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