Events / Rides / Ride Reports: Organize and report on events / rides / trips.
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BBG Hell Week - Mission Complete!
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07-23-2007, 11:16 PM
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#1 | | Rapin' Asphalt! Join Date: Sep 29 2006 Location: West Richland, Washington Bike(s): '02 CBR1100XX, '03 FJR1300, '08 Busa Age: 50 Posts: 874
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I just returned late last night.... back safe and sound. Have just a few unbelievable stories to tell about this one, trust me.....
Here are the preliminary stats that are part of the package that will go off to the IBA for certification (so nothing is "official" until that happens):
July 14 - 1,519 miles
July 15 - 1,510 miles
July 16 - 1,521 miles
July 17 - 1,515 miles
July 18 - 1,526 miles
July 19 - 1,518 miles
July 20 - 1,527 miles
States covered: California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah TOTAL MILEAGE: 10,636 miles TOTAL TIME: 6 days, 23 hours, 28 minutes
We have all the fuel logs, odometer readings, witness forms and Star-Traxx details that should substantiate all 7 days with no problems.
Here I am just stepping off the bike at the end of Day 7:
And after a nice hot shower.... I am worse off than before! I went to bed and slept for 10 hours straight after this photo was taken:
The Blackbird did awesome, as we all knew it would.
The only issue I had was the way the rear Avon Storm would melt away after only two BBG runs. Mind you, their grip and handling performance proved exceptional - and quite possibly, even saved my life during the Day 3 super-cell thunderstorm around the Carlin/Battle Mountain region - but they would only last through 2 BBGs, and then would be well into the wear bar indicators:
BrainR was the absolute KEY FACTOR that allowed me to do this run. He worked on the Blackbird several hours every night, if doing nothing more than PM items to help ensure that there was NOTHING that I had to actually worry about other than riding the bike and trying to stay safe about it.
Here's a sampling of the preventative maintenance what Brain did to the bike every night (these nightly tasks are written in green at the bottom of the white board... then additional, more involved tasks he had written in black):
Another person playing a critical role was Brian's wife Jan Roberts, who took care of my various injuries, and as a trained, certified Nutritionist, she also took care took care of feeding me all week. Here she is working on the palm of a completely toasted throttle hand after feeding me:
And finally.... YOUSE GUYS need to give yourself a big pat on the back for this accomplishment, because I most definitely used all those donations to buy fuel, and it even help pay for a new rear Pilot Road that I was forced to buy to finish Days 6 & 7.
Good on you, fellas.... |
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07-23-2007, 11:29 PM
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#2 | | Ba-Da-Bing Join Date: Sep 15 2006 Location: Raleigh, NC Bike(s): 2007 Honda ST1300 Age: 36 Posts: 1,049
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You're a lunatic. |
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07-23-2007, 11:30 PM
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#3 | Join Date: Feb 22 2007 Location: St. Louis, MO Bike(s): 1997 CBR1100XX Age: 33 Posts: 522
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un-freaking-believable. hats off to you and a big fat congratulations!!! very impressive to say the least.
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07-23-2007, 11:42 PM
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#4 | | Rapin' Asphalt! Join Date: Sep 29 2006 Location: West Richland, Washington Bike(s): '02 CBR1100XX, '03 FJR1300, '08 Busa Age: 50 Posts: 874
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Originally Posted by ConqSoft You're a lunatic.  | I can say with some assurance that I won't be attempting this one again.
And I can also say that I really do believe this record will stand for quite a while, because this was truly nuts, and I think anyone who tries for 8 BBGs had better have a plan of attack that is extremely well thought-out and executed.
