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Paulr
IBA Premier Member
Joined: 29 July 2005
Location: United States
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Posts: 6
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| Posted: 13 October 2006 at 1:04pm | IP Logged
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New Mexico, Arizona, and West Texas experienced record rains during
the month of August but September has been for the most part great
weather. All that was about to change. It was time for the 2006
edition of The LOE1000.
If Fridays odometer check was any indication of things to come we were
in for a windy ride but the weather guys were saying we were going to
get wet. Not just a chance of rain we were going to get, real wet.
Saturday morning was not what I would call nice but it's not raining
so were out of here.
Riding the plan.
Saturday was opening day of the Albuquerque Balloon Festival. This is
a big deal here drawing people from around the world to Albuquerque
for 10 days and wind and rain in the forecast did not stop the crowds.
I had planned on going north from our start location in Los Lunas 25
miles south of the balloons and was gambling the traffic would be off
the road watching the balloons by 7:30 or so when I would be coming
by. Traffic was not a problem, a minor slow down for an accident but
I was through Albuquerque and on my way to Santa Fe and my first bonus
in no time. Picked up the first of three missions and it started to
rain so on goes the rain gear, it would not come back off during the
rally. The sculptures at the Tesuque Village were next and I found
them with no problem. On to Chimayo and the second of the three
missions them Las Trampas for the third. Hitting all three missions
gave me a fourth free bonus in the mission combo. Five bonus's in
four stops not bad but things were about to turn ugly in a hurry.
I had planned for the traffic at the balloon festival, I looked at the
events schedule for the University of New Mexico, I checked on who was
in concert at what casino, I knew the exact time for sunrise and
sunset, I knew how much daylight and darkness there was going to be, I
knew it was a full moon if the damn clouds would get out of the way, I
checked it out but I forgot one thing that almost cost me not only the
rally but my life. The leaves are changing colors in the mountains
and the leaf peepers are out in force. These people are a hazard to
navigation and lets not forget life and limb. They have no problem
stopping in the middle of the road in the middle of a turn to take a
picture then discuss the photo with anyone in the area. When actually
in their car moving they are moving at walking speed or below. Mile
after mile I'm watching the clock tick off and I'm not going anywhere.
One good thing I did start seeing was pickup trucks with antlers in
the back. It's hunting season in New Mexico and from what I saw
hunting was good. A big thumbs up to every truck I passed with a
forest rat in the back. I missed the next planed stop at Kit Carson
state park. I don't know if I just drove by the entrance, missed the
sign, on the wrong road, or was so concerned with getting hit by a
leaf peeper I just spaced on this one. Move along there's plenty of
bonus to collect. Cimmarron and the Philmont Scout Ranch is next and
I drove to it like I knew what I was doing. Up to Raton and then over
to the Capulin Volcano to answer a question bonus. I don't think I
have ever gone through Raton when it was not raining and today was no
exception. The hardest rain of the day, so far, it's pouring rain but
I can see actual blue sky in the direction I'm headed, Clayton.
Clayton Lake state park is next. The road in is very narrow and this
is one of those roads that when the sign says it's a 20 mph turn they
meant 20. Well it's not raining but the wind is bad, real bad.
Through Clayton and on the three corners marker, Texas, New Mexico,
and Oklahoma down a dirt road, I'm glad it's not raining and at least
there will be no dust on me as bad as the wind is blowing. Back
through Clayton and fuel.
A last minute addition to my roll chart was the three presidents
bonus. There are five counties in New Mexico named after presidents
and we need three of the five. I fairly sure I have missed the sign
or it's not there but I had pretty much given up on the first of the
presidents signs when all the sudden there it is. I could not get it
stopped in time but that is no problem out where I am just park the
bike and walk back, I have not seen a car in some time by now. The
next bonus is a photo of the sign at the entrance to Chicosa Lake
state park. One problem, the sign is gone. The place where the sign
was is there but no sign. I took a picture of my rally towel where
the sign should have been and moved on. It's getting dark in a hurry
but it's only 3:30pm. I running straight into some serious rain,
lightning, and wind. The rain holds off until I get the picture and
store the camera at the Route 66 Memorial in Tucumcari then all hell
breaks loose. Big time rain, hail, lightning, wind, it's a real mess.
