The Story Of Guitar Ted: The Estate Wagon

A Guitar Ted Productions series

Welcome to a brand new series on G-Ted Productions! This series will jump off from the time where the "Race Against Death Tour" ended and will take you up to the beginnings of Trans Iowa in late 2004. This is an eight year period where my life was transformed. You could say it was metamorphosed from the old to something quite new.

This won't have a lot of bicycle stuff in it at times, but it is all essential to the story of "Guitar Ted". This isn't about where the name came from. That's all here.  No, this is about the person. 

As with previous historical series on the blog, images will be a rarity. Cell phones, social media, and digital images were not available to take advantage of in those last days of analog living.  

In this post we will learn a bit about some of the influences on the person who became Guitar Ted
_____________________________________________________________________________

The last year I worked at Advantage Cyclery was packed mostly with work, but there were a few notable things which occurred that year which bear mentioning on this journey. One of these has to do with racing. Cross country mountain bike racing, to be exact.

Oddly enough, I became the president of the Advantage Cyclery Racing Team. I know.......weird, right? But I was trying to make a stab at "serious" XC MTB and I figured getting involved in this team was a way to do that. I ended up becoming the President since my former touring partner Troy's opening of Bike Tech had kind of sent the normal hierarchy of race folks into a tizzy. There was a bit of a schist concerning support and Bike Tech didn't have a team that first year, so everything got weird and I ended up being there. I think, really, that was all it took at that point. Just being there.

"Ears", #173- one of the Straight Edge kids that I hung out with, at Petersen Pits race, 1996

Anyway, between myself and the two Straight Edge kids I hung out with at the time, it was decided that we should hit up the XC scene together and that would be good from the standpoint of my helping to develop new racers in the area. That was one of the goals of the team.

To assist in this, I ended up finding out about a cheap station wagon for sale that Ears and his buddy thought I should look into as a race weekend vehicle we all could ride in. My truck, with it's single cab, wasn't going to cut it, and Ears' 'Scort, a beat to shit Ford Escort, wasn't going to cut the mustard either. So I purchased this enormous green Buick Estate Wagon, took it to Schuerman's Auto Repair (the place figures into my future) to get the brakes fixed, and we had a race weekend "ship" we could set sail in.

That was a choice that, in retrospect, I probably should not have made, since we only really used that sled about three times and the rest of the time that rig was mostly a liability. But, I do recall we had a memorable trip to the XC MTB race in Winona, a tough course, and a long trip to make. We also used the wagon to do an over nighter in Decorah, Iowa, to ride the mountain biking trails there. That was an awesome weekend of fun as well. The three of us also went to Decorah one other time, but I don't think we used the Buick. I had a Honda wagon by that time......anyway. 

The Estate Wagon essentially became a boat anchor, and I needed it to be towed, or it was going to be impounded, as it had died in the parking lot behind Advantage Cyclery by the Fall of '96. I had a couple of guys interested in it through my Dad who wanted it for a demo-derby rig, so I gave it to them, and that was the end of the Estate Wagon.

That Summer, I also had a co-worker at Advantage by the name of Missy. She was a perky personality, a culy haired, blue-eyed blonde that had a beaming smile. I liked her, so we became conversant on a friendly basis at work. She heard my story about my recent past, of course, since she was married and wanted to know what happened with my first marriage. Curiously, she took an interest in my well being, and more importantly, my spiritual well being. She asked me if I thought it would help me if I attended a church, and she suggested the one she went to, Heartland Vineyard, as a good one for me.

Ironically, at about this same time Ryan, who was in building bikes at the shop one Summer day, asked me if I would go to church with him sometime. Not the next week, or maybe the next month, just "sometime". I figured it wasn't a real serious ask, so why not just say "yes". Then again, somehow I knew the bill would come due. This becomes more relevant in my story later on.

I also ended my XC MTB career the following Spring. I didn't want to do it anymore, partly because a big life changing occurrence was on the horizon for me. It would affect my life in a huge way. That will be covered in my next post.

Next: A Fire Sale

The Story Of Guitar Ted: The Estate Wagon

A Guitar Ted Productions series

Welcome to a brand new series on G-Ted Productions! This series will jump off from the time where the "Race Against Death Tour" ended and will take you up to the beginnings of Trans Iowa in late 2004. This is an eight year period where my life was transformed. You could say it was metamorphosed from the old to something quite new.

This won't have a lot of bicycle stuff in it at times, but it is all essential to the story of "Guitar Ted". This isn't about where the name came from. That's all here.  No, this is about the person. 

As with previous historical series on the blog, images will be a rarity. Cell phones, social media, and digital images were not available to take advantage of in those last days of analog living.  

In this post we will learn a bit about some of the influences on the person who became Guitar Ted
_____________________________________________________________________________

The last year I worked at Advantage Cyclery was packed mostly with work, but there were a few notable things which occurred that year which bear mentioning on this journey. One of these has to do with racing. Cross country mountain bike racing, to be exact.

Oddly enough, I became the president of the Advantage Cyclery Racing Team. I know.......weird, right? But I was trying to make a stab at "serious" XC MTB and I figured getting involved in this team was a way to do that. I ended up becoming the President since my former touring partner Troy's opening of Bike Tech had kind of sent the normal hierarchy of race folks into a tizzy. There was a bit of a schist concerning support and Bike Tech didn't have a team that first year, so everything got weird and I ended up being there. I think, really, that was all it took at that point. Just being there.

"Ears", #173- one of the Straight Edge kids that I hung out with, at Petersen Pits race, 1996

Anyway, between myself and the two Straight Edge kids I hung out with at the time, it was decided that we should hit up the XC scene together and that would be good from the standpoint of my helping to develop new racers in the area. That was one of the goals of the team.

To assist in this, I ended up finding out about a cheap station wagon for sale that Ears and his buddy thought I should look into as a race weekend vehicle we all could ride in. My truck, with it's single cab, wasn't going to cut it, and Ears' 'Scort, a beat to shit Ford Escort, wasn't going to cut the mustard either. So I purchased this enormous green Buick Estate Wagon, took it to Schuerman's Auto Repair (the place figures into my future) to get the brakes fixed, and we had a race weekend "ship" we could set sail in.

