Monday, April 21, 2014

Trans Iowa V10: Print Shop

Note: Loyal readers and casual visitors to this blog beware! This week is the lead up to my production of the 10th Trans Iowa gravel road event which happens this coming Saturday and Sunday. I have pretty much nothing else going on in my brain that isn't related to this event, so that's the content for the next two weeks, most likely. You've been warned!

The weekend was awesome here, as far as weather. A lot of folks were busting out their dusty bicycles and getting their creaky legs going roundy-round again after months of stinkin' freezing, unfriendly weather. But not I! Oh no, not I.

This is the time that I am doing anything and everything Trans Iowa related to get my loose ends tied up and to try and not forget anything. Last year, I almost left without my cell phone! I'll try not to do that again this year....

The big job for the weekend was sandwiched around doing Easter activities at church and with my family West of here. If I had a spare moment, I had the printer fired up and running cue sheets for T.I.V10. While there isn't much hoopla necessary to do a Trans Iowa from my end, the cue sheets are a vital component. Get that wrong, (and in the past, there have been issues), then it gets to be a stressful weekend. Get it right, (as has been the case the past two years of Trans Iowa events), then it becomes a non-issue. I'm hoping for more "non-issue" than the other choice!

 I've burned through my second toner cartridge.......  Need to run out and get some more ink!

I used to have this job done "professionally", but seeing as how most print shops don't know what cue sheets are, they can be printed up and you'll never know if something is wrong until it is too late and you've paid your money. (Ex:  Trans Iowa V3) Last time I paid a shop to print these it was $75.00 and there weren't as many sheets and not as many cues. Yes- it is tedious to do the cues myself, but I can get them done almost perfectly, check them as I go along, (for the fourth time), and make any necessary changes on the fly with minimal cash detriment, unlike how it would be with a print shop. In fact, I almost changed a cue last night, but after "further review" it was deemed unnecessary. So yeah.......things can change after you have several eyes consider the cues for you! 

More Trans Iowa madness coming tomorrow.......................

2 comments:

Unknown said...

GT- Thanks for working so hard to make everything as close to perfect as possible. If I make it late into Saturday night I'll appreciate the confidence inspired by your diligence. Thank you!

Dave said...

I don't know that I'll ever do a Trans Iowa (I need to sleep too much after 20-22 hours!), but I love all the news about Trans Iowa. Keep the updates rolling!

See you at Odin's Revenge!