2022, Iron Butt Association, Sheridan, Wyoming
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Iron Butt Association Lighthouse Tour Challenge
There are more than 13,300 known lighthouses in the world today. Not
all of them are accessible by road, but many can be reached by
motorcycle. The Iron Butt Association has developed a new series of
rides that will complement the National Parks Tour (Master Traveler
Awards) and allow more of our members around the world to participate
in a stamp and photo collection qualification ride.
The conventional definition of a lighthouse is a tower
or
other structure containing a beacon light to warn or guide ships at
sea. However, the Iron Butt Dictionary defines a lighthouse as: “A
photographic or rubber stamping opportunity that lures a motorcyclist
into taking the time to visit and experience new roads, often reaching
the very end, and to visit, in the words of the United States
Lighthouse Society, ‘the many proud coastal ladies of former years with
their sweeping towers of brick and Victorian gingerbread.’”
North America is “middle-aged” in lighthouse years,
while
Iceland is a “n�ju krakki � blokk,“ (new kid on the block). The
Icelandic Lighthouse Society explains that Iceland had only five
operating lighthouses at the turn of the 20th century and it was not
until 1954 that the circle of 104 lighthouses around Iceland was
finally completed.
How many of these Icelandic lighthouses can be visited
by
motorcycle? We don’t know because their website is in Icelandic.
However, we do know that you can ride to the oldest working lighthouse
in the world, which is in the city of La Coru�a in northwestern Spain.
This lighthouse is known as the Tower of Hercules and has been
operating since the time of the Roman Emperor Trajan, who died in 117.
That is not a typo, the Tower has been in operation since the year one
hundred seventeen!
Like most Iron Butt challenges, the Lighthouse Tour
came about
by happenstance. In the summer of 2010, I was checking out bonus
locations for the 2011 Iron Butt Rally and decided to ride part of the
way home along a coastline. At lunchtime I saw a lighthouse and decided
to stop, take a few photographs, and have lunch. As I wandered about
the grounds, I entered a gift shop and learned the U.S. Lighthouse
Society sponsors a Passport Program. I bought two, got one stamped,
then went outside and called Mike Kneebone. I explained the program to
Mike, who gave his signature laugh (it’s really not evil) and said, “It
passes the sickness test. We have to use this program as a basis for a
new IBA ride!”
The Iron Butt Association is going to use the levels of
accomplishment that are outlined in the U.S. Lighthouse Society
Passport Program as part of our ride requirements. Simply put, you will
need 60 stamps, or other proof of visitation, during any continuous
twelve-month period to qualify for an IBA certificate. Like the Master
Traveler Award, we will be expanding the ride geographically to include
higher mileage Silver and Gold levels. The Iron Butt Association will
also be certifying rides outside of North America, on either a country
basis (such as New Zealand, Chile, Australia) or geographical region
basis (such as Europe or the United Kingdom) - contact us for award
levels in your country/continent so we can work
with you to develop an award level suitable to your country/area.
In developing this ride we have had the great pleasure
to
consult with two very knowledgeable individuals -- Anthony (Tony)
Melosci (a friend of IBA member Wayne Edkin) and Richard Gales of the
U.S. Lighthouse Society. Tony has visited by plane, boat, or automobile
every lighthouse in the United States. Richard has been very generous
in sharing information and supporting the IBA’s idea of modeling unique
IBA rides that will include their Passport Program. The accompanying
photos and passport stamps in this article are courtesy of Tony and
Rich.
We are asking for your help in building a GPS database
for
these lighthouses. Where possible, we are asking you to send us GPS
coordinates of lighthouses as you find them in order to help other
riders in their quest to visit the lighthouses. Also, we’re asking you
to send us photos, as well as directions or other unique information
you think might assist both future riders and other lighthouse
organizations.
As you find new lighthouses or have other information
to
share, please send a note to: [email protected]
The object of the Iron Butt Association's Lighthouse
Tour
Challenge is to
take some time to visit the hundreds of historic lighthouses
located around the world.
Primary documentation is by photo with gas receipt
showing you
were in the area at that time or with your IBA ride flag (available
from www.ibaestore.com under Miscellaneous)
OR an imprint of the unique rubber ink stamps maintained at many
lighthouse visitor centers.
o Purchase a "U.S. Lighthouse Society
Lighthouse Passports" book ($14.00) via mail from:
U.S. Lighthouse Society
9005 Point No Point Rd. NE
Hansville, WA 98340
or on-line from here
or call (415) 362-7255
(The proceeds from this book and the stamping fees ($1 per stamp is the
suggested donation) go to helping the United States Lighthouse Society).
NOTE: The rules the IBA uses are similar but
not the
same (they require to obtain the stamp and only where it is not
available are you
allowed to take a photo - the IBA version allows you to either take a
photo or obtain the stamp) to those of the United States Lighthouse
Society, you may want to
simultaneously participate in their program also (their program
requires stamps as the primary documentation). Details can be found at: here.
REFERENCE SITE FOR lighthouses by map tools (and GPS):
http://www.lighthousefriends.com/
There are time limits for different award levels (the
US LHS
has no time limits).
You have one year to complete any level of the ride:
NORTH AMERICA RIDES
FINISHER: Visit 60 lighthouses in 12 consecutive
months.
BRONZE: Visit 60 lighthouses with at least two on
different
oceans in 12 consecutive months (for US, that is Pacific and Atlantic)
for Europe an example would be the Atlantic Ocean
and the Mediterranean Sea
SILVER: Visit 120 lighthouses with at least two on
different
oceans in 24 consecutive months (for US, that is Pacific and Atlantic)
for Europe an example would be the Atlantic Ocean
and the Mediterranean Sea
GOLD: Visit 180 lighthouses in 36 consecutive months.
One
lighthouse must be on the Golf of Mexico, the Great Lakes and in Canada
(non-North American
applicants, write for your specific requirements.
GOLD EXTREME: Visit 180 lighthouses in 12 consecutive
months.
One lighthouse must be on the Golf of Mexico, the Great Lakes and in
Canada (non-North American
applicants, write for your specific requirements.
What does a gold ride look like? Visit these two links
from
Chuck Berry, 76 years young:
LEG1: (east coast):
Chuck Berry GOLD EXTREME - EAST COAST
LEG2: (east coast and west coast trip)
Chuck Berry GOLD EXTREME - East and West
PLATINUM: Visit 180 lighthouses with at least two on
different CONTINENTS in 36 consecutive months.
You may start and finish any time you want.
o Once you have completed your ride, photocopy the
pages and
submit the copies, a check for (the appropriate verification fee made payable to the Iron Butt Association and
mail it to Iron Butt Association, POBox 4223, Lisle, Illinois 60532 USA
