Ferrous Posteriors

Several months ago I blogged about places I wanted to go which got me to thinking about ways to accomplish this goal. I knew I would need several days of riding but the family would never agree to me taking off for fun.... hmmmm. To my surprise, I stumbled on some cheap tickets for Jill and the girls to go spend 10 days in Oregon... Sweet. Let the planning begin!

I had seem to have forgotten about setting personal goals since having kids. What gets me going... What am I capable of..... well, I had read many stories about friends attaining their SaddleSore 1k certification, riding 1000 miles in under 24 hours. This ride is certified by the Iron Butt Association, yup, this is actually an organization. This goal played perfectly into my on road illness. My problem? I get on the road and want to just keep going. This has cost me at least one great friendship but I continue to be this way. What better time to feed this illness than when the family is away!

After soliciting route suggestions from friends, I settled on a fairly straight shot west on I-40 to Oklahoma City. This ride would let me attempt a SS1K, see friends in OKC and check a few more states off my "states ridden map".

Here we go!

Leaving the house at just after 5am on July 18th I head to the nearest pen gas station to obtain my time stamped departure receipt.


My route took me north from Greenville, SC on Highway 25 into NC where I jumped on I-26 then I-40 for the long haul. I-40 west of Asheville, NC is some of the most curvaceous pavement to be called an Interstate. The photo below is the moon setting over the Smokey Mountains of Western North Carolina. What a way to start a 1000 mile day.

My plan was to stop every 200 miles for gas, food and a stretch. I got the requisite time stamped gas receipt at each stop and a photo of my GPS. The shot below, I am somewhere.... ummmm 205 miles from home! ha!

My fuel for the day would be a banana and a zone bar at each stop plus a Camelbak full of water to be used ALL day. So far, I had not covered any roads which were new to me, same old Interstate through TN to Nashville. After Nashville, hello new roads and scenery. Does it look HOT yet? It was. If I was not so disturbed in my effort to ride, I would have stopped for a better photo, nope, not me! Here is my only shot of Nashville.

Next gas stop has me 410 miles into the day and feeling quite good about my chances of 1000 miles in 24 hours.

By the time I get to Memphis I am questioning why I would do this ride when it is supposed to be about 100 degrees for most of my day... next time, no. Did I get a picture of Memphis you ask? Yup, several. All taken while riding and none of them very good.

Crossing the Mississippi in to Arkansas, my first new state of this trip.

Woohoo.... Arkansas

Me, all geared up and in Arkansas. It is hot.


Flat, really really flat. I expected nothing else from this stretch of I-40 in Arkansas.

before I know it, 200 more miles have clicked off and I need food and fuel. At this point I am thinking it has been easy so far and it should be a cake walk to finish.. That is until I start thinking and realize I am barely half way done and have been on the road for over 9 hours. Whatever Iron may be in my ass was apparently trying to let me know the stock seat on my 2000 Valkyrie was not intended for this kind of riding. Here I am, stopped in Arkansas for gas. Here comes my first oops of the trip. I busted my throttle sleeve as this stop and would have to spend my remaining miles of the day making sure the grip did not slide off the throttle sleeve. All things considered, a very minor mishap.

I had heard great things about the landscape in western Arkansas and from what I see on I-40, there must be good roads out here. I will be back.

Last fuel stop has me in Alma, AR and just ready to get this day over. I take a bit longer st this stop to call Jill to let her know I am alive and well and to call Scott in OKC to let him know of my arrival time. Zone bar finished, banana gone and Camelbak filled with cold water, I am ready to set off for another new state and my destination.

Getting ready to enter my second new state of the day, I get a second wind. This ride is nearly over and even though I am hot and a little sore, the thought of finishing about 8 hours ahead of the maximum allowed time keeps me motivated. This road presented something of a challenge as there were more road gators along this stretch than I have ever seen. Just enough to challenge my concentration 900 miles into the day.

Perhaps it was my frame of mind, or something else, but I find I-40 in Oklahoma quite scenic.


Oklahoma City, OK. My destination is in site and I am excited.

to make sure I got my 1000 miles in and knowing odometers are typically inaccurate, I planned for a few extra. 1029 miles and 15 hours and 35 minutes after departing the gas station in SC, I arrived on the west side of Oklahoma City. Scott and Joni find me a bit tired but coherent enough to say lets get some food.

And there we have it. I set out with the intention of running an Iron Butt certified SaddleSore 1000 mile ride in 24 hours and find that it was not as hard as I had imagined. I busted a throttle sleeve, killed a few million bugs and I think I broke my ass. Good times. And after all that, I decided I would rather not spend the money on a certificate to tell me I am capable of 1000 miles in 24 hours.

Next update... toll roads piss me off, so I seek out and find a couple hundred miles of the Mother Road. Rt. 66. In short. Awesome. Stay tuned