The Six String Side: 1988 Fender Strat Plus

When I started this blog over ten years ago, I stated that it was a "Bicycle and guitar oriented elixir....". Well, the "guitar" part sort of got pushed out by the bicycle stuff, but I've always been playing. In the Easter post, I mentioned playing my '90 Strat, and someone suggested I detail the fleet, so here ya go. Hopefully ya'll enjoy the change in pace. I'll post something periodically throughout the year. Here's #1.....

1988 Fender Strat Plus model in "Antique White".

 The first guitar up in this series is my '88 Strat. I am the original owner and it is still one of my favorite guitars. Here's the story on this particular instrument.....

In 1987 I was hankerin' for a new guitar. I never had purchased a brand, spankin' new one, so I was going to use my tax return and check out something new. I was all over the latest guitar news in the magazines back then, and I saw the new Fender "Strat Plus" models featured and they looked to have some cool new features over the Strats of the past. I was always warned by guitar players to be careful about Stratocasters. They told me that many of the 70's and early 80's pieces were fraught with quality issues, wouldn't stay in tune, and the tremolos were essentially unworkable. Of course, there were "pre-CBS" Strats, the models made when Leo Fender still ran the show, but even in the 80's, those were really hard to find and then you had to have a lot of cash to get one. More than I could afford at the time.

The pick ups are "Lace Sensors", which at the time were really cutting edge units.

The Strat Plus seemed to address many of the issues I had heard about and were priced well. Fender had been bought back by some employees and the factory was moved and revamped to get the guitars made in a way that ensured a better instrument. The Strat Plus featured some new, and to me, unknown features that attracted my attention. The tremolo was a Wilkinson unit that pivoted on two studs instead of the old fashioned six screws that Fender had used since the 50's. The nut, the part the strings break over at the head stock, was a roller bearing, so your strings wouldn't hang up when you used the tremolo bar and make you go out of tune. What is more, the Strat Plus had these cool locking tuners. No more winding strings forever around a peg, and string changes were far easier. Finally, the three "Lace Sensor" pick ups looked so cool. They were supposedly quieter than previous Fender pick ups, but I know now they still produce noise. It's okay though, because they sound great and still look pretty darn cutting edge, even after all these years. 

So, in April of 1988 I had my tax return and I heard about a "Guitar Month" sale on Fender guitars at the old music store we had in town called the "Music Corner". It used to be located in downtown Waterloo, but by this time it was playing out its last days at a strip mall in Cedar Falls, ironically where Bob's Guitars is now. I'll get back to that in a minute.

Mmmm! Locking Schaller tuners! Staying in tune is important to today's musician!

So, anyway, I went to the shop and asked about the Fender Strat Plus model. Bob Guthart, (yes, the Bob of Bob's Guitars), worked there and he said, "This one's a pretty nice one.", and he reached over the counter to hand it to me. The minute I touched it I knew I had to have it. It's kind of weird, but my favorite guitars all have made a pretty quick connection with me, but the Strat Plus was instantaneous. I couldn't stop thinking about it. It was more than my tax return, so I had to scrape up some more cash, but within a couple of weeks I had purchased it. I want to say it cost about $850.00 or so at the time, but my memory may be off there. Hey! It was almost 30 years ago now!

So, anyway, that started out a relationship with Bob that I have right up to this day. I don't think I had ever met him before I purchased this Strat. He runs his own shop now, as I mentioned, and I still buy almost all of my gear from him. So, this guitar represents a longtime retail relationship and I believe it is the longest running one I have going. I have purchased several items from Bob over the years. Some guitars and at least one amplifier, and some of that will be discussed in this series at some point. Of course, Bob went through the Music Corner and another shop first before he got Bob's up and running, but anyway...... I digress......

No. 8

 The last story about this guitar has to do with the sticker on the upper horn. It is a dirty old sticker with a number "8" on it. Back when I bought this guitar, I figured it was the eighth one I had ever owned. Then shortly after that, I got a new pair of trousers and in the pocket was a tag that said "Inspected by...." and this sticker was on that tag. I guess I got inspired to stick it on the Strat, and it has been there ever since.

I have the original hang tags and all the "case candy" for this one, and the original, blow-molded case, which I had to repair once. One of the latches broke off from its plastic moorings, so I fashioned a new, more reinforced back plate and re-attached the latch. It's been fine for several years now.

That's number one it this series, and at some point, I'll photograph another guitar and write up another story. Almost all of my stuff has some story attached to it, so it should be an okay diversion from all the bike stuff once in a while. If not, ya'all let me know and I'll can it.

Thanks for reading, as always.

The Six String Side: 1988 Fender Strat Plus

When I started this blog over ten years ago, I stated that it was a "Bicycle and guitar oriented elixir....". Well, the "guitar" part sort of got pushed out by the bicycle stuff, but I've always been playing. In the Easter post, I mentioned playing my '90 Strat, and someone suggested I detail the fleet, so here ya go. Hopefully ya'll enjoy the change in pace. I'll post something periodically throughout the year. Here's #1.....

1988 Fender Strat Plus model in "Antique White".

 The first guitar up in this series is my '88 Strat. I am the original owner and it is still one of my favorite guitars. Here's the story on this particular instrument.....

In 1987 I was hankerin' for a new guitar. I never had purchased a brand, spankin' new one, so I was going to use my tax return and check out something new. I was all over the latest guitar news in the magazines back then, and I saw the new Fender "Strat Plus" models featured and they looked to have some cool new features over the Strats of the past. I was always warned by guitar players to be careful about Stratocasters. They told me that many of the 70's and early 80's pieces were fraught with quality issues, wouldn't stay in tune, and the tremolos were essentially unworkable. Of course, there were "pre-CBS" Strats, the models made when Leo Fender still ran the show, but even in the 80's, those were really hard to find and then you had to have a lot of cash to get one. More than I could afford at the time.

The pick ups are "Lace Sensors", which at the time were really cutting edge units.

The Strat Plus seemed to address many of the issues I had heard about and were priced well. Fender had been bought back by some employees and the factory was moved and revamped to get the guitars made in a way that ensured a better instrument. The Strat Plus featured some new, and to me, unknown features that attracted my attention. The tremolo was a Wilkinson unit that pivoted on two studs instead of the old fashioned six screws that Fender had used since the 50's. The nut, the part the strings break over at the head stock, was a roller bearing, so your strings wouldn't hang up when you used the tremolo bar and make you go out of tune. What is more, the Strat Plus had these cool locking tuners. No more winding strings forever around a peg, and string changes were far easier. Finally, the three "Lace Sensor" pick ups looked so cool. They were supposedly quieter than previous Fender pick ups, but I know now they still produce noise. It's okay though, because they sound great and still look pretty darn cutting edge, even after all these years. 

