Iron Butt BunBurner 1500 from Los Angeles to Casper, WY (June 22-23, 2024) - Going for Gold, Seeing Where it Lands

Vacation planning has been in the works over the past several months. The most logistically involved portion is the opening frame from LA to Casper, WY to be completed within in a 24 hour window to earn a BunBurner Gold 1500 certification. Worst case scenario is that I complete a BunBurner 1500 Silver, the same distance but within 30 hours, which would make it my second one of that type of ride lifetime. (I completed one in 2011, but the Silver certification didn’t come around until several years later, so it’s still labeled as a standard BB1500.)

Several factors are in play including start/end times, weather, and pacing. To pull this off, there needs to be very few issues so lots of prep is involved. Also, my stops must be calculated and quick while factoring in documentation.

There is a science to all of this. Perhaps this is why I enjoy the mental challenge. Also, I have a lot more technology tools at my disposal than I had when I first started doing these types of rides so it helps a lot. This is also one of those times when having both iOS and Android devices proves advantageous due to the types of apps I need both for planning and for tracking the ride.

Planning software: InRoute (route planning) and WeatherOnTheWay (real-time weather tracking based on traveling route)

GPS Tracking: Real-Time GPS Tracker, Garmin inReach

On-bike navigation and trip computers: Google Maps, DMD2

The entire route laid out. Stop points were approximately 125 miles apart.

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🎶She packed her bags last night, pre-flight. Zero hour, three AM.🎶

This is another trip planning app I use called Weather On the Way, only available for iOS. It's how I can appropriately schedule departure times for the mildest weather.

Weather was relatively mild for the most part, but there were a couple surprises in Colorado.

The nice thing about most Iron Butt rides is that you set your own parameters so that the ride is more likely to have the least number of complications. Based on data, I'd rather find myself at a Denny's early on Sunday morning, hours before check-in to my hotel, than baking in the heat during the day. And I did check that there's a 24-hr. Denny's in Casper, WY.

It's not my first time here, but the very first time I arrived in Casper in 2007 resulted from a scary experience of accidentally riding US-16 through the night. I underestimated my distances between cities. In that part of the US, everything is pitch black once the sun goes down because you're in the middle of nowhere. Alternatively, I can probably chill in a park with my camping chair.

Anyway, I'm leaving four hours earlier than originally planned. Because research and experience.

So that part where I said that I'm riding straight from LA to Casper, WY in 24 hrs. to kick off my vacation? Just did that and it was a hell of a journey.

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This Iron Butt attempt was a doozy, but I was trying for a pretty challenging achievement, 1500 miles in 24 hrs. I left a little after 3 am and just kept moving east. Temps ranged from 52°-98°F but the winds were cooperative. I even set a personal record for the fastest completion of SaddleSore1000 of less than 15 hours. However, there were several factors that I couldn't control that affected my BunBurner Gold attempt. Some of these things included a traffic jam on I-40 that cost me over 20 minutes in standstill that I couldn't lane split, a rain storm at the New Mexico/Colorado border on I-25, and some aggressive dick in a car who brake checked me on I-25 in Thorton, CO and proceeded to drive their car straight toward me as I was speeding toward the nearest exit and then swerved away at the last second to continue down the road. I didn't even have enough time to use my horn.

The last incident with the car affected me mentally and I had to refocus to complete the remaining 250ish miles to the finish line. But I did. And with time running out, I made one last valiant effort to make up for lost time with a spirited run through the Wyoming section of I-25 in the night. Despite all the crap that hit me, I only missed BunBurner Gold certification by TWO MINUTES. Not even joking.

But I'm okay with this. I earned a second lifetime BunBurner certification and lived to tell y'all about it. You can't keep a motorcycle girl down, even with a little rain and attempted vehicular assault.

Two minutes too late for the Gold status, but I got here alive and that's the most important part. I know what I accomplished. Paper is paper.

Iron Butt SaddleSore 1000 to the Last Blockbuster (June 3-June 5, 2019): Part 3 - Sacramento, San Francisco, and the Ride Home

Note: This is the third part of a three-part blog series. Click here for part one.

