The Big Money Rally - First rally of 2012

Winter and early spring are typically devoid of rally and riding opportunities, even in sunny California. The Big Money Rally changed all that. With its open time format and hundreds of bonus locations, it was the perfect excuse to head out into the cold in search of new and obscure locations.

After getting the First bonus list in early January, I downloaded the immense list of small, out of the way post offices. The list was available for the price of a blood or cash Red Cross donation. A worthy cause, and an outstanding value. My schedule is challenging at this time of year, so I decided to do a series of loops from my home in Fremont. The initial goal was to do an all California bonus finish.

Loop One

 
The first loop was dictated by the weather. A loop down through the central California coast. On an early February morning at 5:00 am, I headed south on US 101. With heated vest and insoles, I was quite warm, but my regular gloves were not up to the task, as it was 38 degrees, plus wind chill. A quick change to the insulated cloves did the trick.

The first stop was Greenfield, in the heart of California agriculture. The gps coordinates in the file were way off, but the town was small, so the bonus was collected and I was gone. Next stop, San Lucas. The post office here was a standard prefab model, to be seen a number of times throughout the day.

On to San Ardo. Again, the gps sent me down a dead end. Backtracking, I found the tiny post office. It was complete with a custom carved sign depicting their heritage, oil and farming. Lockwood was another prefab, but the road to it was fun, and deep into rolling hills of the central coast.

Bradley's another small agricultural town, slightly worse for time, forgotten by the thousands zooming past on 101. San Miguel was the next stop. This town showed the beginning of the wine country effect on the region. The town had shops and coffee houses and was more lively.

Next, I headed inland towards Shandon. The postmaster, an elderly woman' was very friendly as I took my bonus picture. She was loading her car for deliveries. Creston was next. Small and untouched by the modern world, only the cars gave any indication of what year it might be. Further inland towards Templeton. Nothing remarkable here. But a much busier town. Or maybe it was just later and more people were out and about.

Next it was out onwards tho coast to Cambria. I love this town. Just enough tourists, and lots of charm and good food. No time for that now. I shot the post office and was heading up highway 1. San Simeon was the next stop. A tiny post office sign on the back of the local store. I headed back south and stopped at Cayucos, a nice small seaside town. Would have liked to hang it there for a while.

On to Avila Beach. Everything in Avila beach is very new. This is because it was found that oil production in the area had turned the entire town into a toxic disaster. The town was leveled, ground scraped clean, and the new town rebuilt. Makes me wonder what swimming there in the seventies did to me!

Next stop, Grover Beach. A busy little town south of Pismo. From there, it was on to Arroyo Grande. The post office was located in a little shop on the corner of nowhere. Time to head back inland.

You see strange things in the middle of nowhere. As I traveled towards New Cayucos, there was a young man running fast away from town. He wasn't out for a jog. As I got closer to town, two cars were stopped in the street, and their owners were in a heated discussion. Not my problem, and the local Sheriff was inbound as I passed. In town, the PO photo was snapped.

One observation. Hanging out at rural post offices reveals a heavy usage of Netflix. Lots of red envelopes in people's hands. Now I was heading into the central valley. I hit 33 and went north to Coalinga for my last bonus location this trip.

33 is an interesting alternative to I-5. Known as the west side highway, it skirts the edge of the immense central valley, and towns like Shafter are part of the trip. Post office snapped, it was a sprint home up 5, across 152 and to 101 880 and home by 10. About 800 miles and 51 points in the books.

Loop Two

For this loop, I chose a route to the deserts and southern Sierra.

 Another 5AM start. This time heading across 152down I-5 and over Tehachapi pass summit. Quick picture, and on Trona. Trona is a smelly mining town on the southern edge of Death Valley. Supposedly almost every mineral has been found and mined here. Next stop, Randsburg.

Another bad gps marker sent me up and back down a nasty washboard dirt road. I later found it had caused the aluminum mounts of my auxiliary tank to crack and fail. Back in town, the post office was found after a few Laps of main street. Now it was time to head out towards Lake Isabella. I stopped at Weldon,Lake Isabella, Bodfish, Wofford heights and Kernville.