So, in April of 1988 I had my tax return and I heard about a "Guitar Month" sale on Fender guitars at the old music store we had in town called the "Music Corner". It used to be located in downtown Waterloo, but by this time it was playing out its last days at a strip mall in Cedar Falls, ironically where Bob's Guitars is now. I'll get back to that in a minute.

Mmmm! Locking Schaller tuners! Staying in tune is important to today's musician!

So, anyway, I went to the shop and asked about the Fender Strat Plus model. Bob Guthart, (yes, the Bob of Bob's Guitars), worked there and he said, "This one's a pretty nice one.", and he reached over the counter to hand it to me. The minute I touched it I knew I had to have it. It's kind of weird, but my favorite guitars all have made a pretty quick connection with me, but the Strat Plus was instantaneous. I couldn't stop thinking about it. It was more than my tax return, so I had to scrape up some more cash, but within a couple of weeks I had purchased it. I want to say it cost about $850.00 or so at the time, but my memory may be off there. Hey! It was almost 30 years ago now!

So, anyway, that started out a relationship with Bob that I have right up to this day. I don't think I had ever met him before I purchased this Strat. He runs his own shop now, as I mentioned, and I still buy almost all of my gear from him. So, this guitar represents a longtime retail relationship and I believe it is the longest running one I have going. I have purchased several items from Bob over the years. Some guitars and at least one amplifier, and some of that will be discussed in this series at some point. Of course, Bob went through the Music Corner and another shop first before he got Bob's up and running, but anyway...... I digress......

No. 8

 The last story about this guitar has to do with the sticker on the upper horn. It is a dirty old sticker with a number "8" on it. Back when I bought this guitar, I figured it was the eighth one I had ever owned. Then shortly after that, I got a new pair of trousers and in the pocket was a tag that said "Inspected by...." and this sticker was on that tag. I guess I got inspired to stick it on the Strat, and it has been there ever since.

I have the original hang tags and all the "case candy" for this one, and the original, blow-molded case, which I had to repair once. One of the latches broke off from its plastic moorings, so I fashioned a new, more reinforced back plate and re-attached the latch. It's been fine for several years now.

That's number one it this series, and at some point, I'll photograph another guitar and write up another story. Almost all of my stuff has some story attached to it, so it should be an okay diversion from all the bike stuff once in a while. If not, ya'all let me know and I'll can it.

Thanks for reading, as always.

Trans Iowa v12: Checkpoints, Convenience Stores, and Chit-Chat

Trans Iowa multiple finisher, Mike Johnson is making these 3D printed tokens for all the riders.

Three weeks to go, and the time will fly fast! Trans Iowa is about to kick off its twelfth version and before we get there, here are a few tidbits of interest to those in the event and, perhaps, of slight interest to onlookers as well.

First up, I wanted to underscore a point that I've made in the last several Trans Iowa versions. That being- There are NO CONVENIENCE STORES at CHECKPOINTS!! That's right. You will not find anything but cheerful volunteers and a fresh set of cue sheets at checkpoints, so be prepared!!

As always: Be prepared at the start to ride 100 miles with no chance for water or food!!

Convenience stores will be on the route. They just will not be at checkpoints. You will have ample access to convenience stores and the route will go right by several. While the following should not be construed as a comprehensive list of all convenience stores on the route, the overnight section of Trans Iowa will be highlighted by ONE store open all night. There also will be two other chances in the late afternoon/early evening hours before night fall, so be aware that YOU NEED TO MAKE THE CORRECT DECISIONS!! This means YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU.  Should you pass a convenience store and not check to see if you need water or food, you are making a poor choice and will suffer the consequences. Trans Iowa, its directors, volunteers, nor anyone associated with the event are responsible for your nutrition, water, safety, or decision making. It's all on you.

Checkpoint volunteers will have these hats on so you know you aren't dealing with imposters!

Keep in mind that Trans Iowa will also not reveal the location of the second checkpoint, and checkpoint #1 will not be revealed until the Pre-Race Meat-Up. I do this to cut down, eliminate, and dissuade anybody from trying to get out on the route to spectate. Trans Iowa is not a spectator friendly event. I am often asked, after this statement, "But what if a rider needs help?" Well, then that rider can and should call you, (the support person), if there is a need to extract a rider from the course. It isn't that tough to figure out where someone is by the cue sheets if you have a cell phone and an Iowa map. Plus, we strongly urge riders ride in small groups.  This not only ensures a greater chance at finishing the event, but riders can look after one another and in cases where someone needs to bail out, we have found that other riders are more than willing to help out. Bottom line- We don't want, nor do we need, folks gallivanting around the course. It invites cheating, and it is not necessary.

A quick note on cell phones: Riders will be in areas with little, or absolutely no- coverage. You are advised to turn off your cell phones until they are absolutely needed. (UK translation: Cut the power on the mobile unless you want a dead battery.)

That said, we understand that folks want to know how their rider is progressing. You can suggest one of the following two options, or both, to do just that. First, you can purchase a SPOT tracking device and have your rider wear it. They are very reliable and follwing a SPOT tracker of a rider is super easy to do. If this appeals to you and any rider you may know, the option will have to be pursued on your end. Trans Iowa does not offer this option. The second way to keep up with any rider is to encourage them to make call-ins to Trans Iowa Radio sponsored by RidingGravel.com. This is also where I will be updating on the event as well.

There were two, independent reviews of the final cues for the event, and they passed both reviews with flying colors. The final test will be on April 16th when we field check the cues for accuracy and clarity. We will also verify the existence of the roads as being open. Then, and only then will the cues be printed. If there is one thing I have tried to make absolutely as perfect as possible, that would be the cue sheets. Speaking of cue sheets, the size is approximately 4 3/8ths long by 3 7/8ths wide for each sheet, although there may be some variances in that since the sheets are hand cut and complete symmetry is not possible. Also- and this is very important to note-  the cues are not moisture friendly. So, try to make sure you do not get them soiled by perspiration, wet from your water bottles, or get rain on them. They won't survive that.

That's it for this time. Hit me with any questions you may have in the comments section, please.

