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weather forecast tiles go here.
General Plan : Multi-IBA attempts over 4 days. Depart early morning of Thursday Feb 8 en route to Key West via Atlanta and the Alligator Alley (95-85-75-Alley); this normally qualifies as a Bun Burner (1,500 miles in less than 36 hours). I rode this Feb 00 for my first BB1500, but plan to attempt a BBG (1500 in 24) this time around, that's 62.5 mph average, for the trip.
Return Sunday Morning Feb 11, straight up I-95; this qualifies as a Saddlesore (1,000 miles in less than 24 hours).
Total Miles: approximately 2,800
The forecast along the KW Run legs must not have rain, snow or freezing rain/sleet. Shower activity is considered tolerable. Weather Checkpoints:
Preliminaries: A co-worker has agreed to serve a the BBG starting witness (he's a cop) and Jean as on the return ending one if need be; a Key West witness will be lined up by "ride time". The motorcycles must be in order, decent rubber, fresh oil, etc. Each rider is suggested to carry a supply of drinking water (if you aren't peeing at rest stops, you're not drinking enough fluids); please read Laurie Robertson's experience on the IBA "Saddlesore 1000 Stories and Rules" page. I will be using a Camelbak 2 l container with an additional gallon in a saddlebag. I will also be carrying a first aid kit, a12v and a hand air pump, tire plug kit, CB, analogue cell phone, a gold card, and a supply of "road munchies" (breakfast bars, bananas, chocolate, sour candy, etc).
Carry at least two different credit cards, if not more, that you can charge gas on; credit card receipts are the most acceptable document for IBA submissions. I carry three gas cards plus a variety of other regular cards.
Review IBA guidelines with fellow riders; the 300 miles limit applies to the BBG- we must stop every 300 miles for fuel regardless of need. Get all "ducks in a row."
Thursday Feb 8: Depart for Out bound leg.
Baltimore to Key West 1,523 miles (per IBA):
As mentioned, I rode this last year, so I can attest to it's shortcomings and advantages. It will be close on the time factor, since the last 250 miles of the trip do take 5 hours and there is almost no way around that fact. 63.5 mph must be maintained to acheive the mileage in the ime alloted- no if's and's or but's. This average will get to Key Wesy with exactly 1 minute to spare, which is a bit too close in my book.
There are only two intermediate goals that have bearing on completing the BBG in time- getting by Atlanta by 3pm and paying the toll at Alligator Alley less than 19 hours into the ride. If the Atlanta arrival is anytime after after 3, the risk of running into the Atlanta Rush hour increases exponentially. The Alligator Alley time is for the last 250 miles, including the run across the Alley. It will take at least 2 hours to travel the last 106 miles across the Keys. This ups the average to 68 mph for the first section of the run- this number seems high, but it is doable with proper clock managment. During my first BBG, Dale and I were averaging just about 70 for the first 15 hours and 66 for the last 5.
Another, unmentioned, but just as important criteria is to get around DC and Richmond before their respective rush hours get going. The posted speed limit is 65 or 70 nearly the entire length of this route, with the exception of the couple of metro areas (55) and the last 120 miles out US-1 (45). As of these items point towards a 4am start time; collective groan. However, this maximizes the daylight hours across the regions where the "best time" can be made.
The ride plan is push as far we can safely get on a tank; this requires the absolute minimum number of fuel stops as 5 [250,500,750,1000,1250]. The ending stop make the total 6. I plan to stop every 225-250 miles for fuel- closer to 250 the better. Rest stops are scheduled to start on tank 2, somewhere around the 350 mile mark (or just about 51/4 hours in). Both fuel and rest stops are budgeted at 15 minutes. The IBA requires documentation for the route "corners"; in this case, it's Atlanta and Naples. Naples is easy with the Alligator Alley Toll (making sure the receipt is "fresh"). On the other hand, Metro Atlanta is in the 680-710 mile range, which changes the fuel stop equation. Fuel stop #3 is now Metro Atlanta at 675+/- miles.
There are 7 fuel stops using Atlanta as the corner and I can't see a way around it.
Projected Route Sheet