Alan Leduc's

Ride Report

Background

The FitE VIII was a 24 hour motorcycle rally with a special twist: that allowed riders to start at one of three different locations:

• Pumpkin Center, Louisiana
• Big Bone Lick State Park, Kentucky
• Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Each entrant was expected to complete a 1000+ mile base route. In addition to this base route, the riders were provided with a list of 51 bonuses locations and activities from which to choose opportunities to earn bonus points.

There was one required checkpoint for each rider; they had to visit one of the other starting locations.  For example, I started in Big Bone Lick State Park and visited Pumpkin Center as my other required checkpoint. The finish was in Madison, Alabama.

Bonus points associated with each checkpoint depending upon where the rider started in order to make up for the mileage disparity. For example, a rider starting in South Carolina received more points for reaching Pumpkin Center than Big Bone Lick State Park. 

Pre-Ride

This would be my second 24 hour rally. What concerned me most was that this rally had a 5:00 p.m. start time. All of my previous endurance rides had an early morning start time. In order to see how I would respond to the early evening start time, I decided to ride a BBGold on my way to a MTF (Motorcycle Tourer's Forum) Lunch in Tuscaloosa, AL. This also allowed me to run the base route from Big Bone Lick to Pumpkin Center, at least the all Interstate version. I got some yawns at around midnight. This was weird because at that point I had ridden less than 10 hours. I was wondering if I would be able to get through the 24 hours. As the miles and hours wore the yawns went away and I was able to maintain my focus. I attended the lunch and some chat and actually stayed up about 36 hours before getting a good nights sleep and then riding the several miles home the next day. This was a good experience and gave me some confidence with regard to the afternoon start.

Bob Ray, rally master, advised us to bring good maps, preferably AAA, for each of the southern states (anything south of Philadelphia and east of Texas is fair game!). He also provided information as to the base routes as follows:

• For those starting in Conway, South Carolina:
  • Route 1: Conway, SC to Big Bone Lick State Park, KY to Madison, AL
    • The shortest route is 919 miles.
    • The fastest route is 989 miles.
  • Route 2: Conway, SC to Pumpkin Center, LA to Madison, AL
    • The shortest route is 1227 miles.
    • The fastest route is 1274 miles.
• For those starting in Pumpkin Center, Louisiana:
  • Route 3: Pumpkin Center, LA to Big Bone Lick State Park, KY to Madison, AL.
    • The shortest route is 1088 miles.
    • The fastest route is 1161 miles.
  • Route 4: Pumpkin Center, LA to Conway, SC to Madison, AL
    • The shortest route is 1319 miles.
    • The fastest route is 1370 miles.
• For those starting at Big Bone Lick State Park, Kentucky:
  • Route 5: Big Bone Lick State Park, KY to Conway, SC to Madison, AL
    • The shortest route is 1086 miles.
    • The fastest route is 1168 miles.
  • Route 6: Big Bone Lick State Park, KY to Pumpkin Center, LA to Madison, AL
    • The shortest route is 1161 miles.
    • The fastest route is 1248 miles.

Being from Indiana, geographically it made since to start at Big Bone Lick. However, the two base routes were 1168 and 1248 miles. This would leave little time for bonus hunting. I felt that Conway was the best place to start as it had one base route at 989 miles and another at 1274 miles. However this would add about 10 hours to the trip in getting to the start point. As my schedule got tighter, I finally committed to a start at Big Bone Lick.

Bob Ray also advised that 60% of the bonuses would come  from http://www.americancivilwar.com/statepic/cwusa.html. I'm not much of a history buff, but it looked like we could have some interesting bonus locations in some pretty remote locations. There was a thought of plotting some of the points in the GPS however it was difficult getting good information on the exact location so this was a fleeting thought at best

Not sure which route I would be taking, I was guessing that I could run into temperature down into the 30's. I decided to wear silk long johns, sweat pants, Gerbing heated overpants, a long sleeve T-shirt, Gerbing, Jacket liner, Joe Rocket Ballistic Jacket, and Gerbing heated gloves. I have heated socks but figured they would not be needed. I was hoping this would keep me warm and not be so hot that I would have to stop to remove clothes. I didn't count on the mid 80 temperature that I encountered in the south. 

I had purchased a Panasonic CF-27 Toughbook computer. This is a water resistant computer. My goal was to mount in on the handlebars so that I would have my mapping software at my finger tips. I couldn't figure out a way to mount the computer but did get it hooked up so that I could locate it in the trunk and run it off of the bikes power. I also added a 100 oz Camelbak Unbottle for hydration. 

I woke up around 6:30 a.m. on the day of the ride (Friday, 10/11/02), got dressed and headed out by 7:00 a.m. as planned. I took the back roads to I-74, took I-74 to I-275 and jumped off I-275 at Hebron Exit 7 and took more back roads to Big Bone Lick. I knew from previous scouting that there was no gas at Big Bone Lick so elected to get gas soon after exiting I-74. This was only about 25 miles from Big Bone Lick and with the auxiliary fuel cell I should have plenty of gas for the first leg. This also gave me a chance to pick up some duct tape which I had forgotten to purchase. How in the world can you forget Duct Tape?

