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My IBA Saddlesore 1000 ride to Lake Erie and back


Hydrilla

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My ride started in Burlington, NC and took me to the shore of Lake Erie in Mentor, Ohio, and back. This ride has been something I've wanted to do for the better part of a decade, but it has never worked out for me to do it. I decided one day early last week that I had a capable bike and there was no reason to just go ahead and do it. I spent the week planning, and thankfully last Thursday my stock exhaust system arrived in the mail (thanks Keith), so I installed it that evening, along with new rear brake pads. I know you aren't supposed to make changes right before a long ride, but it was either that or postpone the ride, since my Remus muffler had literally fallen apart. Fortunately I rode about 50 miles Friday, and re-checked everything when I got home.

 

I was telling people that this ride was no big deal, it was just something I wanted to do, etc etc. By Saturday morning, however, I could tell that this wasn't true- it was a pretty big deal to me. I checked and triple-checked my bike, gear, luggage, and the ride instructions that I had already read multiple times. I got a little bit of a later start than I wanted to, getting on the road at about 0650.

 

My route took me on a few roads leading up to I-77 through Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio. I originally thought about going Southwest to somewhere in Alabama, Tuscaloosa maybe. A fellow rider reminded me that this route would take me through Charlotte and Atlanta on a holiday weekend which might not be a good idea, and when I thought about it, he's right. Not to mention the high for Tuscaloosa on Saturday was 98. I never considered going I-40 West because as much as I enjoy the mountains of Western NC and Eastern TN, that area isn't exactly conducive to making good time, and to me mountain riding is more tiring. 95 North to... anywhere? Umm, no. So I-77 North it is.

 

My first stop was in West Virginia at a 'travel plaza' on the West Virginia Turnpike. I thought I'd stop there because it was kind of like a rest stop and I thought that would translate to a relatively quick stop. Boy was I wrong. The plaza serviced both North and Southbound lanes, and getting gas, using the latrine and getting some brunch took 50 minutes!! That was pretty discouraging, and a lesson learned. A little bit of that time was spent entering the stop info in my log, and better securing my accessory adapter and iPhone charger cord- yet another thing I added just before the ride. Physically I felt pretty good at this point, although I was a little more uncomfortable than I expected. Certainly far from miserable, but uncomfortable nonetheless. I actually started feeling pretty good shortly after my stop, seemingly getting better and better, and I made it another good distance without feeling like stopping again.

 

I started seeing signs for Canton Ohio. Wow, is this THE Canton? I didn't know if maybe there was more than one in Ohio. Man, how cool would it be to stop in front of The Hall, and get a few pictures?? I got to Canton and stopped for gas, and the nice gas station attendant sent me out to her boyfriend who was there waiting on her shift to finish, and he gave me directions. It was just a few miles further up I-77, right off the interstate- how awesome! I was really excited, being a huge NFL fan. What a beautiful place. Some nice folks took pictures for me, I reciprocated, and got back on the road. I was amused at the strange looks and several times being asked "aren't you hot?" It didn't occur to me until a short time later that there is no helmet law in Ohio. Almost all of the bikes I saw were Harleys or other V-twins, and not only were there no helmets, there was very little clothing at all- shorts, tank tops, flip-flops and the like. People were looking at me in my Roadcrafter like I was Marty McFly.

 

Stopping in Canton was energizing, and the rest of the trip there was a breeze. I even did the math in my head on what it would take to do the 1500 miles in 24 hours, and thought I might have considered it if I hadn't wasted so much time on my stops. Turns out you have to complete a SS1000, BB1500 or one of the other less extreme rides, and that was fine. Canton was only about 90 miles further, and I made it there in what seemed like no time.

 

At least the parts of this town I saw were beautiful. Everything was more green than it is in North Carolina this time of year, and the temperature was about 85 and breezy. I finished my gas stop- had to go in and get a more detailed receipt from the attendant since my outside one didn't have the location- and I headed just down the road to Headlands Beach State Park, on the shore of Lake Erie. What a beautiful beach! It has to be bigger than any beach I've ever been to, which admittedly is limited to a number of locations on the Eastern seaboard of the US. It was very clean, there were lifeguards, and a lot of people but it wasn't crowded. I would love to go back sometime. I wanted to get in the water, but the idea of having to ride home all sandy didn't sound great, so I just walked around on the beach some, and went back to the parking area to sit in the shade near the bike and enjoy some time sans Aerostich, boots, gloves and helmet. I knew I was fine on time, so I spent a good long while just sitting in the grass in the shade and relaxing.

 

I started back home feeling energized and motivated to make good time. It was after 1700 so I knew I would be getting home late, but I didn't want to use the whole 24 hours or anywhere close to it. My next stop was for gas and food in Parkersburg, WV- about 200 miles down the road. I was back on the road in good time, still feeling good. Remembering the 3 tollbooths I had to go through on the way up, I took this time to put six 1 dollar bills under the flip-up gas cap cover at this time. It made going through these stops much easier and faster, which I am sure was appreciated by the people in line behind me. I just handed the whole $6 or $4 to the attendants and asked them to give me change since it was difficult with gloves on.

