I’m a modern day biker, got a scooter to prove it,
Got ink on my arm, took 5 minutes to choose it.

My putt she’s a beauty 40 grand worth of chrome,
I didn’t know now how to ride her, so I trailered her home.

I bought her on credit, accessories up the wazoo,
Bought some worn chaps and a leather jacket on HD credit too.

I got me some apes, about 3 feet tall
They’re way over my head, can’t reach them at all.

Big carb and big cam, big tire to boot,
But I pray she don’t break cuz I can’t fix my own scoot.

Couple falls, couple crashes another 5 grand in fix’n
Now I got my permit just can’t take my little vixen.

My ol lady she’s a hottie, she’ll be 18 in June,
She loves all the chrome and now gives me the poon.

I wear a bandana, all folded and pressed,
No helmet for me, I ride to impress.

I got me an attitude, I’m the baddest in town,
But I check it at the door when real patchers are around.

I bought a big knife but I leave it at home,
I wore it out once but got in the way of my phone.

I call my friends “bro” now, they got new scooters too
We think we need an oil changed, just no sure how to.

I watch Pauly and Cody and Vinny and Senior
But I love Mikey the most, he’s the freaking ring leader.

And don’t forget Jessie and his West Coast Choppers,
Building every bikers dream, 50 thousand dollar bar hoppers.

I won’t ride to Sturgis, man that’s way too far
I’ll just load up the trailer and tow with the car.

I’ll stay in a motel, five stars there’s no doubt
One with great food and were credit has clout.

I will trailer near town then jump in with some scooters
1200 miles to drool at some girl with fake hooters.

I might get my ear pierced or another tattoo
Of skulls or of dagger or maybe F**k U

If the ol lady don’t like it and thinks I’m a dope
No problems here, it’ll wash off with soap

Sleep on the ground! You’re kidding me right?
Next thing you’ll want me to do is stay up n party all night.

I’ll buy me a patch that says “I RODE MINE THERE”
Who the hells gonna know, it’s a lie but who cares.

Ride to live, live to ride, I got riden in my veins,
Except when it’s too hot or too cold or windy or it rains.

Yea, I’m a modern day biker, you got something to say?
Send me an email, I’ll answer someday.

Far away is only far away, if you don't go there

BMW Motorcycle Owners of America | BMW Owners News - on the Web

BMW Motorcycle Owners of America | BMW Owners News - on the Web

I have a lot of wood cut for this year and would like to sell some of it.
Send me a email or call me and iwill bring it over or you can come get it. There is a charge for me delivering it. I charge 100.00 for 4ftx8ftx16in stack and its a hardwood mix

I was impressed with this guys letter writing ability.
He is the guy that one the Iron Butt. I have a few photos at flickr.com/hazelwoodgarage

Open Letter of Gratitude


It is now 10 weeks since I returned home after the 2009 Iron Butt Rally.? I
am amazed at how the time has passed by so quickly since then.? It is tough
to juggle two careers and preparation for the IBR.? A large number of
responsibilities and tasks were put on the back burner for preparation and
participation in the rally.? Of course, they were all still waiting for me
when I arrived back home and the payback/catch-up has been overwhelming.
Additionally, it has always taken me a long time to regroup after such an
all consuming event and this year has been no exception.? The past 10 weeks
has been a combination of reengaging with both careers, adjusting back to
life at home and recovering from the rally itself.? As I have slowly resumed
the normal rhythms of life, I am ever more constantly mindful of how much
this years rally has meant to me and how grateful I am to be part of a truly
incredible community.? My life has been enriched immeasurably by my
participation and I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to so many different
people.


We all recognize that this is an individual sport.? It is the effort of a
single rider and machine working to overcome the adversity inherent in such
an endeavor, solving the myriad pieces of an extremely dynamic puzzle.? In
the face of that recognition, I am profoundly moved by all the help,
encouragement and support I have received from so many different people and
I want to express my appreciation to you all.??


To start with, a huge tip of the hat to Mike Kneebone and the staff of the
Iron Butt Association.? Mike has built an environment that has fostered this
community and created a way to express our passion together with other
riders of like mind.? Everything from the non-competitive IBA sanctioned
rides to the multitude of shorter competitive rallies to the Iron Butt Rally
itself.? All because Mike had the passion, vision and tenacity to pull
together a group of people that are usually individualists.? Thank you,
Mike!!


