Author Topic: SS 1000 lessons from YT (Read 2384 times)

kendenton · « **Reply #1 on:** September 09, 2018, 03:57:40 PM »

You've got an FJR, pretty much perfect bike for distance riding. You're putting WAAAY too much thought into this.

Cablebandit · « **Reply #2 on:** September 09, 2018, 04:07:16 PM »

I just woke up early, rode for 1000+ miles that day stopping for gas several times along the way (combined with a Pepsi and piss break) and was home 17 hours later fresh as a daisy. I manged to work a 1/2 hour fast food lunch in there as well.

I think the hardest part was stockpiling enough podcasts to listen to all day.

sleazy rider · « **Reply #3 on:** September 09, 2018, 04:57:44 PM »

My first certified ride was about the same as CB's. Left Detroit after a half day of work at noon, gas, go, gas, go, gas, go, rode to Lebanon, MO, arriving about 11PM. Grabbed a motel room for 6 hours sleep and rode back to the Moonshine Lunch Rally arriving about 10AM. 1040 miles later, certified. My packing involved an overnight bag and a credit card for the motels and food.

1000 miles ain't that hard. The second day of a SS2000? That introduces my fatigue.

It'll happen sooner or later. I've finally got my perfect bike for this stuff.

RBEmerson · « **Reply #4 on:** September 09, 2018, 05:15:39 PM »

bungie4 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 09, 2018, 05:55:51 PM »

"Sit there, twist that"

To which I'll add, ear plugs, camel back, you've got lots of time, relaxed easy pace. Anytime you lose while stopped is impossible to recover, so don't fuck around if the wheels aren't turning.

Patmo · « **Reply #6 on:** September 09, 2018, 07:10:55 PM »

20 hrs @ 50mph
18.2 hrs @ 55mph
16.7 hrs @ 60mph
15.4 hrs @ 65mph

Going fast enough is not really a problem on any bike that can run freeway speeds easily. Avoiding mental and physical farigue is the only real challenge.

It helps if you are the type of person that can enjoy time to themselves.

Andrew · « **Reply #7 on:** September 09, 2018, 08:21:20 PM »

Quote from: Patmo on September 09, 2018, 07:10:55 PM

20 hrs @ 50mph
18.2 hrs @ 55mph
16.7 hrs @ 60mph
15.4 hrs @ 65mph

Going fast enough is not really a problem on any bike that can run freeway speeds easily. Avoiding mental and physical farigue is the only real challenge.

It helps if you are the type of person that can enjoy time to themselves.

Yep a SS1k is easily doable if you have a comfortable ride that will handle freeway speeds.

RBEmerson you as usual are just too focused on the minute details. Yes there are some good info in your post, but don't overthink it. Now if you want to do a BBG 1500 or a 50CC now that is a challenge. Now I can understand the planning if you are on the east coast and have to deal with toll roads, come out a bit West and forget the problems.
Weather is always there, be prepared, wear layers. Have an electric liner. Stay hydrated, but not overhydrated, sip don't gulp. Have something to keep you entertained (audio books ROCK) Avoid riding in commute areas and times if at all possible.

Most of all make sure the bike and you are happy with each other. If you are not comfortable it is going to be a long ride.

Bounce · « **Reply #8 on:** September 10, 2018, 08:48:43 AM »

Dodn't lollygag at fuel stops. Get in, off, back on, and out as quickly as possible. 15 minutes it more than enough time.

Drink sips of water while underway. Snack from stores in the tank bag. Do NOT stop during a day trip for meals.

Time spent at ZERO MPH is very difficult to make up.

http://www.ironbuttrally.com/tech/aow.cfm

naustin · « **Reply #9 on:** September 10, 2018, 09:58:55 AM »

I did my first (unofficial) one by accident.

I was on the way home from Jasper & Banff and planned to take two days to get home from the Missoula Area. Got to Rapid City, and the weather was so nice, I kept going. Got to Sioux Falls, and was only 3 more hours from home. Ended up being 1200 miles in 19 hours. Looked back at my camera and realized that I'd actually done a BunBurner 1500 based on where I was earlier the prior afternoon.

