Why? to Whynot! and Saddlesore 2000 - Day 1

Saturday, October 15th, 2016

So, up, get packed, get moving. Nearly an hour earlier than planned, yet another deviation from the original plan.
Getting away from the motel quietly and quickly thru the gravel parking area was another challenge, but once on pavement, and riding into Ajo, the serious ride thought processes began. All those little things that others have told you or you learned on your own now begin to be important. An example of one of these little things happens next.
I pull up to the Why Not Travel Store, the heart of Why. I read that the pumps are on 24 hours, and I see they are. As I prime my phone to begin my 36 hour countdown timer, I recall one of those sage pieces of long distance advice “don’t fill the bike until you know you have a valid receipt!”
So, I decide that $5 would be enough; after all I only have 55-odd miles until my ‘corner’ and a required stop. A full load of fuel there would put me in sync with my ride plan - you know “plan the ride, then ride the plan!”
Well, good thing I did only put $5; “SEE CASHIER FOR RECEIPT” was what greeted me on the screen, not a thin slip of paper with the pertinent data needed to begin this ride. At this point, a stream of profanity emanated (loudly) from my mouth for a few seconds - then I remember “The casino!”

FirstGas
This is supposed to mark the start of this ride, but...did it??

Damnit!
Less than a mile away is the western border of the Tohono O'odham nation. Just within the border is a small casino/convenience store/gas station. Two minutes later, I’m there. It’s 1:15 in the morning, I really don’t need this kind of anxiety at the beginning of a ride!
I started with roughly a third of a tank; the $5 gave me a couple more gallons, so I’m getting full. “Well, why not, let’s go for broke!” and I filled the tank! Now, I hadn’t really thought this thru, but if I had NOT obtained a receipt, at this point, I’m stuck - for several hours - awaiting them to open to get a receipt!

TicToc
This ride is supposed to be happening - yet, I'm not moving!

Tic, toc, tic, toc…the clock is running.

CasinoGas
I have but one final chance to get this right now - and I do!
Start - Desert Diamond Casino, Why, Arizona

Fortunately...a good, valid receipt! We’re off!

Why to Whynot 36 hour (via Gila Bend) / Saddlesore 2000 Start Time (MST) Desert Diamond Casino - Why, AZ - START 01:19
Now, back into Ajo, then continue north until the Gila Bend ‘corner’. This is a longer route (by ~50 miles), but I’m feeling a bit safer, since this area is much less vegetated in spots as well as flatter.
I’m now also able to use my auxiliary lighting to my advantage, and I’m getting quickly to the greater-than-60MPH-moving average I’m looking for in the early part of the ride, despite the darkness, in order to make good progress on the ride today.

LovesGilaBend
Stop 1 - Love's Travel Stop, Gila Bend, Arizona
Within an hour, my corner stop. Gas - gaah! Not a good pump receipt (It’s a Love’s) so walk inside and get a duplicate; no problem; how long does this take?
Love's Travel Stop, 820 W. Pima, I-8 Exit 115, Gila Bend, AZ 02:14 02:21 0:07 Key to reading these lines: Location - start time - end time - stop duration
Again, I’m keeping track of the time, verifying it’s reasonable, as compared to my clock on the bike. I’m getting these times that I have included on my submission to the IBA with my GoPro. I knew the stop was under ten minutes; I’m okay, let’s get going!
I’m now along very familiar roads - Interstate 8 east from here is nearly 70 miles of desolate Sonoran Desert; this is home. I’m making good time. My blow torch lighting is making night into day for a quarter mile in front of me. When I dim them, and can only use my high beams, I think “yeah, these were worth it!”
When I make the merge onto Interstate 10 just south of Casa Grande, I think to myself “I’ve done this so many times, I truly could do this with my eyes closed!”, but I’m not. The occasional chirp from my radar detector keeps me honest.
Another challenge...rolling by your home exit - at 70mph at 3:30 in the morning! Sigh - I’m not keeping track of time now, but it’s a long way across Texas. I can’t even consider this concept called ‘sleep’ for quite a while, even though it would be so easy to stop and be in my bed in less than 10 minutes. Meanwhile, I’ll enjoy the moonlit night as I rocket across the Tucson metro area and into the darkness once again east of town.
My plan called out familiar stop locations at this stage of the ride for gas. I know them, I know the traffic issues, I’m trying right now to make good time at the stops; knowing that there may be a point in time that I need a few extra minutes. My spreadsheet of my ride plan was on my phone, so in a brief consultation, I began to have second thoughts “Can I make it to my next stop at the rate I’m traveling?” Meanwhile, another diversion racks the brain - that unsettled feeling of “Man, I gotta go!”
On previous certificate rides, I’ve been pretty good at maintaining a fine edge between the initial signs of dehydration to keep that ‘teeny weenie bladder syndrome' at bay. Well, my fluid intake from the night before is catching up with me. “Grrr - I need to stop early & solve this problem” After another twenty minutes, yet another familiar location fast approached, and I stopped about 15 miles short of my intended target:

