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My SaddleSore 1000
I've been thinking of riding a SaddleSore 1000 (1000 miles in less than 24 hours, sponsored by the Iron Butt Association) for several years, but this summer I finally did it. Everything came together toward the end of September, so I planned my ride for the first day of fall: 9/22/01, when day and night are equal lengths. The first route I planned would have taken me around most of Oregon, but since the ride would last about 18 hours I'd have to do six hours in the dark…some of it over the Cascade mountain range…on two lane roads…with way too many deer. I reconsidered my route. I settled for an out and back ride, taking I-84 east through the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, over the Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon, across the Snake River, through Boise, and on to Bliss, Idaho. Bliss had one thing going for it: it was about 520 miles away, over half way to my 1000-mile goal. After stopping there for gas and lunch I would just return the way I came - kinda boring, but practical. I hoped to get back to Pendleton, Oregon (and out of the mountains) before dark, then tackle the grasslands of north central Oregon and the Columbia River Gorge as night fell.
I rolled out of bed a little after 3AM, had breakfast, finished packing my 1984 V-65 Sabre and gearing up, then managed to wake my wife enough to have her witness my starting odometer reading. I rode the two miles to a gas station near my freeway entrance, noted my odometer reading, zeroed the Sigma's trip meter, and gassed up. My official starting time was the receipt's time stamp: 4:01AM PDT. I pulled onto the freeway, heading south on I-205 then east on I-84. The temperature was in the lower 50's and I was wearing my electric jacket liner and winter gloves.
I've ridden through the Gorge many times, both on I-84 and SR-14 (the Washington side), but it's really different in the dark. I don't have any auxiliary lights, and there was enough on-coming traffic to keep me from using my high beam anyway, so I found a few cars running at my speed and I 'borrowed' their headlights to help my deer spotting (didn't see any, but I know they were there). Around 5:30AM the eastern horizon began to lighten, and at 6:33 I made my first stop, in Boardman, Oregon, just as the sun was coming up -- 166 miles in ~2.5 hours. I did a quick gas and stretch and rolled out at 6:43. Traffic continued light so I was able to make good time. The Oregon freeway speed limit is 65, but most traffic runs at around 70, so to avoid being too conspicuous I settled in just a little faster than average. I continued through Pendleton and into the Blue Mountains, and on to Baker City, for my second stop with 307 miles down at 8:40AM PDT. There I had a snack and changed gear, putting on a dark visor and my Camelbak, and changing to medium-weight gloves. I left Baker City at 9:00AM PDT, bound for Idaho.
My next stop was Caldwell, Idaho (11:24AM MDT and 408 miles), where I got more gas, had more power bar, took off my electric liner, and opened all my jacket vents (it was getting warmer). I got back on the road at 11:40, and since the Idaho speed limit is 75, I was able to pick up my speed a bit -- except through Boise, where road constructions dropped the speed to 55. But that didn't last long, and once east of Boise I was able to roll on some speed -- and had to, just to keep up with traffic. Idaho, east of Boise, has a whole lot of nothing, except roadkill. I saw far more sign of deer (and antelope?) strikes here than I had in the mountains of Oregon. I was glad I was doing this leg in the daytime. Given the flat, open terrain, I don't know where the deer were hiding but they couldn't be too far away. I sped by Mountain Home and closed in on my goal. At 1:10PM MDT I rolled into Bliss, Idaho, 522 miles from home. I gassed up, getting the necessary time-stamped receipt showing when I was there. I also took a lunch break, and at 1:45 I headed west. I was halfway through my ride, and I was feeling great.
The temperature had climbed into the mid-80's but I was now heading northwest so the sun was behind me. Traffic was still light, even through Boise, and I arrived at my next stop, in Nampa, ID, at 3:16PM MDT, with 627 miles on the Sigma. I gassed up and rolled out at 3:25PM, heading back into Oregon. I was running well ahead of schedule so it looked like I'd back to Pendleton well before dark. At about 4PM MDT I crossed the Snake River and began the climb back into the Blue Mountains. I got to Baker City at 3:56PM PDT with 737 miles completed. I stopped for gas and a short break then continued west toward Pendleton at 4:10. Riding conditions continued to be magnificent - traffic was light, weather was clear, and the road was in excellent condition - and I quickly dispatched the twisty bits of freeway around La Grande, then ran up over Deadman Pass and down Cabbage Hill into Pendleton, where I stopped for gas and dinner. It was 5:27PM PDT when I arrived, with 832 miles accumulated.
After a brief Subway visit, I got back on the road at 6PM. There were a few showers off to the south but to the west the weather continued clear. I was heading due west, and since it was the first day of fall the sun was setting directly ahead of me. I still had my dark visor on so I wasn't completely blinded, but as I neared Boardman the sun began to touch the peaks of the Cascade Range ahead. Preparing for the coming darkness I made a quick stop to change visors and gloves and snap in my jacket liner. Back into traffic I continued west; by the time I reached the Columbia River Gorge the sun was fully set and the light was quickly fading. As I had done about 15 hours before, I looked for traffic moving at my pace and 'borrowed' their headlights. Once again, the ride through the Gorge was unusual; it was quite different in the dark; the small tunnels of light left much dark for my imagination to fill with four-legged creatures I'd rather avoid. Fortunately they stayed in my imagination.
I planned to make one more stop before reaching home, somewhere in the Gorge; I just hadn't decided where that stop would be. Arlington was my first opportunity but I felt no need to stop there. Biggs was the next possibility, but I was still doing ok there. The Dalles came next and I considered stopping, but there aren't any easily accessible gas stops in town so I pressed on another 25 miles to Hood River. I rolled into a convenient Chevron station there at 8:14PM PDT with 979 miles on the Sigma. That's where my credit card refused to work at the pump. I had called my card company the day before and explained that I planned to make a lot of small gas purchased over a 3-state area the next day. They said that would be fine, but on the ninth attempt the system balked and I had to go inside to sign the charge slip. Oh well, I needed some more exercise anyway. I got back on the road at 8:20PM; at about 16 hours and 20 minutes into the ride I had about 65 miles to go. Great, I thought, I could do this in my sleep, but, uh, better pay attention, even though this is familiar road.
Actually at this point I wasn't getting sleepy, I was getting excited - the end was in sight and the ride had gone very well. Traffic remained light through the rest of the Gorge and on into Portland. There I turned north onto I-205 and arrived back at my starting point at 8:22PM PDT with 1044 miles showing on the Sigma and 1129 miles accumulated on the bike's odometer. After gassing up and getting that vital final receipt which established my official ending time (using my backup credit card at the pump - I didn't want the hassle of going inside for the receipt), I rode the two miles home where my wife confirmed the ending odometer reading. I spent a total of 17:21 on the ride, with about 14:55 in motion. The Iron Butt Association's review of my ride credited me with 1071 miles; using this figure I maintained an overall average speed of 61.8 mph and an average in-motion speed of 71.8 mph. My bike, even at 17 years old with over 60,000 miles on it, never missed a beat.
I was surprised how good I felt at the end of the ride. I wasn't sore, just tired all over. I felt that I'd accomplished what I'd set out to do and that the ride itself had been a little anti-climatic. I think that's a good thing. If the ride had been too exciting or taxing, it might mean I wasn't really ready for it. Anyway, now that I've completed this ride I might have to start planning for a Bun Burner (1500 miles in 36 hours), or maybe even a BB Gold (1500 miles in 24 hours).
Last updated 27 Dec 2001