Trans Iowa v12: Stop This Game

When I started this series on Trans Iowa v12 I mentioned that there was a lot of behind the scenes drama this time. Well, there was and some of it was pretty dismaying. It is a side of Trans Iowa I usually don't talk about, but I think it is high time to have a little "full disclosure".  Everything has its bad side, its negatives, and things that aren't all that fun to deal with. Here's a list of things from this edition of Trans Iowa.   

First off, I was made aware that an individual that came to Trans Iowa to help support a rider was, well......drunk and out of order. So much so that this individual was being inappropriate to others and got "sick" in a public hot tub at a motel where other riders were staying for the event. I heard from a good friend that went down to use this hot tub that it was a complete mess and that there was even more vomit spread elsewhere in a public area. A worker at the motel was so upset that they were crying as they had to clean up the mess.

Really? 

Besides the completely obvious, many don't know that I sign a contract with the motels to guarantee the room blocks get filled up which has a clause about damages to rooms which I could be liable for. In this instance, it was a mess made in the common area, but still..... Just stop it already! This isn't high school prom or a college beer party. Grow up! Sheesh.....This is something that needs to be discussed and I am going to put it out there in the hopes that with the knowledge that stuff like this is going on, maybe the gravel cycling community can police itself and knock this nonsense off.

The scene at CP#1

Okay, so then after the Meat-Up, I find out someone is missing a page out of their cue sheets. Bah! Well, we had extras and I hit the fellow up at the start line with a spare. No problem. But then after CP#1, we had a guy missing pages in his set of cues. He hooked up with a following rider, then we had no further issues with cue sheets, but you start worrying, you know.

Then at Deep River some of the riders were being approached by an emergency vehicle on a gravel road just outside of the village and did not yield the road way. Look.....red lights, sirens blaring.... You get the hell out of the way, right? I'm sorry, but this is unacceptable behavior. It really bugs me that people would not take a few seconds to just get out of the way. It's not going to affect the ride and their time. There is no excuse. Had I seen it, I would have DQ'ed the offending riders right then and there.

Well, that wasn't the end of it, as I had to apologize to the Deep River head of the EMS department which was necessary, but only because of some boneheaded riders actions. We're better than this folks. Really, we are.

Contested ground at Checkpoint #2

Next up was some tense moments at the location of Checkpoint #2 when we set up to receive the riders. Of course, we had the issue with the re-route, but that was well in hand. The Checkpoint seemed a benign deal, until we were approached by a local farmer, who was concerned that we were along the lines of what they normally see around there. Folks that tear up the dirt road with their cars, turn around on their land, and then get stuck. Finally, these nere do wells approach their farm asking for a pull out of the mud. Well, there also was the issue of "parking on their land", amongst other things. We were able to assuage the farmer's fears, and after some discussions, we were on good terms. But, that could have gone poorly and we may have had some problems with our checkpoint location. Even though we were on a public roadway. In the end, it was not a big deal, but it added to the stress levels.

Then we had a volunteer's wife get ill back home and she had to be taken to the hospital. That volunteer was released to go back home immediately, of course, but we were very concerned for that situation during the remainder of Saturday and Sunday. I should say that everything turned out well with them, so no worries now. 

I should also mention that we had a rider hit a large dog, go down, and separate his shoulder. More bad stuff to deal with, but again, it worked out okay and we were able to move along. Things went smoothly Saturday afternoon, night, and Sunday, until we couldn't track down a couple of riders. One called the wrong number to DNF, and the other forgot. That happens every year, but on top of the rest of the stuff that happened, it was not what I was looking forward to at the end of a long weekend.

I felt inside my brain like Josh Lederman felt here at the end of T.I.v12

Then there is the usual let down at the end of any Trans Iowa. Most of you have no idea what I go through, but after all the hoopla, stress, and worry of any Trans Iowa, I find myself alone and completely exhausted at the finish line area. It is really, really tough on me, not only physically, but mentally. It is a time I usually have to fight my demons and try to stay "up". This sometimes carries on for only an hour or so, but sometimes it can be a couple of days. These days, depression is talked about a lot more than it used to be, so I don't mind saying that I find post-Trans Iowa a time that can be a real struggle with that. This year things were compounded when on the Tuesday after the event my Grandmother died.

So, when you see me writing or hear me talking about not thinking about a future Trans Iowa, or maybe even talking about it not happening, maybe, ever again, that is real. I'm not joking, and these things I have outlined today all contribute to that feeling that I just want out. Stop this game. Walk away. Be free.

This isn't a post many of you thought you'd ever expect me to write about Trans Iowa. However; it is a side of putting this on that has always been there. Every year there is some level of drama, life happenings, and stress and yes- depression- that happens with this deal. It is a side of Trans Iowa that hasn't "won out" yet, but I have struggled mightily with it over the years. I figured it was about time to just get that out there.

Now you know.

Next: Photograph

Trans Iowa v12: Stop This Game

When I started this series on Trans Iowa v12 I mentioned that there was a lot of behind the scenes drama this time. Well, there was and some of it was pretty dismaying. It is a side of Trans Iowa I usually don't talk about, but I think it is high time to have a little "full disclosure".  Everything has its bad side, its negatives, and things that aren't all that fun to deal with. Here's a list of things from this edition of Trans Iowa.   

First off, I was made aware that an individual that came to Trans Iowa to help support a rider was, well......drunk and out of order. So much so that this individual was being inappropriate to others and got "sick" in a public hot tub at a motel where other riders were staying for the event. I heard from a good friend that went down to use this hot tub that it was a complete mess and that there was even more vomit spread elsewhere in a public area. A worker at the motel was so upset that they were crying as they had to clean up the mess.

Really? 

Besides the completely obvious, many don't know that I sign a contract with the motels to guarantee the room blocks get filled up which has a clause about damages to rooms which I could be liable for. In this instance, it was a mess made in the common area, but still..... Just stop it already! This isn't high school prom or a college beer party. Grow up! Sheesh.....This is something that needs to be discussed and I am going to put it out there in the hopes that with the knowledge that stuff like this is going on, maybe the gravel cycling community can police itself and knock this nonsense off.

The scene at CP#1

Okay, so then after the Meat-Up, I find out someone is missing a page out of their cue sheets. Bah! Well, we had extras and I hit the fellow up at the start line with a spare. No problem. But then after CP#1, we had a guy missing pages in his set of cues. He hooked up with a following rider, then we had no further issues with cue sheets, but you start worrying, you know.

