So he’s off and away then …..

Well with the wonders of modern technology, here am I posting on the blog about Roberts IBR ride over there in the good old US of A, whilst I am sitting in a hotel a few miles south of Nordcapp.

As you will all be aware, Robert will be some 6 hours into his ride now.  If he’s anything like I was on that last night before the rally and during the first few hours, his mind will be full of all of the things that can go wrong. 

6 hours into an 11 day rally, will undoubtedly mean he’s still shuffling in his seat trying to get comfortable !!!

This will be a whole new experience for him.  He’s done many big bike trips before, but during those, he was master of his own timetable.  If he wanted to stop, he could.  If he wanted a day off, he could.  On the IBR, those options aren’t available to you.  All he’ll be focussing on, is hitting that first leg cut off deadline. 

I have been pleased that during my chats and text messaging with him over the last few weeks, the normally ultra competitive Robert has been replaced by a Robert whose primary aim is to finish and get that important “3 digit” IBA membership number (the first 999 membershis numbers are reserved for those IBA members who have finished an Iron Butt Rally.  Since the first rall was run nearly 30 years ago, less than 600 of those memebrship numbers have been issued) .  Riding a “Hopeless Class” bike will present Robert with all sorts of issues that the riders of modern machines just will not have to face.  As reliable a Roberts Honda is, it was never built with the thought of it running virtally non stop for 11 days.  Thing will go wrong with the bike. Ultimately what will decided whether Robert comes homes with the “3 digit” number is how well he copes when they do.

Finally a quick apology – just whilst we’re away on this trip, my Blog entries may at time be a bit short and to the point.  I’ll try and post something each day as I get news, but it will not be until we are back home a week today (Monday) that I’ll be able to write much more than a rief summary of what’s happening