The last road before getting to Big Bone Lick is Big Bone Lick Union Road. I had been on this road before and knew that it had a lot of twisties. The right edge of the road has no shoulder and was very ragged. There was also a light rain so I was riding very cautious and was trying to stay a safe distance inside the edge of the road. As I approached a curve while coming down a slight grade, I noticed gravel on the right side. I was only doing about 25-30 mph so decided to move from the outside to the inside and take the curve from the inside out to avoid the gravel. I hit the handlebar and countersteered to the left. I oversteered on the narrow road and my front tire hit the yellow line. Then my rear tire hit the yellow line and I could feel it loosing traction and coming around counterclockwise. The next thing I know the bike was down and I was down with it. Below of picks taken after the accident.

Looking into the curve

Looking back at the curve

You can see from the top picture that there is only about 4-5 feet from the start of the black mark, indicating where the tire lost traction, and the two skids marks where the crash bars dug in. 25 mph = 2200 feet/min = 36.7 feet/sec. This means takes about .14 seconds at 25 mph to travel 5 feet. Or in this case it took about .14 seconds for me to find myself sliding on the asphalt. The bike slid on its side about 25 feet and I slid about 20 feet at something less than 25 mph. This time seemed like an eternity. I had full view of the bike as it crashed into the grass embankment and bounced. As I picked myself up out of the grass, my first concern was to check out the bike. It was surely seriously damaged. About that time I noticed gas leaking from the filler on the auxiliary fuel cell. I need to get the bike standing up. It was rotated past the crash bars and was laying on the rear crash bar and the mirror. I couldn't lift it. I moved to the back of the bike and lifted on the passenger grip and pushed on the trunk. All of a sudden the bike rolled up on both the front and back crash bars. I then was able to lift the bike to vertical using the passenger grip and left handlebar. I kicked the kickstand under the bike and caught my breath.

The bike is now setting perpendicular to the road with the front tire right at the edge of the pavement and the back tire in the wet grass. I climbed on the bike but could not reach the ground because of the ditch. I got one leg down and raised the kick stand. I tried to accelerate out of the ditch but the tire just spun in the wet grass and again wanted to slip counterclockwise. After several attempts, I finally decided that I had already dropped it and that I would give it as much gas as I could and try to get it to pull out of the ditch. Luckily, I was successful. 

I was not aware of it at the time, but if you look at the end of the road in the top picture, you can see a clearing. This clearing was just to the right of the start point at Big Bone Lick. I pull up at BBL, get off the bike and start removing clothes. One of the Rally workers approached and ask, "Are you ready for Tech Inspection." As I throw my clothes to the ground, I respond, "Not now, I have to see if I am hurt." He looks at the bike which has grass and mud in every crack and asks, "When did you do that?" Just right there as I point up the hill. "I didn't see you." he says. "I didn't know you were here either", I replied or I would have ask for help. It has now been 15-20 minutes since the bike went down and I am just now assessing whether or not I have any injuries. My left shoulder took the biggest hit but there is only a slight scrape on the elbow of the JR Jacket; no mark on the the shoulder. The pants did not have armor but only and appear to be turn on the knee through one layer and have some light scraps on the hip. The helmet has a slight scrape on the left side of the faceshield. I feel something on my nose and realize it is bleeding. I get a towel to wipe off the blood and find that I have a small cut on the nose. Who knows how that happened. I have a flip top helmet and had it up. Oops, that was a mistake. No road rash. No serious bumps. I was lucky!

Now back to the bike. One of the ladies had pulled some of the grass out of the cracks and I pulled as much of the rest of the mud and grass out as I could. The bike looks pretty good. The left mirror is scraped up and the left rear crash bar and left floorboard mount are serious ground down. The left saddlebag trim has some chrome peeled off. But the bike looks great for such a slide. I notice that I am missing part of my cell phone and the lower cord that runs from the helmet to the intercom. I decide to get back on the bike and go look for them. This is when I took the pictures. I found the missing pieces and decide to ride the bike back to the start without a helmet to see if I can here any weird noises. Everything seems to be operating normal. WOW. That is amazing!

I go through the Tech Inspection, get the bonus package, and decide to grab a spot at a picnic table that has electrical power nearby. I'm not really excited about hopping on the bike and heading back home and I don't want to stand around and talk about it. Studying the packet seemed to be a good diversion. I am still not sure whether I will do the ride, so I decide not to call my wife and tell her about the accident. After a few hours, my shoulder started to hurt a bit. I ask a couple of the people if there looked like there was any bruising and they said no. So I went back to work on my route.

The Toughbook computer has a slide pad instead of a mouse. This worked great at home. But here in the damp weather, my finger keeps sticking which is taking a lot of extra time. Larry Cooper joined me at the picnic table. He too had a laptop. We cussed and ranted together as we entered points and tried to figure out how to work in some bonus locations on the long base routes.

