IBA SaddleSore 3000K Gold

Almost 2 years have passed since I did my first Iron Butt ride, and it's been a busy two years! From time to time I've thought about doing another ride, always thinking I'd like to try a tougher ride. The SaddleSore 1600k isn't totally easy, but I never felt like I really got tested while doing that ride. There was plenty of extra time to allow for delays, and it's short enough where one can do it in one shot. I've had the desire for a major challenge, so I know a little better what the hardcore endurance riders go through. Enter the SaddleSore 3000k. There's two options for that ride, do the regular one in less than 48 hours, or do the Gold ride in less than 36. Those who know me personally know it was an easy choice to pick the tougher ride.

A couple weeks ago I looked at this weekend as the one that I'd take my shot at this challenge, and as the weekend drew near I decided it was a go. The weather looked really good everywhere on my route and I was feeling up to it physically.

My first mistake on this ride came before ever starting it. I spent three hours in the morning taking care of a few things at home, which I regretted as the day wore on because that extra time would have helped. About 10:15am I was at the gas station, where Leona and my folks met me. We chatted a little, my dad prayed, and then we said our goodbyes. Once that starting receipt was in my hand it was go time!

The first 940km or so went by quickly, and that put me in Lloydminster. I stopped there for about half an hour to sit down and eat bacon & eggs at Denny's. It felt great to eat some real food for the first time that day. It was a little after 8pm by the time I had the bike fuelled up and rolling. The temperature dropped just as rapidly as the sun did between Lloydminster and Battleford. It wasn't as warm further south than it was at home either. I got my chaps, jacket, and gloves on in Battleford to stay warm. It was totally dark by the time I started south for Swift Current on highway 4.

I've never done a whole lot of night riding, mostly because I enjoy seeing the scenery and that's hard to do in the dark. There's also a lot more risk, and that had me a little nervous. I prayed a few times throughout the night, asking God for safety, and was able to enjoy the dark ride.  Twice I saw a fox running down the shoulder of the road, and another one that had it's run ended by a vehicle. It didn't feel like over 300km from Battleford to Swift Current, time passed quickly. I still felt great, so after a coffee and a granola bar, I was back on the highway headed west. 

The moon was at my back, but it wasn't very bright, often obscured by clouds. There were so many falling stars that I lost count. It was a beautiful night, though it got quite cold west of Swift Current. The earbuds really were hurting my ears, so I put them away and instead sang to myself (it sounded so good that I'm considering a career in music). Traffic west bound was almost non-existent, but east bound was quite busy. Most of the deer I saw this night were off the road, but there were a few dead ones on the road. One had gotten busted up pretty bad, enough to leave a few pieces laying on the road. I road right between the parts of that fresh kill.

In hindsight Medicine Hat was where I should have stopped for a short rest, but still feeling ok I decided to keep going. I was still on a good pace there, just over 17 hours and 1,621km done. Between Medicine Hat and Brooks that was a big accident that was being cleaned up, it didn't look good but hopefully the people made it out alive.

Passing by Brooks I had the feeling it was time to stop, but again I kept going. A little over an hour later I realized that I had hit my limit and it was time to take a nap. The first hotel in Strathmore was the Days Inn, and there I checked in for a short sleep. I laid down around 6:30am and passed out almost immediately. The first leg of the ride was 19 hours and 37 minutes, covering 1,869km. I awoke at 9:20am and by 9:55 I had a full tank of gas and was rolling. The break was a little longer than I had bargained for, with checking in and getting ready it was almost 4 hours.

The second leg of this ride really put me to the test, and where I had to reach way down to find the energy to continue. I wasn't tired, but my body was starting to hurt after so much time sitting on the bike. There were many times where I was close to stopping for another rest and just completing the ride in under 48 hours. Something in me said it had to be the Gold ride, so I kept riding despite the desire to give up so I could find temporary comfort.

A big accident on the Deuce north of Red Deer cost me quite a bit of time, and the construction on highway 43 also cost me precious time. All day I did math in my head, knowing I had around 1,200km to ride in 12.5 hours to make the deadline. It was discouraging to see any time I'd gain disappear because of things out of my control. There was no time to sit down for a meal, or get any proper rest. Just grab a few handfuls of peanuts, drink some water, and the go until the next fuel stop.