I have a very fond place in my heart for the staff of this years Iron Butt
Rally.? It is truly incredible that so many people from so many varied
backgrounds can come together to put on such a quality event that gives
riders the opportunity to be a part of something so wonderful.?


Lisa Landry is truly incredible in how she pulls off an extremely complex
set of seemingly unrelated tasks and manages to do it with such style and
panache.? You can hardly tell she is working hard or stressed at all.
Organizing the volunteers..for check-in, for tech inspection, for scouting
rally bonus locations, for scoring, for managing the checkpoints, and many
other people intensive tasks, behind the scenes, that we never see, so we
can experience a smooth running rally.? Arranging hotels...at the start,
checkpoints, and finish.? Banquets...at the start and finish, as well as
food for the riders at the checkpoints.? The huge responsibility of carrying
the emergency contact book and making the call to loved ones when needed.? I
can't imagine how heavy that book must be.? And if that were not enough,
taking enough time to listen to and care for her riders all along the way.
Lisa, there are not enough words to express the gratitude you deserve for
doing so much for us.? Thank you so very much!!?

?

There are so many others that work selflessly to make this a smooth running
event.? Dale Wilson for organizing tech inspection and being the Sergeant at
Arms.? He's really a huggable teddy bear underneath that tough exterior.
:-)? Tom Austin for all the work he has done, including heading up the rule
changes this year that helped overcome the challenges and controversies of
years past.? And how about that Bob Higdon for putting together such an
interesting theme and bonus locations.? We went to some very cool places
during this years rally.? Steve Hobart for organizing the scoring and doing
some great photography as well.? Ira Agins for the many ways he brings his
talents and contributions.? And so many others, Ed Otto, Jim and Donna
Fousek, Dave McQueeny, Greg Roberts, Don Arthur, Toby and Lisa, John
Harrison, Bill Watt, all the scorers, and all the other volunteer, too
numerous to mention.? It takes a huge number of people to make this rally
work and without all of your generous contributions it would never happen.
A very warm thank you to you all.

?

I owe very special thoughts of appreciation to my beautiful and gracious
wife, Diane.? She has been so supportive and has borne her worry and concern
with strength and grace.? I am the luckiest man alive to have her in my
life.? I have many other family members as well.? Obviously, my father and
siblings, but perhaps the most fun is my Uncle Bill.? He really gets into
following the rally.?????

?

There are so many others.? Bill Wade and I have developed a strong bond of
friendship and continue to challenge each other to improve our
competitiveness and incorporate new ideas for greater efficiency and safety.
Pete Murray helps me maintain the physical conditioning to compete at the
highest level I can achieve.? Pete also helped me in very significant ways
during the rally giving me words of encouragement, reminding me to eat
right, stay hydrated and use those eye drops regularly to keep my eyes from
drying out.? Chris Ogden agreed to receive, hold and deliver my wheel with a
new tire, clothes and food to the second checkpoint at Santa Ana and then
helped me change it out when I arrived.? There are so many other riders over
the years that have shared their stories, methods and secrets.? Thank you
Bill, thank you Pete, thank you Chris, and thank you to all the riders who
have shared so much of yourselves for the common growth of this community.

?

Then there are the rally masters that have challenged me in oh so many ways
since 2002.? In particular, Rick Miller of the Mason Dixon 20-20, Steve
Chalmers of the Utah 1088, Eddie James and Adam Wolkoff from the Team
Strange events, George Zelenz from the Spank rallies, Jim Bain and the
Wrecking Crew from the Cape Fear, Scott LaShier and Gary Stipe from The Void
and Beast in the East and others.? These have been the training grounds that
have allowed me to hone my craft and compete at the highest levels.? Without
them I could not achieve all have.? Thanks to the Rally Bastards!!!?????

?

There are groups of people from significant areas of my past and present
that have provided words, thoughts and prayers of encouragement.? Fellow
workers and friends at Continental Airlines, employees of the financial
planning firm I work through, Independence Planning Group, my local BMW
riding club, the Skylands BMW Riders, people at my church, fellow classmates
from my Air Force Pilot Training Class.? I even had classmates from high
school sending messages of encouragement.? How cool is that!!!

