More on G.T.D.R.I.

Photo Credit: Matt wills/ Folks From Lincoln blog. Thanks for these pics Matt!

This is somewhere earlier in the ride at a point where we decided to regroup. Actually, it was a nature break, if ya know what I mean! South of Waterloo on Ainsborough Avenue. Everything was wet and clammy at this point.








Here is Cory Heintz and myself at the convenience store in Steamboat Rock. We had ridden most of the day in coudy, overcast conditions, but the sun came out not long before we got here. Yes! That is a bottle of beer! Matt and I shared it while we refueled. It was also here that we discovered that my tire was going flat. We had about 45 miles to go from here, so Jeremy Bidwell had logged his first century by this point. Great ride Jeremy! This guy is ready for some long distance racing action. He rode super strongly all day. In fact, so did Cory, pictured here, who rocked it single speed.

Sorry that I don't have any good pictures! My camera went retarded on the ride with the lense jammed open and not functioning at all. I just threw it in my pack, only to take it out miles later to find out that it was still on, and getting hot! I got it to turn off, and just let it be. Not much time to fiddle with rebellious technology on this trip!

Some meaningless stats for ya! Out of six Death Riders, five were single speeders. Out of the four finishers, one was geared. 151.7 miles in about 14 and a half hours total time for the last two in, just shy of 14 hours for the other two guys. We guessed about an hour and a half to two hours were rest stop times.

Some meaningless observations: Technology is not conducive to my riding style. Beer might just be the perfect carb replacement fluid, taken in extreme moderation. Beer might also be the reason I wanted to crawl in the ditch and go to sleep just northeast of Steamboat Rock! ( Hmmm....that patch of foxtails looks comfy!) Suffering was overcome, which was the best feeling of all for me on the trip. Having a riding buddy helps a ton! (Thanks Matt! I'm glad I got to know you. Thanks for the time you rode along with me.) Crop duster overspray sucks, take it from me! Cory complained about a "cottony feeling" in his throat. I've had that too. Must be the dust. Dirty Kanza had a similar effect.

Okay then! That's it from me on the G.T.D.R.I. ! Thanks again, ya'all for doing what you did for it. (You know who you are) I can say that most all thought it was a success, so that's what I'm calling it. Will it ever happen again? Well, let me just say that as long as I can ride a bike, there will always be a "Death Ride" every summer. It might not be as "promoted" as this was, but I won't stop riding long rides on gravel as long as I can do it. Keep yer eyes out though, next summer is a long ways off!