Saturday afternoon and I’m in a seminar with Jim Owen talking about riding in rough weather….and he’s just frickin’ cool.  I’m bummed my vacation is drawing to a close.  After dinner I will be confronted with the reality that I’m 1800 miles from home.

Yeah, I just rode 8080 miles in 7 days, but I’m not that excited about the drone home.  I-80 is the fastest way…and I STILL don’t want to ride it.

So, I’m seriously considering adding 100 miles so I can go home a way that’s a bit different.  I think I’ll head West to Santa Fe and up through the corner of Colorado and Utah.

This puts me back home Monday morning or early afternoon….in time for a nap before a council meeting.

…and a great picture of me in a panel discussion at the National event is here.

The rally and banquet are over……and I get to announce:  I WON THE 2007 SPANK RALLY!

I rode my butt off, made some good choices, had some great luck, and saw some incredible country.

Read the official write-up here.

…and yes I feel guilty and dumb about parking my bike in a disabled parking area, but still completely confused how it was labeled.

I’m going to bed and get 8+ hours of solid REM sleep….and shave in the morning.

Regardless,here’s a video of me riding over the Mackinaw Bridge in the Mighigan Upper Peninsula on morning 7….the last day of the rally and a map of what I actually rode.  8,083 miles.

I just finished scoring and didn’t lose any points I had logged…..which is a HUGE thing in rallies.  It means that one’s attention to detail during the rally overcame the inevitable forces of fatigue.   You do this by routine and with 21 gas stops for 8,031 miles during 7 days…..I got pretty good at it.

I think I did well…..we’ll see at the banquet.  I’ll be watching Mark Crane and the Sperrys.  Mark rode 8700 miles and picked up 5 or 6 blue bonuses and an orange one.  I had more Ride To Eat bonii……so I’m thinking it’s possible I be in the top 3.

I also just drank a 22 oz. beer and buzzed beyond belief.  The Jared diet for 7 days makes one not eat a lot and be a cheap date.

Blogging later…..

The title is the only French I could possibly find and hope to get right…..but at least I got the accent.

I’m sitting in a Montreal version of Starbucks……and it’s WAY better.  Java u is the name and it’s a bit European with an open window to the street.  An attractive young French Canadian gal just wandered out and looked very good to these road-weary eyes…..to be replaced by an even more stunning Cougar wearing fashionable clothing and ordering stuff in French.

Ahem…

The mocha I got was a work of layered art.  I almost didn’t want to drink it….just watch it.  And I had the kwy-sant! Dang, I’d upload a picture, but I left the cable in my bike by the restaurant I’m going to eat Putine Foie Gras at in about 90 minutes.  That bonus finishes my “blue bonuses” for 29,999 points.

The music being played includes Elvis, early U2, and Sheryl Crow.  This place is cool!

I have 90 minutes to kill since I’m waiting for the restaurant to open.  Besides the big blue bonus I’m also bagging a 19,069 bonus by meeting the 1986 Iron Butt Rally winner, Ross Copas.  This oughta be good.  Two generations of IBR riders meeting for the first time.  I figure other riders will be at this one….I heard maybe Mark Crane was coming…I think he’s bagged one or two more big blue bonuses than me.

Montreal is my figurative zenith of the rally.  It’s all downhill now to Tulsa.  It’s whether I’ll get aggressive and try and do Mackinaw Bridge (6637) along the way or just go to Chicago and pick up two bonuses?  For some reason the GPS and S&T both want to route me on a 1900 mile route through the U.S. when I can clearly see the road through Sudbury and North Bay is shorter at 1778 miles.  Maybe Ross will have some advice and the road sucks or something.

Or I could get very very greedy and try and squeeze out another 4236 points in Milwaukee by going AROUND Lake Michigan.  It’s an extra 50 miles by Canadian roads…..and time may be a factor.

Here’s a map since I have time.  Ignore #2….it’s artificial at this point to emphasize a northerly route.  #3 is Mackinaw and #4 is Milwaukee.  I’m getting #5 and #6 in Chicago regardless.  #7 and #8 are a meeting with Curt Gran for waffles just before the finish line….which is #8

If you find I don’t blog after this…..it may just because I’m going for it.  If there’s a time to buckle down and do well at the finish of a rally it’s in this Day 6 and 7 thing.

Signing off from Montreal.

Matt

—————

I have uploaded pictures here and a video of me getting my hair washed for 26,000 points in Wyoming…..funny!