?

Perhaps most significantly, I thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for
blessing me beyond my wildest imaginations.? I have been given so much and
all I have I owe to Him.??

?

So many people giving so much encouragement and support.? I rode the 2009
Iron Butt Rally entirely on my own cognizance, planning, and execution, but
I never could have done it without all of you.? I was ever mindful of you
following my progress through my Spot satellite tracker and every time I
pushed that "OK" button to send a new position report I was reminded of your
collective strength, thoughts and prayers and I was carried through the
tough times.

?

God Bless you all and thank you so much for all you have provided to me.?

?

Warmest Regards,

?

Jim Owen

> What I've seen Bruno is that most
> Jackets are similar to helmets - really a one event piece of
> gear (for a get off at freeway speeds).

Pretty much for synthetic gear.

But we tend to lump all in one bundle.


> If it wears through to the pads it still did it's job - as long as it did not wear through to your skin > underneath.


Technically, jackets should be speed rated. Because their performance depends on how much they can tolerate. For example, some jackets are perfectly fine for tooling/puttering around town. But they will not do nearly as well being subjected to a 70mph event.

Others are fine for a 70mph event, but out of their depths at speeds approaching the ton (on a closed course, naturally ). And so on.

So, a jacket may have all of the convenience features ie comfortable, rainproof, breathability, warm etc and perform well in its intended performance envelope. Thing is to know what that envelope might be.

If you're riding a GoldWing and touring at a very sedate pace on the Interstate and taking curvy roads and canyons at a pace equivalent to -3 Eilenvector , then a lightweight jacket will be fine.

But if you regularly ride near triple vein pace, the same jacket would be like taking a knife to a gun fight. Great as long as you don't need it. But don't fool yourself into thinking you have adequate protection should the need arise.

The jacket that will shred in a 35mph getoff and do its job is fine for commuting. But the same jacket might suffer catastrophic failure at 90mph.

Since this is a list about real riding needs, I think the subject is relevant. Moreso than on a Gold Wing list, for example.

FWIW, the textile jackets I've owned were all acceptable for doing track days. And I have done track days wearing them. Now, my mesh jacket I would not wear during a track day, even if I were allowed to. Nor, In the past, would I have felt comfortable wearing a polyester shell instead of one made of a 500 denier nylon Cordura or similar.

In the end, it's a personal choice.

Having consumers vocalize specific needs is a good thing. It provides guidance for manufacturers in meeting market needs.



> In looking at the separate body armors I have not been real
> pleased with those that feature "hard" armor.

When armor was first introduced about 10 years ago, and way longer with the 'Stich, I began experimenting. Sometimes I sourced my own foam and then experimented. Other times I improved what came OEM. All of my jackets have been enhanced for protection in various ways because I was adapting them more closely to my own needs.

Today, that is much less necessary. The bar has been raised quite a bit.


> That is why I put the highvelocity gear link in my original
> post.

Looks like very good gear.

>
> You should take another look at the First Gear offerings.

I always do, from time to time. :)


Cheers!



Bruno
Montreal, Canada
CBR 929
http://pages.videotron.com/mcrides

North to Alaska and back in 7 days - Motorcycling - Spot

North to Alaska and back in 7 days - Motorcycling - Spot

Economy stalls the Love Ride

The 26th running of annual motorcycle charity event has to be canceled due to lack of finances.
By Max Zimbert
Published: Last Updated Friday, October 9, 2009 10:21 AM PDT in the Glendale News Press

GLENDALE — A lack of funds, not a lack of love, doomed what would have been the 26th annual Love Ride.

Organizers of one of the largest one-day motorcycle charity events in the world announced Thursday that it had been canceled due to poor ticket sales and other financial worries.

“The numbers were scary dismal to where we thought, ‘Gee, this thing is going to bomb,’” said Oliver Shokouh, Love Ride founder and the owner of Glendale Harley-Davidson, which organizes the ride.

Company officials canceled the event when pre-registration numbers were about one-third less than the event’s previously lowest turnout. The event typically raises more than $1 million, organizers said.

“I’ve talked to other people involved in charitable events, and typically they’re down on average by 50%, it seems like,” Shokouh said. “Charities have gone away from people’s hearts right now, and they’re really just fighting for survival.”

