Jamie Sheppard and Michael Silveria
July 11, 2009 |
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"There once was two people who decided to tackle the crazy task of riding their motorcycles from Canada to Mexico in under 24 hours.....
This is the chronicling of those 2 people..."
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The Call.....
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So it all started with my best friend Jamie calling me up about nine months ago stating..."I have this idea..."
The initial idea was to complete an Iron Butt Association "Saddle Sore 1000" motorcycle ride. Basically, the idea is to complete 1,000 miles in 24 hrs. So the research began into the rules and how to complete the ride. Well, during the investigation of the Saddle Sore 1000, Jamie discovers the Border to Border ride. The Border to Border is a ride from Canada to Mexico (or Mexico to Canada) that is completed in less than 36 hours. So, I get another call....
"Hey Mike....I have this new idea....."
Naturally, I replied with....."Sure, why not!"
Now, the research begins for the Border to Border. During this round of research, Jamie stumbles upon...."The Border to Border Insanity!" And soon I get another call...
"OK, I have the best idea EVER!"
And again, I reply with "Sure, why not, let's do it!" What followed would transpire to become the most epic ride of our lives........to date, of course!
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Click on the slideshow above to view the full photo album. | |
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The Planning...
Now the planning begins. There is a lot to consider when planning a ride of this magnitude. Of course, the first thing to do is research the rules for the Border to Border Insanity. The Border to Border Insanity is an Iron Butt Association sanctioned ride that has a strict list of rules to ensure the validity of the ride. In short the rules are:
- Choose a safe route
- Get a start witness to confirm that you were at the start location at the date and time that you stated.
- Get a date/time stamped receipt to use as the official start date/time of the 24 hr time period.
- Collect and track receipts
- At the end of your ride, before the 24 hour (or 36 hour for the Bun Burner) time period is up, obtain a computer printed gas receipt with a legible location, date and time stamp. This will be your Official End Time.
- Get and End Witness to document your ending date and time.
- Prepare and submit your documentation to the Iron Butt Association Committee.
Once we understood the rules, then it was a matter of planning out the route. We wanted to make sure the each stretch of the leg did not exceed our comfort level of how far we could go on a tank of gas. So we tested exactly how far our bikes could go before we hit reserve, and funny enough, both of our bikes was able to handle a distance of about 160 miles. To make sure that we were not pushing the bikes too far, we decided that it would be best to schedule each gas stop at about 120 miles, no more than 130 miles max. At each stop, we planned for a 15 minute gas break. So then the plotting began.
For each gas stop, we mapped out the directions and time using Google maps. Once we were done plotting out all of the stops, it ended up being 11 gas stops with a 15 minute break at each. However, using the time durations that Google provided plus the 15 minute break at each stop, it ended up being that we were not going to make the 24 hr time period. We were actually going to be about 30 minutes over. So we developed a spreadsheet that would calculate the new durations for each of the legs by adding a certain amount of speed to the average speed that was provided by Google. We found that by adding about 7.5 miles/hour to the average Google speed of 63.9mph, we would have a buffer of about 1 hour and 50 minutes. This means that we would have to hold an average speed of about 71.5 miles/hour per the new calculation.
Once we figured out the ride times, trip duration, and all of the stops, it was now time to decide on our departure time. There was a lot of discussion about what would be the best time to head out and tackle this amazing adventure. But again, when planning a ride of this magnitude, everything needs to be taken into consideration. The initial thought was to leave at midnight. However, when thinking about our arrival time in Tijuana, it was decided that midnight may not be the best time to leave Canada. That would put us in Tijuana at around midnight on Saturday night, probably not the best idea. Then we agreed that arriving in Tijuana early Sunday morning would be the best. This would allow us to get a good night sleep the night before, wake up early and head out on the highway. On a Saturday morning, the traffic would be light and it would be open highway the whole way down. So Jamie and I decided that 7am Saturday morning would be the best time to leave. This would put us into Tijuana at about 6am on Sunday morning, and Tijuana at 6am on a Sunday morning should be pretty safe.
Now that we have our route, our calculated speeds and times, and when we were leaving, it was time to embark on the greatest adventure of our lives.
Here is an overview of our entire route where we begin in Surrey, BC, each of our gas stops, and our finish in Tijuana.
