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Ironbutt
by
Thunder
May 2003
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IronButt Saddlesore 1000 Weather is a local phenomenon. There are no truer words to a traveler who has accepted the challenge of an Ironbutt Ride. During the course of a single day and the distances travelled you are likely to experience several different and interesting "local" weather phenomenons. Firstly an explanation of "IronButt" is probably in order. The Iron Butt Association (IBA) is a group of dedicated individuals that have truly defined long distance motorcycle riding. They have crafted a number of unique ride challenges, establish and manage the rules, certify the rider's compliance and validate routes, receipts and issue the awards. Many can claim to have gone the distance, but getting your name on their roster is no small feat in itself. One of the IBA's recognized achievements of the SaddleSore 1000 (1000 miles in 24 hours) was recently attempted by a number of local riders. On May 10, 2003 the first Canadian IBA event of the season was hosted by one of Toronto's recognized local motorcycle organizations, The Zen Riders Motorcycle Club. Generally these are individual achievements, however the Zen Riders decided not only to make this an event for multiple club members, it was opened it up to the motorcycling community at large and the Zens provided the coordination necessary to support the event. They also took it one step further and tied this in as an awareness ride for "Breast Cancer Support Services" and their Radical Ride scheduled for August 9th of this year. This group provides support, counselling and training for not only victims of this disease, but to the families and medical community as well. The Zen Riders are to be commended for this is no small task. The management of the event, the communications are efforts done by a group of people who simply enjoy the challenges and camaraderie that motorcycling provides. As most ideas, this one springs from a simple discussion over coffee. It takes on a life of its own, grows and feeds on enthusiasm and evolves into a major event. At the Spring Motorcycle show the Zen Riders booth was decorated in maps showing long scenic routes, motorcycles and a special guest of honour, Thane Silliker, a champion long distance rider himself having completed a ride across Canada in 2001 (Halifax to Vancouver) in 59 Hours and 51 minutes. Thane also travelled in from London Ontario on his ST1100 to help launch the event. Anyhow I digress…. "Oh my god! Why do you want to do this?" "Isn't it dangerous?" "This is supposed to be fun?" These are the general reactions when you talk to people about your quest. You see I participated in this event, so I can relate to you some first hand experience. Of course, many of these people are not from the motorcycle community. They are the same people who sometimes ask why you ride. It's one of those answers that if you had to ask the question, you wouldn't understand the answer. People take on this challenge for a number of different reasons. However being polite, you try to explain it in relative terms. But it never seems to work It's not a race and it doesn't prove anything other than you can do it. My own reasons revolved around my testing my own abilities and those of my motorcycle (a Classic 83 Honda Goldwing Interstate - which doesn't like the rain I might add). Being successful here with the support of friends expands my route capabilities as I build a trust in my machine and my riding abilities. Others see this as the ultimate challenge itself, an accomplishment suitable of bragging rights. The day started early. A 3:00 AM rise for which the alarm clock was not necessary (who can sleep). A hurried shower and preparations ensue to arrive at the start location in Vaughan for a 4:00AM departure. The "A" route would take us from Vaughan to North Bay, west to Sault Ste Marie, south to Flint Michigan and back east across the 401 to Vaughan. My riding partner for this event is a good friend Alan Freedman aka "Pitbull" riding his Indian dressed Kawasaki Drifter. There is another "B" route that runs into Quebec and many of the riders opt for a borderless run. However, they missed out on the subtle challenges a little weather can provide. Weather type number one. Cold. It was reasonably warm when we started, but they always say it's cold up north. Even in the transition from a metropolitan to a rural area a drop of several degrees is not uncommon and the early morning chill of the season helped keep us alert. However arriving at our first fill up in Gravenhurst both Alan and I decide to plug in the electric vests for a while. We ended up stopping frequently for gas, one of us had a beautiful motorcycle with an outrageously small tank (or thirsty machine). It was after this stop and shortly after the sun rose on our way to North Bay that we saw our first sight of the day. A doe and small fawn still with its spots, standing at the side of the road looking for an opportunity to cross to the other side. Amongst all the advice offered by riding friends, we had been warned to be wary of wildlife and the dangers of being caught unaware. Being cautious and prepared it was a beautiful sight in the early morning sun. Hearing the rumble of two machines caused them to think twice of their own journey and move cautiously back into the cover on the side of the road. During our ride between North Bay and Sault Ste Marie we experienced our first bout of rain as we approached Sudbury and weather type number two. Not a heavy downpour, but enough to add to the existing chill in the air. It stopped long enough for us to refuel the attendant remarked that it had not rained there all morning so there was hope of a dry run, but as luck would have it would rain again within 5 minutes of the stopover. It was at this stop where we had a chance to catch up to other riders taking the challenge. Keith "Buddy" Jones, President of the Zen Riders Motorcycle Club arrived on his Kawasaki Voyager accompanied by Ave on his Harley