The Love Ride was started in 1984 as a fundraising event for the Muscular Dystrophy Assn. and had grown to benefit more than a dozen children’s charities.

A spokeswoman for the association said she was saddened by the cancellation, pointing out that funds raised by the Love Ride helped fund services and research for clients in the Los Angeles area.

“There’s no doubt that these are challenging times for [the association] and nonprofits alike,” said Roxan Triolo Olivas, national public relations manager for the association. “As a nonprofit we are accustomed to operating on a tight budget, and we will continue to work on new efforts to generate income.”

Instead of a ride that closes much of South Brand Boulevard, Shokouh arranged an autograph session with actor Peter Fonda and a free movie screening to commemorate the 40th anniversary of “Easy Rider.” The event is from 4 to 10 p.m. Oct. 23. Organizers will also sell Love Ride memorabilia at the dealership at 3717 San Fernando Road over the weekend.

“We’d rather try to hang on to what we have and cut our losses than lose it all and potentially more than we can afford,” Shokouh said, adding that the charity ride might return next year. “We’ll have to wait and see what happens to the state of the economy. We’ll see if we have the resources and energy and proper climate, but the vision’s always been great.”

Harley-Davidson laid off 1,100 workers in January, and motorcycle sales for 2009 were projected to drop about 40% compared with 2008, according to Dealernews, an industry publication.

Last year’s Love Ride attracted about 20,000 riders and culminated at the Fairplex in Pomona. The day of trade shows, exhibits, vendors and entertainment featured bikers from all over the U.S. An afternoon concert last year was headlined by ZZ Top and the Foo Fighters. Dwight Yoakam was slated to perform at this year’s event on Oct. 26.

Funding for the event comes mostly from Harley-Davidson of Glendale, with additional support from sponsorships. But backers were few and far between this year, Shokouh said.

“We’d cold-call a sponsor, some people would just laugh and hang up,” he said. “Even people we’ve had a relationship with in the past aren’t coming on board. It has been a really grueling experience.”

Glendale partnered with the event last year and marshaled about $29,000 worth of police and traffic control for about $14,000.

In September, the City Council approved $17,000 to co-sponsor the event, along with $2,000 to advertise the event.

“It’s really sad that such a great event is a victim of the economy,” said Philip Lanzafame, the city’s director of development services. “They’re holding a smaller event  . . . while it’s not the same grand scale we’ve come to know, the spirit of it is still there, of helping those who could use some help.”

Participants who had already registered will receive a Love Ride 26 pin, patch and T-shirt.

Donations to Love Ride charities are still being accepted and are tax deductible, organizers said.

Shokouh said he hadn’t gotten a lot of sleep the last few weeks.

“Nobody wanted to keep this going more than me,” Shokouh said. “Twenty-five years of my life, and the focus is to do the Love Ride every year. This year, we worked twice as hard . . . and it just wasn’t happening.”

The following was posted on ldrider today; I have no idea myself what if anything it means for a possible Butt Lite rally.

"The Iron Butt Rally (IBR) introduces a shorter 5 day rally on even years (2010, 2012, 2014) so that riders may hone their navigation, planning and riding skills under rally conditions as a prelude to entry in the 11 day Iron Butt Rally.

For years, we have received requests to do a shorter pre-qualifier rally, but it was Steve Chalmers, announcement of his longer Ten N' Ten Rally and how quickly it filled up that is the inspiration for us to move forward with the Iron Butt 5000. Since Steve is doing a longer rally in 2010 with relaxed rules and procedures and the Ten N' Ten is almost full, we decided to move ahead with the five day to fill the gap for those riders who want to be prepared to ride in the 2011 IBR.

The Iron Butt 5000 is an actual subset of the 11 day IBR; a complete IBR in fewer days, but yes, with all the complication riding in the IBR entails, including our patented Mile Long Check In, videotaping your confessions, impossible to navigate odometer test sections and yes, trying to plan a decent route under extreme pressure, then struggling to upload it to your GPS and hopefully getting out of the parking lot without an embarrassing tip over. And, lest we forget, learning how to survive the scoring system! If that is not enough, you will have to endure a drawing, to be held on November 1, 2009, just like the real IBR drawing. In other words, everything
you need to know for a better shot at finishing the 2011 IBR!