Because I had the fast bike, the loneliest, fastest roads, a superb support team, and over a decade of heavy-duty training and experience, basically had everything going for me and yet, I almost could not finish Day 7.... I was 18 minutes away from being time-barred on Day 7. |
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07-24-2007, 12:03 AM
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#5 | | Crazy Cannuck Join Date: Dec 18 2006 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada Bike(s): 1997 CBR1100XX 1988 FZ600 (track) Age: 30 Posts: 121
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Well done.  |
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07-24-2007, 12:07 AM
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#6 | Join Date: Oct 21 2006 Location: Phoenix, AZ Bike(s): 03 XX, Plated 03 XR650R Posts: 1,201
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Dale,
Way to go!
So, I assume you now hold a world record!
Congratulations! |
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07-24-2007, 1:55 AM
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#7 | Join Date: Nov 06 2006 Location: Red Deer Bike(s): JUST A GIXXER AND AN XX....OK? Posts: 1,407
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Good job bro....I will admit , however, you do look pretty wrecked in the photos.....must have been hell.
Hats off to ya Warchild.
__________________ RED IS SIMPLY THE FASTEST COLOUR |
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07-24-2007, 3:03 AM
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#8 | | Rapin' Asphalt! Join Date: Sep 29 2006 Location: West Richland, Washington Bike(s): '02 CBR1100XX, '03 FJR1300, '08 Busa Age: 50 Posts: 874
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Originally Posted by Aurora Dale,
So, I assume you now hold a world record! | Oh, no, no, no..... not claiming any of that! The IBA would be the ones making any mention of that subject, and only after they perform their reviews, is my guess, Quote:
Originally Posted by lois Good job bro....I will admit , however, you do look pretty wrecked in the photos.....must have been hell. | Some spots during the week were indeed quite bad. The Battle Mountain/Carlin super-cell storm on Day 3. The desert wildfires in central and northern Nevada on Days 4 & 5.
And the very worst by far: the last 200 miles of Day 7. |
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07-24-2007, 3:31 AM
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#9 | Join Date: Oct 16 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Bike(s): 2004 Blue Blackbird Posts: 808
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Brilliant effort. I am in awe of your achievement.
__________________
Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean people aren't out to get me!
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07-24-2007, 3:50 AM
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#10 | | Fly Blackbird Fly Join Date: Jun 04 2007 Location: Uvalde, Texas Bike(s): 2002 Blackbird 2005 Goldwing Age: 53 Posts: 120
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__________________ Jim
It's the trip not the destination!
Now flying on a BLACKBIRD, a WING and a PRAYER! |
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07-24-2007, 3:57 AM
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#11 | Join Date: Oct 18 2006 Location: Spanaway, WA Bike(s): '00 XX Posts: 713
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Congratulations Dale. 
A monumental achievement.  Maybe we get to see you at Hookers next year - for more than 2 seconds!!
__________________
-Vern
Hawaiian Island Stylin'
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07-24-2007, 8:40 AM
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#12 | Join Date: Nov 14 2006 Location: Minnesota Bike(s): '02 CBR1100XX Posts: 69
|  That's just tits Dale, yer da man  ...
Hell, i can't even get thru the 2nd tank b4 i'm taking a snooze. Seriously, how in the hell do u stay awake, or more importantly "alert" enuf to be reasonably safe?
Again, mucho congrats...
__________________
Bruce
My goal in life is to never grow up, so far have grossly exceeded expectations and still pushing the envelope |
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07-24-2007, 8:42 AM
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#13 | | Craig Join Date: Nov 21 2006 Location: Sumner, Ga Bike(s): 2001 XX 1987 VF700C Magna Age: 49 Posts: 314
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Fantastic,
I couldn't do two of those, a week apart.
It is great you made it, and better that you survived. |
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07-24-2007, 8:44 AM
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#14 | Join Date: May 24 2007 Location: Charleston, sc Bike(s): 2002 Blackbird stock Age: 37 Posts: 234
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Glad you made it safe brother, Great Job!
__________________
R. Matthews
"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard"
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07-24-2007, 9:19 AM
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#15 | | Moderator Join Date: Nov 12 2006 Location: Medford, NY Bike(s): '99 CBR1100XX Age: 39 Posts: 1,413
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Congratulations!  That's an amazing feat.
