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2004 MTF Ultimate Coast to Coast
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Choose from one of four rides:
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The Ultimate Coast to Coast Challenge is a trademarks of the Iron Butt Association. This ride is eligible for certification by the Iron Butt Association.
As of September 2001 only 10 riders had completed the Ultimate Coast to Coast Challenge
The rules for the Iron Butt Associations Ultimate Coast to Coast are available on the the IBA web site at http://www.ironbutt.com/rides/ultimate.htm
This is an unusual IBA ride in that you can actually take up to 30 days to complete the approximately 6,000 mile ride, which only requires 200 mile riding days. This ride requires a significant time commitment and each rider has different goals. Some want to set a record, whether it be an individual record for time or a group record for the most riders to complete the ride as a group. Some recognize that they may not get back to that part of the country again and want to take in the scenic portions of the ride. Some are constrained by vacation time. You get the idea. Different Strokes for Different Folks.
For the above reasons, we have decided to establish this ride with a great deal of flexibility. The rules for doing this ride and having it considered as part of our group record
To be considered a part of the Group Record:
To be considered as part of the MTF ride which will credit the ride towards the Dave Hinks' MTF Endurance Award (25,000 lifetime endurance ride miles in MTF Events), you must:
The IBA web site provides this warning, "You may face snow storms, road construction and endless miles of impassable road." You need to be flexible in your planning.
Roger Bliss the Alaska Ride Coordinator is making special arrangements for the trip up the Haul Road. We will have drivers in pickups that will travel the Haul Road on the trip up and the trip back to provide emergency service. These drivers will be equipped with satellite phones and emergency equipment. If you accept road side service and do not advance your position, the road side service will not affect your ride. You may also request for transportation for repair but must return to your original position to continue your ride. For example, if you were 50 miles north of Fairbanks and encountered a problem, you could be towed back to Fairbanks and have your bike repaired and then continue your ride. Another example is that you are 100 miles short of Coldfoot heading South to North: You could request a tow to Coldfoot but would have to return back to your original position to continue your ride. You could not just leave from Coldfoot and continue on to Deadhorse.
A fee will be assessed to all riders to cover the expense involved in this support. Our budget for the emergency crew is:
The Motorcycle Tourer's Forum is non-profit. In the past we have not charged a fee for our rides and provided momentos free to all riders. In order to recover the cost involved with the ride, we collected donations from the riders. As we have grown, the risk of relying on donations is too great to proceed with that model.
In the past we have also required riders to submit their documentation individually to the Iron Butt Association. Some riders did not submit their documentation so the "Group Record" as documented on the MTF web site was not supported by the certified riders list on the IBA web site. Additionally, the IBA's desire to list riders under a special header acknowledging that the riders did their ride as part of the MTF but, with individual submittals this became a paperwork nightmare.
Beginning with our 2004 rides:
The MTF will collect the IBA Certification Fees as part of the entry fee.
Riders will be requested at the end of the ride to provide their receipts to the ride coordinator for validation.
The MTF will submit the riders request for certification to the IBA in bulk.
The IBA will send all certificates to the MTF for distribution to the riders. Note: It will still take a couple of months, so be patient.
Momemtos will be available to riders for a fee. Momentos will be shipped after the ride.
Donations will still be accepted to cover miscellaneous expenses related to the ride, e.g. each ride coordinator and each witness will be provided hats. In some cases, site coordinators will need to be reimbursed for expenses related to the start. There will be postage expenses to mail documentation to the the IBA and then the certificates to each rider. There are also expenses for using PayPal. Any extra monies will go into the MTF general fund to support future the development of rides and events and to cover awards. The MTF is non-profit. We do not have a paid staff. All monies are returned to the forum.
A full accounting of all finances are posted on the MTF at the end of the fiscal year, July 2.
We will have custom designed momentos for both the UCC and Haul Road ride. Since they are new we don't have a picture but a general description is provided below:
For the UCC, There will be a map of the US including Alaska and the portion of Canada covered by the base route for the group ride. There will also be two holders for vials to collect water and sand at each end.
For the Haul Road Adventure, there will be a Map of Alaska and a single vial to collect sand and water at the Artic.
It appears that the current group record was achieved in September 2001 during the Iron Butt Rally:
Shane Smith
Paul Taylor
Asa McFadden
Peter Hoogeveen
It is likely that the 2004 MTF UCC will like establish a new group record.
The general position with regard to a group ride is that riders must start and end in close proximity of the same time and must follow the same route. With regard to the start this generally means that riders must begin their ride at the same time, with an allowance of a couple of hours as needed for a staggered start. With regard to the route, this means that there must be mandatory stops at key positions along the route to ensure that riders ride the same route. The end is normally a little more open and is established by the time limits of the ride. We have used this as the basis for establishing the rules above.
This is basically an opportunity for riders to join with the UCC riders and ride from Fairbanks to Deadhorse and back. This ride will count toward the Dave Hink's MTF Endurance Award and riders will receive a certificate from the MTF. Riders will also be expected to share in the expenses for the emergency vehicle.
The Ride Coordinator for the 2004 MTF Ultimate Coast to Coast will be Alan Leduc amleduc@insightbb.com. Associate Ride Coordinators is Roger Bliss who will be handling the Alaska Emergency Crew.
Alan Leduc, Host and Founder of the Motorcycle Tourer's Forum and the ride coordinators reserve the right to accept or reject a rider's request to participate in this ride. Riders must satisfy all prerequisites as established by the Iron Butt Association on their web site (follow the link above for the rules). The Iron Butt Association can be contacted to waive prerequisites based upon a riders experience. However, the Motorcycle Tourer's Forum will not waive the prerequisites. As of October 31, 2003 the IBA web site did not have any prerequisites for the Ultimate Coast to Coast Challenge. However, the MTF will require that you be a member of the IBA in order to participate.
