Trans Iowa V10: Organizing The Chaos

Obligatory "Blood Moon" image by Phyllis Stevenson

So it is getting crazier now the closer I get to Trans Iowa v10. The boxes are piling up in the basement and front room, and I am making plans to get everything organized into bags and just how that will go together. Then I have to go out a buy some more storage tubs because I have so much more stuff this time. More than at any other time before a Trans Iowa.

Then the next hurdle to clear will be printing the cue sheets. The paper will be procured this week, then I will start the process of printing out sheets for 110+ people to get them from the start to Checkpoint #1. I'll print slightly less for the Checkpoint #1- Checkpoint #2 sector, and even less for the last leg, but it still gets into a lot of paper and cutting, and stuffing, and whatnot. I had a pretty good process for this last year. I'll have to try to recreate that again!

Tomorrow will be a big day. I may get out for a short bike ride, but I will be mostly doing Trans Iowa business. Organizing and setting up for the bag stuffing, most likely. I have a few odds and ends to attend to with regard to paperwork as well. Setting up the rosters for the checkpoints, and doing a couple of letters. Contacting volunteers to solidify the manpower for the event as well.

Hammer Nutrition products.

The level of support for this year's event is astounding. I can't begin to take it all in, but there is a lot of good stuff here that will all be getting out to the riders come the 25th at the Pre-Race Meat-Up. Every year I am blown away by the companies and individuals that come forward to give Trans Iowa a boost. It's been that way since V1. (Anyone still have their orange Tifosi sunglasses and Ergon grips?) Every year it's been continuing on and sometimes the boost Trans Iowa gets is a big one, sometimes it is smaller but significant in other ways, but it has always attracted attention from the cycling industry since day one, and for that I am forever grateful.

So here's the deal- if you ever get a chance to thank any company that is supporting a gravel event, don't hesitate to say something, or send an e-mail, or to say something to the event director, be that at Trans Iowa or any other gravel event. Many of these sponsors are really into the gravel scene and any feedback they get will ensure that they made the right choice. I know the sponsors will really appreciate that, and it will help ensure that events on gravel keep getting that boost like Trans Iowa has for ten years now.

Now, where are those safety pins and markers I bought last week..........