My membership number might seem a little high, indeed it's hard to imagine there are 40,000 nutters ahead of me who have ridden at least a thousand miles (1600 kms) in less than 24 hours, and my membership number is a little higher than my badge number at work, BUT, I made it. Read it and weep: 
It takes toughness to be...tough and I grant you "World's Toughest Riders" may be a nice touch of All-American Hyperbole but when I was standing in the gas station at 3 o'clock in the morning in Lake City, Florida last October I felt less... tough than I should have...
The paperwork requirements seem daunting but I managed those too, because these people are tough...If you want to join them they measure and double check everything so you had better do that too.
Go on line at Iron Butt Association and download the forms and go riding. I recommend a long straight road for ease and simplcity. The Florida Turnpike isn't terribly scenic but it gets the job done. 
The loneliness of the long distance rider. Tough all right.
My wife was grinning when she handed me the Manila envelope that came in Saturday morning's post (How dare they consider abolishing Saturday delivery?). Cheyenne knew something was up.
You get a nice wordy certificate that lists your accomplishment. This says I completed a Florida Saddlesore 1000. Very cool.
Absurd but I was pleased.
You get some bits and pieces in the stout Manila envelope.
This clever little plate goes behind the tag on the motorcycle and can be reversed to stick up above the license plate if that suits your motorcycle's tag arrangement. 
Plus you get a pin. It would go well on my mesh jacket but honestly all these labels are a bit embarrassing. I've only done one ride, the shortest qualifying ride and I am a member alongside people who have done some truly extreme rides. Their stories are on the IBA website and you should read them to appreciate how modest my accomplishment actually is.
They send along a sample magazine to induce you to join the newsletter club at $40 a year which seems inexpensive enough but it comes with some pretty intimidating topics: Auxiliary Light Systems, Fatigue, Tech Inspection and Going the Extra Mile. I was a total amateur when I jumped on the Bonneville and got going. No auxiliary anything, just me and the Bonneville.
I've got the badges though: 
And I do have to say that NOT riding a Goldwing, a BMW or a Super Sport Tourer from Japan does make the ride feel a little more seat-of-the-pants fun. Hey it's just a 60hp chain driven roadster with a plastic windshield, no heated gear and a plank for a seat (that I alone among Triumph riders find quite comfortable over the long haul).
This is the machine that replicates the motorbikes that I used to ride all over Europe and North Africa as a kid. I knew no better and now that I do I still like the simplicity of the biplane style over the jet airliner way of traveling on two wheels. I used to read the exploits of a Canadian sailor (Larry Pardey) who crossed oceans deliberately choosing not to use a GPS which I thought was extreme. He's still doing it and I would never leave port without a marine GPS these days, but on a motorcycle with a time constraint, I like the challenge of leaving the electrons behind. Perhaps one day I will be riding with fuel injection, a tach and a full complement of gadgets. Not yet though.
But you know what? This Iron Butt thing is starting to get to me. I don't feel like I am stealing time from my wife by doing this because she wouldn't want to be riding past all the sights (and neither would I if this was the only sort of trip I did), but this is something I can do for me, alone, just as I like it, responsible only for myself.
It takes toughness to be...tough and I grant you "World's Toughest Riders" may be a nice touch of All-American Hyperbole but when I was standing in the gas station at 3 o'clock in the morning in Lake City, Florida last October I felt less... tough than I should have...The paperwork requirements seem daunting but I managed those too, because these people are tough...If you want to join them they measure and double check everything so you had better do that too.Go on line at Iron Butt Association and download the forms and go riding. I recommend a long straight road for ease and simplcity. The Florida Turnpike isn't terribly scenic but it gets the job done. The loneliness of the long distance rider. Tough all right.My wife was grinning when she handed me the Manila envelope that came in Saturday morning's post (How dare they consider abolishing Saturday delivery?). Cheyenne knew something was up.You get a nice wordy certificate that lists your accomplishment. This says I completed a Florida Saddlesore 1000. Very cool.
Absurd but I was pleased.You get some bits and pieces in the stout Manila envelope.
This clever little plate goes behind the tag on the motorcycle and can be reversed to stick up above the license plate if that suits your motorcycle's tag arrangement. 