But now, the most important part of the announcement: Since we are all investing a lot to get ready for 2011, it only makes sense that every rider who is a finisher of the Iron Butt 5000 is
guaranteed a spot in the 2011 IBR.

That's correct: If you are a finisher of the Inaugural Iron Butt 5000 you will bypass the draw for the 2011 Iron Butt Rally and simply send in your signed releases and your deposit. But you must finish in order to earn that 2011 spot so come ready to ride! And like the IBR this won't be a walk in the park.

The rally will be tied into the 2010 IBA National Meet, with Tech Inspection open specific windows during the Meet so you can avoid some of the long lines on Sunday morning. The Start Banquet will take place Sunday, August 15 and riders will line up on the start line Monday morning, August 16. The rally will end Saturday, August 21, 2010, in South Carolina." [snip]

Deer for Breakfast

Motorcycle tire info

The need to travel light is obviously the most important factor to consider when faced with the "what kit?" question.

As the first part of my journey is in North America - the land of plenty, I have decided to depart with what I believe to be the basic necessities and to buy anything extra as and when I need it. One area of equipment I have elected to do without is cooking gear, hoping that a combination of eating out and my propensity for raw food will stand me in good stead. Should this on-the-road gastronomy prove unsatisfactory, I will buy myself a small petrol stove and turn my hand to some field based cuisine. My choice of clothing is basically what I wear on the bike here everyday in the UK with added thermal layers for Alaska and lightweight items for the warmer climes.

On the whole, I am trying to keep my kit simple and avoid too many 'handy' gadgets, in the belief that the less stuff you have, the less there is to go wrong.
[The camping equipment must cope with cold climates] The camping equipment must cope with cold climates Camping Equipment

* Lightweight, one-man tent (Terra Nova 'Solar')
* Three-season sleeping bag (Rab 'Ladakh 600')
* Inflatable sleeping mat (Thermarest)

[All the tools have to fit into this small box!] All the tools have to fit into this small box! Tools

* Sockets: 8,10,12,13,14,17,19,22
* Combination spanners: sizes as above
* Mole grips
* 3/8" drive ratchet
* ¼" drive ratchet
* Extension bars
* Spark plug remover
* Bit holder
* Various bits - flat head, cross head, allen head
* Tyre pressure gauge
* Tyre levers
* Multimeter
* Leatherman tool

Bike Related Items

* Puncture repair kit
* Cable repair kit
* Hand pump (mountain bike type)
* 1 gallon jerry can
* Luggage straps
* Bungee straps
* Cable ties
* Disc lock
* Gaffer tape
* WD40
* Oil
* Grease
* Rags
* Manual

Spares

* Spark plug
* Front and rear brake pads
* Front and rear wheel bearings
* Head and tail light bulbs
* Main fuses
* Clutch lever
* Front brake lever
* Ignition key
* Inner tubes

Clothing

* Leather trousers
* Leather jacket
* Leather gloves
* Thermal inner gloves
* One-piece waterproof suit
* Helmet and goggles
* Thermal long johns and t-shirt
* Scarf
* Lightweight trousers
* T-shirts
* Underwear
* Socks
* Leather boots
* Sandals
* Swimming costume
* Shorts
* Sunglasses
* Balaclava

Personal Kit

* Camera, lenses, film and mini tripod
* Head torch
* Maps
* Plastic map case
* Small calculator
* Notebook
* Diary
* Pens
* Address book
* Reading and guide/phrase books
* Swiss army knife
* Compass
* Watch with alarm
* String
* Sewing kit
* Earplugs
* Rubber bands
* Small padlock
* Length of metal rope
* Matches
* Safety pins

Toiletries

* Travel towel
* Soap
* Shampoo (and conditioner!)
* Hairbrush
* Toothbrush
* Toothpaste
* Mirror
* Universal sink plug
* Lip salve
* Sunblock
* Moisturising lotion

First Aid Kit

* Plasters
* Various dressings
* Various bandages
* Micropore tape
* Tweezers
* Antiseptic cream
* Painkillers
* Re-hydration salts
* Multivitamins
* Insect repellant
* Anti-malarial tablets
* Antihistamine tablets
* Rubber gloves (ooh doctor!)

