Friday, June 24, 2011

Day 5 – Checkpoint 1: New York

Being sent by a road crew on a detour of freshly-laid, inches-thick gravel in Missouri on Day 4,
Dropping the bike and taking a gouge out of the left side case,
Installing crash bars BEFORE the ride and riding the rest of the next two days to make it to the check point with time to spare – priceless!

Mmmmm - fresh tires.

A near-midnight call last night gave me the update, but she was already well near the end of her Day 4 ride heading into Ohio. A little sore, and with a story about the guy who helped her pick up the bike that made me laugh almost as much as Mike Allen’s story about “swimming suit” riding gear, she persevered. Biggest disappointment was leaving the points for Kentucky’s capital on the table in favor of getting into the checkpoint early enough to have a good look over of the bike. (Wise decision I say.)

Thanks George!  Shout out to Beemers Uber Alles!

So – appointment with a fabulous have-trailer-will-travel mechanic got everything good to go for Leg 2. She’s got a fresh set of tires, fresh final drive fluid and restocked food stores. (Dried fruit: awesome, cashew clusters: sick of ‘em.) She’s resting and ready for the release of the second rally packet at 4:00 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday) morning. Then it’s routing and on the road again for the states now available for Leg 2. This is a short one- riders have to be at Checkpoint 2 in Jacksonville, FL by 5 p.m. Monday. So those of you driving around New England, the Appalachians, or the Atlantic coast this weekend – give space and a nod for motorcycle riders! These riders will be doing all that in just three days.

Points at the end of Leg One: 4,992

Miles ridden: 5,044 in 99 hours (including rest breaks).

State Tally at End of Leg One (21 of 48): Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York.

7 comments:

  1. Wow...just wow. Thanks for the update and what an epic ride. Tell her she is amazing and I totally wish I was as good a rider as she is proving to be. I second the wise choice on giving up the capital for extra bike check time - much bigger points will be available down the road.

    Mike "you goin' swimmin in that?" Allen

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  2. OH! Looks like its time to update that map on the left side of the site!

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  4. Oops - I messed up that last comment- but agree! That map was started when she bought the bike. At this point all those grey states at the top should be red. Now if I can just figure out how to update that little map......

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  5. Wow! Just read the IBR ride report and Kirsten is in 7th place after the first leg even after everything that went on. you are on tough cookie Kirsten. Ride safe and far. Bob

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  6. As long as it is only the bike that has a "gouge" we are ok with that! And hopefully it will be the only mishap of the ride.....got it over with and onward and upward!

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  7. Wow! She's amazing!! I am glad her crash bars were there for her... right call safety over points. We want her back in one piece- we have to have a campfire night so she can do some story telling-- katherine

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