Trans Iowa v12: Checkpoints, Convenience Stores, and Chit-Chat

Trans Iowa multiple finisher, Mike Johnson is making these 3D printed tokens for all the riders.

Three weeks to go, and the time will fly fast! Trans Iowa is about to kick off its twelfth version and before we get there, here are a few tidbits of interest to those in the event and, perhaps, of slight interest to onlookers as well.

First up, I wanted to underscore a point that I've made in the last several Trans Iowa versions. That being- There are NO CONVENIENCE STORES at CHECKPOINTS!! That's right. You will not find anything but cheerful volunteers and a fresh set of cue sheets at checkpoints, so be prepared!!

As always: Be prepared at the start to ride 100 miles with no chance for water or food!!

Convenience stores will be on the route. They just will not be at checkpoints. You will have ample access to convenience stores and the route will go right by several. While the following should not be construed as a comprehensive list of all convenience stores on the route, the overnight section of Trans Iowa will be highlighted by ONE store open all night. There also will be two other chances in the late afternoon/early evening hours before night fall, so be aware that YOU NEED TO MAKE THE CORRECT DECISIONS!! This means YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU.  Should you pass a convenience store and not check to see if you need water or food, you are making a poor choice and will suffer the consequences. Trans Iowa, its directors, volunteers, nor anyone associated with the event are responsible for your nutrition, water, safety, or decision making. It's all on you.

Checkpoint volunteers will have these hats on so you know you aren't dealing with imposters!

Keep in mind that Trans Iowa will also not reveal the location of the second checkpoint, and checkpoint #1 will not be revealed until the Pre-Race Meat-Up. I do this to cut down, eliminate, and dissuade anybody from trying to get out on the route to spectate. Trans Iowa is not a spectator friendly event. I am often asked, after this statement, "But what if a rider needs help?" Well, then that rider can and should call you, (the support person), if there is a need to extract a rider from the course. It isn't that tough to figure out where someone is by the cue sheets if you have a cell phone and an Iowa map. Plus, we strongly urge riders ride in small groups.  This not only ensures a greater chance at finishing the event, but riders can look after one another and in cases where someone needs to bail out, we have found that other riders are more than willing to help out. Bottom line- We don't want, nor do we need, folks gallivanting around the course. It invites cheating, and it is not necessary.

A quick note on cell phones: Riders will be in areas with little, or absolutely no- coverage. You are advised to turn off your cell phones until they are absolutely needed. (UK translation: Cut the power on the mobile unless you want a dead battery.)

That said, we understand that folks want to know how their rider is progressing. You can suggest one of the following two options, or both, to do just that. First, you can purchase a SPOT tracking device and have your rider wear it. They are very reliable and follwing a SPOT tracker of a rider is super easy to do. If this appeals to you and any rider you may know, the option will have to be pursued on your end. Trans Iowa does not offer this option. The second way to keep up with any rider is to encourage them to make call-ins to Trans Iowa Radio sponsored by RidingGravel.com. This is also where I will be updating on the event as well.

There were two, independent reviews of the final cues for the event, and they passed both reviews with flying colors. The final test will be on April 16th when we field check the cues for accuracy and clarity. We will also verify the existence of the roads as being open. Then, and only then will the cues be printed. If there is one thing I have tried to make absolutely as perfect as possible, that would be the cue sheets. Speaking of cue sheets, the size is approximately 4 3/8ths long by 3 7/8ths wide for each sheet, although there may be some variances in that since the sheets are hand cut and complete symmetry is not possible. Also- and this is very important to note-  the cues are not moisture friendly. So, try to make sure you do not get them soiled by perspiration, wet from your water bottles, or get rain on them. They won't survive that.

That's it for this time. Hit me with any questions you may have in the comments section, please.

Trying To Make Lemonade

That's not mud spewed all over, that's sealant from my rear tire.

There was a great plan. Ride home from work the super long way. That would be to go out of Cedar Falls Northward to hit the gravel and cut across Eastward on Mt. Vernon Road to Burton Avenue and then back home. Great plan, and it was really nice weather. Not too windy, sunny, and a light Northwest breeze.

Great plans often get derailed, and that's obviously what happened to me. My almost brand new Gravel King 40 rear tire was cut down somewhere on the Big Woods Lake bike path. A hole, or possibly a cut, so big that almost all my sealant spewed out before 30 seconds went past.

I couldn't get it to seal, and no wonder, since the sealant was all over my bike and not in the tire. I resorted to a tube, pumped it up with my new pump, and then I decided to investigate what it might be that caused the flat tire. I vaguely recalled seeing a large object that I nailed dead on with my rear tire. It shouldn't be too hard to locate, I thought. Well, it wasn't, and I was not surprised to see the reason why I had flatted. The bike path was strewn with broken shards of thick, irregularly shaped glass in a 10' X 10' area. There was no way to not hit glass. I saw the chunk I hit which I had smashed into smaller bits. Crap!

So, here's the deal. Lots and lots of people use this trail, yet not one of them had the idea that maybe they should clear the trail of the glass? My hope in humanity was somewhat dimmed at this realization. Despite following the herd, which would have been too easy, I did the rebellious thing and I actually swept the trail as best I could. You know...... Because it was the right thing to do, maybe?

The Weeping Willow is always one of the first to sprout leaves in Spring. 

Wow. My countenance was not the best after this. Yeah, I was upset about the tire, for sure, but I was maybe more ticked off about people that don't do anything, even when it would be so easy to do the right thing. I had some steam to burn off, so I put it into the big ring and hammered along the bike paths, dirt roads, and back streets along the river to make my way home. Bicycles are a great medicine for what ails ya.

An Iowan bayou?

After several miles, my now cooler head prevailed and I eased back a bit, and even stopped to take in a few sights along the way. Spring is emerging all around us here. Yards have green grass, the flowers are out, the early daffodils and the like are, at any rate. The willows are green and sprouting leaves. Touches of color stand in stark contrast to the dead browns and tans of Winter. In fact, the whole scene will shift from dun colors to the deep greens and splashes of color from flowers very soon. It's all a bit early this year, but that's okay.

Soon I found that I had calmed down. I had a perfectly good tube in the tire now. I was riding. The tire was still working, and I had the satisfaction that I had done something to change the condition of that little spot in the world for the better. Sure, I was still a little sore about what had happened, but I was trying to turn my lemon of a ride, (to start out with), into lemonade. I know.....pretty cheesy, but it mostly worked, and that's what matters most.