Then at Deep River some of the riders were being approached by an emergency vehicle on a gravel road just outside of the village and did not yield the road way. Look.....red lights, sirens blaring.... You get the hell out of the way, right? I'm sorry, but this is unacceptable behavior. It really bugs me that people would not take a few seconds to just get out of the way. It's not going to affect the ride and their time. There is no excuse. Had I seen it, I would have DQ'ed the offending riders right then and there.

Well, that wasn't the end of it, as I had to apologize to the Deep River head of the EMS department which was necessary, but only because of some boneheaded riders actions. We're better than this folks. Really, we are.

Contested ground at Checkpoint #2

Next up was some tense moments at the location of Checkpoint #2 when we set up to receive the riders. Of course, we had the issue with the re-route, but that was well in hand. The Checkpoint seemed a benign deal, until we were approached by a local farmer, who was concerned that we were along the lines of what they normally see around there. Folks that tear up the dirt road with their cars, turn around on their land, and then get stuck. Finally, these nere do wells approach their farm asking for a pull out of the mud. Well, there also was the issue of "parking on their land", amongst other things. We were able to assuage the farmer's fears, and after some discussions, we were on good terms. But, that could have gone poorly and we may have had some problems with our checkpoint location. Even though we were on a public roadway. In the end, it was not a big deal, but it added to the stress levels.

Then we had a volunteer's wife get ill back home and she had to be taken to the hospital. That volunteer was released to go back home immediately, of course, but we were very concerned for that situation during the remainder of Saturday and Sunday. I should say that everything turned out well with them, so no worries now. 

I should also mention that we had a rider hit a large dog, go down, and separate his shoulder. More bad stuff to deal with, but again, it worked out okay and we were able to move along. Things went smoothly Saturday afternoon, night, and Sunday, until we couldn't track down a couple of riders. One called the wrong number to DNF, and the other forgot. That happens every year, but on top of the rest of the stuff that happened, it was not what I was looking forward to at the end of a long weekend.

I felt inside my brain like Josh Lederman felt here at the end of T.I.v12

Then there is the usual let down at the end of any Trans Iowa. Most of you have no idea what I go through, but after all the hoopla, stress, and worry of any Trans Iowa, I find myself alone and completely exhausted at the finish line area. It is really, really tough on me, not only physically, but mentally. It is a time I usually have to fight my demons and try to stay "up". This sometimes carries on for only an hour or so, but sometimes it can be a couple of days. These days, depression is talked about a lot more than it used to be, so I don't mind saying that I find post-Trans Iowa a time that can be a real struggle with that. This year things were compounded when on the Tuesday after the event my Grandmother died.

So, when you see me writing or hear me talking about not thinking about a future Trans Iowa, or maybe even talking about it not happening, maybe, ever again, that is real. I'm not joking, and these things I have outlined today all contribute to that feeling that I just want out. Stop this game. Walk away. Be free.

This isn't a post many of you thought you'd ever expect me to write about Trans Iowa. However; it is a side of putting this on that has always been there. Every year there is some level of drama, life happenings, and stress and yes- depression- that happens with this deal. It is a side of Trans Iowa that hasn't "won out" yet, but I have struggled mightily with it over the years. I figured it was about time to just get that out there.

Now you know.

Next: Photograph

Trans Iowa V12: American Horse

Me with Travis (L) and Al Brunner. The first father-son combo to finish in the same T.I.

Yesterday I spoke about the heroes that are unsung in Trans Iowa, and there are more than I mentioned. However; like I said, this is about T.I.v12 stuff that has struck me as being cool, important, or noteworthy.

One of those things is the event itself. I heard from a few folks before, during, and afterward about what they feel makes Trans Iowa so special. Many have picked up on the vibe and have commented on how they appreciated me keeping the thing strict to its roots and values. It isn't an easy ship to steer in this sort of "get bigger and better" culture. Not that some events and event directors haven't been successful doing that, because clearly, they have. I guess it just is defined by what you term as "success". Success, in regards to Trans Iowa, doesn't look anything like "bigger and better" and it never could.

I won't get into the reasons why I feel Trans Iowa couldn't be bigger and better, but I will say that it remains different, and I don't think anyone can disagree on that point. My wife, Mrs Guitar Ted, and I were discussing this just the other day. You can find a lot of events that are just big time deals, or that grow every year till they are that "big time deal", and with that, certain amenities are added, features are added, and many times that starts to cost the entrant more money. Hopefully the services rendered and experiences gained are worth the cash outlay. At least, that's the hope, and the sincere desire, of the promoters.

CP#2: Nuthin' fancy, but it gets the job done.

It is rare to find the event that doesn't get bigger, better, or change all that much. It is rare to find that event which has a spirit and feel that remain true year to year, and that hasn't changed going all the way back to its inception. My point to Mrs. Guitar Ted was that this is something that resonates with a few folks. You can't bottle it and sell it. Although, people will try to do that for you. People will try to nudge you into making it "bigger and better". So far, I think I've resisted that urge.

The event known as Trans Iowa isn't the only one that is like this, by any means, and there are great events doing similar things to Trans Iowa. They are out there keeping that steady hand, not changing, and attracting those that don't want that spit shined, polished event production. Some say it is the "grassroots" American gravel grinding ethos. Maybe it is. Some say these events are not races. Some say that they aren't events at all, because they don't have timing chips, "proper" finish line areas, or prizes. Whatever.

It's maybe a unique, "horse of a different color" kind of thing that you either get or you don't get. Whatever side you find yourself on regarding that view, Trans Iowa is like an American Horse, and its spirit will never be broken as long as I am running it.

Next: Stop This Game

Trans Iowa V12: American Horse

Me with Travis (L) and Al Brunner. The first father-son combo to finish in the same T.I.

Yesterday I spoke about the heroes that are unsung in Trans Iowa, and there are more than I mentioned. However; like I said, this is about T.I.v12 stuff that has struck me as being cool, important, or noteworthy.

One of those things is the event itself. I heard from a few folks before, during, and afterward about what they feel makes Trans Iowa so special. Many have picked up on the vibe and have commented on how they appreciated me keeping the thing strict to its roots and values. It isn't an easy ship to steer in this sort of "get bigger and better" culture. Not that some events and event directors haven't been successful doing that, because clearly, they have. I guess it just is defined by what you term as "success". Success, in regards to Trans Iowa, doesn't look anything like "bigger and better" and it never could.