If I were going to do an official ride - I wouldn't be worried about the actual riding at all. I'm confident I can crank off 1,000 miles bascially anytime (using mostly freeways) with no different ride prep than I do for my typical 500 mile day ride. Where I'd be focused, is the details of the documentation. That's what I'd screw-up, for sure....

Vulcanbill · « **Reply #10 on:** September 10, 2018, 10:50:52 AM »

The speed and the distance aren't a problem. I've done over 1000 miles in 24 hours in the truck pulling a 31 foot travel trailer from Colorado Springs to Evansville, IN. The last couple hours was pretty horrible but on a bike, it wouldn't have taken me 20+ hours. Prior to that, I was planning on riding from Kansas City to Frederick MD just to get home from a work conference. I'd knocked out about 700 miles before I hit a traffic jam in Columbus OH that knocked the fight out of me. I would have easily made it home by bedtime. I wasn't very fatigued at that point. I was doing Nascar gas stops and had tunes and treats to entertain me. But, alas, I've never actually done it. Mostly cuz I just don't care.

bungie4 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 10, 2018, 12:09:02 PM »

Quote from: Bounce on September 10, 2018, 08:48:43 AM

Dodn't lollygag at fuel stops. Get in, off, back on, and out as quickly as possible. 15 minutes it more than enough time.

Drink sips of water while underway. Snack from stores in the tank bag. Do NOT stop during a day trip for meals.

Time spent at ZERO MPH is very difficult to make up.

http://www.ironbuttrally.com/tech/aow.cfm

Follow Bounces advice. Also, be ready, willing and able to abort. If aren't going to make it (fatigue, unforseen holdups etc), be willing to bail and retry another day.

sleazy rider · « **Reply #12 on:** September 10, 2018, 01:13:40 PM »

Quote from: Vulcanbill on September 10, 2018, 10:50:52 AM

The speed and the distance aren't a problem. I've done over 1000 miles in 24 hours in the truck pulling a 31 foot travel trailer from Colorado Springs to Evansville, IN. The last couple hours was pretty horrible but on a bike, it wouldn't have taken me 20+ hours. Prior to that, I was planning on riding from Kansas City to Frederick MD just to get home from a work conference. I'd knocked out about 700 miles before I hit a traffic jam in Columbus OH that knocked the fight out of me. I would have easily made it home by bedtime. I wasn't very fatigued at that point. I was doing Nascar gas stops and had tunes and treats to entertain me. But, alas, I've never actually done it. Mostly cuz I just don't care.

There's a big difference between a bike and car. I've done both also. Hell, I used to make long weekend trips home from Fort Walton Beach, Florida to Detroit as my first duty station. You have no exposure to weather, air conditioning and heat, plenty of stretch room in the car and can carry a cooler of food on the seat next to you.

A tank bag, Camelbak and a small windscreen to kill the biggest part of wind buffet will wear you out a lot faster.

1KPerDay · « **Reply #13 on:** September 10, 2018, 02:43:56 PM »

Quote from: Vulcanbill on September 10, 2018, 10:50:52 AM

I've done over 1000 miles in 24 hours in the truck pulling a 31 foot travel trailer from Colorado Springs to Evansville, IN.

sweet

CLAY · « **Reply #14 on:** September 30, 2018, 08:21:28 PM »

I've done a few. Around mile 500-600 it starts to suck, but you get over the hump and it's cake. The easiest direction is to head west- that way you ride in daylight almost the whole time. The longest one was 1165 from Grand Rapids to Sturgis (non-rally time) left about 5 AM here, got there just after the sun set.

Bounce · « **Reply #15 on:** October 01, 2018, 10:10:27 AM »

Quote from: Vulcanbill on September 10, 2018, 10:50:52 AM

The speed and the distance aren't a problem. I've done over 1000 miles in 24 hours in the truck pulling a 31 foot travel trailer from Colorado Springs to Evansville, IN. The last couple hours was pretty horrible but on a bike, it wouldn't have taken me 20+ hours. Prior to that, I was planning on riding from Kansas City to Frederick MD just to get home from a work conference. I'd knocked out about 700 miles before I hit a traffic jam in Columbus OH that knocked the fight out of me. I would have easily made it home by bedtime. I wasn't very fatigued at that point. I was doing Nascar gas stops and had tunes and treats to entertain me. But, alas, I've never actually done it. Mostly cuz I just don't care.

