10/10ths Iron Butt ride. Part 1
A few weeks ago I attempted and completed a 10/10ths Iron Butt
ride. After completing a large number of 1000 mile days, I have
never completed a 1000 mile day alone. Someone always rode along
with me, or I rode along with others. I have always read how you
should ride long distance rides alone so you can ‘ride your own
ride’ but I never believed in it. Except for an accident in 2008,
the crew I usually ride with have always completed these rides with
time to spare. I think the reason the Brand X riders preach this
practice is because they don’t experience the camaraderie shared
with most Harley riders. There is a strong bond between riders from
all walks of life, but even stronger among Harley riders.
After planning my diet, sleep, routes and what if scenarios I
felt I was ready to give it hell. I rolled off the first morning at
4:00 am sharp. Starting this ride a bit later in the riding season
I knew I would be riding more in darkness than the usual rides in
the middle of summer. I replaced the stock HD headlight bulbs with
PIAA Extreme White 110w/100w bulbs. I adjusted the headlamps lower
3 times throughout the ride because I was constantly getting the hi
beams flash from oncoming traffic. Apparently I had the stock bulbs
aimed pretty high, but no one noticed. Well, now I am sure they can see me.
The first day the weather was fair, I rode a nearly identical
route as the very first Saddlesore I completed in 2000. Johnson
City Tennessee was my turn around point the first day, just as it
was for the first Saddlesore. I thought a lot about that first ride
throughout that day. Of the 6 riders who completed the first Berks
HOG Chapter Saddlesore, 2 riders had passed away due to cancer. I
thought a lot about the many rides with Roger Summers and Jim Hess,
many miles together there for sure. I remembered passing that spot
on Rt 81 in Virginia where the lightning flashes were lighting up
the night. I looked over at Hessy to my right as another flash lit
up the sky and he is grinning from ear to ear and laughing like
hell. We stopped for raingear and I asked him why he was laughing,
he said “this outta thin out the herd a bit,” but to his surprise
everyone hung in there through the rain in the dark and completed the ride.
Respectfully submitted,
Harry Knerr
IBA # 7880
Team Lilley – SMD
There he lay, badly beaten while others walked by
This is a copy of a blog from just before Christmas.
December 19, 2011
I got up this morning wondering what adventures today would bring. I took a leisurely walk into town and it was beautiful. I made my way down near Khetia’s where I usually can find my kids I hang out with. I stood outside on the sidewalk and shortly a young man, probably about 16 or 17 years old ran up to me. He spoke very little English so another man walking by helped interpret. I wasn’t sure what he was asking but I gathered that it was for his friend that he said was beaten up and he needed help. I’ve heard this kind of scam around town before and honestly, I thought that’s what this was. I said that I could not help. Something was different next. As I watched him hang his head and run off I could see fear in his eyes. I saw a genuine concern that I’ve never seen when someone is trying to pull a scam. As I stood there I knew I had to find him. In the 30-45 seconds that passed, he was out of sight. I circled the block a bit and finally caught up to him. I asked him to take me to his friend.
We walked up the street and there he was. There was this other young man about the same age. His name is Peter Lojore. Peter could barely open his eyes and was very weak. So weak that when I felt for his pulse I could barely find one. Something looked bad about his leg. The smallest touch on his knee caused intense pain. I’ve seen people faking pain before – he was not. Another of his friends that was there cut his pant legs so I could look at his knees. His left knee had a deep cut that was still fresh and bloody. His right knee was swollen bigger than a softball. I got bit and pieces of the story from a few other people around. What I can put together is this:
Peter and his friends have a push cart job. Basically, the have a big, wooden cart that they push around town and carry things for people. He must have been hired by someone and took his cart down a street that some other street boys work. Last night those other guys were drunk and came to Peter and beat him up. I believe that a metal pipe was used, though I’m not positive.
At this point, I knew that I couldn’t just walk away doing nothing. Peter very obviously needed medical attention. I managed to get him to the Kitale District Hospital and left a deposit that should cover his bills there. The initial doctor to look at him suspects at least 3 fractured bones in Peter. The entire time that I was taking him to the hospital on lookers stopped and laughed. They would crack jokes and laugh about Peter. They could laugh, but no one would stop to help. I full out yelled at a crowd of men in the back of a pickup truck for laughing while we were trying to get Peter onto a motorcycle.