I won't get into the reasons why I feel Trans Iowa couldn't be bigger and better, but I will say that it remains different, and I don't think anyone can disagree on that point. My wife, Mrs Guitar Ted, and I were discussing this just the other day. You can find a lot of events that are just big time deals, or that grow every year till they are that "big time deal", and with that, certain amenities are added, features are added, and many times that starts to cost the entrant more money. Hopefully the services rendered and experiences gained are worth the cash outlay. At least, that's the hope, and the sincere desire, of the promoters.

CP#2: Nuthin' fancy, but it gets the job done.

It is rare to find the event that doesn't get bigger, better, or change all that much. It is rare to find that event which has a spirit and feel that remain true year to year, and that hasn't changed going all the way back to its inception. My point to Mrs. Guitar Ted was that this is something that resonates with a few folks. You can't bottle it and sell it. Although, people will try to do that for you. People will try to nudge you into making it "bigger and better". So far, I think I've resisted that urge.

The event known as Trans Iowa isn't the only one that is like this, by any means, and there are great events doing similar things to Trans Iowa. They are out there keeping that steady hand, not changing, and attracting those that don't want that spit shined, polished event production. Some say it is the "grassroots" American gravel grinding ethos. Maybe it is. Some say these events are not races. Some say that they aren't events at all, because they don't have timing chips, "proper" finish line areas, or prizes. Whatever.

It's maybe a unique, "horse of a different color" kind of thing that you either get or you don't get. Whatever side you find yourself on regarding that view, Trans Iowa is like an American Horse, and its spirit will never be broken as long as I am running it.

Next: Stop This Game

Trans Iowa V12: Heroes

Wally Kilburg, photographer and TI hero, making us look like heroes.

You know, a lot of the time we tend to focus on the winners, or the people we think are steering the ship in an organization, team, or event. However; in any endeavor, I am of the opinion that there are unsung heroes. People that have much more importance than we may know.

There are time limits in Trans Iowa, and as many of you know, if you miss them, you are done, in terms of the event. It was set up this way to weed out slower folks and so we wouldn't have to be standing at the finish line and checkpoints waiting on riders for hours and hours. We have jobs and families, so waiting until Monday morning for you to finish is not an option. By missing a checkpoint, you don't get cues for the next section, so your ride is essentially done. However, back in T.I.v8, a few riders figured out that if they made checkpoint two, the last one, that they could finish on the route despite missing the 2:00pm cut off time.

Since then we've had probably at least one person a year, with exception of last year, that came in far past the cut off time. So it was to be again this year. Three folks who gutted it out, despite knowing that they had no chance of getting an "official finish".

A couple of heroes, just for one day. Image by Jon Vandis.

Two of these folks were first timers to the event. Crystal Wintle and Jon Vandis. Thinking about that, it occurs to me that if you, or most anyone else I know of, were knowingly going to fall short of a challenge, especially one so tough, I think most of us would just throw in the towel. I mean, why torture yourself? 

I don't know the answer to that, but I do know that when I drove away from T.I.v12's finish area, it was just as we left it. A nice green park. No traces of Trans Iowa ever having been there were evident, yet here these two are, smiling like champions where that finish line was for them. They reached the end of the cues, and took away a personal satisfaction that they had just knocked off 340 miles in one sitting. Amazing! Truly heroic.

There were three of these folks though, like I said before, and perhaps the last fellow out on the course of T.I.v12 is the most curious, in a way.

Scott McConnell coming to the intersection of E 84th St N & HWY 14

His name is Scott McConnell. A past Tour Divide finisher, Scott has finished outside the time limit at Trans Iowa three times now. Three. That's absolutely incredible, and I'll tell you why....

Just the other day a few of us were remarking on how the fast guys are out there for what? 24 hours to 30 hours? Okay, so taking that into account, think about this image of Scott, the last image I took during T.I.v12, well......actually after it was over! Anyway, consider that in this image Scott is still 15 miles out and it is 4:00pm in the afternoon! That's 36 hours folks, and he was battling 20+ mph head winds, heat, fatigue, and still finished the route later that afternoon. 

Now, I don't give out any "Official" recognition for finishing outside the time limits of Trans Iowa. It is a challenge that you either overcome, or that you do not overcome. However; that doesn't mean these folks aren't champions. It doesn't make them "less" for not being on the "official finisher's list", and in many ways, I feel they are the toughest, most determined Trans Iowa riders the event has ever seen. You could call them my heroes.

Heroes, just for one day......

Next: American Horse

Trans Iowa V12: Heroes

Wally Kilburg, photographer and TI hero, making us look like heroes.

You know, a lot of the time we tend to focus on the winners, or the people we think are steering the ship in an organization, team, or event. However; in any endeavor, I am of the opinion that there are unsung heroes. People that have much more importance than we may know.

There are time limits in Trans Iowa, and as many of you know, if you miss them, you are done, in terms of the event. It was set up this way to weed out slower folks and so we wouldn't have to be standing at the finish line and checkpoints waiting on riders for hours and hours. We have jobs and families, so waiting until Monday morning for you to finish is not an option. By missing a checkpoint, you don't get cues for the next section, so your ride is essentially done. However, back in T.I.v8, a few riders figured out that if they made checkpoint two, the last one, that they could finish on the route despite missing the 2:00pm cut off time.

Since then we've had probably at least one person a year, with exception of last year, that came in far past the cut off time. So it was to be again this year. Three folks who gutted it out, despite knowing that they had no chance of getting an "official finish".

A couple of heroes, just for one day. Image by Jon Vandis.

Two of these folks were first timers to the event. Crystal Wintle and Jon Vandis. Thinking about that, it occurs to me that if you, or most anyone else I know of, were knowingly going to fall short of a challenge, especially one so tough, I think most of us would just throw in the towel. I mean, why torture yourself? 

I don't know the answer to that, but I do know that when I drove away from T.I.v12's finish area, it was just as we left it. A nice green park. No traces of Trans Iowa ever having been there were evident, yet here these two are, smiling like champions where that finish line was for them. They reached the end of the cues, and took away a personal satisfaction that they had just knocked off 340 miles in one sitting. Amazing! Truly heroic.

There were three of these folks though, like I said before, and perhaps the last fellow out on the course of T.I.v12 is the most curious, in a way.

Scott McConnell coming to the intersection of E 84th St N & HWY 14

His name is Scott McConnell. A past Tour Divide finisher, Scott has finished outside the time limit at Trans Iowa three times now. Three. That's absolutely incredible, and I'll tell you why....