That was a choice that, in retrospect, I probably should not have made, since we only really used that sled about three times and the rest of the time that rig was mostly a liability. But, I do recall we had a memorable trip to the XC MTB race in Winona, a tough course, and a long trip to make. We also used the wagon to do an over nighter in Decorah, Iowa, to ride the mountain biking trails there. That was an awesome weekend of fun as well. The three of us also went to Decorah one other time, but I don't think we used the Buick. I had a Honda wagon by that time......anyway. 

The Estate Wagon essentially became a boat anchor, and I needed it to be towed, or it was going to be impounded, as it had died in the parking lot behind Advantage Cyclery by the Fall of '96. I had a couple of guys interested in it through my Dad who wanted it for a demo-derby rig, so I gave it to them, and that was the end of the Estate Wagon.

That Summer, I also had a co-worker at Advantage by the name of Missy. She was a perky personality, a culy haired, blue-eyed blonde that had a beaming smile. I liked her, so we became conversant on a friendly basis at work. She heard my story about my recent past, of course, since she was married and wanted to know what happened with my first marriage. Curiously, she took an interest in my well being, and more importantly, my spiritual well being. She asked me if I thought it would help me if I attended a church, and she suggested the one she went to, Heartland Vineyard, as a good one for me.

Ironically, at about this same time Ryan, who was in building bikes at the shop one Summer day, asked me if I would go to church with him sometime. Not the next week, or maybe the next month, just "sometime". I figured it wasn't a real serious ask, so why not just say "yes". Then again, somehow I knew the bill would come due. This becomes more relevant in my story later on.

I also ended my XC MTB career the following Spring. I didn't want to do it anymore, partly because a big life changing occurrence was on the horizon for me. It would affect my life in a huge way. That will be covered in my next post.

Next: A Fire Sale

Minus Ten Review 2009-13

The Fargo Gen 1 and an old derelict windmill on Quarry Road

Ten years ago on the blog I was talking about windy, early Spring rides. Sound familiar? Yep! Still doing this, ten years down the road. Amazing to think that I have been into riding gravel for more than ten years now.....

Well, the story of this windmill is interesting. I remember coming across it first when I was gravel grinding South on Ansborough Avenue back around 2006 or so. It was actually a working windmill at that time. I recall one foggy Fall ride on the Karate Monkey single speed where I heard this mournful groan, echoey, and far off. It sounded spooky, actually, and as I rode Southward it got more pronounced. I realized after I approached Quarry Road that it was that old windmill, groaning on its bearings in the winds of Fall. I'll never forget that.

Then one day the next Spring I saw that the vanes were all torn off. No doubt the bearings seized up in some Winter storm and the wind just tore off the old vanes and that was the end of that. I found the old windmill still standing in 2009, but not long after this, it disappeared and the vestiges of another homestead disappeared forever. I know a lot of places that are like this. Places that once told of families, of struggles and life on the farm, that are gone forever. It's hard not to feel something tug at you when you ride in the countryside and you see the decay and eventual disappearance of things like this.

I always thought it was strange when my grandpa used to drive around the country with his second wife and I. They used to go back and forth about the folks that lived on various farms we would pass. Between the two of them, they knew the history going back into the 19th Century. Once in awhile they would point at an open field and recount the families that had once lived on farms long since gone. I thought they were a special kind of crazy. That is until I started riding in the country. There are ghosts out there, whether I know them or not.......

A Salsa Big Mama- Look at that impossibly steep head angle!

Ten years ago I also got to try out a Salsa Cycles Big Mama. I really, really enjoyed that bike, but by today's standards it is a dud. The steep head angle, long chain stays, and short-ish front center would be considered a laughingstock today.

Yet this bike provided me with many an awesome ride in the North side of the Boy Scout Camp, and at Cedar Bend. It was so awesome I thought it would be a killer Texas rig, and when I took it there I expected to slay Franklin Mountain with ease. Unfortunately, it bit me. I went head over heels on a bedrock downhill and smashed my knee wide open on a sharp rock. It was then that I saw what was wrong with this bike and why it wasn't going to be a long term solution for me as far as mountain biking. That head angle! Wow!

Anyway, as far as I am concerned, the Big Mama was the best graphic design and color package for a bike Salsa Cycles has ever done since the Ross Schafer era. The new Warroad in the top of the range comes close, but this Big Mama scheme was so good it stands up to scrutiny ten years down the road.

I still have this frame in the bowels of the Guitar Ted Laboratories and I look at it once in awhile and smile. Maybe some day I'll replicate this scheme on the old Gen I Fargo........

Minus Ten Review 2009-13

The Fargo Gen 1 and an old derelict windmill on Quarry Road

Ten years ago on the blog I was talking about windy, early Spring rides. Sound familiar? Yep! Still doing this, ten years down the road. Amazing to think that I have been into riding gravel for more than ten years now.....

Well, the story of this windmill is interesting. I remember coming across it first when I was gravel grinding South on Ansborough Avenue back around 2006 or so. It was actually a working windmill at that time. I recall one foggy Fall ride on the Karate Monkey single speed where I heard this mournful groan, echoey, and far off. It sounded spooky, actually, and as I rode Southward it got more pronounced. I realized after I approached Quarry Road that it was that old windmill, groaning on its bearings in the winds of Fall. I'll never forget that.

Then one day the next Spring I saw that the vanes were all torn off. No doubt the bearings seized up in some Winter storm and the wind just tore off the old vanes and that was the end of that. I found the old windmill still standing in 2009, but not long after this, it disappeared and the vestiges of another homestead disappeared forever. I know a lot of places that are like this. Places that once told of families, of struggles and life on the farm, that are gone forever. It's hard not to feel something tug at you when you ride in the countryside and you see the decay and eventual disappearance of things like this.

I always thought it was strange when my grandpa used to drive around the country with his second wife and I. They used to go back and forth about the folks that lived on various farms we would pass. Between the two of them, they knew the history going back into the 19th Century. Once in awhile they would point at an open field and recount the families that had once lived on farms long since gone. I thought they were a special kind of crazy. That is until I started riding in the country. There are ghosts out there, whether I know them or not.......

A Salsa Big Mama- Look at that impossibly steep head angle!

Ten years ago I also got to try out a Salsa Cycles Big Mama. I really, really enjoyed that bike, but by today's standards it is a dud. The steep head angle, long chain stays, and short-ish front center would be considered a laughingstock today.