The plan was to head over the pass into Glennville. Winding up the road, the surface became sandy and wet, with patches of snow dotting the edges. Nearness top, a sign announced "chains required, treacherous icy conditions". I didn't have chains for the FJR, so it was time to backtrack and head back through hwy 178. It was a fun winding road, following the Kern river back to I-5. From there I was back to the barn, another 800 miles and lots of fun riding.

Loop Three

I really wanted to get the points in and be a finisher, and riding time was getting scarce. So I decided to put in a hard full two day ride starting March 31. Two routes were planned; a northern CA, and a Southey Ca route. Weather decided for me. Rain would pound the north. The south was clear.

5:40AM and I headed for Sequioa National Park. Weather was perfect, am the ride through Lemon Cove smelled wonderful as the lemon blossoms filled the air. Snapped a photo of the park gate and headed south. Next stops, Posey, Glennville and Woody. Really pretty country and fun roads with no traffic.

I headed back over Tehachapi and into the Mojave again. Taking 58 to I-15 north, I exited at Baker, the gateway to my next stop, Death Valley National Park. Did I mention the wind? Since dropping into the desert, the winds were blowing 25-35 mph. Not unmanageable, but tiring and it sure made pictures with the rally flag fun.

Park sign captured, it was back to Shoshone for a PO pic. Next stop was Tecopa, another lost town in the desert. Then it was over Mountain Springs Summit, and down into the great basin. A quick stop in Blue Diamond, NV, and then on towards Las Vegas.

Skirting sin city, past Henderson, and gas in Searchlight. Heading down 95, I came to a dip in the road called Cal Nev Ari. I searched for the post office, and could only find a dingy casino with unsavory folks milling about. I found a resident washing his other pair of clothes at the trailer park laundry. He told me that the PO was located in the seedy casino. I skipped the photo, as I didn't want to leave the bike unattended.

It was now dark and Arizona. Saguaros loomed in the headlights as I headed to Bouse. Next stop, Salome. After Salome. It was time to rest. A room in Blythe put an end of day one, 1000 miles and 17 hours of nonstop fun.

Back on the road a 5AM and on the way to Joshua Tree National Park. A gas stop at Chiriaco Summit(no sign available, but lots of tanks at the Patton museum.) and it was back east. Sand was blowing across the road. After some hunting, I found the Felicity PO. Another strange place that can only exist in a desert. Forgot to take the second picture showing he bike, so no bonus. This section was intensely patrolled by CHP, but the Escort warned me of their position. Stopped in Ocotillo, and passed by Glamis and lots of buggies and bikes ripping up the dunes.

Now I was into San Diego county. Stopped in Jacumba, and then over Laguna summit, where I hit my only rain.

Then it was into San Ysidro for another bonus.I was also starting the Tour of Honor, and went to the SSN San Diego Memorial. Unfortunately, it was only 11:30,and the second bonus pack wouldn't tell me this was also a BMR bonus until I was long gone.

I stopped next at the West Coast Submariner Memorial in Seal Beach. Checking the new bonus list, this wasn't on it.

Into the abyss of Los Angeles. Four POs; Lynwood, South Gate, Compton, and Watts, mid Palm Sunday traffic. I CMOS--entered the Shriners' hospital address, and skipped it. Made a Stop in Pasadena, then headed back home. Another 970 miles, and now a total of 106 points.

Loop four

 The new bonus pack had a nice collection of locations near home for a change. Leaving at 6:30, I headed to Oakland for the Holy Names University, then to San Rafael to Dominican University. Across the Golden Gate to University of San Francisco.

Out of the city, down the peninsula to Notre Dame in Belmont, then to Santa Clara University. I stopped at the Santa Clara Veterans Memorial for the Tour of Honor. The last bonus was the self made home town bonus. I chose the Tesla Auto Plant in Fremont, CA. Three hours and 137 miles later, I was done. The rally site confirmed I was a finisher, with 126 points.