Just the other day a few of us were remarking on how the fast guys are out there for what? 24 hours to 30 hours? Okay, so taking that into account, think about this image of Scott, the last image I took during T.I.v12, well......actually after it was over! Anyway, consider that in this image Scott is still 15 miles out and it is 4:00pm in the afternoon! That's 36 hours folks, and he was battling 20+ mph head winds, heat, fatigue, and still finished the route later that afternoon. 

Now, I don't give out any "Official" recognition for finishing outside the time limits of Trans Iowa. It is a challenge that you either overcome, or that you do not overcome. However; that doesn't mean these folks aren't champions. It doesn't make them "less" for not being on the "official finisher's list", and in many ways, I feel they are the toughest, most determined Trans Iowa riders the event has ever seen. You could call them my heroes.

Heroes, just for one day......

Next: American Horse

Trans Iowa v12: Gypsy Road

 I'm drivin' all night . I end up in the same ol' place.

The second deal that I can think of that was important for me on this- or any- Trans Iowa, is the roads. The condition of them, what they show me, where they take me, and just being out there on them. Sure....being on a bicycle is better, but Trans Iowa has evolved into this roving band of gypsies not only on bicycles, but in the chase vehicles as well.

Now days we have three, sometimes four of us roaming around in cars doing things that are unseen or unknown by the riders. Sometimes the things we're doing are evident. The riders see us out there, sure, but sometimes, unless they are the front runners, they do not see us at all. I would fall into that former category. It's a weird existence for two days, but it also is a great time now. It wasn't always so fun though!

I won't get into it too much, but those years where I was out on my own in the "Dirty Blue Box", or the truck were hard. Really hard. Once David Pals came on board for T.I.v4, I realized that I didn't need to repeat the nearly catastrophic trip I endured coming home from v3, and having someone to hang out with all weekend was fun. After David left Trans Iowa I missed that for a few years, which were the really hard years. Last year I was going fix that by putting MG in the passenger's seat, but v11 was pretty much a bust. So, for v12, MG asked if it would make it easier on me if he drove and I played the role of event director. Wow........that was a great idea! 

Steeper than it looks, really off camber and rutted. Oh....and this is the widest part of the road! It gets narrower on top.

Sometimes we make wrong turns too!

 So, MG brought his wife's Forrester and we put that all wheel drive vehicle to the test. We drove it all the way through 270th in Tama County, which, if you were in Trans Iowa this year, you know was no small feat. For those of you unfamiliar with that "road", and I use that term loosely, it is a dirt scar cut through a ravine and a hillside that is barely wide enough for one small sized car, and has ruts eroded into it which are 4-5 feet deep in spots. Not only that, but the gradient is pretty steep. MG expertly navigated us through this road, and well, we just had to celebrate that fact. A quick pull on the flask for each of us, and then back at it. More miles to go!

Tony and Mike were having their own adventure, and that included a wrong turn on a super muddy Level B that went steeply up a hillside. After some scrambling, Tony realized he had a rear axle lock out and he used it! He revved the 302, dropped in in drive, and all four wheels spat out clay and mud while the truck lurched forward, pitching sideways, jumping in the air, and spurning the earth under its four wheels. It was a sight to behold, and MG and I were cheering like college boys at a bowl game.

My coworker Andy brought down a relatives 1980's era Winnebago and we slept in that Friday night. Just another way Trans Iowa feels like a road trip for me. The whole event, in a way, is like playing hooky on the World for me. Sleeping in strange places, running around in the hinterlands, goofing off, spending time with good people, and just generally dropping out for a while. Sure, there is the event, and running it isn't easy, but playing the part of a wandering soul on a gypsy road is kind of fun for a while.

Next: Heroes

Trans Iowa v12: Gypsy Road

 I'm drivin' all night . I end up in the same ol' place.

The second deal that I can think of that was important for me on this- or any- Trans Iowa, is the roads. The condition of them, what they show me, where they take me, and just being out there on them. Sure....being on a bicycle is better, but Trans Iowa has evolved into this roving band of gypsies not only on bicycles, but in the chase vehicles as well.

Now days we have three, sometimes four of us roaming around in cars doing things that are unseen or unknown by the riders. Sometimes the things we're doing are evident. The riders see us out there, sure, but sometimes, unless they are the front runners, they do not see us at all. I would fall into that former category. It's a weird existence for two days, but it also is a great time now. It wasn't always so fun though!

I won't get into it too much, but those years where I was out on my own in the "Dirty Blue Box", or the truck were hard. Really hard. Once David Pals came on board for T.I.v4, I realized that I didn't need to repeat the nearly catastrophic trip I endured coming home from v3, and having someone to hang out with all weekend was fun. After David left Trans Iowa I missed that for a few years, which were the really hard years. Last year I was going fix that by putting MG in the passenger's seat, but v11 was pretty much a bust. So, for v12, MG asked if it would make it easier on me if he drove and I played the role of event director. Wow........that was a great idea! 

Steeper than it looks, really off camber and rutted. Oh....and this is the widest part of the road! It gets narrower on top.

Sometimes we make wrong turns too!

 So, MG brought his wife's Forrester and we put that all wheel drive vehicle to the test. We drove it all the way through 270th in Tama County, which, if you were in Trans Iowa this year, you know was no small feat. For those of you unfamiliar with that "road", and I use that term loosely, it is a dirt scar cut through a ravine and a hillside that is barely wide enough for one small sized car, and has ruts eroded into it which are 4-5 feet deep in spots. Not only that, but the gradient is pretty steep. MG expertly navigated us through this road, and well, we just had to celebrate that fact. A quick pull on the flask for each of us, and then back at it. More miles to go!

Tony and Mike were having their own adventure, and that included a wrong turn on a super muddy Level B that went steeply up a hillside. After some scrambling, Tony realized he had a rear axle lock out and he used it! He revved the 302, dropped in in drive, and all four wheels spat out clay and mud while the truck lurched forward, pitching sideways, jumping in the air, and spurning the earth under its four wheels. It was a sight to behold, and MG and I were cheering like college boys at a bowl game.

My coworker Andy brought down a relatives 1980's era Winnebago and we slept in that Friday night. Just another way Trans Iowa feels like a road trip for me. The whole event, in a way, is like playing hooky on the World for me. Sleeping in strange places, running around in the hinterlands, goofing off, spending time with good people, and just generally dropping out for a while. Sure, there is the event, and running it isn't easy, but playing the part of a wandering soul on a gypsy road is kind of fun for a while.