This ride allows plenty of time. Shane Smith established a record of 5 Days, 6 hours, and 36 minutes in September, 2001. The IBA actually allows 30 days to do the ride. To have the ride recorded as an Official MTF Ride, riders will be required to adhere to the indicated schedule.
The IBA provides this warning: "WARNING: ...This ride will take you to the far-north. You can expect snowy conditions EVERY MONTH of the year. The only practical times to plan this ride is July and August (note we are going to be about a week early but other MTF riders and our Alaska Members have advised that this is a good time). Even then, you may face snow storms, road construction and endless miles of impassable road. Additionally, in Canada and Alaska you are dealing with more wildlife than in the rest of North America. You should be prepared for encounters with bears, moose and other large animals that will cross your path." You should also be aware that the trip up the Haul Road is various forms of gravel. You should have experience riding in gravel before considering this ride. You might also want to consider that your motorcycle may never be the same at the conclusion of the ride.
You may register by clicking on the link at the top of the page. We also request that you send a photograph of you and your bike to amleduc@insightbb.com so we can add it to our ride list.
The Motorcycle Tourer's Forum like the Iron Butt Association is dedicated to safe motorcycle riding. It does not condone, nor will it tolerate, unsafe activities such as excessive speed, reckless motorcycle operation, riding while fatigued or otherwise impaired, the use of stimulants to maintain alertness, or any other activity that results in riders exceeding their personal limits. Any rider found to have engaged in these or other unsafe activities, as determined in the sole discretion of the MTF, while participating in this event, will not be considered a finisher and will not be listed as such on the MTF web site and will be reported to the Iron Butt Association, which could jeopardize participation in future events.
This may occur retroactively if the unsafe activity is revealed after the conclusion of the event. For these purposes, the MTF will consider as an admission of violating this policy any public statements made by the participant that describe participation in unsafe activities during the event, including but not limited to ride reports and postings on bulletin boards.
The Motorcycle Tourer's Forum's Role in this ride is simply logistics. Riders will be responsible for their ride and are encouraged to ride as individuals. A quote from an LDRider will be used as the philosophy for the Motorcycle Tourer's Forum 50CC/100CCC Iron Butt Association Ride: "Everyone gets tired at different times, or gets hungry or even has to pee at different times. It's YOUR ride and it really isn't much fun when you are sitting on the side of the road waiting for your riding partner who is taking a quick nap."
Although the trip is being organized as a "group" ride, riders are encouraged to ride individually and join with other riders at the end to celebrate.
Riders will be staged so as to leave in a staggered start. Riders may request to be staged with a riding partner(s). Small groups of 3 or 4 are acceptable, but riding in a packs are not considered safe and are not recommended.
If you elect to start in a small group, whether you continue to ride as a group once you are on the road is up to you. If you find that your habits are not compatible with the group, simply wave off. It is nothing personal. In addition to the problems mentioned above, the group may have different attitudes about driving speeds. If you are tough enough to do a TC, you should be tough enough not to yield to the pressure of the group to conform.
Chart Courtesy of Richard Knipe
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Bill Wade
Just got the update from my Canadian Govt spy. The new clarified entry requirements are out in print and updated on the webpages. In the following are my basic understanding in short form:
1. Things change if in doubt check first, go conservative
2. ID without a photo is almost worthless without 2 additonal proofs
3. Birth certificates should have a raised seal (no photo-copies)
4. Passport is preferred to the point of almost required
5. Must have valid operator permit
6. Must have proof of insurance (Currently at least 200,000 cdn)
7. DUI convictions may deny entry without a bond(Call ahead/get ready)
8. May be required to prove financial means to fund your stay
9. Safest thing to do is not to carry food (Many prohibited items)
10.Leave the weapons at home, entry requirements are very strict
11.Mace/pepper spray prohibited/ Bear spray(<.03%OK, must be labeled)
12.You and your vehicle may searched, don't have undeclared items!!!
These are a summary of many pages. The opinions are from an employee at the capital. They will probably not be the border inspector. Their opinion is the one that counts.
Jason Jonas
If anyone knows more or can clarify crossing procedures, please update me and the forum.
have your documents within reach - coat pocket, tank bag... if they're in your trunk or saddlebag, they will ask you to park the bike and go in to show your papers. i had to do this a couple of years. it was painless, but i had to see 3 different people who all asked me the same questions. i assume if i gave differing answers, they would have searched the bike, etc.
when you pull up to the booth, stop, put the kickstand down, turn off the bike and remove your helmet. when asked questions, don't fumble around for an answer. for instance, you should know exactly where you're going, how long you plan to stay and where you're going to exit the country. if you don't know these things, you will be scrutinized further. sometimes you'll be scrutinized anyway. :)
also, no need to give them the full story. short, concise answers will serve you well.
btw, i've had more trouble getting back *into* the u-s rather than into canada. got searched last year in sault st. marie. had to pull into a shed and start removing gear. they didn't search everything thoroughly. sometimes i think they just want to look a little closer. i'm still amazed they didn't question me about my "camping" knife. i didn't have a tent. :)
camping knives and camping hatchets should be ok. but you should have other camping gear. double-edged knives are not allowed or at least frowned upon. buck-knives are a no-no. if they ask you what the knife or hatchet is for, you should say it's part of your camping gear.
Neil Dolson
know your plate/tag number
remove sunglasses
tell them if you have to reach for an inside pocket to get your passport