What I saw today was upsetting. And I don’t just mean the beaten young man. It was upsetting to see the attitudes of so many through town. To them, Peter and his friends are nothing more than street boys and nuisances. I saw something different in them. I saw two of Peter’s friends desperately seeking out help for him. I saw these two walk away from their push carts to come sit with Peter in the hospital. One of them looked at me and said that he has spent most of his life now with Peter and others on the streets. He said, “these guys are my brothers”. I left the hospital after a while and promised to return tomorrow with lunch for them and to be sure that the doctors are treating him well. Peter’s friend walked out with me saying that because I helped it was his job to make sure I got out of the hospital safely. Once I was outside the gate, he went back in to be with Peter. It’s totally safe there, but the fact that he walked me out was amazing. What I saw in these street boys today was so precious. I saw in them what I wish I could see in so many of the other locals: concern for other people.
When push comes to shove, who are you? Are you the one to stick by your friends – or even a stranger – or just an onlooker making jokes? Are you in too much of a hurry to stop and show compassion? Or will you push aside your schedule and time to do the right thing?
Nephew of Joe and Donna from DAK Self Storage
You can read more of my blogs here: http://www.raydsmith.blogspot.com/
‘Back to Back’ Bun Burner Gold 3000
This past June I did a few Iron Butt rides with fellow riders, but, also did one ride alone. The last weekend in June, I attempted and completed a ‘Back to Back’ Bun Burner Gold 3000. After careful planning I developed three routes that seemed ‘fast’ to me. I would watch the weather carefully the last few days before the ride started and select the final route by the best weather. I also have been determining for years where people lose time on a ride. Many people go in a convenience store and walk around trying to decide what they want to snack on. Or the store where they stopped doesn’t have the snack you are looking for. The clock is running, so I would eat whatever I had with me. I selected an assortment of foods that would travel well in the tourpack without melting in the summertime heat. Cookies when I crave sweet, crackers when I crave salt and slim jims when I feel like I’m starving. I filled a small cooler with drinks to keep me going.
The saying 80% preparation, 20% execution always makes sense to me, and this ride was no different. I got my bike serviced and ready to go the weekend before the ride. Went to bed at least an hour earlier than normal the last three nights before the ride. Friday I left work early and went home to rest, hoping my body was ready to ‘skip’ a nights rest. Sherry made me a nice big meal and we ‘did it’ so that end wasn’t thinking for me. I begged her to please, please, please don’t cast a rain spell the next two days. I slept like a rock for about three and a half hours, woke up and got dressed to go.
The start receipt at Maidencreek Redners Quick Shop read 12:02 AM 06/25/11. Easy enough to calculate, one BBG the first calendar day, and one BBG the second. There are definitely advantages and disadvantages to riding at night. One advantage is the lack of traffic. One disadvantage is your body is used to sleeping at that time. I did not get to Carlisle, PA and I felt the urge to close my eyes. Not good! I cracked open a 5 Hour Energy and took about half of it to push me over that first hurdle. I did not have any trouble the rest of the first leg, mainly because I spent the next three hours worrying about my sanity. I kept the speed around 70 mph during the night playing it safe for wildlife in western PA.
The route I was planning to run was I-70 straight out to Colorado. The 320 to 340 mile intervals were working well because I had recently installed a Boyesen intake that not only increased my power, I was getting great fuel economy. Traffic in the cities along I-70 went well Saturday morning. The interstate in Indiana was so rough the rear tourpack latch broke, I added a bungee cord at the next stop. In Kingdom City, Missouri, the gas receipt did not have a location. I left the bike at the pump and went in for a reprint. No location, dammit! I tried to explain briefly to ‘Bob’ that I needed a receipt that had a location on it. The best I could get out of him was the phone number to the station and he was the ‘ONLY BOB THAT WORKED THERE!’ Alrighty then. Back outside I checked my phone and got a text message that informed me there were severe storms near Topeka, Kansas, crap! I put the FXRG gear on and took off down the road.
I spent a lot of the next leg watching the sky for storms. In Topeka I ran into a delay, but it wasn’t the weather. There was about 15 minutes lost due to one lane construction on I-70. It was 98 degrees and I was walking the bike along at 3 mph in my FXRG gear sweating my ass off. I was hoping for some rain to cool me off, but it never came. I was still ahead of time by about 30 minutes and I made up a little of that time lost in western Kansas.
Rolling into Colorado ahead of the clock was a real treat. I stopped to snap this picture at the state line.
