Friday News And Views

The Solstice 100 gravel grinder will be in a new location for 2020.

Solstice 100.......Again!

Last Summer I did the Solstice 100 event out of Malcom, Nebraska. This was a fun event, which I talked a bit about recently in the "Rear View '19" post for this past Summer. I didn't finish it due to getting off course, and I wanted to get back there and get a century distance of gravel under my belt.

So, on the Winter Solstice here a few days back, I signed up again. The event is moving to a new area though, and that makes it even more exciting for me, because I like checking out new areas. This time the event will be out of Beatrice, Nebraska, a city near the Kansas/Nebraska border, Southwest of Lincoln.

When I did the Solstice last Summer it was evident that this is still a "grassroots", lower key event, although track cycling phenom Ashton Lambie showed up and took top honors going away. So, it isn't like events which are low key, less flashy affairs don't have "quality competition". That's there if you want it. I am looking to just complete a gravel century again. Hopefully that will have happened before mid- Summer 2020 as well. It sure would help if it did!

I think my brother-from-another-mother,  MG is doing the Solstice again as well. Hope so. I'm sure I'll be seeing him down there either way. That will be fun. I also probably will see him and many other friends at the other Nebraska gravel event I have already signed up for, Gravel Worlds, in August.

The new site header and will become the icon for the 2020 C.O.G. 100 schwag.

 C.O.G. 100 News: 

The registration for the next C.O.G. 100 is set to occur on January 2nd @ 8:00am. There will be a link to the Bikereg.com page on the site (C.O.G. 100) that you can mark to get ready for registration, should you be willing to commit to single speed devices.

So, I came up with this new livery for the site over the Holidays. It represents a bit of what we as the event directors are passionate about. N.Y. Roll is a veteran of the military, and I wanted to highlight the fact that we are trying to be true to gravel grinding roots by keeping things simple, low key, and fun. So, the theme using the stencil, military-like font, the Bald Eagle, and the red, white, and blue colors which we are planning on using for the hats. Oh.....yes, there will be hats again this year. We noticed throughout 2019 that our very limited edition C.O.G. 100 hats were being worn proudly by many of you at various events across the country. We were very humbled and happy to see the folks who were proud to wear our livery. So, we figured since the hats were a hit, why mess with a good thing? Besides, I have a drawer full of t-shirts, but not very many hats.

We haven't devised a shorter course option as yet, nor a way to implement that for the day of the event. We want to do this, but in order to make it work, and keep an eye on everyone, it would require two separate courses, and as of now we just don't have the manpower to accomplish this feat. That may change but we set the event up just as a 100 miler with no other option at registration. Growing an event is cool, but not at the expense of what you already are doing, and that is where we are at right now with offering a shorter course option for the time being.

It sure hasn't seemed like Winter here. Christmas Eve ride at 55°F!

 So......What Have You Been Up To Lately?

Many of you might be wondering what is going on with me and my situation now that I am no longer affiliated with the old shop I worked at. Well, there is a tentative plan in place and some exciting things are afoot. I think you all will be safe in assuming that I will be still working in the cycling industry. If I have my way, that's what will happen. The time for announcing things hasn't arrived just yet. But you know that when it does, it'll be here.

Meanwhile, I have been struggling to overcome a nasty head cold I contracted at the beginning of December. I've had to be off the bike for a while and lately have only been able to do shorter rides without putting myself back into the hurt locker with this malady.

I have done some experimenting with the Nobel GX5 bike and the new HED wheels I am reviewing. I have been out on the fat bike a couple of times too. Actually, I have been doing a bit of maintenance on the old connector trail, Marky-Mark, in the Green Belt. There are three downed trees that need a bit of chainsaw work, but other than that it is in excellent shape for a trail that is 20 years old and not much used.

For me, Marky-Mark is more than just some pathway from one leg of the Green Belt Trail to another on Ridgeway Avenue. It marks a time in my life and when I ride that trail I remember those days. I was single, alone, and working at the auto shop. I went and cut in that trail after working ten hours at that shop, busting my butt. It was very difficult to accomplish what I did back then, and to see it still around and being used 20 years later means a lot to me. Actually, its been more than 20 years, come to think of it.

Okay, well, that's the last "Friday News And Views" for 2019. See ya sometime next year for the next FN&V! Happy New Year!