Pied Piper Time...

... it's time to begin following along once again - at least I hope so!

Just a month ago this is what my bike looked like as it was fitted for an auxiliary gas tank and additional lighting - two key safety components I did not have during the Iron Butt 5000 last year.  (Note the stock gas tank laying on the floor behind the bike).

At this late date, I can barely believe it, but I'm still doing final packing.  The new dining room table my mom gave us is covered with all the stuff I'm bringing (lots of food).  Yes, it is a beautiful table, but don't worry mom, I put down a table cloth first :)  And then there's the paperwork.  All the stuff I needed to get in order at the house and everything I need to check in on Saturday (yes, this Saturday).  Geez, there are a lot of moving parts to this endeavor (pun intended - sorry).

For those that have followed along on past adventures, you know that I'll be updating the "whats" and "why fores" until the last moment.  And then, our trusted and proven to be more than amusing proxy blogger, Jennifer, will take over and add to the story.  She'll also add information provided by rally staff (including links to the IBR daily updates).

As with last year's Iron Butt 5000 there's great concern for our safety, so we've been asked to curtail our postings and protect our location information.  This year is no different, just twice as long.  Organizers have set up a way for you to be able to get real time information on where all the riders who want to make their locations public are at any moment in time.  Ask Jennifer, she saw a preview of just such a thing during last year's Mason Dixon 2020.  Her one comment?  "It looked like a bunch of ants spread across a map.  The country was swarming with all you riders."  Creepy or cool, that's for you to decide.  Here's the link to the 2011 Iron Butt Rally SpotWalla page - http://spotwalla.com/locationViewer.php?id=67  If you click on it before June 20th you're likely to just get a message saying, "Sorry, no messages to show at this time."  We'll receive our bonus locations mid-morning on the 20th, so I expect folks to start moving by lunch-time.

 

Of course, I'm motoring around Seattle starting Thursday (June 16th) and will begin posting my location.  BEFORE the rally you'll be able to check in via the usual daily feed link

(http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=6531).  Once the fun begins, that link will go dark, but you can still follow along if you want via a password protected page.  Yes, it helps me to know folks are checking in on me, so I'd like to invite you to follow along if you can: 1) NOT share the link with anyone else since you'll be getting the non-password version and 2) help keep me safe by not giving specifics of where I am.  If that

works for you, send me a note and I'll send you the link.

Oh crap, I've got to finish packing... more later!