My Bun-Burner 1500 ride.

The story starts simply enough. I was heading out to California to see the MotoGP at Laguna Seca and I didn't have enough time to make a tour of getting there, so I decided to do an Iron Butt Ride.

Let's back up a little and look at why I wanted to do this. It started when I first got my GPS. I noticed that I have often done 1000+ miles in 24 hours, al be it over 2 or 3 days usually. I wanted to see if I could string that all together and complete an Iron Butt ride. So I did. I have already completed 2 Saddle Sore 1000 rides.

My plan for these rides is simple. Once I leave home it's nothing but Gas and Go stops. I also plan on the interstate. This allows me to keep my average speed up enough to allow me to reach my goals. Yes you can plan more interesting routes, but that increases the time you need in the saddle to complete one of these rides. Others have done this of course, it is just not what I am planning on doing.

I also always wear my Camelback when on a long ride. This allows me to drink without stopping and having to cross Utah and Nevada to get to California staying hydrated is important.

Having completed two Saddle Sore 1000 rides I wanted to complete a Bun Burner 1500 this time. So out come the preparation tools, MapQuest, and I plan a route that will take me the 1500 miles I need in less than 36 hours to complete my goal. I also know on this route that there are a couple of spots in Utah with an 80 MPH speed limit, this will help with my overall average speed. I also had to line up a witness for the start of my ride. My job is a 24 hour a day office, so I arrange with one of my co-workers to witness the start because I know where he will be when I leave home.

So I pack the bike (My BMW R 1100 S) up with everything I need for my time on the road and prepare for my departure.

I tried to post pictures, I didn't think it worked, so the links are to maps of my journey.

http://www.karlsgarage.com/pictures/map1.jpg

Day dawn for the start and I am off on my first stop, I pick up breakfast burritos for the crew at work. Necessary compensation for my witness. It also allows me to eat one of these gut bombs before hitting the road.

Witness fed and secured I'm to gas up and get my official start receipt and head out for real.

I start of a little late, but for this ride I wanted it. With 36 hours to cover 1500 miles I figure 12 hours to do 750 miles, 12 hours off the bike, then the last 12 hours to finish it all up. So an earlier start would just mean I had to be in at my finish point in California earlier. Not what I wanted to plan.

So off at 08:00 A.M. (well 08:12 officially) on a Tuesday. Not too much work traffic from Loveland Colorado up I-25 toward Cheyenne Wyoming, just what I like to see.

The first few hours are very uneventful. I need to stop in Cheyenne for gas and the receipt to help prove the route I took. They are very aware that there are ways to short cut a route, so you need receipts to prove locations especially for changes in direction and I Cheyenne I start to head West on I-80. Another Stop in Sinclair Wyoming for some more gas and keep up the road time.

http://www.karlsgarage.com/pictures/map2.jpg

The other benefit I picked up with the GPS is an MP3 player. My GPS plays songs I have loaded onto a memory chip. This really helps the interstate miles roll by.

Next stop is Little America in Wyoming. This is a gas station, truck stop hotel all rolled into one. I take a little more time at this stop and buy myself some beef jerky and an apple for lunch. Not much else to speak of yet.

I have been on I-80 since my turn West, but I need to head up to Ogden Utah for my route to be over 1500 miles. The junction comes and I split from I-80 to I-84 up to Ogden.

http://www.karlsgarage.com/pictures/map3.jpg

I get, I think, to Ogden and follow a sign that says I-84 to I-15. Being the way I want to go I take it. But this is not what I want. I am off the interstate and no junction to the 25 south apparent. Another rider also on a BMW flags me down as I flounder trying to find my way back onto I-84. He asks me if I am heading to the National (The BMW Motorcycle Owners National rally is the same weekend as Laguna) I inform him no, I am heading to the races. I also get help to the route I want and I'm on my way again.

Now I get to Ogden proper, and take an exit looking for a gas station and the receipt I need. No gas here, so back on and up to the next exit. But no gas here. I head toward what looks like civilization and hopefully my full tank of fuel and needed receipt. But after 2 miles still nothing.

Well my brain finally kicks in and I decide to ask my GPS where the nearest gas is. Alright, this works. I get my gas, refill my Camelback with Ice and find my way to I-15 south.

http://www.karlsgarage.com/pictures/map4.jpg

The ride South again, going just fine. Some rain decides to show up. A lot of rain. It has been very warm until now so I don't don my rain gear. I simply close all the zip vents on my jacket. The rain continues to come down. It is raining so hard some cars decide to pull over and wait the storm out. Yes I've slowed to 50 MPH, but traction is still good, I can see, I'm comfortable, so I keep on going. The rain didn't last too long, maybe 30 minutes leading me right up to my next gas stop.

http://www.karlsgarage.com/pictures/map5.jpg

At this stop rain is still threatening on the horizon and it is starting to get late so I decide to put the rain gear on now. Which does it's job, no more rain on my way to my overnight stop in Mesquite Nevada. Well there was one more gas stop in there, but really an un eventful ride.