For a detailed map with each leg mapped out, click on the map below
Below is the spreadsheet that we used to calculate the time durations for each of the legs and the target times we expected to hit each stop.
The spreadsheet contains: The times and leg durations calculated by using Google maps, the target times and leg durations with a 7.5 mph
increase, and the actual times and leg durations captured during the ride.
Border to Border InsanityGoogle Spreadsheet
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The Preparation...
While Jaime and I were researching for places to stay in Surrey B.C., we found a nice little motel called "Breakaway Motel" that was just a couple of miles north of the border. Jaime and I actually investigated this opportunity with a trip to the motel. There we met a really nice guy by the name of Hagen who runs the motel with his wife. After explaining our purpose, Hagen was nice enough to agree to be our beginning witness. This was the perfect location. Right there in the same parking lot as the motel was a Chevron gas station and a nice little diner. We could have a good meal the night before, and in the morning, wake up, gas up, and be on our way. We were all set. We had our place to eat, gas up, sleep and our beginning witness, all in one place.
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Hagen, our beginning witness at the Breakaway Motel | Flash forward a few months. It is now July 10, 2009 and time for us to head north to Surrey BC to prepare for the ride. We arrive at the border around 2pm. On our arrival, we parked the bikes at the Peace Tree Visitor's center and walked around the park to look for opportunities where we could get our receipt. While we new that we could use the Chevron station's receipt at the motel as our official starting receipt, we wanted to get something as close to the border as possible. We decided that the Duty Free store would be the perfect solution. We found out that the Duty Free store would not open until 7am on Saturday morning. This was perfect as our target beginning time was 7am on Saturday July 11th. The idea being that we show up a little early, wait for the store to open, go in, buy a shot glass, and then begin the epic journey of a lifetime. It was about 4pm or so when we finally arrived at the Breakaway Motel and Hagen was there to greet us. We checked in and got a bite to eat at the diner. We wanted to get as much rest as possible, so after dinner we went back to the motel and made our final preparations for the ride of our lives. |
The Ride.....
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5 A.M.. The alarm goes off and Jamie and I awake to the realization that this is it. Only a couple of hours before we embark on this epic ride. We shower up, get dressed, suit up and head outside to get the bikes ready. It is a beautiful morning and weather is perfect for today's ride. Jamie and I are both nervous and excited at the same time. The ralization of what we are about to attemp to accomplish is setting in, and we are chomping at the bit to get started. The nervous energy is builing up giving us the adrenaline rush we need to tackle this ride.
At 6:25am, we gas up at the Chevron station in the parking lot and head over to the Duty Free Shop to buy our shot glass and obtain the reciept that will be used as our official start time.
While the bikes were warming up, Jaime was good enough to give a quick overview of our objective. Click on the picture to the right to view a short movie of Jamie explaining our ride.
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Jamie explaining our ride. | |
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Our Bikes in front of the Duty Free Shop in Surrey, B.C. when it opened at 7am.. | |
We arrive at the Duty Free Shop at about 6:30am and the gates are locked. As we wait for the gates to open, we are watching cars pass and line up at the border and we begin to get nervous. Jamie and I discuss if it was a good idea to wait for the Duty Free store to open, or if we should just skip the store and get in line to cross the border. Our thought was that we could just use the receipt from the gas station as our official start time. Our fear was that we were going to be waiting for a long time in line at the border and burn up most if not all of the hour and fifty minute buffer that was built into our timeline. But it was decided that we should just stick to the plan.
It was about 5 minutes to 7 when we finally saw employees enter the parking lot trought the employee entrance. Both Jamie and I let out a big sigh of relief. As one of the employees opened the gate, we rode our bikes in an parked right in front. We walked in and headed straight for where the shot glasses were located. The employees were not even done logging into the registers when we showed up to make our purchase. They quickly checked us out and it was official....
Our Border to Border ride had officially begun. The official start time: 7/11/2009 7:04:27 AM
We hopped back on our bikes and headed to the border. There we waited in line for about 30 minutes and finally crossed into the United States at about 7:35 AM. We were finally on our way!!
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Our Stops:
Below is each of the stops that we made on the way down to Mexico. Click on each map to see pictures and a brief commentary of each leg.