ShellBenson
Stop 2 - Shell, Benson, Arizona

Shell, 640 AZ-90, I-10 MM302, Benson, AZ 04:33 04:43 0:10

A gas stop, a bio-break, and a bit of hydration. A couple of bags of snacks will be breakfast. Get it out of the cooler and the bag, jam them into my pockets and roll off.
I know that I have time changes to deal with as soon as I cross over into New Mexico. Keeping time based on the clock on my dashboard means I now have the task of making sure the receipt time matches the time I think it needs to be. “New Mexico - one hour ahead of my clock…”
An hour and a half into my leg from Benson, the glimmer of daylight begins to hit all of the plastic bits in front of me - glasses, face shield, windshield. Attempting to look thru all three of those is like trying to look thru an opaque window. “Mental note - gotta think about a new windscreen at some point”
First of many border crossings “New Mexico! Once down, two to go for the day! Wait - only two?! Grrr…”
More familiar roads, and locations for cops to hide. Sometimes, they hide in plain sight, especially at this time of day. Speeds are still sane, but I’m just a wee bit faster than most traffic, though a few cars do pass. “Go ahead my little rabbit - go find that speed cop for me!”

DiamSham
Stop 3 - Diamond Shamrock, Deming, New Mexico

Diamond Shamrock, 1018 W Pine St., Deming, NM 06:57 07:03 0:06

I’m thinking I need to make a bit of time up, so I should work toward a couple of time efficient stops. Deming felt quick; gas station close to the highway, pump was open, read my card quickly, fuel pumped, receipt obtained, documented and time to go!
The next stop was planned to be a ways east of El Paso. Reading about some of the road construction in the El Paso area, I knew it was going to be a bit rough...but, hey it’s Saturday morning, it can’t be that bad right?
I didn’t pull up any traffic maps at this time, but was just enjoying the ride. I crossed that second border “Texas - yeah, baby! Another hour of time lost!” and began to approach the El Paso metro area. Oh, so now it’s mid-morning Saturday...still not bad, right? Wrong! Yay for me, it’s westbound - four vehicle incident right against the Jersey barrier, so eastbound rubberneckers were slowing and looking at the wreck, not at the traffic. “Focus on getting thru here, dummy!”
Once cleared, and the speed limit went back to 75, were were back in the zone. The zone being about 5 to ten over that number. Again, still having a few cars pass me, but I was doing most of the passing “Too fast? Check up a bit - that 80MPH zone is up here soon.”
Another pause needed for a bio-break...hey, how convenient - rest area!
RestStopMM50
Stop 4 - Rest area - time for a bio-break!

Rest Stop, I-10 MM50 08:53 08:58 0:05

From a timing perspective, it's sometimes 'quicker' breaking the stops up into these short-duration pauses in the ride. I'll learn a bit later just how efficient these are as the day progresses.
Okay, again, I can focus - a few minutes later I passed into Hudspeth County, Texas and was greeted by that 80MPH limit! Now we can make up for that unplanned stop!
At this point, I hadn't really listened to any music, but I turned on my MP3 player, and began to listen to some familiar music, while riding along in a very unfamiliar place.
SierraBlanca
Stop 5 - Exxon - Sierra Blanca, TX

Exxon, I-10 & Fm 1111 Swc, Sierra Blanca, TX 09:43 09:51 0:08

I absolutely loved that fuel stop. Even before you get to the stop sign at the end of the exit ramp, a slight shift right and you can ride right up to the fuel pump! An extra minute spent stretching, another bottle of water and up to speed in minutes. Now THAT is how a fuel stop on the clock is supposed to go!
More miles along I-10, then the signs for the I-10 and I-20 junction began to appear, “See you in a couple of days, I-10!” then the quick shift and a whole new set of mile markers to watch count up - from one!
It was right about this point - several hundred miles from home that the first thought actually crossed my mind “Really? This is actually happening?” As you do one of these rides, note when that thought crosses your mind - then think just how far you are away from home. It will happen, trust me on this.
More miles means more gas needed to keep those miles rolling.
LovesOdessa
Stop 6 - Love's Travel Stop, Odessa, Texas