Yet this bike provided me with many an awesome ride in the North side of the Boy Scout Camp, and at Cedar Bend. It was so awesome I thought it would be a killer Texas rig, and when I took it there I expected to slay Franklin Mountain with ease. Unfortunately, it bit me. I went head over heels on a bedrock downhill and smashed my knee wide open on a sharp rock. It was then that I saw what was wrong with this bike and why it wasn't going to be a long term solution for me as far as mountain biking. That head angle! Wow!

Anyway, as far as I am concerned, the Big Mama was the best graphic design and color package for a bike Salsa Cycles has ever done since the Ross Schafer era. The new Warroad in the top of the range comes close, but this Big Mama scheme was so good it stands up to scrutiny ten years down the road.

I still have this frame in the bowels of the Guitar Ted Laboratories and I look at it once in awhile and smile. Maybe some day I'll replicate this scheme on the old Gen I Fargo........

Friday News And Views

The special one time only jerseys are IN!

Last Minute Delivery!

Okay, we weren't sure they would make it before tomorrow's inaugural C.O.G. 100, but they did come in! The C.O.G. 100 jerseys we put on one time only pre-order made it just in time despite a snafu in the initial run which required another run to be produced.

I should have these along with me today in Grinnell at the Peace Tree Taproom and they will also be at the start/finish area at Miller Park. If you pre-ordered one, just hit me up and you can pick yours up.

Those that don't make it to Grinnell, or had made arrangements for shipping, your jerseys will be going out next week. Thank you for your patience! I tried mine on and it fits, (I could stand to lose a few Winter LB's), so I am confident the sizing should be okay for everyone.

A little about the design: I worked with N.Y. Roll and we decided on something simple, yet classy. Something that had roots in older, Worlds jerseys or National Championship jerseys. The tri-stripe was a no brainer. We used "John Deere" influenced colors since that reflects the Mid-west, Iowa, and is N.Y. Roll's place of employment. The lavender was chosen since I kind of like purple, but we didn't want anything too dark, so lavender was the choice. The central "shield" was an inspiration from the Iowa Highway Patrol and their "kernel" shield design and has the name of the event versus "C.O.G 100 SS Champ" like the winner's jerseys do. Sorry! No extra jerseys were made available. We may have some extra C.O.G 100 caps and posters. Stay tuned......

And Now.......

Yes, I leave for Grinnell today to get this silly single speed only event in gear. (Pardon the pun) It will be kind of odd, since a few of the riders are old Trans Iowa regulars and are coming because I am involved in putting this on. Really, that is quite humbling and I sure hope that the C.O.G. 100 does live up to their lofty expectations. It is a compliment of the highest order that these folks have decided to come to this for those reasons.

I'll have a lot more to say once the event is over, but obvious comparisons to Trans Iowa will be drawn by many, including myself. I have pretty much summed up my feelings about things, but I will wait until my report to give that take. Stay tuned for that and an event recap Monday.

Of course, since it is early Spring, weather will be a factor. Rain is forecast for today down that way and depending upon how much Grinnell receives, it may be "quite interesting" come tomorrow. The "C.O.G." part of this event refers to "Creatures Of Gravel", of course, and if conditions are what I expect them to be, we will see exactly what "creatures" are created by the wet, muddy roads. It might be epic.

Those who are inclined can follow along on Instagram and Twitter where I will be posting images and whatnot. Search the hashtag "#COG100" for my posts and perhaps those of others.

Adding an e-bike to your household has become a concern for insurance companies.

The Latest In Fire Hazards For The Home:

The stories of e-bike fires seem to be getting more common these days. The latest big one occurred recently at an e-bike charging station for Citi Bike, a New York e-bike share concern. (Story here)

I asked a vendor who represents a company that sells e-bikes (Hybrid Powered Bicycles) recently about home owners insurance policies and HPC's. I wondered if there were any concerns that should be covered with potential hybrid powered cycle purchasers in the future. His reaction was that it is of great concern to home owners as a fault in a battery charging system could easily cause damage or great loss to a home, and that insurance companies are becoming increasingly aware of the issue. This rep suggested that e-bike (HPC) batteries be charged only in a supervised manner and that they be stored in a place, preferably not attached to a home. Furthermore, it was told to me that most, if not all e-bike batteries can be permanently damaged if they are not charged up throughout the off-season. If they are left to drain down, it would be likely that they need to be replaced, and that at great cost.

I find it odd that these sorts of possibilities are not discussed more frequently, or at all, by the cycling media. I think it behooves us all to be upfront about these things, if we're to believe that this is where cycling is going in the future. (And trust me- the cycling media and advocates of cycling are really pushing hard for hybrid powered bikes to take over the marketplace) Obviously, it is an issue that is of great concern and technologies will certainly be applied by some to mitigate the dangers, but you can bet that not all companies will have such altruistic aims.

It is definitely something that bears watching.....

Okay, I'm off do do some event promoting of the entirely human powered variety. See ya next week!

Friday News And Views

The special one time only jerseys are IN!

Last Minute Delivery!

Okay, we weren't sure they would make it before tomorrow's inaugural C.O.G. 100, but they did come in! The C.O.G. 100 jerseys we put on one time only pre-order made it just in time despite a snafu in the initial run which required another run to be produced.

I should have these along with me today in Grinnell at the Peace Tree Taproom and they will also be at the start/finish area at Miller Park. If you pre-ordered one, just hit me up and you can pick yours up.

Those that don't make it to Grinnell, or had made arrangements for shipping, your jerseys will be going out next week. Thank you for your patience! I tried mine on and it fits, (I could stand to lose a few Winter LB's), so I am confident the sizing should be okay for everyone.

A little about the design: I worked with N.Y. Roll and we decided on something simple, yet classy. Something that had roots in older, Worlds jerseys or National Championship jerseys. The tri-stripe was a no brainer. We used "John Deere" influenced colors since that reflects the Mid-west, Iowa, and is N.Y. Roll's place of employment. The lavender was chosen since I kind of like purple, but we didn't want anything too dark, so lavender was the choice. The central "shield" was an inspiration from the Iowa Highway Patrol and their "kernel" shield design and has the name of the event versus "C.O.G 100 SS Champ" like the winner's jerseys do. Sorry! No extra jerseys were made available. We may have some extra C.O.G 100 caps and posters. Stay tuned......

And Now.......

Yes, I leave for Grinnell today to get this silly single speed only event in gear. (Pardon the pun) It will be kind of odd, since a few of the riders are old Trans Iowa regulars and are coming because I am involved in putting this on. Really, that is quite humbling and I sure hope that the C.O.G. 100 does live up to their lofty expectations. It is a compliment of the highest order that these folks have decided to come to this for those reasons.

