Your 1st Iron Butt Ride

Maybe you want one of the license plate backs. Or the certificate. Or the feeling of accepting a challenge and meeting it. Whatever your personal reasons are for riding 1,000 miles in a single day, I can almost guarantee you it will be a highlight of your life, maybe even a turning point like it was for me. One of my biggest joys is knowing I can travel to the other side of the country, seeing sights I didn’t know existed, or riding to Texas (or KC or Memphis), for instance, for some authentic BBQ.

Riding your first Saddlesore 1000 will also put you in the like-minded community of the Iron Butt Association with your name on the website, ironbutt.com. If you haven’t already, you may want to subscribe to the mailing list, ldriders.org, which can provide a lot of conversation on going the long haul (get the digest version to receive 2 or 3 messages a day rather than 20 or 30).

One book I highly recommend is Ron Ayres’ “Going the Extra Mile: Insider Tips for Long-Distance Motorcycling.” Here’s from a review: “Best-selling author Ron Ayres has written the first book that shares the proven advice of long-distance veterans with all riders who want to extend their range on a motorcycle. Those hard-core motorcyclists who aspire to participate in endurance rallies will find all the basic information they need to get off to a great start, but touring riders and less ambitious travellers also will be well-served by this book – as would anyone looking to learn a few tricks for enjoying more time in the saddle. To ride long distances, first one must be comfortable riding in a wide range of conditions and situations, and long-distance riders typically choose and modify their gear with these goals in mind.”

Be advised that I'm no expert compared to Mr. Ayres and others, but I understand my own personal reasons for going the extra distance. Part of it's curiosity and seeing new scenery, part of it's getting some alone time, some of it's the time/distance challenge and part of it's the survival challenge. It also means weathering through some difficult parts – long-distance riding isn’t always fun. Some of the time gets boring, lonely, wet, cold, dangerous, costly and frustrating. But the reward has always outweighed the challenge for me.

I began my own long-distance riding career riding to a BMW motorcycle rally in Oregon. Then a Bun Burner Gold, 1500 miles in 24 hours. Then a Saddlesore 5K, 5,000 miles in 5 days. Then a 100CCC, San Francisco to Jacksonville, FL to San Diego in 99.7 hours, collecting small bottles of sand at each shore. And then the Iron Butt Rally in 2003. Since then I’ve done multiple undocumented long days, each time taking home new memories, mostly good. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

To those curious about how to start, I’d say if you’re comfortable doing 300 miles in a day and can stay in the saddle for a solid two to three hours, then you probably have what it takes to try 1,000 miles in a day. You'll come to learn that a lot of long-distance riding depends on ergonomics and the proper setup of your motorcycle.

Seat

It’s important to have a seat that’s not too wide or narrow at the crotch, with the best seats (for long distance) with a higher back, like a tractor seat. The fill should be on the firm side. If it’s too soft you’ll compress it so you're sitting directly on the seat pan, not good.

Some riders use beaded seats and sheepskins to allow air underneath their butt and distribute pressure. If you start developing hot spots, you could be in for a nasty dose of “monkey butt” which is similar to bed sores and hard to get rid of once it starts. If you’re on a long ride, especially in hot and/or humid weather, I suggest you douse your shorts (I prefer briefs for this reason) in the morning with a healthy dose of Bonds Medicated Powder. I use 2 to 3 tablespoons, your butt may be smaller. Probably is. Rub it around a bit.

Position

I’ve found it less tiring with a slight forward lean to the bars, with knees gripping the tank, pegs set slightly back. My thighs are parallel to the ground and knees at a less than 90-degree angle, with the balls of my feet on the pegs. On a cruiser, your feet will be ahead of your knees, but wherever they are, be expected to hold that position for long periods of time. To give the knees and thighs a rest, stand up on the pegs/floorboards or flex your legs back and forth to keep the blood circulating. There will be another article on stretching exercises coming soon.

