SS/BB v TOH

[GaryC]

Hi Everybody,

I'm back. Hope to get on the road again in a couple of weeks, but life keeps getting in the way. Just a thought, and I don't want to rustle any feathers, but isn't doing a SS or BB contradictory to what the TOH is all about. Don't get me wrong, I've done a SS and BB my self, but not during the TOH. It seems to me the purpose of doing the TOH is to visit the memorials and contemplate the sacrifice those men and women gave. I am just too hurried during a SS or BB to pay much attention to what the memorial is for. Some, if not most, of you probably can do a better job of that than I can. Like I said, just a thought in the wee hours.

[MatthewHogan]

Gary, I completely understand where you are coming from! Last year I rode 1426 in 36 hours. My reasoning was family/work. And it was that ride that made ne decide that at least for now, I don't want to enter any rallies. I just didn't like rushing through the sites.

On the flip side, I still kept that pace while reading almost everything, taking pictures, visiting with people, and spending plenty of drive time thinking on the memorials, etc. So, the two are not mutually excusive, in my opinion.

[100cccer]

Great point you bring up and something we wrestle with here at Tour of Honor. We truly want riders to stop, contemplate, pay respects, and honor those for which the memorials were dedicated. And that can mean spending some time there.

Personally, I vividly remember my visit to the Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, PA (also in this year's ToH) during the 2003 Iron Butt Rally. The 20 minutes spent there was the most meaningful and deeply moving time in the entire 11 days of that rally, and the seed of the idea that started Tour of Honor.

How much is adequate time? Only the individual rider can decide that, but if we all took an average of 10 minutes per site, it would add just 70 minutes to an in-state Saddlesore ride.

Then there's the trophy dash where some riders will treat the sites as merely a photo stop and move on. Almost all the trophy winners comment that they want to go back and visit the sites at a slower pace. And we hope they do.

Some sites could be summer vacation destinations, like the town of Fredericksburg, TX, home of the National Pacific War Museum, or Branson, MO, or the New England region with 24 bonus sites...

Like someone else said, the Tour of Honor is what you make of it. We hope YOU enjoy it!

[DiggerJim]

Just a thought, and I don't want to rustle any feathers, but isn't doing a SS or BB contradictory to what the TOH is all about. Don't get me wrong, I've done a SS and BB my self, but not during the TOH. It seems to me the purpose of doing the TOH is to visit the memorials and contemplate the sacrifice those men and women gave. I am just too hurried during a SS or BB to pay much attention to what the memorial is for.

I agree with Matthew that the two are not mutually exclusive. Take a look at my ride report and let me know if you think I wasn't able to contemplate the sacrifices of those memorialized. I spent about 30 minutes at each memorial so my SS took over 22 hrs vs. a more normal 17-18. I couldn't do that with a BBG pace but probably could have on a BB ride. But that's because I don't sleep on 1 or 2 day rally rides - I get too wound up wanting to get to the next bonus or in this case anticipating the next memorial & thinking about the ones I had already been to. A regular cert ride bores me to the point where I just lose interest and get tired. Add some bonus locations into the mix and the mental challenge keeps me engaged without getting tired - those forced rest bonuses on a rally don't usually see me sleeping but most often doing the paperwork in an all-night McDonalds

The Tour is definitely what you make of it for yourself. The adage "ride your own ride" still applies.

[100cccer]

Well said, Jim, thank you.

[mrjimbo]

Very much a valid point. This is the first year for me to participate in the Tour of Honor, I should say first of many. Why? First, there could be no greater cause to support. Next, a "Rally" pace puts me into a zone, a "pace and purpose". Steve mentioned "Vividly remembering" a Memorial while on a Rally. Jim with his writing skills wrote a wonderful Ride Report. I feel that during a dedicated ride like a SS or BB in conjunction with the Tour of Honor, I'm spending more time in reflection of what our countries Servicemen have sacrificed for me. I certify very few rides, but this one will be.
Since we are stationed here in Florida, I had been to several of the sites already and enjoyed returning and will do so again. I realized the second I walked through the doors of the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola that my rally pace was blown, but what an awesome experience I was having!
Now to find time for another "ride"...........