I find cars harder to do long distances. I can't stand up and stretch like on a bike

minimac · « **Reply #16 on:** October 01, 2018, 05:57:17 PM »

delete

minimac · « **Reply #17 on:** October 01, 2018, 06:00:20 PM »

I've done at least a dozen unofficial ( I don't need no stinkin' paper) on both my bikes and scooters. I just finished four within a three week period, out to Iowa and back again followed two weeks later going to Alabama and back(rain all the way home). I stop every 140-170 miles for fuel, before running too low, and take not more than about a five minute walkabout to stretch, clear the head, re focus, grab a snack or drink, and pee-not necessarily in that order. If you find yourself getting tired or sleepy, STOP. Nothing, but NOTHING is worth risking a crash.

Black Hills · « **Reply #18 on:** October 02, 2018, 09:55:15 AM »

I've never completed one. started out with good intentions several times but then noticed a nice looking road and 3 hours later I'm standing at some look out with all hopes of a thousand mile day gone. the two closest have been:

750 miles in 11 hours, stopped for gas then had the idea of a "quick" burger at hooters. 3 hours later still at hooters

750 miles from Durango to home in the rain, thought about taking the long way around but I'd had enough of the rain so took the direct route.

Perhaps I will give it another try one of these days.

Bounce · « **Reply #19 on:** October 02, 2018, 11:03:37 AM »

There are a lot of people who I've seen say they've ridden unofficial IBA rides and I have no reason to doubt them. The documentation of the ride adds a level of complexity that I challenge them to take on. It does make the ride more challenging to those who think it's no big deal.

naustin · « **Reply #20 on:** October 03, 2018, 08:43:12 AM »

Quote from: Bounce on October 02, 2018, 11:03:37 AM

There are a lot of people who I've seen say they've ridden unofficial IBA rides and I have no reason to doubt them. The documentation of the ride adds a level of complexity that I challenge them to take on. It does make the ride more challenging to those who think it's no big deal.

As I said in my post - that's the part I'd screw up!

So what's with all the deleted posts in this thread?

minimac · « **Reply #21 on:** October 04, 2018, 09:57:59 AM »

Quote from: Bounce on October 02, 2018, 11:03:37 AM

There are a lot of people who I've seen say they've ridden unofficial IBA rides and I have no reason to doubt them. The documentation of the ride adds a level of complexity that I challenge them to take on. It does make the ride more challenging to those who think it's no big deal.

In well over 50 years of riding, I've never felt the need to have my rides "documented". My time stamped gas receipts and a witness or two isn't very challenging. I've just never needed a paper to verify what everyone who knows me knows, and that's how I sometimes ride. That's not to say I might not go through the process sometime- but it's just that it isn't important to me.

miles · « **Reply #22 on:** October 04, 2018, 04:26:16 PM »

Quote from: naustin on October 03, 2018, 08:43:12 AM

So what's with all the deleted posts in this thread?

Mysterious thread is mysterious.

Jay547 · « **Reply #23 on:** March 21, 2019, 12:40:46 PM »

Quote from: naustin on October 03, 2018, 08:43:12 AM

So what's with all the deleted posts in this thread?

They don't need documentation that they posted either.

Vulcanbill · « **Reply #24 on:** March 21, 2019, 01:40:46 PM »

Quote from: Jay547 on March 21, 2019, 12:40:46 PM

Quote from: naustin on October 03, 2018, 08:43:12 AM
So what's with all the deleted posts in this thread?

They don't need documentation that they posted either.