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Stop #2:
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Stop #3:
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Stop #4:
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Stop #5:
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Stop #6:
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Stop #7:
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Stop #8:
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Stop #9:
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Stop #10:
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Stop #11:
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The Finale.....
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Tewnty three hours and 11 gas stops later, Jamie and I are on the final stretch. It is early dawn on Sunday July 12th and we just about to reach the Mexican border! Our adrenaline is rushing and our hearts are pumping. It was been one great, hard ride. The entire ride had pretty much gone off without a hitch. Other than the 30 minutes that we lost at the Canadian border, Jamie and I are not that far off of our targeted time. Over the course of the whole ride, we only lost a little bit of time, about 20 minutes, mainly due to some traffic and construction that we hit up in Portland, OR. For the rest of the ride, it was smooth sailing. Not bad at all considering what can happen over 1,400 miles, riding through the middle of the night, etc. It goes to show how important planning plays a significant role in a ride of this magnitude. I was amazed, we are about to hit Mexico with about an hour of extra time! This is it, we are about to conquer this beast!!
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It is a little after 6am in the morning when Jamie and I hit the Mexican border, and we immediately realize that it is not going to be an easy feat. The second that you enter Mexico, it is a different world. The Border Guards did not speak english, and let me tell you, trying to explain your purpose to be granted passage was not easy. Pretty much my experience with the guard that was inspecting my bike came down to him pointing his gun at the luggage I had stowed on my bike, me opening it, and him looking through. Once I showed him my passport, things seemed to go a little smoother and he let me through. Jamie was kindly waiting. Now, on to the McDonald's that we mapped out to hopefully get some breakfast, and our official ending receipt.
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My bike being inspected by the Mexican Border Guard.
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Jamie Explaining our SituationWe head South on Mexico 1. According to Google maps, the exit that we wanted to take was the first right, however, I was not expecting it to come up so fast and we completely missed our exit. We cross over the aquaduct and he next thing we know, we are dumped into the middle of Tijuana on some local road. Realizing that we are completely lost, we pull over our bikes to quickly assess that situation and regain our bearings. While parked, Jamie and I quickly become uneasy about our situation. We were familiar with all of the hostility and reports of kidnapping that had been happening, and immediately a sense of urgency to get moving comes over us. But where? Jamie spots a small traffic sign indicating I-5 at the end of the block where we were parked. Familiar with what we know, we decide to head back. No more than a couple of minutes later we find ourselves funneled into one of the many lanes of the border that take you back into the United States.
OK.......Now what?
Here we are in Tijuana with only one direction to go, back into the United States, without our recipt. This is not good. As we sit in line, Jamie and I discuss our options. It is about 6:09 AM and we figure that we have enough time to go into the United States, turn around, go back into Tijuana, and get our receipt. Now it is a matter of time. Crossing the border can take quite a while, as experienced up in Canada.
Luckily for us the line seems to be moving pretty quickly, and after a few minutes we get up to the U.S. Border. Jamie gets instructions on how we can quickly turn around to head back into Mexico. No more than a couple of minutes later, Jamie and I find ourselves back at the Mexico border for round two. However, this time we were not stopped by any of the borer guards and were able to ride right through. This time, we make our exit and find the McDonald's that we were seeking. However, there really is not any place to park. After doing a couple of loops, we decide to park the bikes right across the street. We did not want to leave the bikes all by themselves for fear of theft or whatever, so Jamie tells me to wait with the bikes while he heads over to McDonald's.
Bad News. McDonald's is closed. OK.......Now what?
Jamie comes back to tell me that the McDonald's is closed and to wait some more. He leaves again and heads back over to the square where the McDonalds is located. Jamie searches around and finds a walk up window that turns out to be a currency exchange booth. He asks to exchange $5 for pesos with a receipt. "Pesos por favor con recibo." I think was the phrase he told me. We check our receipts, and it contains all of the information that we need: date, time, location, etc.
We got what we needed. Our Border to Border Insanity was complete. The official end time: 7/12/2009 6:27 AM.
Click on the slideshow above to view Jamie's Picasa web album
Exactly 23 hours and 23 minutes ago, we were buying a shot class in Canada! What an amazing adventure. One for the books and certainly one that Jamie and I will never forget. | | |
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