How did your torn bicep affect your riding, if at all? How many two-headed giraffes and white elephants did you count on those dark desert roads at night?
Glad you completed your mission safely.
__________________
-Paul
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07-24-2007, 9:34 AM
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#16 | Join Date: Nov 07 2006 Location: LI, NY Bike(s): '03 XX Posts: 67
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Dude- I would have made it to 700 miles, day 1 and said, "See you later Dale. Catch up with me on the way back!"
Crazy bastard.
Good job.
__________________
"My cat would prison rape that dog"
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07-24-2007, 9:35 AM
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#17 | Join Date: Oct 22 2006 Location: Melbourne Australia Bike(s): 2006 silver/black Posts: 11
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Well done Dale,Idont know how you even contemplated that sort of mission,let alone complete it,you are a legend    AL(sorry its been a while since my last post)
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07-24-2007, 11:07 AM
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#18 | | Rapin' Asphalt! Join Date: Sep 29 2006 Location: West Richland, Washington Bike(s): '02 CBR1100XX, '03 FJR1300, '08 Busa Age: 50 Posts: 874
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Originally Posted by PJNXX Congratulations!  That's an amazing feat.
How did your torn bicep affect your riding, if at all? How many two-headed giraffes and white elephants did you count on those dark desert roads at night?  | The torn bicep was not a huge problem, since I didn't have to work the clutch too terribly often throughout each day.
I did have a very irritating visual problem: at the end of Day 3, above 60-70mph, the left eye would not stay open. It would simply "close up" for reasons still unclear to me. If I tried to force it open and use the eye, it would not focus properly with the other eye. It was sorta-kinda as if the left eye only saw things "up close", and the right eye saw objects far away, and I couldn't get one to reconcile with the other.....
So the last 6000 miles of this event was run with only one eye.... and since this means no depth perception, hurtling the bike into a set of twisties was a real challenge most of the time..... |
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07-24-2007, 11:51 AM
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#19 | Join Date: Nov 25 2006 Location: canada Bike(s): '02 metalic cherry red CBR 1100 XX Posts: 2,013
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Oh my aching hemoroids, incredible, well done, I guess. Have you been to your family Dr for a complete check up? All this might be an interesting study for your local Sports Medicine Clinic. Cheers
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07-24-2007, 1:14 PM
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#20 | Join Date: Oct 19 2006 Location: Sierra Mtns Bike(s): 02 XX, 03 DL1000, 02 Dl1000, 98 SV650, 06 ST1300A Age: 50 Posts: 119
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Originally Posted by Warchild And the very worst by far: the last 200 miles of Day 7.  | Gee - I thought that was fun....it was the first ride I got to take in about 8 days!
Brian R
__________________ Brian R.
Do you know EXACTLY how fast you were going?
Gee Officer between the speedometer, Cyclometer and the GPS I might have a guess |
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07-24-2007, 2:19 PM
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#21 | | Blackbirdista Join Date: Oct 25 2006 Location: Italy Bike(s): 2003 CBR1100XX, 1974 CB750, 1996 Ducati 600SS Age: 36 Posts: 151
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Last edited by trkracer : 07-24-2007 at 2:20 PM.
Reason: was too obnoxious :-)
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07-24-2007, 2:49 PM
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#22 | Join Date: Oct 23 2006 Location: West Bloomfield, Michigan Bike(s): '03XX,'08+'05FJR1300,'02 DRZ400s,0mile'03XX(spare) Age: 50 Posts: 500
|  **********  *****  **********  *
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*  ********  *******  ********  *  **********  *****  **********  * Congratulations on your tremendous achievment! From the entire XX community!
__________________
Al ________________________________________
Momma always said "the best things in life are free"! OK,sure.............
Then again, Momma never rode a motorcycle, either!
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