Iron Butt Rally 2013

The Iron Butt Rally, is an 11,000 mile, eleven day event that cris-crosses the USA and Canada every couple years. But its really a twenty month adventure that begins with "Congratulations".

When I received the letter, I was both excited and worried. What have I gotten myself into? So much time to obsess. Plenty of time to assess and update the bike and gear for the biggest riding challenge so far.

I ride a 2005 Yamaha FJR 1300. It has 57,000 trouble free miles. I've tuned and adjusted most of the bike for previous rallies. This time, my biggest concern is tire life. I have to ride 2500 miles to the start in Pittsburgh, PA, ride the 11,000 miles, and then ride home again.  That's 16,000 miles. The front Michelin PR3 will make that easily, but the rear usually only lasts 12-13k. I made the decision to follow other LD riders to the dark side, an appropriate and well tested Michelin Pilot Exalto car tire.  Strange as it seems, this works well, and will go 30k miles!

My goal was to be rally-ready by Memorial day weekend, 30 days before my June 26 departure.  Mission accomplished. I went through the tank bag, clearing out old maps and debris. I added calendar of Giants games and NASCAR races.  Hydration hoses were changed out to new silicone ones. Easy Pass (east coast toll system) mounted behind the windscreen..

Wednesday June 26 - Departure for Pittsburgh, PA.
I left Fremont CA around 4AM. Its great getting out of town before the morning traffic.  The cool air feels good, and it gets me through the central valley and into the mountains before the heat build up. The majority of my route is a fast slab ride across I-80.

The last Utah 1088 Rally gets started Thursday so I decided to stop in at Rally HQ in Salt Lake City for a rest stop and to say hi to friends. After an hour  it was onward across Wyoming, stopping in Rawlins. A good day.

Thursday June 27 - Crossing the plains
Another early start, with miles of rolling grassland, transitioning into corn.  Stopped for the night in Ottowa IL.

Friday June 28 - Arrival in Pittsburgh
Arrived at the Cranberry Township Marriott Friday afternoon.  Lots of bikes and riders fiddling, packing, unpacking and milling around.  Checked in and got comfortable. Saw lots of old and new friends.

In the lobby, a poster indicated the theme of this years IBR - Planes Trains and Automobiles.

Saturday June 29 - Sign in and Tech inspection
Saturday consisted of standing in line for Video statements, SWAG pickup, camera card check, and tech inspection.

I attended the mandatory rookie briefing. The rally is supposed to be fun, but its also serious business with significant risk. This was the meeting where we were all encouraged to ride within our limits, manage fatigue and come back safe and in one piece.

Having met all the requirements and been in all the lines, I was now officially in the rally.

Sunday June 30 - Banquet, Briefing and Bonuses

This was a rather mellow day, until the banquet. We hit the buffet for what would be our last relaxed meal for 11 days. Then the rally packets were passed out. When we were allowed to open them, things got serious. We were excused and everyone went ot their rooms and desks. Plotting their perfect route

Monday July 1 - We're off!

Nature's cruel sense of humor dictated that we should stand in the rain, waiting for the start. Chief tech inspector and starter Dale Wilson gathered us for a final meeting. His main message - Don't F_ up! Do not make Lisa open the red folder (the infamous folder containing the emergency contact information for each rider.)

With that done we went to our bikes, and waited for 10AM. Dale motioned for each rider to pull away in a carefully choreographed exit. We had police escort out to the highway, where we were on on our own.

That's me, second from left

The first bonus  was captured. There is something just wrong about an ATM built into an Amish Buggy.

Next stop the Henry Ford museum. This was a big bonus, but it had a big requirement. Take photos of 25 different vehicles and exhibits.  If any photos were missing or incorrect - no bonus.  The museum was swarmed by wet riders with cameras and rally flags.

All went well, until my camera died with two pictures left to shoot. I retrieved my backup camera and captured the last two.

Onward to Detroit, to the Underground Railroad Memorial. The rain had stopped. Additional bonuses in Michigan created a corkscrew route around the state. The last daylight bonus was the Auburn Cord museum. it was a daylight only bonus, shot as the last light faded. One more bonus captured and a suitable hotel room ended my day.

Tuesday July 2 - North to Canada
Made a bee line north to the Macninac bridge. This is a high, narrow bridge with a transparent steel grate roadbed. Don't look down when you're on a bike.

