2013; An Idea Is Formed: The Iron Butt Ride

Due to one thing & another, unfortunately Christine could not make it on this trip.

So, while thinking about going back to Utah, I suddenly figured out that without Christine wanting to stop, to take piccys of everything, I could do an Iron Butt Ride.

Initially I was going to start from the Elmore entrance to the Ohio Turnpike, on last Wednesday. However, Tuesday night at Pete & Barbs, we were watching the weather channel. It showed a long line of dangerous thunderstorms all along the very route I wanted to use. So we did a rethink, and I decided to trundle westwards along route 6, then where it divides into 6 & 24, I would use 24 and get below the storms. It worked out, and as planned, I filled up in Forrest, right on the crossroads of 24 and 47. 47 would take me to Morris, right beside I 80.

Going up 47, I found a great motel in Dwight called Classic Inn, The room was great and only cost $ 35 a night.

Late evening and the tail end of the storm went through and we got a lot of rain, but not much wind and No Hailstones ! Apparently Chicago had some hail damage.

Well, next day was nice and I set off for Morris. It was a big truck stop and travel center, I filled up and asked the guy to sign my “ Start of Ride paper” but he wouldn’t, he would only write the name of the place and the time. Presumably that will work, I had printed off the forms and there was a log sheet for whatever might happen en route, so I decided to get the people at whatever fill up place just to write the name and address and time. Hopefully the Iron Butt people will accept that , along with the fuel receipts.

That was it, 13th 06 2013 at 09 20 Ohio time, I left my watch on one time zone so I wouldn’t get confused with the changing time zones.

Obviously you cannot stop to take piccys while on the Interstate.

I rode 127.9 miles & filled up, then did another 139.7 miles, then, just after setting off, a starling came off the verge, slammed into my mirror then bounced off my visor, thank god it didn’t explode.

Somewhat further along, I passed an 18 wheeler on its side in the median . About ¾ mile further on, another 18 wheeler was on its side too, opposite direction, so yes the storm had been bad. Then it started to rain and with nowhere to stop, I kept going, the rain did not last long but was rather heavy. It stopped before sundown, and I dried out in a nice warm evening.

Just before dark, a big black cloud came up on the horizon and it was throwing lightning everywhere. Lucky for me, there was a farm road type exit ahead, so I pulled out and put my rain gear on, then rode up the other side of the ramp, back on the interstate.

Well, there were no heavy downpours, just persistent rain for 88 miles, the lightning was incredible, I got in behind an 18 wheeler, thinking he was higher up than me so hopefully he would act as a lightning conductor.

Obviously with my luck, shortly after entering the thunderstorm, we got into road works! Water flying everywhere, old white lines crossing new white lines, sometimes no lines at all, so I kept aiming for the middle of the roof lights on the truck in front

After I got out of the storm, it was a lot colder than before, so I kept my rain gear on.

After that , it was uneventful riding fueled by Coffee & Snickers bar, at every fill up. Longest ride twixt stops was 152.7 miles

I got to Laramie, Wyoming, at 0245 but it was only 989 miles from Morris, unfortunately there are not a lot of choices in that part of Wyoming, so I carried on, on I 80 to Rawlins; that put me over the 1000 miles, but due to the discovery of a large gas field close by, there was not a motel room or B&B to be had, so I rode on another 46.8 miles to Wamsutter, with no motels worth mentioning, so I rode another 74,4 miles to Rock Spring filled up and got a room at the Super 8 where again the woman would not sign anything but did put place & time, on my end of ride paper..

I went to bed but had a hard time sleeping, probably due to all the Coffee.
Today, in Evanston I have sorted all the paperwork and will post it off in the morning.
It can take up to 3 months to get your certificate, and it costs $ 45

Take Care Out There !
Oh yes, Google maps puts the distance at 1170 miles, but due to riding around towns looking for motels, I actually did 1205.