I find a shutdown gas station and duck under the cover. It's time to
adjust. It's about 7pm half way and it's time to adjust the gear. I
took my jacket off adjusted everything got redressed and felt much
better just as the sheriff pulls up. He steps out of the car and asks
if I was ok. Didn't ask what I was up to, where I was going or where
I had been, he ask if I was ok. It kind of surprised me for a second.
I told him I was ok just trying to get out of the rain and he said
good luck got back into his car and drove off. About ten minutes
later the rain slowed to a manageable level and I took off.
On to Portales and a peanut product. Buy any Portales peanut product
and get a receipt how hard can that be? Well it's 11pm and Portales
is closed for the night. I mean closed, this city is shut down the
sidewalks are rolled up even the dogs are asleep. I find a
convenience store that is open and dash in. It's a young girl behind
the counter and I tell her I need peanuts and before I finish she says
Isle two and you need a receipt also? Your not the first she says.
Cool, peanuts I'm out-O-here it's off to see aliens in Roswell.
I hit Roswell right after a big rain and the city is soaked, water
puddles everywhere. Two bonus's here. Aliens and another lake state
park on the outside of town. Hit them both and now it head north for
the last two bonus stops of the my rally. About 60 miles north is the
last of the presidents and the wind is back. Thirty miles later is
the Vaugn Village limit sign and my last stop. I'm about 120 miles
from the finish and comes the rain. I thought I had seen It rain but
this was rain. The temperature drops to 47 and the rain increases. I
cut about ten or twelve miles off the route and headed straight to I
25 because the roads are starting to fill with water and the
interstate sheds water better than the little two lane I'm running.
Finally I see the 203 mile marker and this rally is over for me.
It's a little after 6am, I've got the required 1000 miles covered with
1060 and I have the required eight bonus's covered with 16. I'm cold,
wet, tired, and ready to turn around and run it backward. I had a
ball. 5308 points and corrected mileage of 1057 landed me in 11th
place with 5.02 points per mile. The efficiency factor was new for
this year.
This was my second rally and my first 24 hour rally.
Paul
Paul R. Buettner
El Paso, Texas
1976 Gold Wing (YellowWing)
1976 Gold Wing LTD
2003 ST 1300A
AMA,STOC,IBA
__________________
Paul R. Buettner
El Paso, Texas
ST1300A
AMA,STOC,IBA
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ibafran
IBA Member
Joined: 01 March 2005
Location: United States
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Posts: 347
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| Posted: 13 October 2006 at 6:56pm | IP Logged
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great write-up. congrats.
__________________
so far, so good.
chicagoland
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jwhite518
IBR Premier Member
Joined: 25 March 2005
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 662
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| Posted: 18 October 2006 at 11:39am | IP Logged
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Great write-up. Congrats on your 11th place finish!
__________________
Jerry White
San Leandro, CA
05 FJR, 96 R11RS
IBA #386
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kseay
IBR Premier Member
Joined: 19 April 2005
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 51
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| Posted: 09 December 2006 at 8:54pm | IP Logged
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Paul - Congrats on a nice LOE finish! I really enjoyed the 06' LOE and the 'efficiency' scoring that Ira/Jeff implemented. Due to the weather, I went south to Hatch, Deming and Silver City, then east to White Sands Monument, Capitan and Roswell to the 'Alien Resistance Headquarters'..I missed the Bitter Lake Bonus a few miles out of Roswell and continued on to the Billy the Kid grave bonus..Really, really strange walking through a cemetary at @ 2am with a rally towel, flashlight and a Polaroid camera in the rain..(high pucker factor). I lucked out and made the Presidental county name combo bonus and hit the Vaughn bonus on the ride back to Los Lunas...another great LOE!
Paul, Thanks for the nice ride report and bringing back a few memories..
Edited by kseay on 09 December 2006 at 8:55pm
__________________
Kenny Seay
Norman,OK
02' BMW 1150gs
95' BMW K1100rs
'When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.' - Hunter S. Thompson
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sachiwilson
IBA Premier Member
Joined: 24 May 2005
Location: United States
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Posts: 290
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| Posted: 10 December 2006 at 4:20am | IP Logged
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Lovely writeup! It sounds like a fun rally.
__________________
Sachi
*Safety Queen*
http://www.yearroundriders.com
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Iron Butt.org General Discussion : Rally Reports
Topic: Ride Report---LOE1000