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Baxter · « **Reply #25 on:** July 05, 2019, 04:32:00 PM »

My first IBA was a SS1000 on my 50th birthday. I kinda screwed up and ate something at a gas station that wasn't agreeing with me, and fell behind my intended pace looking for clean restrooms. But I completed the ride in the early morning hours. If you're interested in a ride report: https://www.riderforums.com/daily-ride/86403-50th-birthday-saddle-sore-1000-a.html

So, when opportunity next presented itself, I did a SS1000 and BB1500 combo ride just to prove that I could get the SS1000 right. And I did. ~~And I also rode~~ This trip also included a stay at the Tail of the Dragon and I returned home via the Blue Ridge Parkway ~~on this trip~~. https://www.riderforums.com/general-ninja-650r/94009-tale-tail-dragon.html

Main lessons learned: Follow the IBA's posted guidance, but when they advise to eat healthy, choose instead to only eat what you are familiar with so that you won't have a bad reaction to something new. Keep moving, downtime cannot reasonably be made up by going faster (and the IBA will refuse to certify a ride if the times look like the rider was unsafe). Headlight upgrades are a good thing, I bought brighter bulbs after the 50th birthday ride. And really know your route in case you have to alter your plans.

And this is a link to the IBA's posted guidance: http://www.ironbuttrally.com/tech/aowprintout.cfm

naustin · « **Reply #26 on:** July 05, 2019, 09:54:00 PM »

PS - pulled the SS1000 on the first day of my recent 8 day tour of Colorado. Ran into torrential rains 800 miles in and rode in traffic and blinding rain from Colorado Springs to Denver on the I-25. New Darien gear paid off! Still made it in time for dinner, and did 300+ miles of canyon carving the next day, and 300-400 each of the following 5 days until slabbing 800 miles back home on a more direct route. The FJR made it too easy. Got all the paperwork completed, receipts, and pictures of receipts with odometer mailed in last week. Looking forward to adding that plate frame to the bike to compliment the new Mt. Evans sticker!

Bounce · « **Reply #27 on:** July 06, 2019, 06:55:17 AM »

Congrats. Now get that paperwork in!

One way to save time is to lower your standards and drop "clean" from your search for bathrooms.

RBEmerson · « **Reply #28 on:** October 26, 2019, 10:43:01 PM »

Necro-posting but so what.

Quote from: Baxter on July 05, 2019, 04:32:00 PM

My first IBA was a SS1000 on my 50th birthday. I kinda screwed up and ate something at a gas station that wasn't agreeing with me, and fell behind my intended pace looking for clean restrooms. But I completed the ride in the early morning hours. If you're interested in a ride report: https://www.riderforums.com/daily-ride/86403-50th-birthday-saddle-sore-1000-a.html

If you're plagued with the squits or something worse, IMHO that's a red flag. This a direct path to dehydration, a major no-no. Additionally, if you didn't bring along your NASA-approved Depends, thinking about "I HAVE got to find a place to..." can be a serious distraction.

I'm not speaking from SS1000 experience, just riding (and LD driving) experience.

Quote

So, when opportunity next presented itself, I did a SS1000 and BB1500 combo ride just to prove that I could get the SS1000 right. And I did. And I also rode the Tail of the Dragon and the Blue Ridge Parkway on this trip. https://www.riderforums.com/general-ninja-650r/94009-tale-tail-dragon.html

Both while doing your SS and BB rides? If I were "on the clock", those are two places I'd avoid like grim death. The BRP, locked behind a 40' Class A towing a CRV. really and truly SUX! DAHINK

IBA is big on using the Interstate system and similar primary roads. It's easier to get around the Class A's there.

OTOH, Last spring, somewhere in OK, east on I-10, we hit an "everybody off". A bridge, almost within sight of the exit, was shut down for emergency repairs. The detour itself added ~30 miles to the trip (yea if on an IBA ride). We spent 10-15 in bumper to bumper jam, with no way to take a long way around with less drive time. The road grid just wasn't there. The jam turned out to be caused by a bubba that hadn't a freakin' idea about how to keep traffic moving. Past the bubba, traffic moved and life was good all the way back to I-10. Point being, Interstates are good but some days they become trap.

Quote

Main lessons learned: Follow the IBA's posted guidance, but when they advise to eat healthy, choose instead to only eat what you are familiar with so that you won't have a bad reaction to something new. Keep moving, downtime cannot reasonably be made up by going faster (and the IBA will refuse to certify a ride if the times look like the rider was unsafe). Headlight upgrades are a good thing, I bought brighter bulbs after the 50th birthday ride. And really know your route in case you have to alter your plans.