Then the path led to the Canadian border into Ontario. No problems entering, just on vacation.  Right past the border was the Bush Pilot museum. Then north to S Saint Marie to photo a marker. The marker was missing, but the stone surround  would do.

From there, it was east to two unique structures. Big Chute Marine Railway and Kirkfield Lift Lock.

No more available bonuses, except the rest bonus.  I found a hotel in Peterborough, Ontario for the night,  Seemed like a nice place. Didn't notice this until the next morning.

There were four rooms taped off for a crime scene investigation.  investigators in bunny suits were preparing to enter each for evidence collection.

Wednesday July 3 - Over the falls, Back to the USA

Busy day. visited the Canoe museum, and assorted other monuments.  A high value bonus was the Whirlpool Aerocar.  Its cable car that travels out over the whirlpools below Niagara Falls.  Tourists snapped my picture, and I took a picture for Gregg Lenentine, another rider on board.

Crossing back into New York was hot and slow.

Once over, I headed though the forests to an air museum, a Soaring museum, and the site of a Civil War train wreck. Then on to the eastern end of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  Each Turnpike Plaza from Philly to Pittsburgh was worth 100 points , but you needed a receipt.. My trunk filled with mints, and gum.  Around 11, I packed in at a hotel.

Thursday, July 4 - Last stops before the checkpoint.  I headed further down the PA turnpike for a few more Turnpike Plazas. Then north to the Youngstown Incline. Its a steep railway/elevator for cars that takes you down the mountainside.  Then up to the first oil well in North America.  Finally, up to Lake Erie for a picture of the ship Niagara.

From there it was back to Cranberry Township, Checkpoint 1.

Tired but smiling

 Here I made a significant mistake.  During scoring, I forgot to claim my call in bonus. 1000 points lost. Still, I was at 14.495 points. 2804 miles. Time to check in, rest and be ready for 6AM

July 5 Friday - Leg 2

This was the shortest  leg, time wise, 65 hours. The minimum mileage would be 2500+ back to Sacramento. At 6AM, we received the next bonus list.  It included up to 34 Pony express stop markers, Pikes Peak, a few museums, graveyards and a ride on a trolley.  I started with the Pittsburgh Trolley museum. Riders packed in on the trolley for a ride, during which we needed to take a photo at a particular point along the way. Next was a marker where the Spirit of St Louis once landed, and Eddy Rickenbacker's grave. Then it was westward to Colorado Springs. After a picture of the Airplane Restaurant, It was time to ascend Pikes Peak.

I have a new respect for Pikes Peak racers. There is no room for mistakes, or guard rails!  At the top, I ran to get pictures of the Cog Railway train, and my bike.

I nearly passed out.  Not much oxygen at 14,000 feet.  Rested, breathed deeply. Time to descend.

Bike will not start. Altitude was a little beyond the computer's map.  A couple travelers gave me a push to get things going downhill, and all was well.

After a quick museum sign picture, I headed west again. Facing a major storm cell, I stopped in Rifle CO for the night and rest bonus. The storm hit hard just after I checked in.

July 6 Saturday
I headed out across I-70 for  the west. Not much to do or see for the day.

Somewhere long the road, the heat, rain and abuse delaminated the sole from my right boot.  Duct tape to the rescue.

Checking in to a hotel, another guest told the clerk  to take good care of me "This guy's an Iron butt on a big rally. He needs a room fast and a good nights sleep." then he helped carry my gear to the room!

July 7 Sunday - The Loneliest Road 

I-70 met up with US 50, the Loneliest road in America.  The sunrise over the desert was beautiful.   US 50 has a few Pony Express markers, and the "Loneliest Road" sign.

  My last two stops were the Donner Pass Memorial, and A&S BMW in Roseville. I arrived at the checkpoint to a cheering CA crowd, and many friends.

Leg 2 finished

 Scoring went without a hitch. Every bonus approved.  19,065 points for Leg 2. 2,775 miles. Check in, shower, rest repeat.

July 8 Monday -Leg three starts. and almost ends

At 6AM, we got our new bonus list. Started off normal enough. A few more Pony Express markers, the CA Rail Museum, and the Golden Gate Bridge - both ends.  Then the fun starts.  We needed a photo of the submarine docked at Pier 39, and the last Pony express marker on the Embarcadero. I was on the same path as another rider, who got a crash course in lane-splitting  as I parted the cars for an exit down  US 101.