That was the only time I took to take any pictures. I had my eye on the prize the entire ride and had seen this scenery plenty of times. Only twelve more miles to Burlington, CO from here, stopped the first leg by topping off the bike tank at 7:29 PM Mountain Time, 06/25/11. I got my required two witnesses and rode into town looking for a hot meal. It seemed like both of the Mom & Pop restaurants were full so I ended up at McD’s at the second exit. I ate, answered some messages and tried to close my eyes a few minutes in the booth. That wasn’t happening. I went outside and topped off the oil, cleaned the windshield, reorganized my paperwork and noticed the “No Loitering” signs on the building.
Across the street was more of a truck stop looking place so I rode over and went inside. It seemed like they were going out of business. Large empty areas, only half the lights were on so I went back outside and sat on a bench out front. I attempted to close my eyes a few minutes but it still wasn’t happening. I pushed the bike to the pump and topped off the fuel cell to start the second leg, 8:35 PM Mountain Time, 06/25/11. Once again around 1 am I felt the urge to sleep, I took the other half of the 5 Hour Energy and kept rolling with ease. Kept the speed again around 70 mph, I saw two coyote torturing a rabbit in the median in the moonlight. I only saw few deer here and there, and a few. LEO’s that got stuck on the night shift. When I stopped for gas, I had a ‘too close for comfort’ with a drunk colored gentleman in Junction City, Kansas. I did not feel comfortable leaving my bike at the pump so I could take a piss, so I filled out my paperwork and took off down the road.
The sun finally began to come up in Missouri, and I was really glad to greet the day. There were a few areas of light rain but not enough to pull over to throw the FXRG pants on. Another text message warning me about weather ahead caused me to suit up again. By the time I got to Indianapolis there was a strange bumping noise somewhere in the back over bumps. I stopped for gas and found the second tourpack latch broken and the lid was popping open and getting slammed shut by the bungee cord on the shitty roads. I added another bungee and took off. Somewhere around Dayton, OH I was really feeling like shit, so I took another 5 Hour Energy and that hit the spot. Hammer down and headed back to the barn! Except for a fifteen minute delay for construction in Triadelphia, WV the ride back the PA Turnpike went quick. I very seldom rode faster then 80 mph the entire ride. Steady pace wins the race!
I rolled into the gas pump at Maidencreek Redners Quick Shop and stopped the clock at 9:40 PM, 06/26/11. Kerry met me at the gas station to witness and except for complaining about my smell, said I looked pretty good. And surprising to me, I felt really good too. I have been testing my limits for years now and apparently I have not hit my limit yet.
Hmmm, maybe a BBG Trifecta next year? I e-mailed Kneebone and asked him if there was any special paperwork or anything for the Trifecta. His response back to me was, “just another endless day, LOL”. The final stats were: Elapsed Time – 45:38, GPS Miles – 3060, Overall Average Speed – 67.1.
Ride Hard or Stay Home,
Harry Knerr
HOG Life Member
IBA Premier Member
I can get you rooms at The Ritz
Several years back, Donna and I left Leesport on a motorcycle trip through New England and into Canada with our friends Deb and Glen. Before every trip I get nervous about leaving DAK Self Storage as it seems something always happens before we leave or during our trip. I sometimes wonder if vacations are worth the headaches. Donna had her own motorcycle at that time, but always felt more comfortable riding on the back with me, so she did. Deb and Glen each have their own bikes. After two days of riding in New England we headed toward The Great White North.
Once inside of Canada we took some two lane roads toward Quebec. The scenery was typical farmland with very little traffic. Almost the second we pulled onto the two lane road, my Sirius Satellite radio started playing a triple play of Rush. I am a huge Rush fan and have seen them every tour since 1977. So to be on Canadian roads and be jamming out to them was a nice fuzzy feeling. I know, I know they are from Toronto, but come on we’re in Canada. It took some time to get used to road signs being in French and kilometers per hour, but we got used to it. 100 KPH is 62.1371192 MPH. I just looked that up now. I knew it was 62 but thought it could not be exact.
We passed Ontario along the water way leading Nord into the Gulf of St Lawrence all the while still seeing only signs and billboards in French. Around Riviere du Loup (I don’t know how to put that little thingy above the e?) we turned Sud onto the Trans-Canada Hwy 185 toward New Brunswick. This was a very nice road with plenty of wildlife along the road. On a motorcycle moose seem very large. Our plan was to stop along the 185 and find a room. We would always drive until dark and stop. This is how we have done it in the past and never had an issue getting a room, but we did not realize that a large concert and some type of festival were in the area.
