1500 Miles for BBQ you say

So I am sitting at the computer Sunday morning. MeAsWe has just gotten up and having her first cup of coffee. I surf my way to the Smoke Chasing 2012 site to print the rules out for MeAsWe. She is a great navigator for the Grand Tours we do, especially picking out something that is not right. Well she is reading the rules for the 15/15/15. I have planned our trip to Florida to finish up our National Park Tour with the 15/15/15 in mind. Do you know once you cross the border into West Virginia, BBQ places seem to cease to exist.

Here's the Side dish for the 15/15/15:

David Morrow's 15/15/15 Iron Gut Challenge

Riders must visit 15 BBQ joints, in 15 different states or provinces, in 15 days or less with Kansas as a mandatory state.
All riders who complete this challenge will receive a limited edition jacket pin designed by David Morrow and 25 bonus points.
Submission must be made in accordance with sections 2,3 & 4 of the rules. This includes the bike/sign/passport photo and the name and address of the BBQ joint visited in each state. Riders MUST also produce a receipt from the BBQ joints visited or a nearby gas station if the BBQ joint is closed. This will validate that the ride was completed in 15 days or less.
This challenge is in no way affiliated with the Iron Butt Association or its corresponding rides. We do however encourage our long distance riders, and especially those who complete this challenge to check out the IBA, subscribe to the magazine, and complete an IBA qualifying ride.

So after she gets done reading, MeAsWe said you never mentioned we are going to Kansas. I said we are not. She says well you need it for this one.

Panic, I immediately start thinking my whole route, all 4000+ miles of it are for crap. MeAsWe underlines the word Kansas, just to make sure I understand all of the rule. I throw her a highlighter, this is the salt for the wound.

I jump on MapSource, bring up our 2012 file for the trip and find the most western point of our trip. That is right around Russell Cave in Alabama, which is just south of Chattanooga, TN. From this point I create a route from this area to Fort Scott in Kansas. (it was convenient, since I have the visitor center as a way point). 704 miles one way. Hmmmm, only 704 miles times 2 is 1408 miles. Then a big grin and maybe even a little bit evil of a grin. If I route myself thru some National Parks in Arkansas and we head due east on the way back to Chattanooga and then head south I probably could squeeze another 100 miles to bring the total over 1500 miles.



A Bun Burner 1500 is born.