Great fun, and still more riding to do. Five days of riding and almost 4000 miles. Excellent practice for the summer fall season too. Thanks Reno John and there's of the Big Money Rally team, for a fun and challenging new format rally. Using smart phones turned out to be a really effective way to collect bonuses.

Utah 1088 3-Day Rally

Once again, MERA enticed me into another of their challenging and exciting rallies, the Utah 1088. 2011 represents the 20th year of the rally, so it became three rallies - the original 24 hour, a 12 hour, and a three-day rally based on the format of the Ten 'n' Ten last year.

Three weeks in advance, I received the rally packet  with a few notable exceptions the bonus locations spanned from the west coast to the Mississippi River. Altogether there were over 100 bonus opportunities, including every US State, lots of named National Parks, and unique locations throughout the west, plus Hyder Alaska.

The notable exception was in Buffalo, NY.  Another well-known rally moved their traditional late summer event to coincide with the Utah 1088. So it just seemed polite for the rally master to encourage riders to visit their checkpoint and say Hi!  It was a valuable bonus, but well over my skill level.

The Plan(s)
Having three weeks to pick a route makes for way too much thinking, and at one time I had six different choices. By the week before, it was down to two: A loop of the Pacific Northwest, or a loop of the upper Midwest.   We were required to submit our bonus list at check in, and no additions would be allowed.  I eventually chose the Northwest route, as I haven't been there, and it looked like more fun. No turning back now.

The Riders Meeting
  At the riders meeting, the rally master dropped a bombshell; The New York bonus value was more than tripled in value. You could add it, but not change any other bonus on the route. Still to rich for me, but not for about eight others.

The Start
One of the bonuses was a photo with a Law Enforcement Officer. One participant arranged for a friendly motor cop to arrive at the stop, for all to get their picture. One bonus taken care of.  Next was a stop at a local shooting range, for some pistol competition.  My score was embarrassing, but that bonus was in the books, and now the real rally began.

I took off  into the Nevada desert, in search of Great Basin National Park.  This took me out onto Highway 50 - America's loneliest highway.  It wasn't that lonely, but I guess that's because its summer. I arrived slightly ahead of schedule and got my first bonus of the trip

Next, it was off across the desert to the Silver State Peace Officer's Museum in Virginia City, Nevada, a mining town and tourist attraction.

The desert got lonelier, but was very pretty.

 Somewhere in the middle of nowhere, It was very important to lay down fresh oil and gravel on the road, so there was a 25 minute wait. Nice flagman though.

The museum closed at 5PM. I arrived at 4. One other rider was just leaving.

Next stop: Crater Lake National Park.  I crossed the upper corner of CA and got a receipt, and headed on through Oregon.  The bugs had pretty much slimed my face shield, and riding into the setting sun wasn't fun. I stopped for water and fuel in a small store, and asked if I could by a small bottle of Windex.  Instead, the cashier gave me her Windex, and paper towels.  There are lots of good people out there.

I arrived at the south entrance at about 10PM, well after dark. It is harder to find a place above ground that is darker than an Oregon forest with no moon. It was a bit unnerving. I could hear things moving in the woods, and couldn't see anything. I was glad to be back on the road and avoid becoming a bear snack.

 

With about 1100 miles done, it was time for rest. I stopped into a motel in Crescent City for the night and a bonus.

 The next bonus was in Eugene, at Knight Arena.

 Then I headed off to see the Spruce Goose. The museum hours opened at 10, but nothing said I had to go inside :)  there and gone by 8:30.

Another rider supplied the coordinates of his house in WA for a bonus location. When I arrived, I was greeted with a smile and photo opportunity - getting double points for the shot with the family.

 Next, it was off to Cannon Beach, OR for some Salt Water Taffy. Seems Steve's lovely wife has a sweet tooth. A beautiful ride through the forest to a nice little seaside town.