And this is a link to the IBA's posted guidance: http://www.ironbuttrally.com/tech/aowprintout.cfm

If at all possible, carry what you plan to eat. Nothing like chowing down on a "looks OK" deli sandwich only to find out OK isn't operative. The "put them in the freezer" things do a good job of keeping food cooled. Wrapping your meals and keep-cool thing in a towel will do a good job of keeping meals at least cooled down. Don't ask my wife about what uncooled meatloaf sandwiches can do...

In the past, I've thought uncharitable thoughts about adding driving lights. No more. Doing 70 down US 301 at "oh-dark-thirty" I didn't find a young deer until "to late to swerve". If I'd stuck my foot out, I would have nailed the rascal. And probably vice versa. Although my FJR's LED headlights are bright, some added light would have given me options on that deer.

See above re: no detour options. If I was attempting any IBA ride, it would have been "movie over". Today (Sat.), between NW of Philadelphia and Christiana, DE, traffic looked like either rush hour hell, or Black Friday hell. I-95, 495, and 476 were locked up, the side routes I tried (PA routes in PA Delaware Cty) were locked up. It was a conspiracy to delay my ride long enough to put me in the path of significant rain. Again, because of the traffic, there were no options. An hour's ride took just short of two hours. End of attempt. (The weather took pity on me - only light rain the whole way home)

Baxter · « **Reply #29 on:** October 27, 2019, 03:46:55 AM »

Quote from: RBEmerson on October 26, 2019, 10:43:01 PM

Quote
So, when opportunity next presented itself, I did a SS1000 and BB1500 combo ride just to prove that I could get the SS1000 right. And I did. And I also rode the Tail of the Dragon and the Blue Ridge Parkway on this trip. https://www.riderforums.com/general-ninja-650r/94009-tale-tail-dragon.html
Both while doing your SS and BB rides? If I were "on the clock", those are two places I'd avoid like grim death. The BRP, locked behind a 40' Class A towing a CRV. really and truly SUX! DAHINK
IBA is big on using the Interstate system and similar primary roads. It's easier to get around the Class A's there.

Perhaps I should have worded my sentence differently. The Dragon was the short last part of the second day's ride to complete the SS1000/BB1500 Combo, which was by interstate until reaching Knoxville. I didn't ride the Blue Ridge Parkway as part of the combo, but I did so to return home on the same overall trip.

RBEmerson · « **Reply #30 on:** October 28, 2019, 08:09:43 PM »

BRP off the clock?

Great scene from the last trip on the BRP: We stopped at whatever the name of the mill is for breakfast. Coming out after breakfast (yum!) we saw a rider on a BMW GS blasting down the road. Mr. Federal Park Police took off like a scalded cat. I don't want to consider what that "blasting by" cost.

That lesson applies to any road in a place whose name includes National Park or Monument. Even the parkway between Wash. DC and Baltimore and stretches of US 301 near DC are also federal roads. Tweaking federal tickets? Fahgedaboudit.

Cablebandit · « **Reply #31 on:** October 29, 2019, 05:48:35 AM »

You live in PA...any ticket you get there is going to be multiples higher than any ticket you get pretty much anywhere else. Plus, being a federal fine it's just a simple fine, no points.

Additionally, unless you have a CDL, no points from out of state transfer to PA so it's really no big deal other than the small amount you have to contribute to the local economy.

RBEmerson · « **Reply #32 on:** October 30, 2019, 11:30:13 AM »

I'm dull and boring. I'd rather spend money on farkles than fines. I rarely "push the envelope" on speed. That or I bury myself in with the quicker traffic - no sharking for me. I suppose LEO with an attitude about bikes might single me out. So far, so good.

It's been a long time since I've been grounded. I mean to keep it that way.

In the case of the GS on the BRP, since he was only observed to be screaming down the road, he might have gotten warned. Or nailed for reckless driving. Either way, Mr. Park LEO just short of tire burning out of the parking lot.

RBEmerson · « **Reply #33 on:** October 30, 2019, 11:58:37 AM »

Sigh... the plan of running due south on I95, stopping somewhere in FL is toast. Reality intruded.

I worked up a large loop that uses Interstates. I used Google Maps initially but ran out of tweaking dots (only so many and no more - silly Maps). Partially out of a desire to be masochistic, I got out Base Camp and laid out the same route. My Zumo is officially retired. Except it does allow me to d/l maps for the rare occasion of plotting a trip with something more flexible than Maps.

