A 50CC QUEST
(Why and how we rode from San Diego to Jacksonville Beach in less than 50 hours)
By and Rob Lentini, 41985 with comments/side bar by Steve Aikens, 06218
THE "BUG"
I don’t know when I first protracted this ailment (some would call it a serious sickness), but I find myself enjoying the challenges of motorcycle endurance riding. Where did it originate? Looking way back to my Honda riding days, it started when some riding friends and I began a series of long rides around Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. At the time, we were always constrained on time away from work and little money to spend, so this forced us to compress a big trip into a few days. It was not unusual, even back then, for our little group to routinely do 500-600 mile consecutive days, with gorgeous western scenery and great end-of-the-day food as the hook. That’s where I first got the bug.
After, purchasing a new K75S in 1987 (my first BMW), the bug only got worse. On a "side trip" to the Boy Scout national ranch in Cimarron New Mexico, I did my first "almost 1000 mile day" from my home in Tucson, Arizona to Rock Springs, Wyoming. From there I zoomed by the Grand Tetons on the way to New Mexico. I was now fully infected by this bug, especially riding such a competent machine as my new K-bike! The velvet smoothness of that triple encouraged me to begin a habit that continues: My almost yearly participation in the Three Flags Classic tour from Mexico to Canada over the Labor Day weekend. I typically ride the 2100 or so miles in somewhat less than three full days---serious miles in little time. That little K also took me on my first actual "1000 mile day" in July of 1995, going from Tucson to Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The bug continued in earnest in 1997 when I began doing "Iron Butt" rides (see www.ironbutt.com) By then, I had my current 1994 R1100RS and I wanted to do a "Saddlesore 1000" ride on my way home from St Louis to Tucson. Leaving Claremore, Oklahoma with all the correct Iron Butt documentation, I arrived at Tucson 1090 miles later after 15:45 hours on the road. Whew, I was hooked on this Iron Butt bug! Then, returning from the Rheinbeck national rally in 1999, I successfully accomplished the "Bunburner Gold" Iron Butt ride, 1514 miles in 23:10 hours from Madison Wisconsin to Alamogordo New Mexico. It was a tremendous day’s ride that included gorgeous late day thunderstorms and evening mountain twisties as I approached the finish.
However, my friend Ron Ayres really passed the bug on to me. Witnessing his 1998 7-day/49 state ride at Kingman Arizona, it was even more evident to me that personal riding challenges can be totally enjoyable, very rewarding and safely accomplished. I was ready to "raise the bar" for myself, but what would it be?
THE QUEST IS DETERMINED
Long endurance rides need a purpose or goal. To be motivated and "pumped up" to accomplish the ride, there needs to be a worthwhile objective to meet. Here’s what my good friend Steve Aikens from Clovis, New Mexico and I set as our goal: Visit both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and collect seawater and sand samples from San Diego California and Jacksonville Beach Florida. We would abide by all Iron Butt association rules for the "50CC Quest" rides, going coast to coast in 50 hours or less. We would carefully preplan our trip, taking into consideration our personal fitness, motorcycle preparation, the need to rest along the way, weather and road conditions and, more importantly, getting there safely! We agreed that if something "just wasn’t right" on the way or if we were subjected to unnecessary risk, we would simply pack it in and retry later. We set departure for midnight, Sunday, October 8, 2000.
THE PLAN
I was planning to do this trip alone. It was only after I mentioned the idea to Steve that he expressed a similar interest. I then suggested we ride together, something I would not broach to anyone I do not know a lot about and have confidence in. However, Steve has Iron Butt credentials himself, having successfully accomplished a "Bunburner Gold" from Clovis, New Mexico to Missoula, Montana. Steve is also an exceedingly safe rider and our riding styles, and R1100RS motorcycles (mine an RSA and his an RSL), are quite similar. So it was set; we would do this together. But when and how?
We quickly settled on the shortest coast to coast distance available---San Diego to Jacksonville Beach or vice versa. There are several riders who have accomplished the 50CC from much longer distances. The late Fran Crane did New York City to San Francisco in 44 hours! We had no such lofty goal; we simply wanted to accomplish seeing two oceans within the 50 hour time requirement. We also wanted to enjoy ourselves at both coasts, so the plan was to link up with Steve in Tucson on Friday, October 6 and ride to San Diego. We would have a good meal Friday night, bankroll plenty of sleep that night, then on Saturday get our start documentation from Brattin Motors (BMW) and visit the beach to collect our left coast seawater and sand (Steve calls them urine samples!). Getting to bed early and up in time for our midnight 12:00 AM PDST departure would follow an early Saturday dinner. We would then stop for fuel, fluids and snacks about every 200 miles, bedding down at San Antonio Texas for six hours of sleep, then arriving at Jacksonville Beach 42 hours later, around 8:00 PM EDST, Monday October 9. Our route would be Interstate 8 from San Diego to Casa Grande Arizona, then mainly Interstate 10 the rest of the way to Florida. At the finish, we would look for a police officer or firehouse to witness our arrival. Our plan would give us 8 hours of "slop" in case of problems. Resting up, we would then leave for home on Wednesday October 11, heading for New Orleans Cajun food on the way. What a plan!