I pull into a hotel in Mesquite and get off the bike. A bellman comes up to me and asks if I have a reservation, I reply no. Oh no, better check to see if they have a room left. It turns out they do, I get the last room for the night. That's good for me.

Gear off the bike and park it. 13 hours since I left home. 863 miles by my GPS so far. Should be no trouble at all to finish in time.

I get changed out of my riding gear and head down to get some dinner. There are a lot of teenagers running around. I overhead one adult asking another ‟Do you want to go see who is fighting who?” So I wonder what is going on in town that has the hotel full mid-week.

After dinner I head out for a Jacuzzi where I see two kids sparing under one of the cabanas. After my Jacuzzi I see some people in the elevator, one has a USA boxing shirt on so I ask ‟I golden Gloves going on here?” ‟Yes it is” So mystery solved, Golden Gloves has the kids and their families here to fill up the hotel.

After a $50.00 beer (The drinks aren't really free when you gamble) it's to bed.

I wake up before my alarm, decide I feel good so it's up and get ready for the day. A little breakfast then pack the bike all up again.

First gas of Day 2 at 06:16 and I'm on the road again.

Not much to see between Mesquite and Vegas, plus it's not that long of a run, but I still need a gas stop so I can have proof I was in Vegas for my route.

http://www.karlsgarage.com/pictures/map6.jpg

Now it's North up 95 in Nevada, Past some small towns, an air base and….. Brothels?

I have heard prostitution was legal in Nevada, but have never been to a brothel before. I saw the HUGE sign about 50 yards off the highway. It was at least 5 feet tall and 12 feet wide, red background with black letters ‟BROTHEL”. I think I need to at least stop for a picture when I get there. But when I'm there the sign at the actual location is very underwhelming. So I decide not to stop. This happens two more times up highway 95, promise of an interesting picture, only to be let down at the actual location.

http://www.karlsgarage.com/pictures/map7.jpg

I get to Hawthorne Nevada near lunch time. As I pull up I see two other bikes in the station, obviously loaded for a nice trip. After gassing up and getting ice for the Camelback I talk to the two riders.

They are from Canada on their way to the races too. I tell them I am on my way there as well to which they replied ‟you're heading the wrong way” I answer ‟Well, I am heading the wrong way. But I'm doing an Iron Butt on the way. So I have to hit Fallon Nevada to get my mileage in.”

We talk a little bit about the races, our rides. You know, a little camaraderie. After a bit we saddle up and head our separate ways.

More uneventful riding through the Nevada desert up to Fallon Nevada and my turn West again. Stop for my gas and receipt, then plug my expected end location into my GPS to check timing and mileage. First trouble of the ride, my GPS says my intended route shows me 2 miles short of 1500 at what I thought would be my end point. MapQuest had assured me my route would be 1525 miles.

A little thinking now, what can I do? I can drive past my intended end point, Sacramento? Davis? These provide a few miles, just barely over 1500. I wanted a little more wiggle room for the verification teem than that. I don't want to go through all this trouble for their map checks to show I was short a mile or two. Plus I didn't want to back track to Roseville at peak traffic through Sacramento (I was staying at a friend's house there).

Checking the map shows a very good solution. I'll head through Carson City Nevada before hitting Reno.

http://www.karlsgarage.com/pictures/map8.jpg

So West at Fallon on Hwy 50 to Carson City. The only problem with this is there are several towns on Hwy 50 between Fallon and Carson City with speed limits of 25 Miles an Hour. This goes against my plan of interstates and high speed limits. I'm also a little concerned, I had left some wiggle room into my timing because the last 2 times I was on I-80 from Reno to Sacramento there was major road construction and I wanted that time in case they weren't done. Oh well. What is one to do? I soldier on to my goal.

Just outside of Carson City I see another sign, this time three brothels on one street. Now I'm too worried about time to even look to see if it's photo worthy. A little gas at Carson City and then North to Reno, then the run for the roses.

http://www.karlsgarage.com/pictures/map9.jpg

Gas stop in Reno and I load my end point into the GPS again and glory be, I now have enough miles for my Bun Burner. Back on I-80 for the final run West to Roseville.

Good news again on the final leg down to Roseville, they have finished the road construction so no delays. All I see is some moderate traffic, no other issues on this final leg.

I get to my end point, A & S BMW in Roseville and one of the service techs signs my end witness form, official end time of 5:27 (My last gas receipt) and my GPS shows 1543.3 miles. That should be plenty of wiggle room for verification and I have an hour and 45 minutes to spare.

It was very satisfying to complete the ride.

I'm not sure what my next Iron Butt ride will be. I guess I'll just have to see what opportunity presents itself.