Border to Border advice

[Wolf h.]

While I-15 is actually 80 my Zumo 660 with the latest maps updated 6 weeks ago showed 75, but I did notice a lot of the speed signs had a sticker placed over the area where the max. speed number is. You're right, with speed limit of 80 (doing 80-85) one can make up a lot of time on this stretch.

Now having Vegas behind us we only had US 95 hwy left to the border. Since we fueled up in Henderson, I calculated we would be pushing it to make that tank last to the Mexican border, so one more fuel up, not necessarily full, would be prudent. So a quick splash-n-go was done in Parker, AZ and we headed south for the dash to Yuma. Of course the speed limits on 95 are drastically lower than 15, a lot of 55mph, and not having seen any cops for over 1000 miles we encountered at least 2 cops going north, while we were doing about 75. I kept looking behind me, sure that the cop car was going to turn around and give us a ticket, be we lucked out and kept going, although a bit slower.

Our Plan A was down I-15 then 95 down to Yuma all the way to the San Luis border crossing, but IF we were running out of time as we got to Yuma, I had Plan B ready. This I figured would be a little shorter, a few less miles and maybe quicker time wise. Plan B had us on 95 going west into Yuma and taking I-8 west then US 186 south to Los Algodones, Mexico, this would avoid most of Yuma and seemed quicker. What with the 25 min. wait at the US border at Sweet Grass, MT and the really slow detour north of Vegas I am now concerned about making the 24 hr Extreme mark ( other ways we lost a bit of time was at almost every gas stop, you Americans have this nice theft-deterrent system by asking card holders at the pump to enter their 5-digit zip code... except we don`t have a zip code, we`re Canadians.. eh. So inside we went, waited in line, had the clerk turn on the pumps after giving them our credit card, filling up, coming back in line, credit card again, and getting a receipt. Then there was the station, I think Cedar City, UT, where we pulled in off the interstate in the middle of the night, the station was all lit up, so we both pulled up, tried our credit card at the pump, and were asked for a zip code, so I decide to go inside. Except the door to the store was closed, but all lit up with a guy in there mopping the floor... I kept knocking on the door to get him to open it and serve me gas, but he didn`t even look up at me! ) Filling up like this at 7-8 stations on our trip can add to our ``non-riding time``.

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[HelzBelz]

You guys are right, 80 mph, "indicated" 85, and implied 90. Since my ride was a certified ss1000, I never went over the speed limit, but that was enough. My point is/was utah's I15 is a friend to IBA riders.

 

[Spud]

Wolf H. That gassing situation w/the zip code sounds like a royal pain in the ass!

And, I've got to believe the fastest long-range route in America is now I-15 from north of Vegas to Butte, MT. 800 or so miles, 80 mph posted through all of UT except major cities, now 80 mph through Idaho, lots of traffic at 90, then, at the ID/MT border up through Dillon to Butte, let's just say I go back to the reasonable and prudent days as there is really nothing out there but beautiful country.

 

[Wolf h.]

Wolf H. That gassing situation w/the zip code sounds like a royal pain in the ass!
And, I've got to believe the fastest long-range route in America is now I-15 from north of Vegas to Butte, MT. 800 or so miles, 80 mph posted through all of UT except major cities, now 80 mph through Idaho, lots of traffic at 90, then, at the ID/MT border up through Dillon to Butte, let's just say I go back to the reasonable and prudent days as there is really nothing out there but beautiful country.

Needing a zip code for gas isn't such a problem, unless you're doing an IBA ride and time is of the essence.

And you're right, I-15 is THE slab where you can make up some serious time, virtually non-stop from the top of Montana all the way down to Vegas, if you time your ride through SLC to miss the traffic.

The continuing saga of "Out of the Freezer and into the Fire"

Did I mention when we were going through Montana it was only 37 and a high of 39? We of course had our long johns on and 5 layers under our m/c jackets, anticipating the cold temps. Now that we were into Nevada/Arizona the temps seemed to keep on climbing like a broken thermostat. Early in the morning in Arizona the bike was showing 90 and climbing and we didn't want to risk stopping to peel off some layers in fear of missing our target of <24hrs.