Trying To Make Lemonade

That's not mud spewed all over, that's sealant from my rear tire.

There was a great plan. Ride home from work the super long way. That would be to go out of Cedar Falls Northward to hit the gravel and cut across Eastward on Mt. Vernon Road to Burton Avenue and then back home. Great plan, and it was really nice weather. Not too windy, sunny, and a light Northwest breeze.

Great plans often get derailed, and that's obviously what happened to me. My almost brand new Gravel King 40 rear tire was cut down somewhere on the Big Woods Lake bike path. A hole, or possibly a cut, so big that almost all my sealant spewed out before 30 seconds went past.

I couldn't get it to seal, and no wonder, since the sealant was all over my bike and not in the tire. I resorted to a tube, pumped it up with my new pump, and then I decided to investigate what it might be that caused the flat tire. I vaguely recalled seeing a large object that I nailed dead on with my rear tire. It shouldn't be too hard to locate, I thought. Well, it wasn't, and I was not surprised to see the reason why I had flatted. The bike path was strewn with broken shards of thick, irregularly shaped glass in a 10' X 10' area. There was no way to not hit glass. I saw the chunk I hit which I had smashed into smaller bits. Crap!

So, here's the deal. Lots and lots of people use this trail, yet not one of them had the idea that maybe they should clear the trail of the glass? My hope in humanity was somewhat dimmed at this realization. Despite following the herd, which would have been too easy, I did the rebellious thing and I actually swept the trail as best I could. You know...... Because it was the right thing to do, maybe?

The Weeping Willow is always one of the first to sprout leaves in Spring. 

Wow. My countenance was not the best after this. Yeah, I was upset about the tire, for sure, but I was maybe more ticked off about people that don't do anything, even when it would be so easy to do the right thing. I had some steam to burn off, so I put it into the big ring and hammered along the bike paths, dirt roads, and back streets along the river to make my way home. Bicycles are a great medicine for what ails ya.

An Iowan bayou?

After several miles, my now cooler head prevailed and I eased back a bit, and even stopped to take in a few sights along the way. Spring is emerging all around us here. Yards have green grass, the flowers are out, the early daffodils and the like are, at any rate. The willows are green and sprouting leaves. Touches of color stand in stark contrast to the dead browns and tans of Winter. In fact, the whole scene will shift from dun colors to the deep greens and splashes of color from flowers very soon. It's all a bit early this year, but that's okay.

Soon I found that I had calmed down. I had a perfectly good tube in the tire now. I was riding. The tire was still working, and I had the satisfaction that I had done something to change the condition of that little spot in the world for the better. Sure, I was still a little sore about what had happened, but I was trying to turn my lemon of a ride, (to start out with), into lemonade. I know.....pretty cheesy, but it mostly worked, and that's what matters most.

Gravel Travel Saturday

Red sky in the morning, and all that....

Saturday was "gravel travel day" and I was not to be denied a chance at getting out there to enjoy it. I decided that with a forecast that looked to be rainy around the noon hour that leaving a bit earlier than usual was maybe prudent, but I wasn't going to place all my bets on beating the weather. So, I packed a pair of rain pants in the Tangle Bag and wore my Bontrager Lithos Storm shell as a way to ward off any potential showers or rain.

I had a couple of folks indicate that they were going to meet at the usual place to ride with me, but when you get up in the morning with showers in the area, you never know who you might see in the parking lot. I was quite surprised to see Ron waiting when I pulled up. It has been quite some time since I have pedaled on the crushed rock roads with him. That left the other two that indicated they may show up, and within a couple of minutes, Robert and his yellow Fargo appeared on the horizon. We chatted a bit, then Jeremy finally came along, so it would be a foursome. After allowing Jeremy to catch his breath since he was a bit winded from his effort to get there, we left under sullen skies stained with the red of the early morning Sun as she rose in the East.

Being chased by the Three Musketeers of gravel!

I rode the trusty Black Mountain Cycles "Orange Crush" rig. It had all the bags already attached, plus the big reason I took it along- mudguards. I know.... Here in the US we call them "fenders", as a general rule, but after having witnessed first hand what these devices are really good at out on gravel, I'll go along with the UK moniker- mudguards.

I was prepared for the rain to come, and I planned on doing the entire route, the 3GR route, and then, maybe, a bit more. Maybe. I had to clear that with the family first, of course. We headed out with a Southwest wind at our backs, and it seemed easy to go fast, well, at least I thought so. I looked back a couple of times only to find myself off the front. I wasn't meaning to be doing that, but we did hit the first part of the gravel with quite the head of steam, so I guess I was thinking I was just keeping the pace the same. Maybe I wasn't. I don't do computers and devices, as a general rule, so I have no real good idea. All I know was that I felt pretty chipper.

Ivanhoe Road. This is the last we would see of Jeremy for a bit...... There he goes off the front!

Jeremy decided he had some Strava business to attend to, as Robert guessed at when it was happening, and he took a flyer on Ivanhoe Road. We were a bit perplexed at the sudden burst of speed, but we were content to let him go, as we were having a good ride and conversation. The road wound around North and West then we came across Jeremy at the corner where Hilton Road turns South towards the Boy Scout Camp. Then it was my turn to go.

Hilton's rollers are a favorite stretch of road for me, and I often turn on the burners to high and cook myself trying to go as fast as I dare up the short, punchy climbs and down the long, fast slopes past the Boy Scout Camp. Instead of waiting up at the "T" intersection, I hung the left and climbed the slow, lazy curved stretch of gravel up, trying to squeeze out more effort from my now tired legs. Down the following hill, and turning right on Ivory Road, I looked back to see Robert close behind and another figure I assumed was Ron. It turned out that it was Jeremy. Ron had decided to peel off to the West at the intersection and told Jeremy he was headed back to Cedar Falls.

My view most of the way back after we got to Bennington Road

I was starting to feel the effects of my efforts after we gained Black Hawk County once again, and it was then that I recalled that I had a Garage Bag full of gels on board. I took one and ate it while hanging on to the back of Robert and Jeremy. This propelled me down the road again for a bit, but then I started to lag a little once again. I suggested we turn up Burton Avenue, since it made no sense for us to continue on to our starting point. We all had ridden down to the start of the ride.

This would, of course, put us on a more direct course to Cottonwood Canyon, the downtown Waterloo coffee shop, where we would end up stopping at for post ride cups and treats. The place was busy, and the young lady at the counter asked if I wanted breakfast. I thought that was odd, since I've never been asked that any other time we have stopped there. Jeremy reminded me that we had started early, and our infernal pace got us back into town in time for a late breakfast there, had we wanted that. Nice!

