What happened to 18 months…

… seriously.  Wasn’t it just yesterday that I got the following:

Congratulations!  Your application was drawn for entry in the 2015 Iron Butt Rally!

I remember thinking to myself that I was both elated and nervous.  There are top dog riders who profess to no preparation prior to the rally.  That’s just unfathomable to me. Time to get crackin and get all the preparatory work done well in advance.

And yet….

  

Here it is, less than a week from when I need to hit the road and I’ve just figured out that the program I’ve been using with all my legacy GPS units keeps crashing.  Yep, nothing like learning a new system days before you have to employ it in the most challenging event you’ve ever done.

 

So, when I was preparing for the 2011 IBR I made sure I got lots of good sleep before the rally.  This go around I’m up until one or two in the morning working on learning Basecamp. 

It’s actually got me rather nervous on top of the usual jitters.  But I’m playing the mental games with myself saying I don’t have as much to do as before to get everything ready (i.e., I’m not putting on a new auxiliary fuel tank – oh wait, I did just add a new tank).  Anyway, it's a week before I hit the road.  Time to put the hydration system back on the bike and dial in a few last things.  All the grandiose plans I had for updating this or that are out the window now.  There are only three changes on the bike, along with the new auxiliary fuel tank and top case, I pulled out the AutoCom and replaced it with a wireless system (more on that in a later posting) and I now have in excess of 130k miles on the '09 RT... she's a keeper!

Artwork by Becca - http://cargocollective.com/rlgoulder

A while ago I was asked if folks could “contribute” to my ride.  Well, for the folks who’ve read Jennifer’s most excellent blow-by-blow of the 2011 ride, you know just how much of a contribution your well wishes and kind thoughts were along the way.  Even so, I continue to be asked about giving money to help out.  So, if you’ve already done your charitable giving and are looking to buy a poor fool a gallon of gas or batteries for the SPOT so you can keep watching, here’s the skinny.

On the upper right side of this page (mobile users, click the "View web version" at the bottom of the site) is the button to send funds. Donation sites charge a processing fee on TOP of what PayPal charges, so it was recommended that I just go straight to PayPal.  You don’t need an account to send funds.  If you do have an account, by using the “send to family & friends” link, there’s no fee for bank donations within the U.S.  Please be sure to include a mailing address as I want to send along a thank you for your help :)