I'll have a lot more to say once the event is over, but obvious comparisons to Trans Iowa will be drawn by many, including myself. I have pretty much summed up my feelings about things, but I will wait until my report to give that take. Stay tuned for that and an event recap Monday.

Of course, since it is early Spring, weather will be a factor. Rain is forecast for today down that way and depending upon how much Grinnell receives, it may be "quite interesting" come tomorrow. The "C.O.G." part of this event refers to "Creatures Of Gravel", of course, and if conditions are what I expect them to be, we will see exactly what "creatures" are created by the wet, muddy roads. It might be epic.

Those who are inclined can follow along on Instagram and Twitter where I will be posting images and whatnot. Search the hashtag "#COG100" for my posts and perhaps those of others.

Adding an e-bike to your household has become a concern for insurance companies.

The Latest In Fire Hazards For The Home:

The stories of e-bike fires seem to be getting more common these days. The latest big one occurred recently at an e-bike charging station for Citi Bike, a New York e-bike share concern. (Story here)

I asked a vendor who represents a company that sells e-bikes (Hybrid Powered Bicycles) recently about home owners insurance policies and HPC's. I wondered if there were any concerns that should be covered with potential hybrid powered cycle purchasers in the future. His reaction was that it is of great concern to home owners as a fault in a battery charging system could easily cause damage or great loss to a home, and that insurance companies are becoming increasingly aware of the issue. This rep suggested that e-bike (HPC) batteries be charged only in a supervised manner and that they be stored in a place, preferably not attached to a home. Furthermore, it was told to me that most, if not all e-bike batteries can be permanently damaged if they are not charged up throughout the off-season. If they are left to drain down, it would be likely that they need to be replaced, and that at great cost.

I find it odd that these sorts of possibilities are not discussed more frequently, or at all, by the cycling media. I think it behooves us all to be upfront about these things, if we're to believe that this is where cycling is going in the future. (And trust me- the cycling media and advocates of cycling are really pushing hard for hybrid powered bikes to take over the marketplace) Obviously, it is an issue that is of great concern and technologies will certainly be applied by some to mitigate the dangers, but you can bet that not all companies will have such altruistic aims.

It is definitely something that bears watching.....

Okay, I'm off do do some event promoting of the entirely human powered variety. See ya next week!

Riding On The Ocean Floor

Some pretty torn up roads out there in places.

The warmest day yet in 2019 and you know I wasn't about to let it go by without a ride. That was a given. I didn't get out right away because I was expecting a call at 9:00am which never came. Grr......

That's really annoying. But, I had gravel waiting and that put the frustration of the non-phone call out of my mind. It was time to turn my thoughts to getting kitted up and out of that door with the Noble Bikes GX5 in tow. I tossed that rig into the back of the "Truck With No Name" and headed out to Prairie Grove Park. I had decided to get started and go on South from there out of town. There were bigger things going on which made a missed phone call utterly insignificant.

There was a stiff Southeasterly wind blowing at 20-25mph constant. I figured on winching my way South against that as far as I figured it would be okay on my out of shape body to go, and then turn back and enjoy a mahoosive tailwind. It might take quite a while to get as far South as I thought I could go, but I knew it would take less than a third of what ever time that ended up being to get back. That was my plan. Sometimes you get more than you planned on........

They sang once in a play I saw that Oklahoma was where the wind came sweepin' oe'r the plain. Well, that ain't the only place it does that! I remember when I was in school, a teacher said Iowa was one of the "plains states". I scoffed at the idea, but as I grew older, and learned more, I came to realize this is correct. Iowa was once mostly covered in tall grass prairie. Agriculture has traded that natural grass for one of tall grass prairie's distant cousins- corn. That and beans, of course. While we have more trees than maybe we would have naturally here, the fact that most of Iowa is still open land means that there isn't a whole lot to stop whatever winds decide to visit here. Rushing winds? Yeah, we got that.

The remnants of huge drifts of snow now are giving over to a new view.

I also learned back in the day that the Plains States were once at the bottom of a huge, shallow, ancient sea. The deposits and sediment over the millennia eventually became our limestone. This became the very crunchy bits I was riding over. Not only that, but the age of the glaciers scraped and scoured our land, leaving behind the occasional huge "erratic", or massive stone feature. I often see these while I ride as well.

Not much breaks up our horizon unless it is man-made.

The result is a large, unbroken horizon line and a "big sky" most times. The only things that break the horizon are the farm buildings and the trees that surround them which dot the countryside. It is especially during the transitional seasons- Fall to Winter, and Winter to Spring, when it is brown, barren, and lifeless looking out there, when I notice how "prairie-like" Iowa really is. the gently rolling landscape is easily seen now. You can almost imagine tall grass bending in the wind, Buffalo and elk grazing, and being able to see nothing but those things for as far as you can see. Yeah......I can almost see it yet......

Riding on the ground up floor of an ancient ocean over what once was tall grass prairie. 

 

The life blood of the land burbles toward a larger way.

But right about then a gust of wind pushes the bike around and my attention is now on my corrective measures and then it is focusing again on measuring out the power. That wind was relentless. I have a friend, "Super Saul", and he has a philosophy for riding in the wind. He laughs if it blows hard, taunting the Wind. "Ha! Is that all ya got! I'm still moving forward!". It does help, you should try it sometime. That said, the Wind wins sometimes. It is a Force to be reckoned with when you live out on the Plains. Today it might be just flexing its muscles a bit, wrestling with you, toying with you as you pedal into its face. But there are days it will knock you clean off your bike, or be so strong that it picks up debris, precipitation, and grit which peels your skin back, or feels like it. Then there are the days it joins forces with Winter, or Storm, and you have to take cover. Yeah, laugh if you want to, but in the end, Wind is no joke. You learn to respect its powers.

Equipment set out for auction.

The Wind also brings Spring in with such force and violence that the deep set Winter belches forth from the ground where it once held a frosty grip, tearing up our roads in the process. We think these things- roads, fields, buildings, and homes- are permanent. These are all transient. They could all be gone tomorrow. Farms I once rode by for years disappear overnight. Roads and bridges close or disappear with the advance of Nature as it overgrows and takes back what was once its own. Only that long unbroken horizon and that big sky will remain someday.