The take-away here is using "silent" waypoints, it's possible to not only mark up a route, but also get a sense of "when can I expect to be where". The expanded route instructions show both travel time and distance cover from the start. The speed assumptions for Interstate, restricted access, open access, and residential roads can be tweaked. Plugging in what I hope are meaningful averages for each road type, the ETA for a waypoint is helpful for getting a feel for "will I hit a peak traffic time". The list of waypoint ETA's is useful for getting a sense of where you are relative to gaining or losing time. That is, if you're arriving early at one or more waypoints, or late at one or more waypoints... gaining or losing time.

I rather doubt my TomTom will touch a Garmin map, but all that's really needed is a hard copy of the route info. Pull in for a gas stop, read the list, and there you are.

I haven't started planning with the TomTom _ it has not been my best friend so far

st2sam · « **Reply #34 on:** October 30, 2019, 04:28:43 PM »

Quote from: Cablebandit on October 29, 2019, 05:48:35 AM

You live in PA...any ticket you get there is going to be multiples higher than any ticket you get pretty much anywhere else. Plus, being a federal fine it's just a simple fine, no points.
Additionally, unless you have a CDL, no points from out of state transfer to PA so it's really no big deal other than the small amount you have to contribute to the local economy.

This^^^Thanks Chris for educating the less informed.

Quote from: RBEmerson on October 30, 2019, 11:30:13 AM

I'm dull and boring.

Yes, you sure do come across that way.

RBEmerson · « **Reply #35 on:** October 31, 2019, 10:37:09 AM »

I've made a very distressing discovery about GPS use on my planned SS1000. Unless I've totally missed something (it does happen - rarely), the only way to plan out an IBA ride on (at least my) TomTom RIDER 550 yields an inflexible track, not a an adjustable route. As far as I can see, using a track, there is no way to cope with the situation of dealing with bypassing a traffic jam, etc.

Additionally, in laying out the loop I plan to ride, the TomTom 550 shows only two gas stops, both well inside the range of the initial tankful. Not very good for deciding, on the road, where to stop.

Prior to this situation, I used the TomTom 550 as a car GPS over part(*) of an 11,000 mile trip. In that case, any day's "ride" used with a start and stop point, augmented by reading a (gasp!) paper map. No problems found. Ditto for use in Germany.

By comparison, my old Zumo 550 does adjust a route (too often too freely) on the fly. The bad news is the Zumo 550 hasn't a clue about traffic conditions. At least BaseCamp, as I said earlier, will generate benchmarks (how does real time match the original plan).

At this point, I think I'm stuck with entering route legs into the TomTom, and backing that up with Google Maps. During that 11K long trip,I backed up the GPS' with Google Maps. I was surprised by the amount of cell coverage in areas where I expected to be dark. (To be sure of having maps if not traffic info, I pre-loaded off-line maps).

Summarizing, the TomTom is turning out to be disappointing for planning long trips (e.g., 1K miles in 24 hours). The Garmin remains clunky, unstable, and has no traffic info. However BaseCamp can deliver a useful route (not track) to the Zumo 550.

- - - -
The plan for using legs with the TomTom 550 is list leg starts and ends far off the maximum range per tank. That should get the 550 back to showing gas stations along the route. Armed with a list of which start/end points, I hope I won't lose too much time fiddling with "voodoo machines.

- - - -
Yes, this is anal. Navigating on open ocean sailing, flying, and even extended range driving/riding shows me repeatedly "planning beats making it up along the way".

- - - -
(*) I started the trip with the Zumo 550. It crashed outright (shut down) too many times. In "ask me before rerouting" applied to loaded routes, it too often came up with absurd alternatives (e.g., the new route went up blind, no outlet streets or went into parking lots - again with no outlet, off a road). That was the tipping point for buying the TomTom GPS.

Bounce · « **Reply #36 on:** October 31, 2019, 10:55:03 AM »

Store critical way points. Do an auto-route to the next one only. When you get there do an auto-route to the next. You don't have to store a complex route internally and the auto-route is (usually) adaptive.

