J
JWHITE518
Guest
This is a repost of a ride report that I wrote to the LDRider mailing list. For those of you who didn't follow this year's Iron Butt Rally, James Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton in San Jose, California, was a very large bonus location. I post it here for the MOA fans of our own Boxergrrlie.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was lucky enough to be able to visit Mt. Ham for two hours yesterday morning. The weather was gorgeous. I was happy for those riders to have a break from the monsoons they rode through last week. My main goal was to visit with my friend Paul Peloquin, who's in the rally. Other than that I wanted just to hang out, hear some stories, absorb the atmosphere, help where I could, and above all not get in the way.
On the ride up the hill I came upon Richard Keegan riding his GL1800, shipped from Dublin for the IBR. It was really thrilling to see that blue bike with the Irish plate, which I had last seen in the Doubletree parking lot the day the rally started. Now here he was in my own back yard. What a contrast.
Arriving at the observatory about a half hour before it opened for business, there were already about a dozen riders there. People were milling around, taking advantage of a break. No tension in the air. Riding gear off, cell phones out, looking for shade on the warm morning. Even though it was quite possible for people to have taken their bonus photos at any time, everyone respected the stated 9:00 hour. No enforcement was required, good sportsmanship was in evidence from everyone.
By 9:10, nearly all of the riders were gone. One or two remained, who weren't in that big a hurry. Jeff Earls in particular surprised me. I expected a big dog like him to have his rally face on. But he relaxed, ate something, laid down in the shade. He said he had some time in his plan, the prior day had been very tough, and he was using the break time. For the remainder of my time there, riders trickled in and out. It was really great hearing the stories they told for Dean's videotape. In the slow moments I chatted with volunteer Tim Weltz.
I don't want to tell people's stories for them, so here are some stories to listen for:
The Kappenbergers went into a ditch to avoid a deer. Their Wing looks pretty good considering what happened.
Brian Roberts, how many times did the Worlds Most Expensive V-Strom go down during the rally?
Bristlecone Pine: That ride was a bitch for everybody except Tom Melchild, who seemed to think it wasn't that bad. (Tom's not even on a GS.)
Matt Watkins and Rebecca Vaughan's first experiences lane sharing in California.
The goat track that was the road to the top of Mt. Hamilton. Many riders, unused to that kind of riding, were gingerly negotiating the curves.
One way I got involved was to take a few peoples' bonus photos for them. That was fun. Rebecca Vaughn was very sweet. After I snapped her shot, she said, "Take another." I was confused, because I was sure the first was good. When I handed her the camera and the pictures, and she handed me the second one and said, "This is for you." Thanks for the souvenir, RV.
Another way I "helped" was to provide a bit of local routing knowledge. I heard later from Paul that my advice was good. He had snagged everything he went after, and made good time. However I'm still worrying about Brett Donohue and Marty Leir ÔÇô was the back way to Livermore faster than the GPS way? [Ed: Marty won the rally, Brett was third. I'm not worrying any more.] Finally ÔÇô I observed two people, Vicki Johnston and someone else, take their bonus photos in such a way that they didn't meet the bonus requirements. They would have lost huge points at the scoring table. After a brief internal debate, I suggested they review their photos against the documentation. They realized their errors and went back and bagged the points. I leave it to the IBR etiquette gods to judge whether those activities were within bounds of proper spectator behavior. I've either done the right thing, or firmly cemented my reputation as a doofus.
And now I return to the Star-Traxx page and the LDRider list to watch the rally finish along with the rest of the Worlds Toughest Spectators (tm).
Photos here: http://jwhite518.smugmug.com/gallery/3383741/1/189019232
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was lucky enough to be able to visit Mt. Ham for two hours yesterday morning. The weather was gorgeous. I was happy for those riders to have a break from the monsoons they rode through last week. My main goal was to visit with my friend Paul Peloquin, who's in the rally. Other than that I wanted just to hang out, hear some stories, absorb the atmosphere, help where I could, and above all not get in the way.
On the ride up the hill I came upon Richard Keegan riding his GL1800, shipped from Dublin for the IBR. It was really thrilling to see that blue bike with the Irish plate, which I had last seen in the Doubletree parking lot the day the rally started. Now here he was in my own back yard. What a contrast.
Arriving at the observatory about a half hour before it opened for business, there were already about a dozen riders there. People were milling around, taking advantage of a break. No tension in the air. Riding gear off, cell phones out, looking for shade on the warm morning. Even though it was quite possible for people to have taken their bonus photos at any time, everyone respected the stated 9:00 hour. No enforcement was required, good sportsmanship was in evidence from everyone.
By 9:10, nearly all of the riders were gone. One or two remained, who weren't in that big a hurry. Jeff Earls in particular surprised me. I expected a big dog like him to have his rally face on. But he relaxed, ate something, laid down in the shade. He said he had some time in his plan, the prior day had been very tough, and he was using the break time. For the remainder of my time there, riders trickled in and out. It was really great hearing the stories they told for Dean's videotape. In the slow moments I chatted with volunteer Tim Weltz.
I don't want to tell people's stories for them, so here are some stories to listen for:
The Kappenbergers went into a ditch to avoid a deer. Their Wing looks pretty good considering what happened.
Brian Roberts, how many times did the Worlds Most Expensive V-Strom go down during the rally?
Bristlecone Pine: That ride was a bitch for everybody except Tom Melchild, who seemed to think it wasn't that bad. (Tom's not even on a GS.)
Matt Watkins and Rebecca Vaughan's first experiences lane sharing in California.
The goat track that was the road to the top of Mt. Hamilton. Many riders, unused to that kind of riding, were gingerly negotiating the curves.
One way I got involved was to take a few peoples' bonus photos for them. That was fun. Rebecca Vaughn was very sweet. After I snapped her shot, she said, "Take another." I was confused, because I was sure the first was good. When I handed her the camera and the pictures, and she handed me the second one and said, "This is for you." Thanks for the souvenir, RV.
Another way I "helped" was to provide a bit of local routing knowledge. I heard later from Paul that my advice was good. He had snagged everything he went after, and made good time. However I'm still worrying about Brett Donohue and Marty Leir ÔÇô was the back way to Livermore faster than the GPS way? [Ed: Marty won the rally, Brett was third. I'm not worrying any more.] Finally ÔÇô I observed two people, Vicki Johnston and someone else, take their bonus photos in such a way that they didn't meet the bonus requirements. They would have lost huge points at the scoring table. After a brief internal debate, I suggested they review their photos against the documentation. They realized their errors and went back and bagged the points. I leave it to the IBR etiquette gods to judge whether those activities were within bounds of proper spectator behavior. I've either done the right thing, or firmly cemented my reputation as a doofus.
And now I return to the Star-Traxx page and the LDRider list to watch the rally finish along with the rest of the Worlds Toughest Spectators (tm).
Photos here: http://jwhite518.smugmug.com/gallery/3383741/1/189019232
I would love to see the Redwoods again but I have to wait and see what happens with work.