Eventually I turn back North and the Wind which I struggled against now prods me along down the road at an incredible speed through the fluffed up, damaged gravel roads. The Wind doesn't care. I'm just another thing, like a leaf of a tree, being caught up in its power. Rushing along the broken bits of an old ocean floor.

Riding On The Ocean Floor

Some pretty torn up roads out there in places.

The warmest day yet in 2019 and you know I wasn't about to let it go by without a ride. That was a given. I didn't get out right away because I was expecting a call at 9:00am which never came. Grr......

That's really annoying. But, I had gravel waiting and that put the frustration of the non-phone call out of my mind. It was time to turn my thoughts to getting kitted up and out of that door with the Noble Bikes GX5 in tow. I tossed that rig into the back of the "Truck With No Name" and headed out to Prairie Grove Park. I had decided to get started and go on South from there out of town. There were bigger things going on which made a missed phone call utterly insignificant.

There was a stiff Southeasterly wind blowing at 20-25mph constant. I figured on winching my way South against that as far as I figured it would be okay on my out of shape body to go, and then turn back and enjoy a mahoosive tailwind. It might take quite a while to get as far South as I thought I could go, but I knew it would take less than a third of what ever time that ended up being to get back. That was my plan. Sometimes you get more than you planned on........

They sang once in a play I saw that Oklahoma was where the wind came sweepin' oe'r the plain. Well, that ain't the only place it does that! I remember when I was in school, a teacher said Iowa was one of the "plains states". I scoffed at the idea, but as I grew older, and learned more, I came to realize this is correct. Iowa was once mostly covered in tall grass prairie. Agriculture has traded that natural grass for one of tall grass prairie's distant cousins- corn. That and beans, of course. While we have more trees than maybe we would have naturally here, the fact that most of Iowa is still open land means that there isn't a whole lot to stop whatever winds decide to visit here. Rushing winds? Yeah, we got that.

The remnants of huge drifts of snow now are giving over to a new view.

I also learned back in the day that the Plains States were once at the bottom of a huge, shallow, ancient sea. The deposits and sediment over the millennia eventually became our limestone. This became the very crunchy bits I was riding over. Not only that, but the age of the glaciers scraped and scoured our land, leaving behind the occasional huge "erratic", or massive stone feature. I often see these while I ride as well.

Not much breaks up our horizon unless it is man-made.

The result is a large, unbroken horizon line and a "big sky" most times. The only things that break the horizon are the farm buildings and the trees that surround them which dot the countryside. It is especially during the transitional seasons- Fall to Winter, and Winter to Spring, when it is brown, barren, and lifeless looking out there, when I notice how "prairie-like" Iowa really is. the gently rolling landscape is easily seen now. You can almost imagine tall grass bending in the wind, Buffalo and elk grazing, and being able to see nothing but those things for as far as you can see. Yeah......I can almost see it yet......

Riding on the ground up floor of an ancient ocean over what once was tall grass prairie. 

 

The life blood of the land burbles toward a larger way.

But right about then a gust of wind pushes the bike around and my attention is now on my corrective measures and then it is focusing again on measuring out the power. That wind was relentless. I have a friend, "Super Saul", and he has a philosophy for riding in the wind. He laughs if it blows hard, taunting the Wind. "Ha! Is that all ya got! I'm still moving forward!". It does help, you should try it sometime. That said, the Wind wins sometimes. It is a Force to be reckoned with when you live out on the Plains. Today it might be just flexing its muscles a bit, wrestling with you, toying with you as you pedal into its face. But there are days it will knock you clean off your bike, or be so strong that it picks up debris, precipitation, and grit which peels your skin back, or feels like it. Then there are the days it joins forces with Winter, or Storm, and you have to take cover. Yeah, laugh if you want to, but in the end, Wind is no joke. You learn to respect its powers.

Equipment set out for auction.

The Wind also brings Spring in with such force and violence that the deep set Winter belches forth from the ground where it once held a frosty grip, tearing up our roads in the process. We think these things- roads, fields, buildings, and homes- are permanent. These are all transient. They could all be gone tomorrow. Farms I once rode by for years disappear overnight. Roads and bridges close or disappear with the advance of Nature as it overgrows and takes back what was once its own. Only that long unbroken horizon and that big sky will remain someday.

Eventually I turn back North and the Wind which I struggled against now prods me along down the road at an incredible speed through the fluffed up, damaged gravel roads. The Wind doesn't care. I'm just another thing, like a leaf of a tree, being caught up in its power. Rushing along the broken bits of an old ocean floor.

All The Wars!

Warroad Tiagra

An Opinion On The Salsa Cycles Warroad:

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

By now you've seen the news about the new Warroad by Salsa Cycles. It has raised a lot of questions, comments, and eyebrows. Just what is going on here? Well, you could just read the Culture Blog on Salsa's site, which, honestly, tells you everything you might want to know here. I really do not have anything to add to it. Other than the miscaptioned image of the 700c bike, which is Force 1, not Ultegra. (Note- Salsa sells only the Ultegra model with 700c wheels out of the box)

So, all you are going to get from me here about these bikes is my reactions. 

First, with only one 700c bike in the range, it is clear that Salsa has bought into the Road Plus idea first put forth by WTB, whose tires are featured on the bike. In my opinion, this is brilliant. For the intended purposes of the bike, poofy, 650B tires are just perfect for the job. Long, fun, interesting road-ish rides headed down questionably paved roads. Maybe you run out on some gravel? No problem, ride forward, get yourself righted and back on the tarmac. Note......there is nothing here for the go-fast, racer types. This isn't "that bike", so any criticisms of the design that reflect upon what a "road bike" should be like that are rooted in basic race bike design are misplaced here. This is something different altogether. An exploration rig. More pavement than not. The Byway tire choice really reflects this. 

You can put 700c wheels and tires on the Warroad, but you are limited to 35mm.

 That said, this isn't a randonnuer bike either. The front end geometry isn't the classic "low trail" type that many rando riders prefer. While Salsa did provide mounts for front Anything Cages or their low rider rack, I would tend to think any sort of weight on the front end would make the handling a bit "floppy", especially low speed handling. (Note- traditional "rando" geometry is 73° head angle with around 60mm offset) The 71° head angle is slack by gravel bike standards, and paired with the 51mm offset, it won't be bad unladen, but with two Anything Cages full of gear, or especially with low rider mounted panniers, I think it won't be ideal. But this isn't a "touring bike", per se', although the feature set tends to make it seem as though it could be. 