The next morning, Edwin and I geared up and got ready for the last stretch toward home. But first, we had to eat breakfast. We escorted Amanda and her Honda Hawk to Flapjack's Diner that was just down the street from her house. Amanda hadn't ridden her motorcycle for a while due to an ankle injury and wanted to take the quick jaunt to breakfast, so we made sure that happened safely. She was very happy to be back on her bike again.

After a nice meal, we returned to her house to load up the rest of our gear, say our goodbyes, and ride off to our next planned destination, the headquarters of Clearwater Lights in nearby Rancho Cordova. The owner, Glen, contacted Edwin online the day before and offered to treat us to lunch and a tour of the factory since we were swinging through the area anyway. I myself was excited to visit this place as I had sold many sets of these premium lights when I was still working in the motorcycle industry. Glen ordered sandwiches for us and while we waited for the food to arrive, we got to see how these lights were made firsthand. I don't have any photos of all that because, well, it wouldn't be nice to give away industry secrets. But here's part of the selection of their world-famous, high quality LED lights that they manufacture here in California.

We ended up staying there so long that I bought a set of Darla lights for Eleanor and made the choice to forgo the original plan of returning home via US-101, opting for the faster I-5. After our stay at Clearwater Lights, we cut across Sacramento westbound to swing down through San Francisco, the next of our planned stops. Of course, an obligatory photo of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Battery Spencer side was in order before crossing it (we were entering the city from the north). I even got myself a Magikarp that washed ashore in the process. AR jokes on Pokémon GO never get old.

We continued across the Golden Gate Bridge and through San Francisco, heading back onto US-101 for a short while. Our second to last fuel stop before returning to Los Angeles was a Costco in San Jose where we relaxed for a little bit and had some pizza in the food court. For motorcyclists who are travelling through populated areas, Costco stores are wonderful places to take a break. We then continued down the 101 for a little while before cutting across Gilroy on CA-152 to jump back onto I-5. The rest of the ride was exactly as we had started it, through the night and in uneventful darkness. It had been a long day so we traded off conversations back and forth to keep ourselves awake. We split off at the 405/5 interchange in Sylmar and were at our homes around 2:30 AM.

Final trip mileage after the three day journey.

So yes, that's the end of an epic three day ride across two states. At the time of this blog post, this IBA SaddleSore 1000 ride to the last Blockbuster on Earth has been officially certified and my physical certificate will be arriving in the mail soon. What makes this even cooler is that the certificates that Edwin and I will be receiving will note that our destination for the ride was "the last Blockbuster Video store on Earth." What a fun notation for a very unique endurance ride. Now to think about the next long-distance jaunt. For me, I've been contemplating a reattempt at a BunBurner Gold 1500 (1500 miles in 24 hours). Who knows? Anything is possible.

A huge thank you to Edwin for inspiring me to get back into long-distance riding form, Amanda and Emory for the hospitality in Sacramento, Glen at Clearwater Lights for the cool tour, Robert (my mechanic) for making sure Eleanor was ready for this whole ordeal, and everyone who watched our journeys online and cheered us on.

How long does a windshield last on a Yamaha FJR1300?

The answer...about ten years, 190,000 miles, or until I can get around to replacing plastic that was probably on its way out at least 20k miles ago. I don't normally look through my windshield so it was something that I didn't care about for a while.

The original windshield, a Yamaha OEM extended touring version (4" taller, 1/2" wider) made by National Cycle, has been on Eleanor for all but 1200 miles of its life. That's 190k of every possible weather condition short of an absolute blizzard, road salt, bugs of every size, dirt, soot, and all sorts of crap hitting it at any given point on the road. By the end of its life, the plastic had yellowed, especially at the top, and there was a lot of distortion/fogging on it. Yeah, it was time for it to go.

Its replacement is a barely-used, Cee Bailey's 2" above standard OEM windshield taken off of a 2006 Yamaha FJR1300. If you haven't tried a Cee Bailey's windshield, I would suggest giving this company's products a shot. I could feel the quality of this aircraft plastic in my hands as I was installing it.

