Our first Iron Butt attempt

[keywestwego]

This Sat. (3/3/07) three ST1100's (Keywestwego, Astrogt, STwanabe), and a BMW friend of ours are headed to Houston, TX from Marion, NC for the SS1000. Our final stop will be in San Antonio to visit a friend of ours and his family. Keep us in your prayers. Will report back when we return.

[crazykz]

Good luck with the trip. Be safe.

Curt

[sherob]

Cool... heads up for you. When going thru Houston, depending on what time... the HOV lane goes WEST only on I-10 on Saturday. This will cut down on your time... traffic is pretty bad in the late afternoon/evening. ;)

[STWannaBe]

Awesome Sherob, Thanks! We have been trying to pull as much information as we can about road conditions and possible construction areas that we may encounter along the way. We are going down thru Atlanta to Mobile, then across I-10 to Houston. As far as we know, everything looks good with the exception of I-85 thru Atlanta. We have been getting conflicting reports on that section. If anyone knows something we don't, please post that information for us.

Thanks all.

[John Anthony]

Ride safe.

John

[motomac]

I would definately try to get through Atlanta some time during the very early morning or late in the evening!!! Traffic in that area is almost always slow during the daylight hours. It may be better on the loop now, but I've been hung up there for many lost minutes in the past. Best of Luck on the run.

[STWannaBe]

We hope to be in Atlanta at around 7am. I don't know if that will happen, but that's what we are banking on right now. I don't think a Saturday will be that bad, but I have heard it can be. I know that at one time, they were doing construction on 85 strait thru, but it looks like they have most of that completed. Thanks for the heads up.

I'll post our status as soon as we get to Houston.

[sherob]

What's your ETA for hitting Houston :confused:

[BlaSTr]

Good luck and have fun. Plan the ride and ride the plan.

I did my SS1000 in January and will do my BBG1500 on March 24-25 as part of a local IBA sanctioned event.

[jahoobob]

Awesome Sherob, Thanks! We have been trying to pull as much information as we can about road conditions and possible construction areas that we may encounter along the way. We are going down thru Atlanta to Mobile, then across I-10 to Houston. As far as we know, everything looks good with the exception of I-85 thru Atlanta. We have been getting conflicting reports on that section. If anyone knows something we don't, please post that information for us.

Thanks all.
I go through Atlanta on I-85 quite often. I always go straight through, not around on 285. I'll even go through at rush hour albeit slower (60 instead of 80.) All of the through 18 wheelers have to go around the perimeter and there are 4 to 6 lanes available through. MCs are okay in the HOV which extend from north of 285 to the south 75-85 split. There are a couple of fun curves after the split also.
Traffic picks up in the Opelieka-Auburn area and Montgomery can be a bottleneck when 85 and 65 come together in only two lanes but you should have smooth sailing all the way to Mobile once past Montogomery. Mobile is usually smooth sailing (over 4 lanes) also unless you hit it at rush hour.

[BlaSTr]

Thanks jahoobob.

I found out that part of my BBG1500 goes through Macon and Atlanta. I'll keep the info you provided re going through rather than around.

[STWannaBe]

I think we will hit Houston around 6:00pm Mountain time. Should be interesting being that it will be rush hour...

[motomac]

HOUSTONat 6:00 PM!!!

[STWannaBe]

Well, we did it! It took a little longer than we had anticipated due to the number of stops we made. It was around 33 degrees the morning we left and our hands were getting cold, so we stopped several times to warm up. We also had a few scheduled stops in the first couple of hundred miles to get receipts at every turn.

Overall, we had a great ride. After we hit Houston, we rode on to San Antonio to visit a great friend and ride with him a couple of days. We came home via Dallas, Texarkana, Little Rock, Memphis, Nashville, then Marion. We didn't experience one rain drop the entire time we were gone and it was beautiful!

We only ran into one idiot cager along the way and that was when we were almost home. We evidentally pissed off this guy in a Lincoln because he tried to run us down a couple of times. We were literally 25 miles from home when a NC State Trooper pulled him. It was great! We each blew our horns at him as we went by and that made our trip.

Thanks again to everyone who lent advise on what to take and how to do it. We learned so many valuable things along the way and we're planning the next one now...

[ToroGuy]

Congratulations...sounds like you had lots of fun. Glad your ride was safe and trouble free. No doubt we are blessed to live during the greatest era in the history of world with these wonderful reliable machines available for our pleasure.

[motomac]

Congratulations!!!! The next time your hands get cold, just hold them down by the rocker covers for a couple of miles and they will warm right up. One at a time of course!!!

[STill Fiddlin]

Congrats! Now make all your receipt copies, send in your documentation, and let the waiting begin!

[crazykz]

Congrats!! It's quite an accomplishment to do it in a group and keep everyone up to pace. I would probably go nuts in a group that size because I'm too impatient so I applaud anyone that has the patience for that.

