My first Saddlesore -- 9 states by a mile :)

[atlbmw]

So, I'm thinking of a saddlesore in March...I thought I'd throw this out there and see about getting some feedback....

Proposed route: Atlanta to Biloxi (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=I-75+N&daddr=US-60+W+to:I-55+S+to:30.42973,-88.895874&hl=en&geocode=FdqsAwIdakj4-g%3BFRqYMgIdnq6p-g%3BFUiw0wEdzqGa-g%3B&mra=dme&mrcr=2&mrsp=3&sz=8&sll=30.65209,-88.835449&sspn=2.107564,3.515625&ie=UTF8&ll=33.596319,-86.418457&spn=8.158952,14.0625&z=6Modified). Google says 15 hours, so I'm thinking 18 hours, including multiple food, gas, and break stops. I can get by with about 7 gas stops, or about 2 hours for gas. Then, I'm thinking I might want two 30 minute breaks in there.

I hear that people plan all of their stops out. Is that really necessary on this interstate route? I've never seen a No Gas for 50 miles sign on an interestate in the south....but maybe I haven't travelled enough?

If I hit the road at 4am, I should be in Charleston, MO around noon. This is close to the halfway point. From there, I'll have 7 hours of sunlight and I should be in Biloxi around nightfall.
It looks like March will give about 12 hours of sun (http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/biloxi-mississippi.html)and the coldest temp should be low 40's. Charleston, MO (http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/coldandflu/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USMO0168)monthly temperature average.

Any thoughts?
Things to consider?
Things to emphasize on the IBA site?
Am I too optimistic about my time, etc?
__________________

[r11rs94]

Any thoughts?
Things to consider?
Things to emphasize on the IBA site?
Am I too optimistic about my time, etc?
__________________

Did my first one in 2000, No planned stops, as you stated most stations have gas and today using a GPS make it almost a no brainer.

-Have fun pace yourself and you will do fine.
-Don't make any big chances to you bike right before your ride.
-IBA sites has some good stories of others who have completed a saddlesore, with some good ideas both possitive and negative. MAKE sure you paper work is done correctly. The IBA is not very forgiving, rightly so.
-Don't no what bike you are using. I've done it on a RS and a RT. The RT was easier, for me anyways. You have 24 hours, more than enough time. Remember it is not a race. use all the time you need. And have fun. No fun then what's the point.
Good luck. :thumb

[RedSledRider]

Did my first one a couple of years ago, up and around MI. We were all happy to be making good time at the half way point. The last half was the killer. Longer stops for gas and to get blood back into the lower half. 23 hrs total.

Then I went for a 1500 bunburner on the super slab. 1576 miles in 30 hrs 8 min. This ride was not as painful as the first. Clothing has a lot to do with sitting in the saddle. Things need to breath....

[Zagando]

Longest one-day ride I ever did was 876 miles from Salt Lake to the Bay Area in 1972. I did 490 miles one day last October and that wasn't bad, either. But if I was to give out advice on such a long ride as yours I would suggest warm (i.e. electric) clothing by all means.

Real easy to get hypothermia on a bike once the sun goes down. Combine that with fatigue and you have a dangerous situation waiting to happen.

Ride warm, take frequent breaks and stay hydrated. And like the other fellow said, "it's not a race."

Let us know how it goes, OK?

Buena suerte, amigo!:dance

[rmeisen]

So, I'm thinking of a saddlesore in March...I thought I'd throw this out there and see about getting some feedback....

Proposed route: Atlanta to Biloxi. Google says 15 hours, so I'm thinking 18 hours, including multiple food, gas, and break stops. I can get by with about 7 gas stops, or about 2 hours for gas. Then, I'm thinking I might want two 30 minute breaks in there.

I hear that people plan all of their stops out. Is that really necessary on this interstate route? I've never seen a No Gas for 50 miles sign on an interestate in the south....but maybe I haven't travelled enough?