Oh, and it never did rain. Not a drop. In fact, the Sun nearly made it clear of the clouds there for a bit during our ride. The rain held off until quite a bit later in the afternoon, but the winds were pretty heavy by the end of our ride, so there was that. Robert continued his pursuit of miles after our stop, but Jeremy and I went back to our respective homes, which I was swiftly taken away from again by my family to go shopping.

At least the day started out right!

Gravel Travel Saturday

Red sky in the morning, and all that....

Saturday was "gravel travel day" and I was not to be denied a chance at getting out there to enjoy it. I decided that with a forecast that looked to be rainy around the noon hour that leaving a bit earlier than usual was maybe prudent, but I wasn't going to place all my bets on beating the weather. So, I packed a pair of rain pants in the Tangle Bag and wore my Bontrager Lithos Storm shell as a way to ward off any potential showers or rain.

I had a couple of folks indicate that they were going to meet at the usual place to ride with me, but when you get up in the morning with showers in the area, you never know who you might see in the parking lot. I was quite surprised to see Ron waiting when I pulled up. It has been quite some time since I have pedaled on the crushed rock roads with him. That left the other two that indicated they may show up, and within a couple of minutes, Robert and his yellow Fargo appeared on the horizon. We chatted a bit, then Jeremy finally came along, so it would be a foursome. After allowing Jeremy to catch his breath since he was a bit winded from his effort to get there, we left under sullen skies stained with the red of the early morning Sun as she rose in the East.

Being chased by the Three Musketeers of gravel!

I rode the trusty Black Mountain Cycles "Orange Crush" rig. It had all the bags already attached, plus the big reason I took it along- mudguards. I know.... Here in the US we call them "fenders", as a general rule, but after having witnessed first hand what these devices are really good at out on gravel, I'll go along with the UK moniker- mudguards.

I was prepared for the rain to come, and I planned on doing the entire route, the 3GR route, and then, maybe, a bit more. Maybe. I had to clear that with the family first, of course. We headed out with a Southwest wind at our backs, and it seemed easy to go fast, well, at least I thought so. I looked back a couple of times only to find myself off the front. I wasn't meaning to be doing that, but we did hit the first part of the gravel with quite the head of steam, so I guess I was thinking I was just keeping the pace the same. Maybe I wasn't. I don't do computers and devices, as a general rule, so I have no real good idea. All I know was that I felt pretty chipper.

Ivanhoe Road. This is the last we would see of Jeremy for a bit...... There he goes off the front!

Jeremy decided he had some Strava business to attend to, as Robert guessed at when it was happening, and he took a flyer on Ivanhoe Road. We were a bit perplexed at the sudden burst of speed, but we were content to let him go, as we were having a good ride and conversation. The road wound around North and West then we came across Jeremy at the corner where Hilton Road turns South towards the Boy Scout Camp. Then it was my turn to go.

Hilton's rollers are a favorite stretch of road for me, and I often turn on the burners to high and cook myself trying to go as fast as I dare up the short, punchy climbs and down the long, fast slopes past the Boy Scout Camp. Instead of waiting up at the "T" intersection, I hung the left and climbed the slow, lazy curved stretch of gravel up, trying to squeeze out more effort from my now tired legs. Down the following hill, and turning right on Ivory Road, I looked back to see Robert close behind and another figure I assumed was Ron. It turned out that it was Jeremy. Ron had decided to peel off to the West at the intersection and told Jeremy he was headed back to Cedar Falls.

My view most of the way back after we got to Bennington Road

I was starting to feel the effects of my efforts after we gained Black Hawk County once again, and it was then that I recalled that I had a Garage Bag full of gels on board. I took one and ate it while hanging on to the back of Robert and Jeremy. This propelled me down the road again for a bit, but then I started to lag a little once again. I suggested we turn up Burton Avenue, since it made no sense for us to continue on to our starting point. We all had ridden down to the start of the ride.

This would, of course, put us on a more direct course to Cottonwood Canyon, the downtown Waterloo coffee shop, where we would end up stopping at for post ride cups and treats. The place was busy, and the young lady at the counter asked if I wanted breakfast. I thought that was odd, since I've never been asked that any other time we have stopped there. Jeremy reminded me that we had started early, and our infernal pace got us back into town in time for a late breakfast there, had we wanted that. Nice!

Oh, and it never did rain. Not a drop. In fact, the Sun nearly made it clear of the clouds there for a bit during our ride. The rain held off until quite a bit later in the afternoon, but the winds were pretty heavy by the end of our ride, so there was that. Robert continued his pursuit of miles after our stop, but Jeremy and I went back to our respective homes, which I was swiftly taken away from again by my family to go shopping.

At least the day started out right!

Happy Easter

A post card entry for T.I.v7 which was held on Easter Day 2011

Not everyone is all about Easter, and that's fine, but if you are, you know the real reason for the day.

It ain't about plastic eggs and Easter hay neither.

My plans are to play my 1990 Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster at the church today and then we all bug out to my Mom and step Dad's place for the afternoon.


So, have a great day, and I'll be back tomorrow with a regular version of the blog for ya'all.

Happy Easter

A post card entry for T.I.v7 which was held on Easter Day 2011

Not everyone is all about Easter, and that's fine, but if you are, you know the real reason for the day.

It ain't about plastic eggs and Easter hay neither.

My plans are to play my 1990 Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster at the church today and then we all bug out to my Mom and step Dad's place for the afternoon.


So, have a great day, and I'll be back tomorrow with a regular version of the blog for ya'all.

Minus Ten Review- 12

Salsa Delgado Disc rims laced to purple Surly hubs for my old Inbred

Ten years ago on the blog I posted about some wheels I built, more 29"er stuff, endurance cycling news, Mike Curiak dropping out of T.I.v2, and more. However; in my review of this past week a decade ago, I saw a mention of a funeral I went to for a fellow cyclist. I didn't give any details beyond what I have written in the last sentence, but today I wanted to touch upon this man's influence on me. Because it was an extraordinary thing that he did.

The man's name was Don. Not a name with much going for it, but the man transcended that name with grace, courage, and kindness. Don had a physical limitation, but you'd never know that. His leg was amputated below the knee on one side. Don never let it slow him down, and in his prime, he could drop you on his road bike like a bad habit. He also had a great sense of humor about his physical being. He'd play practical jokes by pulling off his prosthetic and doing goofy, unexpected things to shock folks. But mostly, he seemed "normal", because, well......he was. 

