Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 IRON BUTT MAGAZINE | Winter 2014 USE YOUR GPS Plotting the route and putting it into your GPS allows you to think through and visualize your ride. More to the point, you can find truck stops and put them in as waypoints, especially important if you think you can’t make it to the next gas stop. The GPS is also an accurate speedometer. If you have a cruise control, it allows you to punch in a speed and stay there if you are not attentive.And if wind or other conditions affect your gas consumption, you will know the distance to the next planned gas stop. GET AT LEAST SIX HOURS OF SLEEP To get six hours of real sleep, it’s best to check into a hotel. But plan on seven hours to account for checking-in, taking a shower, and inspecting your bike the next day. HAVE THE RIGHT GEAR ON HAND Have the right gear and understand when to use it. For instance, I know how long I can stand being cold before it becomes a problem.This is useful if the day begins at  degrees, but two hours later it is  degrees. For our  CC, we experi- enced incredible temperature changes. It was  degrees when I left Indianapolis, Indiana. I encountered torrential rain on the way to Florida. And then we hit triple digit temps near Tucson, which dropped  degrees when we rolled over the mountains into San Diego later that night. It’s important to anticipate how temperatures will change during the day.Weather will be a factor on this ride. BE MENTALLY PREPARED This ride is flat out boring.The terrain can be less than spec- tacular at times. In Texas, riders routinely report that deer are a problem. During our mid-May run we didn’t see any deer at all, alive or dead anywhere. But the ride can still be fraught with danger. On one occasion, loose cargo in a trailer blew off and a screen door whizzed by me. Another time, a tractor-trailer nearly jackknifed in front of us. On the way back a pallet of bricks found its way onto the interstate. Then there are the ever-present bad drivers and other normal road hazards. You will probably get hot and, as the road is repetitive, the mind will want to wander; all the more reason to get off the bike after  hours and get six hours of sleep. You cannot be attentive and focused if you are a beat up mess. Not having protein and calo- ries to help you stay awake, or remaining hydrated, will work against you. FIND YOUR OWN VERSION OF PETER CAMPBELL This ride is more fun if you have company. Peter and I have run Border-to-Border, around individual Great Lakes, and ridden numerous SaddleSores together, as well as other rides. This is to say we are on the same page. As a riding companion, “Blood and Guts,” as he is known having split a deer in two after one encounter,has all the attributes one could ask for.If we agree that it is wheels up at  a.m.,he is ready to go at  a.m.He does not dawdle at stops. Most importantly, he is a competent and safe rider. But riding with someone else is really about creating memories — it is just better if the memory is not only yours. I mean, there really is no substitute for “Did you see that?!!” Having someone along who did…or someone who can bolster your slight exagger- ations with supportive murmurings for all to hear…or someone who will notice when the time stamp on the gas receipt is wrong and you don’t…or someone who can say interesting things that you heard wrong. To wit: we were checking in to a hotel on the way back and the clerk asked,“Why do you do this sort of thing?” and I thought I heard Peter say “self hate.” Another particularly poignant memory is after arriving in Win- slow, Arizona, Peter got off his bike, marched over to me and without miss- ing a beat, began singing: “Well, I’m a standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, and such a fine sight to see. “It’s a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford, slowin’ down to take a look at me…” The next morning, we got up early and went downtown where there is a permanent corner dedicated to The Eagles, and that particular song, including a statue and a flatbed Ford — setting up a truly cool photo-op and memory. Your cc ride will be memorable. And know this for sure: If you can knock out back-to-back SaddleSores with ease,you can do a cc Quest any- time you want. Just make sure you’re ready for the highs and lows. 50CC QUEST RECONSTRUCTED