So, just what is it, and why not just get a Warbird? Well, click that link above. They tell you all the major differences. I get it, but I think of it this way- Back when Salsa came up with the Colossal, they told much the same "genesis" story as they have with Warroad. I remember liking the idea of the Colossal a lot, but the bike was seriously over-priced in relation to value present in the spec, and the tire clearances were too far on the slim side. Salsa fixed the tire clearance issues, made the bike in carbon, and put on their excellent Class V VRS stays and now call it "Warroad". I know Marketing will bristle at the comparison, but hey- that's what I am seeing here. It's a "better Colossal". 

So, why did they put stealth dropper post routing in this bike? That seems a bit........odd. Whatever. I do know dropping your post while coasting down a long, drawn out downhill is a hoot. But the bother and extra complexity of a dropper post on this bike seems out of place, but if you disagree, there is routing for it. Get after it!  

Also- Vaya. Umm.......doesn't that bike already do most of this Warroad stuff? Or is this a "Carbon Journeyman"? Geometry tweaks aside, (which really only matter to bike nerds, not the general populace), these are the valid questions an average shopper will have when looking at Salsa bikes. The major confusion will be with the Warbird though, and ultimately, Salsa must know this, because they spend a lot of time dissecting the differences between the Warbird and the Warroad. That Salsa chose a name which so closely mimics the predecessor's name doesn't help with this confusion either. Which one is which? That's a serious marketing issue there. 

Warroad Force 1- I really like the paint scheme on this one.

 Ultimately, I really like a lot of things about the Warroad. The top of the range has a cool "throwback paint scheme" which hearkens back to the original Mamasita 29"er. The geometry is (mostly) pretty good. I like the 650B choice to be featured in this range for the intended purposes of this design. I think it is a perfect, high end choice for RAGBRAI-type riders. 

I also think that you are going to see this model raced a lot at gravel events. It features short chain stays, a stiffer bottom bracket, and this results in the "squirt" feel that roadie-type gravel racers like to feel when they stomp on the pedals. It will be a handful in loose, rough conditions, but throw a dropper post in there and I bet a lot of top racers will be happy to throw a leg over this one. 

There is a lot to like here, but similar to the conundrum that was the Colossal, and similar to the Warbird, the asking price seems a bit whack. Warroad is going to find a lot of stiff competition in the gravel bike category. I know......It isn't a "gravel bike", but it also isn't a "road bike" in the traditional sense and with so many categories of bikes out there, and with such a strong semblance to the Warbird- both in profile and in name- there is going to be a hard road ahead for Salsa to keep this model separated from being lumped in with "gravel bikes". 

Maybe they should have done something a little more different. Like putting an electric assist motor in it. (HA!) 

All The Wars!

Warroad Tiagra

An Opinion On The Salsa Cycles Warroad:

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

By now you've seen the news about the new Warroad by Salsa Cycles. It has raised a lot of questions, comments, and eyebrows. Just what is going on here? Well, you could just read the Culture Blog on Salsa's site, which, honestly, tells you everything you might want to know here. I really do not have anything to add to it. Other than the miscaptioned image of the 700c bike, which is Force 1, not Ultegra. (Note- Salsa sells only the Ultegra model with 700c wheels out of the box)

So, all you are going to get from me here about these bikes is my reactions. 

First, with only one 700c bike in the range, it is clear that Salsa has bought into the Road Plus idea first put forth by WTB, whose tires are featured on the bike. In my opinion, this is brilliant. For the intended purposes of the bike, poofy, 650B tires are just perfect for the job. Long, fun, interesting road-ish rides headed down questionably paved roads. Maybe you run out on some gravel? No problem, ride forward, get yourself righted and back on the tarmac. Note......there is nothing here for the go-fast, racer types. This isn't "that bike", so any criticisms of the design that reflect upon what a "road bike" should be like that are rooted in basic race bike design are misplaced here. This is something different altogether. An exploration rig. More pavement than not. The Byway tire choice really reflects this. 

You can put 700c wheels and tires on the Warroad, but you are limited to 35mm.

 That said, this isn't a randonnuer bike either. The front end geometry isn't the classic "low trail" type that many rando riders prefer. While Salsa did provide mounts for front Anything Cages or their low rider rack, I would tend to think any sort of weight on the front end would make the handling a bit "floppy", especially low speed handling. (Note- traditional "rando" geometry is 73° head angle with around 60mm offset) The 71° head angle is slack by gravel bike standards, and paired with the 51mm offset, it won't be bad unladen, but with two Anything Cages full of gear, or especially with low rider mounted panniers, I think it won't be ideal. But this isn't a "touring bike", per se', although the feature set tends to make it seem as though it could be. 

So, just what is it, and why not just get a Warbird? Well, click that link above. They tell you all the major differences. I get it, but I think of it this way- Back when Salsa came up with the Colossal, they told much the same "genesis" story as they have with Warroad. I remember liking the idea of the Colossal a lot, but the bike was seriously over-priced in relation to value present in the spec, and the tire clearances were too far on the slim side. Salsa fixed the tire clearance issues, made the bike in carbon, and put on their excellent Class V VRS stays and now call it "Warroad". I know Marketing will bristle at the comparison, but hey- that's what I am seeing here. It's a "better Colossal". 

So, why did they put stealth dropper post routing in this bike? That seems a bit........odd. Whatever. I do know dropping your post while coasting down a long, drawn out downhill is a hoot. But the bother and extra complexity of a dropper post on this bike seems out of place, but if you disagree, there is routing for it. Get after it!  

Also- Vaya. Umm.......doesn't that bike already do most of this Warroad stuff? Or is this a "Carbon Journeyman"? Geometry tweaks aside, (which really only matter to bike nerds, not the general populace), these are the valid questions an average shopper will have when looking at Salsa bikes. The major confusion will be with the Warbird though, and ultimately, Salsa must know this, because they spend a lot of time dissecting the differences between the Warbird and the Warroad. That Salsa chose a name which so closely mimics the predecessor's name doesn't help with this confusion either. Which one is which? That's a serious marketing issue there. 

Warroad Force 1- I really like the paint scheme on this one.

 Ultimately, I really like a lot of things about the Warroad. The top of the range has a cool "throwback paint scheme" which hearkens back to the original Mamasita 29"er. The geometry is (mostly) pretty good. I like the 650B choice to be featured in this range for the intended purposes of this design. I think it is a perfect, high end choice for RAGBRAI-type riders. 

