Early April cross country jaunt
 

It's time to do something I've wanted to do for a while.

I've already done a few Iron Butt certified rides, have the certificates and the license plate frames to prove it.

I like challenges. I've ridden in 50 states on motorcycles, 49 of them on my Hayabusa. I've been as far north as you can possible go in the United States. Next challenge please.

Next up is the 50CC. Jacksonville, Florida to San Diego, California in 50 hours or less. I'm anticipating 46 hours with a hotel stop for the night in the middle.

I've equipped the BMW over the winter for serious long distance duty, so it's time to shake her down.

For the bike:

Added highway pegs to the heads (gotta love Boxer motors!)
Cee Bailey windscreen (2.5" longer, moves airflow up away from my helmet)
Hella Micro DE Xenon-HID lamps mounted on RT-P brackets
Smart LED battery charging indicator
Hardwired/mounted heated gear controllers
Hardwired GPS
Accessory 12v socket to glove box for phone/whatever charging

For me:

Warm'n'Safe heated gear
new lid (Schuberth C3)
Sena SMH10 comm system

Somebody is going to say "Why would you do that? Hurry across the country like that. Stop and smell the roses." I've stopped and smelled the roses, and I've seen the country, in greater depths on my motorcycle than probably most on this board. 71,000 miles on my Hayabusa is a testament to that.

This is just something I want to do, I actually have vacation time to kill this year, so it's on.

I depart OKC a week from today for Jacksonville. I'll be sure to post a link to the Spot Tracker if y'all are interested in watching.

wish i could join you.

Sounds like a good time. I am going for the 1500 in 24 this year. CC doesn't interest me as much, cause I haven't seen the country as much so I want to see it if I am going across it.

Spot tracker please

All the years I've known you, I've never known you to give a crap what anyone else says. No reason to start now :rockwoot:

Sounds like a hoot! Kinda wish I still had a bike to join you

right!

keep on keepin on!

happy motoring trace!

Sucks your no where near the north to do this...I'd tag along for a portion of the ride with you...Enjoy it...(As much as you can)

I'm gonna say 48 hours and 5 mins total!! Lol

ditto

I can prety much start a CC 50 ride from my house :)

The distance difference also means that you have to pretty much do it without stopping too. LOL.

Guess I cant have it all now can I LOL

I as well could start one from my doorstep...Maybe one day!!

Gimme a jangle when you get into town.

So, you're going for the BBGold?

I had planned on doing a combo SS/BB last week but, other things ended up taking priority. Hopefully, I'll get it in this year before too long.

Yeah, I want a BB Gold. got the SS last year.

Did you do a 500 mile turnaround or did you have a destination? I'm planning on visiting some friends in FL. and coming back. It will put me a bit over 1500 miles round trip.

Did a big circle with 9 other locals. Went to Asheville, Atlanta, birmingham, tupelo, Jackson, Nashville, back to Knoxville.

That's a pretty good loop! What was your final time? Did you sleep any or just ride through? I'll check back in tomorrow. Bedtime now. Can't wait to see how G-rex's trip goes! I had a friend in last year's IB rally. I think he came in 25th or 29th maybe. I doubt I would ever be up for the rally. Too much for me now. 20 years ago maybe but, not now!

I may try for soemthing this summer, maybe do a loop up north into maine then back home. I can run 95 up there then over to 89/91 to get home.

I'll be sure to post up the Spot link.

I can't speak for Trip, but I usually do 1000 miles in a day with plenty of time to spare. I can do 1000 in 14 hours. I've had several friends who want to do a Saddlesore ride that have asked me to go along just to lead to set the pace. LOL. No problem!

Did it in one go. I think we took 19 hours, but it was a big group and we stopped a lot more than I wanted to. I did 1000 in about 14 or 15 by myself coming back from california, but I didn't document it.

I used to drive truck so, the long hours are nothing new to me. I just wish I still had my old Virago. That thing just ate up the miles. The KLR isn't quite as comfortable. Whenever I decide to do it, I'll be sure to post up!

I suggest using something other than the KLR so you can pass...

:lol:

hahaha fuck you (and take extra oil if you do)

You had a super charger on yours right? I know you passed some peeps... :lol:

I did, but it was a combination of timing, skill, and a strong wind on my back while going down hill

And about a 100lb weight difference! My handlebar weighs as much as Derf!

You want a challenge?

Take your riding off the road...

And since you're into distance more than a faster lap, I would suggest Baja! It comes in 3 flavors(last I heard) 250mi, 500mi and the ultimate killer 1000 miles.

Ah! To be young and more bounceable and less brittle again!