If I hit the road at 4am, I should be in Charleston, MO around noon. This is close to the halfway point. From there, I'll have 7 hours of sunlight and I should be in Biloxi around nightfall.
It looks like March will give about 12 hours of sun and the coldest temp should be low 40's.
Any thoughts?
Things to consider?
Things to emphasize on the IBA site?
Am I too optimistic about my time, etc?
__________________

I think your overall timing is about right for all interstate. Mapquest uses about a 66 MPH average, I ran closer to 63MPH. I figured 15 min per stop for just fuel and that was pretty close.
Leaving at 4am to maximize daylight is a good idea (wish I could have) but I think you'll be still running after dark. Sundown is ~6:30 pm this time of year. That's only 14.5 hours from 4am. That gives you 2-4 hours left to go.
You don't need to plan every stop, but some will have to be generally planned for your route verification at corners. You can just go until on reserve for others, that will help to space your stops out evenly and keep you in the saddle for similar periods. I looked at a map and figured about where I would fuel just to be familiar with the route. I also looked up the things in the area to be sure I could go right to the stop. I planned to have two long stops also but only used one, then again I had an advantage to be headed toward home for the last 160 miles over familiar roads. After that much time on the road, headed to an unfamiliar place, your experience may be different and you may need that other long stop. I also went self-contained, meaning I carried everything with me including all the drinks and food I would need. Only thing I bought on the road was gas and one candy bar (needed the receipt). It made my stops very flexible and I could keep interruptions/stops to a minimum.
The temps will be something you do need to plan for, especially as it cools down after a long day. It only got into the 50s on my ride but I was surprised how much the cold affected me after 12 hours riding. I didn't pay enough attention to this and had to make an extra stop (about 10 mins) to reconfigure and button up. I planned for cold at start and had the gear, just didn't expect it toward the end. I also slowed down after dark. Where I was running 70-80 with traffic during the day, I only went 65-70 and stayed to myself. I was lucky to have little traffic though, if you are in a more crowded spot, you'll have to keep up. Thoes look to be Memphis, Jackson and the New Orleans area for starters.

After all that, I hope you do it.. I really enjoyed mine and I'm already thinking about the next one..

Good luck
Ron

[GSTom]

I hear that people plan all of their stops out. Is that really necessary on this interstate route? I've never seen a No Gas for 50 miles sign on an interestate in the south....but maybe I haven't travelled enough?

I think you have a reasonable route and realistic time frame planned. Regarding planning your stops, you will need to be able to document "turns", so a gas stop at those points is logical. Be sure to read each receipt prior to leaving the stop. I stopped at a truckstop in Charleston,Mo and the gas pump receipt read a completely different station in another state. I went inside and got one that read correctly. You don't want to do the ride and end up not being able to verify the route.

As a suggestion, try to minimize stops as they can become real time wasters. Before I planned and executed my saddlesore, I read as many SS1000 ride reports I could on the IBA website. There is much valuable information to be gleaned from other people's experiences, both good and bad. This helped me a lot to be mentally prepared for what to expect. In my case, the ride was easier to do than I had imagined it would be.

[warredon]

Don't stop at Boomland!

[atlbmw]

I'm totally pumped!
I wish I read my email at 6am tomorrow morning instead of tonight....I'll be a bit too excited to fall asleep for a little while....

I just got my email from Mr. Kneebone tonight!!!!

Thanks for all of your postings to this thread for advice and support.
Btw, we followed the route I gave on the first page and ended in Biloxi instead of Floribama....but, we did make it Floribama the next day and night and day again...hahaa....

I think it's a great route for anyone else looking for a SS1000...and it looks like you could make it a BB1500 or Gold with some extra planning....

wwwooooohooooooo

[John Brase]

Congratulations!

My SS1000 was completely unplanned. I woke up in Denver near the end of a ride through the west, about 1100 miles from home. I had planned two days to get home from there but at breakfast in Limon, CO I changed my plan. I bought a steno pad, wrote out a starting affidavit and had the store clerk witness it and was on my way.

John

[MildBill]

Here's a couple of things that helped me. First, I planned my route to keep the sun at my back as much as possible. Second, I made my stops short as possible for the first five hundred, and was able to do the last half with more breaks. A five or ten minute break can make a big difference in keeping you alert and safe. It probably ends up cutting your total time instead of lengthening it.