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October 15th, 2008 Bun Burner 1500 Part II muse@bikerenews.com Please allow images to load

In the previous article, I talked about the preps for the Bun Burner. As for the actual trip, it went pretty much according to plan. The first leg took me to Clifton Forge, VA. The second leg had me traveling through West Virginia to Olive Hill, KY. The third leg took me to the turn around point at Elberfeld, IN. I rode these legs without stopping (260 miles, 242 miles, and 256 miles respectively).

After turning around in Elberfeld, IN, I headed back to the 1,000 mile stop in Grayson, KY where I would be spending the night. In Frankfort, KY, I noticed a familiar sign from my childhood. It was a White Castle hamburger sign. Not having had a White Castle burger for 15 or more years, I only had one choice – to stop. While at the White Castle (which was attached to a quick mart), I relived another childhood food favorite. I picked up a twelve pack of Big Red.

HELPFUL HINT: There is always time for White Castle and Big Red.

After my gourmet meal, I rode the last 137 miles to Grayson, KY. It was 16 hours and 30 minutes after my start, and I had traveled 1,024 miles. I filled up with gas, checked into the motel, and went through my post ride ritual. All too soon, morning rolled around and I was back on the road at 05:47.

I road through West Virginia and was back at Clifton Forge, VA at 09:29. It is appropriate to mention the weather again at this point. On the previous day, the thermometer on the ST 1300 was reading in the mid-60’s when I started out. It didn’t reach the 70’s until I got to Charleston, WV at 10:30, and didn’t reach the 80’s until I passed through Lexington, KY around 13:00.

On the second day, the onboard thermometer started in the mid-50’s and didn’t get into the 60’s until I got to Clifton Forge, VA at 09:29 (almost four hours later). It quickly got to the 70’s as I passed through Staunton, VA, and made it into the 80’s when I was approaching Charlottesville, VA.

HELPFUL HINT: Be ready for weather and temperature changes. I have been reminded of how cool morning temps can be in the mountains of Virginia during my recent trips. It is important to watch for those cool fronts, effects of changes in elevation, and variation in riding times. Your mother was right. Dress in layers. In the afternoon, I was wearing a T-shirt under my mesh jacket. On the second morning, I had the liner in my jacket, and was wearing a T-shirt, thermal top, and a long sleeve jacket. I felt a little bulky, but I was comfortable. As the day warmed up, I peeled off layers.

1,500 miles is a long trip, and it helps to have a little music in the background to fill up the long stretches of road. I have gotten quite use to my IPod over the last few trips, and wouldn’t think of going on a long trip without it. That being said, I did notice a couple of little annoyances with my music situation. Over 1,500 miles, little annoyances can turn into big annoyances. I did take care of one potential problem before I started. I created play lists that would last from stop to stop. This required rearranging songs into 4-5 hour blocks of approximately 100 songs.

The little annoyances included two primary problems. First, I am still using earplug type headphones and having these plugs in my ears (under a helmet) all day can get to be a little bothersome. Second, I have come to learn that different songs are recorded at different volumes. Therefore, the volume level that is just right for one song is too low or too high for another song. This is complicated by the wind factor at higher speeds. With the IPod tucked into the inter pocket of my jacket, it is impossible to adjust the volume without stopping. I haven’t made any decisions, but I think I’m going to start looking into helmet speakers with a volume control.

HELPFUL HINT: Don’t let little problems turn into big problems. You can take care of this by not starting out with a problem that you think is "no big deal." Also, learn from other riders. You will not be the first to ride a motorcycle for a long distance, and you will probably not be the first to try solving something that bothers you.

So, if you are ready to give an Iron Butt ride a shot, check out the hints I’ve provided about my Bun Burner 1,500 or from the articles about my Saddle Sore 1,000 last July, or like Nike says, just do it. If you try one, just be safe, and remember that the ride is more about consistency than speed. On the first day this trip, I averaged 62 mph for the 1,024 miles. It certainly helps that Kentucky and Indiana have speed limits of 70 mph, but you have to be consistent with you speed and reduce the down time. If you’re ready, good luck. If not, hopefully I’ll see you at breakfast before a ride sometime.

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