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Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 15 Sep 2011 22:31
by gagnaou
Just thought I will get a thread started that I will try to keep updated as I attempt to do a 1,000 miles in less than 24 hours on dirt with a few other crazies.

As usual this started by a ride report I read on ADVrider about a fail attempt in 2009 of some guys trying to ride a thousand miles in less than 24 hours leaving from Goodland. Actually reading a little bit more the history of the ride it looks like Lee was amongst the first finishers in 2003.

In any case, I did not really know what to think about it nor if I wanted to do it, but being located near the start, it was an opportunity hard to pass. To see if I even had a chance in a million to finish it I took a couple of longer rides (>500 miles) pre riding part of the course to see how it was looking and how doable I thought it was.

It sure did wear my tires in a hurry, but I decided that I thought it was doable and that I was going to give it a try.

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After the first ride I realized a few things.

- I needed more comfortable pegs so that my feet and knees would not be killing me after long hours standing up.
- I needed lights, as a big part of the ride will be at night.
I elected the dually from big dog, it looks like they have brighter, but I did not have that much money to spend.

I am pretty pleased with the results

No lights
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Low beam
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High beam
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With Duallys on
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The ride was supposed to start tomorrow morning but thanks to the rain, it was decided that the ride was going to be postponed one day and will start on saturday morning at 3:45 am from Goodland.

If you are stuck at work you'll be able to watch our progress here

The rain yesterday and tonight is going to make it very interesting. I guess after a few miles into the ride, we'll know a lot more about it.

Bike is ready

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I'll have to be careful to turn them off for upcoming traffic, they are pretty blinding

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I am about as ready as I will ever get, I am excited to give it a try!

Luc

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 15 Sep 2011 23:29
by katbeanz
Wish I had the requisite skills, Thanks for the link and good luck! 8)

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 16 Sep 2011 06:24
by troy
GO LUC, GO!

I read that AdvRider thread, too. I briefly thought about it. Then after realizing that with necessary breaks you need to average close to 50MPH to make it work...and that many of those hours would be in the dark, I decided it was not for me.

Luc, however, is a monster rider. Western KS / Eastern CO is a great place to do this ride with flat, wide-open gravel roads that allow you to see oncoming traffic and animals from a long distance. Animals at nighttime....another story. Glad you upgraded the lights, Luc!

Watch out for the other tired riders! Leave lots of space so you don't end up with a fork tube where the sun don't shine! I'll be checking the SPOT when I can--I'll be offline for most of the day Sat. I don't normally say this, but PLEASE be safe, Luc!

8)

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 16 Sep 2011 08:00
by gagnaou
troy wrote:GO LUC, GO!

Then after realizing that with necessary breaks you need to average close to 50MPH to make it work...and that many of those hours would be in the dark, I decided it was not for me.
Troy,

I need to fix up your math, average needs to be 41.66 see that seems a lot more doable now :)

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 16 Sep 2011 09:13
by troy
gagnaou wrote:
troy wrote:GO LUC, GO!

Then after realizing that with necessary breaks you need to average close to 50MPH to make it work...and that many of those hours would be in the dark, I decided it was not for me.
Troy,

I need to fix up your math, average needs to be 41.66 see that seems a lot more doable now :)
I should have said, moving average. I figure with stops (bathroom, food, flat tires), you'll need a moving average closer to 50. That number is more important to me because I wanted to think about how fast I'd actually have to ride when moving. If your moving avg is 45, you leave yourself only 2 hours total downtime. I would not want to cut it that close---if I did this, my goal would be to actually qualify...so I'd want to allow 4 hours....which means 20 hours to do 1000 miles which means 50 MPH moving avg.

GO LUC GO!

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 16 Sep 2011 10:04
by gagnaou
Looks like other riders are backing out on me. One guy from Arkansas had to pull this week for family reasons. There is another gentleman from Colorado that really wants to do it but he had to pull out because of the rain in 2009 and he really wants to finish it. To his credit road conditions make it more challenging than if it had not rained... He is supposed to call me back in a couple of hours to let me know of his plan. The third gentleman, I have not very much of so I am not sure where he's standing right now.

I have decided that I will give it a go, I am more interested in the ride than necessarily the completion part of it :)

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 16 Sep 2011 10:34
by ajayhawkfan
Luc,

Good Luck!

That is a ride I have considered (doing over 2 days). Can you send me the route? ajayhawkfan at yahoo dot com

Thanks

Eddie

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 16 Sep 2011 10:35
by troy
Safiri, let's back out on KC this weekend and head to Goodland. How hard can it be?! 6 hour drive to Goodland, KS, kickstands up at 4:30 AM tomorrow morning and ride for almost 24 hours at 45+ MPH.....through possibly muddy roads...then 6 hour drive home...ugh....