But that isn't what influenced me. Don was diagnosed with cancer late in his life, and he had to quit work and concentrate on his battle. Don played guitar most of his life, and he was part of a church worship team, like me, so he would stop into the shop once a week to commiserate and share his wisdom, all under the guise of two fellows talking bicycles and guit-boxes. But like I said, it was his perspectives on life that really struck me.

Here was a guy that was suffering and dying, yet he would never let on that he had anything but joy in his heart and a will to encourage his fellow man. I didn't say much on the blog about this back then, just a mention of attending his funeral. But trust me, Don made a big impact on me ten years ago, and I have not forgotten him.

Minus Ten Review- 12

Salsa Delgado Disc rims laced to purple Surly hubs for my old Inbred

Ten years ago on the blog I posted about some wheels I built, more 29"er stuff, endurance cycling news, Mike Curiak dropping out of T.I.v2, and more. However; in my review of this past week a decade ago, I saw a mention of a funeral I went to for a fellow cyclist. I didn't give any details beyond what I have written in the last sentence, but today I wanted to touch upon this man's influence on me. Because it was an extraordinary thing that he did.

The man's name was Don. Not a name with much going for it, but the man transcended that name with grace, courage, and kindness. Don had a physical limitation, but you'd never know that. His leg was amputated below the knee on one side. Don never let it slow him down, and in his prime, he could drop you on his road bike like a bad habit. He also had a great sense of humor about his physical being. He'd play practical jokes by pulling off his prosthetic and doing goofy, unexpected things to shock folks. But mostly, he seemed "normal", because, well......he was. 

But that isn't what influenced me. Don was diagnosed with cancer late in his life, and he had to quit work and concentrate on his battle. Don played guitar most of his life, and he was part of a church worship team, like me, so he would stop into the shop once a week to commiserate and share his wisdom, all under the guise of two fellows talking bicycles and guit-boxes. But like I said, it was his perspectives on life that really struck me.

Here was a guy that was suffering and dying, yet he would never let on that he had anything but joy in his heart and a will to encourage his fellow man. I didn't say much on the blog about this back then, just a mention of attending his funeral. But trust me, Don made a big impact on me ten years ago, and I have not forgotten him.

Friday News And Views

SRAM Eagle 12spd 1X XX-1

Yes, It Is Real:

Remember those leaked images of a SRAM Eagle 12 speed 1X group I had on here a while back? Well, as you may know now, it was a real thing. SRAM introduced the "improved" group yesterday in XX1 and X01 flavors. Yes......they are way expensive. $1417.00 and $1193.00 respectively for all the parts. Which, if you think about that, are only the cassette, shifter, derailleur, crank set, and chain. You can bet that a big chunk of that expense is in the XDome cassette, just like it is for 1 X 11 stuff. And yes....the derailleur, chain, cassette, and chain ring are all proprietary and specific to 12 speed. So, barriers are there for sure.

I had a long chat online about the merits of this system with a friend yesterday. Here are my main thoughts on 1X in general: First of all, try thinking of any vehicle/powertrain combination that is seeking engineering and technology to find ways to make its powertrain have bigger steps between ratios. Yeah...... That would make the powertrain less efficient. So, why do we, as humans, think bigger jumps between gear ratios is a better way to do mountain bike drive trains? By the way, Shimano does not buy into this way of doing things, (bigger gear ratio jumps), and that is why they have resisted the whole 1X drivetrain thing from the beginning. It is not because they couldn't do this.

Secondly, the entire reason for going to the 50T low gear was to erase the complaints against 1 X 11's lack of a low enough gear to compete with 2X10 drive trains, and of course, now 2X11 drive trains. This makes the suite of parts more marketable, but again, not more efficient for "the motor" that drives it all. Other reasons for 1X drive trains are mostly about aesthetics and fashion. "Cleaner" looking, no front derailleur to "mess up" the looks of the bottom bracket area, and an "uncluttered handle bar". Shorter chain stays and suspension designs not possible with front derailleurs can also be touted as "benefits". None of that makes you go faster. Some claim weight benefits, but with a 50T cassette cog spinning back there, can we now start looking at rotational weight as being a negative for this idea? Maybe.... But the big deal here is the jumps between gears and that isn't the best thing for the rider, nor does it promote keeping your momentum up, since your cadence gets jacked with those bigger gear jumps.

The Renegade Gent's Race 6.0 flyer

Renegade Gent's Race:

It is happening again, and so the reboot of the Careless Whispers is going to happen again as well. The sixth running of the Renegade Gent's Race, which has been such a great event for me so far. It is responsible for new friendships and such great times that I never would have had if I had not been invited to ride with three strangers and a Trans Iowa vet back in 2011.

The Gent's Race has been a growing deal since the beginning. I'm not sure this year that it will be bigger than last year, but at about 300 folks, maybe it's big enough! That's not a concern for me though. It's kind of funny how you end up riding with your team, seemingly all alone out in the country, at least a few times during the afternoon. So, no matter how many teams do end up coming, I think that will still be the case again this year. Then there are the times when you are in a bigger group, and that seems to be okay as well. It's a weird dynamic, but it is fun.

So, as I alluded to the other day, I have to pick a rig to go with that day. I am sentimental, so the Black Mountain Cycles rig is high on the list of bikes I will choose. Maybe the Tamland with those big ol' Gravel King 40's. That's the only other bike I've ridden there, I think. Nope! I just checked, and I rode my Vaya one year down there. Oh well...... It isn't like it will matter a whole lot, so whatever I choose will be fine, I am sure.

Nothing "new" to see here..... Move along!

Capitalizing......

Have you noticed more chatter about "gravel this" and "gravel that"? Bigger magazines and websites are all over the "gravel bike" scene now. They are saying things like"do we need these new bikes", and "how to prepare for your first gravel race", like these sorts of things are so unknown and new that they need explanation.

Well, if you've been a long time reader here, you already know all about this stuff. Heck, just look above at my Renegade Gent's Race mention. Notice that it's version six? Trans Iowa is in year 12!! The Dirty Kanza is going on 11 years. I could go on. My Black Mountain Cycles rig is six years old now. My Tamland, a gravel specific rig, is going on four years old now. These things aren't new.

