West coast to East coast record

[Kendoo]

Wait a minute! That is a 76 MPH average and you had to stop every 350 miles??? That is if you could go 350 miles. Don't tell me you didn't see 100MPH!

Your stock price just went up with me.

No excessive speeds, I was going with traffic the whole way.  I did push the 350 mile limit as close as I could.  The key was to keep the stops to 5 minutes.  My point is that if you had a 450 mile range, were catheterized and didn't value your license, a much quicker time is doable.  You would also have to have some luck with traffic, accidents, weather etc.

[Sport-Touring]

[Bounce]

Over the years I've seen the confusion of elapsed time being a function of top speed instead of rolling average. It takes a lot of work to make up for 0 mph so the less time you spend there, the less time you have to push.

Given the habits of most people (outside of the IBA) who I've ridden with, it's not surprising they think that the ton (or more) is needed to do these rides. After all, they stop every hour to walk around, spend 45 minutes at every gas stop, some can't go more than 90 miles on a tank of fuel, and do set downs for every meal. Some don't ride within an hour of sun up or sun down (some never at night), and the list of constraints could go on from there. That's a lot of time at 0 mph.

[Blue is Best]

I have really been enlightened reading the replies from you distance riders. I still have to ask the question. Why?

Riding distance is no big deal for me but I have great scenery to look at or good roads to ride and a place to arrive at. But to just ride with no purpose other than to say I did it?

If it keeps you out of the therapist's office, well, motor on.

 

[rajflyboy]

Wait a minute! That is a 76 MPH average and you had to stop every 350 miles??? That is if you could go 350 miles. Don't tell me you didn't see 100MPH!

Your stock price just went up with me.

Especially that first 45 minutes getting out of NYC

[mellow_gold]

I have really been enlightened reading the replies from you distance riders. I still have to ask the question. Why?

Riding distance is no big deal for me but I have great scenery to look at or good roads to ride and a place to arrive at. But to just ride with no purpose other than to say I did it?

If it keeps you out of the therapist's office, well, motor on.

 

Doesn't interest me, but I understand it.  Same reason people climb mountains.  Push personal limits, bragging rights, because it's there, because some asshole in 5th grade called you Nancy and you've been trying to prove him wrong ever since, etc etc etc.

[Kendoo]

Especially that first 45 minutes getting out of NYC

We left at 4am in order to beat the NYC commuter traffic and miss rush hour near Chicago.  Only traffic I hit was 50 miles outside of SF.  I was fortunate to have a local who was following my SPOT track, meet up with me and school me in the fine art of lane splitting.  What a blast, felt like a hooligan!!

[Bounce]

Ney ney!

It's not about bragging rights. It's ADHD.

So few projects get finished because the next interesting thing grabs our attention.  With endurance riding there are enough discrete tasks to keep the floor level of "noise" high enough that we don't lose interest. Stitch together enough of those tasks and you end up with a BBG.

There's a reason why 45 minute "chats" at every gas stop end up with me pacing around, tapping my toe, and wonder whadup with this delay. Or that 5 minutes into the stop to go on a tour of cave and I'm ready to go ride again. Or stopping at 6pm and wasting half a day in yet another hotel room has me bouncing off the walls. Or stopping for 3 sit-down meals a day seems odd when a Cliff Bar in the tank bag is plenty. Or why pulling into a parking lot along the south rim of the Grand Canyon, walking out to a lookout point at sunset, getting another tourist to take a couple of photos, then hopping back on the bike and leaving is plenty for me to say I've been there. Same as with seeing Hoover dam: Pull over on the south end of the dam, walk 10 yards to the edge, look over, proclaim "Damn! That's a lot of concrete!" and get back rolling again before security could point out that I was in a "No Parking: Services Area Only" area.

The ride IS the point; not the destination.

[Blue is Best]

Ney ney!

It's not about bragging rights. It's ADHD.

So few projects get finished because the next interesting thing grabs our attention.  With endurance riding there are enough discrete tasks to keep the floor level of "noise" high enough that we don't lose interest. Stitch together enough of those tasks and you end up with a BBG.

There's a reason why 45 minute "chats" at every gas stop end up with me pacing around, tapping my toe, and wonder whadup with this delay. Or that 5 minutes into the stop to go on a tour of cave and I'm ready to go ride again. Or stopping at 6pm and wasting half a day in yet another hotel room has me bouncing off the walls. Or stopping for 3 sit-down meals a day seems odd when a Cliff Bar in the tank bag is plenty. Or why pulling into a parking lot along the south rim of the Grand Canyon, walking out to a lookout point at sunset, getting another tourist to take a couple of photos, then hopping back on the bike and leaving is plenty for me to say I've been there. Same as with seeing Hoover dam: Pull over on the south end of the dam, walk 10 yards to the edge, look over, proclaim "Damn! That's a lot of concrete!" and get back rolling again before security could point out that I was in a "No Parking: Services Area Only" area.

The ride IS the point; not the destination.

 

1) See my post above about riding keeping you out of therapist office
2) You've seen it written about "smelling the roses", taking pictures

3) Me and you would make good riding partners


 

[rajflyboy]

Damn Bounce

You are damn good !!

[Kendoo]

Ney ney!

It's not about bragging rights. It's ADHD.

So few projects get finished because the next interesting thing grabs our attention.  With endurance riding there are enough discrete tasks to keep the floor level of "noise" high enough that we don't lose interest. Stitch together enough of those tasks and you end up with a BBG.

