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05 IBR - Battery Point Lighthouse Bonus

I wrote this just after the 2005 Iron Butt Rally.

      Tom and Rosie Sperry and I had been crossing paths on Day Two of Leg One riding south on 101 along the coast of Oregon. They'd pass me, I'd pass them, then we'd cross paths at a bonus location. At one point in the afternoon, coming upon a construction site, we found ourselves stopped side by side. "Isn’t this fun?!?" yelled Tom. I agreed. The road and the scenery of the Pacific coast were amazing. I wish that I'd had time to stop and take some snapshots, but I was trying hard to get down the coast to a bonus location. "Are you going to Crescent City?" I shouted. "Yes," said Tom, "and it looks like we’re going to be doing some swimming!"  

The Battery Point Lighthouse at low tide

      The Crescent City, CA bonus required that we take a photo of our flag with the Battery Point Lighthouse sign at the entrance to the lighthouse grounds, which is on an island. You can easily walk to the island at low tide, but as the tide comes in, the lighthouse and the 4,456 point bonus become inaccessible. Our bonus pack indicated that low tides were predicted between 8:00 am and 1:30 pm. Tom, Rosie and I pulled into the parking lot at 1:45 pm.  

      As I got off of the bike I saw a lighthouse to my left at the end of a long jetty that was about 8 feet or so above the waterline. "We’ve got plenty of time" I thought. Tom headed down a path in the opposite direction and I almost called out to tell him that he was going the wrong way when I saw the correct lighthouse to my right with about 30 yards of water separating it from us. Dang. How totally disappointing. I followed Tom down to the water thinking that I could pick up another bonus inland, ride back to spend the night in the area, and return to pick up the biggest bonus of my Leg One in the morning.  

We stood at the waterline for a few moments before Tom said "Oh well..." and turned away. I looked at the water lapping my riding boots for a few more seconds and then I turned to head back to the bikes too. However, about 12 feet from me, Tom was taking off his riding gear. After just a bit of indecision I followed suit, shedding my riding pants and Darien jacket in the sand. Tom in t-shirt and bike shorts, and me in my REI lightweight performance long underwear and riding boots set out to cross the little channel.  

      Let me say at this point that I NEVER would have been brave enough to get in that water if Tom and Rosie had not been there. And I never, EVER would have gotten in that water if I wouldn’t have been able to see the bottom. I am familiar with freshwater, but who knows what is lurking in salt water, for goodness sake! Anyway, off we went.  

      The water was wavy and got deep pretty quick – up to my hips at some points – and as the bonus sheets said, the footing is treacherous. I made it across first, took two pictures of the sign, which developed fine, and I tried to take a picture of Tom coming ashore, but I was out of film. Oh well. Back across so that I can get to another bonus before dark.  

      Just as I am reaching the shore where Rosie is waiting, I hear Tom yelling behind me. "He forgot our flag, didn’t he..." she said grimly. The flag! I had forgotten mine too! Dripping wet, I run across the beach, up the path to my bike, but for once I had remembered to take my key out of the ignition and I couldn’t get at my film. So I run back down the path, back across the beach to Tom and Rosie and am now completely winded. I explain to them that I’m out of film and ask Tom if he can take my picture. "Sure!" he says as he gets back in the water. 

       I open the flag pocket of my 'Stich, yank my flag out and follow Tom back into the water. Fortunately it's not too cold. It is getting higher though. We reach the other side, and I hold Tom’s flag for his picture. *click!* Nothing. He's out of film. At this point the whole episode has become comic, but still stressful – we need a fuel receipt from an area gas station by 3:00 pm to complete the bonus. 

      Back into the water. As we cross I tell Tom that I'm glad that I had someone to cross the water with. It turns out that Tom is from California and has swum in the ocean many times. "In fact," he says seriously, "I’m surprised that there aren’t any sea urchins here." Hmm. I don’t really like the thought of sea urchins. "...or sharks," he continued, "You know that most shark attacks occur in water that is three feet deep or less." Thanks for the fun facts, Tom. I tried to concentrate on the shore ahead of me and not look at the dark water around me. 

Tom and I in the drink. Photo by Rosie.

      By the time we get across Rosie is waiting with more film. We take a moment to make sure that we have everything: flags, camera, film, then we head to the island for the third time. I'm definitely tired at this point. The waves are knocking me around and it's getting harder to navigate through the big rocks in my heavy riding boots. At one point Tom falls and cuts his knee, but we get across, and Tom takes the Polaroids while I hold the flags. I must look like a drowned rat, but we've finally got our pictures. 

      Back on shore, I head to my 'Stich to store the precious Polaroid in its pouch in my jacket. Then I start to return my flag to the flag pocket, which also happens to be my key pocket. The pocket's open. Sure enough, the key is gone. It must have fallen out when I grabbed the flag. We look around, but can't find the single key anywhere on the beach. Fortunately, I carry a spare, but it is just One More Thing in this Crescent City comedy of errors and we still need to get our fuel receipts. 

      So I say goodbye to Tom and Rosie, gas up, and breathe a sigh of relief as I complete the bonus. At the gas station I futilely take some time to try and dry my boots, and I think how lousy the bonus was: I'm pooped both physically and mentally, and now I have to ride in wet boots. And it sucks – I'm totally uncomfortable. However, as I ride I chuckle to myself in my helmet as I think about the rallymaster finding this bonus and deciding to use it for the IBR. Having to cross a channel before the tide came in – wow. Maybe it wasn't such a rotten bonus after all. Maybe it’s actually a pretty smart bonus, I just happened to be the dimwit who got to it late. As I continue to ride down the coast chuckling every so often I eventually decide that it's probably the coolest bonus that I’ve ever done, and it's definitely one of my favorite IBR memories.   

PS – I need to thank Norm Grills for being the primary contact for IBR Roadside Assistance and everyone from LDRider who volunteered to be of assistance to IBR riders if necessary. I called Norm to help me get a spare key at the Denver checkpoint, and he put me in touch with Paul and Voni Glaves. They got a key blank and had a key made for me while I slept. It wasn’t an emergency, but it saved me hours and for that I am grateful.