Can you call it a "Dusty" Butt 1000 if there is no dust because of rain? :lol:

I'm glad you have the SPOT, but don't do this ride alone, Luc. You need somebody conscious to push the HELP button.

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 16 Sep 2011 10:42
by ajayhawkfan
troy wrote:Safiri, let's back out on KC this weekend and head to Goodland. How hard can it be?! 6 hour drive to Goodland, KS, kickstands up at 4:30 AM tomorrow morning and ride for almost 24 hours at 45+ MPH.....through possibly muddy roads...then 6 hour drive home...ugh....

Can you call it a "Dusty" Butt 1000 if there is no dust because of rain? :lol:

I'm glad you have the SPOT, but don't do this ride alone, Luc. You need somebody conscious to push the HELP button.
Ride out to Goodland and go for the 1500 miles in 36 hours.

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 16 Sep 2011 11:01
by gagnaou
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This is from the 2009 attempt, I sure do hope things look better when I get to Goodland :)

More info here

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 16 Sep 2011 11:48
by gagnaou
Looks like I won't be by myself after all :-)

Here is an email I just received !
Meeting Luc in Goodland this afternoon. Haven't heard from Darold, but hoping he'll be there too

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 16 Sep 2011 19:53
by bird man
I too read the post on ADV. It is tempting,intreging and very challenging. I lean towards Troy's logic though. It would be fun to do and a huge sense of accomplisment if done. What Flatland Mike sayes about how to get through mud, I believe also applies to this "speed and skill" ,and I will add, losts of endurance.
Will be checking in ,have fun and be safe.
Larry

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 17 Sep 2011 20:29
by troy
Luc, will follow up I'm sure...once he catches his breath.....Luc and his 950 hit a deer this morning and was knocked unconscious for a minute or two. He says "I'm fine" and apparently does not have any injuries but probably suffered a concussion.

He and his bike were hauled back home. So no IBA award this time around!

The real question is HOW IS THE DEER DOING?!

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 16:29
by gagnaou
Troy has said most of it, ended up getting caught by surprise by 2 deers jumping out of a corn field. I avoided the first one but not the second one. People who were riding with me said that I was out for a few minutes. When I came back out it took me awhile to remember what Iwas doing and who I was riding with.... Everything considered I am glad I just got out of this one with just a broken collarbone. Monday I will try to see the surgeon to see if I need a plate put it or if it will heal by itself.

Big props to Snow and Darold, who I ruined the ride for but sticked around with me waiting for the ambulance and helping my wife retrieve the bike.

Thanks for all the support guys!!! It is very much appreciated!!!

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 17:12
by ajayhawkfan
Luc,

Heal quickly. Glad it was not worse.

Eddie

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 21 Sep 2011 08:34
by safiri
Luc, glad you are ok.
How's the bike?

Perhaps late June / early July would be better? Hot, but more daylight ... And the deer aren't in rut.

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 21 Sep 2011 09:18
by gagnaou
safiri wrote:Luc, glad you are ok.
How's the bike?

Perhaps late June / early July would be better? Hot, but more daylight ... And the deer aren't in rut.
Definitely not a bad idea! Sure would take anything to avoid those deer, I was feeling like I was riding quite conservatively for the conditions, but obviously not...

Bike front fairing is messed up pretty significantly as well as the gauges support... Not sure what I will find once I take it apart.

Luc

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 21 Sep 2011 10:42
by troy
gagnaou wrote:Sure would take anything to avoid those deer, I was feeling like I was riding quite conservatively for the conditions, but obviously not...
Don't be too hard on yourself, Luc. I don't think there is a reasonable "safe" speed to eliminate deer impact related injury. We are talking about something that can jump out from behind a tree at the very last moment before you arrive at that spot. Sure, if you went 5 MPH, the impact would most likely not result in injury. If you go 10 MPH, impact is probably going to hurt. 20 MPH, you could die. Travelling at 10 MPH is not reasonable. You really can protect yourself against a "random bullet". The only thing you can do is avoid times and places deer are most likely to be out.

I suppose if you really want to put safety FIRST, you would never ride a motorcycle. You would especially avoid any non-essential travel. That sounds like a fun way to safely arrive at death an old, sad, boring man. 8)

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 21 Sep 2011 14:57
by safiri
Something else popped in my head as to timing: harvest. In KS I would assume you want to avoid wheat harvest when trucks, combines, etc. are everywhere. Not sure when wheat harvest is in NW KS. Nebraska, not sure if they do much wheat. Corn is late enough.

Re: Dusty Butt 1,000 :?

Posted: 21 Sep 2011 15:05
by troy
Which brings to mind....better to ride after the wheat and corn is down so you can see deer running across the fields.