You'll be fine Trace :) plan on doing the boring parts at night, it's way more fun to imagine there is something exciting than to see that it's boring as shit :lol:

Ok, here it is for anybody that wants to watch. I'll be on the road today at noon and Spot will be live then.

I expect to stop somewhere in Louisiana tonight, Mobile, AL tomorrow, and Jacksonville after.

I plan on leaving Jacksonville on Wednesday morning early, arriving in San Diego Thursday night approximately 46 hours later, goofing off in SD for a day or two, and makin' way back to OKC Saturday sometime.

Trip, if you want to embed this link into the first post again, go for it.

http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?...94f6f1bac7fcf9

cool, have fun sticky side down!

i'm lost, its fri morn, are you talking next week you'll start the long trip?

I'm heading to Jacksonville today/this weekend. Spend a few days out that way goofing off.

Next Wednesday, around 5am, I'll be kickstands up with the 50 hour clock starting, heading to San Diego. I'll stop Wednesday night in Kerrville, TX, back up around 5am and I'll wrap up the day in San Diego.

Spend another day or two goofing off in SD, then I'll start making way back to OKC next weekend sometime.

awesome, have fun

:boobs: is my only comment, now

BTW Ed, if you have any tips for getting through Houston..er..expeditiously, let me know. I'll be coming through around 4pm-4:30pm, unless I leave Jax super early.

I know there's HOV, I assume it's clearly marked so I don't miss it. From looking at the system maps on the website, it looks like going westbound, I pick up the HOV just west of downtown. Does that sound right?

you flying solo on this one?

yup thats the quickest way west.

when on I-10w heading west nearing 610 loop stay on the far left, thats where the HOV entrance starts


LMK and i can meet up, that exchange is very near my office, and i can take that route home. and i usually get off at 4:30ish

Give hugs to Shannon and co for me. :)

Good luck and be careful! As a former truck-driver I can say no destination is worth pushing past too tired! I hope you make your goal but, if you pull over because you are too tired there's no shame in that!

Looks like you are on track to ride past ebbs house around lunch time tommorrow

I did an easy 600 today. After lunch. Lol

I should turn off the mph tracker. I noticed that my accelerated pace shows up.

Lafayette, LA tonight (dunno why I bother telling y'all that haha), and an easy day or two into Jacksonville. This is vacation after all.

I'm in Jacksonville now. Gotta do some scouting, goofing off, and a little bit of beach time.

Wednesday am, probably 4 or 5, the 50 hour clock starts. I'm going to setup a separate spotwalla page just for that. I'll post up here when I do.

Wish me luck. Day 1 is 1100 miles from Jax to Kerrville, TX. Day 2 is 1250 miles from Kerrville, TX to San Diego. Gonna be a haul. :)

I'll be out in hill country Wednesday. I'll wave. :).

Trace is lucky he chose a southern route, Dallas is getting fucked up right now.

I just saw those tornadoes on the news, some bad shit down there.

he's off an running.

Looks like he is almost out of Florida, Spot finally busted him doing over 70, clocked in at a dangerous 77 mph, LOL.

Wonder if he will break 100 durring his journey. So far so good. i am stuck at work for 16 hrs today so at least I can track his progress.

I doubt it, Trace doesn't really ride fast like that from what I have seen and that would risk his IB certification as well.

Good point esp with there being an actual paper trail with the spotracker stuff. I would think along some of those stretches of hwy how could you not take it up over 100.

yeah, esp out in west texas.......85 is the speed limit out tehre

i got popped in AZ for 100 when i rode Cross-C

When I rode with Trace out in the middle of nowhere north texas/new mexico, we played around sometimes, but for the most part he is a very conservative rider is what I got out of it. He may do a little speeding to get around stuff, but I suspect he doesn't do it for long stretchs. I don't know, maybe someone who rides with him more has a better idea of his normal habits.

As th etouring distance rider he is, i can se ehim keeping it around 70 or 80 for the most part. Even on the trips home from GA/NC I didnt break 90 too often. Esp in the south, I dont think they would care for my NY plates :lol:

5 over is about where I stay when I am LDing. It's just not worth it to have to be scouting for cops on LD trips.

outside of NOLA now.

He's already passed ebbs, I wonder if ebbs is chasing him down to get some Trace action. :lol:

he'll be thru houston around 5-6p, would be great to catch dinner w/ him

esp since we're way west houston out of all the traffic

looks like hes comming up towards batton rouge now.

Trip I will usualy average about 10 or so over but most of the speed limits are 65, except wva which is 75. I will usualy run pace with the traffic which i susualy close to 70-80. I usualy slow down a bit when I am by myself and theres no other traffic since the popo can focus only on me. There are soem stretches in NY, NJ ans PA where I feel prety safe railing a little faster but once I cross the mason dixon line I will dial it down.

not sure he going ot make that, hes still east of lake charles. Not sure if he stopped for abit or got slowed down but it seems like hes still got a ways to go. Although is houston one or 2 hrs behind eastern time?

think there was some constr. on I-10bridge

i think we're 2 hrs. behind.

