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Iron Butt Ride No 1

On 22nd October 2011 a group of friends and I successfully attemped an Iron Butt Association (IBA) Saddlesore 1600k.  You can read the blog entry if you are interested. This simply involves riding in excess of 1610 kilometres in a 24 hour period and providing sufficient documentation to the IBA to verify we've done it.  If we are successful we will get to join the IBA and we'll be able to display the patch of success on our vests.

Why did we do it?  Good question!  It's about future stories over a few beers.

The plan (map);

  1. Arrive at the secret Beresfield NSW Location at 5am with a view to get the intial paperwork done and the bikes fuelled up for a 5.30am departure.
  2. Heading straight out onto the Freeway, south towards Sydney and on to Pennant Hills Road and stop at Thornleigh (138ks)
  3. Right onto the M2 which leads on to the M7 tollway (remember your e-tag or get an e-pass) and eventually turns into the Hume Hwy, stop at Marulan (176.4km), Gundagai (208.2km), Albury (179.9km), Benalla Victoria (118.3km).  According to Whereis that's 820.9 k's.  It didn't go to plan, we made it through to Benalla from Gundagai.
  4. Then we turned around and go back to Beresfield the same way a total of 1641.8ks for the day.  On the way back we'll stop more often (we actually didn't) but we'll discuss that as we go.  We stop for long breaks or powernaps and are were in Beresfield by 12.30am.

If you are thinking about doing it, here's some advice;

You'll ride completely at your own risk as an individual with a group of enthusiasts. You'll make your own decisions about what is safe and you won't put anyone else at risk.

  • Read the Archive of Wisdom on the IBA Website, there's good advice here
  • Read the ride rules, you are responsible for meeting the requirements
  • Print out the documentation you'll need
  • Be prepared to ride in four seasons.  If you've got comfortable water resistant riding gear wear it.  The last thing you want to do is get cold or unnecessarily wet and changing clothes by the side of the road in the rain is a big waste of time.
  • Take a few pairs of gloves of different weight if you have them
  • Don't forget your earplugs, some of our Harley-Davidson motorcycles sound "proper" and after the first 12 hours or so....
  • Part of the route is a tollway, make sure you bring your e-tag or organise an e-pass.
  • Bring food and water with you, we won't be hanging around while you queue up for pies
  • Bring a couple of pens and a clipboard. I'll provide a witness at the beginning and end of the ride and also someone to meet us to do some paperwork at Benalla.
  • Bring a phone.  If you don't think it'll last the day think about your plan B.
  • Bring a camera if you like but acknowledge there won't be too much time for photos.
  • Make sure your motorcycle is in good shape and all the bolts are tight.  If something falls off your motorcycle other than you you'll get left behind.
  • Endureance riding means riding in the dark. Make sure your eyes are appropriately protected for low light riding and your headlight works.
  • There's no shame in needing to stop to rest.  If the ride gets on top of you then stop. 
  • Ride and have fun, and don't complain about your arse being sore, that's an instant disqualification.
  • Endurance riding is not a race, speed will be within the boys in blue's tolerance and if you choose to step outside that and you get caught the others will laugh as they ride by.