I also think that you are going to see this model raced a lot at gravel events. It features short chain stays, a stiffer bottom bracket, and this results in the "squirt" feel that roadie-type gravel racers like to feel when they stomp on the pedals. It will be a handful in loose, rough conditions, but throw a dropper post in there and I bet a lot of top racers will be happy to throw a leg over this one. 

There is a lot to like here, but similar to the conundrum that was the Colossal, and similar to the Warbird, the asking price seems a bit whack. Warroad is going to find a lot of stiff competition in the gravel bike category. I know......It isn't a "gravel bike", but it also isn't a "road bike" in the traditional sense and with so many categories of bikes out there, and with such a strong semblance to the Warbird- both in profile and in name- there is going to be a hard road ahead for Salsa to keep this model separated from being lumped in with "gravel bikes". 

Maybe they should have done something a little more different. Like putting an electric assist motor in it. (HA!) 

C.O.G. 100 Final Update

The inaugural C.O.G. 100 will be this Saturday at Miller Park in Grinnell, Iowa. There will be a LOT of important reminders and information here, so please pay attention if you are in the event. (My apologies to regular readers who are not part of this. I'll be back to regular posting tomorrow.)

Here we go! I have a bunch of things to cover today. first off, I should ask that you make sure you are familiar with the RULES. <===CLICK THAT. I will only add that I am quite serious about the single speed only bits. Don't even bother coming with a geared bike zip tied to be a "single speed", or any other half-baked solution. Not gonna fly here.

Secondly, I have noted a few "rookies" to my style of event that were wondering why there wasn't a course gps file, elevation gain given so they could choose the "right gear", and some qualms about cue sheet navigation. Okay, I could go on a long dissertation about why all of these things I do are good for you, but suffice it to say that I have my reasons. Secondly- if it offends you, why did you register for the event? Weird. I am not going to switch up my format to accommodate "easier living" for those who object to my "not handing you everything" ahead of time. In my opinion, we are all a bunch of spoilt brats and whiners. Myself included. Ease of life is at such a high level that we have lost sight of how good we have it. This is partly why I make my events the way they are. Nuff said....... If you get it afterward, great. If not, oh well...........

Course Conditions: The roads will be messy. It looks like we will experience some rain just before the event. This will make things sloppy. Road conditions are going to be wildly variable. You'll see patches of fresh gravel, soft, muddy spots, rutting, and probably some decent roads as well. Yes, the Level B Road will be passable on foot. No way will you be able to ride it. It is in there for a reason.

I'd suggest a clip on rear fender and possibly a front "mud deflector" type device to help with your comfort and visibility factor. You will definitely want to be layered up against damp, chilly conditions. I suspect the temperatures for the most part to be in the 30's to maybe 40°F for the entirety of the event. This coupled with stiff, Northwest winds of 17mph-25mph will make for a really challenging day to stay warm. This especially will be true if the roadways are wet and you get wet. Plan accordingly.

What riders might look like Saturday. (Image courtesy of ??)

Schedule Of Events: Friday you can check in with us at the Peace Tree Taproom Grinnell if you want to. If you do, it will make the Saturday go that much smoother for you and for us. You will sign waivers, get your schwag, and your race number. Cues will not be distributed until the morning of the event at 7:00am sharp. Come to the Peace Tree Taproom Friday between 6:00pm and 10:00pm.

Saturday: At 7:00am you can start getting inspected, get signed on, (if you haven't already), and pick up your schwag and race number. Cues will be distributed starting at 7:40am and riders will be briefed shortly before the controlled roll-out. The event starts at 8:00am SHARP!

Post event we encourage you to come to downtown Grinnell and have a beverage at the Peace Tree Taproom. We'll be hanging for a couple hours after the event to listen to your stories and just chit-chat if you'd like.

Number Protocol: We have Tyvek numbers with four holes- one in each corner. We are providing pipe cleaners to tie these to your bike on with. We expect to be able to see and read your number on the front of the bike.

Images: We have a roving photographer, Jon Duke, lined up to take images for this event. He has agreed to allow free use of all images taken by event participants only.  Any outside use of these images must be cleared by myself here at Guitar Ted Productions. Jon has been a Trans Iowa veteran, finisher, and was the T.I.v14 photographer last year.

 If you cannot make it- Please let us know ASAP. We would appreciate that.

Ride Right: Finally- Just a reminder that we are going to be enforcing the idea of "Ride Right". It's pretty simple- just keep on the right side of the roadway. Especially up hills! If you are found riding on the wrong side of the road, we will DQ you. It is unsafe and places you and the other riders in danger. Besides this you must stop and obey all stop signs, look both ways before crossing, and use extreme caution when doing so.

Thanks!!

C.O.G. 100 Final Update

The inaugural C.O.G. 100 will be this Saturday at Miller Park in Grinnell, Iowa. There will be a LOT of important reminders and information here, so please pay attention if you are in the event. (My apologies to regular readers who are not part of this. I'll be back to regular posting tomorrow.)

Here we go! I have a bunch of things to cover today. first off, I should ask that you make sure you are familiar with the RULES. <===CLICK THAT. I will only add that I am quite serious about the single speed only bits. Don't even bother coming with a geared bike zip tied to be a "single speed", or any other half-baked solution. Not gonna fly here.

Secondly, I have noted a few "rookies" to my style of event that were wondering why there wasn't a course gps file, elevation gain given so they could choose the "right gear", and some qualms about cue sheet navigation. Okay, I could go on a long dissertation about why all of these things I do are good for you, but suffice it to say that I have my reasons. Secondly- if it offends you, why did you register for the event? Weird. I am not going to switch up my format to accommodate "easier living" for those who object to my "not handing you everything" ahead of time. In my opinion, we are all a bunch of spoilt brats and whiners. Myself included. Ease of life is at such a high level that we have lost sight of how good we have it. This is partly why I make my events the way they are. Nuff said....... If you get it afterward, great. If not, oh well...........

Course Conditions: The roads will be messy. It looks like we will experience some rain just before the event. This will make things sloppy. Road conditions are going to be wildly variable. You'll see patches of fresh gravel, soft, muddy spots, rutting, and probably some decent roads as well. Yes, the Level B Road will be passable on foot. No way will you be able to ride it. It is in there for a reason.

