Live Free. Ride Hard. Be Happy.: Saddlesore 2000 Ride Report: The Long Ride Home

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.