Recon Ride

I got out this weekend and drove to an undisclosed rural Iowa location for some Trans Iowa V7 recon. I usually don't get to do recon by bicycle, but the weather this weekend was awesome, and I needed a ride in the country badly, so I took the Fargo and had an adventure on some roads I had never been on before.

Some of the roads I saw won't be on Trans Iowa V7, but were so cool looking I had to go down them and have a look see anyway. It is a blast to go off in any direction you want with little to no agenda. Be that as it may, I did try to maintain focus!

Some of the ride was pretty brutal. Roller coaster-like hills that made my heart rate skyrocket. I worked pretty hard up against some steep hills and some wind.

Not that I am complaining, mind you. The scenery was spectacular and the day was perfect. I didn't even get chased by a dog! Now that's saying something! The dust was all beaten down by some showers that passed through the area, and the dirt I rode was spectacularly smooth and fast.

Not that the dirt will be this way come April 2011! Maybe it will be, but it may not, and then it will suck. Who knows what the weather will be like then? It sure was the furthest thing from my mind while I pedaled away the miles.

I am excited for this section to become part of the course. It will be a big challenge. There is one wee bit o dirt, but a whole lotta hills, and great scenery. d.p. and I have discussed the course and a rough draft is being formulated. We're planning some more "recon by bike" sessions, and I will be really looking forward to that. It's a whole different way of doing things than we have done before, but changes are good, and this change is fun. I wish we could do the whole course on bicycle, but that is unlikely. Still, we have done a fair bit of it already by bicycle, so I am happy about that much. 

Stay tuned for more recon reports and registration announcements soon.