Cranky Musings

Egg shaped works here.

I have heard a couple of things over the years about certain components. I tend to think about claims and then if I think it is interesting enough, I'll play around with stuff to see if I can verify the claims for myself.

Egg Shaped: One of these things I've heard and have been playing with is the concept of ovalized chain rings. The claim goes something like this: The oval is aligned in such a way that when you reach a "dead spot" in your pedal stroke the oval is in the "squished" position and makes getting through that dead spot easier. Then when you reach the power section of your stroke, the oval is at the widest part where your leg power can turn the gear over. Well, something like that anyway.... 

So I got a BioPace ring, a 42T from a seven speed crank, and took it home and then analyzed the Rotor site , which pointed me to how I could align the BioPace ring to best mimic what the Rotor chain ring does. Mounted that ring up, and went riding. (Never mind that it is on a 10 speed drive train. It works fine...)

Okay, so after six months of riding, what do I think? I think there is something to this, if you are more of a power cranker/masher. It does allow you to have momentum in the dead parts of your stroke, and keeps the speed up when you are cranking up a climb, instead of loosing it when you ultimately slow down at each point where your dead stroke is. (Or "deader stroke", if you will! "Anti-power stroke, perhaps?...whatever...) If you are a spinner, I don't know if there is as much of an effect, but it probably also helps you there. I tend to be a slower grinder in cadence on gravel roads, so I think, (for me anyway), this ovalized chain ring thing has merits.

"Spin Cycle" works here.

Short Arms: Years ago, I heard the original pocket of 29"er freaks in Grand Junction, Colorado were all about using 170mm cranks. Said it was better for the big wheels, but I have never really had anyone tell me exactly why. (And I've asked the folks that were at "ground zero" in this area, and they just said, "try it, it works!")

Well, ever since 2007 I have been using a 170mm crank on the OS Bikes Blackbuck. No other crank has ever been on this bike. I have several other bikes that are single speeds with anything from 175mm to 180mm cranks on them , and all are 29"ers.

So, does it "just work"? The answer is "yes" if you like to spin a bit higher cadence. Much like the rotor-esque BioPace chain ring, the shorter arms seem to allow for less "dead stroke" rotation when you are grinding out a climb in a slower cadence, plus you can maintain momentum going up off road/single track climbs better with a spinning cadence. At least I feel this. Now keep in mind, this is all for off road, trail riding, not on pavement or gravel. There the "spin cycle" about drives me nuts, although I must say it has made me a better spinner whenever I spend time on the Blackbuck commuting or using it on gravel.

So, there are my personal thoughts on how those controversial things work for me. I suspect that there are several others who feel at 180° odds with what I've just written, but I believe there is something to the claims. I've felt it, compared it, and it is repeatable. Maybe I need to invest in a power metering device to get into this deeper.

Naw....what am I thinking! I just need to go ride and have some fun already!

Cranky Musings

Egg shaped works here.

I have heard a couple of things over the years about certain components. I tend to think about claims and then if I think it is interesting enough, I'll play around with stuff to see if I can verify the claims for myself.

Egg Shaped: One of these things I've heard and have been playing with is the concept of ovalized chain rings. The claim goes something like this: The oval is aligned in such a way that when you reach a "dead spot" in your pedal stroke the oval is in the "squished" position and makes getting through that dead spot easier. Then when you reach the power section of your stroke, the oval is at the widest part where your leg power can turn the gear over. Well, something like that anyway.... 

So I got a BioPace ring, a 42T from a seven speed crank, and took it home and then analyzed the Rotor site , which pointed me to how I could align the BioPace ring to best mimic what the Rotor chain ring does. Mounted that ring up, and went riding. (Never mind that it is on a 10 speed drive train. It works fine...)

Okay, so after six months of riding, what do I think? I think there is something to this, if you are more of a power cranker/masher. It does allow you to have momentum in the dead parts of your stroke, and keeps the speed up when you are cranking up a climb, instead of loosing it when you ultimately slow down at each point where your dead stroke is. (Or "deader stroke", if you will! "Anti-power stroke, perhaps?...whatever...) If you are a spinner, I don't know if there is as much of an effect, but it probably also helps you there. I tend to be a slower grinder in cadence on gravel roads, so I think, (for me anyway), this ovalized chain ring thing has merits.

"Spin Cycle" works here.

Short Arms: Years ago, I heard the original pocket of 29"er freaks in Grand Junction, Colorado were all about using 170mm cranks. Said it was better for the big wheels, but I have never really had anyone tell me exactly why. (And I've asked the folks that were at "ground zero" in this area, and they just said, "try it, it works!")

Well, ever since 2007 I have been using a 170mm crank on the OS Bikes Blackbuck. No other crank has ever been on this bike. I have several other bikes that are single speeds with anything from 175mm to 180mm cranks on them , and all are 29"ers.

So, does it "just work"? The answer is "yes" if you like to spin a bit higher cadence. Much like the rotor-esque BioPace chain ring, the shorter arms seem to allow for less "dead stroke" rotation when you are grinding out a climb in a slower cadence, plus you can maintain momentum going up off road/single track climbs better with a spinning cadence. At least I feel this. Now keep in mind, this is all for off road, trail riding, not on pavement or gravel. There the "spin cycle" about drives me nuts, although I must say it has made me a better spinner whenever I spend time on the Blackbuck commuting or using it on gravel.

So, there are my personal thoughts on how those controversial things work for me. I suspect that there are several others who feel at 180° odds with what I've just written, but I believe there is something to the claims. I've felt it, compared it, and it is repeatable. Maybe I need to invest in a power metering device to get into this deeper.

Naw....what am I thinking! I just need to go ride and have some fun already!

Friday News & Views

BMC TrailFox (Image by c_g)

Eurobike 2013: 

Eurobike is done today, and there is coverage all over the place, as you would expect. So, what's the big deal? Well, 27.5"ers/650B is what is the "big deal", and of course, if you had been paying attention, you knew that was coming. The bike industry has made no secret about the swing to 27.5"ers and that it would be coming hard in 2014.


There are some longer travel 29"ers coming out though, like the BMC shown here, so it isn't like it can not be done with bigger wheels. That is not the point though. The point is all about having something "new" and "different" to market to a category that has grown stale in the last five years +, that being the long travel, (150-180mm), All Mountain/Gravity category. It is quite plain that 26 inch wheels will become a shrunken category, left only to the DH crowd, and only just barely at that.

27.5/650B will effectively become the "small wheel size" in three to five years. You will not see 26 inch performance mountain bikes by 2018. They will be dinosaurs. Extinct. Poof!