Next: Heroes

Trans Iowa v12: With A Little Help From My Friends

The Truck With No Name wasn't the only thing toting a lighter load this year!

Trans Iowa v12's report is going to look a little different this year than it has in years past for other Trans Iowa events. After doing the event for 12 years, the reports all start looking the same. Pre-Race Meat-Up, starting line, yada-yada-yada..... Samo-ol, same-ol. Blah....

So I was thinking that instead of the same old formula, I would just hit the things that impressed me the most about putting this on again. I am going to speak to some of the "inner workings" of Trans Iowa. Some of the stuff no one sees, and few know about, maybe. If it is a race break down you want, well, you won't get that from me this year. There are a billion Facebook posts that will satisfy that craving if that is your cup of tea. Blogs are dead for that. Everybody just does a Facebook post with an image and Bam! Movin' on.........

Okay, so the first thing I wanted to say about T.I.v12 is that I have some amazing friends. Just amazing. That wasn't always the case. Four years ago, when I was left with doing a Trans Iowa without a partner, I was driven by the singular theory that goes something like this: "if ya want it done right, do it yerself! The ball had been dropped in many ways over the previous years in areas that I was not going to allow to be anything less than perfect going into T.I.v8. I had a belly full o fire, and it carried me on through that one with a good result. But that wasn't a "sustainable model", so to speak.

Friends: The most valuable asset a man can have.

I made it through Trans Iowas 9 and 10 merely based upon a goal of quitting after 10. However; during those years I found out that letting go of the reins a bit was feeling good. I had gained a few friends that were coming alongside of me to partner in the effort that it takes to produce one of these deals. People that are integral to the event, like Jeremy Fry, Wally Kilburg, George Keslin, Mike Baggio, Arik Gum, Mike Johnson, Tony McGrane, Steve Fuller, and my brother from another mother, Matt Gersib.

So, proceeding past T.I.v10 became a reality, mostly due to how I gained these friends and because of their talents and abilities. The stability and support of people and entities like Bikes To You/Craig Cooper, the Grinnell Steakhouse, and the City of Grinnell were also huge keys to my abilities to make a Trans Iowa a reality.

This year, I let go a little more, and the result was that now more people than ever are invested into the "family" and feel a part of something bigger than themselves. I gained peace of mind, less stress, and the ability to play more to my strengths and talents. It has been eye opening, humbling, and I have been immensely blessed. I have a great group of friends and people that want to come alongside me now to be a part of Trans Iowa, and I find that it has made the event better than ever.

You know what? The riders even see it. I was told by one of my volunteers, Todd, who did Checkpoint #1 and the observation post 60 miles from the finish that almost to a person everyone made mention of how thankful they were for his service to Trans Iowa. I mean, how awesome is that?

So, do not make the mistake that it is I that makes Trans Iowa what it is, or has ever been. "I get by with a little help from my friends", and that's the real secret to the success of Trans Iowa.

Next: Gypsy Road

Trans Iowa v12: With A Little Help From My Friends

The Truck With No Name wasn't the only thing toting a lighter load this year!

Trans Iowa v12's report is going to look a little different this year than it has in years past for other Trans Iowa events. After doing the event for 12 years, the reports all start looking the same. Pre-Race Meat-Up, starting line, yada-yada-yada..... Samo-ol, same-ol. Blah....

So I was thinking that instead of the same old formula, I would just hit the things that impressed me the most about putting this on again. I am going to speak to some of the "inner workings" of Trans Iowa. Some of the stuff no one sees, and few know about, maybe. If it is a race break down you want, well, you won't get that from me this year. There are a billion Facebook posts that will satisfy that craving if that is your cup of tea. Blogs are dead for that. Everybody just does a Facebook post with an image and Bam! Movin' on.........

Okay, so the first thing I wanted to say about T.I.v12 is that I have some amazing friends. Just amazing. That wasn't always the case. Four years ago, when I was left with doing a Trans Iowa without a partner, I was driven by the singular theory that goes something like this: "if ya want it done right, do it yerself! The ball had been dropped in many ways over the previous years in areas that I was not going to allow to be anything less than perfect going into T.I.v8. I had a belly full o fire, and it carried me on through that one with a good result. But that wasn't a "sustainable model", so to speak.

Friends: The most valuable asset a man can have.

I made it through Trans Iowas 9 and 10 merely based upon a goal of quitting after 10. However; during those years I found out that letting go of the reins a bit was feeling good. I had gained a few friends that were coming alongside of me to partner in the effort that it takes to produce one of these deals. People that are integral to the event, like Jeremy Fry, Wally Kilburg, George Keslin, Mike Baggio, Arik Gum, Mike Johnson, Tony McGrane, Steve Fuller, and my brother from another mother, Matt Gersib.

So, proceeding past T.I.v10 became a reality, mostly due to how I gained these friends and because of their talents and abilities. The stability and support of people and entities like Bikes To You/Craig Cooper, the Grinnell Steakhouse, and the City of Grinnell were also huge keys to my abilities to make a Trans Iowa a reality.

This year, I let go a little more, and the result was that now more people than ever are invested into the "family" and feel a part of something bigger than themselves. I gained peace of mind, less stress, and the ability to play more to my strengths and talents. It has been eye opening, humbling, and I have been immensely blessed. I have a great group of friends and people that want to come alongside me now to be a part of Trans Iowa, and I find that it has made the event better than ever.

You know what? The riders even see it. I was told by one of my volunteers, Todd, who did Checkpoint #1 and the observation post 60 miles from the finish that almost to a person everyone made mention of how thankful they were for his service to Trans Iowa. I mean, how awesome is that?

So, do not make the mistake that it is I that makes Trans Iowa what it is, or has ever been. "I get by with a little help from my friends", and that's the real secret to the success of Trans Iowa.

Next: Gypsy Road

Trans Iowa v12: A New Plateau

Dragons were slayed.....

It's over.....

New records for finishers.

A fat bike finishes Trans Iowa for the first time.

Fastest Trans Iowa ever.

Longest Trans Iowa ever done.

Most drama behind the scenes ever.

First time Trans Iowa was used to debut a cycling product.

There probably is more than I can think of right now. But.....I am tired, and again, amazingly awake. This was a very different Trans Iowa, and I have a lot to process through. I will try to break this all down throughout the week.

Stay tuned....

Trans Iowa v12: A New Plateau

Dragons were slayed.....

It's over.....

New records for finishers.

A fat bike finishes Trans Iowa for the first time.

Fastest Trans Iowa ever.

Longest Trans Iowa ever done.