Plus, if you are really paying attention, you'll know that gravel roads were being ridden since gravel roads existed, and gravel events are not all that different from something like a long, 100 mile mountain bike race, or any other cycling competition. Bikes that work on gravel roads have been around a long time. What happened was that the industry forgot about those bikes and chased after the "F-1" style road bikes that the Pro roadies use. Those bikes pretty much suck for gravel roads. Well.....the thousands of miles of gravel roads in the middle of the country, and elsewhere. They just weren't the best idea, and still are not, unless you, well.....you know, do criteriums and actual paved, fully supported road races on closed courses. Nothing wrong with doing that, but bikes drilled in sharp focus for that pursuit flat out suck on gravel. No way to sugar coat that.

So, in those terms, we don't need a "new genre" of bike to do this "all roads" cycling, we need to get back to where we were a long time ago, and we are. This is good. But.......it isn't anything new. Neither are the events. Just keep that in mind when you see all these articles about gravel this and that pop up in the big media productions. I say....Welcome to the party! And...calm down! It's not that big of a deal, y'all. We've been here for years. 

That's all for this week! Get out there and turn some pedals, and have a meaningful and enjoyable Easter for those that observe that. 

Friday News And Views

SRAM Eagle 12spd 1X XX-1

Yes, It Is Real:

Remember those leaked images of a SRAM Eagle 12 speed 1X group I had on here a while back? Well, as you may know now, it was a real thing. SRAM introduced the "improved" group yesterday in XX1 and X01 flavors. Yes......they are way expensive. $1417.00 and $1193.00 respectively for all the parts. Which, if you think about that, are only the cassette, shifter, derailleur, crank set, and chain. You can bet that a big chunk of that expense is in the XDome cassette, just like it is for 1 X 11 stuff. And yes....the derailleur, chain, cassette, and chain ring are all proprietary and specific to 12 speed. So, barriers are there for sure.

I had a long chat online about the merits of this system with a friend yesterday. Here are my main thoughts on 1X in general: First of all, try thinking of any vehicle/powertrain combination that is seeking engineering and technology to find ways to make its powertrain have bigger steps between ratios. Yeah...... That would make the powertrain less efficient. So, why do we, as humans, think bigger jumps between gear ratios is a better way to do mountain bike drive trains? By the way, Shimano does not buy into this way of doing things, (bigger gear ratio jumps), and that is why they have resisted the whole 1X drivetrain thing from the beginning. It is not because they couldn't do this.

Secondly, the entire reason for going to the 50T low gear was to erase the complaints against 1 X 11's lack of a low enough gear to compete with 2X10 drive trains, and of course, now 2X11 drive trains. This makes the suite of parts more marketable, but again, not more efficient for "the motor" that drives it all. Other reasons for 1X drive trains are mostly about aesthetics and fashion. "Cleaner" looking, no front derailleur to "mess up" the looks of the bottom bracket area, and an "uncluttered handle bar". Shorter chain stays and suspension designs not possible with front derailleurs can also be touted as "benefits". None of that makes you go faster. Some claim weight benefits, but with a 50T cassette cog spinning back there, can we now start looking at rotational weight as being a negative for this idea? Maybe.... But the big deal here is the jumps between gears and that isn't the best thing for the rider, nor does it promote keeping your momentum up, since your cadence gets jacked with those bigger gear jumps.

The Renegade Gent's Race 6.0 flyer

Renegade Gent's Race:

It is happening again, and so the reboot of the Careless Whispers is going to happen again as well. The sixth running of the Renegade Gent's Race, which has been such a great event for me so far. It is responsible for new friendships and such great times that I never would have had if I had not been invited to ride with three strangers and a Trans Iowa vet back in 2011.

The Gent's Race has been a growing deal since the beginning. I'm not sure this year that it will be bigger than last year, but at about 300 folks, maybe it's big enough! That's not a concern for me though. It's kind of funny how you end up riding with your team, seemingly all alone out in the country, at least a few times during the afternoon. So, no matter how many teams do end up coming, I think that will still be the case again this year. Then there are the times when you are in a bigger group, and that seems to be okay as well. It's a weird dynamic, but it is fun.

So, as I alluded to the other day, I have to pick a rig to go with that day. I am sentimental, so the Black Mountain Cycles rig is high on the list of bikes I will choose. Maybe the Tamland with those big ol' Gravel King 40's. That's the only other bike I've ridden there, I think. Nope! I just checked, and I rode my Vaya one year down there. Oh well...... It isn't like it will matter a whole lot, so whatever I choose will be fine, I am sure.

Nothing "new" to see here..... Move along!

Capitalizing......

Have you noticed more chatter about "gravel this" and "gravel that"? Bigger magazines and websites are all over the "gravel bike" scene now. They are saying things like"do we need these new bikes", and "how to prepare for your first gravel race", like these sorts of things are so unknown and new that they need explanation.

Well, if you've been a long time reader here, you already know all about this stuff. Heck, just look above at my Renegade Gent's Race mention. Notice that it's version six? Trans Iowa is in year 12!! The Dirty Kanza is going on 11 years. I could go on. My Black Mountain Cycles rig is six years old now. My Tamland, a gravel specific rig, is going on four years old now. These things aren't new.

Plus, if you are really paying attention, you'll know that gravel roads were being ridden since gravel roads existed, and gravel events are not all that different from something like a long, 100 mile mountain bike race, or any other cycling competition. Bikes that work on gravel roads have been around a long time. What happened was that the industry forgot about those bikes and chased after the "F-1" style road bikes that the Pro roadies use. Those bikes pretty much suck for gravel roads. Well.....the thousands of miles of gravel roads in the middle of the country, and elsewhere. They just weren't the best idea, and still are not, unless you, well.....you know, do criteriums and actual paved, fully supported road races on closed courses. Nothing wrong with doing that, but bikes drilled in sharp focus for that pursuit flat out suck on gravel. No way to sugar coat that.

So, in those terms, we don't need a "new genre" of bike to do this "all roads" cycling, we need to get back to where we were a long time ago, and we are. This is good. But.......it isn't anything new. Neither are the events. Just keep that in mind when you see all these articles about gravel this and that pop up in the big media productions. I say....Welcome to the party! And...calm down! It's not that big of a deal, y'all. We've been here for years. 

That's all for this week! Get out there and turn some pedals, and have a meaningful and enjoyable Easter for those that observe that. 