As we are getting closer to Yuma I was getting anxious about the time as it was now almost 9:00am MT (we had a start time of 10:08am). I`m thinking what if there is a line up at the border and taking over half an hour to cross, this would put a crimp in our goal of sub 24hr B2B. This is when I saw a sign saying - border crossing 31 miles.. and that`s through the city of Yuma, and the decision was made to use I86 instead of 95 to the border. At about 9:10 we got onto I-8 and in less than 20 minutes we were at the Mexican border.

This border crossing was less dramatic than we expected as the Mexican agents only asked a few questions, like where are going and how long will you be in Mexico. As I got out my passport he said that`s OK, you can go. I pulled past the agents and pulled to the side while I waited for my brother to pass the agents, looked at my time on the bike and realized we had almost 45 minutes. As my brother and I were in front of this Mexican building (immigration ) he asked if they could stamp our passports. First the agent outside the building said no, but my brother persisted, and finally he said come on inside, where he promptly stamped both our passports with the Mexican stamp. He also said to go 2 blocks up, turn right and about 4 blocks to get gas at the Pemex station.

So off to Pemex we went, only 2 pumps and 2 gas jockeys who only wanted US Dollars. We asked for a cash register receipt and finally he made it clear they don't have these modern devices, so into the convenience store I went, only to be told that they don't have anything to do with the gas pumps. OK, I thought, then I'll buy something small and use my credit card to get a receipt... the girl eventually understood my simple request and informed me they don't take credit cards and don't have cash register tapes either.

Finally we got the gas jockey to write a receipt on a small piece of paper with the station's name/address/phone and had him put the time on it and sign it. Of course my brother and I are sweating profusely (i wonder why) and took out our cell phone and starting taking pictures of our bikes in front of the Pemex pumps, which for some reason made the jockeys and everyone close by a little nervous. For backup proof I finally found a grocery/liquor store that took my credit card and got that receipt.

The gas station receipt showed 8:32am PT, so it was 9:32 MT and we got the rides (both Border-border Extreme and BunBurner Gold with 40 minutes to spare.

WOW, that was some ride, glad it's over... but I'm over 2k miles from home and my brother is over 3k from home, my bike is showing 110 in the shade and we're dressed for maybe 30F! The real ride is about to begin.

wolf

 

[Wesseld]

Ok, here it is nearly a year after my original post. Yes, I did not complete the B2B back then, but I am gearing up to try again next week. This time, since I live in Phoenix, AZ, I am going to start in Algodones, MX and finish in Coutts, AB. I'm thinking of starting at about 8:00pm on a weekday, which would mean that sun-up would be somewhere in mid-Utah on I-15, and daylight the rest of the way north to Canada. I've never crossed the Mexican border after dark, so this should be interesting. Do I need to get a gas receipt IN Mexico for the start documentation, or can I just cross over, take a picture and/or get some kind of receipt, then cross back into the USofA and get a gas receipt in Yuma?

I was planning on riding the couple of hours from Phoenix to Yuma earlier in the day (to avoid some heat) then start later that night. Any ideas what I could do in Yuma until my start time? I'd rather not check into a hotel for just 5 or 6 hours if I don't have to, but that is an option.

Thanks again for all the input!

Don

 

[101stpathfinder]

I am getting ready for work, so I will have to hold off posting until later.

But here is a link to advice that I got before my ride:

Advice Sought for B2B2B Attempt - Long Distance Riding/Iron Butt - FJRForum

Here is the actual thread on the ride:

Pathfinder's Border2Border2Border/-10/10ths Attempt - Long Distance Riding/Iron Butt - FJRForum

I rode the same route that you are planning, so fire away with any questions you have.

 

[escapefjrtist]

I completed a B2Bi in 2014 traveling north to south.

Starting in Abbotsford BC, I fueled up in Canada and got my starting receipt / time there. For my ending receipt, I had picked out a 7-11 / Pemex station less than a mile inside the Mexico border at Otay Mesa. I didn't get fuel there (!) but did buy a candy bar and got my time / dated ending receipt there. I also took a couple pics of the bike in front of the 7-11 and Pemex pumps for good measure.

No issues with those receipts and getting the ride certified.

Good luck and keep the wheels spinning!

--G

Edit to add: Border to Border (Insanity)