Trans Iowa Stories: Special Edition

Looking through a foggy crystal ball at what may have been. Image from T.I. v6

 "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject by going back to earlier Sunday posts on this blog. This is a "Special Edition" post which is a bonus look at what may have been in 2020 regarding Trans Iowa. Thanks and enjoy!

This would have been the weekend before Trans Iowa, traditionally. Of course, we all know now that it wouldn't have happened. Trans Iowa would have been cancelled.

I wanted to think about that for a minute because this pandemic could have happened five years ago- ten years ago- and Trans Iowa would have been cancelled. 

This is no news to you out there that may have been anxiously awaiting toeing the line at any number of now postponed and cancelled events. You understand well what the feelings are, the let down, the thoughts of training efforts possibly done for no other reason than staying fit. But that said, it didn't dawn on me until about a week or so ago that I would have had to have cancelled Trans Iowa for 2020, if that event would have been happening. The thought of cancelling Trans Iowa, quite frankly, never entered into my mind for the 14 years we put it on.

I do know that it would have been cancelled. There would be no way I would impose my event on a Fall calendar. Especially if I were to be gearing up for the following year's Trans Iowa at the same time, which traditionally I would have been doing. Nope! I would not have gone there! So, any thoughts of postponement would not have lived long in my mind.

Then there would have been athletes who would have been bitterly disappointed in my decision, I am sure. Not just from the standpoint of tradition, but from the standpoint of "losing six months of preparations". That I do know, and I can empathize with, since that kind of did happen a few times when the weather shut down Trans Iowa. (Thinking about v11 in particular) Guys and gals were shattered not only by the conditions, but by the fact that they had put in massive efforts both physically, mentally, and spiritually, only to see that preparation all get trashed before they made it 50 miles.

So, there would have been that sort of disappointment, both on the rider's part, and on mine. All that preparation..... Man! I feel for everyone that is sitting around now after having done all they had to do to either put on an event, or participate in one, only to be made to sit idle. But I also realize there are a LOT bigger issues at stake here. I just was thinking about what this would have done to a Trans Iowa.

Ya know.....I've got a lot of time on my hands now to think about silly stuff like this. Maybe I shouldn't think so much!

Next: Look for a huge Trans Iowa packed weekend next week when I also will have two days worth of Trans Iowa related stories to share. The climatic end of Trans Iowa v7 will be covered Sunday, and a special look at where I am with my feelings about Trans Iowa today will be covered Saturday.