I wanted to post some thoughts on long distance riding, particularly the Iron Butt Saddle Sore 1000. The Saddle Sore is the first 'level' of certification rides. It requires that you get affidavits filled out at your beginning location, gas receipts with correct time and mileage written on them, an affidavit at the end of the run and for the rider to submit a log, maps, etc. to prove they did the ride. I've done two of these and, on top of that, the Bun Burner 1500. I regularly do rides of 700 plus miles as well. Along the way, I've noted a few things and will share them here. I decided to focus on the bike and rider comfort vs. equipment to bring. Many people have made suggestions about this and I've made several myself.
1. Synthetic clothing is the biggest load of crap out there, except possibly during the winter. I've heard all the claims of advanced wicking of moisture away from the skin and seen all the fancy diagrams and videos. Bull puckey! I've tried more than one brand and they all behave the same. They are constrictive. They act like a second layer of skin and trap heat and moisture. After several hours of 90+ degree riding, you'll be desperate to get it off your body. During the winter, however, it will provide another layer of warmth in the same way tights would. Unless you're using this product for that purpose, I highly recommend that you go back to natural fabrics that you like. The biggest requirement is to make sure there are no seams anywhere where your body contacts the seat. That's it. Be comfortable in what you're wearing.
2. You can't put on enough talcum powder, anti-butt powder, etc. I put on the powder on generously from knees to waist. I reapply during bathroom breaks while I'm riding. I get it all over the place too. I don't care. I dump some in my pants as well. The whole idea is to get your clothing to slide over your skin instead of being attached to it. It's also to minimize the effects of sweating.
3. Athlete's foot. Ride long enough and you're going to get it. Your boot is like a well insulated oven and your feet are right next to the engine; over a hundred degrees hotter than the rest of your body. Your feet will sweat and your boots make for the perfect environment to grow fungus. I happen to like Lotrimin. I put the cream on my foot and wipe the excess off in the inside of my sock. I also take the Lotrimin powder and dump copious amounts in my boots, hold the top shut and shake. That should kill any athletes foot growing in the boot. Being able to deal with this problem on a vacation that starts with a long distance ride is a good thing. Failure to deal with it will surely make your feet very unhappy.
4. Your saddle is critical to your comfort. What it won't do is stop the burning, rash type feeling that happens at all points in contact with the saddle. What a properly fitted saddle will do is prevent pain on the tailbone and ischial tuberocities...the bones you sit on. I suggest working up to 1000 miles. Being comfortable in your saddle at 250 miles is no indication of what you're going to feel like at 1000. My recommendation is that you should feel comfortable with a 10 hour ride before you try a saddle sore 1000 and address any 'pressure' you feel on your tail bone or ischial tuberocities before trying the ride. After all, it would be nice to walk when you're done.
5. The geometry of your bike is going to effect how your back feels when you're done. Let's take the Honda Goldwing as an example. If you are 5' tall or greater and have an inseam greater than 25", you will have no forward lean. This means no pressure on the lower back as a result of your core muscles holding your upper body in place. (It is a bad idea to use the handlebars to take up the weight of your upper body. Doing so puts lots of pressure on your spine right between the shoulder blades and will result in discomfort over the long term. ) That being said, your weight is now concentrated straight down, requiring more attention to the saddle. In contrast, let's look at a sport bike, the Kawasaki Ninga. At average heights, that bike sports a 22 degree forward lean, way too much for a comfortable long distance ride. Even if you lay your chest on the gas tank the whole way, your neck won't like the stretched position required to see adequately. The good news is that there is substantially less pressure on the saddle. That's probably a good thing since sport bike saddles are generally very thin. I ride a BMW K1600GT and have about a 5 degree lean angle. It took me a little while to get used to it; but, it is very comfortable for me now. Every bike and rider combination is going to provide a different geometry. http://cycle-ergo.com will help you approximate what yours will be. Even still, non-standard modifications will change these numbers, such as elevated handlebars or modifications that move the bars closer to the rider. The good news is that if there are any geometry concerns, they should be evident by the time you've got 10 hours in the saddle.
