Trusty White Steed took me to the Wall Saturday!

[DGoebel]

As I had a quiet Saturday this past weekend, I decided I needed (wanted) to attempt to knock out another Iron Butt certification ride that I had not yet earned. So after a leisurely breakfast Saturday morning I packed a couple items, checked my tire pressure (had already checked my oil at the end of my last ride), and headed out at 8AM to get my first solo Saddle Sore 1000.
Since I had a very early Sunday morning commitment, I decided to see how fast I could legally do 1000 miles on a V-twin gas guzzling Spyder. Left at 8:08 back at 11PM down I-35 to Albert Lea, MN, then west to Wall, SD and back home in 14 hrs, 52 minutes! Having to stop every 150ish miles,I kept hydrated, lots of protein, and took a little walk at each fuel stop. Saw lots of beautiful sights along the way, more corvettes than semi's heading east, and a few Spyders even.
Got my selfie with the Wall Dino in the background, and submitted for another IBA certificate just to occupy my day a different way. PS The weather was GREAT!

[Chupaca]

Quite a day but most gratifying no doubt...what next..??

[DGoebel]

Funny you should ask, Sat was a warm up and timing run to check how accurate Google Maps timing was (within 20 minutes over 500 miles) so that Friday we can do a 1500 mile run in 24hrs, aka Bun Burner Gold (BBG).

[Bfromla]

So are you estimating time using Google & keeping track of actual travel time & miles on the trip meters? Or doing time math off receipts? Congrats either way Iron but not my preferred goals & may have qualified for some of the smaller ones but was not the reason for destination, never looked.

[Arion]

Ah yes, the famous (or infamous as the case may be) Wall Drug - home of five cent coffee and free ice water. It's also probably the most quirky place we've ever run across. We used to visit now and again when we lived in Rapid City, just for the fun of it.

Also worth visiting is the 1880s Town at the Belvedere exit on I-90. Lots of "Dances With Wolves" movie props there and the theme song used to be piped into the atmosphere from the octagonal Scandinavian barn. Folks at the KOA campground across the road were serenaded daily. Great stuff on the prairie!

[Pirate looks at --]

Congrats from one Iron Butt to another! Looking to try the BBG myself, maybe in the early fall. I will be interested in your results! I did not realize there was a Saddle Sore Solo challenge! That could be fun!

[TRBorslien]

Also worth visiting is the 1880s Town at the Belvedere exit on I-90.

[Bob Denman]

[UtahPete]

I thought maybe you had ridden to 'The Wall' in Washington, DC. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. What is the Wall in S.D.?

[DGoebel]

Congrats from one Iron Butt to another! Looking to try the BBG myself, maybe in the early fall. I will be interested in your results! I did not realize there was a Saddle Sore Solo challenge! That could be fun!

Pirate, it's not a separate cert, it was just my first solo SS1K. I've been taking most of my long rides with other Spyders or cycles and this was just me testing my limits.
I am working up to some real long distance rides and want to occasionally do them solo just because.
I've done a BB 1500 in under 36, will do a BBS sometime this year as well.
I'm planning some of my IBA certs to cover all the lower 48, THEN I'll go slow and sightsee. I musta passed dozens of 1880 town billboards heading out 90....
Been to WD a couple of times with kids and scouts in the past. And thanks to another SL member I now have this year's D3WR routes to enjoy at my leisure.
Give me a heads up if you're every out this way, again....

PS are you doing your IBA rides on the '13 or '16?

[ARtraveler]

Nice trip. We used to do that one at least once a year when we lived in MN and WI. Six hundred mile days were the best I could do then.

[DGoebel]

So are you estimating time using Google & keeping track of actual travel time & miles on the trip meters? Or doing time math off receipts? Congrats either way Iron but not my preferred goals & may have qualified for some of the smaller ones but was not the reason for destination, never looked.

Nah, I use Google's timing as a planning approximation, fuelling and normal bodily functions adds a little to Google's times, but I have the Bubbler GPS Pro app on my phone and use Spotwalla to do the actual tracking for certification of rides. I'm also a Premier member with the IBA so today I got my Bun Burner 1500 Cert, patch and pin from my 25 June BB 1500!

[Pirate looks at --]

Pirate, it's not a separate cert, it was just my first solo SS1K. I've been taking most of my long rides with other Spyders or cycles and this was just me testing my limits.
I am working up to some real long distance rides and want to occasionally do them solo just because.
I've done a BB 1500 in under 36, will do a BBS sometime this year as well.
I'm planning some of my IBA certs to cover all the lower 48, THEN I'll go slow and sightsee. I musta passed dozens of 1880 town billboards heading out 90....
Been to WD a couple of times with kids and scouts in the past. And thanks to another SL member I now have this year's D3WR routes to enjoy at my leisure.
Give me a heads up if you're every out this way, again....

PS are you doing your IBA rides on the '13 or '16?

Well both my wife and I did the SS1000, her on the RTL, and me on the F3L. Love the 998 but that gas mileage sucks on an IB. We did ours in 19.25 hours, more people longer stops, and we had problems with gas stations with pumps that didn't work, credit card readers that wouldn't work, and I even lost my wallet at one station 750 miles in, so we had to fuel two bikes on one card. Got it back later in the week. We only had 3 people on this ryde and it is clear that the more people on the ryde the longer the stops are. The BBS seems daunting as you need to average 62.5 miles per hour, even when you are stopped. BTW coming back from Valcourt we drove from Rochester to Rapid City on I90 and my goodness what a challenge that was. Cross winds at 35 mph, with gusts at 60, and 102 degrees! Glad your weather was better!

[DGoebel]

I thought maybe you had ridden to 'The Wall' in Washington, DC. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. What is the Wall in S.D.?

Pete, you could go by there, then you'll unnerstan. Somewhat a famous little town along I-90 east of Rapid City.