[ST] Iron Butt Riding

["Doug Bailey" <dougthe2wf@xxxxxxx>]

David Brant wrote:
>Who in there right mind believes you can do a
>coast to coast 50 and not exceed the speed limit by a large amount.  Who
>in their right mind believes it is safe to ride 20 hours a day.

STeve Duncan wrote:
>Kneebone rescinded Frank's IBA cert for doing what every other IBA 
>participant does, every time they ride.



As to David's comment, I do.  I have 8 Iron Butt ride certificates, 
including a 50CC (2500 miles in 44 hours, 37 hours on the road) I can tell 
you that you don't need to ride at high speeds to complete the ride.  I've 
never ridden faster than 80-85 mph.  At yet higher speeds your fuel milage 
drops forcing more gas stops and the wind takes alot more out of you.  With 
speed limits of 75 mph and most traffic running up to 80 it is easy to have 
a high mph average.  On my 48 state ride (7322 miles in 8 days 5 hours for 
those wanting to estimate average speed) I even had two 14 hour days so I 
could ride in behind the rain rather than in it all day.  Weather, rain and 
temp, also effect stamina.  And the 10/10th ride coming up, I figure running 
16-19 hour days.

Speaking of the 10/10ths ride, I hope to get a fuel problem fixed this 
weekend.  The last two tanks dropped to 38 and 25 mpg this week and the bike 
seems to be running a bit rough.  I hope to not need to delay the trip a 
week or ride my BMW as the backup bike.

When I run endurance I'll stop once in the afternoon for a meal and have 
trail mix, granola, etc. throughout the day.  Water and gatorade are the 
drinks of choice, no caffine.  Efficient stops are also the key.  Gas, 
stretch, and go.  Yes, stop to go farther.  Making food and snack breaks 
separate from gas stops takes not much more time and gets you out of the 
seat more to stretch.

As far as 20 hours a day.  Everyone has their own limits.  When I started LD 
riding one day was a drainer, then two, and eventually multiple days.  I 
generally ride no more than 19 or 20 hours as I know when I hit 21 I it's 
time to stop.

I haven't seen the motorcyclist article so I can't comment about what was 
written.

For STeve, if Frank wrote about riding triple digits or being so tired he 
had trouble staying awake or the such, no that isn't what every IBA 
participant does everytime they ride.  Yes, there are probably some, but 
don't go generalizing the whole group, otherwise this list would apparently 
be full of SOB's after some of the things in the past few months.

It seems to be an unwritten law within the LD community that you don't 
comment/brag about exploits of riding fast or tired as they are unsafe and 
just give fuel to those who can't imagine LD riding is safe because it is 
beyond their own limits.

Doug Bailey



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