Most drama behind the scenes ever.

First time Trans Iowa was used to debut a cycling product.

There probably is more than I can think of right now. But.....I am tired, and again, amazingly awake. This was a very different Trans Iowa, and I have a lot to process through. I will try to break this all down throughout the week.

Stay tuned....

Minus Ten Review 15 & 16

Done wore it out

Hey! I missed posting my Minus Ten review, a look back ten years ago here on the blog, last week, so this week is a double edition.

There was the post Sea Otter feedback which featured several new 29"er introductions and tire announcements. One of those 29"ers that debuted was the new Salsa Cycles El Mariachi. Yep! She's the longest running model in Salsa Cycles current line up, and I am betting it gets retired for 2017 for something Boosted, slack, fat tired, and new. We will see.

Then there was the case of my, then, ten year old Campy rimmed wheels I was commuting on. Wore out the sidewalls finally one day in April of '06, and BOOM! The rim bead let go and I was about deaf! Hey, it coulda been worse, because I didn't crash, since I was slow rolling an alley at the time.

Of course, this was the time when things ramped up to the second Trans Iowa ever, and, unknown at the time, the last to be attempted across the state. We were pretty stoked, Jeff Kerkove and I, and we had the event well in hand. Since we didn't get to pull through the entire course due to the super lousy weather that year, it ended up being one of the shortest Trans Iowa experiences ever. Only last year's horrendous drenching was shorter. We had volunteers for a special observation point lined up that never got to do anything that year. I often wonder how it may have played out, but we'll never know.

Speaking of never knowing, there was a story series I was asked to write for the now defunct "Biking Hub" site where I was asked to tell the story of Trans Iowa. We didn't have much of a history back then, of course, but it was very curious to me that Trans Iowa had struck such a nerve in the cycling community. Here was a down hill/free ride oriented site that wanted to know about an extreme distance gravel grinder event that had only been executed once. To my mind, that is odd, and that says something about the event. Here is an interesting tidbit I wrote back then....

"I've been asked several times by different folks to write a story about Trans Iowa. The thing was, where do I start? There are so many angles to a story like this. It's pretty hard to find focus when you are mired in the middle of it, like I am. When you are so close to the story, it's like having a girl friend that you think is cool, but all your friends can see that she is sooo wrong for you. (Didn't you just hate it when you found out later?) Anyway, I digress.............."

I miss this bike many times.

 There were other things cooking up back in '06, like the first Dirty Kanza, and my bike for that event, a new Inbred 29"er. 

I really liked that bike, and it rode very well. I ended up selling it to a coworker I had at one time and he in turn gave it to his brother, who cruises along on this rig in Kansas these days. Funny that...... Odd how things come around. I built this up for Dirty Kanza and the bike ends up there. 

Anyway, the fact that I even got the thing is almost purely by chance. On One, as you may know, is a UK based. direct to consumer brand that really did not have a presence in  the US. With 29"ers becoming more of a big deal in the US, then On One designer, Brant Richards, penned this frame and fork up, but to sell these in the UK? That was an uphill battle at the time, but one I am sure Mr. Richards relished. Well, anyway, On One got J&B Importers to take on the distribution of On One here in the States. Things sputtered, and then the whole plan was scrapped by J&B before any inventory even made it out of their warehouses to dealers. The J&B rep happened to be in one day at the shop where I work, and he found out I liked 29"ers. He took the opportunity to inform me of a close out deal on the few On One Inbreds they actually had gotten in. So, that's what happened there. 

It was my second 29"er, and it was really sweet. Well, except for those mini-sliding drop outs. Those were a pain! 

Minus Ten Review 15 & 16

Done wore it out

Hey! I missed posting my Minus Ten review, a look back ten years ago here on the blog, last week, so this week is a double edition.

There was the post Sea Otter feedback which featured several new 29"er introductions and tire announcements. One of those 29"ers that debuted was the new Salsa Cycles El Mariachi. Yep! She's the longest running model in Salsa Cycles current line up, and I am betting it gets retired for 2017 for something Boosted, slack, fat tired, and new. We will see.

Then there was the case of my, then, ten year old Campy rimmed wheels I was commuting on. Wore out the sidewalls finally one day in April of '06, and BOOM! The rim bead let go and I was about deaf! Hey, it coulda been worse, because I didn't crash, since I was slow rolling an alley at the time.

Of course, this was the time when things ramped up to the second Trans Iowa ever, and, unknown at the time, the last to be attempted across the state. We were pretty stoked, Jeff Kerkove and I, and we had the event well in hand. Since we didn't get to pull through the entire course due to the super lousy weather that year, it ended up being one of the shortest Trans Iowa experiences ever. Only last year's horrendous drenching was shorter. We had volunteers for a special observation point lined up that never got to do anything that year. I often wonder how it may have played out, but we'll never know.

Speaking of never knowing, there was a story series I was asked to write for the now defunct "Biking Hub" site where I was asked to tell the story of Trans Iowa. We didn't have much of a history back then, of course, but it was very curious to me that Trans Iowa had struck such a nerve in the cycling community. Here was a down hill/free ride oriented site that wanted to know about an extreme distance gravel grinder event that had only been executed once. To my mind, that is odd, and that says something about the event. Here is an interesting tidbit I wrote back then....

"I've been asked several times by different folks to write a story about Trans Iowa. The thing was, where do I start? There are so many angles to a story like this. It's pretty hard to find focus when you are mired in the middle of it, like I am. When you are so close to the story, it's like having a girl friend that you think is cool, but all your friends can see that she is sooo wrong for you. (Didn't you just hate it when you found out later?) Anyway, I digress.............."

I miss this bike many times.

 There were other things cooking up back in '06, like the first Dirty Kanza, and my bike for that event, a new Inbred 29"er. 

I really liked that bike, and it rode very well. I ended up selling it to a coworker I had at one time and he in turn gave it to his brother, who cruises along on this rig in Kansas these days. Funny that...... Odd how things come around. I built this up for Dirty Kanza and the bike ends up there. 

Anyway, the fact that I even got the thing is almost purely by chance. On One, as you may know, is a UK based. direct to consumer brand that really did not have a presence in  the US. With 29"ers becoming more of a big deal in the US, then On One designer, Brant Richards, penned this frame and fork up, but to sell these in the UK? That was an uphill battle at the time, but one I am sure Mr. Richards relished. Well, anyway, On One got J&B Importers to take on the distribution of On One here in the States. Things sputtered, and then the whole plan was scrapped by J&B before any inventory even made it out of their warehouses to dealers. The J&B rep happened to be in one day at the shop where I work, and he found out I liked 29"ers. He took the opportunity to inform me of a close out deal on the few On One Inbreds they actually had gotten in. So, that's what happened there. 

