Iron Butt Rally Next Week!

[Vance]

ha ha...you beat me to it Norwood. I was just reading up on Leg 2 results and proud to see that John is in 10th place after Leg 2. Great to see all those "Spots" so close to us this morning.

go John go! and ride safe guys!

[jdubeemer]

How do you know which one is John?

[BamaBiker]

We don't know if any of the "spots" are John. Only about 1/2 the riders are showing their "spots" on Spotwalla. John's progress is reported from the results write-ups, and from the daily reports posted on the IBA/IBR site.

[Vance]

Yeah...I had hoped we could follow him but there were some "issues" with showing all the Spot identifiers so the the IBA changed them all.

there were 86 I believe all total at the start and several have already dropped out. The Spot trackers represent only about half of the riders and you are right we really don't know who is who.

But as of this morning there were several riders right here in central AL. Maybe one of those was John...hmm wonder if he got a chance to "run" by the house while down this way???

[Norwood]

As noted, John doesn't even know his number, unless his support people have told him... but his support folks will have a link with tracking and may not look at the generic map that the public is looking at...

There are two, maybe three IDs with each rider...almost all have SPOTS, some have only let support persons and family have their link...and support people are not supposed to share links to anyone else (hate for rider to be DQ) ...Most all have SPOT for view with assigned numbers by IBA and Spotwalla, some want their ID hidden for whatever reason to the public, but viewable to IBA and Family and support.

Ken Meese for example has hidden his ID to the public. he is the leader at this point.

Last night, one of my riders than I am support for called....he did ride with John on Leg 2 for many miles and commented that wish he had hung with him, because John had a great Leg 2... had I known that at that the time I could have ID-ed John...but wasn't aware til last night...

Another rider that I am supporting has opted to ride mostly at night on Leg 3, due to heat...he made a stop at noon for a four hour nap, but had ridden all night.. he didn't do Alaska, had the first of four corners in his pocket, but opted to cancel that part of the ride and work on collecting state capitals...he has plenty of time, IBR veteran of three past rallies... if he can collect state capitals in Leg 3 that equal 5000 points that will cancel out the ones that rode to Alaska or Four Corners (each offered 4800 points).

Going to be interesting LEG 3, state capitols value has increased, but is that enough to off set the one that chose to ride the four corners....

The ones that rode to Alaska are leading, but can they capture the states that missed up North and still get a few captials to insure a win? Can they beat the ones that are riding four corners and collecting more state capitals?

The ones that rode to Alaska and doing the four corners, can they pull it off? Sure win...but time is not on their side.. Remember they MUST ride all 48 states to even be in the running for a finish....not much time to collect state capitals on Leg 3...

One Alaska riders has still got to hit Oregon before finishing near L A Calfifornia...

John has excellent chance to finish in the Gold and top ten... he can collect the state capitals on Leg 3 with big points, has a great Leg 2.


I think one of the women riders will finish in top ten....

Like I said before, easy to sit here in AC comfort and looking a computer screen and figure out how I would do it or how they should do it... this is a level of riding that I can only read about....way way above my skill and ability...

Ride safe guys and gals.....

[Norwood]

Last group will move into Alabama tonight

Looks like the last group, group that made Key West for #3 of the Four Corners bonus and one coming down from Nashville capitol...will move into Alabama tonight and head West.... at least it will cooler...

But rain in the panhandle of Florida...

Ride safe...

[BamaBiker]

Looks like all "SPOT" riders have cleared Alabama and are headed west. Following those spots has been fun, but I'm sure the riders are about ready to be "home" and done with this grueling event.

Good luck to all still on the road, and John, we'll pulling for you!

[Norwood]

Heading to the BARN!

Still a hard hot ride ahead of them....Ride safe guys and gals!

[jdubeemer]

We have a friend who has a home in Sarasota and a home in Durango. He is enroute to Durango and is taking the northern route across Kansas because he said the Smoke from fires in New Mexico is causing traffic problems. It looks like it's not slowing down a bunch of bikers. I can't imagine being dead tired and riding in the dark through smoke.

[BamaBiker]

I've been wondering about the fires and how they might affect the IBR riders. No mention of them in any of the write-ups.

I asked one of my friends who lives in Los Alamos how bad they were, and were they affecting him and his work. He said the labs have mostly been evacuated -- my friend & his wife are in Santa Fe, waiting for the all clear to return. He posted a link to his blog where he's posted some pictures: http://www.labikes.blogspot.com. If you look at the pictures, imagine riding through the smoke at night! Are the roads even open?

IBR ends tomorrow, with check-in beginning in late morning. We'll soon now how John fared.

Good luck to all the riders still riding. Keep the eyes clear, and the rubberside down!

[Gail]

It looks like it's not slowing down a bunch of bikers.

That's the difference in "bikers" and "motorcyclists". That is one tough bunch. As for the reason anyone subjects him/her self to something that grueling is the same reason some folks like to climb mountains or run marathons. I think it is cool. It would be a big deal just to finish the thing, much less win! Gail

[jdubeemer]

Well? Who knows the results?

[Norwood]

Well? Who knows the results?

No official results yet...until after the banquet tonight and winners announcement...but in the meantime, check this out....

The first two legs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2QLVQzbO_o

Lastest report.

http://www.ironbuttrally.com/ibr/2011/14.pdf

[Norwood]

Finish report

http://www.ironbuttrally.com/ibr/2011/15.pdf

[BamaBiker]

Congratulations to Alabeemer John Harrison (on an ST1300) for his 12th place finish. 11 days, 12000+ miles, 19000 points. We're ready to hear all about it soon.

Now, ride safe on your way back to Birmingham! See you soon.