GETTING STARTED
Well I began under beautiful, but warm, weather right at 6 pm. After meeting John M. and Buck L. at the Jiffi stop in Springfield Il to witness the paperwork I gassed up and heading east.
I selected my route on the gamble that the extra miles would make up for the massive traffic delays due to construction on I-80. So I headed East through Indianapolis, because it was late I made up a little distance by going straight through Indy rather than around it, and then north at Columbus OH to Cleveland OH where I merged with I-90 east and stopped for the first of my "required" stops. As I began to get close to the OH/PA border I found my mind begin to wander and decided to make a stop. I found a rest stop just east of the PA border where I stopped. At this time it was beginning to get a little cool, a welcome thing after weeks of high temps and even higher humidity back home. So using my tank bag as a pillow and draping my arms down by the warm engine I had a good sound nap. I wasn't the only motorcycle at the rest stop there was an old Honda parked beside me. However her owner must have found a tree somewhere because I never saw him/her while I was there.
Well newly refreshed from my nap I head out again. Traffic continues to be light and the weather perfect. Even as I get into NY the traffic never picks up beyond tolerable. Before I know it I'm at the International Bridge picking up my next "required" ticket. Now my daughter, who will so be driving herself, hates bridges. Even the big four-lane monster concrete things we have crossing the Mississippi around our home. So I just know that she'd "love" the international bridge. So I click on my video camera to get footage. For those who have never crossed the bridge on I-81 from Watertown, NY to Canada it is a two lane bridge about the width of good sized alley which goes straight up and then straight down in an arch.
OH CANADA
Well I arrive at the border ready to have a long wait having already been warned that Monday was the end of a civic holiday for Canadians. Much to my happy surprise all the lanes are open and at least half are empty. So I scoot right up and get check through. The border guard just chuckled when I told her the purpose of my visit. She simply stated, "So you'll be leaving Canada within about 24 hours eh?" with a twinkle in her eye. I can only conclude she's met my type before! I begin to make my way to the next stop North Bay, ON. (And yes, I now know it is North Bay NOT North Shore…) Highways 401 and 416 are just as promised 4 lanes with good flow then I turn west onto Hwy 417 which becomes Hwy 17 and it is here that I finally beginning to understand that there is a real difference in the US Interstate system and the Canadian. Oh yea, and like any of us might be the folks sure weren't in a hurry to get back home from holiday. So I spend my day muttering and passing. However before I know it there is the sign for North Bay just ahead and I was still well on schedule. I notice a Honda Goldwing behind me. I don't take too much stock in it as there had been a constant stream of bikes out enjoying the beautiful weather. However this guy just keeps with me then he starts waving, and finally he pulls up and asks me through hand signals if I need gas. It is here that it dawns on me the North Bay Iron Butt contingent had found me. I followed him to a Shell station where I get to meet Cameron S. and Peter D. face to face. One small problem though, the Shell station is out of gas! An omen? Maybe. We scoot across the street for a quick fill up and lunch. I am handed a weather report for the rest of the Canadian trip and a stern warning about the lack of gas stations at night between Hearst and Thunder Bay.
THE DARK OF NIGHT
As I leave North Bay the sky begins to darken and a cold drizzle begins to fall. Harkening back to the warning about the lack of stations I make an extra stop or two. I finally arrive at Hearst. After filling my gas tank as full as I can, I check my extra gallon of gas and then duck into the restroom to change into my cold weather gear, as there was a beginning to be a frost to the air. I head out into the wilderness. I began to watch closely for critters such as bear and moose that might want to cross the road. At first there is a steady stream of trucks but even that has begun to dwindle. After the expected 140 miles I stop to pour in the extra gallon of gas. A quick stop at the side of the road and I am on my way again. However I soon realize that I've not seen a town or service station, closed or otherwise for miles, soon my warning light comes on but I don't panic. However I realize that there must be a town soon or I'll be stopping anyway. And there it was... the sign that Nipigon and an all night Husky is a mere twenty Kilometers away. I begin to have hope but then comes the dreaded sputter, the forewarning of an impending stop due to lack of fuel. So about 10 kilometers from Nipigon and at 3 in the morning I coast to a stop in the middle of the Ontario wilderness. (On a side note, do the bushes in Canada all grow in the shape of bears or are they cut that way?) I try for about thirty minutes to get on of the truck to stop. By this point the only traffic on the road is me and logging trucks. I finally get one to stop by almost stepping out in front of him. I explain my situation and he simply tells me he doesn't know what to do and drives off. So I start pushing. About 5 am two ladies, or should I say angels, on their way to Holiday stop and ask if I need help. I tell them my situation they say that they'll go and see if they can find a gas can when I tell them that I have one they grab it and say they'll be right back. After what seems like forever, but is actually only a few minutes, they arrive with the gas. At this point though my battery is dead. We try several times to get it push started but to no avail. Here comes the third "Angel" a gentleman and his work truck. He gets out his jumper cables and connects to my "jump start cables" and before you know it…Smoke! The small bike cables had melted. I tell them I have to pull the tank and then jump the battery. They, all three, jump in and begin to help. And finally at 7 am I am rolling towards Nipigon for a fresh tank of Gas and a new day.
A NEW DAY
Feeling fresh, with a renewed appreciation for humans in general and Canadians in particular I make a call into the blog to inform folks that I'm going to try and make the 50 hours although I know it is an unlikely goal. I just can't make myself give-up yet. I get turned around and end up going through downtown Thunder Bay after my next gas fill-up, but even that 15-minute error (turns out it didn't matter anyway) could not deter or depress me. The sun was out traffic was flowing and I was on my way. I was able to make quick work of the border crossing back into MN. I am disappointed though to discover that the entire North Shore Road to Duluth is again a two-lane highway. I once again find myself muttering and passing my way down the road. Once I arrive at Duluth I decide for mental sake, if not time, I would skip going south on "state" highway 53 opting instead to take I-35 south to St. Paul and then to I-90 Madison and home. I continue to make good time. However it is around St. Paul that I realize I'm not going to make the 50-hour goal but I just am ready to be home.
THE "HOME" STRETCH
The ride home I begin to feel every bump and tickle in the road. My butt feels as if it is sitting on Iron not being Iron. My helmet has left a sore and I lost one of my good cold weather riding gloves. Yep, I knew it then I was almost home. Well, almost in that Iron Butt sense of the word, I still had about 700 miles to go. Finally, I made my last stop before the end of the run. I was somewhere north of Bloomington. It is now after 10 pm. While thinking about how good it will feel to be done I realized that I was defiantly losing my concentration. So, getting home safe being the primary goal I decide to stop at a rest stop I found just north of Bloomington, IL. As I came out of the restroom it started to rain. I just laughed, pulled my coat up over my head and woke up about 3 hours later. Well one Thunderstorm and 90 miles later I found myself back at the Jiffi stop in Springfield, IL. Oh yea, there was that little 30 mile trip to the rest of the way home but that was just gravy.
THE DETAILS
Left 6:03 pm Central Time August 6, 2006
Arrived 2:43 am Central Time August 9, 2006
Total Time 56 hours 40 minutes
Total Miles 2,803