From here, I took my biggest rally gamble.  Olympic National Park. The main entrance is at the extreme north side of the park, way around the park. However, I spotted a small access road on the map that entered the south side, some 150 miles closer. My research showed no confirmation of a sign, but I had to try it,  I wound through the forest and deep into the woods. The road got smaller and more obscure. I was getting worried that I'd outsmarted myself, when around the corner..

The park service is so thorough.


 Now off to Pike Market, to the original Starbucks. Great fun - Seattle evening traffic, rain, Friday night, no lane-splitting allowed :(  I got there, and in addition to the bonus, I became a patron of the arts.

I did this in two ways. I tipped the street musician to hold my rally flag for the photo, and he had to stop playing to do it.

Off to Mt Rainier National Park.  Did I mention that it was raining.  It was raining.  A large angry storm cell was parked right on top of the mountain, It pounded me and the mountain all the way to the park sign.

From here, I was going on  through to the next bonus, on the way to Spokane. Things got uglier, the bike was slipping and sliding, and as the road climbed higher, I got into snow!  Time to turn back down the mountain.


Back in Enumclaw, WA, I found out that not all of the slipping was from the rain. Somewhere between Seattle and Mt Rainier, I cut the rear tire.  The Ride-On Sealant in the tire kept it from blowing out, but I now had a steady leak.

I did a quick inflation at the gas station, and headed for a motel. On the way, I spotted a Yamaha dealer! Open at 9:00.  Checked in and got a good nights rest.

In the morning, it was flat again.  Pumped it up and headed over to the dealer. The tire was cut too close to the sidewall to repair. They had one tire that would fit- a Pilot Power 2CT. Not the ideal touring tire, but it works.  I was back on the road at 11:30.

The significant loss of time and backtracking eliminated my master plan of going on to Custer Battlefield, Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. Instead, it was off into Idaho for a run back to the finish before it closed.  I would have to run all night to make it.

I got over the setback, and calculated I could get one more bonus in at a different Starbuck, in Washington. The roads in and out of this little town are awesome.

Now it was back to the barn.  Eastern Washington and Idaho have their own beauty, with wide open prairies and farmland, the birthplace of future french fries.

Just over the Utah border, I encountered one more nasty storm cell. Intense gusty winds and rain blasted me one more time.   I arrived in Salt Lake City around 2:20 AM, about 250 mikes short of the minimum finish mileage of 3000.  So it was off to Wendover, about 110 miles away.  I kept careful watch on the mileage and time on the GPS,  calculating the mileage needed, and ETA back to the start. When I was sure I had enough miles, and could get back in time, I headed back to the hotel.  I checked in at 6:24 AM.

In the end, my corrected mileage was 3001 miles. Cutting it a little too close I think.

The final route, as captured by SPOT

 
I finished 22nd in a field of 40+ with 15 DNFs.  Not bad considering.  It turns out that there were a hardy few that made it to Buffalo, NY and back, securing their place in history, and top finishes.

MERA puts on a great rally, and I'd recommend it to anyone with a desire to see cool places, and amazing roads in a very short time.

Ride report – Inaugural Ten ‘n Ten Rally

The Ten ‘n Ten Rally is a motorcycle endurance rally put on by MERA. Its goal is to travel 10,000 miles in ten days, while hunting for and collecting bonus locations listed in the official rally bonus list.  The bonus list included approximately 300 possible bonuses, scattered across the United States of America.

While the official rally start time was 10:10 AM MDT, August 26, 2010 in Salt Lake City, the fun started far before that.  Months prior, the Rallymaster put the start time up to a vote of the entrants. In a moment of symbolism over substance, the majority chose 10:10 over earlier times. This was a decision they would regret.

Day -33: As promised, the rally bonus list was sent out a month before the rally start date. This gave us a month to calculate the best possible route around the country, using any and all information available. Once we arrived at the start, we had to turn in our planned route. From that point on, no outside help with information or planning was permitted.

I spent countless hours entering the bonuses into MS Streets and trips, and arranging them into planned routes and stops. After about two weeks, I had my plans. Hotels booked, maps printed and GPSs programmed.