Between Valleyview and Peace River I stopped to pee, and noticed something odd on the back tire. Turns out there was a screw in it, which was quite a cause for concern. Not knowing what would happen if I touched it, I left it in and kept riding. Just after turning onto the Mackenzie Highway west of Peace River I called my wife. It looked like time was running out, I was exhausted, and the screw in my tire stressful. She encouraged me to keep riding, and it certainly helped to hear her cheer me on.

There was very little on my body that wasn't sore or aching, and mentally it was a challenge to not give in to the voices telling me to stop. After the fuel stop in Manning I realized that if I could just stay on the bike without stopping, there was a solid chance that I could still get back in time. The adrenaline obviously kicked in because some of the pain disappeared and I put together one of the most efficient stretches of the ride. 

I have to mention again that the IBA does not condone excessive speeding or reckless riding of any kind. This kind of ride is all about keeping stops short and efficient, and spend the most possible time in the seat. Having a wife at home who was worrying a little also helped me to recognize my limits, and there's no reason to ride at all if one doesn't try to live to ride another day. (I just felt the need to add this so you readers don't think I'm some idiot tearing down the road at 140km/h, who's too tired to know what's going on.)

Leona met me a little south of High Level, and though we didn't stop to talk, it was a great motivator to keep going. Having her behind me for the last 150km or so was awesome, especially because I knew at any time the screw could come out of the tire and end the ride. We had a little chat while I got gas in High Level, and then it was time for the final stretch.

Pulling into La Crete, knowing that I had made the deadline, and that the tire held up was amazing! God is faithful, as I prayed a few times for things to work out, and they did. I got my end receipt for the ride with 19 minutes to spare. 35 hours and 41 minutes to ride 3,126km (3,046 according to Google Maps). It felt great to share the moment with Leona and my folks, but the moment the ride was complete I could feel my body saying it was done.

If I'm going to do more of these rides, there's a number of things that have to change on the bike. I need to do something about the handlebars, they're a little too low and far forward. The seat certainly needs to be upgraded, and there needs to be a total overhaul on the lighting on the front of the bike. Being in better physical shape would also do wonders for long rides.

Eugene Wiebe

IBA #61,768

SS1600K

SS3000k Gold (pending approval)

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God: and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus Phillipians 4:6-7 NKJV 

There's the start receipt with the odometer at 76,828km

Starting a journey that was going to be harder than I imagined it would be

Heading east on the Yellowhead Highway

Still heading east on the Yellowhead, between Lloydminster and Battleford

A little over 1,000km done

Taken at 2:54am, ending my Saskatchewan portion of the ride

Southbound traffic was much more affected by the accident on the QEII, around 8km of backed up vehicles

The end receipt and the odometer at 79,954km

It was great to be back, safe and sound, and have my amazing wife there to greet me (it was also awesome to have you there mom & dad)! I know it's a little hard for you to not worry about the risks, but thanks for supporting me and encouraging me to follow my dreams Leona!

This is the route I took, point B is Battleford, point C is Swift Current

After a great night of sleep I had to know what was up with this screw. It took hardly anything to wiggle it out of the tire, and the air immediately started rushing out. God really did have his hand on this ride, making sure the screw stayed in long enough for me to get home safely

I'm proud to be part of this group of crazy riders! The limited interaction I've had with members online have been great, solid men and women who love riding and doing it safely!

2017 - Day 16

Well the time has come again to make the ride home, always a bittersweet day for me. Home is nice, but I'm never quite ready to end a trip. We had breakfast at the hotel after sleeping in a little, and then packed up the bike and hit the road.

The ride home was mostly uneventful, though we hit a few small showers between Slave Lake and Red Earth. We also met a guy at a roadside pullout from Nunavut who had been riding his Kawasaki 650 trail bike from Toronto, and was on his way to Yellowknife. He lives in Cambridge Bay, and it was interesting hearing a little bit about that. Nunavut is something I know nothing about. In Red Earth we ended up spending around an hour chatting with him while we all ate a sub. Thanks for being friendly Corey, it helped make the last day of the trip a little more fun.

From Red Earth to home is always an easy ride, the road is new and smooth, and one can open up the throttle a little bit more. Leona got stung by a wasp, not once, but twice. The wasp must have landed between us and stung her finger, and a while later it stung her leg.

After that it was uneventful all the way home, and we pulled into town around 20 minutes after 8. We had a coffee with my folks, got some groceries, and then went home. It was a great trip, the Lord granted us safety again, and we had great weather. Leona and I enjoyed our break from the routine, though I feel like I could keep going for another month at least. Now we have the rest of the summer to enjoy our home and go back to work.

