uncal
09-10-2006, 03:35 PM
After my failed 1st attempt at a SS1000, I tried again Friday. My route was Salisbury NC to Enterprise AL to Montgomery AL and back to Salisbury ...
http://www.st-owners.com/gallery/files/5/3/1/0/image_map.gif
... about 1050 miles according to S&T. I left the house at 2:30am, 9/8/06, got my first gas receipt and hit the road. Everything went well until I hit Atlanta. I didn't consider rush hour ...
http://www.st-owners.com/gallery/files/5/3/1/0/100_0516.JPG
... because I'm a DUMBASS. It took forever to get from Duluth to the other side of Atlanta. Plus, the constant clutch action in stop-and-go traffic came back to me later.
After Atlanta, I started to question my route. Maybe it would be better to slab it all the way to Mobile, AL, then head back. It would have been a larger mileage number - around 1200. In the end, I decided to stick to the plan, but started deleting stops. I'd skip the Capital bldg in Montgomery, Chris's Hot Dogs in downtown Montgomery (my planned lunch stop), and some other stuff.
Once past Atlanta, I got back up to pace, and made Columbus GA by 10:30am. Nearby is Fort Benning - more info here ...
https://www.infantry.army.mil/fbhome/sites/local/
After Columbus, I was on AL state roads, not the interstate. Although the scenery was more interesting, I'm sure the decision to leave the interstate cost me time.
A short break somewhere in AL ...
http://www.st-owners.com/gallery/files/5/3/1/0/100_0519.JPG
I wasted time in Dothan trying to find the Monument to the Hog - see RoadsideAmerica.com for more info. I thought it would make a great picture, but couldn't find it. It was a stop I should have deleted, but I thought it was on my way.
Dothan is home to Fort Rucker ... more info here ...
http://www-rucker.army.mil/
At every stop, at least one soldier would come up to me and ask about the bike. Then they'd spot the NC plates and ask about my trip, etc. Lots of "You're going to ride HOW MANY miles today??" comments.
On to Enterprise AL to see the Monument to the Boll Weevil - more info here ...
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/roger/QueryTips.php3?tip_AttractionName=&tip_Town=enterprise&tip_State=AL&Submit=Find
http://www.st-owners.com/gallery/files/5/3/1/0/100_0521.JPG
http://www.st-owners.com/gallery/files/5/3/1/0/100_0520.JPG
After Enterprise, I headed up to my "corner" at Montgomery, then on to I-85 for the trip home. I left Montgomery around 4:00 CST, so I knew I would be spending time riding at night, and that I would be late at night getting back. I kept my speed up thru AL and GA. Went thru Atlanta at 90 mph, and I was being passed a lot. :eek: Lots different from that morning, and lots of fun! :D
The final leg back thru SC and NC was hard. It was late, i was tired, and I kept thinking about deer running in front of me. My arms felt like they were gonna fall off, especially my left arm, which hurt at the elbow, wrist and hand. I hurt all over, and stopped at every rest stop in SC just to get off the bike for a minute. Then, I started to really worry about getting back in under 24 hours. Once I crossed the NC line, I could better guage my progress with exit numbers (which double as mileage markers). Counted up from Exit 1 to Exit 75 (my exit). Before I knew it, I had passed Gastonia, then Charlotte. My spirits started to lift as the exits whizzed by, and I knew I could make it back in under 24 hours.
I finally got back to Salisbury at 1:22am, 9/9/06 - roughly 23 hours on the bike. I was sore enough on that last stop that I almost fell when I got off the bike. After getting my receipt, I walked around for 5 min or so celebrating with a cigarette, enjoying the sensation of the feeling returning to my butt (*&^@# stock seat). When I got home and went to bed, the alarm clock went off - it was still set at 2:00am.
Final mileage was 1078 according to trip odometer, 1049 according to MS S&T. The IBA paper work goes in the mail tomorrow.
