Endurance Challenges

Adventure is misery relived at leisure

Every now and then the urge to travel to some far away place strikes, but life gets in the way. Whether it’s a lack of money, or obligations to family, school, or work, there seems to always be an excuse to stay at home. But what if you could travel to some distant point without ever spending a night away from your own bed?

That's the beauty of an endurance challenge like the Iron Butt Association's SaddleSore 1000 motorcycle ride.

Perfect weather is never guaranteed.

I recently competed in a SaddleSore 1000 ride. It’s not truly a competition, but there’s no better way to describe the long-distance motorcycle challenge. The goal of the SaddleSore 1000 is to ride 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) in less than 24 hour. It's a test of endurance and often attracts riders who enjoy pushing their limits. Participating in the SaddleSore 1000 is no small feat, as it presents both mental and physical challenges to riders. The competition then, really, is against yourself.

This endurance ride requires focus, concentration, and resilience. Riding for such a long distance within a limited time frame demands mental discipline to stay alert. Enduring fatigue, monotony, and potential discomfort from long hours in the saddle can be mentally taxing. Riders need to keep their minds sharp, overcome boredom, and maintain a positive mindset throughout the journey.

Physically, the challenges of the SaddleSore 1000 are undeniable. Riding a motorcycle for 1,000 miles in a single day puts a strain on the body. The continuous vibrations, prolonged sitting, and exposure to the elements can lead to fatigue, muscle soreness, and discomfort. Riders must be physically prepared, ensuring they have the stamina and endurance to handle the long hours on the road. Proper hydration, nutrition, and regular breaks are crucial to maintain energy levels and prevent exhaustion.

Added to these challenges, are the requirements set forth by the Iron Butt Association. In addition to the distance and timing requirements, riders must collect, photograph, and track all fuel receipts and those of any stop more than 30 minutes. More than that, the photos of each receipt must be in front of your odometer. All requirements so that there's no question that the journey was accomplished.

Photographs of dated fuel receipts, in front of your odometer, is a critical requirement of an IBA ride.

For my own SaddleSore adventure, I departed Las Vegas at 3:30 in the morning. At that time of night, traffic was light: only a handful of long-haul truckers and other crazies like myself shared the road with me.

Darkness held until I had well passed the Californian border and before long I was approaching the suburbs of Los Angeles, making my way through thick fog and rain with the other morning commuters passing through San Bernadino mountains. But I wouldn't stop until reaching San Diego, where'd take my first pause for breakfast.

Hunger satiated, I made my way along the southern border of California and into Arizona, stuck on what seemed like an endlessly straight slab of asphalt. For hour after hour, the miles passed by under my wheels while the sun moved from one part of the corner of the sky to the other.

A fuel stop and dinner outside of Phoenix and it was time to begin the portion of the trip that would bring me back home. The sun dipped below the horizon, and fatigue finally hit me. I had been on the road for hours and now, and with still more hours to go, my eyes began to burn and my back ache. Through determination and will I continued on, persevering until my final fuel stop at 9:25 pm, nearly 18 hours after leaving that same place earlier in the day.

However, the satisfaction at the end of the SaddleSore 1000 is unparalleled. Completing this grueling challenge brings a deep sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, and serves as a reminder of one’s capabilities. Riders experience a mix of emotions, ranging from relief to pride. It is an accomplishment that few have done, but it is the journey itself, with its moments of awe and trepidation, that make it a memorable experience for those that take on this ultimate test of endurance on two wheels. After all, as the great traveler Marco Polo is attributed as saying: "adventure is misery relived at leisure."