Trans Iowa Stories: A Rough Start- Part 1

From my 'day before' recon of the first leg of T.I.v14

 "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 clicking on the "Trans Iowa Stories" link under the blog header. Thanks and enjoy!  

Well, it was time to 'push GO' and get on with this one last time. I remember loading up the truck and thinking about how this routine had become a lot less worrisome over the years. I'd done this enough times now, and had enough helping hands, that it was kind of easy, actually. 

My friend Tony McGrane, who had stepped into part of the role that Jeremy Fry used to occupy before Jeremy decided to ride in the last Trans Iowa, had already been a big help to me in the past. This last time around he had the dubious honor of being the course checker, as Wally and George couldn't come out for that. In fact, Tony did the whole route solo! 

At one point during his drive, he called me where the cues were a bit confusing for him. (NOT the infamous spot which tripped up many T.I.v14 riders, by the way) He talked to me and we made a slight change in the description based on our exchange before the cues went to print. But that was the only real sticking point in the entire route cues. It was also the first time in years that I had not gone out on a final course check. 

Volunteers setting up for the last Pre-Race Meat-Up.

Now, the day of the Pre-Race meeting, Tony was hauling about half of my load down to Grinnell for me where we would meet later at the Grinnell Steakhouse. More volunteers would end up showing up to help set up the registration table, get the prizing/schwag out, and to hang out. Some volunteers would come later to get the cues for checkpoints and final instructions. But before I arrived, I drove the first 100 miles of the course to make sure nothing was out of order, as we had been snake bitten before, most famously in T.I.v7. Since then we only had one other 'day before' surprise and that was for T.I.v12. 

With that out of the way I met my volunteers and Tony eventually at around 3:00pm in the afternoon at the Grinnell Steakhouse. My first inclination that things were "off" was when I did not see any familiar faces at the venue. Unbeknownst to me, the place had changed hands, or had changed management. The folks I had known and trusted for eight years of Trans Iowa pre-race meetings were not there anymore. Hmm....

Well, everything was set up the way it always had been, and so I went on with my hobnobbing and socializing while my excellent volunteers registered riders, had them sign waivers, and answered questions. Then it was time to eat. I sat down with some familiar folks and volunteers. That's when it started. The bumpy bits, that is, as we noted that our service was not to the same high levels that it had been. Orders put in for beers and drinks were seemingly forgotten, and when it came time to pay, the waitress was AWOL, and the meeting had to start, so.....

Just before the last Pre-Race Meat-Up began.

About ten minutes into the meeting a waitress barged in asking where her patrons had disappeared to and was demanding payment. This was probably not a big deal to many there, but I was a bit taken aback by the lack of professionalism and the unusually poor service before that. I probably would have filed a pretty strong complaint after the event, had I planned on continuing Trans Iowa, and I also would have looked for a different venue. But being that was the last time we would need the Steakhouse, I let it ride. 

It was disappointing though, as some other racers and support folk mentioned that they noticed the poor service as well. Anyway, on with the meeting! And it all went well, right up until I got to the end, where I wanted to ask for one more clean run from the riders. I was so worked up about the chances for something to go wrong, and not wanting that, and I ended up kind of choking up there at the end. It was a bit embarrassing, but besides that, it was a 'normal' pre-race. 

The weather was going to be excellent and Sunny for the event so spirits were high at the Pre-Race. The only hint that things might not be as they seemed out there was a report I got from Wally Kilburg, who made it out for the pre-event, and had driven further out than I had. He reported to me that the roads were about as rough as he'd ever experienced. Fresh gravel! Lots of dust. Hmm....

I didn't think the roads were too bad on my pre-race recon, but I heard they were worse further into the course.

While Wally had planned on being there to take images, I knew that there was a chance he'd have to leave on a moment's notice, as he still had personal family health issues brewing back home. And that did cause him to bug out early. He felt bad, but I understood. I just wish that he and George could have been a bigger part of the last Trans Iowa. 

Meanwhile, Jon Duke had also asked to take images, so he was on course and we got a ton of great imagery from Jon, so the last Trans Iowa was pretty well documented. Along with Jon's work, we had Celeste Matthias out there for a time as well which brought in even more great images. 

The evening was pretty sedate. Matt and I were to stay at a motel again and Matt was on tap to drive. He wasn't going to miss the last Trans Iowa, and I was really glad he was there. So, we hit the hay at about 10:00pm, not too drunk, and not real late. It seemed as though we were being smart, but there was a rough night ahead for the both of us....

Next: A Rough Start - Part 2