Knowing the base route in advance allowed me to be able to work out time checks at each hour increment from Madison. For example, when I was 4 hours from Madison on the Pumpkin Center Route I located a point that I called P11A. If I were at this point at 11:00 a.m., I would be on track to complete the rally at 3:00 p.m., which was 2 hours early. I located a point for each hour increment on both the Pumpkin Center and Conway Routes. These points became invaluable in giving me a quick check on my time situation. 

The weather forecast for the east was not looking very good. I also knew that there was some of the Interstate on the eastern route that was 55 mph speed limit. Additionally, I wasn't thrilled about riding in the mountains in the dark and possible rain. So I completely discounted the Conway route and the bonuses far away from the Pumpkin Center route. 

I entered all of the points close to the Pumpkin Center route into Microsoft Streets and Trips and and on a paper map of the Southern United States. It seems easier to get the big picture from the paper map and this was going to be my backup in case my computer didn't work as I intended. The one are that became immediately attractive was Vicksburg, MS. There were three bonuses totaling 1176 miles in that area. I continued to delete points ended up with the following which I declared as my route.

Route Development

SUMMARY Driving distance: 1502.5 miles Driving time: 27 hours, 29 minutes At least I had a plan. The bad news was that it was coming in at 3-1/2 hours over the time limit and that didn't include stops. I know from previous experience that I can usually do better than the mapping software as they use a 65 mph speed limit for Interstates and much of the route would have 70 mph speed limits. I decide to go with the plan and then make a decision at Pumpkin Center as to the possibility of bailing out of New Orleans and Fort Blakely.

It is now about 4:30 p.m CDST and we are leaving at 5:00 p.m. CDST. I pack up my stuff and start to think about the ride. Bill Yarian sets down at the table and asks if he can borrow my map. Sure, Bill. I have conversed with Bill by email several times but we have never met. He has just done some major work to his bike and just wants to finish but he went off and left his map. Back to my big decision. Should I go ahead? I get on the bike without helmet and drive around the parking lot. No weird noises. The bike seems to be running smooth. My shoulder hurts but not real bad. I decide that I am going to ride until I need gas, check the front tire for wear and if I feel ok and the tire is wearing fine, I will go ahead. I have everything packed up and decide to take one more lap around the parking lot. Hey, they are leaving! I wheel around and they motion me on. I guess the ride has begun.

The Ride

Just before take off

I just exited the parking lot and I hear a ruffle. I look back in my mirror and see something floating in the air. When Bill gave me back the map of the South Eastern United States, I stuffed it behind the fuel cell while I put my coat on. It was not flying through the air. This had the bonus locations marked on it and was my backup to the computer. Hope my computer doesn't fail!

My first stop was Beaver Lick.

Beaver Lick, Kentucky.  Beaver Lick is, surprisingly, only 4 miles from Big Bone Lick.  Two miles North of the turnoff from 42 to Big Bone Lick is the Beaver Lick Baptist Church.  Two miles South of the same turnoff is the Beaver Lick Christian Church.  Take  photos of the signs in front of both churches.  You will not receive credit for this bonus unless you photograph both churches.  266 points.

I almost elected to eliminate this bonus even though it was very close as it required two stops. However, there were so few bonuses available I decided I should go for it. I turned North on 42 to and see two riders already at the Beaver Lick Baptist Church. The drive is gravel. I'm still a little timid and that made me a bit nervous. I have my towel stuffed in my right pants pocket. I get the Polaroid out of the right saddlebag and head over to the sign. This is my first ever Photo Bonus. Oops. I forgot the duct tape to hold my flag to the sign. I ask one of the other riders if I can borrow his tape. I later learn that this is Jeff Lambert. He is probably thinking, "That boy has a long day ahead of him." I know I was thinking, "What a way to start the rally." I get my first picture. Hey it takes some time for that thing to develop. Do I walk back to the bike or just stay here and make sure the picture is ok? Jeff was hanging around so I decided to wait as well. Finally, the picture started to develop and I could see that I had gotten a good shot. I got back to the bike and used my permanent sharpie pen to write down the mileage and time. I place the Photo inside my holder and head out for the second church. I pull up and the first rider had already arrived. I notice that he has his flag pinned to the windshield with a clip. Hey, that looks like a pretty good idea. I'm getting my camera and duct tape. I remembered this time. As I am about to take my picture Jeff Lambert pulls up. I thought he had gotten out ahead of me. How did I pass him? No way, I must have beaten him out of the parking lot. I get my second church picture. As I'm thinking, "It is nice to have 266 points in the bag and my first photo bonus out of the way." Jeff says, "Don't forget you duct tape." I had left the duct tape on the ledge. I bet Jeff is thinking, "Yep, that boy is going to have a long day."

Now I can do what I do best. Ride. I'm following Jeff and see him turn off on 14 but he is soon out of site. 14 has some twisties and I still don't have my full confidence back, so I'm riding pretty conservatively. I will but into Jeff a few other times along the route.

Next stop will be Sam's Town.

Sam’s Town, Tunica, Mississippi.  Pick up a casino token from Sam’s Town.  The casino is located on casino row in Tunica, just South of Memphis.  311 points.