As for installing it, it's relatively straightforward. There are two bolts at the bottom of the windshield that have to be removed using a 3mm Allen key. That removes the decorative/protective cover that hides the plastic Phillips head screws that keep the shield in place on top of rubber bumpers. The entire process took less than ten minutes to do, and that was me taking my time. And you can do it without having to electronically raise the windshield.

In terms of image, replacing that plastic made my bike look several years younger again. I didn't realize how much of a visual difference it would make to Eleanor, and I'm really glad I did it when I was able to do so. I guess it's the same effect as getting a new pair of eyeglasses. Also, using a windshield that's 2" shorter than what I've been using has increased airflow and has made the bike feel a bit more aerodynamic than I've been used to.

Now that the major electrical issues (failing relays) have been attended to, I can focus on more of the other comfort items on the bike. She's still in the running toward 200k miles barring anything catastrophic so I'll make sure she'll look good on the way there. Perhaps I'll go back to doing some long-distance weekend rides for old times sake. Yes. That would be amazing.

Four ignition switches, three stators, two #windshields, only one #Eleanor. Off came the upgraded #Yamaha 4" over stock height with added 1/2" width OEM touring windshield that had been on her all but 1200 miles of her time with me. The replacement is a barely used, #CeeBaileys 2" height extension, standard width #aircraftplastic taken off a 2006 #FJR1300 that I picked up for less than half the price of a new one. Score. A #Californiamade windshield for a truly California #motorcycle.

A post shared by Christine (@twowheeledtourist) on May 27, 2017 at 10:58am PDT

Happy 10th Birthday, Eleanor!

This is how Eleanor, my 2007 Yamaha FJR1300AWC and my long-time companion on many a journey, started her 10th year of operation...by not operating very well at all! (Cameo by my cousin who took me home after my tow.)

Eleanor officially turned ten years old on April 26, 2017. This is a testament to both the stubbornness and longevity of this bike and its owner. However, the last couple years have slowed her down a bit as the combination of the road salt of the Midwest, mileage, and having endured every rideable weather condition imaginable in all that time caught up with her. Her electrical connections have required some rehab and cleaning, and every now and then, those issues reappear and deem her unsafe to operate on the street.

Case in point, her headlights stopped functioning on April 25 as I was leaving from my class that night at CSULB. I made it down one exit on the 405 North before I pulled off and hung out at a gas station and a donut shop for about three hours while I waited for a tow truck to transport Eleanor back to Pacific Motorsports in Harbor City. Allow me to explain my difficulties.

I swear, I still love Eleanor. But dammit why is she such a diva?! 😂😢😭 The lady at the gas station is nice, though. #technicaldifficulties #motorcycleproblems #waitingforatowtruck #itsonlyTuesday #post1500

A post shared by Christine (@twowheeledtourist) on Apr 25, 2017 at 9:06pm PDT

Now, I will say that this long span of time being stranded did allow me to broadcast a couple Facebook Live posts and reconnect with a few friends online that I hadn't spoken to in years. When the first tow truck arrived an hour later, I had to decline it because the person showed up without a flatbed vehicle. The second driver, Matt from SoCal Moto Transport, brought the appropriate equipment and vehicle and performed a flawless transport of both her and me back to Harbor City.

Here's Eleanor being lifted onto her throne like the #diva she is. #HappyBirthday you crazy #motorcycle. Towing provided by @socalmototransport. #Yamaha #FJR1300 #roadsideassistance

A post shared by Christine (@twowheeledtourist) on Apr 25, 2017 at 11:35pm PDT

I referenced some posts from this time last year, and not surprisingly, Eleanor encountered the exact same issue with her headlights and spent her 9th birthday at the dealership as well. It's pretty obvious that I need a more permanent solution to this repair. However, that engine still runs as strong as the day I bought her from Long Beach Yamaha (now Del Amo Motorsports Long Beach) ten years ago.