Love's Travel Stop, 1901 W. I-20, I-20 MM 115, Odessa, TX 12:18 12:23 0:05
Another excellent stop, the scouting using satellite view Google Maps is really paying off with stops like these! I’m already in the mode that two short pit stops really do seem to be better than a long stop, so now I begin to use the phone…”rest area I-10”, and it lets me know that there’s one in twenty eight miles. “Good - I could use another break.” My pace is good, but I’m slowly beginning to feel the effects of the lack of good restful sleep; after all I’ve been up now for over twelve hours, and I’m just not certain where I’m at on my schedule, but I do recall that I left 40 minutes earlier than expected.
The rest stop - good timing, I need that couple of minute walk - and to stop moving for just a moment. Also, a wonderful opportunity to remove the insect guts from the camera lens.
Rest191
Stop 7 - Rest Area - I need to walk - even if only for a minute.

Rest Stop, I-20, MM191 13:22 13:29 0:07
I now take a good look at my itinerary at this point. Now I know I only need to make three fuel stops and I can stop moving for the day. I’m still ahead of my schedule (I think…), but I truly recognise the fatigue and I can’t do simple math to know by how much! More snacks, more water, but now I’m running low on what water I brought with me.
This location was picked again away from a major metropolitan area - not that Abilene can be considered a major area. Heheh… Okay, so this stop, the next one just heading into the metro Fort Worth region, ride thru the Metroplex, and get to Longview; time to get this day done.
BairdTX
Stop 8 - WesTGo - Baird, Texas

Wes T Go, I-20/US283, 1033 Cherry St. Baird TX 15:01 15:08 0:07
I want real food badly, but also recall reading those tales of those who get the sleepy monster attacks as a result of eating, so I continue my light snacking for sustenance. Hey, it’s not like I couldn’t stand to miss a meal or two.
Traffic begins to pick up, so now I need to focus on the stop. I continue to consult the routing with the exit number to begin the countdown. Twenty miles turns into ten which quickly turns into another highway split to I-30. Shortly after this split is my next fuel stop, another easy access - but - crap; road construction!
Get the fuel, then figure out how to get out of here; use Google Maps to show you the way!
BenbrookTX
Stop 9 - Exxon - Benbrook, Texas

7-11/Exxon 8500 Benbrook, Benbrook, TX 16:43 16:49 0:06

I did get turned around slightly; with a bit of help from Google, I’m now going in the right direction. Welcome back to urban traffic! I’ve not missed this at all.
(I didn’t realize it until I did my calculations later that at that stop, I had ridden 1080-odd miles in 15:24. That was easily a BBG pace, and I really didn’t feel that bad. To that point in this (or any other LD ride that I’ve done, that’s a distance record for me. I’m tired, but the plan was to ride around 1250 miles today, get some good sleep, then the remaining 400 odd miles to get to Whynot would be easy.)

Once clearing the Metroplex eighty miles later, and with the sun fully down, that sleepy monster was hammering me hard. I’m now thankful that I didn’t succumb to that meal that was calling a couple hours ago. A quick phone call to my wife was a welcome change - riding and having a conversation similar to if she was with me. She was, but only her voice. We chatted for a while, but then, it was just the wind in my ears. I needed a count down to that final stop. Focus on those exit numbers click up - which exit do I need? Ah - got it!
Microtel
Stop 10 - Microtel - Longview, Texas
My eyes at this point seem to be about as blurry as that photo…

Microtel, 803 N Access Rd, Longview, TX 19:05
After getting checked in and a fast phone call home, a walk across the parking lot to a convenience store. A couple of fast food places were across the road, but I'm just not into eating much. A bottle of Gatorade and a bag of cookies for my only meal; yum.
I’m back in the room and after finishing my meal and getting a fast shower, I’m asleep in minutes. The good in all of this was that I was functional for over 20 hours while riding over 1200 miles; my personal best to that point. That leaving an hour earlier than planned is now paying off with restful sleep.

July, 2019: Something that needs to be added to this report. I made mention that I didn't get that receipt, and went to a second location to get one. Now, the 'gold standard' for the Iron Butt Association is that "Dated Business Receipt" (DBR) which proves you were at that location at that time & purchased something. The receipts at the beginning and the end of the ride are the most important. With a sufficient amount of secondary detail (SPOT tracking, adequate photographs, witness statement...) could suffice for missing *one* receipt. As I noted, not going to happen at 1:20 AM in the middle of the desert. Anyway, thought I'd clarify that a bit.
To be continued (click)...


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