It was my second 29"er, and it was really sweet. Well, except for those mini-sliding drop outs. Those were a pain! 

Friday News And Views

Trans Iowa v12:

Yes, today is finally the day. The twelfth edition of this nutty gravel road cycling event will occur tomorrow starting at 4am in the morning. There will be a pre-race event tonight at the Grinnell Steakhouse, and that will be the big "family reunion" for many Trans Iowa veterans and a big welcome to the Rookies into something I don't think they will quite understand till afterward. It will all lead up to 339.9 miles of gravelly goodness, stories for a lifetime, and memories we will never forget. Let's hope that they are good ones, eh?

Trans Iowa Radio Presented By RidingGravel.com: You can check in on many of these memory making moments as they happen by going to the Riding Gravel Trans Iowa Radio Page. Go to the page, scroll down a bit, and hit any of the icons with an "arrow" to start the player and hear what is there. Make sure your volume is turned up and you speakers are on, and you can enjoy hearing from myself and the riders as they try to make it through the maze of Iowa roads. There is one update as of now but there will soon be many more from myself, at least! This should be going on until Sunday at around mid-afternoon when I will likely wrap things up. Yes......I am expecting Trans Iowa to be finishable this year! 

The Truck With No Name will be taking a break this year.

 Driving Mr Ted:

 I'll get to the weather here in a bit. First off, there is something that is going to happen this year that has not happened since 2011, and that is that someone else will be driving me around the route this year during the event.

My good buddy, MG, from Lincoln, who was to ride shotgun with me last year, but fell ill and ended up chasing me around in his Honda, is going to ride me around in his Subaru so I can concentrate on the event and surrounding activities.

He offered about two weeks ago to do this, and I accepted gladly. It will be a monumental task for him, make no mistake, because, well........I know! Driving gravel roads is no picnic and some of the roads we will be on should be a bit hairy, especially if there is fresh gravel laid down anywhere on the route. Add in fatigue and tiredness from being up for 24 plus hours and you can understand how it might be a tough job. So, to super-volunteer MG, I tip my cycling cap. It'll be more fun to have him along, and my job will be easier as a result.

Okay, Now For The Wild Card:

I said I expect Trans Iowa v12 to be finishable, but I don't expect the weather to lie down and give over. It won't. Here's the scoop as I understand it. There will be no rain today, but there has been rain for three straight days on the course. Nothing huge, just fine soaking rains and showers. One day of drying before we get going will likely mean that the gravel roads might be perfecto. The Level B dirt roads are another matter. In my experienced opinion, there will be some that are fine, while others will be sticky and wet. There will be walking at some point.

Besides that, there will be a healthy wind out of the South-Southeast at 20+ mph with higher gusts. I've heard reports that the gusts could be as high as 40mph. Hmm..... Well, we will see, but it is almost a certainty that there will be a tailwind and headwind at certain points during the event. How that plays out with the route I've designed is only known to but a few others besides me. I will not say too much, so as not to give anything away, but I suspect that the word "tough", or variations thereof, will figure into many reports about this version of Trans Iowa.

Speaking of reports:

A very brief statement on the event will be given here Sunday night, most likely. There will be coverage on the Trans Iowa Radio page, mentioned above, on my Twitter feed @guitarted1961, and on Facebook. The hashtag will be #TIv12. Search that. I may also do some Periscope live videos. You can find those linked to my Twitter feed. Then on Monday expect a full recounting of events to begin, which probably will take us into the first week of May here. So, if you are sick of Trans Iowa, maybe it is time to tune out till May gets going. If so, see ya then. If not......

Hang on folks! Here we go!

Friday News And Views

Trans Iowa v12:

Yes, today is finally the day. The twelfth edition of this nutty gravel road cycling event will occur tomorrow starting at 4am in the morning. There will be a pre-race event tonight at the Grinnell Steakhouse, and that will be the big "family reunion" for many Trans Iowa veterans and a big welcome to the Rookies into something I don't think they will quite understand till afterward. It will all lead up to 339.9 miles of gravelly goodness, stories for a lifetime, and memories we will never forget. Let's hope that they are good ones, eh?

Trans Iowa Radio Presented By RidingGravel.com: You can check in on many of these memory making moments as they happen by going to the Riding Gravel Trans Iowa Radio Page. Go to the page, scroll down a bit, and hit any of the icons with an "arrow" to start the player and hear what is there. Make sure your volume is turned up and you speakers are on, and you can enjoy hearing from myself and the riders as they try to make it through the maze of Iowa roads. There is one update as of now but there will soon be many more from myself, at least! This should be going on until Sunday at around mid-afternoon when I will likely wrap things up. Yes......I am expecting Trans Iowa to be finishable this year! 

The Truck With No Name will be taking a break this year.

 Driving Mr Ted:

 I'll get to the weather here in a bit. First off, there is something that is going to happen this year that has not happened since 2011, and that is that someone else will be driving me around the route this year during the event.

My good buddy, MG, from Lincoln, who was to ride shotgun with me last year, but fell ill and ended up chasing me around in his Honda, is going to ride me around in his Subaru so I can concentrate on the event and surrounding activities.

He offered about two weeks ago to do this, and I accepted gladly. It will be a monumental task for him, make no mistake, because, well........I know! Driving gravel roads is no picnic and some of the roads we will be on should be a bit hairy, especially if there is fresh gravel laid down anywhere on the route. Add in fatigue and tiredness from being up for 24 plus hours and you can understand how it might be a tough job. So, to super-volunteer MG, I tip my cycling cap. It'll be more fun to have him along, and my job will be easier as a result.

Okay, Now For The Wild Card:

I said I expect Trans Iowa v12 to be finishable, but I don't expect the weather to lie down and give over. It won't. Here's the scoop as I understand it. There will be no rain today, but there has been rain for three straight days on the course. Nothing huge, just fine soaking rains and showers. One day of drying before we get going will likely mean that the gravel roads might be perfecto. The Level B dirt roads are another matter. In my experienced opinion, there will be some that are fine, while others will be sticky and wet. There will be walking at some point.

