Pick up from the top........
Ok the way I work, on call 24 7 It's hard for me to plan anything.
I have been thinking about this Iron Butt for a little while because I been on some trips just short of that a lot of times. So why not make it official?
I planned on doing it Marines Birthday, Or Veterans day. But that gets into where I want to be most, With my comrades. So a day close to that would do.
So, I did all the prep on my bike to get ready to go, installed the GPS, Hard wired my heated gloves, and a Day just came available! BUT, as you know I'm the one with the leaking intake problem since new, and she was leaking again! But my dealer knew of my plans and called me back when he could not have my bike ready and volunteered me the Royal Star Deluxe to make the Iron Butt trip! Who else has a dealer like that? Takes the sting out of my frustrations of the intake. They are really trying to fix it and never called me crazy. That bike is pictured below. Now, after the ride, I'd say despite it runs like a sewing machine, in every other aspect it's not close to my Road Star.
From the time dealer gave me the bike to time I left was 2 hours. Only thing I found wrong with it was low air, and that's always the case, your bike has low air right now, both tires.
So anyways, can you imagine undertaking that trip on a strange bike? All the $$$ you spent for things that would help you ride in comfort, missing? No Ultimate seat? No Aux Lights, No Highway Pegs, No Aux power supply? (I had to have it so I installed one on that bike in the 2 hours) And the feel of it, just seemed so, so , so un-Roady like.
So the 2 hours were spent improvising, In this picture you can see the Backrest I made from an Unused Gel Pad, I rolled it up and put in in front of the Pack, No cigar, but it worked. That's the Iwo Jima memorial at Quantico, Va , I got gas there and snapped this pic.
I also used and think I needed and was glad I had the other gel pack I had on the shelf. I thought they were worthless, but I might not have finished without it. As you can see, I choose a Saddleman SDP 2600 It's a great bag for a weekend, holds it's shape and after I tore the heck out of one abused it and needed a part for it, Saddleman insisted I not pay and warranted it! So I got a new one even though it was my bust! (It has a handle that pulls out and wheels, I broke the handle overloading it like 3X the weight.)
So Once I got the bike packed, Not too crazy about the bags, they seemed smaller than Ours. I got less crap in them it seemed.
Now mind you, I got up at 5 am when my GF went to work, I'd been working with dealer and Reading tips here on solving my intake problem thinking I was going to have my bike to ride. So after being up 12 hours, I left. No a good idea if you try an Iron Butt. But, this happens to me at work a lot, I am conditioned for it.
The Dress. The weather wasn't great calling for cold and rain, who cares? Not me. I only wore My Tour Master Waterproof boots, Transition series 2 jacket, A pair of bicycle riding shorts (Whoo them babies were key!!! They have a shammy in the seat!) and my Tour Master Caliber trousers right over that, no jeans. I did pack extra clothing but never needed any of it. I would have changed my socks out 1/2 way but I was too busy looking for my wallet. 3 pairs of gloves proved to be a good thing, I used all three. Off I went, strange bike, No comfort mods.
Well You have to verify your time. You can Fill up, and have someone verify your time when you leave, but to me, it leaves a little too much room to fudge, so I used the gas receipt as a start time and a finish time and also got the witness needed. Ain't no fudging going on here. I live only 3 miles from a gas station so it's doable. From the gas station to my GF's House is like 3 miles, so, I made it on the way and went a different way. In fact the whole trip was different than what I had planned. I planned going to Knoxville through Charleston, WV just for the scenery, but I took a route I know a little better because I had an unfamiliar bike, Unfamiliar bike and unfamiliar road = unfamiliar chance of wrecking. By taking more familiar roads, 50% reduction.
The FIRST seriously cool turn, my decision to take familiar roads proved wise. The Royal Star can't take a curve like my Roady, not even close, I got a lesson, no foul, luck I guess. So that got my attention for the rest of the trip that I am on a no handling sidewalk sissy of a bike.
Then, I changed the way I was going to go, and went another way, this brought me to a small town time eating rush hour and then stuck behind a hay wagon on a rural road, and Pittsburgh construction zone in rush hour. Then I was free! I made good time from south of Pittsburgh to Morgantown and across Veterans Highway I68 through WVA and MD. I took this way to add miles and avoid Curves, (After my washy curve deal).
OK the remainder of the trip out was great roads and great scenes through DC and Danger Deer Country. East of Richmond I had racked up over 500 miles and was thinking VA Beach was a little too long, But what the heck? Well here's what the heck, I was running low on gas, and I would see signs for gas this exit and when I get off it would say 1.8 miles to the right and I go and no gas station. I did that twice, and I was on fumes so kind of nerve racking you know. 3rd time I did find the gas station they pointed me to, but at 2 am the town was like, closed! So I located a 711 in Newport News! OPEN! Whooooo Because out of gas at this point and the ride is lost, no time for that mistake.