Documentation

* Passport
* Driving licence
* Vehicle registration document
* International driving permit
* International certificate of motor vehicles
* Travel insurance
* Multiple copies of all the above
* Scanned copies of all the above emailed to myself and friends/family

treadlife.blogspot.com

Updated wiring kits from japan
www.easternbeaver.com

http://s122.photobucket.com/albums/o258/farriders/FarRiders/FarRide%201%20TAS/?albumview=slideshow

http://www.mctourer.com/rides/2009/SS1K/index.html

From: John Harrison
Subject: [LDRider] the last 24 hours
To: ldrider@ibdone.org
Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 10:52 AM

The riders remaining in the event are entering the last 24 hours of the rally.? For most of them, especially the riders trying to get to the top of the standings and the riders that have found themselves struggling to acquire enough points to be a finisher, the last 24 hours will likely be the hardest ride that they have ever experienced.? They will have to dig deep into their energy reserves, their experience, and their souls to find that something that it takes to finish well in this the Iron Butt Rally.?

For those that are out and are not going to be finishers this time, the end of the rally will be difficult in a different sort of way.? Some will have to recover physically, some will have to recover emotionally, and some will have to do both.? But I hope they will rest easy in the knowledge that they gave it their best effort and that they will look forward to giving it another try in the future.???

I am sitting here remembering the last 24 hours of my ride in '01.? The last day of the rally was my 40th birthday.? I could not think of a better birthday present than becoming a finisher of the Iron Butt Rally.? But achieving that was still in serious doubt.? I was coming out of Canada,? about 1500 miles from the finish line in Alabama.? I had a deep cut on my front tire being held together with super glue and my rear tire had no remaining tread and needed to be replaced, both situations were courtesy of the scenic Canadian roads and the famous Alaska Highway.? I was nearly overwhelmed when I realized that I essentially needed to do a BBG on the 11th day of the IBR with trashed tires.? Great.? I had run the numbers on my GPS's and I did not have the time to stop for anything except fuel if I wanted to get back to the finish line on time.? I did not have time to try to find a set of tires.? I did not have time to get them mounted if I could
find them.? But if I could get back to the finish in time, I had enough points for a gold medal finish, so really all I was thinking about was how to make my tires last long enough to get me to the Madison Ramada Inn parking lot.?

As I made the turn south onto I-29, the tail wind turned into a steady cross wind from the west.? I found myself riding with the bike leaned way over into the wind just to maintain a straight line.? I normally hate cross winds, but it occurred to me that not only was I riding on the side of the tire away from the front cut, but I was also leaned over far enough that I was not riding on the worn out center line of the rear tire!? If the cross winds continued and if I stayed on 29 at Fargo and rode south to KC instead of going through Illinois, it would cost me maybe 70 extra miles, but the cross winds from the plains might allow me to ride over half the distance to the finish leaned over, which just might keep me from having to ride on cords, or worse.? I began praying that the cross winds would remain with me for the entire 600 plus mile trip down I-29.? Thankfully, that prayer was answered.? I leaned my K12LT into the cross winds almost the entire
day.? By the time I reached KC, my neck and shoulders were really sore and I was really tired.? But the front tire was holding air and the rear tire was still not showing any cord yet.

The ride from KC to Tennessee that night seemed to last forever.? Even though I did not have enough time, I had to stop a couple of times for a few minutes of rest in order to safely continue.? I won't go in to the depths I sank to, mentally and physically, as the clock ticked down.? But lots of things went through my head.? I thought about the tires as I watched the GPS clock count down my ETA.? How long would they last?? I thought about all the prep I had done for the rally. Was it all for just a DNF? I thought about all the great places I had been, including getting to ride to Alaska for the first time.? What a blessing it had been to get to see all that scenery had been.? I focused on staying alert and feeling for any sign of a tire going soft.? I strained to watch for any road debris that might be waiting to reach up and cut short my quest.? I thought about my family waiting for me at the finish line with my birthday cake.? I thought
about how close I had come to achieving my goals for the rally, but in reality, it did not look like I would make it to the finish in time unless everything fell into place perfectly.