Day -2: Bike carefully prepped and packed, I took off from Fremont, CA to Salt Lake City, a 700 mile shakedown and warm-up for the trip at hand. No problems. A nice trip through the Sierras on I-80, including some extensive construction, courtesy of the Stimulus Package.  The Rally started and finished at the Holiday Inn, Airport. A very nice facility that really treated the rally well.

Day -1: Checked in, and rode the 24 mile Odometer check route. My odometer was slightly optimistic. Turned in my planned route and attempted bonus list.  A riders meeting was held, and questions asked and answered. Everywhere in the parking lot, there were meticulously prepared rally bikes. BMWs, Goldwings, FJR1300s and ST1300s, even a little Suzuki WeeStrom 650 (whose rider won the event!). We had a nice riders’ dinner, and then called it a night.

Rally Start: Day 1

At the start, the first technical problem occurred. The Radar detector was out. I assumed the fuse blew and I could check it later. My route for Day one went over to Wendover UT, then south into Nevada to the Valley of Fire, Las Vegas, and then back northwest into Death Valley, Goldfield, and then to Tonopah for the night. The expected desert heat was my biggest concern.  The quick trip to Wendover scored the first bonus, the hangar where the Enola Gaye was prepped to carry the atomic bomb.

Enola Gaye's Hangar

 

Then it was south. On the way I passed through two refreshing summer rain storms that were a relief from the 90 degree temps. As I dropped into the great basin, the temps reached 106, as I rode into Valley of Fire state park.  Despite taking in over a gallon of fluids, the heat was getting to me. I tried finding the petroglyphs for a photo bonus, but decided to push on to Las Vegas before I was fully cooked.

The bonus in Las Vegas was inside its namesake, the Golden Nugget. I took advantage of the location to enjoy the air conditioning and a good meal with plenty of iced tea and water.

Then it was back the road. Furnace Creek in Death Valley was still well over 100 degrees, so I skipped that detour and headed for Goldfield.  Just north of Beatty (a notorious speed trap), my mirrors were filled with flashing red and blue. To my surprise, the friendly sheriff informed me my tail lights were out. They wanted me to come back to Beatty with them to try to fix it. I spent about 20 minutes convincing them to let me go on, as it is a real pain to get to the fuses, and many parts would get lost in the darkness.

Back on the road north, I collected the photo in Goldfield

 

and made my way to Tonopah for the night about 11PM. I'd drank almost three gallons of water and Gatorade that day.

Day 2:

The next day was a long one. There were several time critical bonuses to get before heading east. First it was up to Reno for a photo then over Geiger summit to Virginia City for another photo of the “Suicide Table” in a local saloon. After that, I had to be at Geiger summit at 12 noon PDT for a photo with Steve Lotsofsky. 

 

 It was one of the rare moments in a rally when you actually see other riders. The convergence was complete. Then things got tricky. I needed to be at the Hiller Air Museum in San Carlos, CA before 5PM, a distance of 261 miles of construction and bay area traffic on a Friday afternoon.

I made it to the museum with 15 minutes to spare. The museum staff was pleased and confused by the additional traffic of riders who paid, then came in to take a single picture and leave. I promised to return. It’s a very good air museum.  Bonus achieved, I set about fixing the tail light problem in the parking lot. It turned out that a relay in my auxiliary power panel was tripping the fuse. I disconnected the relay and got everything back up and running. A friendly distance riding friend was hanging out at the museum, and offered encouragement and held parts after calling in to see if it was legal to do so.

I then got bonus pictures of Candlestick park, and crossed the Golden Gate bridge twice (needed toll receipts are only charged southbound) and headed for Pasadena for the night. I arrived about 1:00 AM.

Day 3:

Off at 6:00 AM, I went to Santa Monica, for a bonus at the end of Route 66. Then to La Mirada for a photo of the Donut Hole. I next arrived at San Diego for a bonus at the BMW dealer. There I noticed the cap for my extra fuel tank was gone! The cap, which was there in Santa Monica, and was chained to the tank, had somehow escaped.  Duct tape would do for now.  Took a picture of the Coronado Bridge and headed east.