And here's the lost wallet story! I stop, put my credit card in, pump starts, but key to tank is in side bag. (Gee I wish my bike key fit my saddle bag = Royal +) So I walk that way get they key and since I am worried about NO ONE being at VA Beach, open, I take a peek at the rules as the tank fills. I was looking to see what was required at turn around point. Just a receipt, OK. And as this happens a car leaving the 711 stops about 30 feet from me, someone gets out, picks something up and laughs and they take off fast. They did not invade my space so I think nothing of it. Well for like 4 seconds, I look for my wallet to go get a drink, No wallet...............Ok it's got to be here somewhere that's how I turned on the pump, Look, look,look, and look, It was sad, I have a pouch on my windshield and on my bike that's where I would set it. But strange bike no pouch, so I look like down in the steering, then maybe the engine area, might have dropped there, no, Then my flashlight went on the blink, I looked I looked I looked, So I just knew it was there, it's black and I just can't see it. So, In the middle of the gas station there I am, down to a pair of faggot looking bike shorts, you know the spandex looking things? And an Under Armor T shirt! I have my Riding suit laid out on the cement and I was patting it down for a wallet lump. I'm thinking it was lost in the liner, or I put in on one of the 30 pockets that suit has and can't find it. If a COP would have pulled up I might be committed to a mental hospital.
I then tore everything out of the bike and removed the seat, I patted it all down and no wallet. So I looked at the engine area and frame and wheels of the bike. Still in the bike shorts, I started it up and rode it around the gas station a few times to maybe shake it loose if it was in the frame somewhere. A couple of hunters pull up, they were looking at me and they had guns, so now I am thinking maybe I wish a COP would pull up!
So Now I think, OK, the Velcro on my wallet caught on some Velcro on my suit and I inadvertently flung it away from the bike and that's what that car stopped to pick up. OR it dropped and when I went to get the key off the Bag, I kicked it 30 feet. I just gave in that I had no wallet. It was gone. So, no money. But I did have extra cards, but, I have CRS and I can't remember any PINS to those cards. AT this point I have like 550 miles on the Odometer and I say, I better turn around. I'm a former Marine and that alone will get me back - any Former Marine or maybe even any VET. will buy me a tank of gas and coffee. That was my plan and I better get busy as it's going to take extra time to explain my situation. I went in to get a receipt because pump did not give me one. Attendant looks at it and says "That was an Hour and 22 minutes ago!" OH! Thanks for reminding me! There goes any chance of a nap for me!
I took off, and I went 2 miles and I went back once again to make a run and see if the wallet shook out of the frame. As I drove around the gas station the hunter commented to his buddy that I had the right clothing for that bike now. I didn't think it was so funny then. Still no wallet.
So on the return trip I am calculating what truck stop I can get to and look for some Military comrades to buy me gas. I saw a rest area and some things happen like clockwork in AM so I stop at this rest area, when I come out I got into a pocket on the Saddleman and I'll be, like an angel put my wallet in there, right on top! I couldn't figure how I missed it looking in that same pocket several times, but I had my wallet and who cares! I only had like 3 cards and a license in that wallet but I had no idea who to call to cancel all that. I have Lifelock so that's who I guess. LOL I was just happy I could pay my way back!
I hit DC at a good time in AM I did hit the rain for a good while and the slipstones made me uncomfortable. So much for the Avon's I bought boy I wish I had my bike! but from DC on it went pretty well, normal traffic in Pittsburgh and a small jam at the outlet malls but I was coasting in just fine. However I did get one last thrill, as you have to show corners, and I79 and I80 I had to show that I did not take the short way, so I let my gas go down too low and again almost ran out trying to show that corner. But I made it on reserve. And I coasted in no sleep at all in 36 hours and in about 2.5 hours early! Whooot!
I made my last stop same as the first when I left, the DUKE gas station to get a landing receipt. But guess what? The machine would not take my card, I know what happened, VISA cut it off for too frequent of use. Iron Butt Tips mentioned that, So beware. I used another card and got my receipt. I'm done! I had like 1100 plus miles on the odometer, remember JAP bikes read low so you have to log high to get the 1000 miles. That is why you should Google
map your route in advance.
I had to also chase down a live witness as there was some miscommunication there but that was just a short ride away. I went to bed and slept like 3 hours and had a great time at the VFW Marine Corps Birthday Bash! And after that, sleep never felt so good!
In hindsight, riding a strange bike really took a lot of the fun out of it. It was nice, it just wasn't mine. I'd even consider owning one, it ran great and had all kinds of power and would just Cruise at high speeds. What I didn't like was no highway pegs, small crash bars and the funny small fairings that bolt to them. The green light that lights up when you are in overdrive kinda bugs you at night too. And no clock? What were they thinking? But it was a well appreciated free test ride compliments of my dealer, his tires, can't beat that even if they aren't so sticky in the rain.
I would have left freshly rested, maybe a different time to avoid the rush hour in big city and I would have kept better track of my wallet.
Now all I have to do is organize all my evidence and apply for my Iron Butt Award. It can take up to 3 months they say! So maybe next spring! I really want to do it again 2 up with my sweetie or when she gets her Yamaha 950 spanking new! I really wouldn't mind a shot at the 1500 miles in 36 hours and I actually think that would be much easier as you can get some real Hotel Time.
Despite all the setbacks, Bike in shop, traffic, weather (It wasn't summer and the extra gear slugs you down) lost wallet, unfamiliar bike with none of my conveniences, I did accomplish the mission. Just as our service people do day to day, So Hat is off to all who serve and served, support who serves and in any country who might read this. you either train with us at some point or you give us a good reason to allow you to give your life for your country
Happy Birthday All Marines! (Once a Marine Always a Marine!)
And to all Veterans and their families who went through it all too. Thank You for your service.
My end picture.
MC
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(Warren Address) 