 

As it started getting later, I started getting a little tired. Not sleepy, just a little road weary, I guess you could say. My last stop was at a map dot called Max Meadows, VA. All I know about Max Meadows is that they have a gas station connected to a Burger King, and that it apparently used to be an adult bookstore, according to a sign out front. That's all I've got to say about that.

 

Probably about 900 miles into the ride, I started noticing a couple of little things, like how the earpieces of my shades (clear at this point since it was dark) were giving me sore spots, and my knees were a little tired- not stiff, just a little tired. I was very thankful that my back was doing great, and I had no headaches or anything.

 

I was no longer tired after rounding a dark corner on I-77 and coming face to face with about a 120 pound forest rat. She was close enough to the right side of the road that I could've smacked her with a yardstick. We saw each other at the same time, and there was no way to brake or react- I was doing about 70mph. She had a guardrail on the right side, so if she bolted, in front of me was the only direction. She sprawled a little bit, and then thankfully froze in place as I went by. That was too close for comfort.

 

I got back to my start point in Burlington at just over 20 hours from when I started. I gassed up, finished my paperwork, got my witness information and headed home. I was so keyed up that I watched TV until the sun came up, and went to bed. The total according to my odometer which I am pretty sure is off, was 1,116 miles. My route from Google Maps and a couple other sources was closer to 1,050-ish, and with a little extra driving around, I'm guessing I was probably at about 1,065.

 

Here are a few pics, and I have some thoughts to share that I will add in a response. I know it isn't as exciting as some of the amazing rides people post about, but hopefully some folks will enjoy it, and some riders that are considering doing an Iron Butt ride will benefit from it.

 

 

Starting out on the ride

 

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Couple pictures at the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in Canton, Ohio

 

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My destination- Lake Erie! This is Headlands Beach State Park in Canton, Ohio

 

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This was the park at the beach where I took my longest rest of the day, in shorts and flip-flops. 85 degrees, breezy and low humidity.

 

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Item number 14 of the Iron Butt Association's "Archive Of Wisdom"- Eat healthful foods. Umm... well...

 

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This was in the bathroom at one of my stops. I'm thinking they must have come out with this around the same time people were eating Freedom Fries instead of french fries :rofl:

 

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My last stop on the return trip

 

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About to roll the tripmeter!

 

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Having a supportive wife and kid sure helps. I came home to this waiting for me in the dining room :Cool:

 

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Very cool! Thanks for sharing. A small group of us is doing a SS1000 end of this month. Ironically, we are heading from Ohio to North Carolina, Knoxville and then back home. Your words encouraged me.

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I wanted to add some comments and observations that might help someone considering doing this kind of ride for the first time.

 

- When I posted on the ride planning forum and talked to a few people about doing this ride, the question of "Why?" by a number of people. If you are considering this ride and you find yourself asking the same question, then I say don't do it. I ask why when it comes to rock climbing, sky diving and bungee jumping, because those things aren't for me. This is riding distance for the sake of riding distance and not stopping long enough to enjoy much of it. I wanted to do it simply for the challenge. I had spinal fusion surgery 2 years ago (C5-C6-C7) and at that time I wasn't sure I was going to be able to ride anymore or do a lot of things, and this was a big victory for me. If the idea of it spins your crank, do it. If not, do something else. I thought I'd do the SS1000 and that would be it. While I want to get into some distance riding where I can enjoy the trip more along the way, now I am thinking I would like to do a couple more IBA rides, including maybe one of the Extreme ones. "Why?" To see if I can.

 

- Don't make too big of a deal out of it. I thought about doing it for years, and if you have a bike that is reliable enough and you are physically able to do it, then just do it. Plan accordingly, but hey it's not Dakar, it's just a one day ride. I will admit that I got myself a little bit worked up about it by Saturday morning, worrying about the documentation requirements and everything else, and it wasn't necessary.

 

- Choose a route that doesn't have a high potential of terrible traffic delays. A couple members here steered me away from making that mistake. For example, I used to live in the DC area, and there are times that if there's a bad wreck on I-95, you could be stuck for 4-5 hours without moving much at all. Might as well give up at that point.

 

- Bounce your route off some friends and fellow forum members. They will probably think of something you haven't. For safety, make sure your family or someone back home knows your exact route.

 

- Pack light. You don't need 80 pounds of luggage for a one day ride. Bring a change of socks and underclothes, a warm layer like a fleece (even in the Summer), some raingear, a few snacks that won't melt, some tools, a first aid kit, etc.

 

- A compression shirt and seamless compression shorts were a big help, and made the ride very comfortable.

 

- I have been riding in a mesh jacket and pants around town lately because of the heat, but I do not regret wearing my Roadcrafter on this trip. It didn't get hot at all, and I didn't get cold at night. Also, at least for me it kind of works as a compression suit, and cuts down on fatigue over time in my opinion.

 

- If you live somewhere colder than I do, I would suggest bringing your electric clothes if you have them.