26" will live on as a kid's sized wheel, which is what it was originally to begin with. The ISO bead diameter, (559), will survive though. It will live on in the form of fat bike tires, and the so called 26+ may also extend the life of old 26"er rims for a time. We will see, but the mountain bike world is seeing a sea change now, and it is a ship steered by marketing.Hope ya'all like the show.....

Updated: Also worthy of note: Turquoise anodized parts are being shown again! (Chris King, Industry 9 wheels) It must be 1995 again! The buzz for fat bikes is now growing in Europe as well.  A few European introductions by small brands and component choices were shown at the show. This could spur more choices in tires and rims. Stay tuned....

2014 Fargo (frt) vs 2012 Fargo

Fargo Comparison:

I just built up a new 2014 Salsa Cycles Fargo the other day at the shop and I wondered what its longer, suspension corrected for 100 mm fork may have done to stand over versus my 2012 Fargo with an 80mm Reba. So I rode the Fargo in to work and did a comparison.

Accounting for perspective in the image, my Fargo is actually slightly taller at the top of the head tube than the newer Fargo. So, I think it is safe to say that the standover is unaffected in comparison to the past couple years of Fargos and adding a 100mm fork is not going to seriously change that.

I also have seen people post speculative comments regarding the front mounted braze ons on the 2014 Fargo forks. I can attest to the fact that reaching a water bottle from the saddle on a fork with front mounted bosses on a Fargo is not a big deal. If it is any more difficult than with the rear mounted bosses, the difference is miniscule at worst. Really.....this isn't even an issue. 

I am pretty stoked on my current Fargo as a mountain bike with its 80mm travel fork, and a 100mm travel Fargo would be awesome. I am currently contemplating getting a Fargo 2, but I have not pulled the trigger just yet. Gotta build the boy's Mukluk 2 frame up first, and that should arrive late September/early October. 

3GR: Unfortunately, I had a close family member die recently, and a funeral where I am to be a pall bearer is happening Saturday. Due to the required travel, I am going to have to bail on 3GR this weekend. I'll be back next Saturday though, and of course, anyone that wants to ride anyway is certainly welcome.

That's a wrap for today. It's Labor Day Weekend here, the last big Summer holiday, and the traditional "end of the Summer" blast. Be safe, have fun, and keep the rubber side down, ya'all!

Friday News & Views

BMC TrailFox (Image by c_g)

Eurobike 2013: 

Eurobike is done today, and there is coverage all over the place, as you would expect. So, what's the big deal? Well, 27.5"ers/650B is what is the "big deal", and of course, if you had been paying attention, you knew that was coming. The bike industry has made no secret about the swing to 27.5"ers and that it would be coming hard in 2014.


There are some longer travel 29"ers coming out though, like the BMC shown here, so it isn't like it can not be done with bigger wheels. That is not the point though. The point is all about having something "new" and "different" to market to a category that has grown stale in the last five years +, that being the long travel, (150-180mm), All Mountain/Gravity category. It is quite plain that 26 inch wheels will become a shrunken category, left only to the DH crowd, and only just barely at that.

27.5/650B will effectively become the "small wheel size" in three to five years. You will not see 26 inch performance mountain bikes by 2018. They will be dinosaurs. Extinct. Poof!

26" will live on as a kid's sized wheel, which is what it was originally to begin with. The ISO bead diameter, (559), will survive though. It will live on in the form of fat bike tires, and the so called 26+ may also extend the life of old 26"er rims for a time. We will see, but the mountain bike world is seeing a sea change now, and it is a ship steered by marketing.Hope ya'all like the show.....

Updated: Also worthy of note: Turquoise anodized parts are being shown again! (Chris King, Industry 9 wheels) It must be 1995 again! The buzz for fat bikes is now growing in Europe as well.  A few European introductions by small brands and component choices were shown at the show. This could spur more choices in tires and rims. Stay tuned....

2014 Fargo (frt) vs 2012 Fargo

Fargo Comparison:

I just built up a new 2014 Salsa Cycles Fargo the other day at the shop and I wondered what its longer, suspension corrected for 100 mm fork may have done to stand over versus my 2012 Fargo with an 80mm Reba. So I rode the Fargo in to work and did a comparison.

Accounting for perspective in the image, my Fargo is actually slightly taller at the top of the head tube than the newer Fargo. So, I think it is safe to say that the standover is unaffected in comparison to the past couple years of Fargos and adding a 100mm fork is not going to seriously change that.

I also have seen people post speculative comments regarding the front mounted braze ons on the 2014 Fargo forks. I can attest to the fact that reaching a water bottle from the saddle on a fork with front mounted bosses on a Fargo is not a big deal. If it is any more difficult than with the rear mounted bosses, the difference is miniscule at worst. Really.....this isn't even an issue. 

I am pretty stoked on my current Fargo as a mountain bike with its 80mm travel fork, and a 100mm travel Fargo would be awesome. I am currently contemplating getting a Fargo 2, but I have not pulled the trigger just yet. Gotta build the boy's Mukluk 2 frame up first, and that should arrive late September/early October. 

3GR: Unfortunately, I had a close family member die recently, and a funeral where I am to be a pall bearer is happening Saturday. Due to the required travel, I am going to have to bail on 3GR this weekend. I'll be back next Saturday though, and of course, anyone that wants to ride anyway is certainly welcome.

That's a wrap for today. It's Labor Day Weekend here, the last big Summer holiday, and the traditional "end of the Summer" blast. Be safe, have fun, and keep the rubber side down, ya'all!

A Moment Of Peace

It has been very hot and humid here of late. This weather we're having now is not unheard of, but typically happens in July, not so much at the end of August. The weather prognosticators are saying that temperatures combined with humidity are making it feel like 110°F outside when it is the hottest part of the day.

That is why I high tailed it out to the woods straight away after dropping my son off at school in the morning. I figured on beating the heat by riding before noon. Off to Ingawanis Woods then.

Ingawanis Woods is about 12 miles by car, so I loaded up the truck and headed out there. The daylight was still at a low angle when I got clipped in at about 9:30am. It made trail riding a bit more difficult for the deepness of shadow versus the brilliant sunshine that penetrated in certain spots on the trail. Following the thread of single track was easy once your eyes adjusted to the darkness, only to be blinded, like when an officer of the law shines a light into your eyes at night. (Not that I would know anything about that anymore. It happened to me once as a teenager, but that's a story for another time...)

The bright white dot near the center here is a Bald Eagle

I was having a good ride and then came up on the turn off to "The Bottoms". This is an area adjacent to the Cedar River and Quarter Mile Section Creek that is easily flooded. We have been shut out of this part of the trail system until recently due to heavy spring flooding and the tendency for this area to take a long time to drain and dry up. It finally has, and so it was opened up a few weeks back.

