May 9, 2003
 Can
an almost-forty formerly fat man on a "Fuzzy-Wing" keep up with a chic on a
cruiser for 1,000 miles? And can he do within one 24-hour period? I was
going to find out! Having been challenged to prove I could still do
over 1,000 miles in 24 hours to match Wanda's previous year's effort I had
agreed to ride with her this year (2003) in the Ride for Kids fund-raising
event put on by the "Panther Creek" Harley club http://www.panthercreekhog.com/
- each participant would pay $55 (most going to the cause) and be qualified
and registered with the Iron Butt Association for the "Saddle-sore 1000" if
they completed the ride and got signed off as having been at all of the
designated check points.
Wanda had rented a hotel room at the "Red Roof Inn" where I was supposed to
meet her at 4:30 a.m. but I couldn't find it so I rushed up to the Harley
dealership just in time to join her as the next to the last rider's out at
5:05 - out of 70+ riders there I believe we were 68 & 69 respectively. Not a
good way to start off as a support member: holding up Wanda and making her
late in leaving! It soon became apparent that Wanda was a true "Iron Butt"
participant however, as throughout the day she proved herself and her
cruiser as more then capable. Riding to each check point without a stop, and
breaking long enough only to get a drink and fill up with gas we found
ourselves moving up the ranks quickly. Even after some slow-downs caused by
windy conditions that were affecting Wanda pretty badly we still were
passing bikes and bikers on a regular basis throughout the day as we went
through Nashville to the other side of Jackson TN and back to Nashville for
a lunch courtesy of a local Harley dealership.
As we made the next gas stop and signed in they told us were we rated: out
of some 103 registered we were in the top 30 to have signed in at that
stage. WOW! We had gone from 70-something to to the top 40% even though we
were travelling more-or less the speed limit strictly by keeping our stops
to a minimum and maintaining a constant speed! Among the other riders were 2
other lady riders (I think) and one other sport bike - a GXR-750 that was
NOT set up for touring like my FZ1. Talk about a real IRON butt! That guy
finished too, although a bit later then us even though he was in the first
group out.
This was the first REAL test of my sport-tourer and I'm proud to say it held
up fine. With my footpegs to allow me to put my feet forward and an MP3
player and CB radio I was able to complete the entire 1,000 mile day without
incident and still feel relatively fresh. Towards the end of the day as I
'laid down' on my handlebars more Wanda commented that she "could tell I was
tired" but I think that was more from my shifting around / body position
then anything as I felt good when we arrived back home at 11 P.M.
Since then I have received a certificate and a licence plate frame which I
still need to mount on Fuzzy, and the following picture taken of Wanda and I
as we arrived back in Dallas:
Next year I'd love to see a WHOLE BUNCH of leather Chics on the run to show
these Harley-guys how it's done. And oh yeah, almost ALL of the top
finishers were Japanese bikes. Go figure!
John Bunton, Bike Slave. |
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