Mr. ********,

It is interesting that you mention your favorite long distance riders no longer post here. This particular list has been around since 1996. Myself I joined this band of misdirected miscreants in 1997 just prior to the Iron Butt Rally. To paraphrase the list owner Joe Denton "The list exists as a sort of camp fire for people with similar interests to wander in and out discussing motorcycling issues". Slap me silly if I got that wrong Mr. Denton. People move in to warm themselves by the fire, and move back to the shadows when they are done. The invariability of life and challenges of family career with the changes brought on by those details leave us all missing people.

There are three major cyber communities for endurance motorcycling; Long Distance Riders; IBDone; Chatty Morons. I haven't been around the CM's in quite awhile though their spies are everywhere.. You will know the CM's by the evil look in their eyes, the clear disdain for mere mortals and fecund appreciation of humor. IBDone is for those who have completed the Iron Butt Rally and is a low volume list primarily used for keeping people in contact with each other.

Motorcycle Touring Forum would like to be the top endurance touring community, but they have put a lot of effort into large group rides. I've been reading their forum for a few months just to see what they are up to, but they are missing the components that make LDRiders the only place on the internet if you can handle it for endurance touring.

Members of this list are found in other places too, but here in one place on LDRiders you have:

Tom Austin who is a consultant to the transportation industry and the senior technical consultant to the Iron Butt Association who is one of the list administrators. The rules and procedures that give our "sport" roots are largely his doing. When Tom Austin talks I listen. He also rides the superior BMW machine.

Dale Wilson the Iron Butt Association web master, the chief technical inspector, and the prodigy of Ron Majors. His irascible wit, searing enthusiasm, and vivid roasting of those with thin skin are legendary. His support of high speed endurance is unimpeachable, and while not given lightly his friendship is precious.

Ira Agins the communications officer for the Iron Butt Association makes Einstein look like a piker, and is allowed the freedom to speak for the Iron Butt Association hangs out here. I think that he is the first person ever given the ability to speak for Mike Kneebone. His adventuresome spirit, sense of humor, and knowledge leave most people gasping for breath. If I can be half as smart, and half as successful as Dr. Agins I'll be happy. If I could ever receive his grudging respect I'll be twice blessed.

Lisa Landry the mistress of doom and pain, was last Iron Butts rally mistress, is an Iron Butt finisher, and finally she is a real great lady who hangs out here. She is the soft spoken steel fist in velvet glove type. What she did wrong to end up stuck in a van with Bob Higdon and Mike Kneebone must have been horrible.

Mike Kneebone the owner of the Iron Butt Association frequents and utilizes this list for dissemination of information. Groups have sprung up to attempt to do the same things as the IBA, and Mr. Kneebone often gives them advice. But, their can only be one IBA. It is in the nature of what our own egos and desires require.

These people are just a few of the people who are involved in the sport and the activity of touring with an endurance bent. Here you have peer to peer access to some of the greatest minds possible. Other forums of discussion discuss the adventure aspects (adventure touring forum), brand specific bike issues (FJR, ST13, BMWMOA, etc.), and they all have some Long Distance Riding types.

The endurance touring activities we all enjoy would not be able to occur if it weren't for these and several other peoples volunteering. The whimpering of other forums is white noise to the insanity and general chaos of the creative process found here. The signal to noise ratio is a fluctuating element in the vagaries of season. The general members of this list are incredibly intelligent. There are more PH.d's, and Graduates, found on this list then almost anywhere on the Internet. The writers here are superior to anywhere else, and several are sought exclusively by the motorcycling press. Jan Cutler, Jerry Smith, Bill Shaw, Ron Ayers, and other have all written about the sport and challenges of endurance.

With the tattered sails of our surging galleon of communication an archaic energy driven organ moving ahead toward the horizon remember that the people make up the list. Some lists are prettier based on UBB threads, some lists are more polite based on some set of rules, some lists have more specific information, but no list has the content found here. Following the model that Mike Kneebone started with the Iron Butt Association, Joe Denton owns this list. You want his sanctioning you play by his rules. There is no appeal to a higher court, there is no appeal to the public opinion, and yet this benevolent dictatorship has survived several winters of discontent.

Finally if you want to talk about respectable long distance riders. The winners of the Iron Butt for the last five times hang out here. Several CEO's of large corporations hide in the background, a few state legislators are sneaking around in the background too, lawyers, doctors, engineers, MULTIPLE professor emeritus are on this list, and many other people who can put their finger on the pulse of America Europe and Asia.

When I post to this list in general I figure that the referee's for my Doctoral Thesis might be reading, or some paper I write for IEEE or ACM might have similar audiences. Because , I know it is the truth. When I paint with a broad brush it is with calculated self assessment, and when I give my respect and admiration it is done with honesty. I am if nothing more myself a member of the audience watching the communities of the Internet evolve from gregarious groups drunk on the power of freedom of speech grow into intellectual sophisticates.

I'll stay with Long Distance Riders and the people who make up the backbone of the community.

Respectfully,

***