Weather Affected Alternative Activities

Wednesday- My day off to do "other stuff", which I was hoping would be a metric ride on gravel for my Cuo-O-Dirt series, but the weather was predicted to be craptastic, and I wasn't about to deal with high winds, rain, and temperatures in the low 30's. I've seen what that is like back last April at T.I.v11. So, since I seem to have a distinct dislike of hypothermia, I decided to tackle some T.I.v12 business. Emails needed to be sent out, and there was a bit of a surprise in terms of sponsorship which came up.

The "herding of cats" as it applied to getting responses back on meal orders for the Pre-Race Meat-Up were avoided this year, since the Grinnell Steakhouse said to me that it wasn't necessary on their end for me to gather that intel anymore. No worries! I was glad to avoid that bothersome task. Now all I had to do was make sure people actually got the e-mail I sent, and that was mostly done with no issues. I had a few pingbacks, but all were covered within a few hours time.

Prototype cue sheet holders from BarYak.com

Then about mid-day I got a ping on Facebook from BarYak.com that was telling me I could expect a couple of their brand spankin' newly designed and prototype cue sheet holders as prizing for Trans Iowa. Wow! These aren't even available quite yet, and we're getting them to add to the prizing for T.I.v11.

The really interesting thing is that BarYak is a company started out by a Trans Iowa vet, so things like the cue sheet holder were actually inspired by events like Trans Iowa. That's pretty cool to know. Check out the BarYak story here.

Then I posted a great Land Run 100 recap by Uncle Dudley, a guy from Kansas who also puts on the event Gravel Ride For Masie's Pride. So, editing that and publishing it took up a chunk of the day. Then I got to get down to the G-Ted Labs to do some fiddlin' with the Karate Monkey. I finally found something that will look good and not cost a ton that will slow me down when I need to. More on that soon.

So, a busy day of not riding bikes. We'll see about that big gravel ride on Saturday, hopefully.

Weather Affected Alternative Activities

Wednesday- My day off to do "other stuff", which I was hoping would be a metric ride on gravel for my Cuo-O-Dirt series, but the weather was predicted to be craptastic, and I wasn't about to deal with high winds, rain, and temperatures in the low 30's. I've seen what that is like back last April at T.I.v11. So, since I seem to have a distinct dislike of hypothermia, I decided to tackle some T.I.v12 business. Emails needed to be sent out, and there was a bit of a surprise in terms of sponsorship which came up.

The "herding of cats" as it applied to getting responses back on meal orders for the Pre-Race Meat-Up were avoided this year, since the Grinnell Steakhouse said to me that it wasn't necessary on their end for me to gather that intel anymore. No worries! I was glad to avoid that bothersome task. Now all I had to do was make sure people actually got the e-mail I sent, and that was mostly done with no issues. I had a few pingbacks, but all were covered within a few hours time.

Prototype cue sheet holders from BarYak.com

Then about mid-day I got a ping on Facebook from BarYak.com that was telling me I could expect a couple of their brand spankin' newly designed and prototype cue sheet holders as prizing for Trans Iowa. Wow! These aren't even available quite yet, and we're getting them to add to the prizing for T.I.v11.

The really interesting thing is that BarYak is a company started out by a Trans Iowa vet, so things like the cue sheet holder were actually inspired by events like Trans Iowa. That's pretty cool to know. Check out the BarYak story here.

Then I posted a great Land Run 100 recap by Uncle Dudley, a guy from Kansas who also puts on the event Gravel Ride For Masie's Pride. So, editing that and publishing it took up a chunk of the day. Then I got to get down to the G-Ted Labs to do some fiddlin' with the Karate Monkey. I finally found something that will look good and not cost a ton that will slow me down when I need to. More on that soon.

So, a busy day of not riding bikes. We'll see about that big gravel ride on Saturday, hopefully.

Switcheroo

Tight!

Okay, so I've had these Gravel King 40's on for a bit, (See my review of them so far HERE), and I put them on the Twin Six Standard Rando first. I thought that is where they would fit the best, since these tires have less tall tread blocks than the Nano 40 TCS tires have. Those Nanos ended up being 42mm on the wide, KOM i25 rims, so the thinking was that the GK's would be better here and I thought everything was going to work out. Bzzzt! Wrong!

The GK's stretched, a lot! Initially they did look better, and there was a decent air space there under the momo-stay and fork crown. However; that all disappeared within about 24 hours of having mounted them. The measurement just after inflation wasn't taken, but I am going to say these things grew at least a couple of millimeters all around. I was floored when I put the calipers on them and they read 43.11mm!

Well, that was just too much for the ol' Standard Rando as I said last Saturday here. Something had to be done about that. I couldn't be having small chunks of gravel jamming in between the tire and fork crown or under the mono-stay in the rear. They already were doing that with the Nano 40's. So, I did the ol' switcheroo. It occurred to me that now I have two eleven speed wheel sets. I had almost forgotten about the Tamland Two's Ultegra 11 speed drive train.

Big tires? Not a problem here!

I had tried out some 2.0" 29"er tires on a whim on the Tamland once. They were WTB Nineline tires. They were too big, because they had no mud clearance at all, but they both spun in the frame freely! That knowledge suddenly came back to me as well, so I already knew these GK's would work. I simply swapped wheel sets and bam! There ya go. Clearance for days and the Standard Rando has the tires on it that it should have now.

MUCH better now!

Lesson learned. Bigger gravel tires go on the Tamland, 35mm-38mm tires go on the Twin Six. The wheels that were on the Tamland are nothing spectacular, but they are decent wheels, as I have had zero issues with them in two years of pretty demanding riding at times. The wheels are set up with tubed Challenge Gravel Grinders, and those are really pretty nice tires. I've never even thought about converting those wheels to tubeless, and I don't think I will. If anything, I'd just re-lace the hubs to new tubeless ready rims at some point.

But that's for another time. Now I have the wheel set with the big meats in a frame and fork where everything fits comfortably, and the Standard Rando is fit to be ridden without fear of tearing up tires, the frame and fork, and me! This is a good thing. Now I did set up those wheels for the Standard Rando, but they always can be switched back and mounted with, say the 36mm Clements, and I think that should fit just fine. I think I may do that eventually.

Now I just have to decide upon which bike I want to ride at the upcoming Gents Race. I wanted to run my new wheels and tires in the T-6, but those are on the Tamland now, so maybe I'll just go with that. Or I could just ride the old standby- the Black Mountain Cycles "Orange Crush" rig. Heck, that's the bike I've used the most down there for that event. It's almost a tradition!