I stop for gas at I-65 Exit 108 in Tennessee. This is near White House, TN just north of Nashville. I hit mega traffic in Nashville during the Buckeye 1000 and don't want to take a chance on getting stuck in traffic while needing gas. I also wanted to make sure to take I-40 west to Memphis. All goes well. No traffic and I find my way on I-40 without a hitch. As I approach Memphis, I start seeing the signs for the Casinos. I figure the signs will lead me right where I need to go. Well I'm traveling south on I-55 and don't see anymore signs. I'm thinking that I should have continued around the loop on the south side of Memphis, but it is too late now. Oh well, it looks like I'm still ok. Maybe I can find a road and cut across west. I get to the the I-55 MS Exit 280 and notice a sign to Sam's Town. I decide that I will get gas and ask how far it is to the Tunica casinos. The clerk says, "It's about 25 miles to the casinos, but it's Robinsonville not Tunica. I learned a lesson during the Buckeye: if you not sure recheck. I re-read the instructions. Yep it says Tunica. Tunica is several miles south of Robinsonville, but I can't imagine that there are two Sam's Towns in the area, so I decide to take 304 to Robinsonville. 304 is mostly two lane and has a lot of traffic. Everybody coming and going to the casinos. Finally, I see the lights from the Casinos. After a couple of jigs and jogs, and a stop at a convenience store, I figure out where Sam's Town is at and head that direction. The parking lot is a bit away from the entrance. If I park in the lot I need to remove the radar detector, GPS, etc. Nope, I'm going to pull right up to the door. I see that they have valet parking, reach into my pocket and give the valet $5.00 and tell him to watch my bike, I will be right back. The teller windows are always in the middle of the casino, so here I am walking into the casino and trying to remove my helmet. There are three people in line in front of me. Looks like this is going to be a wait. I look to my left and see another rider. I think he was in line when I got there. My line moves faster and I am off before he is. I put my helmet on as I walk through the lobby. I mark the mileage and time on the chip with the Sharpie and place it into my receipt bag. Out comes the other rider as I'm saddling up. Oops, he parked in the parking lot. He's probably wondering how I got away with a spot right outside the door. In hindsight, the mapping software says that by missing the turn that it cost me about 12 miles and 20 minutes. Well the missed turn was my fault but I bet Bob Ray the Rally Master knew that Sam's Town Tunica, was really in Robinsonville.

On to Vicksburg, MS.

Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, Mississippi.  May 18-July 4, 1863.  In May and June of 1863, Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's armies converged on Vicksburg, investing the city and entrapping a Confederate army under Lt. Gen. John Pemberton. On July 4, Vicksburg surrendered after prolonged siege operations. This was the culmination of one of the most brilliant military campaigns of the war. With the loss of Pemberton's army and this vital stronghold on the Mississippi, the Confederacy was effectively split in half. Grant's successes in the West boosted his reputation, leading ultimately to his appointment as General-in-Chief of the Union armies.   In the visitor’s center parking lot are 11 guns.  Take a photo of the center gun.  374 points.

I took MS61 from Sam's Town all the way to Vicksburg. Right after getting onto 61 I noticed what appeared to be a serious accident in the opposite direction. There were several police cars and the road was shut down. I had to wait a short bit for a fire truck but the delay was minimal. 61 is the Blues Highway. I need to do some flower sniff'n on this road. I'm a big blues fan. This is a good road. It is some 4-lane and some 2-lane but is high quality. It parallels I-55. I took a couple of peeks at how far it would be to jump over to I-55 but it looked like it would cost me about a 1/2 hour each direction. I didn't think I could make up the time so I stayed on 61. I get close to the Military Park according my GPS and I decide to stop and get gas and ask for directions. I hoping to get a map of Vicksburg, but no luck. The attendant is very helpful and I find out that I am just around the corner from the Military Park. He has heard of the Windsor Ruins but does not remember how to get there. He doesn't know anything about Ft. Coburn. I pull into the the parking lot and notice some cannons on the right, but the bonus says guns. I'm thinking there is a small glass cabinet somewhere. I look around but don't see anything. I go over to the cannons and start counting. Yep there are 11 eleven of them. Big Guns! I count five from the left and lay my duct tape on the sixth one. I count 5 from the right and verify that I have the center "Gun." I get my picture and prepare to head out. The fog is settling in and my windshield, which I must look through, is fogged over. I decide to ride on and soon the windshield clears. I head down I-20 West which is also MS61 and then get off at the MS61 Natchez exit.