Lessons learned from this SS:
1. Plan around Atlanta rush hour.
2. Stick to the interstates.
3. Don't waste time looking for a Monument to a Hog.
I guess the next santioned ride for me is the BB? 1500 miles? I think, with better planning, staying with the Interstates, and maybe getting some sort of hydration system, I could do that! :rolleyes:
http://www.st-owners.com/gallery/files/5/3/1/0/image_map.gif
... about 1050 miles according to S&T. I left the house at 2:30am, 9/8/06, got my first gas receipt and hit the road. Everything went well until I hit Atlanta. I didn't consider rush hour ...
http://www.st-owners.com/gallery/files/5/3/1/0/100_0516.JPG
... because I'm a DUMBASS. It took forever to get from Duluth to the other side of Atlanta. Plus, the constant clutch action in stop-and-go traffic came back to me later.
After Atlanta, I started to question my route. Maybe it would be better to slab it all the way to Mobile, AL, then head back. It would have been a larger mileage number - around 1200. In the end, I decided to stick to the plan, but started deleting stops. I'd skip the Capital bldg in Montgomery, Chris's Hot Dogs in downtown Montgomery (my planned lunch stop), and some other stuff.
Once past Atlanta, I got back up to pace, and made Columbus GA by 10:30am. Nearby is Fort Benning - more info here ...
https://www.infantry.army.mil/fbhome/sites/local/
After Columbus, I was on AL state roads, not the interstate. Although the scenery was more interesting, I'm sure the decision to leave the interstate cost me time.
A short break somewhere in AL ...
http://www.st-owners.com/gallery/files/5/3/1/0/100_0519.JPG
I wasted time in Dothan trying to find the Monument to the Hog - see RoadsideAmerica.com for more info. I thought it would make a great picture, but couldn't find it. It was a stop I should have deleted, but I thought it was on my way.
Dothan is home to Fort Rucker ... more info here ...
http://www-rucker.army.mil/
At every stop, at least one soldier would come up to me and ask about the bike. Then they'd spot the NC plates and ask about my trip, etc. Lots of "You're going to ride HOW MANY miles today??" comments.
On to Enterprise AL to see the Monument to the Boll Weevil - more info here ...
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/roger/QueryTips.php3?tip_AttractionName=&tip_Town=enterprise&tip_State=AL&Submit=Find
http://www.st-owners.com/gallery/files/5/3/1/0/100_0521.JPG
http://www.st-owners.com/gallery/files/5/3/1/0/100_0520.JPG
After Enterprise, I headed up to my "corner" at Montgomery, then on to I-85 for the trip home. I left Montgomery around 4:00 CST, so I knew I would be spending time riding at night, and that I would be late at night getting back. I kept my speed up thru AL and GA. Went thru Atlanta at 90 mph, and I was being passed a lot. :eek: Lots different from that morning, and lots of fun! :D
The final leg back thru SC and NC was hard. It was late, i was tired, and I kept thinking about deer running in front of me. My arms felt like they were gonna fall off, especially my left arm, which hurt at the elbow, wrist and hand. I hurt all over, and stopped at every rest stop in SC just to get off the bike for a minute. Then, I started to really worry about getting back in under 24 hours. Once I crossed the NC line, I could better guage my progress with exit numbers (which double as mileage markers). Counted up from Exit 1 to Exit 75 (my exit). Before I knew it, I had passed Gastonia, then Charlotte. My spirits started to lift as the exits whizzed by, and I knew I could make it back in under 24 hours.
I finally got back to Salisbury at 1:22am, 9/9/06 - roughly 23 hours on the bike. I was sore enough on that last stop that I almost fell when I got off the bike. After getting my receipt, I walked around for 5 min or so celebrating with a cigarette, enjoying the sensation of the feeling returning to my butt (*&^@# stock seat). When I got home and went to bed, the alarm clock went off - it was still set at 2:00am.
Final mileage was 1078 according to trip odometer, 1049 according to MS S&T. The IBA paper work goes in the mail tomorrow.
Lessons learned from this SS:
1. Plan around Atlanta rush hour.
2. Stick to the interstates.
3. Don't waste time looking for a Monument to a Hog.
I guess the next santioned ride for me is the BB? 1500 miles? I think, with better planning, staying with the Interstates, and maybe getting some sort of hydration system, I could do that! :rolleyes: