jacobhawkins Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 I have to go to Waterloo, Iowa for family shit in a couple weeks and I'd like to get something good out of this trip. Wanted to do an Iron butt ride for a while and I'm looking for a not shitty way to get there. Frankly I'd like to just ride there and turn around and go home for my 1000 miles... A thought I had was: Thursday go to Duluth, MN, camp overnight, and go see Aerostich in the morning before heading down to Iowa. Other thought is to go to Spirit Lake in Okoboji, Iowa "on the way" to Waterloo, also leaving Thursday early AM. That would allow me to hang out with the family more. If I go to Aerostich, I'd be in Waterloo by ~4:00 on Friday. I know there are some veteran IB people here, what am I doing wrong? Suggested roads that don't totally suck through Illinois and Iowa? General Aerostich route, I know I'm a little low on miles, but that's a sketch and I ran out of waypoints: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/239+Rosslyn+Ave,+Columbus,+OH+43214-1445,+USA/Aerostich/Waterloo,+IA/@46.6517353,-91.1854634,7.17z/data=!4m75!4m74!1m60!1m1!1s0x88388ce58a4b96d3:0x6cda9d9f02cd38a7!2m2!1d-83.02555!2d40.072069!3m4!1m2!1d-89.2111502!2d45.8742743!3s0x4d5447c684c47479:0x131b53b3c670a5df!3m4!1m2!1d-89.4684507!2d46.3293884!3s0x4d567b7339324d7f:0x862477a455e5cc35!3m4!1m2!1d-89.6793416!2d46.2225746!3s0x4d5675493ed93cf9:0x84906a42984b4aa8!3m4!1m2!1d-89.549832!2d45.921777!3s0x4d55c7c1f4ec6c8f:0x8e14cec8308b055f!3m4!1m2!1d-89.7822805!2d46.086881!3s0x4d55e5db0150ddff:0xea9f6f73f7799f10!3m4!1m2!1d-89.9385201!2d46.0980215!3s0x4d55f974671bcfad:0x95c8723f07ac3375!3m4!1m2!1d-89.9639626!2d45.9679922!3s0x4d55f5c7b2137da5:0x9bbe618f3dfa1821!3m4!1m2!1d-90.7965323!2d46.0885749!3s0x52abda8915a3bc37:0xa2807cfac029528b!3m4!1m2!1d-91.0537354!2d46.2561618!3s0x52a9590e1e881241:0x4572ac3163675d32!3m4!1m2!1d-91.2017074!2d46.3088056!3s0x52a953cf702d0d9f:0x58de8a26cb1b6a15!3m4!1m2!1d-91.3825403!2d46.5273151!3s0x52aec9c07756bcdf:0x5bd9d598c90345d4!1m5!1m1!1s0x52ae4d7edb89a547:0x7ffdee0f34ee8cbe!2m2!1d-92.120289!2d46.769755!1m5!1m1!1s0x87e54db31fef18df:0xe859408dfb3ceb18!2m2!1d-92.3425775!2d42.492786!3e0 Sprit Lake, Okaboji route: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/239+Rosslyn+Ave,+Columbus,+OH+43214-1445,+USA/Okoboji,+IA/Waterloo,+IA/@41.9706369,-91.3322519,6.33z/data=!4m22!4m21!1m5!1m1!1s0x88388ce58a4b96d3:0x6cda9d9f02cd38a7!2m2!1d-83.02555!2d40.072069!1m5!1m1!1s0x878cb5d8c1165d53:0x5bf4d8adfa88f3c5!2m2!1d-95.1483293!2d43.3863521!1m5!1m1!1s0x87e54db31fef18df:0xe859408dfb3ceb18!2m2!1d-92.3425775!2d42.492786!2m1!1b1!3e0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonik Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 I will look ar routes this weekend when I get home. PITA on the phone. But I strongly advise against trying this on anything other than on the slab.We were hammer down all slab, no food stops...Just super quick gas and snacks...no traffic and only 20 minutes of rain.It was 18.5 hours total.And no, don't go through the center of chicago like you are on tour first route.Maybe slab to st Louis then cut north. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobhawkins Posted August 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Yeah, I saw Chicago in there, that looked like a disaster. Ran out of changes... Love to hear what you'll have to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie14 Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 There is only so much that can be done with that destination. Chicago traffic sucks, but that route gets better once west of Chicago. The nice thing about traveling west on an Iron Butt (Saddle Sore 1000) ride is that it will extend your time riding in daylight. Going into MN also lets you look forward to the trip to Aerostitch. If you ever want to get one of there suits, it would be tough to beat riding in there and picking out your desired product in person. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeansZG Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Yeah, I saw Chicago in there, that looked like a disaster. Ran out of changes... Love to hear what you'll have to say. If you're really set on an Aerostitch visit & want to avoid Chi-town, hang a right at Ft. Wayne & head straight for the Big Mac bridge, Then a left turn heading west across da yooper you betcha over to dat 'Stitch place: https://goo.gl/zziOEw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drc32-0 Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 I agree with what Dean said,avoid Chicago and just head north to the Mac bridge.I just took this trip to Aerostitch about 5 weeks ago.I forget what the mileage is to Duluth,but if your thinking Iron Butt mileage this route would be a much better choice than through Chicago.It's pretty much all rural roads and highways so you can turn it up and make better time...especially north of the bridge.I took this route because I wanted to cross the Mac Bridge and do the Tunnel Of Trees road in Michigan which is considered by some to be one of the best motorcycle roads in the US...it's not.I wouldn't put it in the top 15 in SEO.The bridge is very cool but a real pucker moment with 30 mph winds.As for Aerostitch...if you are considering one of their suits I think you're doing it the right way.When I'm going to buy a suit for over $1000 I want it to fit perfect!The young lady that helped me fit my suit spent over an hour making sure that it was just right.Since you are taking you bike they will have you try the suits on on your bike.I bought the R-3 and so far I love it.There are two things I wish I would have bought sooner than I did...an Aerostitch R-3 and a No-Mar tire changer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonik Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 If Aerostich is the goal, the up through Michigan is the way to do it. But if I read your post right you want to camp near Aerostich, so you need 1000 miles before you get there. I have you going up to Cleveland on 71 grabbing the turnpike there, then 23 north in Toledo to 75 to the UP. So you are slab until after you get across the bridge. I also gets you further north in the UP before you head West. It is even more empty up there. 2 across the bottom is nice, but you will get hung behind cagers more often. If you do it my way, be sure to get gas on the 'corners'. Get gas near cleveland, maybe even get a receipt from the turnpike. That will show entrance location and exit location with times. https://goo.gl/maps/y8EGJ If Aerostich is not really a goal, then I would do the below to Waterloo. Almost all freeway, make sure get get gas, even if only a gallon or two on the corners. Gotta prove you didn't short cut it. https://goo.gl/maps/yVrdE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonik Posted August 15, 2015 Report Share Posted August 15, 2015 Wooo, I just nailed it. Across 70 to Indy, up through Davenport over to Des Moines then up to Aerostich. https://goo.gl/maps/xKFDm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobhawkins Posted August 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2015 Thanks for all the suggestions guys, all way better then what I came up with. Aerostich gear won't happen right away for me, I'm curious about them and it looked like a cool moto storefront. My route and days gone depends on when I can get out of work. We've got a big job about to hit but if I can get my stuff "taken care of" I'll have a little more leeway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobhawkins Posted September 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2015 No IronButt for me, work didn't allow, but I did get 622 miles each way in under 9 hours. Next year I'll have to make it work a little better and get up to Aerostich on the way over. Or maybe go someplace fun. That'd be greeeeaaatttt... http://imgur.com/k62sSLP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie14 Posted September 15, 2015 Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 That is impressive. I am guessing 2 or 3 gas stops in 16 minutes. Good moving average while going thru Chicago area. Nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobhawkins Posted September 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 Two stops, fuel light came on when I pulled into the hotel parking lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacobhawkins Posted September 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2015 Day one was cake even after putting in 5 hours at the shop, the road back was a little rougher on my neck/shoulders. That could have been due to a weird bed, but getting smacked in the head for 9 hours straight probably isn't great on a body. An iPod and bluetooth headset to my phone and radio make for a pretty pleasant ride regardless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.