THE RIDE
There Steve was, ahead of schedule, at our Interstate 10 meet up point in Tucson. The weather was warm and wonderful as we enjoyed the ride to San Diego, taking the twisties of California route 94 through the mountains along the Mexico border. Motel check-in and the evening meal went as planned. We hit the sack early.
Next day, Saturday, we got our start witness documentation from Brattin as planned, then proceeded to the beach for the "urine samples". Along the way, we stopped at a drugstore to get some prescription bottles for the "evidence." A nice young lady charged us all of $1 for all four plastic bottles! Then it was off to the very western end of Interstate 8 to get the water/sand and find a convenient gas station for the required time/date automated slip the Iron Butt Association requires for proof of start. At the beach, you should have seen all the looks we two riders got at we trudged through the sand in our bright red Aerostiches! One guy asked how our Mars mission had gone!
We had a great before-ride seafood dinner. I’d like to say we got quality sleep early that evening, but truth be told, we were too pumped up. After a few dozes (all accompanied by Aikens’ snoring!), we decided to get up early to start our journey. We suited up, then fueled at a Mobil station on Saturday October 7 at 11:42 PM PDST, our official start time. We rode off to the dark beach, saluted the Pacific, and were off to Florida and the Atlantic Ocean!
Now look; what follows here from San Diego to Jacksonville Beach is rather abbreviated. Remember that it’s gas and go, gas and go, stop and sleep, then gas and go, gas and go, etc. Well…not quite!
The warm ocean smell of San Diego retreated in our mirrors as we climbed the mountains east. It actually got quite chilly as I appreciated the heated vest and handgrips. Scooting east of El Centro, we got shot in the back by CHIPS radar, but no chase. Crossing the Colorado River, we stopped for fuel as we entered the next state, Arizona. A long drone through the western AZ desert got us to Tucson about daybreak. It was a funny feeling passing through my hometown on the way to Florida, and then knowing the return would be quick!
East of Tucson and entering New Mexico, we had our first inkling that the weather was NOT going to cooperate. High blustery cold winds had us stopping for a hot breakfast in Lordsburg, then intermittent rains pounded us as we headed for El Paso. On east, it only got worse. Bitterly cold rain greeted us near Balmorhea Texas. I was expecting the rain to become snow at any time. We continued to trudge along, stopping for a much-needed break at Ozona, Texas. My feet were cold and wet (non-waterproof Alpinestars) and Steve’s gloves were soaked, in spite of their Gore-Tex lining. More on that from Steve.
As darkness closed in, we continued to press on for our reserved room in San Antonio. Heavy cold rain continued all the way into town, accompanied by incompetent, unsafe drivers that commanded our full survival skills! We pulled into our Holiday Inn exhausted, tired and hungry, slightly behind schedule and beat up! It was a good decision we immediately made to sleep longer than the planned 6 hours. After a piping hot pizza delivered and devoured, we crashed, planning to leave the next morning at 07:00 AM local. The weather was supposed to clear out that night. Right!
Next morning, Steve said, "look out the window." Yup, still raining (arghh!). Suiting up and leaving, we pressed on, hoping to get east of the huge stationary front that was drowning most of central Texas. By the time we approached Houston, the bad weather was gone---all 1000 miles of it. We were earning this 50CC!
Interstate 10 through Louisiana is very interesting. There are miles of miles of elevated super-slab going through extensive swamplands. What a change from yesterday’s desert! Taking Interstate 12 around New Orleans, we soon entered Mississippi as darkness descended. The sweet but sometimes pungent smell of swamps and coastal chemical plants filled the early evening air. Shortly, we crossed the line into Alabama and proceeded past the beautiful sight of the USS Alabama, floodlighted at night in Mobile Bay. Then there it was---the Florida state line! We were on the home stretch.
Through Florida, Interstate 10 is also a VERY nice road for a "slab." It was extremely pleasant traveling initially along the coast, across long bridges, then leaving the Gulf of Mexico for higher ground through the state capitol of Tallahassee. But it was getting cold, too! Gassing up at Monticello for our last stop before the finish, I noted the temperature was in the low 40s. Burrrr!
THE QUEST DONE
We had this 50CC knocked-out, and we knew it as our bikes slowly descended towards the coast. Shortly, I saw some high-rise buildings---Jacksonville! An important sign came up, "End of Interstate 10". We had almost accomplished our goal as we exited and continued east on a main surface street towards Jacksonville Beach. And then, I noted the smell of the warmer Atlantic Ocean. There was the surf we had spent 48 hours riding for! Near our hotel, we fueled up at a Chevron station on Tuesday October 10 at 2:51 AM EDST, our official finish time. A police cruiser was quickly chased down. The officers, likely bored by the quiet evening, were delighted to sign our witness forms. We were now done: 48:09 from water to water, 2373 miles later, Pacific to Atlantic! Two nights at a beachside Holiday Inn (with urine samples taken next morning) capped the completion of our 50CC Quest. Steve and I had an immense sense of accomplishment. We had planned our work and worked our plan. We safely completed our trip. It was worth it!
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