1,015 miles, 18 hr 37 min
April 4-5, 2024
My objective for this sixth Iron Butt ride was again to ride a SaddleSore 1000 (1,000 miles in 24 hours) - over more difficult roads.
The weather forecast for April 4th looked good, but the next day, the 5th looked far too windy to ride, and after that, more snow. So it was April 4th or nothing.
But there was a problem...
6:30 PM the 3rd: the delivery truck pulled up with my seat. The ride was back on.
An Iron Butt ride begins at the first gas station, with a Dated Business Receipt (DBR) showing the date, time and location. The rider photographs the DBR against the bike's odometer, as an indication of the running mileage. These photos are required for an Iron Butt certification.
Leg 1: Quemado to Truth or Consequences 2 hr 39 min (175 miles)
Leg 2: Truth or Consequences to El Paso 2 hr 13 min (140 miles)
Leg 3: El Paso to Fort Stockton 3 hr 6 min (220 miles)
Leg 4: Fort Stockton to Artesia 2 hr 58 min (173 miles)
Leg 5: Artesia to Socorro 3 hr 20 min (204 miles)
Leg 6: Socorro to Quemado 1 hr 42 min (105 miles)
To recap, my objective for this sixth Iron Butt ride was again to do a "SaddleSore 1000" (1,000 miles in 24 hours) - over more difficult roads: ie the I-10 though El Paso - which is usually slow because of highway construction; and the 380 from Roswell to San Antonio, NM.
It was a pretty tough ride, alright.
The traffic though El Paso was heavy, and delayed me for at least an hour. But now I know a few other options.
The 380 from Roswell to Carrizozo was slow, and the night was so dark that the only thing I could see was the road ahead; and I had to watch for animals the entire way. As I was riding along, I thought it would be nice to ride this road again, but in the daylight so I could see the surroundings.
Going through the small town of Lincoln at 11:00 PM, doing 10 MPH over the speed limit, I was flashed by the police. I pulled over, but the officer kept going. Thankfully, it was only a warning.
In the wee hours, way out in the middle of nowhere, it seemed, the thought occurred: "What in the heck am I doing this for?" I had grown fatigued beyond measure, and was riding just to get home - still a couple hundred miles away. But in reality the thought was not serious, only whimsical. I knew exactly what I was doing. I am pushing my limits for better endurance. That is what Iron Butt riding is all about.
But this was no Bun Burner Gold ride; I had lots of extra time. So I pulled into the next gas station and under a floodlight - where I could see what I was doing - took a nice break, eating a Jenny-made sandwich and sipping some warming hot chocolate.
The ride over the mountains had been cold, and I was wearing just about all my clothing, except the heated jacket which was packed away. When I reached the gas station in Socorro, I finally realized I needed more warmth. So I put the heated jacket on, and plugged it into the bike, and the warmth was almost instant - and much needed.
On the road between Socorro and home I usually see elk, and this night was no exception. A small herd was crossing the road in front of me, so I hit the brakes hard. I'm stopped there on the highway, and one elk - likely blinded and dazed by the headlights - did a little dance in front of me. I started laughing to myself because it looked rather comical.
Further on, I encountered another small herd of elk browsing at the side of the road. When seen up close, elk are magnificent animals!
This area is replete with deer also but they are rarely seen at night - because they like to sleep most of the night. (Elk will only take cat-naps and are semi-active throughout the night.) But still I have watch out for Deer. Unlike elk which will usually just stand there at the edge of the road, deer will flash across the road when least expected.
The animal that I see most often at night is the rabbit - cottontails mostly but a few extra large jackrabbits. The jackrabbits will usually run away from the road without crossing it, and the cottontails are likely to just stand there beside the road. So both varieties are rarely run over. Still, I have to constantly watch out for any animal, big or small.
I don't listen to music while riding because I don't need the distraction. And seeing these elk made me think of the wild "pets" I have owned and loved. There was "Spooky" the wild gopher snake that, despite it's primitive brain, seemed to grow fond of me after I rescued it from certain death. We spent two weeks in close company, but reluctantly I released it back into the wilds where it belonged.
Then there was "Rabbit" a wild Desert Cottontail that liked to visit with me almost every day. Whenever I wanted to find her, I never could. But she always found me. This went on for two years until she died of natural causes. I've had plenty of wild pets over the years, and even though they tolerated me, I never felt they actually loved me. But Spooky and Rabbit were different. They had a choice to go against their natural instincts for the sake of love, and that is what made them so special.
I arrived back at the final gas station in Quemado, and after getting gas and photographing the DBR (Dated Business Receipt), headed for home. Jenny was awake and opened the garage for me. It was nice to be home at last. It was a terrific ride!