IronButt Rally Finish

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bikerbill
Posts: 105
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2010 2:07 pm
I ride: 1997 Vulcan 500LTD named Hidalgo

IronButt Rally Finish

Postby bikerbill » Thu Jul 16, 2015 10:41 pm

This past weekend I and my son rode over to Albuquerque, NM to watch the Finish of the Iron Butt Rally.

If you remember on our previous trip we incurred a flat tire due to a spoke breaking and tearing the inner tube. Well, about 160 miles into this trip that 'squirrelly' feeling happened again so I stopped and checked the tire. Sure enough the tire was going flat. >:( After first inspecting the spokes and finding them all intact I called for a tow. Ortega's Towing Service out of Santa Rosa, NM came out quickly with a motorcycle trailer and took us back to their shop. Once there they let me repair the tube with their equipment. The reason for the flat was a paper sticker *inside* the tire that had chafed a hole in the tube. I had had this happen before so I have been careful to inspect for these when mounting new tires but it seems that I had missed this one. Once the tube was patched and the wheel installed we continued on to Albuquerque with no further issues. (A cast wheel from a '91 EN500 was ordered yesterday and should be here next week for installation!)

What a sight the Rally is to behold! (if you're in to that kind of thing) The Rally finish was 10am Friday morning. Just knowing that these guys (and gals) had been on the road for 11 days brings respect. Some riders began arriving Thursday afternoon with a steady trickle of riders starting in the evening. At a little before the penalty window at 8am on Friday there was a 'mad dash' of riders trying to get back before penalty points began.

There is one rider in particular that I am following, Christopher Ross, because he is from Lubbock and I have been working with him on how to use routing software and GPS's. Until he was drawn for this rally he had *never* ridden a rally nor had he used a GPS. Christopher made it back at 10:20pm Thursday with a BIG smile on his face! You could tell that the 11 days had worn on him but he was in good spirits. At the Finish Banquet the Finishers were read from the 75th place to 1st place. Christopher's goal was to be a Finisher. He finished in 46th place. WooHoo!!

While Daniel and I were in the area we rode Hidalgo up Sandia Crest (10,678ft) to enjoy the view. And we visited The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History on Saturday just before coming back home. Both are worth doing again.

For more info from the Rally use this link: http://www.ironbuttrally.com/IBR/2015.cfm
--
'Biker' Bill
'97 EN500LTD 'Hidalgo'
269,000+ miles so far
VROC #3833
IBA #635

SlipStreamer Enterprise II, Vista Cruise,
Cobra Spots, Drifter solo seat,
Pro-Tac backrest, ScottOiler,
F&S luggage rack, LED lights,
4-gal AUX fuel tank

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charnotx
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2014 12:00 pm
I ride: 1999 Blue/Black Vulcan 500 LTD
Location: Austin, Texas

Re: IronButt Rally Finish

Postby charnotx » Fri Jul 17, 2015 2:42 pm

Wow, sounds like y'all had a great time! Too bad you had to deal with another tire issue. Hopefully next time, the third trip will be the charm!

I imagine it was quite the site seeing everyone come in from the ride. One day I want to check it out myself.
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