It was Thursday morning. I needed to be in Texas by Friday night. I was in Pikesville, MD. Hurricane Dennis was between Texas and Maryland - really close to Maryland, actually. I lit out at 0600. I gassed up and got an attendant to sign my first Iron Butt entry. Within 5 miles I hit rain. By the time I got to Tennessee, I was fully in what was left of the hurricane. I rode through the Tennessee mountains in high winds, heavy rain, standing water, and fog. 1030 or so miles later, I pulled into a hotel parking lot just to the west of Little Rock, Arkansas. I had completed the first of 4 IBA milestones for the weekend, and got the desk clerk to sign my sheet in order to prove it.
I woke Friday knowing I had only a little more than 500 miles to complete for the day. I took it easy getting ready, and checked out after 0800. I rode all day through much drier and easier miles until I got to Dallas. I managed to ride right into Friday rush hour in 90 degree weather. Very quickly, my air cooled bike started to bog and become very unhappy in the hot, still air at 1mph, or so. Once I got around the city, I was able to avoid a few cell phone-equipped cagers and take it back up to cruising speed. I arrived in Possum Kingdom just after 5pm to have my SS1500 sheet signed.
I unpacked the tent and the rest of the camping gear and got set up for the evening.
Saturday was a day of rest with friends. We ate, drank, swapped stories, and otherwise destressed.
I woke at 0430 and started to pack my bike. By 0500 I was packed and wondering what I did with my gloves. It wasn't until 0545 that I realized I had stuffed them in my helmet. I took off before the sun could come up in the general direction of Maryland.
By sundown, I was in Gatlinburg, TN, home of Dollywood. The evening was surreal due to sleep deprivation and the general strangeness of Gatlinburg.
I woke and packed the bike at a leisurely pace. I had the lowest mileage of the weekend to complete and I was tired. I got on the road around 9 am and started the trek north. Generally, on a really long road trip, I'm anxious to get home on the final day, and I wick it up a bit.
In spite of the late start, I got home around 5pm. The mileage for 4 days of riding was 3400, featuring 2 SS1Ks and 2 SS1500s. The Honda CB700SC didn't miss once.