The 2025 Iron Butt Rally started just over 12 hours ago and once again Chris and Stella are over there giving it another nudge.
This year they have entered with one of their mates from the states (how poetic) as Team FAFO. I'm not sure what the difference is if entering as a team - probably all need to finish to get finishers status. Maybe I should read the rules.
Anyone, here's a video of the ride start. See if you can find the mighty Connie:
Spot them? Oh well, here they are - at about the 1:34 mark. Yes, I stole a screen grab.
The ride started in Iowa and you can see how much everyone has spread out in just 12 hours on this Spotwalla page. They really do cover the ground I'd say every state except Hawaii will get a visit by someone. Canda probably isn't off limits either.
If you're interested there is plenty of stuff on the net and daily write-ups are available on the IBA website.
A wee while ago I was intending on going for a quick squirt up Whariti (no time for a decent ride) but by the time I was ready to go the wind had got up at my place and if you can feel a breeze at my place then it is blowing on Whariti - I've been on a ride up there where we all turned back before we got blown off the hill.
Anyway, I finally had some time and decided to tick it off. No excuses being less than 20 minutes from the start of the hill climb climb up the hill.
After crossing the Saddle, I stopped at the start of the gravel, reset the GPS and kicked the camera into life.
A great wee scramble up the hill and 10 minutes later I was at the top enjoying the views.
While I was up there I heard a plane buzzing around and scurried to see if I could spot it. I eventually saw it and even managed to capture (with my cheap point and shoot with 5x zoom) it as it went past well below me and trying to avoid the windmills.
After all those photos it was time to drop back down the hill and enjoy the views from the seat - always a better view on the descent.
Back down on level ground, I still had plenty of time up my sleeve and a desire for more gravel so headed off towards Pahiatua via Balance and another nice run through Tararua Road - not quite as quick as the weekend before.
Dropping down into Pahiatua, my next turn took off onto Ridge Road Central which I've only done a couple of times but it is a nice wee strop along the ranges. Some nice faster sections at the start, followed by some more heavily gravelled stuff and getting stuck behind a tanker...
From there I took a few boring and straight sealed roads until I could hook up onto the always fun Pukehoi and Kopikopiko Roads which we normally take either going to or coming from Eketahuna. Always fun and often fast but this time around there was some deeper metal to surf around in.
A squirt back over the track and that was just about it for the ride - pretty short and sweet but a lot of fun out on the gravel again.
NZ got hit by a wee cyclone over the last few days. Here it involved a ton of wind and a bit of rain but it was much worse further up North. Yesterday the weather had changed completely so I decided that I needed to get out and check some of my favourite gravel roads. I was expecting some mud and slush...
Once again, I left it fairly late leaving and got away from home just before lunchtime. This meant that when I stopped for fuel in Woodville I could have a pie to calm the worms down.
Leaving Woodville, I made my way across through Hopelands and then took what is now becoming a compulsory bit of gravel to get me across to Pahiatua-Pongaroa Road. The new bit is Waituna Road, followed by The Grass Road and a wee (non-gnarley) gravel section of the Makairo Track. Waituna gave me a good intro to what some of the gravel was going to be like - while it wasn't that muddy, there were definitely some (invisible) soft patches underneath the gravel which occasionally caused the bike to wander around a little.
Turning onto Millers Road a couple of other adventure bikes coming the other way. One was a Guzzi V85 and the other was a Multistrada. I wonder if they enjoyed Millers Road as much as I did? It's always a hoot with a big long and fast gravel straight, followed by a small climb (and descent) up a hill before it reverts to seal just before joining Pahiatua-Pongaroa Road.
After taking it pretty easy on the seal through to Makuri, I turned off onto Coonoor Road and into some more gravel. Once again, the track was pretty good, allowing a good pace but the odd wet and slippery corner thrown in to keep you on your toes. Coming across a petrol tanker coming the other way also kept me on my toes.
The ride up to the Rising Sun was more of the same but I did forget to turn on the camera. I stopped for pics instead.
At the quarry:
Top of the Rising Sun
Dropping down the hill I half expected there to be slipperiness as there often is exposed clay which is damn slippery, but today it was pretty good. And then it was into the pines.
It's always a lot slipperier in shaded places and I think especially under pines. The needles and such always produce a squishy mush which can be interesting. I rode pretty quietly through here, as did the guy on the CRF250/300 coming the other way.
Out of the pines and as well as opening out more, the road dried up a little and the pace came creeping back up. By the time I hit Waihi Valley Road, I was back in the groove and having a ball.
Back on the seal, I puttered into Pongaroa and turned off onto Coast Road making for more favourite roads but also roads that definitely tended to be on the slippery side of things.
Along the way I disturbed a bull who was definitely more frisky than the one from my last decent ride, tearing up and down his paddock and tossing his head around. A good thing that there was a fence and 150 metres or so between us.
Coast Road had taken a bit more damage again but they've been out there patching things up. I even think the seal may have moved further East too (boo hoo!). The gravel section was mint but there was another bit where some of the road had ended up in the river - definitely not as bad as after Cyclone Gabrielle.
Next up was the scramble up the hill on Marainaga Road before turning off onto Spur Road. Once again there were plenty of slippery bits but overall the road was in great condition - perhaps the logging guys have been staying off it?
Spur Road turns into Huia Road and this really did have the "odd" slippery bit. I had barely got rolling after turning the camera off when I hit the first bit of downhill messiness. Ok, best not get too carried away then...
It was more of the same on Waihoki Valley Road and added to the excitement of the slippery bits was a little chasing of an Easter bunny. Little blighter got away though...
Out on 52 and I was hot, sweaty and thirsty as so I decided to skip any more gravel and make for Pahiatua for a cold drink. Just one stop along the way to nab another fire station for the collection.
After that drink in Pahiatua it was time to head home but not before what has to have been one of my best runs through Tararua Road - unfortunately it was over quite quickly...
My last stop along the way was one for a photo I possibly should have had a while ago and the bike was parked in the shed and I was into another cold drink - 25 degrees had made it hot work out there.