Fort Cobun, Grand Gulf, Mississippi.  April 29, 1863.  Rear Adm. David D. Porter led seven ironclads in an attack on the fortifications and batteries at Grand Gulf, with the intention of silencing the Confederate guns and then securing the area with troops of McClernand's XIII Army Corps who were on the accompanying transports and barges. The attack by the seven ironclads began at 8:00 am and continued until about 1:30 pm. During the fight, the ironclads moved within 100 yards of the Rebel guns and silenced the lower batteries of Fort Wade; the Confederate upper batteries at Fort Cobun remained out of reach and continued to fire. The Union ironclads (one of which, the Tuscumbia, had been put out of action) and the transports drew off. After dark, however, the ironclads engaged the Rebel guns again while the steamboats and barges ran the gauntlet. Grant marched his men overland across Coffee Point to below the Gulf. After the transports had passed Grand Gulf, they embarked the troops at Disharoon's plantation and disembarked them on the Mississippi shore at Bruinsburg, below Grand Gulf. The men immediately began marching overland towards Port Gibson. The Confederates had won a hollow victory; the loss at Grand Gulf caused just a slight change in Grant's offensive.  Take a photo of the marker showing the location of the “Hot Shot Furnace” at the remains of Fort Cobun.  Note that Fort Cobun is not found in Grand Gulf State Park, but overlooks the Mississippi River on the West side of Port Gibson.  396 points.

The instructions for this bonus seemed to be ambiguous. When I plotted the point in my GPS I found Grand Gulf State Park and then placed the point close to it on the Mississippi. As I'm riding down 61, I see a sign for the state park. I make the turn to the west but then notice that on my GPS that Port Gibson is still quite a distance away. I decide to turn around thinking that I made the wrong turn. I go back to 61 and head toward Port Gibson. Wait, this is taking me further away from where I placed the dot. I decide to go back to the park road (462). I am going out into the middle of nowhere. There is a lot of tree debris and the roads are narrow and dark. A strip bar? Out here in the middle of nowhere? I don't think I will stop! I come to a Y in the road. Again I couldn't resist the temptation to head toward Port Gibson, so I veer to the left. Isn't that what the instructions said? Darn, I'm going away from that dot again. I make yet another U-turn. I think I am back to where I started and make a left. The road gets narrower and narrower. I traveled about 2 miles and now I am into sand. Oops. If this is it, I ain't doing it. I have to put the bike in reverse and make several forward and reverse shifts before getting it turned around. I make a left turn at the T and then another left turn. Ok, I think I'm back on track. I pass the entrance to a Nuclear Power Plant. Maybe somewhere there could help me. I look at the barriers and think about the extra security that is likely to exist and think maybe a 3:00 a.m. visit is not such a good idea. There is Grand Gulf State Park. I pull up to the closed gate. I decide to get off the bike and read the instructions. Remember. I am in the middle of nowhere. A truck is coming down the road, slows as he passes and then stops. Damn, they carry shot guns down in these parts. Remember Deliverance! I look up and see a sign: "Fort Cobun." Oh good, I get to the go in the direction of the stopped truck. I get back on the bike and the truck goes ahead very slowly. I round the curve and the truck is still going very slow. He is obviously wondering what the hell I'm doing out here in the middle of the night. I see a log cabin and the truck goes straight. It looks like a long drive. There is another road going to the left. That must be it. Oh, there is a sign on the log cabin but it is covered with ivy. I get off the bike and pull the ivy away. I need to go left. I go only a few hundred feet and I see three dogs along the side of the road. I have no idea what kind of dogs they were, but in my mind they are pit bulls, and they look mean. I slow the bike to almost a stop. They approach the bike to nip at my feet and I accelerate. Did that like the text book! Oh S&%t, I'm in sand. My bike is going every direction. All can think about is that if I crash here, those dogs are going to eat me alive. Yeah baby! Out of the sand and onto pavement. I accelerate away from the one dog still yapping at my heal. I come to a split in the road. I am a little hesitant to stop because I'm not sure if the dogs are still on there way. I stop anyway. To the left looks like gravel and is an uphill curve to the right. Lots of ruts, so that doesn't look like a good option. To the right is a pretty steep hill but it is paved. I decide to take the paved hill. As I top the hill I recognize that I am in a small gravel parking lot and see a marker. Looks like this is the place. I get out my 4-D flashlight. Got to have something to battle the dogs in case they show up, my instructions, and the duct tape. I read through the entire maker but it says nothing about a "Hot Shot Furnace." I hold the flashlight up and see a gate. It looks like a road or path was here at one time although it is grown up in grass now. I see a brick column about 4 feet high with a marker on it. Nope, that isn't it either. It must be further down the path. I find a 4 foot square piece of concrete on the ground. No maker, so that can't be it. I continue back on the path. I am now several hundred feet from my bike, in the middle of a woods, that is in the middle of nowhere, wondering if I am going to be attacked by dogs or hunted down by the guy in the truck. There is another marker. Nope this isn't it either. I walk a little further, but the path ends. I shine my light around the area but don't see any other makers. I decide to walk back to the bike and take pictures of two markers with my towel knowing full well that they are they right markers and I probably won't get any points for them. I get back to the bike and pack my stuff away. Damn! I didn't go through all this to get zero points! I get my stuff back out and walk out into the middle of the park. I start rotating while using the flashlight to scan the area for more markers. I spot another marker. It has a dead branch in front of it and is tucked back out of the way. Yeah!!!! That's it!!! I get the picture and start thinking about having to get past the dogs. The dogs must have went back to sleep, as I didn't see them. The truck driver was no longer in his car so he must have figured it was some idiot. How right he was!