 

- I LOVE my Russell. I got tired of sitting in one place at times, but I NEVER ONCE got any hot spots or soreness. I couldn't have made it 300 miles on the stock RT seat.

 

- I wish I didn't have a 11 year old helmet with a face shield that won't stay up in traffic, and is noisier closed than when open. It's time for a new one.

 

- Put sunscreen on your face and any other exposed skin, and put it on before you start. That's a lot of hours out there baking in the sun if you don't.

 

- If any part of your gear is uncomfortable, multiply it by x number of times, and that is what it will be by the end of the ride. The earpieces of my sunglasses are the only thing I can think of right now, but the potential is there with other things, like underwear with seams under the legs.

 

- Avoid congested travel plazas.

 

- I know what the tips say, and what others say, about not drinking caffeine and eating junk food. If you drink caffeine on a regular basis, common sense tells you not to go 24 hours without it, but I would say you should alternate it with water/sports drinks, especially this time of the year. I agree with avoiding burgers and stuff, but a Snickers bar or something like that isn't bad.

 

- The pace you need to maintain for a SS1000 is not a big deal at all. I had almost 4 hours to spare, and I didn't feel like I was pushing my pace AT ALL. Do not worry about being able to finish in time if you have a good bike.

 

- Don't speed excessively, it isn't necessary. I only went about 5 over the speed limit at the most, partly because it was a holiday weekend and there were speed traps everywhere. Even if you didn't go over the speed limit at all, you will have no problem completing the ride in time.

 

- I have a Scala Rider 2 communication system hooked up to my helmet, and it was really nice to use the helmet speakers to play Pandora music via my iPhone. The speakers are inside the helmet, and I think that type of setup is much safer than using headphones because you can still hear all the things in traffic that you should. I downloaded some audiobooks, but I didn't end up using them. Music worked out better, I wanted to soak in everything around me during the ride, and spend some time thinking, and music was better for that than an audiobook. I think if I didn't have music I would've gotten sleepy. Being able to charge my iPhone with an accessory plug adapter sure was nice.

 

- Did I mention that I LOVE my Russell??

 

- Take your time when it comes to your log entries, checking receipts, and witness forms. It would be a shame for getting in a rush to cost you. The receipt at my turnaround point in Ohio did not have the location on it, I had to go inside and get them to print one for me that had the location. If I got in a rush, that could've cost me.

 

- Have fun! Some people dread riding slabs, but I personally enjoy it. I will get a dual sport as a second bike, hopefully sooner than later, and start doing some adventure riding, but I think I will always enjoy riding the open highways. :Cool:

 

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Starfighter

Rick Mayer did the K-bike seat for me (I added gel with sheepskin to it) and Cee Bailey did the RTP seat........best so far.

My next seat will be a Russell..

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Yeah, actually... but not at almost 3 in the morning :grin:

 

Congratulations!! How cool to come back to that type of reception. Cake and ice cream come with it?
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Congrats on the accomplishment. I make that trip several times a year. I am originally from outside Akron, OH and reside in Raleigh. So the kids head uo there 4 times a year to visit the fam. That trip is long in my Durango, I can only imagine! WOW! How did you like the I-77 route through WV on the bike? Once you get out of Chareleston not much to write home about, but that sections through Surry County NC through Charleston WV are not to shabby, at least in the car.

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Thanks guys. Mike, I LOVED riding up I-77 through West Virginia. I-77 in general is a good road compared to other slabs I've spent a lot of time on- it is fast, has less 18 wheelers than a lot of interstates, and is very scenic much of the time. Also I probably mentioned this before, but Ohio is a much prettier state than I thought, or had experienced before my ride. I am sure just like most places, it depends on the area.

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Paul Mihalka

I'm glad you switched your plan from NC/Alabama to NC/Ohio. Your first plan gave me goose bumps when I read it.

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Paul, I hear ya- you were helpful in your suggestion to pick a different route. I may be soliciting route advice again sometime this Fall for a BBG1500 (yeah, I know... "why?" :) ).

 

Thanks guys. I love Vernors- I grew up for the most part in South Carolina but I was born in Michigan, and knowing my family, I probably had Vernors in my baby bottle :grin:

 

It hasn't been available in the South (or at least in the Carolinas) all that long, so we are definitely glad to see it in the stores down here.

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  • 3 months later...

I got my SS1000 certificate yesterday! :Cool: I was a few weeks late in sending mine off, but it still took a good while, I assume because of all the work they had to do on the big IBA ride that was around the same time. Anyway, I think it was worth it and I would like to do a more difficult one someday.

 

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Congrats, I live in Kernersville, I work in McLeansville and sometimes ride my bicycle during lunch to Gibsonville. I ride the RT to work everyday. Anyway, you coulda come on the ride with my neighbor and me the other day.

 

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Routes

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Thanks y'all! Richard, I used to work in K'Vegas. We'll have to go riding sometime. George- LMAO! I got rid of the license number in this pic because I was posting it on Facebook.

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