2 Iron Butt Awards!

After a short four month wait, I received my two (2, count them 2) Iron Butt Awards. If you peruse the photo, the medallion on the left is for riding 1,500 miles in 36 hours, the Bun Burner 1500. The other one, Saddlesore 1,000, is for the same ride. If you complete the thousand in twenty-four hours during the 1500 mile attempt, you win both awards. Yipee. I almost blew the thousand during our attempt at the 1500 as my friends and I enjoyed a breakfast of cellophane cinnamon rolls, toast and apple juice on Day 2. Howard Johnson's of Holbrook, Arizona. You do not want to miss their fine cuisine. My friend and riding buddy Ofer, who reads the rules (I know it's crazy) mentioned the double award. I looked at the clock, figured my mileage, and realized if we got on the road, like NOW, I could make it- barely.

Ofer and Jeff had already qualified, as they started the adventure in Vegas, 200 miles before me. They graciously wolfed down the delicious feast (a tragedy) and we fired up and I made it with minutes to spare. Thanks Ofer! If you'd like to win an Iron Butt award, simply go to wwww.ironbutt.com, read the rules and ride. Seems like a waste of time to me. Just ride with a guy like Ofer. The secret to winning the Iron Butt? Pick an open route with good highway speeds. Get on the bike. Ride. Stop for fuel. Wolf down something to eat. Ride, fuel, ride, fuel, and so on. Stop at 1 am, sleep three or four hours, ride, fuel, ride, fuel. Easy. Document everything. Ofer said that was in the rules. Thanks Ofer and Jeff for making another stupid adventure for a little pin a reality! The things we do for trophies, pins and ribbons....

You'll notice a patch at the bottom of the picture too. I received my AMA membership the same day. I highly recommend to anyone riding any bikes,whether dirt, street or racing, to join. The AMA is a great advocate for bikers. Some things they have accomplished: A Senator put up a bill to require motorcycle riders to wear seat belts. Yes, once again we see that politicians are idiots. We voted for them. The AMA helped stop it. Another? A bill to ban customizing motorcycles. Third time's a charm; check points that target motorcycles only, just pull them over. They also help stop land grabs that make public lands inaccessible,sometimes even to hikers. And they provide roadside assistance. Worth the dues.