Today's interview is with Tom Maiden, who has just recently completed an Iron Butt Association CC50 trip on his limited edition Millennium Road Star.  But Tom wasn't one to mess around, because he has done it twice, back-to-back!  So let's find out how Tom and his Road Star handled it.

RSM - Welcome to Road Star Magazine, Tom.  Why don't you start out by telling us a little bit about yourself?

Tom - Well I am 50 years old going on 16.  I am married with 4 grown Children.  I was in the Army from 1971-1977 serving with the 82nd Airborne for part of that time and on Okinawa for a little over 2 years.  I started riding bikes when I was probably around 15 when our neighbours back in Ohio got some Honda trail 90's.  Where I really got into bikes was when I was Okinawa though.  Started with a Honda CL 125 that I picked up for $50 then got a CB500Four then a CB750 Four Which I highly modified and eventually brought back to the states.  In 82 I got a CB900F On June 30th 1982 my Youngest son was born and on July 2nd 1982 I was at Keith Codes Superbike School in Castle Rock Colorado. In May of 84 got rear ended on a Freeway here in AZ that totaled the bike and my right foot.  While I would ride other people's bikes I never bought another one till March of 2000 when I picked up my Millennium Model Road Star.  Since then I have put over 46,000 miles on it trying to make up for lost time ;^)

RSM - Now before you tell us about your big journey, I notice you also have a Saddle Sore 1000 and a Bun Burner Gold badge against your credentials, what do they stand for exactly?

Tom - These are rides verified by the Iron Butt Association (www.ironbutt.com) The Saddle Sore 1000 is for running 1000 miles in under 24 hours and the other ride I have done is the Bun Burner Gold and that is for running 1500 miles in under 24 hours.  The IBA has many other rides and their main one the Iron Butt Rally covers over 11,000 miles in 11 days.  That one I haven't done yet and it is by invitation only. There is also the regular Bun Burner ride and that is 1500 miles in 36 hours for those that might be interested

RSM - 1000 miles a day, for 11 days, that's amazing!  Are you hoping for an invite to the Iron Butt Rally?

Tom - Yes and no!  It would be an honor and if invited I would participate but that has to be one killer Ride.  Not only is it an endurance ride but it is also a Rally that can be won or lost. With side routes on top of the 11,000 miles for extra points.  Last year one of the side trips was up to Alaska.

RSM - So the CC50, it signifies a trip on a motorbike from one Coast of America to the other coast in less than 50 hours, and you did it twice in less than four days to complete the 100CCC Insanity!  You can't be serious?

Tom - I have never been accused of being Serious  ;^)  Actually the reason I did the BBGold was that it was a prerequisite to doing the 100CCC Insanity.  I also was thinking that if I ran the 50CC from San Diego to Jacksonville that I would have to return so why not just run the return leg as well.  As a side note I believe I am the first one on a Road Star to complete the 100CCC Insanity.

RSM - 100CCC "Insanity" certainly sounds like an apt description!  So just how many miles did you travel over the four days?

Tom - The break down was as follows;

• San Diego to Jacksonville  2,430 miles in 38hrs 54 minutes with an avg speed of 62.47mph and an average fuel consumption of 31.43 mpg
• Jacksonville to San Diego 2, 427 miles in 40hrs 47minutes with an avg speed of 60.52mph and an average fuel consumption of 31.37 mpg
• Overall for the 100 CCC Insanity - which includes the break time of 10 hrs 50 minutes in Jacksonville between the two legs - 4857 miles in 90 hours 21 minutes for an average speed of 53.76mph and fuel consumption of 31.39 mpg

RSM - 4857 miles - or 7816 kilometres for those across the pond - that is some major distance, especially in less than four days!  You must have been exhausted, was there any point where you just wanted to give up and call it a day?

Tom -  On the West to East Leg I had to stop in Winnie Texas just west of Louisiana.  I got a hotel room for 2 hrs just to sleep in a bed and have a shower when I woke up.  Then on the return leg I could hardly make it Fort Stockton Texas.  I had to stop multiple times and walk around the bike to wake up.    I finally got in to Fort Stockton around 3:30 am about 20 hours after I started from Jacksonville and got a hotel room for 4 hours there.  There was never a point however where I was debating on ending the adventure.  Overall I felt pretty good through the entire ride.

RSM - And did anyone else join you on your Insanity journey?

Tom - Kent Ailes on his new Suzuki V-Strom has been on all of the Iron Butt Runs I have done.  Previously he has used his Yamaha Venture that he just recently sold.  We started out together in San Diego but split in Van Horn, Texas on the West to East leg as he wanted to stop and get some shut eye plus his range wasn't the same on the V-Strom as the Roadie with the Cell.  This actually worked out best in both our minds as we ride similar styles but not exactly the same.  While Kent likes to ride faster I prefer fewer stops and shorter time at the stops.  He completed the 100CCC Insanity as well and he had to ride through water as high as his pegs in Houston during Rush Hour due to a major storm.  I was already past Houston the previous night and did not get caught up in that.
L - R = Marty Hamilton ~ Kent Ailes ~ Tom "Yogi" Maiden ~ Al Carey  

RSM - We all know that even on shorter trips we all get a little bored out there on that lonely road.  So just how did you handle the monotony of such a long ride, because surely you can't stop to enjoy the scenery?