I noticed a my rear brake was not feeling right. I lived nearby, so I called the rally master to let her know I was stopping to change the rear brake pads.  What I found was much worse.  The rear caliper had overheated and warped into a useless hunk of metal.  I'm screwed.

I called the rally master again. She encouraged me to post on the lists and call dealers, etc.  Tom M. called me and said he knew a guy nearby, Allan P. who might be able to help.  Allan called and came to the house on his 04 FJR.  He graciously removed his caliper and put it on my bike.  We bled it out and he went off while I test rode it.  Unfortunately, there were bigger problems. The ABS was locking the rear brake.  A call to Andrew, a friend from Sport-Touring.net, and he was over with tools and great knowledge. He bypassed the ABS, converting my rear brake to normal operation. Amazing. It was now 10:30PM. 9 hours lost.

I sat down and planned a new final leg to get me to the finish with enough points. Then slept.

July 9 Tuesday - Heading south. 

At dawn, I collected the first daylight bonus in San Martin, then another farther down 101.  I stopped at the Motorcycle Museum in Solvang as well. Then it was down to Burbank for the Folded Wings Memorial.  Next stop - Planes of Fame - Chino.

After a long hot desert ride, I stopped in Kingman and Seligman, AZ for bonuses. Next stop Grand Canyon. I got the Rail Station photo just before sunset, after riding through a herd of elk in the park.

On the way back out, I snapped a photo of the Blue Angels Skyhawk.

Finally stopped late in Winslow AZ.  What a fine sight to see.

July 10 Wednesday  - Spaced out
Headed to Alamogordo NM, to pay respects to Ham the Space Chimp.  Then to Roswell and the UFO research center,  Then the long flat ride across Texas.  Went to Lubbock and the Silent Wings Museum. then on towards Galveston.  I needed to stop the clock before midnight for the next rest bonus. The choice was Comanche, TX.  Another rider was already checked in. The bike was easy to spot.  I stayed from 10:27 to 5:23, 7 hours.

July 11 Thursday - the final push.
Despite all my progress, I had one big bonus and lots of miles ahead if I was to finish.  The computer said I could ride all night and arrive at 7:23AM, before the checkpoint opened.  Knowing this would be very hard, I did all my rally score sheets and arranged everything the night before.  I had two goals; ride the Port Bolivar Ferry, and get to Cranberry.

All went well across Texas and I bagged the ferry bonus on time.

 Onward to Cranberry.  The route took me through Louisiana and Baton Rouge.  At the junction of 10 and 12, another powerful storm pounded down on me. Water was standing 2 inches deep on the highway. Slowed but not stopped, I carried on.

Mississippi and Alabama were warm, but very pretty. It was just a nice ride north. As darkness fell, I was  in the hill country of Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.  Storms raged to my left and right, lighting the sky in wild colors while I stayed dry.

July 12 - Last 8 hours
Then the fog arrived.  Thick, white, see-50 ft fog. Again, I'm screwed.  Somehow, it didn't slow down the trucks.  I  followed various trucks at full speed through the fog, counting on their experience and knowledge of the route. Still I was getting very tired. The concentration was exhausting.

Dawn broke and my biological clock was happy to have me awake again. Unfortunately, now my GPS showed me bad news. I was now arriving closer to 9AM,  an hour into penalty points.  The road got better and was actually great fun to ride in the daylight.   I made up about 20 minutes.

The scene at the finish was amazing. I first rode to where we started, and then realized I need to be at the lobby entrance. As I rolled up. cameras flashed, workers reminded me to turn off the bike, put the kickstand down, and then we ran to the finish check in.  8:46 AM. Finished, or did I?

I took my carefully prepared score sheet, flag, rider card, camera, and memory stick to the scoring table.  One bonus was denied for inadequate proof of daylight hours, but my total was 61,166, more than enough to be an official finisher.  9,564 rally miles.  Check in, Shower, 3 hour nap.

Awards Banquet
I met my goals:  Be safe, have fun,finish. I finished 51st of 67 finishers. There were 29 DNFs..  I am in awe of the scores of top finishers Many who scored 50% more points and rode almost 50% farther.

I'm also eternally grateful to the help and support from so many that saved my rally from total disaster with mechanical aid and expertise.

The big picture:

SPoT Satellite track of my trip

The Ride Home.

The long ride home was anti-climactic, No bonuses to gather - just 2680 miles.  My only bonuses were home and family. Both were worth the ride.

Mark Starrett
IBA 492