I'd suggest a clip on rear fender and possibly a front "mud deflector" type device to help with your comfort and visibility factor. You will definitely want to be layered up against damp, chilly conditions. I suspect the temperatures for the most part to be in the 30's to maybe 40°F for the entirety of the event. This coupled with stiff, Northwest winds of 17mph-25mph will make for a really challenging day to stay warm. This especially will be true if the roadways are wet and you get wet. Plan accordingly.

What riders might look like Saturday. (Image courtesy of ??)

Schedule Of Events: Friday you can check in with us at the Peace Tree Taproom Grinnell if you want to. If you do, it will make the Saturday go that much smoother for you and for us. You will sign waivers, get your schwag, and your race number. Cues will not be distributed until the morning of the event at 7:00am sharp. Come to the Peace Tree Taproom Friday between 6:00pm and 10:00pm.

Saturday: At 7:00am you can start getting inspected, get signed on, (if you haven't already), and pick up your schwag and race number. Cues will be distributed starting at 7:40am and riders will be briefed shortly before the controlled roll-out. The event starts at 8:00am SHARP!

Post event we encourage you to come to downtown Grinnell and have a beverage at the Peace Tree Taproom. We'll be hanging for a couple hours after the event to listen to your stories and just chit-chat if you'd like.

Number Protocol: We have Tyvek numbers with four holes- one in each corner. We are providing pipe cleaners to tie these to your bike on with. We expect to be able to see and read your number on the front of the bike.

Images: We have a roving photographer, Jon Duke, lined up to take images for this event. He has agreed to allow free use of all images taken by event participants only.  Any outside use of these images must be cleared by myself here at Guitar Ted Productions. Jon has been a Trans Iowa veteran, finisher, and was the T.I.v14 photographer last year.

 If you cannot make it- Please let us know ASAP. We would appreciate that.

Ride Right: Finally- Just a reminder that we are going to be enforcing the idea of "Ride Right". It's pretty simple- just keep on the right side of the roadway. Especially up hills! If you are found riding on the wrong side of the road, we will DQ you. It is unsafe and places you and the other riders in danger. Besides this you must stop and obey all stop signs, look both ways before crossing, and use extreme caution when doing so.

Thanks!!

Me And About 10,000 Other People

I needed to do this. Fresh air, BIG skies, and the smell of dirt.

Last weekend it was marginal as far as riding conditions. I am super happy N.Y. Roll got me out there though. That little taste of gravel/dirt we got didn't help as far as satisfying that "itch" though. If anything, it made that itch even more intense. Probably the same for me and about 10,000 other people!

Well, the good news is that the weather has been improving massively since last weekend and Saturday it was supposed to get into the 50's. N.Y. Roll was holding his "Bar To Bar" ride which we reconned the route for the previous weekend. I wasn't interested in doing that, but he was going down to a bakery/coffee shop earlier Saturday to grab a bite and a cuppa, so I asked to join him.

N.Y. Roll came by the house just before 9:00am and we swung downtown to Rockets Bakery where a couple of other guys going on Dave's ride were already munching on pastries and drinking the black goodness. I grabbed a cup and drained it, then bid the gents a farewell and good ride as I wanted to hit the gravel North of Waterloo. N.Y. Roll had told me that there was some fresh gravel patches on the roads up that way, and I was eager to hit something other than smoothed out, "hero gravel" from the long Winter.

I wasn't disappointed either. In fact, it was good from the standpoint of one of my goals, which was to get some good review time on something I am looking at for RidingGravel.com. There was everything from the smoothest of smooth dirt, fluffed up dirt, rutted out road, regular gravel, and the aforementioned fresh patches. There had been some grading, but there was more of the stretches of mud, rutted out sections, and just damage from the Winter than there was graded road. Amazingly, the snow is almost all gone.

The odd silo and round bales broke up the horizon line here.

There were only a couple of places left where you could see that there were really big drifts. 

I was headed North and my plan was to cross C-50, go a mile North of that, then turn West going by the old Lutheran church and German school Northeast of Denver. But along the way, I got a riff stuck in my head which I started building a song around as I rode. I crossed a blacktop and went another mile, then I figured I'd better turn. All of these signs and decisions were kind of "off in the background", because my song was raging and I didn't want to stop. Well, I went about a mile and then I realized I had no idea at all where I was!

So, I had to "hit pause" on the song, and then I had to figure out the compass directions. Easy enough, but nothing looked familiar until I came up on a cemetery which jogged my memory. I knew I was still near Denver, but I was no where near where I wanted to be. In fact, I hadn't crossed C-50 at all, and I was still in Black Hawk County!

The gate says "Pioneer", but the name was changed back to "German Burial Ground". (More on this in another post someday)

Well, I finally got back on track mentally, but I had to reform my goals and so I ended up going quite a ways West on Bennington Road until I reached Streeter Road where I turned South again. This takes you up a climb to a first summit and then down a touch, climb again to the second summit, which is right at the intersection of Streeter Road and Mt Vernon Road. There is a farm on the Northwest corner and a place that sells grain elevators with many of the implements parked on the Southeast and Northeast corners of the adjacent fields to the intersection.

Now I used to worry about dogs here. That farm had four which almost always would come out and give serious chase. Fortunately, the house is far enough back from the intersection that once you reach the downhill, the dogs had no chance. Now as I came in from the North, the farm was to my right hand, and I was listening intently for the sound of barking, or heavy panting and beating feet, if the dogs should be ambushing me in silence.

I did see some sudden, fast movement on the other side of the fence line. Whatever it was, it was being quiet and was going to easily outrun me to the opening near the intersection. "Oh man! I'm going to have to deal with these mutts!", I thought, and I was still a good 50 yards away from the corner, still going up. Then suddenly a brown creature leapt above the fence line! A deer! "What the what?!!" Well, it was obvious there were no dogs! But a deer was the last creature I expected to see coming out of that yard!

Another cemetery. Another picture.

Flock of birds straight ahead!

I turned East down Mt. Vernon Road and then went on thinking I'd turn South again on Moline Road and finish out the ride. As I approached Wagner Road, I heard a cacophony of noise of the bird variety. There were hundreds of blackbirds in the trees near this farm I was approaching. The noise of the birds as I passed was deafening!

Then I made another wrong turn! I ended up going down Burton instead of going two more miles East. Oh well! I ended up getting in three hours of good riding and another step closer to being ready for the Gent's Race coming up in two weeks. The itch for gravel was satisfied, but I definitely want more.