Just north of Westlock

It's been a great machine for me over the last four years, hopefully many more kilometres to go

We caught a couple showers in the final 100km into Red Earth, just short ones

Must have been getting some nice rain up north, everything is so green

2017 - Day 15

The plan for today was to only ride to Edmonton, so we were able to take our time getting there. It was just after 11 by the time we left Jasper, and by the time we left the National Park it was 2pm. We took the road up to Miette Hot Springs again, and had a little snack there. I talked one of the cleaning ladies into letting me see one of the bungalows, and it brought back memories of staying there as a kid. One of these years we will have to rent a bungalow there and spend a little time in the pool.

Leaving the mountains in the rear view was kind of sad again, after spending so much time in mountainous terrain the last few weeks. The ride from Hinton to Edmonton was pretty boring after all the good roads we've been on during our trip. We stopped for lunch in Edson, a very late lunch, and pulled up to our room in Edmonton right at 6pm.

Our meeting with the regional rep of CMA (Christian Motorcyclists Association) was a go for tonight after a quick phone call, and after a little time to relax in the room, we made our way to the east side of the city. It wasn't too long after 7:30 when the couple arrived, and the four of us chatted until 10:30. The chat was great, and it was really nice to meet with them and get a feel for the organization. I guess we will see what happens from here, and if the Lord wants us to be a part of that ministry.

Now it's time to get some rest and make the final leg of the trip home. It will be nice to be home, go to work and earn some money again, but I could easily keep traveling if time and money allowed.

2017 - Day 14

The room at the Crystal Springs was good, and both of us had a good night of rest. We had another continental breakfast, which are good, but I prefer more of a real breakfast. Packing up takes literally minutes, we have a system down by now that is pretty efficient.

It was a lot cooler today than it has been since we left Vancouver Island, with rain in the forecast. The weather was pretty nice though as we left Radium. As we continued down highway 93 towards Alberta the clouds started moving in. Not to far from the provincial border we pulled over to don the rain gear, as did the group of bikes following us.

I've never been on the Bow Valley Parkway before, so once we got to the intersection we opted for that instead of the Trans Canada. That was a mistake in my opinion, I found the road pretty boring as it was mostly a tunnel of trees that blocked most of the scenery. Next time I'd just take the TCH for the section, as it's more open and gives one a little more views.

The Lake Louise area was crazy busy, and since we've both been there before, we decided to forego that today. We had a snack and filled the gas tank on the bike, and then off we were. There were people everywhere in the National Parks today, but I have a feeling it's going to explode to another level once July rolls around.

At Saskatchewan Crossing we had another little break, just in time to miss a rain shower coming through. Once we got back on the bike, the temperature kept dropping as we neared the Columbia Icefield. The gauge on my bike was between 40 and 45F at the summit there. The last 40km or so into Jasper we got pretty wet as the rain got quite a bit heavier. It felt really good to get to our room, and have a hot shower. This was the coldest day of the trip so far, and certainly the wettest. We've had really good fortune with the weather, and it looks like tomorrow should be good again. A lot of the views today were obstructed by the clouds, but it was still nice to see the area.

Now we will relax in our room a little, sleep in tomorrow, and head to Edmonton. Only a couple days left now before we get home, where a lot of work will be waiting I'm sure. 

Bonus points to anyone who can spot the interesting feature in this photo

Our second floor room...

...with the bedroom in the loft

2017 - Day 13

We had a great room in Revelstoke, even though it was tiny, but for some reason I wasn't able to sleep very well last night. I woke up feeling tired but that feeling kind of passed after a little while. Leona and I had a typical light continental breakfast and then packed the bike and headed up to Revelstoke Mountain Resort. A co-worker had told Leona about the pipe coaster and we decided we wanted to do that this morning. Let me just say, if anyone of you is in the area and you have time, it's well worth the price of admission to do this ride. There are videos on YouTube of the pipe coaster, check them out if you want to know what it's like, it was a blast! The little carts go down the pipe just like a roller coaster, and the rider can control the speed. Such a fun way to start the day:)

After our (not so cheap) thrills, we hit the highway again at around 11:30. Not too far from Revelstoke we walked the Giant Cedar Boardwalk, which was pretty cool. Some of the trees are just massive and the vegetation is so lush.

