A New Trend?

First of all, Merry Christmas! Yeah, I know........I did say I wouldn't post again this weekend! So, sue me!

I have been reading the comments left on this blog recently, (Thanks!) and one left by endurosnob got me to thinking. Is this type of low key, high challenge, long distance, and "under the radar" type event becoming a trend? I wonder.

It seems the whole idea came from out in the Colorado/ Utah area where this type of thing has been going on for a few years now. The Grand Loop, Kokopelli, and the Great Divide Race are all similar and forebears of Trans Iowa. In fact, we got alot of the basis for our ideas from a certain individual named Mike Curiak, who happens to be the mad scientist behind those three Western endurance monsters. Of course, you could go even further back and point to the Idita-Bike events as the true fore-father of all this nuttiness.

The thing that Trans Iowa has done is to bring this sort of an idea right into America's back yard. I mean, the Alaskan Tundra might as well be on another planet, as far as I am concerned. It's sooo different, that I just do not grasp it. The same thing is true for the monstrousities that Curiak facilitates out West. Monumentally huge rides that are out of the realm of possibility for alot of us on so many levels. Yet, doing a 350 mile gravel road gig is somewhat more palpable, I guess, since it's done in a civilized portion of the world. Hmm........strange isn't it?

Well, apparently the mere thought that "Hey! I could do something like this!", has taken ahold of some of you out there. I've gotten several e-mails from all over the U.S. regarding what it takes to do a "Trans Iowa" type event in places like Florida, Pennsylvania, and Kansas. The Kansas event is actually going to take place! Are we going to start seeing these types of events popping up all over the place? Events that are VERY challenging- where alot of people do not finish. I'm not talking about 100 milers here folks. This is beyond that! We're talking 200 mile plus, multi-day-to-complete events. Self supported, no teams, gut check events. What do you all think?

Is this a trend? Or is this just an oddball event or two out of a million hamster cage events?

Time will tell!