3GR Report & More On GTDRI

Big Tires On The BMC Again

Holy Cow! It is June already? Seems like the weather just straightened out a week ago and Spring finally got on track. Now we're staring at Summer and before ya know it, the leaves will be falling again. I blame the extended Winter and crappy weather of late.

Well, whatever, right? You get what you get, riding bicycles can happen in any weather. As the saying goes, "There is no bad weather, only bad clothing." Fortunately, with mid-60's temps and a cheery breeze, I didn't need to worry about being too warm or too cold.

I was a bit concerned about how I would be feeling on the bike though, because I had little to no sleep the night before. You'd think I was worried about riding the Dirty Kanza 200 or something! My alarm went off precisely at the time the DK started. I definitely was groggy and thinking I was glad I didn't have to peel myself out of bed earlier for 200 miles of flinty roads. I did have to eat some breakfast and take a leisurely ride down to the Gates Park Swimming Pool lot for a possible 8:30am meet-up with anyone that might show up. I knew Mike wouldn't be there, as he is making final preparations for Tour Divide. I always think no one is going to show up, but usually someone or two actually do. This was one of those times. I got a text from Jeremy saying he was on the way.

Big Blue Skies!

I waited for Jeremy and the wait wasn't long. In the meantime, I noted the breeze was out of the Southwest, which meant a headwind when we rode back to town eventually. Otherwise the weather was about as nice as you could ask for. Bright sun, and a few big puffy white clouds sailing up from the South.

Jeremy showed up on time and we set off to go North on Moline Road. The wind was at our back and I felt okay. I was running the Vee Rubber 1.75"ers on the bike, and it seemed weird seeing all that meat on the wheel after running skinnies on the BMC since the end of Winter. I thought maybe the tires were sluggish at first, but I am pretty sure it was me!

The ride was pretty uneventful but we did note lots of patches of new, rough gravel that had been laid down to repair where the roadway had been washed away during the heavy rains a few days back. I noticed then that the big, voluminous tires I was using kept me rollin right onward while Jeremy slowed noticeably on his 35's. Those big tires are boss when things get chunky!

All in all, we got in over 3 hours of riding, and I would guess well over 40 miles in distance. The wind coming back worked me pretty hard, but somehow I managed to have enough gas in the tank to hold Jeremy's wheel and not get dropped. I was very hungry when I got home too, which was a bummer, since the nutrition/hydration stuff I am testing obviously doesn't keep me topped off as well as I would like. (More on that some other time.)

More On The Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational July 14th:

 The ride date will be Sunday, July 14th. It's the only day a couple of the Slender Fungus guys can ride, and since they are putting the ride on, (for the most part), I will defer to them. I will be around out there Saturday riding about for fun, so if you are wanting to hang out then, please do. The GTDRI will start at the Jackson County Welcome Center on Highway 64 just west of Sabula, Iowa at or just before sunrise on the 14th. 

There is camping in Sabula at a park, or up near Bellvue at the State Park, but I will likely be staying at a Super 8 just across the river in Savanna, IL. We can park cars all day at the Jackson Co. Welcome Center, so I plan on ferrying the bike there if I do not ride over the bridge. 

Sunday after the ride I will be hanging out with a few of the SFCA guys and having a beer and pizza, so stick around if you can before you bug outta town. More on the route and finer details soon!