My plan was to go to bed early on Saturday night and get an early start on Sunday… but I was having a little bit too much fun so I got to bed a little later then I wanted to. I still was feeling like a 5AM start was possible. So I set the alarm and got all set to go. I packed the night before, I made sure to pack my toiletries this time. So off I went to sleep. I got up at 4:15AM as planned.

However bed gravity (I think Don called it sleep inertia) was in full effect. I figured after about 15 minutes of still being tired and not quite with it. It was time to go back to bed. So heading the information from Don Arthur’s presentation, I set the alarm for 1.5 hours later, 7AM.

I felt much better at 7:10AM so I got all set and put the bags on the VFR and said goodbye to people. Then off to get gas at the Sinclair at the corner of Syracuse and Belleview. Well that would not work well, no receipt printed. Okay, go and get a receipt in the store. Dohp! The store is closed. So I got to thinking, I could either turn around and go back to the hotel and get someone to vouch for me…. ah but there is an ATM on the corner. So off I go to the Wells Fargo on the corner. Walk in and do a balance check, that does not print out. So then I take out some money. I look at the receipt “Wells Fargo, Tech Center”. Great, that is not going to do it, no real address. I am thinking of going back to the hotel. So as I am about to pull out of the lot, I see a 1st Bank across the way. So off to that I go, I get the balance check, 7:58AM MDT. Great, I am off only 30 minutes late or so. Such is life. Up I-25, holy cats is that a Lincoln going across traffic! Why yes it is, get on the brakes hard. I guess it is possible to do a stoppie while the back of the bike is loaded. So after that little experience I decided to take the HOV lane up to I-76 to stay clear of some of the idiots. I did look back in the mirrors, the Lincoln was making a U-Turn cause it missed its turn by 50 feet….

Okay on the HOV, what the there is no turn off to get to I-76 from the HOV. Okay, get off at the next exit… luckily there is a route to I-76 from there. Just got to wait for the light to turn green. Okay, I have waited 10 minutes. I am going when it is clear.

Okay, onto I-76. Look at the fog rolling in. Okay I should probably pull off and change the gloves to something that would let me wipe the visor off so I can see. Might as well get some gas while I am there. Also have a PowerBar, breakfast of champions. Off I go again. Up to Julesburg, CO to get the receipt at the turn, and take off the gloves, it is turning out to be a nice day. So just time to do a little riding now. I am on I-80 and just need to go east until Exit 83 of the Indiana Toll Road. I know, an exciting trip.

So I am making pretty good time, I stop in Odessa, NE for gas. Drat, I am not getting as good of gas mileage as I had hopped, at least I am making time pretty well. The VFR seems to run at speed a little better then the RT, but it does not get the same gas range. So I think it works out to be the same time to distance ratio in the end result. So it is pretty simple ride, twist and sit. What is odd is that the way it worked out to stop at Odessa was on the way out to Denver when it was pouring rain. This time it was much nicer. I even had a nice conversation with a few people. At this stop, I pulled a moment reminiscent of Karol Patzer. I lost the bite valve of the Camelbak at the gas stop, what was nice is that the people I was talking with pointed out the drop of the bite valve. so I was able to get retrieve it. Something to think about though, the advantage of the Camelbak over the Platypus drink tube is that it has a turn off valve so I was able to reattach the bite valve really easily and if it did not work out, I would have had a solution to keep hydrating.

So then it was off to Iowa where it was time to change the visor from day to night mode. Also add a layer as I think it might be getting cooler, better to plan ahead then get a chill. So off I go again. More of the same, twist and sit. I am starting to get a little cooler as I keep going. So about 10PM I stop at a rest area cause I am getting cooler and cooler. I put on the long sleeve shirt I got at Denver, a fleece and then the fleece I was already wearing. I close up all the vents on the ‘Stich and change back to the rain gloves as they are a little warmer. I was starting to feel like Bib the Michelin Man.

At 1:40 CDT I cross 1,000 miles so I am on pace to make it no problem. I stop for gas at Joliet, IL which is my typical gas stop I know I can make it home from there. No worries.

Just time to sit and twist for the last two hours or so. Luckily all that I have left is getting through Chicago, IL. Finally a great way to get through Chicago without traffic.

So off the Toll Road with a receipt. All three gas stations are closed at SR-23. But I remember from calling Marathon that I would be able to get gas and receipt even though the store is closed. It is a little dark, so I fill up the tank as best as I can. Get the receipt, note mileage and head home.

Train coming so take a right onto Capital (SR-331) and then make a left onto Douglas Road. Hmm once again waiting to go left at the light. Two cycles of the light, third cycle still no left turn arrow. Look both ways and I decide to go. Start going down the road, and on come lights from a Law Enforcement Vehicle. So I look for a safe spot to turn off, turn on the turn signal, get over to the start of a driveway. Stop the motorcycle, turn off the motorcycle, put down the side stand. Take off the gloves. Put hands in plain site, and wait for the officer. The office walks up and asks if he knows why he pulled me over. I answered, yes I do, it is because I made a left against the red. I waited three cycles and then decided to go after looking both ways. I tell him that if he wants to see my driver’s license, registration, and insurance that I will need to reach into the suit. He indicates that won’t be necessary but to be careful. I am home five minutes later.

Home sweet home at 4:00AM Monday morning, 18 hours and 1,100 miles after I left Denver. I don’t want to go back to work on Wednesday!

Once again Kudos to Lisa and the rest of the Iron Butt team for a great seminar!

Apparently cutting an RCU shelf is too hard for a Dremel. I did not just let the smoke out of it, I got pyrotechnics out of it. Orange Flames and everything. I got it cut back though, it is not the cleanest cut so once I get a replacement Dremel I might try to smooth it out a little.

Oh yeah the tire saga continues. I got the wrong size tire for the front, again!

So I wrote a question to the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles to see what their answer is. This experience should be interesting.

At the moment I still have yet to start the vehicle as the battery is way dead, so I purchased a new one and now I am charging it. Such fun. It is more then 80% charged, but I want to wait until it is 100% charged to take it off the charger and try it.