There's a reason why 45 minute "chats" at every gas stop end up with me pacing around, tapping my toe, and wonder whadup with this delay. Or that 5 minutes into the stop to go on a tour of cave and I'm ready to go ride again. Or stopping at 6pm and wasting half a day in yet another hotel room has me bouncing off the walls. Or stopping for 3 sit-down meals a day seems odd when a Cliff Bar in the tank bag is plenty. Or why pulling into a parking lot along the south rim of the Grand Canyon, walking out to a lookout point at sunset, getting another tourist to take a couple of photos, then hopping back on the bike and leaving is plenty for me to say I've been there. Same as with seeing Hoover dam: Pull over on the south end of the dam, walk 10 yards to the edge, look over, proclaim "Damn! That's a lot of concrete!" and get back rolling again before security could point out that I was in a "No Parking: Services Area Only" area.

The ride IS the point; not the destination.

OMG, you summed it up perfectly.  In 2011 my 17 year old son and I took a trip out West.  He was the perfect riding partner.  We went into a bunch of National parks and each time they collected $30 from me and told me the pass was good for a week blah blah blah.  I would always ask what the "must see" area of the park was because I plan to be out of here in under an hour. Lol. I understand both sides, but damn, I just want to keep the wheels rolling.

[squeezer]

I have really been enlightened reading the replies from you distance riders. I still have to ask the question. Why?

When I was doing it -- it's been a few years -- I just saw it as a different way to ride. Most of the time, I'm a smell the roses guy, but I really liked getting on the bike a few times a year and just not getting off for awhile. It's just a different way to use the bike.

And sometimes I picked up a certificate because I actually had to get somewhere (family event, conference); that is, the destination was, in fact, the reason for the ride. Those trips typically involved long, boring slab runs leaving them behind me as soon as possible was a pretty good strategy.

The long distance rallies are the bomb. They've taken me to places and down roads I never would found. I haven't done one since moving to the left coast, but I'm starting to feel the itch again...

[Ignacio]

They must be unofficial records. Guinness stopped doing timed records on public roads something like 10 years ago. The IBA won't specifically document/certify a ride that doesn't include gas stops every 300 miles or which require excessive speeding to complete in the time claimed.

Very wise of them.  I'm sure the folks that have alternative compass needles don't need the IBA to certify their antics.

The notion that somebody might go 2800 miles in 38 hours is obviously fringe.  You definitely wouldn't catch me lollygagging those kinds of velocities in pursuit of a record...official or unofficial.

[David Morrow]

I have really been enlightened reading the replies from you distance riders. I still have to ask the question. Why?


 

I love the challenge of researching the route, times, speeds, gas locations, hours of daylight, gas range, etc. And then, riding the route validates good planning, net of things that go sideways because of things out of my control.

The bonus is often getting to a far away place in greatly reduced time which extends riding time in new places.

[Blue is Best]

I love the challenge of researching the route, times, speeds, gas locations, hours of daylight, gas range, etc. And then, riding the route validates good planning, net of things that go sideways because of things out of my control.

The bonus is often getting to a far away place in greatly reduced time which extends riding time in new places.

Months ago I was talking to one of the buddies that lives about 750 miles away. All interstate. I have figured gas stops and such. I could make it there in about eleven hours easily, get a samuch and two hours of rest and go back to make 1,500 miles in a day. But I asked myself, why?

If I was going in a straight line to visit someone far away then that would be an opportunity to get there and have more time later to see things.

[paulcb]

I understand both sides, but damn, I just want to keep the wheels rolling.

+1, ditto and all that stuff... I just like to ride.  When people ask why, I say I don't know, I just want to ride.

Good to see you at Stagecoach Ken.  Look forward to following you and the others for the IBA Rally this summer.  Would like to do that someday...

[Kendoo]

+1, ditto and all that stuff... I just like to ride.  When people ask why, I say I don't know, I just want to ride.

Good to see you at Stagecoach Ken.  Look forward to following you and the others for the IBA Rally this summer.  Would like to do that someday...

Likewise Paul!!

[NotDeadYet]

I did an IBA sanctioned 24 hour endurance rally about 14 years ago.  There was no set route, points were awarded for total miles ridden with bonus points awarded for various check points along the way depending on the route chosen.  I rode along the foothills and eastern Rocky Mountains.  

It was June 21, the longest day of the year.  We were given route alternative / bonus planning books at 5pm on Friday evening. We had one hour to plan our routes to accumulate as many miles and bonus points as we could with our planned route in the 24 hour time frame. We were allowed to put our kickstands up and ride out an hour later at 6:00PM.  Check-in deadline was 24 hours later at 6pm Saturday night. Penalty points were accrued for each minute riders were late.  The weather was horrific.  In spite of Mother Nature's challenges I managed 1275 miles through pouring rain, zero visibility fog, snow in the mountains and very little little sunshine.  

I had a close encounter with a deer early Saturday morning and in general, I probably put myself through more than I should have.  I slept on a picnic table along the roadside for a few hours Saturday about noon.  I almost threw in the towel at about the 20 hour mark but I found a second wind and decided to push through.  I finished a few minutes late of the check in and incurred some penalty points for that.  It was my first sanctioned long distance endeavour and I managed to finish 5'th amongst some very serious Iron Butt competitors.

I don't have the desire to do it again.  I understand what drives others to do it but I don't see myself doing it again.  I am almost 65 years old now so that may have something to do with it too.  I still like to live vicariously through the riders that challenge themselves like that though.

To any and all long distance riders - have fun and stay safe out there!!!