4/26/07...Happy 9th birthday, Eleanor! You get to spend it with Uncle Robert at Pacific Yamaha in #HarborCity because your headlights decided to stop working on Sunday. I'll eat a cupcake on your behalf. #happybirthday #sadface #partyfoul #Yamaha #FJR1300 #motorcycle #companion #blowoutthecandles #itsjustafleshwound

A post shared by Christine (@twowheeledtourist) on Apr 26, 2016 at 10:44am PDT

I wonder if Eleanor has just become a diva in her old age or likes facials, but regardless of the reason, it's been a bit inconvenient to have her unavailable to use for my random video shoots or for those moments when I want to go far but reduce the amount of dead dinosaur juice that I want to burn. My solution, a new addition to my vehicle fleet, will be introduced in another post. I'm still unwilling to give up on my old friend, but my very busy life meant that some issues had to be rectified. I'm very confident that she'll be back to somewhat normal; I just have to wait a little longer.

Enjoy your facial, you silly bike.

It's been a long ten years, Eleanor, but we made it this far! She hit the 190k mile mark on our way home from Pacific Palisades. Her engine is still strong and kicking! Hoping to make it to 200k by the end of 2018. #Yamaha #FJR1300 #mileagequeen #Torrance

A post shared by Christine (@twowheeledtourist) on Apr 24, 2017 at 11:11pm PDT

Tales on the Courier Shift: Closing of a Chapter

By the middle of January 2015, the initial rush of courier deliveries that I had with Postmates was past its peak and was on a sharp decline. The holidays were hard, not just because I lost three weeks worth of work due to a sudden death in the family, but also because delivery assignments were far and in between.

In addition, I was transitioning work to a new delivery service, and I will have to say, there were quite a few rough spots during the early shifts that tested my mental fortitude. By the way, I am forever boycotting Poulet Du Jour in Hermosa Beach (233 Pacific Coast Hwy, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254) due to their mistreatment and disrespect of me when I just came in to pick up food for delivery. This restaurant may claim to have some of the best rotisserie chicken in the South Bay, but I don't pay money to get verbally abused.

Tales on the Courier Shift: Delivery #500 and Trapped With Rich People

It's another installment of tales on the courier shift! In this episode, I acquire cookies and ice cream. I'm also so liked by my customers that I just couldn't leave. And those stereotypical movie images of multiple exotic cars parked on the lot in front of a giant mansion? Yes, that's real.

These assignments were completed at the end of 2014 as I worked through the holiday season that year. It was a good diversion and very needed since I was still dealing with the loss of a dear friend who had suddenly passed away in early December that also resulted in a three-week hiatus in all freelance work. It was good to get the wind therapy.

Riding to the Death Valley National Park "Superbloom" (2/29-3/1/16)

Hello there, it's the Two-Wheeled Tourist back from a super-long hiatus thanks to life. But I'm back and here with a fun trip that I've been able to pull off amid job layoffs, changes to my personal world, and a super-erratic work schedule. Oh it's been a journey on that end.

With that being said, I needed a long-earned vacation, even if it was going to be short and sweet. And then one day, I was online reading about the media-dubbed "superbloom" occurring at Death Valley National Park, located in the southeastern part of California.

[On a side note, I had traveled with a motorcycle group to Death Valley in 2007 with my previous motorcycle, the Suzuki SV650. Eleanor's ride with me marked her first foray into the park.]

So I had a couple days in which I could push regular duties aside, thanks to a job contract ending and a lull in the workload at my other office. So I set off on Leap Day Monday to ride to the park and stare at the flowers. Thinking this was going to be easy, I decided to follow the Google Maps recommended route, the fastest one, that involved entering from the northern entrance via Panamint Springs. Of course, knowing my history with long solo rides, this was going to be the start of a comedy of errors. Just a small spoiler alert here, most of this story wouldn't have happened if I had taken the grey route highlighted on the map.



But before I get to the comedic part, I did make a quick stop at the Musical Road in Lancaster to play the William Tell Overture at 50MPH since the first part of my ride was straight up CA-14 that connected from I-5.

Eleanor is a Yamaha. Yamaha makes pianos. That makes Eleanor a piano. Yes, a moving piano.