Windsor Ruins, South of Vicksburg, Mississippi. Willie Morris, author of the Ghosts of Mississippi, wrote, “To me there is no more haunted, complex terrain in America than the countryside between Port Gibson, Mississippi, and the river. The land is full of ghosts.” Windsor Mansion was the largest Greek Revival Antebellum home ever built in Mississippi, but burned in 1890. 23 of the 28 original fluted columns are still standing complete. The ruins of the mansion are located approximately 11 miles west of highway 61 on 552. Take a photo of the Ruins. 406 points.

I remembered reading about this ghostly place while I was wandering around Fort Coburn. You mean this is going to be scarier than that? Oh me, Oh my! It looks like Old Grand Gulf Road is going the right direction to get me to Port Gibson. This is the road that I started down on when I made the wrong turn and was heading away from Fort Coburn. I had seen two possums during those few miles before and now I see another one. Maybe it is the same one, who knows. Man those are ugly little buggers. Whap! Well it looks like that one isn't going to make it. My first road kill creation. I pull into Port Gibson and make a left turn onto what I think is 61, it reality it was Main Street. I don't see any signs that say 61 so make a U-turn. I see a lady doing laps in the block in front of the police station. Mam? She ignores me. Wonder why. Some dude on a motorcycle at 4:00 in the morning. Mam, can you help me with directions? She stops and I ask if she know how I get to Windsor Ruins. You can take that road but it is several miles down that way. Her expression tells me I really don't want to take "that road."  I now know that it was 552 and probably would have been ok. She then added, or you can go do down 61 and then take 552 to Alcorn State. That is a better way to go. Where is 61? I thought this was it. No, it is two roads over. I find 61, veer off on to 552 and head toward Alcorn State. I soon see a sign with an arrow for Windsor Ruins. Looks like I'm on track. I'm not really sure whether Windsor Ruins was right on 552 or not. Seems I had to make a turn or two. I just followed the signs. The drive is gravel and full of pot holes. I wander back into a secluded area and spot the ruins. Get out the towel etc and get the photo bonus. Now all I have to do is find my way back to 61 and I am on to Pumpkin Center.

Pumpkin Center Plants and Pets, Feed and Seed Store 42018 Pumpkin Center Rd, Hammond, LA 70403-7249
From I-12, exit 35, go south on LA Hwy 1249 for 1.1 miles, the store will be on your left. From LA Hwy 22, go north on LA Hwy 1249 for 1.5 miles, the store will be on your right. To verify that you reached this location as an intermediate stop, take a photo of the store. Alternatively, you may obtain a gas receipt from Hammond, Louisiana. However, if you choose to obtain a gas receipt from Hammond instead of a photograph from Pumpkin Center, you may NOT claim any further photographic bonuses for the rest of the rally.

Looks like I have some back roads to get take before I can get back to the Interstate. I take 61 to 84 to 98 and finally pick up the I-55 at MS Exit 20. These were good roads so I made decent time. However, before heading to Vicksburg I was about an hour ahead of schedule. I am now a 1/2 hour behind schedule. I should have been at Exit 20 at 7:00 a.m. but I didn't make it until 7:30 a.m. This means that I have used up 1/2 hour of my two hour cushion. Back on the Interstate and maybe I can make up some time. I had visited the checkpoint on my trial run to Tuscaloosa, so some of the confusion encountered by other riders was avoided by me. As I pull into the store, I see Brad Ingram. We both get our pictures. It is about 8:30 a.m. and I am still a 1/2 hour into my 2 hour cushion. I decide to do some "what if" work with the mapping software. It is very clear that if I try to get the New Orleans and Fort Blakeley bonuses, then I will miss the timed "Corky" bonus. It's time to bail. Now what do I dump. The Corky bonus is good for 1023 points and the other two bonuses combined only total 775 points. Can I make the 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. time slot and get the Corky bonus? Using the times from my mapping software, I would get there at 12:19 p.m., 19 minutes late. It is 547 miles to Madison if pick up the Meridian bonus, which would get me to Madison at 5:49 p.m. Nope 5:00 p.m. means a DNF. If I drop the Corky bonus and go for the other two bonuses, the mileage is 582 miles and if I pick up the Meridian bonus, I would not get there until 6:31 p.m. Here I am really pushing the time limit and I am studying my mapping software. Smart Guy!!!! I did learn something in the Buckeye!!!! I decide to drop New Orleans and Fort Blakely and head toward Corky's (Coffeeville, AL). Brad said, "Where you headed next." I'm going to try to make Corky's as I hurriedly pull away. I see the sign to New Orleans. You know I wonder if I can make New Orleans and Corky? I start punching information in to my GPS. Before I could get enough information to make a decision, I'm past he turn off to New Orleans. It is just a gas receipt, which shouldn't take much time and I am disappointed that I didn't go for it. Oh well, I have to focus on getting to Corky's on time! My GPS does not have autorouting and is showing the original route that would have had me taking I-10 to Mobile. I try to delete points on the route, but that doesn't work and it is unsafe trying to do this while riding down the interstate. I opt to do a direct line route to Corkys. Now I have to either stop and look at my computer or wing the route from the GPS. Looks like I need to head up I-59 North. That's what I will do. I'm looking for the best way to get to Coffeeville off of I-59 and decide that I need to take Laurel, MS Exit 97 and go east on 84. Time is clicking away and I know that I am going to be pushing the time limit to get the Corky bonus. I am relieved when I turn onto 84 and find it is 4 lanes. I'm making up time and it looks like the bonus should be no problem. Somewhere after Waynesboro, 4 lanes became two lanes. The road wasn't a real twisty, but it wasn't straight either and there were lots of yellow lines. Now I'm getting nervous. Wouldn't take much to cause me to miss the time bonus. I pull into the Dairy Bar parking lot and not a K1200LT. Corky comes out to meet me. He offers me coffee and food, but I'm more interested in a restroom. It has been awhile. Corky tells me that he was wondering if anybody would make it. I am the first to arrive. We chat a bit, Corky said that he had been a bonus on the Iron Butt Rally and last year on the Butt-Lite. He said that he tried to get them to make the bonus at his family burial plot but they said they liked him to much for that. Brad Ingram, Jim Bain, and Jeff Lambert all pull in while I'm talking to Corky. Time for me to head out. It looks like I could have easily made that New Orleans bonus, but that is water over the dam. (Later I will find out that making the New Orleans bonus, would have put me in First Place). Had I gone for the bonus, 84 could have been a 2 lane twisty all the way and I would have missed the Corky bonus. You never know! I need gas and see a Texaco station across the street from the Dairy Bar. I get off the bike and start to fill up but the pump isn't working. Sign on the door: Closed! Damn, that was a waste of time. I bet those guys across the street are thinking I'm stupid! Now do I try for the Meridian, MS gas stop? I didn't really look at my software closely enough. It recommend going east to 43. I'm headed west. I guess I will go to Meridian.