The Sonoran desert is one of the hottest in the world, and it was at its August worst. Temps were above 110. I stopped in Dateland, AZ to replenish the gallon of water I’d drunk and cool off. Pulling into the gas stop, I met up with another rider, Cletha W.. We decided ice cream was in order and took a short break from the heat. Tanks and water full, with a bag of ice in my lap, I headed toward Phoenix. At the turn north to Phoenix, I could see intense thunderstorms over the city, so I decided to go to Tucson instead. Just west of Tucson, the storms loomed ahead. I took refuge in a truck stop until the storm passed, and headed on. Another storm, bigger and more violent that the last tore up the sky with lightning. I ducked into a hotel in Tucson, 500 miles short of my New Mexico goal. Another two gallons of fluid intake.

Day 4:

Off at 6, stopped for a photo at the Pima Air Museum. Next stop was a photo of the Cochise Hotel in the almost ghost town of Cochise. 

  Leaving Cochise, I spotted two vultures feeding on the left shoulder of the two-lane highway.  One flew off.  As I neared, the remaining vulture took off and flew directly into my path. It struck the fairing below the windscreen and was left to be lunch for its friends. I stopped and checked for damage. Folded mirror put right, nothing else. Whew!

Traveling I-10 through New Mexico, there were brown stains on the highway, and what appeared to be leaves along the shoulder. These were actually millions of locusts migrating across the road. I left I-10 at Deming NM, taking a shortcut over to I-25.

Passing through Hatch NM, I stopped at a farm store/NAPA parts store, and a helpful counterman found the right cap for my gas tank. Yea!

 I arrived in Albuquerque and got the car arch and rattlesnake museum bonuses.

As I was leaving the museum, I spotted Ken M. searching Old Albuquerque for it.

Short for time, I trimmed off the trips to Mesa Verde and Four Corners to get back on schedule.

A Colorado Sunset

 

I arrived in Pueblo, CO about 10PM.

Day 5:

Heading north, I stopped at the Air Force Academy for a picture of the B-52 on display. Had to wait until 8AM for the public entry. Next stop; Denver for a picture of Invesco field.  Continuing north, I found a Brewery bonus, and then headed through Wyoming for the Black Hills and a Mt. Rushmore photo.

My GPS decided to send me over a jeep road to my Mt. Rushmore spot, despite specifying avoiding unpaved roads. Never got to the bonus, but I did get within two feet of a Bison. Headed up to Sturgis, Mecca of all things motorcycle pirate. Thankfully, it was a quiet Monday.

Traveled back south to Old Bent Fort. Then on to Sidney Nebraska – the Mid Rally Checkpoint. Checked in at 9PM, and there were no options for food. Even Dominos Pizza closed at 9. Vending machine Roulette.

Day 6: 

Had a good breakfast along with the others riders that had arrived in the night. Turned in my points and was on my way by 8:30AM. Headed East on I-80 to Lincoln Nebraska and turned north to a bonus in Fremont. I passed through a great little town named Wahoo. Turning southeast, I rode through Omaha on the way to Kansas City.

At this point the rally plan changed. Ahead was yet another massive thunderstorm. My GPS weather system flashed extreme storm alerts and the sky darkened. I pulled into a Wendy’s to wait for it to move west. They had the Weather Channel on the screen, and things were deteriorating fast. The storm wasn’t moving. It was growing. And it was extending west and north over my intended route.  Added to that, Hurricane Earl was expected to make landfall in North Carolina or Virginia, right where my plan sent me.

Shortly after me, Cletha appeared on her ‘Wing in the parking lot. She joined me and we discussed options. She also pointed out that we were in Iowa, so the receipt was good for bonus points!

There was a Super-8 motel across the way, so we each got rooms to ride out the storm. It raged until 2AM, pelting the windows with rain and shaking the building with lightning and thunder on all sides.

