cc: Bruce's Bikers' Bulletin Board


Hey Mike!

At 6:48 am ET on Monday, 29 May 2006, I completed the "100CCC Insanity" by riding coast-to-coast-to-coast from Jacksonville Beach, Florida to San Diego (Ocean Beach), California and back again, covering 4,728 miles in 95 hours 49 minutes.

As you well know, over the past 10 years more than 150 other riders completed this run before me, so I certainly set no records. I feel very fortunate, though, that with your certification I should be among the first 200 finishers of the 100CCC, one of the first 20 to do so on a Harley-Davidson, and one of only 2 to do so on a Dyna. I also feel I owe a debt of gratitude to the people who helped me get from A to B to C.

First, I want to thank the makers of Georgia Mud Dog boots, Icon Mainframe helmets, National Cycle light bars, Schampa riding gear, Schiek lifting gloves, SVM gas cards, Under Armour and Zooke Anti-Fog. I am also obliged to the Best Western hotel chain, the Ocean Beach Hotel, the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia, and the producers of Sugar Free Red Bull. And of course, I must acknowledge the Harley-Davidson Motor Company for providing me with one of the world's most reliable mile-eaters: the 1999 H-D FXDS Dyna Sport Convertible.

Second, I want to thank some of the people who in one way or another gave me the input, inspiration, accommodations or assistance I needed to attempt and successfully complete this run: Axel and Vickie Wojnar, Ben Askew, Charles & Andy, Dale Wilson, Diann Pearson, Frank at Sam's Shell Service, Gabriela Shirley, Jennifer in Sonora, John and Fran Del Santo, Karen Bolin, Kevin and Debbie Dineen, Madd Ray Henke, Melissa McGowan, Miami Mike, Mihail Slavkov, Rob Nye, Russ Pagenkopf, Splatt, and Willie & Jose. And to this list let me add a couple of dozen cagers who flashed their headlights ... a couple of hundred bikers who exchanged "the wave" ... and all the traffic law enforcement officials along the way who suffered from inattentional blindness.

Finally, I want to extend a very special thanks to:

-- the Unknown Cager on I-12 east of Hammond Louisiana, who in the midst of a sudden downpour saw my distress, eased his small red car in front of me and turned on his emergency flashers to guide me until the rain subsided;

-- the Kind Ole Cowboy in Balmorhea Texas who got out of bed at 1:49 am to turn on his gas pumps for me.

-- the proprietor of "The Thing" on I-10 west of Benson Arizona, for locating a gas pump exactly where I absolutely, positively had to have one;

-- Don Arthur, whose article on "Fatigue and Motorcycle Touring" should be required reading for all distance riders;

-- YOU, Michael Kneebone, for originating and maintaining the Iron Butt Insanity; and

-- the Good Lord above for tolerating it!


My ride certification submission should be delivered to your mailbox today.

Ride Long, Ride Free!

Bruce Arnold ;-)

IBA PM 21579
Bruce@LdrLongDistanceRider.com
http://www.ldrlongdistancerider.com/


P.S. Allow me to share my grief at the loss of my Midnight Blue bandanna, a faithful longtime riding companion taken in the prime of its useful life by the wicked crosswinds of Road Forks, New Mexico. (I am convinced, by the way, that Ocotillo, California and Road Forks, New Mexico are Purgatory and the Gateway to Hell ... but I am not sure which is which.)