As readers might recall, a couple of mates and I (the Three Amigos) recently set out to conquer the big ride in the US, all 48 mainland states of America in just 10 days, called the 48/10 ride. Well, thanks to the gods of motorcycling we did it, due in no uncertain part to a hell of a lot of good luck, good weather (apart from one day of totally wet riding through New England and sheltering from a tornado in Iowa), avoiding the blue light peril and no breakdowns or accidents.
I reflect on this as one hell of a hard-arse achievement which is exactly what the Iron Butt Association is all about. Some salient facts to take on board were these:
- average of about 4 hours sleep a night,
- over 1200kms average each and every day and
- due to two service stops for the bikes, two days doing in excess of 1600km in 24 hours (2 Saddle Sore 1000 awards)
- no plated meals at all, just one hell of a lot of junk food at servos!
I’ve had time to reflect on this journey and now ask myself how safe was it really? Sure it was an amazing journey and sure I’m chuffed to have achieved the milestone to be admitted to the IBA, but was it truly a safe ride?
We survived on endless 5 hour energy booster drinks, double shot espresso cans from Starbucks and heaps of sugar related shit to keep the energy up. But each of the three amigos admits to having nanny naps on the bike whilst riding!! Now that can’t be safe can it?
One of the 3 Amigos, Chainsaw, sent me afterwards an article published by a bloke questioning the sanity and the safety the long distance rider and especially those doing the SS1000 and the 48/10. Upon reading it I took exception and said to myself that he was a bloody woos. Now I reflect on the event and ask myself, just how safe was the ride? Sure it was a truly amazing event and one that I will never forget or regret, but it sure wasn’t safe. No one can ride for 10 days on as little sleep as we had and say the ride was safe. I thank whatever god of whatever there is, or is not, and breathe a sigh of relief that I’m alive to tell the tale….
Gazza and the three amigos…
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What a wonderful adventure for sure but yes the safety question does come up on long distance rides..the tragic loss of Davo Jones recently is testiment to the risk..
A wonderful guy who enjoyed the adventure of pushing one’s self to the endurance limits..although he always carefully planned and trained for such trips and was an advocate for Road safety..one can not wonder if the stress and fatigue of such rides was a contributing factor in his accident so close to the finish line..
I attended his funeral as I respected this guy immensly.
In younger days I would think nothing of a 12-14 hr straight run to Bathurst from Ipswich for the Easter Bike Races often in pouring rain..and freezing cold of mid and western NSW.
Comment by Paul W — Dec 12 @ 8:03 pmBut I look back now often after a 4 hr ride with a long lunch and wonder how I did it …in May after getting home from China for 5 weeks ..I had to fly to Sydney to collect a bike I had bought and ride it home..7-8 hrs to Coonabarabran from Brighton Le Sands near the Airport was a struggle and the 7 hrs home the next day was a struggle..
I wonder if a lot of riders realise how draining physically and mentally riding is as you get older…?