First Iron Butt Ride on a Ducati

[dunhamg]

Well, this wasn't the first time I've covered over 1000 miles in 24 hours by a long shot, but I finally got all of the documentation in order and just need to send it with a check to hopefully get my Iron Butt #.

I had a friend that bought a 2005 Ducati 620 Monster off of ebay out in Colorado last fall for his wife. He stored it over the winter with another friend of mine. So this spring I offered to ride it back as he said he did not want to ride that far and was thinking about shipping it. I flew out to Denver on Thursday night getting in about 8:30 and Bill picked me up at the airport and I stayed with him and Becky for the night. (Thanks again!!!) I checked out the bike and made sure my tank bag and tail bag would work on the bike and put on my most important accessory for this ride, a throttle rocker. I also made sure my Aerostich heated liner plugged in so I would have heat.

The next morning Bill headed down to Castle Rock with me on his 1800 Wing. He had mentioned he didn't get much of a chance to ride the little Ducati so I had offered to let him ride it to Castle Rock where we were meeting Norm & Linda Babcock for breakfast, but with the temps in the low 30's he passed for some reason. We had a good time visiting with Norm & Linda who signed off my witness form for my Saddlesore. I got a fuel receipt and started out with a handicap of almost 20 minutes right at the start due to an really fast clock at the gas station, but didn't want to mess around any more and didn't think it would really cause much of an issue, maybe just cutting into my sleep time a little bit. The starting time was 10:19. From Castle Rock I headed south and swung by to see some of the changes near where I spent a few years of my life at the Air Force Academy and then to first house Jill & I owned near Falcon, then on to get another gas receipt in Falcon to verify the corner. Coming through Black Forest there were a few random flakes of snow, but nothing to be concerned about and it was pretty clear off to the east.

I had borrowed an old GPS III+ from my father-in-law so I didn't have to worry about wiring up my 2720, but it had been stored with the batteries in it for too long and with all the corrosion in there, the batteries weren't making very good contact and it would turn off every bigger bump, so it quickly came off and went into my tankbag. Fortunately I had set up a spreadsheet of the gas stops I thought I would make with distances so I could calculate things out that way fairly easily. I got another gas receipt in Limon and headed north to Brush, CO. There were a few bigger hills riding into the strong north wind where the little Ducati simply ran out of throttle trying to maintain 70 mph in 6th gear. The next fuel stop was in Sterling, then again in North Platte, on to Wood River. The fuel light was coming on anywhere from 111 miles to 132 miles depending on the wind direction. Quick stops for fuel and bathroom breaks at each location, don't think the fuel cell would have helped me all that much on this ride as the 5 minutes stops were fairly welcome on the little bike. The next stop was Gretna, where I grabbed a slice of pizza and a hot chocolate at the Flying J. On to Adair, IA and into Ames by just after 11:30. I pulled into the garage at my aunt & uncles and after calling Jill to let her know I was safely in for the night, I headed to bed. I was up at 6:30 but waited around for them to get up and my aunt's grandmother fixed me breakfast, (she's only 97 now!) I visited with them for a while and got out on the road by 8:00 not leaving me a lot of time to get my full 1000 miles in.

Heading up 35 into a strong north wind the fuel light came on at only 98 miles this time and I didn't think I could make it to my planned stop in Albert Lea, MN. I saw the exit sign for Joice, IA 8 miles ahead and thought that should work. When I came up to the exit, it told me there were no services. At this point I was a bit concerned I was not going to make the Saddlesore, but fortunately a couple miles up the road there is a casino with a gas station were I was able to get gas. Pulling out back on to 35 I had 1 hour and 50 minutes with about 120 miles to go and was feeling pretty confident about finishing at this with all interstate and 70 mph speed limits. I managed to skirt around a few nasty looking storms and only hit a couple short sections of some freezing sleet near Owatonna. I saw I-35W was closed, which was where I was planning to go so instead I took 1-35E and headed up a ways to get my final gas receipt with a time stamp of 11:13 giving me 6 minutes to spare and 1033 miles on the odometer. Based on my calculations using the mile markers along the way, I came up with an actual 1021 miles.

Sean was happy to get the bike, and now Pam believes that she has a bike. They served me some hot soup and sandwiches and homemade cookies and I got a chance to warm up. Being cold and a little stress of finding good time stamp, fighting the wind on that unfaired bike had definitely taken a toll on me. My shoulders were as sore as they probably have been on a bike. But, for a small bike with a small gas tank I was still able to maintain a BBG pace, but I don't know that I would have had the stamina in those temps to make it that far.

Sean gave me a ride up to Jill's parents where she was waiting and I was able to take a little nap with my son who was pretty excited to see me.

Now I just have to write the check and mail in my documentation and wait.

Grady

[Chuckracer]

Niiice!! I think I want to do that someday...

Good write-up!

[bruce19]

Congratulations. If you've been reading the thread about the Ducati rally at Deal's Gap you may have seen my report of my 1,000 mi. day home from there. Left at somewhere around 7-8 AM on my SS1000DS and 17 hours later was home in CT. So, I know the journey. Good job.

[bradyh20]

Fast, Neat, Average...

[couchflyer]

Nice, what month did you do that?

[Brian748s]

nice.

[dunhamg]

Originally Posted by couchflyer

Nice, what month did you do that?

I did it the first weekend of May. It would have been a whole lot nicer in just about every weekend in March or April, but that's when I had the plane ticket for and just had to get home I don't think it got much over 45 during the first day and was below 40 the second morning, I was very thankful for my heated jacket.

Grady

[gragravar]

I am glad to hear I am not the only one trying stuff like this. I just did my first iron butt day last weekend.

Epic Motorcycle ride, part 2 – Aka: what is the longest 1 day ride on a F1098?

great write up, glad you had a good ride.

[jermey]

great write up.