Day 7:

Packed and ready, we decided to ride together to Oklahoma City, OK. On the way, we found some great hotdogs in the convenience store along hte Kansas Toll Road

Gourmet 'dogs

We visited the Oklahoma City Memorial, and then headed West on I-40 with a plan to get to Albuquerque. Near the OK TX border, we hit a powerful storm that pelted us with marble sized hail and lightning. At the first opportunity, we found a truck top, fueled up and got some food.

Another storm hit and knocked out power to the stop. A worker politely asked us to leave as they were going to close due to lack of power. Cletha (using her excellent lawyer skilz) objected forcefully and suggested it would be endangering us to send us out into a severe storm alert. The worker’s manager intervened, and allowed us to stay as long as we wished. During a break in the storm, we made a dash for a nearby Americinn in Sayre, OK for the night.

Day 8:

We launched early, hoping to put tornado alley well back in our rear view mirrors. The goal: Barstow CA. it was a straight shot across I-40. Our early start had a new problem. Fog.  Heavy fog reduced visibility as we crossed Texas for the first 50 miles. It concealed lots of things, but not the dozens of fresh deer carcasses from truck collisions during the night. The fog burned off as we reached Amarillo. Then it was a fast slab dash across the country. Just short of Flagstaff, I-40 came to a full stop due to a traffic accident. We spent about 40 minutes standign around in the road, until things were clear to proceed. The sun set about an hour after Flagstaff, AZ. This was a good thing, since we then dropped down into the heat of the desert again. It was 100 degrees in the dark. As we reached Needles, Cletha decided to stop for the night. I pushed on. Pasadena was only another 250 miles, and there was a comfy bed waiting there. As I passed through Arcadia, I remembered the In’nOut Burger bonus and stopped for a quick cheeseburger.

I arrived at the house at 10:45, 1191 miles and 18 hours after I’d started that day.

Day 9:

The new plan was to head for Salt Lake City and check in a day early, then get the remaining miles to finish. My bike had some new passengers: It was teeming with little ants, feeding off the bugs splattered on the front.

I left at 6:30 and headed east to I-15 and then straight north to the Holiday Inn – SLC. This was a 680 mile hop. No problems, except for Vegas heat, and Friday rush hour traffic between Provo and SLC. Parked to the hotel, I calculated I needed 1010 miles to reach my adjusted 8000 mile minimum. Unpacked the bike, had a nice dinner, and was asleep by 9.

Day 10: 

As I walked out to the lobby, the clerk told me a woman asked if I had arrived. Cletha had made it here too. Her ‘Wing was parked next to my FJR. A quick look at the GPS showed Reno was 512 miles away. Perfect. Suited up and on the road by 6 AM. For the first time in two weeks, I was cold. Rather than break out the warm gear, I basked in the crisp air and near-hypothermia of the high desert. After all, I knew it wouldn’t last. I reached Sparks at 11:45 PDT. Gassed up, ate a quarter pounder and headed back to Salt Lake. The cold was only a memory now. Still it was only in the 90s. Gassed in Wendover and arrived back at the hotel at 7PM MDT. The Ten ‘n Ten was now over for me. Cletha’s  ‘Wing was gone.

I met the rally master in the restaurant. He congratulated me and told me that Cletha was somewhere out there racking up finisher miles too.

The Finish. Got up at 5:30 to be at the check in when it opened. I was scored and odometer checked by 7. It was great seeing the other riders come in, one by one, in various states of excitement and exhaustion. The parking was littered with bikes parked haphazardly in the night. Many with trunks open, helmets and gloves on their seats as their owners abandoned them for a shower and a soft mattress.

End of the trail

At the awards banquet, I was stunned to find that I’d finished 12^th of 25, with five riders not finishing. It was icing on the cake of an amazing experience. I’m comfortable with my decision to turn away from the impending hurricane. As luck would have it, the storm stayed off the coast, and many riders made it to Washington DC and collected lots of bonuses.  But it could have easily become a disaster.

The complete Route - 8080 miles

 

People are baffled and amazed that a trip like this is fun, or even possible, but I assure you it is both. Living outdoors on America’s highways is an experience unlike any other. And only by covering vast distances quickly do the differences become so striking and impressive.