6. Knees must move to be happy. Highway pegs are a great thing. I wish I could use them on my bike. Highway pegs allow you to straighten out your legs. Knees that are stuck in the bent position for hours at a time will be sore. If you can put highway pegs on your bike, do so. If you can't, you still have to get your legs out of that bent position frequently. If you are an experienced rider and comfortable with the idea, you might want to try dangling your feet off the pegs. You have to be very alert to the road surface; much more than normal. If your foot hits anything at highway speeds, it will hurt and could cause serious injury. Don't even think about kicking rubber retreads on the highway, cones, etc. It will hurt. Also, most roads have reflectors in the pavement that stick up a little from the ground. These will also hurt if you kick one. I also recommend having your feet on the pegs on milled road surfaces, uneven surfaces, bumps, dips and curves. There is danger in this, particularly your legs getting caught up under the saddlebags or in the rear wheel, so do so at your own risk. The best option, bar none, is to make frequent stops and walk. That is the option I recommend.
7. Every stop (gas, food, bathroom) is a hydration stop. You could argue that you're doing nothing but sitting and therefore aren't getting dehydrated. You're wrong. Sitting in the sun all day is much different than sitting behind your computer in an air-conditioned office. Chances are, you're dehydrated there also. Most people don't drink enough to begin with. Even if you feel like you're not sweating, you are dehydrating all the time. It's a process. The sun and probably the wind accelerate it. Drink water. Another really good drink for the road is Pedialyte. It tastes like crap; but, it has all the right stuff to keep you fresh as a daisy and not even close to the amount of sugar as Gatorade. Gatorade is fine and readily available in every gas station and convenience store. Cut it in half with water...you don't have to mix it; just drink half and then an equal amount of water. Drink more and you'll feel better and more alert. Enough said.
8. Plan to pee. If you don't have to pee regularly, you're not drinking enough. See #7. Don't even try to reduce your water intake so you'll pee less. If you have a bladder the size of a golf ball, look into catheter systems. I understand that long haul truckers use them and I've also heard that some bikers will rig up the tubing so urine comes out directly to the pavement - no bag. Whatever you do, please don't try to hold it or drink less to avoid the need to pee.
9. Sunscreen never goes around or above the eyes. On my first IB run, I made this mistake. The afternoon heat was making me sweat and my waterproof sunblock ended up in my eyes. The only option is to get off the road, flush your eyes with clean water and wash your face. In the mean time, you look like a 5 y/o after a crying jig. At that time, I was wearing a skid lid and goggles. Now, I wear a full face helmet and I don't have any issues with this anymore.
10. Music or an intercom make the ride much more enjoyable. I used to be a 'hard core' Harley rider without a radio of any sort, no helmet, etc. My music was the sound of the engine and blah blah blah. Now, I want less noise and more entertainment. I have a bluetooth headset and custom ear plugs...which I don't use all the time. My bluetooth is hooked into XM Satellite, navigation, FM radio, Weather, my iPhone and ham radio. Most of the time, I listen to music while monitoring the ham radio. I usually ride alone, so it is nice when you can talk to someone during the ride. I can talk to another traveler, or have a short conversation with someone as I pass their base station. If there is another ham operator at the front of that multi-mile traffic jam, I can make an informed decision to wait it out or seek other options. Mostly though, I listen to music. I tend to listen to 80's on 8; but, after hearing the same programming for the third time, I will switch to 70's on 7 or a playlist on my iPhone or even talk radio. I've caught up with family and friends and many are happy to keep you company on the ride. On a 1000 mile ride, you're going to be riding for 3/4 of the day. Have some entertainment options for those long straight boring sections of the ride. That being said, I will turn all that off when the scenery is the entertainment.
Good luck on your first Iron Butt ride. I wish you roads free of traffic and calamities.
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