Handlebars

They should be positioned so your hands fall comfortably and in a natural position. If they’re too far forward you’ll develop pains in your arms if you’re *leaning* on them...or pain in your neck and shoulders if you’re *reaching* for them. Sometimes a simple adjustment can bring them an inch back and make a huge difference. If they can’t be adjusted back any further, you might consider aftermarket bar backs. Ideally, elbows should be at a 30-60 degree angle.

Controls

The clutch and brake levers should be adjusted so your fingers are level with the grips or slightly down. You shouldn’t have to reach for them in case of a panic stop. You should keep the brake lever covered with two fingers at all times, except maybe out in the middle of the desert during daytime hours, where you can give the brake hand a rest. Some people keep the clutch covered, as well. Personally, I don’t like any kind of throttle controls like set screws, “cramp busters” or cruise controls, for reasons that follow.

Fairing

Because of the length of time on the bike, you'll need a fairing that does two things: 1) breaks the wind so you aren’t bracing yourself against it which will tire you out in a hurry, and 2) pushes the wind over your helmet. If the wind doesn’t go over your helmet, you’ll have too much head buffeting and that, too, will fatigue you quickly.

Noise

Wear ear plugs to avoid permanent hearing loss from the constant wind noise, another fatiguing factor. Loud mufflers will also wear you down. I haven't seen anyone do a long-distance ride with straight pipes and I sure wouldn't want to ride behind them any length of time.

Once your ergonomics are in place so you can comfortably handle 300 miles at a stretch, you need to make sure the bike is in shape. Motor running smoothly, fluids topped up, shocks acting properly (not sticking or bottoming out), tires inflated and in good shape, electrical in good shape, brakes in good working order with plenty of pad left, and anything else you can think of to keep you from worrying. It’s amazing the things you’ll start to hear or feel after several hours, and the more confident you are with the machine, the more you can concentrate on the task at hand.

Before I forget, check out the “Archive of Wisdom” page on the Iron Butt Association's website, with 29 tips for riding long distance. A must-read.

Pick your route

Use Google maps or a GPS to figure out the slightly over 1,000 mile mark. Arrange it so you’re not riding into the sun. Don’t choose too many backroads or twisties the first time out. Figure out your gas stops. If you have a 220 mile range, arrange to stop at least every 180 or 190 miles.

1,000 rides can be accomplished (if everything goes right) without speeding, in less than 18 hours on interstate highways. A 60mph average speed is fairly common with seasoned long-distance riders and that takes into account gas stops, (short) meal stops, and 10-15 minute rest stops. Personally, I strive for 65mph mile averages. I’ll shrug off a 55mph average but if it drops to 50mph over the course of a day, then I’ll try to find some faster roads. You’ll find your comfort zone when you know it.

The hardest miles for me aren’t the *last* 200, but the *first* 200. That’s usually the amount it takes for me to get into the rhythm of a trip. I'll get into a comfort zone and start ticking off the miles in 10-, 20-, 50-, or 100-mile chunks. For the last 200 miles I’m usually happy to be “heading to the barn.”

Fatigue

A lot’s been written about fatigue and sleep deprivation and it’s something long-distance riders pay close attention to. For me, one day rides don’t pose that much of a threat unless there’s one or more extra fatiguing factors. Like bad weather, twisties taking more concentration than open roads, or forgetting to put in earplugs. If things are going well, I’m usually jacked up enough just with the challenge aspect.

Multi-day rides are a different animal and it’s imperative to get familiar with signs of fatigue. Every body is different and will react differently. For me, there’s a few cues I pay close attention to. I start noticing speed differentials (one of the reasons I don’t like cruise control). If I’m speeding up, or slowing down, more than 5mph than what I normally ride at, I take notice of that. If it’s more than a 10mph differential I know it’s time to take a rest. Or if my eyes start getting heavy. Or I have lapses in concentration. Or I miss a couple shifts in a row, or shift down when I should be shifting up. Your cues will probably be different, but start looking for them.