As morning dawned and I approached Nashville, there was an accident that had traffic backed up for miles.? Oh no!? I don't have time for this! I had to find a way around it or I would be time barred.? It took some work to get through it, but soon I found myself south of the Music City with clear sailing.? I would be into the penalty points, but if the tires held, I would finish.? The rally theme song came to mind and I found myself singing 'I can see clearly now, the rain is gone...".? And trust me, the only place I ever need to be singing is inside of a motorcycle helmet at 70 mph.? I found myself double checking to make sure I had the right exit plotted in the GPS, I could not afford to miss it and have to backtrack.? I was both elated and exhausted when I managed to roll into the parking lot of the Ramada with my tires still holding the rims off the pavement and with my time only a little ways into the penalty points.? A bunch of my friends
gathered around me and I remember thinking "don't forget to put the side stand down, don't drop the bike on them".? After getting checked in and scored, I went back to the bike to check the tires.? There was a white strip of cord showing most of the way around the center of the rear tire, with a few threads hanging out.? If I had not had those miserable crosswinds, I don't think I would have made it back.

The baked Alaska that was served by the staff at the finisher's banquet to those of us that went to Alaska was great.? When the points were tallied, I found that I had managed to complete my three goals for the rally: to finish, to get a gold medal, and to get a top 20 placing.? It was the hardest ride I have ever done and the most memorable.? The friends I made during that time remain friends to this day.?

The birthday cake that my wife and boys made for me and brought to the finish line in '01 had a map of the USA on it with a little motorcycle tracking all over the place.? The hugs that came with that cake felt even better than rolling into the Ramada Inn parking lot on worn out tires.? It was a special way to cap off riding my first Iron Butt Rally.

My prayers will be with the '09 riders as they converge on the finish.? I am guessing that some of them may find themselves going through emotions and thoughts similar to what I experienced in the closing hours of the event.? I hope they all make it in safely and achieve the goals that they set for themselves.?

John
IBA#203

by iagins

I went to the Iron Butt 2009 Checkpoint on Wednesday August 26 Scoring opened at 5 pm
at the Pheasant Run Resort in St Charles Illinois. I left home at 8 am on Wed and got caught in rain 50 miles from St charles. (sometimes heavy) and got there kinda wet. Glad I had a waterproof jacket on. My gloves were soaked and upon taking them off my hands were black from the dye or ink. I then hung around the iron butt people and watched them come in and they had some cool stuff. I took a bunch of pictures. I went to bed around 10 pm and was asleep by 1030pm. I then woke up at 420 am and looked out the hotel room door to a steady rain. I looked at the news on tv and saw it was supposed to rain all day so I decided to head for home and left at 5am.It of course was dark then and I couldnt see very well with the rain. I then was following a car along west 90 and he went up a off ramp and followed him because I was following his tail lamps. That excursion took me 15 miles out of the way as there was no west bound on ramp nearby. I then found my way back to 90 and continued home. I then was making good time and decided to take interstate 94 north when I was getting close to Lacrosse. I had always taken 90 west to rochester but thought this would be cool to try. I think it was a little further but it had waaay better scenery. I would recomend this way for anyone who has a little more time to spare. I posted a few on my flicker acount.

by iagins

2009-IBR

http://www.harley-davidson.in/

http://www.examiner.com/x-5822-Seattle-Motorcycle-Examiner~y2009m8d24-HarleyDavidson-goes-Indian

I have some pretty cool stuff from the iron butt to post
Here are a few links


by iagins

Me and my honey, and my honey and some friends at last weekends tye dye ride.(Aug 16 2009)

Lorenzo Lamas told people whoever blew a tire in the burnout contest he would buy them one. Never heard how many he would have to buy.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Sturgis year was a lot of fun this year. My plan was to leave home Thurs July 30,spend the night in Sturgis, Fri am travel 400 miles to Denver, Sat am go on a ride in the moutains that the Denver BMW Club was putting on, then at noon head back to Sturgis, stay one night and go home Sunday Am.

I did leave home on Thursday but upon ariving Thursday night a person where I was staying took me around town and I saw so many changes on the North side of town that I decided to stay there till Sat night and investigate.

(That and I was tired from the 600 mile ride)

The town was about 90 percent setup by Fri night with huge crowds of bikers already there.

Check it out at Buell Blast Features | Buell Motorcycles