There was quite a bit of construction going on up at the Rogers Pass, which was actually good, because we ended up riding slow and having more time to take in the scenery. I say this every time, but I think the mountains are more beautiful every time I ride through them. I was thinking about it today, and there's can't be a whole lot of the Trans Canada highway left that I haven't ridden in the last five years. I've been so lucky to finally live this dream, and now I get to share it with someone I love.

We stopped for a late lunch in Golden, and then made the final run down to Radium Hot Springs where we have a room booked. I got so sleepy on the ride that we pulled over and rested on a picnic table at a rest stop. It was there that we realized that we were back in the mountain time zone, which made our lunch in Golden even later. 

After arriving in Radium and checking into the motel, we lounged around the room a little, and chatted with four female riders from Colorado. We've talked to, and see so many, bikers in the last week or so. That's always a fun part of the trips for me, the people and their stories. Eventually we showered and then walked to the Horsethief Creek Pub for a small dinner. Walking in the evening is so nice after being on the bike, a chance to stretch out a little. Now it's time to get some rest, hopefully sleep well tonight.

Starting the gondola up to the start of the pipe coaster

Almost at the top of the gondola, what a view!

This little cart is supposed to carry me down that small pipe?

A view from the top, with the pipe going into a tunnel

Those leaves are quite large!

Got me some new pants, the ones I'm wearing were getting see-through

The 150mm howitzers they used to shoot down avalanches

Our home for the night, it's been totally redone since I stayed here 4 years ago

Walking to dinner, and the sheep are already enjoying theirs

Down the street to the motel

2017 - Day 12

As I said yesterday, there were curves on the agenda today, and the highways did not disappoint. By the time we were packed up and ready to go, including breakfast at Tim Hortons, it was 10am. The weather was beautiful once again, a tad cooler than yesterday, with some clouds forming south and west of Creston.

The first road today was highway 3A from Creston to Kootenay Bay. I've been on this stretch before, and it's as good a road as you'll find in Canada. The curves never really stop, and one probably spends more time leaning that riding straight. We stopped at a lookout about halfway, and while I took a couple of pictures, Leona started chatting with a lady from Australia. We ended up having a good chat with the couple, who are believers as well. Almost 5 years ago I went to a golf camp at Kokanee Springs for a week, and we quickly pulled in to refresh my memory.

From the golf course it's only a few minutes until you get to the ferry, which took us over to Balfour. While waiting for the ferry we chatted with two other couples from Alberta, who also stayed at the same hotel as us last night. The ferry ride was fun, a great little diversion from riding, and took about half an hour or so.

Once off the ferry we turned right onto highway 31, which we took up to Kaslo. Moments after making the turn we caught about a 10 minute shower. The rain was actually comfortable, and helped to cool us off a little. In Kaslo we stopped for lunch, before taking 31A over to New Denver. 31A was an awesome road, hardly any traffic at all, and more curves than 3A. This short 50km stretch is one of BC's best kept secrets.

In New Denver we pulled over so I could have a smoke, and the clouds forming in our path looked a little ominous. A quick check of the weather told me that any rain would be moving quickly, so we decided to forego rain gear. We caught another little shower, and some intense wind, but soon we were back in the sun. Highway 6 from New Denver, through Nakusp, and to Galena Bay was another scenic route, less curves but still plenty. There was another ferry at Galena Bay, that we took across to Shelter Bay, about a 20 minute crossing. The road from there to Revelstoke was kind of boring after the scenery and curves all day.

After checking into our room in Revy, we walked a few blocks to Emo's for dinner. I had a pizza, and it was the best pizza I've had in years. Leona had a salmon dinner, and we would both recommend this place for a nice dinner in Revelstoke.

We don't have a big mile day planned tomorrow, so we might go ride the pipe coaster at Revelstoke Mountain Resort before hitting the road to Radium. Sadly we have only two more really scenic days left on this trip, though the morning we leave for Edmonton from Jasper will still be beautiful. There's rain in the forecast for the day we do the Icefield Parkway, so hopefully that changes yet. Now it's time for a shower and some sleep. It was an absolutely amazing day today!!

About halfway from Creston to Kootenay Bay

Same lookout, just looking north

For memories sake

Waiting for the ferry, along with a few other bikes

Waiting for the ferry

We weren't the only ones crossing, though that ferry looked smaller than ours

You could smell the rain, it was beautiful

Our view eating lunch in Kaslo, sitting on the patio

Summit Lake rest stop

Galena Bay

Our ride coming to get us

Windy and lots of small waves on the crossing, the cool air was a welcome relief

Arriving in Shelter Bay