Tom - It seems there is always something new to look at,in the daylight at least and that keeps me pretty occupied  along with looking for the police.  I also try to take mental notes about places I would like to come back and visit when I have a little time to really check them out.  At night it's another story, you are looking for movements on the sides of the roads indicating an animal may be crossing the road and your path and still on the lookout for police.  After 20 hours in the saddle and at night it does get boring, and at that point you need to get off the bike and walk around every so often just to stay awake.  That's when I started looking for hotels.

RSM - Hopefully something interesting happened out there, did you have any memorable moments?

Tom - In Lake Charles, Louisiana  they have got to have one of the highest rise bridges I have ever seen.  I swore it was a big joke as I saw traffic climb the bridge I figured it just ended and we would all fall off once we hit the top. It actually looked like the first climb in an Old Roller Coaster.  In Mobile,  Alabama I rounded a corner and found myself in a light rain.  No place to pull over, I saw a sign that said Tunnel ahead I thought cool I will hit the Tunnel and hopefully it won't be raining on the other side.  It was actually raining harder and now I was on a causeway with no place to pull over. About 1/2 way across the causeway it quit raining, so now I was Air drying.  I also got caught in a torrential downpour between Lake City Fla and Jacksonville I was tucked in behind the windshield watching the lights ahead of me while maintaining around 70mph but other than that really nothing to speak of as far as memorable moments On the return leg we all hit winds from Willcox AZ all the way into San Diego but the leg between El Centro Ca and up over the Mountain pass separating the Desert from the coast was extremely treacherous.  The winds were blowing the bikes pretty good that on top of going from the heat of the Desert to the very Cool Mountain Tops with the wind coming off the Ocean.  Everyone of the riders commented on how bad it was, a couple even thought of calling it quits that close due to the winds but they did continue on and all 11 bikes completed the East to West leg.  Some of the riders behind me got backed up due to an accident in Arizona that is always something I can miss.

RSM - What about the weird world of the bizarre?  We all know fatigue can do funny things to you?

Tom - While in the past I have had hallucinations on Long distance drives like seeing Dragons and such on this trip the only thing was when I just shook my head and suddenly saw the High Rise buildings of Downtown Houston that were not there a moment before.  It was if they were just suddenly popped up  I must have been concentrating so much on the taillights ahead of me combined with my fatigue that I never saw them until that moment.  Once I saw them though I was awake for another 100 miles with no problem

RSM - For such a long journey you would have to have some special preparations as we're sure you don't just fill your tank with gas and take off.

Tom - I started with a fresh rear tire.  I also added Ride-On Tire Sealant to both the front and rear tubes to try and avoid a flat tire failure.  Fresh oil/filter change with Amsoil, I also purchased and installed a 5 gallon fuel cell to extend my range which worked out pretty slick.  I would shut off my petcock when I filled up both my main and cell then run the cell till it was empty then turn my petcock on and run off my main tank until I stopped for fuel again.  I also went over my bike looking for any problems prior to the ride. As well as mapping out our route  This along with my 34 oz Butler Mug mounted to the handlebars that I kept full of Ice and water and I was ready to go.  Along with a bottle of aspirin within handy reach.  I took the aspirin at the prescribed intervals to help ward off any pain or soreness.

RSM - How would you rate the Road Star for such a journey?

Tom - Well it's not a Wing or Beemer but then I beat all other bikes West to East and on the East to West leg I came in 3rd out of 11 bikes behind 1 Beemer and 1 Wing.  It would have been nice to have a little better protection from the elements and a radio and CB would have been great but the Roadie had no problem maintaining between 85mph-95mph (137kmh-153kmh) for the entire trip.

RSM - The 100CCC Insanity sounds like it would be enough to put the best bike through its paces, so did the Roadie have any issues or problems on the entire trip?

Tom - Not a one!  It ran great the entire time.

RSM - Probably one of the more burning questions on the minds of readers, is what seat - or seat modification - do you use for these big trips?

Tom - I have the Yamaha/Corbin Dual Tourer Saddle with drivers backrest along with Barons Engine Guard and KuryAykn Highway Pegs.  This allows me a number of seating positions so I can shift my weight around.  I really don't think any saddle is going to be comfortable for this entire ride but the way I was set up it was doable.

RSM - So after covering 4857 miles in less than four days, it begs the question, what is your next big ride going to be?

Tom - This year going to STAR Days in August and then a leisurely return back to AZ but I am looking into the 4 corners ride where you have 21 days to touch the 4 corners of the lower 48 by going to Key West.  Somewhere up in Maine, Blaine Washington, and somewhere just south of San Diego  Then maybe the 48+ where you have 10 days to touch all 48 states in the lower continent + Alaska

RSM - Thanks for spending a little time with us today, Tom.  For the first interview on Road Star Magazine, it sure has been an eye opener!

Tom - Its been my pleasure.  I am honored being the first.   I encourage everyone to at least try the Saddle Sore 1000. It is something that is really  very doable.  in anywhere from 14 to 24 hours dependant on the number and length of breaks.

RSM - So there you have it folks, if you would like more information on what is involved in these grueling trips, make sure you visit the Iron Butt Association website.  Some of it makes for some great reading!