After having gone up a bit farther north to take night shot of a bridge with my HID lights, I’ve stopped in Augusta at a Motel 6 for a needed treat of a roof over my head.  Two night in rest areas and I’m going to get 5-6 hours of sleep tonight before going over to Montreal.

It’s been a good day as I’ve bagged three of the four blue bonuses in their entirety.

I even found a baloon with helium and have put it in a purchased tupperware container.  I’m *hoping* it will make it to the finish line intact and buoyant…..for like 20,000+ points.

….and I’m looking around my room and out the window.  Mind you I’ve been in Maine twice in my life.  Once in the IBR and tonight.  This is the same motel Doug and I stayed at.

Freaky.

See you in Canada tomorrow.

And a picture!  …of the best hot dog I’ve ever had in Providence, RI

I had no clue that West Virginia had mountains, curvy roads, serious fog, and ice……..because it DID.

I had this quaint idea that from Louisville it was going to be an easy ride into D.C., but combined with the need to take several naps at rest stop and waking up frozen….I’m now in a McDonalds cribbing WiFi from somebody and warming up.

Headed to the National Gallery for what is a very critical bonus.  It’s the first companion to one of the California bonuses and means I will have done the bare minimum for the rally.  Of course, I’m going for more including a hot dog stand in Rhode Island (companion to Pinks in L.A.), bridge in Maine (companion to the Sundial Bridge in Redding), and Montreal (French version of French Fries in Vegas…pun intended).

So, look for me to slog through New England.

There is an Official SPANK Daily Dispatch.  The days are listed here.

So, I’m slogging across I-70 through the prarie of Eastern Colorado….and slide on over to the equallyl flat and uninteresting Kansas.  However, less than 5 miles in and there’s a rest stop that says “Free WiFi”.  So, I’m sitting here at a gorgeous building listening to the crickets….and one just landed on me…..and blogging.

And, if I were so inclined, I could lay down on the ground and take a nap in less than a minute.  ….this sure beats checking into a Super 8 in both time and expense!  Kansas may be boring, but they have great rest areas!

Yesterday evening I was pretty bummed and wiped out.  However getting  hours of sleep in St. George in a hotel bed and a shower improved my attitude immensely.  Today was a good day….and I’ll keep going until I get tired again….which probably will be 300 miles or so from now.

In the drama scene, coming down form Mt. Evans the road was bumpy and my SPOT decided to detach itself from it’s back half and skittered down the road….and over a cliff.

Well, cliff may be a bit strong, but it did go like 100-150 feet down a VERY steep mountainside.  If it hadn’t been orange I would have never found it.  In fact, I lost of one of the batteries and had to make an emergency stop.

Tomorrow I’ll stop for a single bonus at Lousville.  A picture of a giant bat…which will have to be paired with Chicago days later.  Then the National Gallery Monday morning to pair with the Los Angelese County Museum of Art.  That’s a big one and after I bag it I will also have completed the bare minimum to be a rally finisher.

OK, today kicked my butt.  My eyes were bigger than my stomach and where many riders are going after 1….or maybe 2 “blue bonuses”……I tried to go after FIVE.  Omaha to Redding, CA…then to L.A. for two….then San Diego…..then Vegas.

However, the San Joaquin Valley sapped my energy with the ever-increasing heat….and it’s LONG.

I didn’t snag all five of the blue bonuses…..but trying to make lemonade out of a lemon I laid.  My downfall was Pink’s Hot Dogs and where I budgeted 1/2 hour….it took like 1.5 hours.  I couldn’t make it to San Diego by 5 p.m.  I should have gone to San Diego instead.  There was a 12,000 point goof.  Oh well.

L.A. was fun splitting lanes and following a cop down the HOV lane strip at like 85 mph when traffic was doing maybe 50.  He taught me a lot about “lane-sharing”

I was bummed also today as I redid my math and I can’t meat up with Higdon in D.C. without doing something dumb and putting in a BBG and a half….which I’ve already done….and toast because of.  No, I’m not going to make D.C. until a day later…..oh well.

I’m in the swank Bouchon Bistro at the Venetian Casino….sitting with Heidi Still…munching on killer fries and lamb steak.  We’re waiting to have a picture taken with Gunny for a bunch of points.

After that, I’m going to get back on the bike and get out of this overpriced town on a Friday and treat myself to a room.  I need it.

I hopefully will have some time to blog tomorrow evening. I’d love to share more details and pictures, but there just isn’t time.

