Ray's Iron Butt Ride #9
BunBurner #4 (Gold)
1,506 miles in 23 hr 4 min
May 13-14, 2024
BunBurner Gold = 1,500 miles in 24 hours
"Ray, as I have said before, you are an inspiration to all of us!" -Michael Kneebone, President and Founder: Iron Butt Association - "World's Toughest Motorcycle Riders"
My goal for this trip was to ride my motorcycle fifteen hundred miles in under 24 hours. It's called the BunBurner Gold, sanctioned by the IBA (Iron Butt Association). This is my third BBG this year.
Actual GPS Log (Notice the places on the track - from Las Cruces to Socorro - where the GPS quit working, due to the intense X8.7-class solar flair. The first one occurred just north of Radium Springs, NM - indicated by the straight line between data points. The longest gap happened in Socorro where I was trying to get gas.
An Iron Butt ride begins at the first gas station, with a Dated Business Receipt (DBR) showing the date, time and location. The rider photographs the DBR against the bike's odometer, as an indication of the running mileage. These photos are required for an Iron Butt certification.
Riding Highway 60 in the darkness of night, I have to be really careful of any animals on the road. Just out of Pie Town I had to brake hard for a porcupine - of all things - crossing the road. I didn't know we had porcupines around here.
On my way to Flagstaff I passed a motorcyclist who looked for all the world like the famous Ron Ayres. He was wearing a blue Aerostich suit with a white helmet, and riding what looked like a FJR motorcycle, color blue. I can't imagine Ron Ayres riding slow (at the speed limit), so it must not have been him. However, a few hours later I passed the guy again, after I had stopped for gas twice more. My gas stops were quick, but he apparently didn't stop, so must of had a whopping large fuel cell. And whoever the guy was, he must have been super experienced with IB type riding, not taking a break for that long. I regret not having a chance to talk with him.
TA #94: TA Truck Stop #94 in Kingman, AZ
I made it though Phoenix on the 303 without taking any wrong turns, but the late afternoon was hot and the traffic was starting to build.
Whenever I visit Las Cruces, I always stop at the Circle K gas station for its ease of access to the highway. There is a Maverik across the street, but late a night I can't make a left turn at the stop light - without running it. Most motorcycles don't trigger the stop lights to turn green for them.
During an BunBurner Gold ride, there is not much time off the bike, but at the Las Cruces Circle K I went in to the store to buy a cup of coffee. Back outside I looked at the receipt and was shocked at the price. $4.95 for a cup of coffee? What?!
North of Radium Springs NM, both of my GPS's conked out, at the same time. I knew right away the cause: the intense X8.7-class solar flair. I had read on the news that it was coming, and would likely affect the GPS satellite system. The problem continued sporadically all the way to Socorro and beyond.
I was worried that the solar flair would kill the gas pumps in Quemado at the end of my route. But just out of Socorro the GPS started working again; and reaching Quemado I found that its gas pumps were working fine.
Start 4:55 AM. Finish 3:51 AM. Total elapsed time: 23 hours 4 min.