I made it to my first gas stop on CA-178 a little before 9AM, about 180 miles from where I started in Lawndale. Now, gas stations get pretty sparse once you're out near US 395. For the smaller-displacement motorcycles, I'd recommend carrying a fuel can to insure that one doesn't get stranded. My bike's gas tank was stretched a little, and 6.6 gallons is a lot of fuel to burn through on two wheels. I filled up at the Shell in Trona (82264 Trona Rd, Trona, CA 93562) amid the desolate boonies, and I have to say, that particular Shell station does serve up a mean breakfast burrito.

To my 20s...a word or two before you go.

To my 20s...you were a tough customer, but I'll have to thank you for that.

The second decade of life is a privilege that, in the world that I live in, is both hated and cherished at the some time. Many can't wait until they get to this point, and then loathe many of the days that they now have to live through just to escape it.

I am grateful for even making it this far in this body, considering that it was enough of a challenge to even establish my existence on this planet (there is a story behind that). Regardless, my circumstances have been kind and my path has been gentle in the scope of the current state of the universe.

In the last ten years, I've found myself in several diverse careers that have bounced me all over the place, sculpted my unique skillset, and have given me the tools to survive and thrive in an inhospitable economy.

I've been able to continue playing hockey, the sport I love, despite multiple injuries that have threatened my tenure in front of the net.

I have traversed the United States and Canada in a style reserved to the fortunate with "bucket lists" and a lot of time. And I did the majority of those journeys alone with nothing but my dear Eleanor, my wits, and at times, an unreal level of emotional and intestinal fortitude.

With that being said, the same motorcycle responsible in the previous statement has surpassed the distance halfway from the Earth to the Moon and is still determined to make it all the way there.

I've moved at least five times in my life and I still don't have a reason to settle down.

I now know what it's like to hit mental rock bottom, and know that, for as long as there is a breath in me there is still hope and a reason to keep fighting for what's important.

I've learned to love another person as much as myself, lose that love, and embark on a path toward finding that love again.

I've lived many lifetimes in my journeys and I'm far from finished.

I still refuse to just stand still and let opportunities to learn pass me by.

And lastly, I've learned to accept the things that I cannot control, accept the people who do not understand me, and let time run its course. Because really, everything does fall into place. But the path there can be a hell of a ride. Just hold on.

It would be way too cliché to try to wrap up the 3,652 days that have passed between the time I put a "2" in the tens place of my age and now in a blog post, but that's not what this is for. This is simply a reminder that I'm more than all right...I'm more than prepared for the next round.

I would state this in closing:

I survived my 20s, but I did more than just "survive." I defeated it and came back with trophies and lessons to last the rest of my natural life.

The ups and downs in my journey cemented my resolve to continue moving forward and focusing my eyes toward the horizon.

My family and friends rallied behind me when I was at my worst and celebrated me when I was at my best. And I am forever grateful for that. 

Even in my darkest moments, there was something or someone out there to find me and bring things back into perspective again, even if just for a fleeting moment.  

And dammit, be easy on yourself! In the end, it'll all be okay.

Ad astra per aspera. To the stars through my difficulties. Bring on tomorrow. Take it home, Barry.

Iron Butt BunBurner 1500/SaddleSore 2000 Report

"To be insane, you must have discipline." - Hudson Leick

This report has been completed in between my two stays in Elko, NV and Oakland, CA after an Iron Butt adventure that involved four time zones, 45 hours of travel, and nearly 3000 miles on the motorcycle. Here's a little recap of my travels.

Eleanor's all geared up and ready to ride!

Departure from Columbus: 12:30AM EST, 6/30

Final Stop for BB1500: Rawlins, WY, 9:30AM MST, 7/1

Final Stop for SS2000: Elko, NV, 7:30PM PST, 7/1

The route was very basic: I-70 to I-80 via I-29 from Columbus, OH to Green River, WY. According to Google Maps, the total came to 1520 miles, enough for the BunBurner ride (1500 miles in 36 hours). I originally planned for this route to be a shot for the more extreme BunBurner Gold (1500 miles in 24 hours), but due to severe closures on I-29 in Iowa due to flooding in that part of the state that I didn't know about in advance, my connection from I-70 was delayed so badly mid-day that I was trapped in the state for nearly two hours, eliminating the possibility for Gold. However, the extra 200 miles I covered trying to find an alternate route brought my final destination for the BunBurner a lot closer.