The first place we stopped looked promising to Glen and me. It had a few motorcycles in the lot and a large sign that read “danseurs de XXX” I looked at Glen and he at me. We both said” I wonder what that means?” This looks like a good place to stay. What more could we want? It had a bar and a motel on the same property. At the same time Donna and Deb said “Oh sure you’ve been reading signs in French all day and you don’t know what that means.” In unison they said “NO!” That no would be a mistake. It was about 5:30 or 6:00 pm. The road ahead was long and desolate. It was now getting dark and the last thing we wanted to do was have a moose run out in front of us.
We traveled what seemed like forever before coming to the small town Notre-Dame-Du-Lac on the banks of Lac Temiscouta. It was a nice little town with restaurants and rooms. It was about 7:30 pm and we stopped at a nice looking motel for a room. The manager was on the phone speaking French. After he hung up, I asked if he had two rooms and was then told everything in about a 1 hour radius was booked solid. This is when we found out about the big concert. The nice man at the desk asked what direction we were traveling. I told him south. He said he would make a call and see if he could find us a room. He got on the phone and started speaking French. After a short period he covered the phone with his hand and said “I can get you rooms at the Ritz”. He said this would be the nearest rooms available to where we were and it is only about 50 kilometers just nord est of Edmondston, New Brunswick. I asked him to ask if they would hold them. He asked in French and said they would. He asked for my name and told me they would have the rooms waiting. Everyone was tired and hungry, so it did not matter what the “Ritz” was going to cost.
It was at this time we got a frantic call from Kelly, our daughter stating a DAK Self Storage tenant called the police about a minor personal issue. I am told I can’t discuss it here. Oh boy I wish I could. After at least a half hour on a long distance, international cell call with Police, tenant and Kelly it was all resolved.
While we fueled up before hitting the road to New Brunswick, I had to give the short story to everyone as they all heard my conversation. We headed sud toward Edmondston. It was dark and all eyes were toward the side of the road looking for moose. After about 30 minutes we saw a large lighted sign to the right of the roadway “The Ritz”. I think we all laughed out loud. We had to ride past the sign about a half mile, exit the ramp and return on the service road. I don’t recall seeing anything but woods and the motel. It seemed in the middle of nowhere, but it was a room. The front desk was in a small hallway and almost reminded me of a home office. We got there just in time, as a few other people also needed a room. While waiting we discussed driving another 20 minutes into Edmondston, after all we were sure to find a place closer to a bar and a good meal. I confirmed our hold on the room just in case. I told them we were driving all day and wanted to get something to eat. They said that would be fine they would hold them for us. We cruised into town only to find one room that the manager said he could put a rollaway bed into. We asked to see the room. The room was about the size of a 10×10 storage unit and had he put in that roll away, one would need to climb on the other bed to get to the bathroom. We declined and decided we would grab a bite to eat and head back to the “Ritz”. While a dinner I called Kelly and she assured me everything worked out OK. I explained the issue to Donna, Deb and Glen. Glen laughed and said every time we take a bike trip something strange happens at DAK and that certainly tops the list. We had a real good meal at a nice steak restaurant and headed back to the “Ritz”.
After checking in I soon realized that the very first place may have been the better of the two. The room was only wide enough for the bed and a few feet on each side, with the bathroom in front and to the left of the bed. Deb and Glens room was the same. Being a long day and wanting to get an early start we decided to call it a night. The carpet floor was so sticky Donna used a patchwork of towels from the bed to the bathroom. Sometime during the night I woke up to see our room door wide open. I got up and looked outside when Donna said she opened it. She said it was so stuffy and small, she had to open the door and did not care if a bear or moose came into the room. This is a strange thing for her to do as she 
normally will almost put a chair in front of the door. In fact she has done that already.
In the morning we got showers and headed down the road. About ten miles, ah 6.2 kilometers down the road to our first Tim Horton’s (A much nicer version of Dunkin Donut’s). We must have passed 100 of them. While drinking coffee and eating a fresh coffee roll, I said that place was certainly not the “Ritz” I was expecting. I laughed and said I am writing them a letter when we get home. After breakfast we headed est toward Prince Edward Island.