Matt

OK, so I’ve gotten bit by the competitive bug.  A few people including my Mom, Warchild, and RenoJohn know my general strategy.

Suffice it to say I will be headed one of the compass cardinal directions in the morning and the next two days are important for the last 5.

George did publish part of the packet as “ride to eat”.  We have this list as a menu of people and places we can visit….usually part of a larger strategy.  I do plan on visiting 3 or 4 of them.  And their locations for the inquisitive.

…not enough?  ….then here’s my route:

….it’s a joke by the rallymaster.  …or I hope it’s a joke.  Maybe I should look at it more closely…..he had to work on it for a long time.

Argh….I have a helmet fire!!!

Good night.

Matt

Morning picture of starting line:

I’ve taken my first stab at the packet and I’ve got a possible route considering the two coast….duh.  I’m thinking the Northeast paired with California.  I’ve been at it an hour and gonna head to the pooper to ponder my ambitions.  At about 7500 miles….it’s possible and the range of miles I was guessing, but I have to make sure I’ll be at key places on key days and key time windows….and that I can do the miles.

One thing for sure is out…the bonus in Alaska.  It’s just not George.

…maybe some more before I got to bed….but then I wonder if any fellow competitors are watching.

Tom Austin is writing the official “Daily Dispatch” and is allegedly putting it here….if I transcribed the cryptic address correctly:

http://tcfjr.goption.com/spankday-1.pdf

Tom is now a veteran having written the ‘07 IBR Dispatch.

—————

We just opened our packets….and my head is going to implode.  It’s like a demented pair delusion.

For example, Take a Picture of The wacky library from any street corner AND Take a Picture of the ceiling of Phoenix Centraly Libary.

You have to get both….or you get no points.  That one is not so hard, but in the Blue pack (which I call the “Moody Pack”) have pairings of Redding, CA & Prospect, ME; Las Vegas, NV AND Montreal, Quebec.

Not all is horribly cryptic though..  In fact, you could potentially visit riders at “RTE” events.   It’s in our “Festive” Yellow pack.  George has provided to the public the schedule with the locations.

Also included are a Pink and Orange Pack to make the rainbow complete.

This weird combination of packets and options makes it challenging to be sure……and I’m about to head to my room to bake my cake.

I just rolled in to the hotel, gave GZ a big ol’ hug, and John Langan an off-paw handshake.

The hotel even checked me in and the FedEx guy walked in about 1 minute after me to drop off a package.

I fubared when I left Tri-Cities and forgot my EZPass in the garage.  Dear ol’ Mom was a saint…..Saint Sue….and sent it to me.

The reason an EZPass is critical…is that 7 days from Omaha means the East Coast is in play and fishing for change at the myriad of toll booths would just suck.  I leased one from NY state several years ago….costing a whole $1 a month to rent.  As I used in the IBR last year it automatically charges from my credit card and makes that slog less sucky.

Thanks Mom!

My times now on will be CDT…or Central Daylight Time.  I have to go check in at noon CDT and do my odo check.

I’m seriously hoping for a nap this afternoon…..I need it after doing a Bun Burner Gold to get here.

I’m in a McDonalds with WiFi in Mitchell…I think.  I have about 90 miles before I turn off I-90 for the last pitch south to Omaha.  Probably be there about 11:00….with a whole hour to spare before tech. inspection.  These rallies half a country away really conflict with the amount of vacation time has.

I rode through Sturgis about 6 hours ago…..and it seemed pretty commercialized to me.  That and Harelys with all sort of LED gear.  Sort of like the Fast and the Furious…..except more Tepidly Moderate and Middle Aged Angst.  I spoke to one rider at a gas station….and turns out he worked for the Lazy B out of Renton.  Us aerospace nerds are everywhere.

Far more wild have been the thunder cells I’ve largely been navigating between, but did hit one or two head on.  In the distance lightning illuminates the massive structures and are ethereal.

I-90 was a far better choice than I-80 in my opinion.  I’m not sure if it’s because it’s more interesting….or just new to me.  Regardless, at least a better choice this time.

The road though is skinnier than it should be.  I think each lane is a foot or two narrower and the shoulder on one side is very small…and almost non-existent to the median.  On the plus side the sensation of speed is faster….and I haven’t seen a cop yet in this state.

Well, juice is trickling away and no plug available to charge.  Besides, more miles to pile on.

Next post in Omaha.