Convergence

“...then George had to take a hacksaw to the bolt, and that wasn’t working, so he got a grinder and the sparks were flying!” This is the message I got from Kirsten as she was in her final day of bike prep from the shop. I mean there was still 24 hours before take off to rally HQ - plenty of time. 

The RT getting fresh rubber for the road

Sometimes a hacksaw is needed

This year’s start of the Iron Butt Rally 2023 is in Pittsburgh, PA.  A rally start only 5-6 hours from home for a change. But don’t let that fool you - being closer to home means stretching out the “turn off” time of work and other obligations until it’s really just time. to. go.

As of yesterday afternoon about 3:00 p.m. local time, the convergence was complete. Riders of the 2023 IBR completed the check-in and registration process. If you are new to rally watching, you can read direct reports all rally-long on the shiny new IBR website!   

A wonderful return to this year’s rally are the international riders as COVID travel restrictions that held them back in 2021 are lifted. Chris McGaffin arrived from Ireland earlier this week with his full kit. Joe Fisher shipped his bike from Ireland to New York and was calmly sitting with us at lunch yesterday prepared to ride. Rather than ship from Australia, Olaf Moon has bikes he has bought and stored with rally friends here in the U.S. Wolfe Bonham literally finished assembling his bike days ago, riding it for the first time the few hundred miles from his home in Canada to rally HQ-PIT. After breakfast this morning, he did mention he could smell the clutch a little.

Chris and his kit at the airport - we approve of his choice of luggage!

Kirsten’s prep involved a new jacket that was actually waterproof, some new electronics and USB ports for the bike and a good once over from George Mangicaro of Gridlock Motors, who has taken care of every rally bike Kirsten has ever ridden. Jeff Jones sent Kirsten an In Reach cradle mount for free when she put out a call on the IBDone board - he said he wasn’t using it and wants to build up his good karma bank. (You are - thanks Jeff!) Gear, a new Sena motorcycle communication system and some spare parts for the road came from Morton’s BMW.  So much appreciation goes to Jeff, Pat and Seth who got the systems hooked up so that Kirsten and Chris could easily communicate over the next 11 days.

…oh wait… haven’t you heard?

"Pairing Ready" 

Kirsten and Chris will be riding IBR 2023 two-up! They will be riding Kirsten’s 2015 BMW R1200RT, a rally-finishing bike from the 2021 IBR. Kirsten is pilot, and Chris is navigator-pillion. And just like that, I have sooooo much more material for this year’s blog!

For now, I’ll say that the Rally HQ parking lot is awfully quiet with all the riders in the mandatory rider meeting. The Start Banquet is this evening where the rally packs for Leg 1 will be distributed. And then the real fun begins. 

Two-up Team Talken McGaffin in VA before heading to Pittsburgh