ride and it helped me keep things straight. I carried the paperwork in a folder and used it at every stop to capture the required information. I kept all my receipts in a zip-lock bag. Once I completed the ride, I scanned my receipts and added them to the document package. I then printed-out the entire document and mailed it to the IBA for certification. About eight weeks later, I received my IBA BunBurner certificate letting me know the ride was certified. Success!

 Here’s a copy of the certification documentation package I used for my BunBurner ride, I’ll create a similar one for the SaddleSore 2000. If you’d like a fill-in-the-blank MS Word version you can edit to document your Iron Butt ride, leave a comment and let me know how to reach you…I’d be happy to send it to you.

You can increase your chance of Iron Butt success by planning your ride, riding your plan, and remembering to document, document, document. While you’ll always have the personal satisfaction of completing a challenging ride, if you don’t document it properly, the IBA won’t certify it as an “official” Iron Butt ride. Hopefully the information shared here has helped demystify the documentation process and will help you reach your Iron Butt goals.

If you’d like to do a virtual ride along on my SaddleSore 2000, visit my Ride Along page and follow my progress on the SpotWalla map. It should start updating around 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, 3 May. It’s almost time to ride…

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To learn more about the various Iron Butt rides and rules check-out the IBA website.