MEMBER’S TAKE

A SADDLESORE ROOKIE NO MORE

By Whitney Meza

Riding 1,000 miles in 24 hours — which the Iron Butt Association (ironbutt.com) calls a “SaddleSore 1000” — is no-biggie for a lot of AMA members, I’m sure. But for me, a complete long-distance-riding rookie, doing the IBA’s Lake Michigan 1,000 was a serious challenge — though the promise of some two-wheeled adventure had me thinking, “why not?”

Going in, I was pretty naïve about the whole thing, and had only my 2003 H-D 883 Sportster Custom, which goes maybe 125 miles on a tank of gas, to ride. Challenge number one, right there.

I’d done 500 and 600 miles in a day before around the rustic roads of Wisconsin, which is where I call home. What was another 400 miles? It shouldn’t take me too long, I figured. Challenge number two. Yep, I was super naïve!

Before taking off I went into full-scale nerd mode, watching every Iron Butt video I could, joining long-distance riding groups and forums, and searching the term “SaddleSore” to chat with people who’d done SaddleSore 1000s. I absorbed everything I could, then decided I’d do it in two weeks’ time.

I planned my route, laid out fuel stops and made a list of gear. Looking back, I ended up way overpacked, but I was ready for anything. I had a tent, a sleeping bag, a heated vest — didn’t really need that in the middle of June — tool kit and precautionary tire kit (and a whole lot more).

While I wanted to set out at 5 am, dropping off my children at daycare had me starting the ride at a late 8 am. I had to do an entire circle loop around Lake Michigan, starting and ending in the same city. That late start cost me, making it take a lot longer than I’d anticipated.

By the time I hit my second gas stop I was feeling out of sorts. About a third of the way in I got into a rhythm, which was good since I ended up doing 16 gas stops in total. I wish I’d practiced my efficiency a bit more, cuz if you’re not moving, you’re wasting time.

Once I hit my groove, with radio on and the sun shining, I was loving it…until about 11 pm. By planning ahead, I knew most of my gas stops were 24-hour stations, but there was one I had to stop at that wasn’t. There were no other close stations, so this was my only option and I had to get there before closing time or I’d be in trouble. I planned my route to arrive an hour before closing, but as time got eaten up, I managed to ride in just three minutes before they closed, barely scraping by.

At 1 am I was still going, exhausted, and I didn’t have enough gas to get to the next city. Thank goodness for the extra fuel canister I packed, though even with it I was nearly on fumes when I coasted into the next gas stop. This was the moment where I wondered, ‘why am I even doing this?’ At one point I got so tired I took a cat nap on a picnic table in Green Bay. I just had to close my eyes for a few minutes.

Most people complete these SaddleSore 1000 challenges in 17-18 hours, but it ended up taking me 23, finishing with just an hour to spare. I was so pumped, but also so exhausted that I had to find a hotel, where I zonked out for five hours. But when I woke up I didn’t go home. Instead, I rode all the way up to northern Wisconsin that day, doing another 600-700 miles!

I never figured I’d fall in love with distance riding, but suddenly I’m hooked, and currently planning to take on the Iron Butt 48-state challenge — 48 states in 10 days. Not everyone loves this sort of thing; the whole idea of iron butts and sore saddles isn’t overly appealing to most riders. But after my SaddleSore 1000 experience, I’d encourage you ladies (and you men, too!) to try it. You might hate it. But then again, you might catch the bug like I did.

Whitney Meza (@whitmeza on IG) is an AMA member, military wife, mother and motovlogger who hails from Wisconsin.

GO, GLORIA, GO!

At nearly 96, Gloria Tramontin Struck is still riding, still inspiring

By Mitch Boehm

When you’re talking motorcycling trailblazers, you’ve gotta talk about Gloria Tramontin Struck.

As I’ve written previously, the gal’s life is a literal window on the 20th century, and motorcycling’s unique place in it. From her birth in the 1920s, through the Depression and War years to the bike-crazy ’60s and ’70s and into the current era, Gloria has experienced a lot of stuff most of us only know from history books — and much of it from the saddle of her motorcycle.

“I’ve been very busy of late,” Gloria told us recently, “even as I’ve recovered from the broken leg of last year when I fell in church. [Struck had a rod inserted in her femur from knee to hip. -Ed.] But I’m still alive and kicking! I don’t know any 95-going-on-96year-old ladies who are as busy as me! [laughs]

“I’m really looking forward to my 100-year-old ride in about four years,” she added. “Everyone’s waiting for it, all my friends, and I’m hoping I make it that far. A lot of them want to come ride with me when it happens. I’ve healed up pretty well from the fall and surgery, but while I was in the hospital, someone ransacked my home and took a lot of my valuables.”

“I’ve still got books to sell and autograph,” Struck says of her book Gloria: A Lifetime Motorcyclist — 75 years on two wheels and still riding. “I’m happy to autograph them for folks; just order on my Facebook page and I’m happy to do it!”

Gloria Tramontin Struck is indeed motorcycling’s Grande

Dame. She’s a trailblazer with a truly epic story, one that in many ways is the story of motorcycling’s amazing first century — and the greatest generation that lived it. Go, Gloria, Go!