I saw a few points where he was only going around 30mph. if you guys are 2 hrs behind then it may be doable figuring its 4:30 here now, I couldnt see him making houston in 90 minutes but tack on another 2hrs.

its 350

he should make houston by 6-630

guess its only an hr behind. Any spot he has to worry about with rush hr traffic or anything? Doesnt look like hes too far from the texas state line now.

going through houston at the end of rush hour, not good timing.

Hes going to go further than houston before calling it a night though, I forgot where hes going to pack it in for the night.

Wonder if he can bypass soem of it somehow.

kerrville is what he said, he's still got to get through San Antonio.

He's probably about 30mins to an hour further than what Spotwalla show though. Spotwalla doesn't update as fast as the spot site.

ok, didnt know that, I was kinda wondering what sort of delay there wa swith the updates as to where he is/was.

Quick update. Stopped for real food in Beaumont, tx since my era into Houston was going to suck, so taking a break to let that diffuse before I come through. Anticipate kerrville around 9:30-10pm.

So far so good I assume. So youre calling it anight at kernville?

Dang passed nearby about 1 hr ago

spotter has him comming up to san antonio so hes probably through there and almost ready to park it for the night.

he's planning to overnight in kerrville, another 50-60min past San Antonio

I didn't expect he'd be stopping to chat with people while trying to make this trip. Not to mention that if he hadn't stopped for food earlier, he'd be right in rush hour in Houston. I hated "normal" Houston traffic when I visited, can't imagine rush hour down there (or maybe I just don't want to).

There's a decent HOV/ bike lane for the latter part of his trek thru hou

hes def a savy enough rider to know to avoid any big cities durring rush hour and plan his trip accordingly, so it sounds like he made the right move stoping in beaumont then going through houston later. As a vet of NYC rush hours I can def understand that. look slike he should make good time to kernville get a decent amt of rest then be back at it bright and early tomorrow.

He should be there right now

It also looks like a smart swing away from san antonio by taking 5 miles worth of back roads and avoiding the city all together

up and running already

today is going to be BORING, that haul from SA to el paso......gets to be very desolate.

How are you guys tracking Tracey?

http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?...94f6f1bac7fcf9

had a link on page 4

today is gonna be a lonG haul. not sure how he's going to make it

houston to el paso took me 12hrs, he's ~3hrs west of houston,
el paso to san diego is 700+mi

thats a full 12 hrs on a bike...so roughly 21 hrs.

These things are tough. He's got a chance though, he has til like 5am EST tomorrow and he's already going. I think he has this one as long as he got good rest last night.

and avoids any traffic/delays on the road. Wondering if he sould have pushed it a little further yesterday, or today is just going to be a very long day.

For some reason he planned for the second day to be the longer day. I would of pushed as hard as I could the first day and wrapped up the second day with a shorter distance. I rather use as much of the night hours as I could too. Less traffic, but you do have to worry about animals and other things like really being tired.

my friend chris likes to break it up and ride more at night. Being I work night I am a bit more used to it. remember I rode through the night to get to your house a few yrs ago, and sixxer and I did it the year before. I think out there being REALY desolate I woul dbe more worried about wildlife on the overnights.

I think I would have made day 1 the longer of the 2 days too.

there is NO traffic where he's headed, lol

thats the new yorker in me, I am used to there being traffic behind every curve LOL. Looks like hes almost out of texas now.

Maybe I missed it but when & how long is he in San Diego? And where specifically?

Gets there tonight and leave sometime this weekend. No idea where.

El Paso, almost through tejas

looking prety good now, if he left at 5am eastern time he still has a good 16 hrs to play with.

He's on the long lonely stretch of I-10 now.

whole lot of nothing over there I assume? Is the scenery good at least.

A lot of desert, probably some cool rock formations

not like he has time to stop foir pictures.

it's 2 solid days of riding ... but doable, even without ridiculous amounts of speeding. excessive speeding is against the Iron Butt Association's premise

on a southern route, it's not uncommon to overnight in texas, no matter which coast you started on

he has 50 hrs officially, so until ~7am EST Friday. I think he'll be fine, even if he stops for a couple hrs at a rest stop.

But this post was on page 2? :lol:

Don't know what you're talking about. All posts above this are on page 1. There is no page 2 yet, let alone a page 4. :lol:

agreed, 100 ppp ftmfw

That takes WAY too long to load with fuckers like ebbs and GasMan putting a million pics in each post! 40 ppp it a good medium.