Meridian, Mississippi. February 14-20, 1864. From Vicksburg, Mississippi, Sherman launched a campaign to take the important railroad center at Meridian and, if the situation was favorable, push on to Selma, Alabama, and threaten Mobile. Sherman ordered Brig. Gen. William Sooy Smith to lead a cavalry force of 7,000 men from Memphis, Tennessee, on February 1, 1864, south through Okolona, along the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, and meet the rest of the Union force at Meridian. With the main force of 20,000 men, Sherman set out on the 3rd for Meridian, but made feints toward various other locations. To counter the threat, Confederate President Jefferson Davis ordered troops to the area from other localities. The Confederate commander in the area, Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk, consolidated a number of commands in and around Mortona, but lost his nerve and retreated rapidly eastward. Cavalry units commanded by Maj. Gen. Stephen D. Lee periodically skirmished with Sherman's force. As Sherman approached Meridian, he met stiffer resistance from combined forces but steadily moved on. Polk finally realized that he could not stop Sherman and evacuated Meridian on the 14th, removing some railroad rolling stock to McDowell's Bluff. Sherman's troops entered Meridian the same day and began destroying railroad track, continuing their work until the 19th. Smith never arrived at Meridian. Sherman left Meridian on the 20th, headed west by way of Canton, looking for Smith and his force. He did not discover what happened to Smith until he arrived back at Vicksburg. Sherman had destroyed some important Confederate transportation facilities but had to forget his aspirations for continuing into Alabama. Get a gas receipt from Meridian, Mississippi. 240 points.

This is a gas receipt bonus and shouldn't take much time. Even though I tried to fill up with gas in Coffeeville, I should have enough gas to get to Meridian. Corky recommended that I take 17 North to Meridian. I follow Corky's advise and take 17 North to Butler, AL and then take 10 west. This turns into MS 19 which goes into Meridian. I hit a couple of small towns, there is a bit of traffic, and this is not the straightest road in the world. I think it was along Alabama 10 that I came upon four buzzards tending after some road kill. These things are slow in flight and have a heck of a wing span. I thought I might hit one at times but never really got that close. One of the buzzards must have wanted and extra bite. He is in flight but is not moving very fast. I duck behind the windshield. Smack! He hits the top of the windshield. I look back and he is flopping in the middle of the road. I must have busted his wing. At least he didn't bust my head! I'm watching the clock. I get to Meridian without any problems. Get gas and head back to the Interstate (I-20/I-59).

It looks like I have plenty of time so I make a stop at a rest park for a much needed restroom break that I was not sure that I had time for at Meridian. I'm a bit overdressed. The temperature has risen to 84 degrees and my body is starting to overheat. My helmet liner is soaked with sweat and is rubbing my forehead raw. I remember that I have not gotten my libations for the Libation bonus. I know I will have to make one more gas stop, so I will take care of the libations when I stop. Can't forget. When I stopped for gas, I poured a bottle of water over my head and down my jacket. I am boiling! I also remembers to pick up the libations. Looks like I have plenty of time so I start looking for other possible bonuses. The only one that seems feasible is Selma and it is downtown. I could get into trouble and then get time barred. I guess I will just take my time and head on into Madison.

