Trans Iowa Stories: A Rough Start Part 2

I handed out some nice flasks and coffee mugs to volunteers for 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!  

When I sleep, I snore, and when MG was planning on staying in the same motel room with me for v14, I don't know if he planned for that, but it was too much for him. He had to leave and go try to sleep in his Subaru. It probably would have been okay, but for the "lady of the night" who knocked on his window wondering if he needed anything when he was fast asleep. That was about all it took, well......that and me texting him in the middle of it all to see where he was, to ruin any thoughts he may have had of getting a good night's rest before driving me 300+ gravelly miles. 

And what was I doing up in the middle of the night to be texting him? Well, some late night revelers were up above me in a room bouncing.....something. I'm not sure if it was a basketball, or what, but it may as well have been a medicine ball for the loud thumping I was enduring for over an hour in the middle of the night. 

Eventually, we both just gave up any thoughts of getting any real sleep. I know Matt wasn't very happy about it, and I felt angry at the revelers and at myself for being such a loud snorer. But that soon faded as we had to get downtown and hand out cue sheets. 

The cue sheet handout procedure went well enough. (Image by G. Keslin)

The riders showed up as instructed and the cue sheet hand-out went down fairly well. Had I decided to keep on doing Trans Iowa this process would have been refined further, but as it was, I came away fairly impressed with how smooth it went for a first time deal. We did have a couple of missed pages but those were minor things in the end which were taken care of right away. 

So, with that out of the way, the first big hurdle for the event was cleared. I was a bit more relaxed at this point, but we had little time to relax, as 4;00am was coming up in a hurry. Fortunately, Dori Jansma, a T.I. volunteer and later on, one of the Race Directors for Iowa Wind and Rock, had arranged with Craig Cooper, the owner/proprietor of Bikes To You, to have a coffee oasis inside the shop before the event start. I availed myself of a cup, thanked Dori, and walked away wistfully, knowing that it would be the last time that would ever happen. It would be the first of many times during the event I would have such feelings. 

The final Trans Iowa start line image taken by George Keslin

After the riders were all settled with their cues, we lined everyone up for a group shot by George Keslin, Wally's good friend. He stayed overnight to take a few shots, but after we got started he also headed back to Chicago. I was glad that he, at the least, got to be a part of the last Trans Iowa, no matter how small a part it was. 

Last minutes before the final Trans Iowa where I gave my final "Fatherly Advice" and did not mention it was the last Trans Iowa. Image by G. Keslin

The folks were all herded up on the street ready to go when a police car came rolling up slowly. The officer politely asked us to move the lead-out car into a proper parking space, despite the fact we were leaving in minutes and this was how we had done it for the last twelve years here. No matter. We acquiesced, moved the car, and then in about five minutes moved it right back again. Anyway....

Moments before we rolled off to start Trans Iowa v14. Image by G. Keslin

Finally it was time. Matt tooted the horn, cowbells clanged, people were filming the roll-out on social media, and Trans Iowa v14 was off and rolling. I kept looking back at the strung out line of headlights beaming back at me. I tried to take it all in, because I had a very unique perspective which most folks would never in their life experience. And I had this experience for over a decade. Once a year, but no more....

MG and I stopped briefly to watch as a corona of LED light began grow from behind a hill we had just crested. Again- most folks will never see such a sight. It was nice that Matt was willing to not only indulge me with these final looks, but to be a willing participant in the savoring of the situation as well. That made the experience all that much sweeter for me. Suddenly, we were off again, as we needed to keep ahead of the riders.

It had been a rough night, but now the adrenaline and excitement of another Trans Iowa had taken over, and being sleep deprived was not a hindrance to our impending adventures. 

Next: A Chorus Of Bovine Voices