PatM · « **Reply #37 on:** October 31, 2019, 12:00:28 PM »

Silent waypoints created in basecamp are actually shaping points or via points. I don't believe the zumo 550 recognizes them any different from regular waypoints. I'm not even sure the zumo would remain silent when coming by a shaping point. That option did not exist in Mapsource. The zumo 550 was limited to 500 waypoints, if you had enough free memory available.
Basecamp was designed with the newer Garmins in mind like the zumo 395 or the 595, the shaping points are treated differently from the waypoints. And the newer zumos have detour options the 550 did not have.

Bounce's suggestion is probably your best bet. Set your gps preferences to use fastest route (or whatever it's called in the TomTom) and avoid local roads. Split your routes according to your bikes fuel range, lookup in google maps for gas station in that area and save that as a waypoint to your Tomtom. Use those as starting and ending points and let the gps do it's work.

RBEmerson · « **Reply #38 on:** November 05, 2019, 07:23:55 PM »

Quote from: RBEmerson on October 31, 2019, 10:37:09 AM

I've made a very distressing discovery about GPS use on my planned SS1000. Unless I've totally missed something (it does happen - rarely), the only way to plan out an IBA ride on (at least my) TomTom RIDER 550 yields an inflexible track, not a an adjustable route. As far as I can see, using a track, there is no way to cope with the situation of dealing with bypassing a traffic jam, etc.
[/ winge deleted]

The TomTom route as track does s***. However, the moaning about showing gas stops was baseless. And brainless - on my part. TomTom shows only gas stops within a specific radius (forget how big). I just came back from a 300 mi trip (four wheels - closing out sailboat for winter). Gas stops showed up as appropriate for the trip, even though a preview showed only a couple of stops.

RBEmerson · « **Reply #39 on:** November 05, 2019, 07:36:13 PM »

Quote from: PatM on October 31, 2019, 12:00:28 PM

Silent waypoints created in basecamp are actually shaping points or via points. I don't believe the zumo 550 recognizes them any different from regular waypoints. I'm not even sure the zumo would remain silent when coming by a shaping point. That option did not exist in Mapsource. The zumo 550 was limited to 500 waypoints, if you had enough free memory available.
Basecamp was designed with the newer Garmins in mind like the zumo 395 or the 595, the shaping points are treated differently from the waypoints. And the newer zumos have detour options the 550 did not have.

Bounce's suggestion is probably your best bet. Set your gps preferences to use fastest route (or whatever it's called in the TomTom) and avoid local roads. Split your routes according to your bikes fuel range, lookup in google maps for gas station in that area and save that as a waypoint to your Tomtom. Use those as starting and ending points and let the gps do it's work.

It's been a while since I've run with the Zumo 550, but going to a via, shaping point, or silent waypoint works differently than a "noisy" waypoint. I'll have to fire the thing up and see what I can drag out of the thing.

I used Base Camp's silent waypoints to extract timing information from the route. I'm satisfied with that.

Agreed that the best strategy for getting the TomTom to give a 1000 mi long flexible route is to build up route segments that overlap. It's something of a hack, but so it goes. I hope.

All of that said, neither unit is really long route friendly. At least Base Camp offers some sanity for planning. Which is strange, given how poor an app it's been in the past.

PatM · « **Reply #40 on:** November 06, 2019, 03:27:51 PM »

Quote from: RBEmerson on November 05, 2019, 07:36:13 PM

All of that said, neither unit is really long route friendly. At least Base Camp offers some sanity for planning. Which is strange, given how poor an app it's been in the past.

One could say Basecamp is an acquired taste. LOL

RBEmerson · « **Reply #41 on:** November 06, 2019, 10:01:14 PM »

Indeed. OTOH, I just finished an "out and back" route on I-95. Strictly speaking, the route's simple: jump on I-476, turn at I-95, go to Florence, SC, turn around repeat in reverse.

The challenge is trying to time the route to avoid, for example, the morning rush in the Richmond, VA area. Dropping in waypoints gives an arrival time for each waypoint. So far, I've tweaked the departure time to get arrivals where I'm less likely to be slowed by rush traffic.

There are, I'm sure, other mapping tools that do this and more. However, "run what ya brung". [/ grin]