I hit Birmingham and my GPS is telling me to take the ramp to I-59. I made this mistake earlier in the summer and made a note to remind myself that the GPS was wrong and I should be taking I-65 North. Decisions, Decisions. I take I-59. That is leading me away from Madison. Damn. I knew that was wrong. Why did I do that! It now is raining cats and dogs. The rain feels good, but is slowing down traffic and I am going the wrong direction. Soon it stops raining and I get off I-59 and then get back on headed the other direction. Oops there is that rain cloud again. I get onto I-65 going North which looks like the right direction.

Around the I-65 AL 303 mile maker, traffic comes to a halt. The CB says that they are closing down one of the lanes but can't seem to decide which one. Sounds like an accident. I am close to an exit and decide to take the shoulder to the exit. I see a BMW K1200LT with a couple and figure they are probably in the rally. I don't know whether they followed me on the shoulder or not. I later learn that this was Jim and Donna Phillips. It looks like there is a road paralleling the interstate so I decide to try that. This is a busy street and traffic is slow. I do a search in the GPS for exits and decide that I will try to get back on at Exit 308. It looks like traffic is moving ok on the Interstate and I see the BMW headed down the road. They are clipping along pretty good. I'm sure they are like me. Tired and worried about being time barred. I crank it up a bit and soon pass them. Hope they don't think this is the way I always ride! There is just no way I want to be time barred. I pull into Madison with plenty of time to spare.

I feel like I have ridden a pretty good ride and feel very good physically. I pull up and quickly get my jacket and overpants off. My body is still overheated. I sit down to fill out my rally log, check off my bonuses, and pre-calculate my points. I made the mistake at he Palmetto Ramble of not pre-calculating my points and learned from that one. Jack Tollett, of the Waltz Across Texas fame, was my scorer. Almost forgot that the Meridian, MS gas receipt was also a bonus. Glad I caught that one. The scoring sheet was just a checkoff and Jack did not calculate the points. In fact, the total points were not even listed on the scoring sheet. That made me nervous, but I had followed the only procedure available. I see Doug Woodall, a fellow MTF'er who had started in Pumpkin Center and chat for awhile. I also see Ardys Kellerman, my hero, but didn't feel comfortable introducing myself. I regret that.

I park the bike, get checked in and head to room for a quick shower. I'm sure that the Motel staff thought I used the washcloth to wipe down my bike. Nope it was just me. Man was I covered with road grime and Mississippi mud. I head down to the Greenbriar Restaurant. I ordered a large pulled pork dinner but only ate about a quarter of it.

Time for the results. I had called my wife and told her that I had a good ride and thought I had a good chance at the Top 10. Bob Ray says he is amazed at the miles that the participants have ridden. The finisher with the least miles is Leon Begeman with 1269. Jim and Donna Phillips rode 1633 miles and were two up. Only 18 riders finished and the first name called was Doug Woodall. I later learned that Doug forgot about I think it was the libations bonus. 17th was Larry Cooper. Larry had sat at the picnic table with me at Big Bone Lick and we had also ridden the Great Lakes Challenge and Buckeye 1000 together. I later learned that Larry had not kept a Rally Log. 13th place was Leon Begemen he likes those small CC bikes in this case a Kawaski EX250. 11th place is Wesley McCann. Hey they haven't called my name yet, so I guess I was right about he Top Ten. Tenth Place is Jerry McCumby. I remember him from the Palmetto. Ninth Place is Terry Smith. Terry Smith, wasn't he in the Iron Butt Rally? Seventh Place is Jim Frens. Jim ran the Land of Enchantment Rally the weekend before and then the FitE. I haven't had a chance to meet Jim yet but he drops in on the Motorcycle Tourer's Forum and was in the lead at the end of leg 3 of last years Iron Butt rally. Wonder if they forgot my score? Fourth Place is Alan Leduc with 1550 miles and 8016 points. WOW!!!!! Fourth Place and 8016 points is what I had calculated. I'm pretty proud. This was only my second 24 hour rally. The 1550 miles was based upon my odometer reading. It was actually around 1475 according to my GPS. The mapping software shows 1426, so I spent about 50 miles wandering around, most of it in Vicksburg, MS and of course the wrong turn in Birmingham. There was a tie for the Winner. Jim Bains (Jim is a regular)and Brad Ingram tied. They had also ran as a team in the Palmetto and had won. Bob Ray announced that he was sure that Mike Kneebone would award both of them a pass to the Iron Butt Rally. Jim later posted on the Motorcycle Tourer's Forum that only one of them would receive a pass and since Brad had 8 fewer miles, he would receive the pass.
 

What Did I Learn?

I would still love to find a way to hook up the computer so I would have access while getting off. It was nice using the mapping software to help make decisions, even if I did have to get off and open the trunk. Rallies are definitely different than an LD ride. This time when there was a decision to be made, I stopped and made the decision. It paid off. Rallymasters can and will send you to some scary places. I added a Camelback 100 oz unbottle for this ride for hydration. I will probably use it in the future, but sucking through a straw puts the water to the back of your throat. While this helped to keep me hydrated, I did not get the refreshing feeling that I get when I drink from a bottle. Next trip I will probably use both.

Results