I decided to drop in off the ridge and see how things were going. I also wanted to stop off and go to my favorite spot on the Cedar River bank just South of the confluence with Quarter Mile Section Creek. It is here that you can spy the eagle's nest in Spring and Fall across the river when the leaves are off. Of course, I couldn't make out where the nest is now, but I was hoping to catch a glimpse of some Bald Eagles.

I carefully made my way down a sandy wash to the banks of the Cedar and just as I emerged from tree cover I saw a Bald Eagle take flight from a sand bar and fly to my side of the river down past Quarter Mile Section Creek. Mission accomplished! But I stayed to just soak in the moment here.

It's as green as ever deep in the woods.....

This is about as far away from civilization as you can get in Iowa. No farm views, no signs of humanity. Just peace and quiet- truly quiet. I couldn't hear a thing but birds, water running by, and the gentle breeze in the trees. Times like these are too few in our lives, and I refuse not to grasp onto these times and soak them in when I can get the chance to. I had no idea how long I had been standing there just looking when......

Crash! I heard a loud thrashing in some underbrush. I turned to see a rather large doe staring at me from about 50 yards into the woods. I surmised she was heading down to the bank to have a sip of the Cedar River and stand looking at the same scenery I was when she finally noticed I wasn't a tree. (There were a lot of deer prints in the mud at water's edge under my feet, I noticed.) She stood, then motioned as if she was coming through despite my presence, then she stopped. It was interesting. She wanted to come up to the river, but my presence was obviously upsetting the deer. Finally, the deer made a wheezing, sneezing snort, and stomped off in retreat, making the same noise several more times on the way. Like some unintelligible deer malediction for inconvenient humans in her environment.  She eventually went far enough away that I could no longer see her, but I heard the same noise several more times and then it went silent again.

Well, I supposed I should move along as well, so I saddled up after retrieving my bicycle from its wooded parking spot, and clipped in to finish the loop. It was so silent in the woods that the sound of my free hub coasting seemed to be an egregious trespass against the solitude. Soon though I was motoring along, twisting, turning, rising and falling down the dirt ribbon that dissected the gem green under brush still all wet from the evening's dew.

I saw another, (or perhaps it was the same?), deer bounding trough the woods later, and a couple of wild turkeys to boot, but otherwise it was a great morning to be alone in the woods enjoying the cooler temperatures. It was still brutally humid though, and by the time I had finished up, my legs looked like they had been splatter painted in dirt and my clothing was dripping wet.

But I wouldn't trade that moment of peace for anything in the world.

A Moment Of Peace

It has been very hot and humid here of late. This weather we're having now is not unheard of, but typically happens in July, not so much at the end of August. The weather prognosticators are saying that temperatures combined with humidity are making it feel like 110°F outside when it is the hottest part of the day.

That is why I high tailed it out to the woods straight away after dropping my son off at school in the morning. I figured on beating the heat by riding before noon. Off to Ingawanis Woods then.

Ingawanis Woods is about 12 miles by car, so I loaded up the truck and headed out there. The daylight was still at a low angle when I got clipped in at about 9:30am. It made trail riding a bit more difficult for the deepness of shadow versus the brilliant sunshine that penetrated in certain spots on the trail. Following the thread of single track was easy once your eyes adjusted to the darkness, only to be blinded, like when an officer of the law shines a light into your eyes at night. (Not that I would know anything about that anymore. It happened to me once as a teenager, but that's a story for another time...)

The bright white dot near the center here is a Bald Eagle

I was having a good ride and then came up on the turn off to "The Bottoms". This is an area adjacent to the Cedar River and Quarter Mile Section Creek that is easily flooded. We have been shut out of this part of the trail system until recently due to heavy spring flooding and the tendency for this area to take a long time to drain and dry up. It finally has, and so it was opened up a few weeks back.

I decided to drop in off the ridge and see how things were going. I also wanted to stop off and go to my favorite spot on the Cedar River bank just South of the confluence with Quarter Mile Section Creek. It is here that you can spy the eagle's nest in Spring and Fall across the river when the leaves are off. Of course, I couldn't make out where the nest is now, but I was hoping to catch a glimpse of some Bald Eagles.

I carefully made my way down a sandy wash to the banks of the Cedar and just as I emerged from tree cover I saw a Bald Eagle take flight from a sand bar and fly to my side of the river down past Quarter Mile Section Creek. Mission accomplished! But I stayed to just soak in the moment here.

It's as green as ever deep in the woods.....

This is about as far away from civilization as you can get in Iowa. No farm views, no signs of humanity. Just peace and quiet- truly quiet. I couldn't hear a thing but birds, water running by, and the gentle breeze in the trees. Times like these are too few in our lives, and I refuse not to grasp onto these times and soak them in when I can get the chance to. I had no idea how long I had been standing there just looking when......

Crash! I heard a loud thrashing in some underbrush. I turned to see a rather large doe staring at me from about 50 yards into the woods. I surmised she was heading down to the bank to have a sip of the Cedar River and stand looking at the same scenery I was when she finally noticed I wasn't a tree. (There were a lot of deer prints in the mud at water's edge under my feet, I noticed.) She stood, then motioned as if she was coming through despite my presence, then she stopped. It was interesting. She wanted to come up to the river, but my presence was obviously upsetting the deer. Finally, the deer made a wheezing, sneezing snort, and stomped off in retreat, making the same noise several more times on the way. Like some unintelligible deer malediction for inconvenient humans in her environment.  She eventually went far enough away that I could no longer see her, but I heard the same noise several more times and then it went silent again.

Well, I supposed I should move along as well, so I saddled up after retrieving my bicycle from its wooded parking spot, and clipped in to finish the loop. It was so silent in the woods that the sound of my free hub coasting seemed to be an egregious trespass against the solitude. Soon though I was motoring along, twisting, turning, rising and falling down the dirt ribbon that dissected the gem green under brush still all wet from the evening's dew.

I saw another, (or perhaps it was the same?), deer bounding trough the woods later, and a couple of wild turkeys to boot, but otherwise it was a great morning to be alone in the woods enjoying the cooler temperatures. It was still brutally humid though, and by the time I had finished up, my legs looked like they had been splatter painted in dirt and my clothing was dripping wet.

But I wouldn't trade that moment of peace for anything in the world.

More Tires & Wheels

You could go big.....

Yesterday I was talking poofy 29"er tires, and today I am talking about tires on gravel. It's a much debated subject. I am not going to delve to deeply into the ways to make a choice for yourself, but I wanted to compare and contrast two tires I happen to be liking a lot lately.

First up is the Rock & Road tire. There is no doubt that this tire is the "Gravelists Adventure Tire" in my mind. It can handle any chunky nasties you might encounter, but it still rolls fast on hard pack. I've even heard it sets up very nicely as a tubeless tire. So, for a "one stop shopping experience", get a Rock & Roll tire, that is- if your rig will fit it. 

The big surprise for me was that this tire rules on hard packed single track.  Grippy, fast, and smooth, up until you get into rocks or roots. Then the small volume bites you a bit. However; if you have a smooth dirt ribbon in your area and it only has a few, if any roots and rocks, you may never want to run a "true mountain bike tire" anymore. This tire is that good on dirt single track.

....or you could go skinny!

Then there is a tire at the opposite end of the spectrum. You pay more than a Rock & Road tire to get less. Less stiffness, less weight, and yes....less control. But here's the thing: It rolls very fast and smooth for its size. Very fast.

The Challenge Grifo is only 33mm wide, (versus the 42mm wide Rock & Roll), but its construction and shape make it really work well as a gravel tire for everything up to chunky stuff all the way across the road and deeper gravel. These are the tires I ran last weekend on the 3GR, and the only time I was hating them was when the gravel was fresh and spread all across the roadway.

These are probably awesome for a "go fast" type ride and for now, I can't say how they'd hold up to a constant gravel beating......but I am going to find that out! More riding into the Fall will figure that out for me. I will say that the white rubber looks kind of cool on my Orange Crush and the Vaya. Makes everything seem all cream sickle-like!

So, for me no one tire is "the" tire, but all of these have a place and of course, others do too. For a discussion on tires, gravel events, and whatever comes up, see Mountain Bike Radio today for discussion on that stuff. The "Guitar Ted Show" comes on the air at 8:00pmCST-7:00pm MST Feel free to call in and ask a question with the following #: (646) 595-4113

More Tires & Wheels

You could go big.....

Yesterday I was talking poofy 29"er tires, and today I am talking about tires on gravel. It's a much debated subject. I am not going to delve to deeply into the ways to make a choice for yourself, but I wanted to compare and contrast two tires I happen to be liking a lot lately.

First up is the Rock & Road tire. There is no doubt that this tire is the "Gravelists Adventure Tire" in my mind. It can handle any chunky nasties you might encounter, but it still rolls fast on hard pack. I've even heard it sets up very nicely as a tubeless tire. So, for a "one stop shopping experience", get a Rock & Roll tire, that is- if your rig will fit it. 

The big surprise for me was that this tire rules on hard packed single track.  Grippy, fast, and smooth, up until you get into rocks or roots. Then the small volume bites you a bit. However; if you have a smooth dirt ribbon in your area and it only has a few, if any roots and rocks, you may never want to run a "true mountain bike tire" anymore. This tire is that good on dirt single track.

....or you could go skinny!

Then there is a tire at the opposite end of the spectrum. You pay more than a Rock & Road tire to get less. Less stiffness, less weight, and yes....less control. But here's the thing: It rolls very fast and smooth for its size. Very fast.

The Challenge Grifo is only 33mm wide, (versus the 42mm wide Rock & Roll), but its construction and shape make it really work well as a gravel tire for everything up to chunky stuff all the way across the road and deeper gravel. These are the tires I ran last weekend on the 3GR, and the only time I was hating them was when the gravel was fresh and spread all across the roadway.

These are probably awesome for a "go fast" type ride and for now, I can't say how they'd hold up to a constant gravel beating......but I am going to find that out! More riding into the Fall will figure that out for me. I will say that the white rubber looks kind of cool on my Orange Crush and the Vaya. Makes everything seem all cream sickle-like!

So, for me no one tire is "the" tire, but all of these have a place and of course, others do too. For a discussion on tires, gravel events, and whatever comes up, see Mountain Bike Radio today for discussion on that stuff. The "Guitar Ted Show" comes on the air at 8:00pmCST-7:00pm MST Feel free to call in and ask a question with the following #: (646) 595-4113

Wheels & Tires

Honey Badger 2.2"ers

It's kind of funny now how certain things have really changed in the span of four to five years. Back then a really wide rim and a really wide fat, 29"er tire was the hot set up. Now we have 29+ and fat bikes and Dirt Wizards coming. A big, voluminous 29"er tire on a fat rim is not news worthy anymore, or so it would seem.

Maybe that makes my excitement over the Kenda Honey Badger and my old Salsa Cycles Gordo rims a bit odd for most of you out there. I had been running the Kendas on a Velocity Blunt SL wheel set. Well.....why not? They were listed as 2.2"ers, which in tire parlance means 2.15"ers, maybe.  But lo and behold! The Honey Badger lived up to its billing, but what was even more impressive was the Kenda's "poof factor"- These are voluminous tires!

So, the Gordos, long left on a hook, were called back into "active duty" yesterday. The Blunts were just too narrow for these meats. I swapped end caps from the 20mm through axles I was using before on the Hope hubs that are laced to the Gordos. (Wait! Does anyone still roll with a 20mm thru anymore? ) I only have 9mm QR end caps to swap over to, since at the time I bought the hubs, 15QR was but a pipe dream! Oh well, that only meant that these wheels and tires would be going back on my beloved OS Bikes Blackbuck. It's almost like old home week!

OS Bikes Blackbuck, circa 2010

Back around 2008-2010 I ran these wheels pretty much exclusively on the ol' Blackbuck with big, voluminous tires. Most of that time I had an old WTB WeirWolf LT on the back and a Schwalbe Racing Ralph 2.4"er up front. I loved the way the bike ran with those big meats. It was awesome.

Now the Kenda Honey Badger mounted up on that old Gordo reminds me a ton of the old Schwalbe Racing Ralph and I can't wait to get out there on these wheels and tires to see if I can bring back a bit of the "good old days" and have that fast, cushy, fully rigid feel again.

Wheels and tires: They can really make or break any bike. It makes a lot of sense too, because that's what makes a bicycle roll, and we all want to roll fast, right? Fast, with grip and comfort, and that equals fun. That's what I remember best about the old Blackbuck set up. It was a hoot to ride.

I've got a little tweaking to do before I can get the rig out, but I haven't been excited about tires like this in a while. Well, there is the Rock & Roads on the BMC. Those babies are great too. Can't tell I like wheels and tires, can ya? Ha!

Wheels & Tires

Honey Badger 2.2"ers

It's kind of funny now how certain things have really changed in the span of four to five years. Back then a really wide rim and a really wide fat, 29"er tire was the hot set up. Now we have 29+ and fat bikes and Dirt Wizards coming. A big, voluminous 29"er tire on a fat rim is not news worthy anymore, or so it would seem.

Maybe that makes my excitement over the Kenda Honey Badger and my old Salsa Cycles Gordo rims a bit odd for most of you out there. I had been running the Kendas on a Velocity Blunt SL wheel set. Well.....why not? They were listed as 2.2"ers, which in tire parlance means 2.15"ers, maybe.  But lo and behold! The Honey Badger lived up to its billing, but what was even more impressive was the Kenda's "poof factor"- These are voluminous tires!

So, the Gordos, long left on a hook, were called back into "active duty" yesterday. The Blunts were just too narrow for these meats. I swapped end caps from the 20mm through axles I was using before on the Hope hubs that are laced to the Gordos. (Wait! Does anyone still roll with a 20mm thru anymore? ) I only have 9mm QR end caps to swap over to, since at the time I bought the hubs, 15QR was but a pipe dream! Oh well, that only meant that these wheels and tires would be going back on my beloved OS Bikes Blackbuck. It's almost like old home week!

OS Bikes Blackbuck, circa 2010

Back around 2008-2010 I ran these wheels pretty much exclusively on the ol' Blackbuck with big, voluminous tires. Most of that time I had an old WTB WeirWolf LT on the back and a Schwalbe Racing Ralph 2.4"er up front. I loved the way the bike ran with those big meats. It was awesome.

Now the Kenda Honey Badger mounted up on that old Gordo reminds me a ton of the old Schwalbe Racing Ralph and I can't wait to get out there on these wheels and tires to see if I can bring back a bit of the "good old days" and have that fast, cushy, fully rigid feel again.

Wheels and tires: They can really make or break any bike. It makes a lot of sense too, because that's what makes a bicycle roll, and we all want to roll fast, right? Fast, with grip and comfort, and that equals fun. That's what I remember best about the old Blackbuck set up. It was a hoot to ride.

I've got a little tweaking to do before I can get the rig out, but I haven't been excited about tires like this in a while. Well, there is the Rock & Roads on the BMC. Those babies are great too. Can't tell I like wheels and tires, can ya? Ha!

Learning The Ropes

Warming up in the parking lot.

I was looking at my son, who was obviously bored, sitting inside with nothing to do, and I said, "Get yer shoes on, we're going for a bike ride." He was curious as to what the agenda would be. Up until now, most of our adventures had started and ended from the front door, but this time I told him we were loading up the truck and ferrying the bikes to "ride in the woods".

The "woods" I meant were the Green Belt, which is a strip of unkempt woods on either side of Black Hawk Creek running Southwest from the city and extending up to 8 or so miles along either side. The Southeastern side has dirt trails that were originally bridle paths back in the 50's but eventually became XC ski trails and left to go wild during the summer months. Bikers and hikers basically keep the way open besides the minimal City maintenance that happens at the beginning of August and whenever a bad storm goes through and downs a bunch of trees.

This is where I learned to ride an off road bike in the late 80's and early 90's. I figured it would suffice to teach the boy some new skills on his, (now too small), 24" wheeled mountain bike.

Lots of yellow flowers lined the trails out there.

My son has been jamming in the alley, skidding sideways on the gravel, so I figured he was getting much more confident and stable with his handling. I figured the occasional root and rock would be no issue for him now.

As we got going, I had to remind him about getting out of the saddle, pedals leveled, and letting the bike bounce underneath him. He picked that back up straight away, and we were off doing quite well.

Interestingly enough, it appears that he is a "spinner", while I was and still am more of a "masher". Then again, I never had a derailleur equipped bicycle until I was almost out of my teen years. When I did get one, I didn't know, or care about how to shift the chain, so it was all lost on me! My son, however, gets the geared thing and is pretty adept at switching things to his liking, which, as I said, is mostly on the high cadence side of things. Good for him, I say!

Eventually we ran into the sand traps of the Green Belt. These are an ever changing, shifting sort of a feature along the trails where the creek sheds its sand and pushes it into big drifts whenever it is raging out of its banks, which was most of the earlier part of this year. There were some expected areas for the sand, and a few unexpected, new drifts. These sand piles are made up of very fine sand, which I liken to "hour glass" grade sand. Very fine, and it is really "clean" sand as well. I was told once that back 70-80 years ago the sand in this area was coveted by cement plants for its quality and cleanliness.

But for my son, well he couldn't care less about cement, hour glasses, or cleanliness of sand. He hates that stuff, and it was driving him nuts not being able to clean his way through the crap. I reminded him that his upcoming fat bike would help a lot with that, and he was wishing he had it NOW!

Ha! Well, he is a bit impatient, and only 10 years old, so I forgave him his little outburst, but I reminded him we needed to stay on task, or there would be no ice cream afterward. Oh yes......ice cream after a hot days riding. That was the goal, after all!

He did well, and we came through pretty much unscathed, excepting my little brush up with some stinging nettles. Those things are packing a particularly intense sting this year. The key, (at least for myself), is to resist touching the affected area at all. It is hard, because it itches and stings so intensely with an almost palpable heat. It actually grows in intensity and then it is gone, as long as you just leave it alone, but that is very hard to do.Fortunately, I won!

The ice cream cones were great, by the way, and my son was tuckered out from the exertion in the very hot, humid conditions. Can't wait to get him on a fat bike!

Learning The Ropes

Warming up in the parking lot.

I was looking at my son, who was obviously bored, sitting inside with nothing to do, and I said, "Get yer shoes on, we're going for a bike ride." He was curious as to what the agenda would be. Up until now, most of our adventures had started and ended from the front door, but this time I told him we were loading up the truck and ferrying the bikes to "ride in the woods".

The "woods" I meant were the Green Belt, which is a strip of unkempt woods on either side of Black Hawk Creek running Southwest from the city and extending up to 8 or so miles along either side. The Southeastern side has dirt trails that were originally bridle paths back in the 50's but eventually became XC ski trails and left to go wild during the summer months. Bikers and hikers basically keep the way open besides the minimal City maintenance that happens at the beginning of August and whenever a bad storm goes through and downs a bunch of trees.

This is where I learned to ride an off road bike in the late 80's and early 90's. I figured it would suffice to teach the boy some new skills on his, (now too small), 24" wheeled mountain bike.

Lots of yellow flowers lined the trails out there.

My son has been jamming in the alley, skidding sideways on the gravel, so I figured he was getting much more confident and stable with his handling. I figured the occasional root and rock would be no issue for him now.

As we got going, I had to remind him about getting out of the saddle, pedals leveled, and letting the bike bounce underneath him. He picked that back up straight away, and we were off doing quite well.

Interestingly enough, it appears that he is a "spinner", while I was and still am more of a "masher". Then again, I never had a derailleur equipped bicycle until I was almost out of my teen years. When I did get one, I didn't know, or care about how to shift the chain, so it was all lost on me! My son, however, gets the geared thing and is pretty adept at switching things to his liking, which, as I said, is mostly on the high cadence side of things. Good for him, I say!

Eventually we ran into the sand traps of the Green Belt. These are an ever changing, shifting sort of a feature along the trails where the creek sheds its sand and pushes it into big drifts whenever it is raging out of its banks, which was most of the earlier part of this year. There were some expected areas for the sand, and a few unexpected, new drifts. These sand piles are made up of very fine sand, which I liken to "hour glass" grade sand. Very fine, and it is really "clean" sand as well. I was told once that back 70-80 years ago the sand in this area was coveted by cement plants for its quality and cleanliness.

But for my son, well he couldn't care less about cement, hour glasses, or cleanliness of sand. He hates that stuff, and it was driving him nuts not being able to clean his way through the crap. I reminded him that his upcoming fat bike would help a lot with that, and he was wishing he had it NOW!

Ha! Well, he is a bit impatient, and only 10 years old, so I forgave him his little outburst, but I reminded him we needed to stay on task, or there would be no ice cream afterward. Oh yes......ice cream after a hot days riding. That was the goal, after all!

He did well, and we came through pretty much unscathed, excepting my little brush up with some stinging nettles. Those things are packing a particularly intense sting this year. The key, (at least for myself), is to resist touching the affected area at all. It is hard, because it itches and stings so intensely with an almost palpable heat. It actually grows in intensity and then it is gone, as long as you just leave it alone, but that is very hard to do.Fortunately, I won!

The ice cream cones were great, by the way, and my son was tuckered out from the exertion in the very hot, humid conditions. Can't wait to get him on a fat bike!

3GR Report: Late Summer Surge

Barns For Jason

The day was supposed to be humid and hot. I was thinking about how I have had sporadic luck on hot, humid days, but more often than not, I wilt. This year has been one of those where heat has kicked my butt, and I was concerned about the ride.

I went to bed reasonably early and got a great night's sleep. I started out the day with breakfast and several glasses of water. Felt pretty good, and after the all important bathroom visit, which was successful, I was out of the door a bit early, but I wanted to take my time and spin easy going out to the start.

I no sooner got off my bicycle when I saw Tony coming up the hill. We chatted and then here came Robert. It was a trio then, and we set off with a hazy sky and a pretty steady tailwind going out. The temperatures were not zooming up, and with the breeze, we had a relatively good roll out, actually. Later on I would hear that the Gravel Worlds folks were battling a bit more heat than we were, so I was glad for the window of less heat than we will be getting today and through the week.

In fact, I was feeling pretty good, to tell the truth, and Robert and Tony usually like a pretty stout pace, but it was no problem for me going out to match it. I figured it most likely was just the tail wind, and not me that was making things look easy.

Robert (L) and Tony (R)

When we got up around Denver, we saw a couple vintage tractors that were going to participate in a parade in Denver yesterday. They were all shined up and clean with proud owners at the wheel. I wish I'd have gotten a picture of those.

As we crossed Highway 63 north of Denver, I noted a horse grazing freely in a yard, which is odd, and said something about it to Tony, who then went back around to check. It would have been a potential disaster had the horse been able to wander down into the highway, but fears were unfounded after all. The perimeter of the area was hedged by an electric fence. So we turned and made our way along our route, still enjoying a quartering tail wind out of the Southeast.

Then we hit the hills and head wind as we were obliged to turn back South. There are some good "rollers" here. Hills that are not long, but steep and short, which you can power over, and "roll them" if you have the leg to. Apparently, yesterday was my day, and I was pushing the pace here despite the headwind. I actually had to back off a couple of times to keep the trio together. Robert accused me of having a motor on my bike, but I was just feeling good and I guess it showed. I didn't mean to be a show off! About this time, I was actually worrying that I was going to have to pay for my cheek and would bonk spectacularly, but that never happened.

Click this to enlarge and look for the wild turkeys.

Wild life spotting was excellent yesterday as well. I had seen a peacock alongside the road. Many Iowa farmers keep peacocks, but I am not really sure why. Of course, it was a male and beautiful. Then later on we came across the turkeys. I had spotted some earlier in the summer, and these were in the same area.

I also spotted some nice Red Tailed hawks, but I don't suppose my riding partners did, as they were far off the road when I saw them. The usual horses and cows, of course, were seen, and even the dogs were docile on this edition of 3GR. Above all, the critter that brings a laugh and a smile for me is the ground squirrel, a tiny mammal that has a surprising amount of speed.

Well, the ride pushed on, and Robert and I got into a nice rotation for a bit as we shared pulls. We ended that after we saw that Tony had shot out the back and I wanted us to stay together.  It all came back together and we cruised back into town and hit up our coffee shop stop for some refreshments and a rest. I looked at the time, and despite the headwinds, we beat the week's previous time, and that had been the fastest 3GR on this particular course. Sheesh! I think we all must have had motors in our bikes somewhere!

3GR Report: Late Summer Surge

Barns For Jason

The day was supposed to be humid and hot. I was thinking about how I have had sporadic luck on hot, humid days, but more often than not, I wilt. This year has been one of those where heat has kicked my butt, and I was concerned about the ride.

I went to bed reasonably early and got a great night's sleep. I started out the day with breakfast and several glasses of water. Felt pretty good, and after the all important bathroom visit, which was successful, I was out of the door a bit early, but I wanted to take my time and spin easy going out to the start.

I no sooner got off my bicycle when I saw Tony coming up the hill. We chatted and then here came Robert. It was a trio then, and we set off with a hazy sky and a pretty steady tailwind going out. The temperatures were not zooming up, and with the breeze, we had a relatively good roll out, actually. Later on I would hear that the Gravel Worlds folks were battling a bit more heat than we were, so I was glad for the window of less heat than we will be getting today and through the week.

In fact, I was feeling pretty good, to tell the truth, and Robert and Tony usually like a pretty stout pace, but it was no problem for me going out to match it. I figured it most likely was just the tail wind, and not me that was making things look easy.

Robert (L) and Tony (R)

When we got up around Denver, we saw a couple vintage tractors that were going to participate in a parade in Denver yesterday. They were all shined up and clean with proud owners at the wheel. I wish I'd have gotten a picture of those.

As we crossed Highway 63 north of Denver, I noted a horse grazing freely in a yard, which is odd, and said something about it to Tony, who then went back around to check. It would have been a potential disaster had the horse been able to wander down into the highway, but fears were unfounded after all. The perimeter of the area was hedged by an electric fence. So we turned and made our way along our route, still enjoying a quartering tail wind out of the Southeast.

Then we hit the hills and head wind as we were obliged to turn back South. There are some good "rollers" here. Hills that are not long, but steep and short, which you can power over, and "roll them" if you have the leg to. Apparently, yesterday was my day, and I was pushing the pace here despite the headwind. I actually had to back off a couple of times to keep the trio together. Robert accused me of having a motor on my bike, but I was just feeling good and I guess it showed. I didn't mean to be a show off! About this time, I was actually worrying that I was going to have to pay for my cheek and would bonk spectacularly, but that never happened.

Click this to enlarge and look for the wild turkeys.

Wild life spotting was excellent yesterday as well. I had seen a peacock alongside the road. Many Iowa farmers keep peacocks, but I am not really sure why. Of course, it was a male and beautiful. Then later on we came across the turkeys. I had spotted some earlier in the summer, and these were in the same area.

I also spotted some nice Red Tailed hawks, but I don't suppose my riding partners did, as they were far off the road when I saw them. The usual horses and cows, of course, were seen, and even the dogs were docile on this edition of 3GR. Above all, the critter that brings a laugh and a smile for me is the ground squirrel, a tiny mammal that has a surprising amount of speed.

Well, the ride pushed on, and Robert and I got into a nice rotation for a bit as we shared pulls. We ended that after we saw that Tony had shot out the back and I wanted us to stay together.  It all came back together and we cruised back into town and hit up our coffee shop stop for some refreshments and a rest. I looked at the time, and despite the headwinds, we beat the week's previous time, and that had been the fastest 3GR on this particular course. Sheesh! I think we all must have had motors in our bikes somewhere!

Looking Back & Looking Ahead

My teammates from the Renegade Gents Race

With the big Gravel Worlds event happening today in Lincoln, Nebraska, I sit here wistfully thinking about what might have been had I been able to get down that way to join in the festivities. No doubt, it would have been fun, and the ride would have been a hot, windy affair. Not generally my cup of tea, as far as weather, but I bet I would have had fun, despite the suffering.

Well, anyway, I figured why not run down my "season", as it were, since now I will only be partaking in a couple of night time gravel grinders, if anything, before this year closes out. Interbike generally throws a big wrench into my Fall riding plans, and I suspect this year will be no different.

So, I had a couple of successful outings, and I had a couple of really tough rides that didn't end the way I wanted them to. Let's take a look.....

Triple D: The year started out with Triple D, a fat bike event. I did well, beating my time from the year previous, despite crashing and getting lost a bit. That was fun, and I felt good. 65 miles in the middle of January on icy trails is nothing to sneeze at. So, I take a bit of pride in that accomplishment.

The Renegade Gents Race: Same team again for year 3 of my participation in this event. It was a tough wind to ride into on that weekend, but we finished well, and I felt good taking pulls with Captain Steve, who was looking uber-fit in his preparation for T.I.V9, (which he handily finished). Not that we were out there to be really competitive, but we did show character in riding in together when we had a teammate in trouble, which I felt was really cool, and showed we were not only "gentleman", but good sportsman. A win in my book.

Trans Iowa V9: No.....no, I do not ride a bicycle in this event. That said, it is "an event" for me to get right, or not, and I am up and working it for an ungodly amount of hours over hundreds of miles of roads so other cyclists can have a good experience. First let me say that without the awesome volunteers, it would have been a disaster, so on a "team" filled with great folks, I felt the event was a success and I was really stoked to have been a small part of that success.

Chasing Craig at Odin's Revenge

 Odin's Revenge: 

My favorite event of the year, (so far), and a bittersweet weekend. My buddy MG made it awesome, and my hosts, Chad and Merrie were so accommodating. The ride was stunningly awesome, and the event? I can not say enough good things about that. My performance? I guess this is where I was either beginning to fall ill, or it was the reason I fell ill, but I left it all out there and this event kicked my butt bad. I didn't finish it, and that's the only bad thing I had happen there, but it still bugs the heck outta me. So, next year, I want to return. We'll see how things shake out.

Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational: Here is my biggest disappointment in my riding all year. I didn't have anything in the tank that day, as I had been dealing with the fallout of Odin's Revenge for weeks, and looking back on this, I was definitely ill with a virus of some sort. How I even managed to get as far as I did, I do not know. However; it really burns me that I couldn't continue on my own ride. Oh well..........

The good news is that I have been getting better all the time since then, a month and a half ago now, and things are clicking again like they haven't since before Trans Iowa last April. So, I am looking forward to riding well at Interbike for the two days I will be able to do that out there, and then when I get back, I am maybe going to do a couple of night time gravel events, or.......well I can not say right now. There is a plan being hatched, but it isn't ripe for consumption just yet. If it looks good, I am going to be saying something soon about it, and if not, you'll never know a thing! Ha! Cryptic, eh?

Stay tuned. The future is looking better..........

Looking Back & Looking Ahead

My teammates from the Renegade Gents Race

With the big Gravel Worlds event happening today in Lincoln, Nebraska, I sit here wistfully thinking about what might have been had I been able to get down that way to join in the festivities. No doubt, it would have been fun, and the ride would have been a hot, windy affair. Not generally my cup of tea, as far as weather, but I bet I would have had fun, despite the suffering.

Well, anyway, I figured why not run down my "season", as it were, since now I will only be partaking in a couple of night time gravel grinders, if anything, before this year closes out. Interbike generally throws a big wrench into my Fall riding plans, and I suspect this year will be no different.

So, I had a couple of successful outings, and I had a couple of really tough rides that didn't end the way I wanted them to. Let's take a look.....

Triple D: The year started out with Triple D, a fat bike event. I did well, beating my time from the year previous, despite crashing and getting lost a bit. That was fun, and I felt good. 65 miles in the middle of January on icy trails is nothing to sneeze at. So, I take a bit of pride in that accomplishment.

The Renegade Gents Race: Same team again for year 3 of my participation in this event. It was a tough wind to ride into on that weekend, but we finished well, and I felt good taking pulls with Captain Steve, who was looking uber-fit in his preparation for T.I.V9, (which he handily finished). Not that we were out there to be really competitive, but we did show character in riding in together when we had a teammate in trouble, which I felt was really cool, and showed we were not only "gentleman", but good sportsman. A win in my book.

Trans Iowa V9: No.....no, I do not ride a bicycle in this event. That said, it is "an event" for me to get right, or not, and I am up and working it for an ungodly amount of hours over hundreds of miles of roads so other cyclists can have a good experience. First let me say that without the awesome volunteers, it would have been a disaster, so on a "team" filled with great folks, I felt the event was a success and I was really stoked to have been a small part of that success.

Chasing Craig at Odin's Revenge

 Odin's Revenge: 

My favorite event of the year, (so far), and a bittersweet weekend. My buddy MG made it awesome, and my hosts, Chad and Merrie were so accommodating. The ride was stunningly awesome, and the event? I can not say enough good things about that. My performance? I guess this is where I was either beginning to fall ill, or it was the reason I fell ill, but I left it all out there and this event kicked my butt bad. I didn't finish it, and that's the only bad thing I had happen there, but it still bugs the heck outta me. So, next year, I want to return. We'll see how things shake out.

Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational: Here is my biggest disappointment in my riding all year. I didn't have anything in the tank that day, as I had been dealing with the fallout of Odin's Revenge for weeks, and looking back on this, I was definitely ill with a virus of some sort. How I even managed to get as far as I did, I do not know. However; it really burns me that I couldn't continue on my own ride. Oh well..........

The good news is that I have been getting better all the time since then, a month and a half ago now, and things are clicking again like they haven't since before Trans Iowa last April. So, I am looking forward to riding well at Interbike for the two days I will be able to do that out there, and then when I get back, I am maybe going to do a couple of night time gravel events, or.......well I can not say right now. There is a plan being hatched, but it isn't ripe for consumption just yet. If it looks good, I am going to be saying something soon about it, and if not, you'll never know a thing! Ha! Cryptic, eh?

Stay tuned. The future is looking better..........

Friday News And Views: Gravel Goodness!

This weekend an event is happening that is close to my heart: Gravel Worlds in Lincoln, Nebraska. I will be regretting not being there all weekend long, but I made my decision to take care of some things back here at the home front, and I have to stick to my guns on that front.

Why is this such a great event in my eyes? I'll just say that it has great people behind it, a really great, accepting, down to earth vibe, and it is challenging and fun. You like competition? It's there. If you like an adventure, you'll find that as well. Do you like tough courses? There aren't many more challenging.

While some think we're just a bunch of yahoos out here wasting our time not being "real racers" or doing things "the right way", that's fine. If Gravel Worlds is "wrong" I don't wanna be right. They can have the other stuff.

For a brief look at what the folks will be riding out there, check out this little ditty....

 Last Spring I was honored to have my friend and very talented photographer, Jason Boucher come and take some images of T.I.V9. Jason spent the better part of two days soaking it all in and taking some incredible imagery out in the rural areas while T.I.V9 cyclists struggled to overcome the challenges presented that weekend.

Now Jason has decided to share his vision and work from that event. You can go here to view a slide show of 69 images he has posted. If you decide you are smitten by one or two or three, they are available to purchase from that site.

Check it out, it is a good little window on what Trans Iowa is about and even if you don't ever see yourself doing gravel, if you like cycling even a little bit, I bet you'll see something there that you think is interesting. (Thanks again, Jason!)

I'll be out there......somewhere!

I've got a job to get done soon and it involves a certain little lighting product and a whole lot of time out at night.

I've already done a few night rides with this light from wooded riding on trails to bike path and streets to gravel roads. It's an interesting and fun thing to do, but I like riding at night, so maybe I am an oddball.

My wife, well she's not so keen on me doing this alone. I used to have a night riding buddy, but lately I've been going solo and Mrs. Guitar Ted, she's not wanting me to get "run over", as she puts it. Well, fortunately I would darn near have to be blind and deaf to get run over at night on a gravel road, so not much to worry about there.

Now as for dogs, wild animals, and drunks- that's another matter altogether! However; I am willing to risk it and I have a plan for this weekend to get out there and do this deed. It should prove to be a good story, at the least. Hopefully everything comes together for this attempt. Stay tuned......

And Finally.....

Even though Gravel Worlds is happening this weekend, I will be doing the 3GR again, same time and same place as always this Summer, which is Gates Park Swimming Pool parking lot at 8:30am. See ya there if you can make it. If not.....I'll go rogue and do a solo route!

Keep the rubber side down, good luck to all the Gravel Worlds riders, and have a great weekend!

Friday News And Views: Gravel Goodness!

This weekend an event is happening that is close to my heart: Gravel Worlds in Lincoln, Nebraska. I will be regretting not being there all weekend long, but I made my decision to take care of some things back here at the home front, and I have to stick to my guns on that front.

Why is this such a great event in my eyes? I'll just say that it has great people behind it, a really great, accepting, down to earth vibe, and it is challenging and fun. You like competition? It's there. If you like an adventure, you'll find that as well. Do you like tough courses? There aren't many more challenging.

While some think we're just a bunch of yahoos out here wasting our time not being "real racers" or doing things "the right way", that's fine. If Gravel Worlds is "wrong" I don't wanna be right. They can have the other stuff.

For a brief look at what the folks will be riding out there, check out this little ditty....

 Last Spring I was honored to have my friend and very talented photographer, Jason Boucher come and take some images of T.I.V9. Jason spent the better part of two days soaking it all in and taking some incredible imagery out in the rural areas while T.I.V9 cyclists struggled to overcome the challenges presented that weekend.

Now Jason has decided to share his vision and work from that event. You can go here to view a slide show of 69 images he has posted. If you decide you are smitten by one or two or three, they are available to purchase from that site.

Check it out, it is a good little window on what Trans Iowa is about and even if you don't ever see yourself doing gravel, if you like cycling even a little bit, I bet you'll see something there that you think is interesting. (Thanks again, Jason!)

I'll be out there......somewhere!

I've got a job to get done soon and it involves a certain little lighting product and a whole lot of time out at night.

I've already done a few night rides with this light from wooded riding on trails to bike path and streets to gravel roads. It's an interesting and fun thing to do, but I like riding at night, so maybe I am an oddball.

My wife, well she's not so keen on me doing this alone. I used to have a night riding buddy, but lately I've been going solo and Mrs. Guitar Ted, she's not wanting me to get "run over", as she puts it. Well, fortunately I would darn near have to be blind and deaf to get run over at night on a gravel road, so not much to worry about there.

Now as for dogs, wild animals, and drunks- that's another matter altogether! However; I am willing to risk it and I have a plan for this weekend to get out there and do this deed. It should prove to be a good story, at the least. Hopefully everything comes together for this attempt. Stay tuned......

And Finally.....

Even though Gravel Worlds is happening this weekend, I will be doing the 3GR again, same time and same place as always this Summer, which is Gates Park Swimming Pool parking lot at 8:30am. See ya there if you can make it. If not.....I'll go rogue and do a solo route!

Keep the rubber side down, good luck to all the Gravel Worlds riders, and have a great weekend!