Besides that, there will be a healthy wind out of the South-Southeast at 20+ mph with higher gusts. I've heard reports that the gusts could be as high as 40mph. Hmm..... Well, we will see, but it is almost a certainty that there will be a tailwind and headwind at certain points during the event. How that plays out with the route I've designed is only known to but a few others besides me. I will not say too much, so as not to give anything away, but I suspect that the word "tough", or variations thereof, will figure into many reports about this version of Trans Iowa.

Speaking of reports:

A very brief statement on the event will be given here Sunday night, most likely. There will be coverage on the Trans Iowa Radio page, mentioned above, on my Twitter feed @guitarted1961, and on Facebook. The hashtag will be #TIv12. Search that. I may also do some Periscope live videos. You can find those linked to my Twitter feed. Then on Monday expect a full recounting of events to begin, which probably will take us into the first week of May here. So, if you are sick of Trans Iowa, maybe it is time to tune out till May gets going. If so, see ya then. If not......

Hang on folks! Here we go!

Trans Iowa v12: As We Prepare For Launch

Numbers are VERY important!

There are a few details about this weekend's Trans Iowa that I needed to make a point about. This should be a pretty short post.

Numbers: The number plates are personalized this year by your's truly, but the biggest thing about these numbers is that our volunteers will be keying off your number to check you through the check point. So, your number needs to be visible at all times!! 

I suggest pinning or tying them to the front end of your bike. Too many times what happens is that a rider will tack a number onto a jacket, then it warms up and the jacket comes off and gets stowed. Guess what? The number doesn't get moved to the jersey many times, so then our CP#2 volunteers have a more difficult time tracking you. Or, the opposite happens, where a number gets pinned to a jersey and a coat goes over that and guess what? Same deal only in reverse.

So, please make it easier on everyone and pin that number on the bike! Then make sure it is visible! Numbers are easier for our volunteers to deal with because names can be misunderstood and misconstrued which leads to confusion. We want to track you and score you as accurately as possible, so please follow the number on the bike protocol which seems to work best for everyone.

Trans Iowa Radio Presented By RidingGravel.com: Once again, you can check out all the call-ins from the riders and my reports on the event starting Friday at Trans Iowa Radio.  Here's the deal for this year: The audio will only be on the site which I have linked to in the previous sentence. You can bookmark the page and keep checking back periodically for rider's call ins and reports from me, GT, which Ben Welnak will be feverishly posting up as fast as he can get to them. Each audio post will be about two minutes in length, so it will not take long to check them out.

The Trans Iowa Radio page will have the call in number riders need to use to call in with. Just call and listen for the prompts. It is a great way for you, as a person wondering what the heck is going on with your favorite rider, to find out just that if they post a message. Please encourage everyone to do that who you know is in the event. The more calls, the merrier!

Cut Off Times: There should be no confusion about cut off times. Here they are again...

Checkpoint cut off times. Know them!

Start Time: 4:00 am in front of Bikes To You
Time Cut Off for Checkpoint #1- 8:30am Saturday
Time Cut Off for Checkpoint #2- 7:30pm Saturday
Time Cut Off for the Finish- 2:00pm Sunday
Mileages: Overall: 339.9 miles. Distance to Checkpoint #1: 53 miles. Distance to Checkpoint #2: 160 miles

Let there be no misunderstanding- If you are even one minute late, you are done. No questions. Period. 

There will be people missing cut off times. It is what it is. 

Oh! And let's not forget another "cut off" time, which happens at what riders are calling "Checkpoint 0" or simply "CP0". Of course, they are referring to the Pre-Race Meat-Up at the Grinnell Steakhouse. Riders must check in by 6:30pm at the Steakhouse or risk missing T.I.v12. Again- DON"T BE LATE. Would I really not let you ride if you are late? 

You don't really want to find out. Trust me. Just don't be late.

See ya Friday! 

Trans Iowa v12: As We Prepare For Launch

Numbers are VERY important!

There are a few details about this weekend's Trans Iowa that I needed to make a point about. This should be a pretty short post.

Numbers: The number plates are personalized this year by your's truly, but the biggest thing about these numbers is that our volunteers will be keying off your number to check you through the check point. So, your number needs to be visible at all times!! 

I suggest pinning or tying them to the front end of your bike. Too many times what happens is that a rider will tack a number onto a jacket, then it warms up and the jacket comes off and gets stowed. Guess what? The number doesn't get moved to the jersey many times, so then our CP#2 volunteers have a more difficult time tracking you. Or, the opposite happens, where a number gets pinned to a jersey and a coat goes over that and guess what? Same deal only in reverse.

So, please make it easier on everyone and pin that number on the bike! Then make sure it is visible! Numbers are easier for our volunteers to deal with because names can be misunderstood and misconstrued which leads to confusion. We want to track you and score you as accurately as possible, so please follow the number on the bike protocol which seems to work best for everyone.

Trans Iowa Radio Presented By RidingGravel.com: Once again, you can check out all the call-ins from the riders and my reports on the event starting Friday at Trans Iowa Radio.  Here's the deal for this year: The audio will only be on the site which I have linked to in the previous sentence. You can bookmark the page and keep checking back periodically for rider's call ins and reports from me, GT, which Ben Welnak will be feverishly posting up as fast as he can get to them. Each audio post will be about two minutes in length, so it will not take long to check them out.

The Trans Iowa Radio page will have the call in number riders need to use to call in with. Just call and listen for the prompts. It is a great way for you, as a person wondering what the heck is going on with your favorite rider, to find out just that if they post a message. Please encourage everyone to do that who you know is in the event. The more calls, the merrier!

Cut Off Times: There should be no confusion about cut off times. Here they are again...

Checkpoint cut off times. Know them!

Start Time: 4:00 am in front of Bikes To You
Time Cut Off for Checkpoint #1- 8:30am Saturday
Time Cut Off for Checkpoint #2- 7:30pm Saturday
Time Cut Off for the Finish- 2:00pm Sunday
Mileages: Overall: 339.9 miles. Distance to Checkpoint #1: 53 miles. Distance to Checkpoint #2: 160 miles

Let there be no misunderstanding- If you are even one minute late, you are done. No questions. Period. 

There will be people missing cut off times. It is what it is. 

Oh! And let's not forget another "cut off" time, which happens at what riders are calling "Checkpoint 0" or simply "CP0". Of course, they are referring to the Pre-Race Meat-Up at the Grinnell Steakhouse. Riders must check in by 6:30pm at the Steakhouse or risk missing T.I.v12. Again- DON"T BE LATE. Would I really not let you ride if you are late? 

You don't really want to find out. Trust me. Just don't be late.

See ya Friday!