My First Saddle Sore 1000

[Hltoppr]

I've decided to take the first Saturday in June to challenge myself somewhat...

I'll be doing a "Saddle Sore 1000"....1000 miles in 24 hours on a motorbike. Rules and other info. for this type of insanity are sanctioned by the Iron Butt Association.... www.ironbutt.com

The route I have planned will take me from Flagstaff to Monticello, UT, through Durango CO, and down to Taos, NM....

Finishing off through Santa Fe and Albuquerque, with some interstate slab on I-40 back to Flagstaff....


1048.37 Miles... with any luck I'll be able to complete it in about 19 hours....

:elkgrin:

-H-

 

[mountainpete]

That's awesome! :wings:

Last year I thought I would try and see if my body could handle it (on my BMW R1200C). So I did about 800 KM in less then 9 hours (the Saddlesore is 1610 kms). Man was I ever tired - but after resting for an hour I bet I could have went for a few more.

So based on my limited experience there, I'm going to throw out one piece of advice - use most of the 24 hours. It's just easier on the body and safer for you.

One of my favorite things to do on a ride when I get tired is just take off all the gear and lay on a picnic table in the sun staring at the sky. It's the most relaxing feeling and complete quiet compared to the bike.

Pete

 

[riverfever]

That sounds awesome!!

I always wanted a motorcycle but had zero experience with them. When we moved to Colorado, I decided to buy an XR250. I had no one to ride with and felt irresponsible heading off into the woods alone b/c I figured I'd be screwed if a repair came up. I sold it and bought an XR400 motard. Long story short, I was riding completely over my head and laid it over in a turn at about 45. Luckily, I figured I needed all the protection I could get so I had all the right gear. Still had a lot of broken bones, and months of pain. Every time someone like you tells a story or talks about a plan, I wish I had stuck to just exploring and doing longer trails. I'm pretty scared of them now though.

Knock on wood...I've only had one embedded hook incident in my time fly fishing so I think I'll stick with that. :REOutIceFishing:

 

[Clutch]

Very cool.

The farthest I have been on a bike in one day was 700 miles...in around 12 hours.

I miss that Honda 919.

 

[Cruiser]

Back in college days I ran about 650 miles one night after school. From Blairsville Pa to Horsham Pa and back,, left about 3:30 in the afternoon and got back about 1:30-2 am.. Needed some notes for an exam that I left in my car, which was back home. All on a 83 LTD 440 kawasaki..
Oh to be young and dumb again,,
Steve

 

[Scott Brady]

Let us know how it went!

 

[Martinjmpr]

I've been wanting to do a Saddlesore for years. My current bike (2001 Triumph Thunderbird) would be OK except for the abysmal seat which becomes a torture rack after about 4 hours. I really need to either get a better seat or get this one modified to be more comfy.

Longest ride I ever did on this bike was about 625 miles from Denver to the Grand Mesa, then back through Gunnison and Colorado Springs. Longest single-day ride ever was in 1984 when I took a not-very-good condition 74 Honda CB750 from Denver to Tulsa, OK (750 miles) in about 14 hours. What was crazy about that trip was the time of year I took it: Mid October!

 

[Desertdude]

You chose a nice route Fill up that iPod, and good luck!

 

[crawler#976]

Good Luck and start building up some seat time!

My cousin Brian is a certified Iron Butt nut...

He lives in Everett, Wa. and comes down to see us on his ex-police BMW. He generally stops for an hour in Las Vegas on the way down, and in Boise on the way home. That's a long haul...

 

[Hltoppr]

Knock on wood...I've only had one embedded hook incident in my time fly fishing so I think I'll stick with that. :REOutIceFishing:

Just another reason I only use barbless hooks! :ylsmoke:

My seat is a Bill Mayer, so it's comfy...as long as you wear seamless shorts under the riding pants....

Thanks to DesertDude I'll have the Ipod set to "cruise" mode for a long time...

I'm more concerned about the interstate portion between Albuquerque and Flagstaff...lots of drunks on the weekends....hopefully I'll be hitting that section early enough to avoid both them and the elk.....

-H-

 

[Desertdude]

coming back from Sante Fe last week -( instead of I-40) we took 25 south to 60 -then to 260 - it was real nice friendly ride

 

[Wanderlusty]

I miss that Honda 919.

Yes, yes, you do miss that bike....:xxrotflma

And...to the topic at hand...the Iron Butt....it is high on the list of things I want to do after I can get another bike. Though I will probably take the 'easy' route of keeping it on the superslab, probably I-40 from Conway to Flagstaff or thereabouts. I think that is actually a bit OVER 1000, so maybe just to the Arizona border or so.

I have done 1000 in a car several times. Doing it on a bike will be harder, but I know I can do it.

 

[Doin_It]

Have fun - back in 2000 I left Sturgis with a buddy who was heading west to Sacramento, and I was off to Calgary. At Salt Lake I turned right, and he kept going straight. I fianlly pooped out just south of Helena, (roughly 2000km's) which gave me an apprecation of those Iron Butt boys, but also sparked the fire for long distance riding. So be careful, cause once you finish your first ride.............its hard to stop. So now every spring I do a Spring, get the winter dust off the bike, 3 day weekend blast from Calgary to Reno and back. So have fun, cause it is all of that, FUN.

 

[Hltoppr]

probably I-40 from Conway to Flagstaff or thereabouts.

If you're in Flagstaff, I'd be happy to be a "witness" to your arrival!....Then provide the fresh, brewery cervezas!

Doin It...Thanks for the encouragement...my route as of now seems a tad daunting....lots of secondary roads through UT, CO, and NM.....I wouldn't want anything to be easy...:shakin:

-H-

 

[Wanderlusty]

If you're in Flagstaff, I'd be happy to be a "witness" to your arrival!....Then provide the fresh, brewery cervezas!
-H-

Thanks, I will remember that. Though as I have said, it may be a while before I can take advantage of that hospitality.

If I don't do that route, I will probably try a circular route that I was looking at the other day that would take me back home.

It would go 40 to LR, then 30 from LR to Dallas, 20 from Dallas to Jackson, 55 from Jackson, MS to Memphis and then 40 back to Conway.

It depends whether I sit aside some average saturday to tackle a circular route or if I try and plan a multi-day ride heading west and back. I do not think that I would be willing (or ABLE) to make the same kind of time heading back east....though if I did, at least halfway, I would qualify for the Bun Burner 1500....hmm....

Ok, enough planning (er..daydreaming) from the guy that doesn't even have a ride right now...)