Some Random Thoughts on the Iron Butt Rally

1995 Iron Butt - Dr. Murphy's report

You cannot anticipate the extremes of weather that you will encounter over the Labor Day weekend in visiting the four corners of the United States. Heat, rain, and cold are regular and expected features of the ride. Add the regular presence of deer, night riding, and fatigue and you will begin to appreciate the demands of the premier long distance challenge that constitutes the Iron Butt Rally.

As a physician I gained both insight and appreciation for the conditions of hypothermia, hyperthermia, and fatigue. The most important words of the pre-rally safety talk were in regard to these three situations. The prime sign of all three is alteration of your speed: 75,53,80,60, etc. If temperature conditions are ideal (65- 75deg), fatigue is the problem. STOP! Exercise, rest, eat, stop for gas. Any time you do stop, use a timer to awaken. The best and loudest of these devices can be purchased at any truck stop; it is called a 'Screaming Meanie'. I personally know that the people in the next room of a motel can hear it.

In crossing the desert southwest hyperthermia is almost guaranteed. The old hands do it this way: ( I found out about the "right" way after the fact.) Wear two long-sleeve tee shirts soaked through under your regular (vented) leather jacket. This allows enough evaporative cooling to occur without loss of fluid. Additionally, use a long tube to constantly replenish oral fluids from your water bottle. Do NOT soak your helmet with water - it only adds two more pounds of weight for your neck to support. A long stocking filled with ice is also a nice source of comfort. Eastbound, as in Iron Butt '95 the MacDonalds in Yuma is a welcome oasis.

Hypothermia is a hazard not only along the northern tier but also when it is raining. I wish that I had brought along long underwear for the segments in Idaho, Washington, and Maine. A heated vest is the minimum cold weather accessory. Heated handgrips are useful. Both winter and summer weight gloves are essential. A waterproof over glove is important since wet winter weight gloves will take 48 hrs to dry - don't ask why, I know. Remember, if you are going sixty miles an hour and the temperature is sixty degrees, the wind chill factor is about thirty-four degrees.

My basic gear consisted of a tee shirt, blue jeans, Westco 13" lined boots, vented leather jacket, and helmet(I have an Arai head). Be sure your helmet is well broken in. 18 to 20+ hour days with high speed buffeting will compress any liner. I discarded underwear and socks daily. You can mail replacements to any of the checkpoints. Bring band-aids for your left great toe. Blisters form from all the shifting. Use vaseline to avoid irritation in the rectal and groin regions.

A good rainsuit is absolutely essential. It rained four full days during IBR95. My own personal preference was a two-piece H-D rainsuit with a bib-style pant. The major disadvantage was in having to stop to put it on. The advantage was in being able to use the pants as a windbreaker in cold weather. Many participants used an Aerostitch suit and reported great satisfaction.

I greatly underestimated my ability to cover ground in IBR95. I arrived early at all destinations. I made the mistake of arranging for motel reservations in advance and guaranteed them. Ed Otto, who finished IBR95 on a Honda Helix and who will be the IBR97 Rallymaster, makes an excellent point: Stick to your regular daily routine regardless of the length of sleeptime. If you regularly shower, shave and shine upon rising, continue the same routine. Plan each 24 hour segment but be flexible. Eat breakfast. Don't waste time at gas stops. For example, go in to the station, drop your credit card with the clerk, get a cup of coffee, fuel your machine, check out, and then drink your coffee which will have had time to cool.

Steve Attwood, who finished first in IBR93, makes a point of not traveling at excessive speeds. I did not have a radar detector or CB radio. I usually traveled at the "flow of traffic" and was not stopped at any point. My only perceived area of tight housing was in the Pacific northwest.

The Iron Butt Rally is mostly a mentally demanding event. I was surprised at the number of people who attempted the event having never done a thousand mile day or, better still, two (1)thousand mile days back to back. Mechanical preparation is a given. Shaft drive motorcycles seem to do better over long distances. Facilities are available for oil changes at most of the checkpoints. I had the unusual experience of giving gas to a fellow participant who had installed auxiliary tanks. He had not calculated his range with regard to the speed he was going.

Only one hundred or so motorcyclists have successfully completed the Iron Butt Rally. To not finish puts a terrible 'monkey' on your back.

Mental preparation is important. I felt that the MSF basic and advanced courses were very helpful (I only started motorcycling in 1992). The CLASS course was also important in developing high speed skills. The IBR shouldn't be the first time to ride extended periods in the rain or cold.

The classic close of motorcycling prose is 'Ride hard, ride fast'. The Iron Butt Rally gives you the chance to add 'Ride far, ride long'.

M.G.Murphy,MD
Internet phrd79a@prodigy.com