***DON'T PUSH YOUR RIDING LIMIT TO THE POINT OF HALLUCINATIONS! If you get slightest hint of trees turning into monsters, or pavement patches turning into cars, you should pull over NOW for some serious rest before you have a bad accident. Or worse.***

Rest times

Typically, on multi-day rides, I’ll let my body tell me when to take a 20-minute power nap at the side of the road, then it’s back in the saddle again. If I start feeling sluggish after another 5 or 10 minutes, I know that the 20 minutes wasn’t enough so I’ll pull over again for 30 minutes. If still not enough, I’ll try an hour.

You may have heard about the "Iron Butt Motel," picnic tables at a rest stop or reclining on the bike, but if you're not comfortable sleeping on the bike or can't find a rest stop, there are a few other places that are considered safe to grab some shuteye: church grounds, schools and cemeteries. I've been known to sleep behind gas stations, but they're noisy (not that that makes much difference), dirty, and not as safe.

I try to find hotel accommodations every night, even though it may only be for four to six hours. That hot shower in the morning rejuvenates me enough for the next 24 hours.

Diet

It’s generally agreed that excessive caffeine won’t help after so many miles, although some riders talk of a concoction of Red Bull and Exedrin. I haven’t tried it. Use of illegal drugs is not only frowned on, but outlawed by the Association.

For fluids, I wear a wide-mouth Camelback, filling it with ice first and then water. A drink tube is clipped to the front of my jacket that I can slip under the chin bar of my helmet whenever I think about it. You'll want to drink more often than you're used to because of the drying effects of the wind. On hot days, I’ll refill the Camelback at every gas stop and that's always seemed to be enough.

I make a special point to keep carbs as low as possible. Light breakfast of bacon and eggs, banana, coffee, but no toast or hash browns. The balance of the day is usually nuts and jerky, until I’m not traveling any further that day. Personally, I avoid carbs (and turkey) during the day like the plague, because I know that makes me sleepy. But at night? Bring on the cheeseburgers and pizza.

I normally pop a couple Ibuprofen in the morning, knowing there’ll be some aches and pains down the road. I may take some more in another four hours or so, depending. Then a multivitamin, some potassium and a banana to ward off cramps.

The night before

So your bike’s ready (not necessary for gas tank to be topped off at this time), the route is memorized, GPS programmed if you have one, clothes laid out, starting witness lined up, now try to get some sleep. Paul Meredith, a well-known long-distance rider gave this tip before my first ride: "Eat a turkey and mashed potatoes meal the night before, it will put you right out." Sure enough, it did.

The start

After breakfast, locate your starting witness. Police stations are usually cooperative when you explain that it’s a timed, non-speeding event, or choose from the IBA-approved witness list. There are a couple other alternatives for witnesses in the Rules section on ironbutt.com. There, you can also find a Start Witness Form, End Witness Form and Mileage Log Form – you’ll need all three forms to mail in later to get certified.

By the way, here’s a chance to acknowledge Mr. Michael Kneebone, the founder of the Iron Butt Association. I’ve had the pleasure to be in his company a number of times and he truly is as nice, honest and upstanding as he seems. By overseeing the Iron Butt Association over the last 25 years, he’s established one of the biggest legacies in motorcycling history.

After the Start Witness Form is filled in, go to the local gas station for a printed receipt that will be your official start time. After that, you’ll need to track your odometer mileage and time at every gas stop. If your route is “out there and back,” you’ll need a receipt from your turnaround point. Don't lose the receipts!

Riding gas stop to gas stop with occasional breaks in between will get the job done, but it will also help to have something to look forward to on the other end: a nice meal, a hotel room, staying at a friends house...all nice carrots at the end of that long stick.

When you’re all done and the End Witness form is filled out, pour a tall one and congratulate yourself, you’ve earned it. After mailing in the documentation, expect to wait four to six weeks for verification – the volunteers check every detail of every ride and that takes time.

Ride safe and let me know how it turns out!