And I ride, and I ride, and I ride...

So after a broiling run through most of 100+ degree Nebraska and 285 miles to go on the BunBurner 1500 attempt, I had to call it a day after getting caught in the middle of a severe storm that had winds nearing 50MPH and throwing me around on Eleanor near to Big Springs, NE. The tradeoff? A nice dinner with steak and second round with a regional favorite, Rocky Mountain Oysters.

Yup, it's genuine fried bull junk. If you've seen some of the other stuff I've eaten, this would probably be quite benign.

By the morning it cleared beautifully and it was easy to get to WY to finish off the final leg. I was glad that I waited for that sunrise because that portion of I-80 was some of the most scenic portions of interstate I've ever ridden. I had missed the pretty part of I-80 in Wyoming when Matt and I moved to Ohio in 2009 because we connected from I-25 from Fort Collins, CO instead of from Reno, NV.

Crossing the WY border during the final stretch of the BB1500. Yahoo.

After completing those final 285 miles for the first certification, I had over 12 hours to ride 500 miles to earn the SaddleSore 2000. That was completed quite casually with a stop for ice cream and a rest stop in Utah. I ended up in Elko, NV with a total of 2050 miles and three hours to spare.

This is gorgeous, and it was only the rest stop!

A member of the local wildlife. It saw my camera and took a stand.

Some additional notes...

My two biggest challenges were boredom during the long stretches of road and the heat wave I experienced in Nebraska. While I rode through the night, there wasn't much to see, so staying alert really involved a lot of good music and comedy routine selections. The same thing applied during the day; lots of songs and switching between channels on my XM radio. Also, with hours and hours on the saddle, I had to use several methods of keeping myself from getting too sore. Some methods included standing on the pegs while moving a crawl in work zones, engaging my BrakeAway cruise control mechanism, dangling the legs, and perching my feet onto the passenger pegs. As for the heat, my evaporative cooling vest saved the day, but the dry heat (100-105 degrees with crosswinds) made the last stretch of road a bit fatiguing. Keeping my CamelBak filled with ice water was a lifesaver as well.

I was lucky that the weather on the second day was relatively mild. Riding through the last portion of Nebraska into Wyoming was actually quite chilly with temps in the 50s and a crosswind. I had to use my Gerbings heated jacket liner and gloves for the first three hours of travel until it warmed up enough to just ride with my thicker Aerostitch Roadcrafter jacket. By midday I was back with the mesh jacket and didn't even need the cooling vest at all.

Contrary to popular belief, I did NOT drink any coffee or have any energy drinks during this entire journey. I had long days but I was able to sleep 6-7 hours a night which was sufficient and just enough to keep me from waking up groggy. The big key was keeping hydrated with lots of water and stopping at regular intervals.

The ability to ride through those miles comes with time. If you're thinking of doing these kinds of rides, work up to them and practice, practice, practice!

I think my vacation can start now...!

Updated Itinerary: Trip to San Jose, CA

About two weeks left until departure! Eleanor's just needs an oil change and another driving light installed and she's ready to go.

This is version 6 of the ride route. It's pretty much the same as the first route, except that the destination cities have been changed. Due to an event being rescheduled, I will be staying in northern CA for an additional day and as a result, will have to extend my daily miles to make up for lost time on the return back (average about 625 miles per day). This shouldn't change much barring any technical difficulties during the trip.

6/30 - Depart from Columbus, OH
7/1-7/2 - Green River, WY (BunBurner Gold 1500 7/1, BunBurner 1500 7/2)
7/3 - Reno, NV
7/3 or 7/4-7/8 - San Jose/Oakland, CA
7/9 - Navarro Redwoods State Park, then ride to Eugene, OR
7/10 - Missoula, MT
7/11 - Spearfish, SD
7/12 - LaCrosse, WI
7/13 - Columbus, OH


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