I'm glad to see you made it. Congrats again to all of you.

Curt

[keywestwego]

Yes, we all had a great time on this SS1000 and more trip. We did a total 3,000 miler and loved every minute of the trip. Since I was the "old man" of the group, I did hold them up a bit...sorry guys. The good thing about running with the young bucks is it keeps me feeling a little younger (not necessarily younger looking).


As you can see, after the ride, I was kapoot! Nothing that 24 hours of sleep wouldn't fix.

The bottom line is exactly what has been mentioned earlier: plan your ride and ride your plan. Keep your stops to under 10 min. and keep your eyes and mind focused on the end point.

Our friend in San Antonio, TX is the one on the far right. While in San Antonio we all went to see the new movie: WILD HOGS. What a way to end a ride!

Thanks for all your input. This forum is a great benifit to all riders.

[hojo in sc]

CONGRATULATIONS, now it is time to start planning your next ride. :D

[sherob]

Congrats!!!! Once you've done one, you can't stop :rolleyes: I'm getting the urge to do a BBG 1500 soon :p:

[alphafang]

Congratulations guys
I'm really pleased for you,
Way to go the ST1100......a little bias on that point.
All the best
Paul

[STWannaBe]

Motomac,

Thanks for the tip on placing my hands down near the rocker covers to get them warm. I didn't even think about that! That would have saved me because that was all that was cold on me.

One thing that really worried me on this ride was riding passed dusk. Every time we rode passed dusk, we would see a deer standing on the side of the road. That really creaps me out! I know that by the time you see one, he's standing on your headlight and that is something I pray I never experience.

[crazykz]

I used the rocker boxes on my Harley to keep my hands warm but they were easier to reach. I actually grabbed a hold of the exhaust pipe one time by mistake. I won't do that again.

I tried getting to the ones on the 1300 but it's too awkward for me to reach.

Curt

[astrogt]

i was alittle bit worried about about the SS-1000 mainly because up to that point 600 miles was the most i have ever ridden at one time. aside from being pretty cold that sat. morning and again as we approached houston, the ride was alot easier than i thought it was going to be. of all the bikes i have owned (including a goldwing) the ST1100 fits me like a glove. we really did have a great time. i am very lucky to have such good friends and riding partners........... i cant wait for my iron butt license frame!.........clay

[STWannaBe]

I am very lucky to have such good friends and riding partners........... i cant wait for my iron butt license frame!.........clay

I am very fortunate as well my friend. Good times! :rolleyes:

[NCSTer]

Just got back from Daytona a couple of hours ago, and saw that you guys successfully completed you SS1000. CONGRATULATIONS! I know you've been planning to do one for awhile, and knew you'd get it done without any trouble. Now it's time to start planning your next one!
Look forward to riding with you guys again sometime.

[Tarheel_Rider]

Congrats! You may be waiting for awhile on your license plate - but good things come to those that wait (I hope).

[Raven]

Congrats on your ride and BE WARNED. . . .this LD stuff can get addicting!!

It all starts with just that one ride, that SS1K that you've always kind of thought of doing. Then you do it and swear you're too tired to ever do that again. But, a few months later, you're thinking maybe a BB wouldn't be so bad. Next thing you know, the map starts calling you and you think a 48/10 or maybe a 50CC would be kind of fun.

You'll soon find yourself inexplicably drawn to Waffle Houses for no apparent reason and know all hope is lost! You'll never be just a motorcyclist again - you are now the afflicted!
:D



(just did a National Parks Tour and thinking about a 48/10 - now where's the Waffle House again?)

[STill Fiddlin]

...It all starts with just that one ride, that SS1K that you've always kind of thought of doing. Then you do it and swear you're too tired to ever do that again. But, a few months later, you're thinking maybe a BB wouldn't be so bad...Strangely enough, still waiting for the SS1K cert, but I've just re-routed my ride to PA so it goes over 1500 miles. Resistance is futile!

[keywestwego]

You know what kind of friends you have when they will serve you beer and other libations at the hot tub. Thanks ASTROGT!!!

Yes, we have a GREAT group of riding friends. Those that will do anything for you at any time of the day/night. Just like in "Wild Hogs" (you have to see that movie) I saw it again Sunday afternoon with my wife and she said she could put each one of us, our "riding gang", into each charater since there are four of us. Hope we never have to fight to save a diner though!

We have already been talking about a Key West run and a run to the West Coast. Of course the West coast would be more sightseeing than endurance.

If anyone out there has ever dreamed of doing the SS1K, do it. Even if you don't make it under the time aloted, the experience being on the road for that long is well worth it.

Ride on STer's....Ride on!!!

Cliff

[Medicine Bear]

Hope we never have to fight to save a diner though!
Ride on STer's....Ride on!!!

Cliff


I'd do it for Marisa Tomei! :D

Fred :03biker: