Trans Iowa v10: Registration Mayhem

Cards that arrived too early in 2012.

Sometimes this whole Trans Iowa deal freaks me out. Let me explain this, if I can....

Registration for the Rookies is always a crazy time. Folks want to get into Trans Iowa in the worst way, or so it seems. Keep in mind that Trans Iowa is a free event and that it is a crazy, 300 plus mile ride all in one sitting, all on gravel roads. Okay? Obviously this isn't a "normal" cycling event, or one many would ever want to do at all.

But through the years that I have been facilitating this event, I am constantly amazed by the lengths folks will go to get on the roster for Trans Iowa. You'd think that just getting on the roster was some sort of prize in and of itself. Folks are e-mailing, Facebooking, and commenting here on the blog wanting to know how they can get their cards in on time.

Drive 5-6 hours one way to hand deliver them? Overnight mail from a foreign country? Just have me let them in? I've had all these questions and more. Then Saturday I see that nine cards came in, ahead of the acceptable day by two days. Man! That really stinks, but here's the deal........

I can not circumvent the framework for registration because of mistakes, lack of timeliness, or because you finished Tour Divide. Nope! It is not fair to those who are making the effort to do this the right way, and that's that.

Yeah.....maybe I am too "hard core", or maybe I am right. Either way, it is going to make some folks upset, and maybe worse. I get that a lot of time and effort has already been paid out by some of you out there in preparations for T.I.v10, (I've heard from many of you that were training already a month ago), but it still amazes me that the reactions are what they are sometimes. But be that as it may, the registration process is going to run its course as it has been set up.

It's been a crazy ride this weekend!