Plus you get a pin. It would go well on my mesh jacket but honestly all these labels are a bit embarrassing. I've only done one ride, the shortest qualifying ride and I am a member alongside people who have done some truly extreme rides. Their stories are on the IBA website and you should read them to appreciate how modest my accomplishment actually is.They send along a sample magazine to induce you to join the newsletter club at $40 a year which seems inexpensive enough but it comes with some pretty intimidating topics: Auxiliary Light Systems, Fatigue, Tech Inspection and Going the Extra Mile. I was a total amateur when I jumped on the Bonneville and got going. No auxiliary anything, just me and the Bonneville.
I've got the badges though: And I do have to say that NOT riding a Goldwing, a BMW or a Super Sport Tourer from Japan does make the ride feel a little more seat-of-the-pants fun. Hey it's just a 60hp chain driven roadster with a plastic windshield, no heated gear and a plank for a seat (that I alone among Triumph riders find quite comfortable over the long haul).This is the machine that replicates the motorbikes that I used to ride all over Europe and North Africa as a kid. I knew no better and now that I do I still like the simplicity of the biplane style over the jet airliner way of traveling on two wheels. I used to read the exploits of a Canadian sailor (Larry Pardey) who crossed oceans deliberately choosing not to use a GPS which I thought was extreme. He's still doing it and I would never leave port without a marine GPS these days, but on a motorcycle with a time constraint, I like the challenge of leaving the electrons behind. Perhaps one day I will be riding with fuel injection, a tach and a full complement of gadgets. Not yet though.But you know what? This Iron Butt thing is starting to get to me. I don't feel like I am stealing time from my wife by doing this because she wouldn't want to be riding past all the sights (and neither would I if this was the only sort of trip I did), but this is something I can do for me, alone, just as I like it, responsible only for myself.I am going to go up a step this Spring and try the 1500 miles in 36 hours, called a Bun Burner. Maybe that will help me feel like I have really earned all these badges of merit. Oh, and it will be attempted by me, on the Bonneville, with the stock seat. And no GPS.
12 comments:
Congratulations, Conch!
Congratulations, you are a tough guy with a loyal dog. I can see Cheyenne riding in a side car,ears flapping in the wind................
And a leather skull cap with ear flaps and goggles on her.
love it! an iron butt on an iron-ing board seat...
hmmm - if it's THAT easy, maybe I'll try that Turnpike night run on my Bonnie T...
just kidding - you earn it everyday, even though riding along over all of those keys bridges is kinda the ride you want to take to and from work.
way to go!
RICHW
Cheyenne would love to ride along with me but I don't want to torture the poor mutt. The iron butt thing is decidedly not sight seeing which makes it okay for me to leave the family behind.
Actually it was okay and I recommend giving it a shot.
Mr conchscooter:
You are tougher than me. Congratulations.
I used to be a long distance driver. I have driven across Canada by myself, sunrise to midnight. I am content to travel the slow route stopping to take photos along the way
bob
bobskoot: wet coast scootin
Very cool! And congratulations again, I remember thinking when I first read about your ride, who in their right mind would want to do that. Then again, look at what I do for a living.
Dear Mr. Conchscooter:
On behalf of Twisted Roads — and the 49,000 readers who followed it last year — I would like to congratulate you on your recent achievement, the official acknowledgement of riding 1000 miles in under 24 hours, on a 19th century mode of transportation.
The grim visiage of utter determination and mild disorientation, evident in the picture of you at the gas station at 3am, clearly tells the story of one man's perseverance and the will to push on, despite the limitations of the machinery.
The license plate bracket is one trophy that I truly covet and will never win. You stand a giant among riders. I look forward to chasing you on the 1500 mile bun-kisser ride.
Fondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads
Congrats on your accomplishment!!! However,i am left wondering ...would your membership been held up had they found out about your pink crocs?????
Buffalo Bill
Dear Buff:
If that was the case, they never would have given him the certificate.
Fondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads
I actually had some trouble getting the certificate when they found out I knew riepe. Pink crocs were deemed okay owing to my geographic location.
Incidentally you can enter a sidecar to win Iron Butt membership and I was wondering if we might wedge riepe into a hack, bind his mouth with duct tape (no one could stand the whining for a day and a night) and haul him a thousand miles in 24 hours. Any volunteers?
Dear Sir:
Haul this... If that toy motorcycle is up to it. Hah!
Fondest regards,
Jack • reep • Toad
Twisted Roads
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