Davidson. It seems the only reason we caught up with them was mechanical difficulty that meant Keith needed a battery boost every time he turned off his bike to refuel. Undaunted by this, Keith continued his journey. It's all part of the experience. It did stop raining (but not for the last time) as we approached the border to the states and with very little delay we all passed through and continued our journey. Our next scenic vista was as we crossed the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan. A beautiful long bridge with open grates in the road surface which allows you to see the turbulent waters below. Some people have fear of heights and this bridge was not for the feint of heart. The open grates play with your bike as you cross, pulling you right and left. A little unnerving, but manageable. It was a beautiful panoramic view of the lake and the bridge contributed to a picturesque setting. Unfortunately the challenge of the day was riding and very little time was afforded to stop and take in the scenery. Weather type number three. A beautiful hot and sunny day was ours as we made our way south on the long stretch of I75 on our way to Flint Michigan. It was somewhere on I75 where we saw our second Kodak moment (again without stopping for photos). Some of Michigan's finest were parked in the grassy divide that separated the northbound part of the highway from the south. What made it memorable is that one of the cruisers appeared to be stuck in the ditch, neatly wedged between the grassy sides with tires off the ground. Another cruiser was there seemingly offering moral support in an obviously embarrassing predicament. It appears that the first cruiser was looking to turn around and took the shortest distance between two points. It was only a few hundred yards further down the road to the official turn around access. A long ride offers you much time to ponder life. However, the sights, smells and events such as the above that brings a smile to your face and act as a reminder of why you ride. As it neared 2:00PM we stopped for 30 minutes at one of the rest areas along the road. Alan opted for a brief powernap in the sun while I finished off one of the sandwiches packed for the event. The packing for a ride as this one is as much of an art as the ride itself. For some reason I opted to bring several bottles of water and sports drink (enough for a small baseball team) as well as various snacks such as power bars, cookies, candies, beef jerky and sandwiches. Most of which returned home uneaten. The key to a long ride such as this one is to be careful of your diet and most of the day is spent nibbling on small and gastronomically harmless items. You do not want to be caught in an uncomfortable predicament anxiously looking for a washroom on a long stretch of highway. As we approached Flint Michigan the rains returned and stayed with us for most of the ride home with only short breaks in between. It was just before our border crossing at Port Huron that I developed my own mechanical problems. The downpour was so severe that my old machine succumbed to the torrential rain and started to misfire. Not enough to bring me to a halt, but enough to cause concern for my safe return and completion of the challenge. However it sorted itself out in time and both Alan and I arrived back to the starting point having completed our journey of 1044 miles in only 19 hours and 31 minutes. I had prepared myself for this trip by obtaining an electric vest. A worthwhile investment as it made the cooler portions of the ride less fatiguing. The other option was a throttle lock, which allowed me to occasionally shake the stress out of my right hand and wrist from the constant pressure of managing the throttle for long periods of time. Alan had outfitted his Drifter with a new tachometer, which caused some concern as he had problems starting the bike just after the clock began ticking at our departure point. Luckily the issue did not repeat itself for the remainder of the day. The Ironbutt adventure is definitely not for everyone, but those that take on the challenge are well rewarded. Satisfaction, shared memories, the feeling of accomplishment and the recognition of ones peers. Not to mention the bragging rights of course. It has all the components of an adventure novel including drama, sights, sounds, physical, mental and mechanical challenges. It is at times exciting and wonderful and all the senses are heightened and remind us of why we choose to ride. It also has its moments where weather, traffic and road conditions conspire to work against you and it has its slow passages of straight unchanging views that dull your senses lulling you into a mind numbing zone that increases the element of risk. However, it is an experience worthy of an attempt. I firmly believe it makes one a better rider. It tests your skill and stamina as well as resourcefulness. When you ride in this challenge it will occur to you at some point why they call it a "SaddleSore 1000", It definitely leaves you somewhat tender. I rode with doubled up sheepskins, which started out feeling very soft and plush but ended up feeling like a rock. You develop a method of riding and shifting position to find a less tender spot to sit for a while. Riding in pairs helps increase the confidence and although offers are made for you to go ahead on your own while one rider rests it would be as difficult as leaving a member of your family stranded at the side of the road. Something that is simply just not done. The Zen Riders Motorcycle Club has done an amazing job of coordinating the activities and providing the administration that made the ride so much easier to undertake. Providing witnesses to the event for start and finish records, maps, forms and the communications of the event. It benefited not only the rider, but the cause of breast cancer support which is such a worthy cause and what better date than Mothers Day weekend to show support. For further information please visit the following websites. Hendrik A. Magilsen
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