Friday News And Views

A TIME ADHX (Image courtesy of TIME Bicycles)

TIME Announces Plans For USA Carbon Fiber Frame Production:

Last Thursday TIME Bicycles announced a new initiative which will bring carbon bicycle frame production back to the USA on a large scale for the first time since Trek was building carbon frames in Wisconsin in the very early 2000's. 

 The plans were detailed in a recent "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article which stated that the facility would be utilizing a process known as "Resin Transfer Molding", or RTM for short. This is a technology for manufacturing carbon products utilized by the aerospace and auto industries. TIME is owned by the Cardinal Cycling Group, a company that also owns USA bike manufacturer Detroit Bikes. 

Comments: While these plans are still in development, this could be a big trend in bicycle manufacturing in the USA. Europe is experiencing a trend of "re-shoring", which is bringing bicycle manufacturing and component manufacturing closer to the products end users. 

But this plan doesn't seem that it will be in place for TIME to make anything here until late 2024 at the earliest. That's if there are no delays, so with the economy in upheaval, and consumers tightening their budgets due to inflationary pressures, who knows how it will go? But it bears watching as this sort of thing gets talked a lot about in the bicycle industry but there hasn't been any real action on a large scale production facility until (maybe) now. 

The Fish looks to add chapters to this book

Gary Fisher Re-emerges With Company Focused On Batteries:

Gary Fisher was in the news again recently as he announced his partnership with a company that claims it will produce HPC/eBike batteries that will have range up to twice that of current batteries used for electric bicycles. 

The company is called :"Morelle" and apparently they will also be doing bicycles with these new batteries which Fisher claims, in the linked article, will be very "connected' From the "Cyclingelectric.com" article: "Our bikes will be connected. The Bikes will have quite a few sensors. Real time metrics on tyre pressure, power, speed, stress gauges, GPS and an algorithm that includes adaptation to the weather. The battery and the charger will be monitored as well. Our batteries need not be left charging overnight"

 Comments: Once again, this is still a thing far off into the future. the linked article states 2025 as being a likely time for seeing this hit the streets, but aside from the battery business, what strikes me is how everything seems to be headed toward digital connectivity. 

I made a comment to this very point last Friday in the "FN&V" and I bet many of you all reading thought I was being a little bit crazy. And I didn't even know about this quote from Gary. Don't be surprised if it happens, and I think it will. I think this is just the tip of the iceberg and will be required for bicycles in urban areas so that traffic with larger electric self-driving vehicles and robots can coexist without crashing into each other. Robots? Yes.... Robots. 

Just wait and see....

Growtac Announces Plans For Versatile Drop Bar "Brifter":

You may know the name "Growtac" from seeing their brake calipers reviewed or from the "Velo Orange" site which carries their brake calipers for sale. Now the Japanese company is working on a new brake/shift lever, (amongst a few other items),  that is compatible with any drive train system and will shift anywhere from 2 to 13 gears. 

Shifting can be friction, or indexed by adding an indexing plate, and can be configured for several derailleur options via a changeable "winding pulley" which will change the cable pull ratio to match any rear derailleur. 

Furthermore; the right lever can operate two shift cables and a brake cable, enabling single-sided shifting, or enabling the use of a dropper post with the "B Shift lever" operating as a dropper remote. 

There is no price set and availability won't be until 2024, most likely. 

Comments: I'm betting Russ,  the "Path Less Pedaled" guy, is giddy about this product! (If you know- you know!) I see this as an outgrowth of the community of people who are looking for cross-compatibility, and therefore, personalization of their cycling set ups. Bikepacking folks are chief amongst those who I think will flock to a system like this, but gravel riders will likely be all over this as well. At least those who aren't buying into the current marketing trends for gravel. I think it is pretty cool, and especially if it actually works as advertised. The only bummer here is that there is no hydraulic brake option.
 

Gents Race This Weekend- Ready Or Not!

Tomorrow is the annual Gents Race, a team based gravel road event I have done every year, (except the COVID cancelled one) since 2011. I'll be getting up real good and early tomorrow to make it to this one, as I cannot go today and stay overnight since my son shares the "Truck With No Name" with me now.

Will it go well, or will it be hell? Hard to say, but the weather will be the typically cool, windy fare we normally get for this event with the long slog of ten or so miles straight into a Northwest wind forcast to be blowing at a nice 25mph. 

Yep! Figures....

I'm not as well prepped as I was hoping, but I am over that cold and I have a few rides in. So.... I'm not going into this with nothing in the tank! But I am not expecting this to be anything but a long training ride and as long as I can stay upright and turn the pedals I should be okay. Got the bags packed and ready to throw into the truck at "o-dark-thirty" for the two hour drive to get there. 

Stay tuned for a report next week. 

Evidence Surfaces Showing New Shimano RD Design:

 Monday of this week, "Bike Radar" had this image on their social media. It shows a "hangarless" design similar to the one shown off by SRAM last week. 

As we should all recognize, this is really an "integrated hangar rear derailleur", since the piece that actually does the shifting has to attach somehow, and that is "hanging" off the rear axle now. 

Anyway.... That's missing the point here.

If Shimano is buying into this design (or more likely, has had this in their development pipeline for a long time), then this signals a sea change in how MTB rear derailleurs will mount going forward. Even TRP is showing something similar now. Your MTB bikes with no SRAM UDH compatibility will not be able to be retrofitted with newer rear mechs. 

TRP is patenting something similar as well.

And I believe this is coming to more than just mountain bikes. Remember, one of the main reasons SRAM stated for this design was that it could work better with high-torque electric motors. So, anything using a motor on a bicycle (electric, of course, but isn't that a "motor-cycle"? Anyway...) could use this sort of design. So, I can see gravel bikes, urban bikes, or most any derailleur equipped bicycle, really, using this design. 

We will see.....

That's a wrap for this week! have a good one and Thank You for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

A TIME ADHX (Image courtesy of TIME Bicycles)

TIME Announces Plans For USA Carbon Fiber Frame Production:

Last Thursday TIME Bicycles announced a new initiative which will bring carbon bicycle frame production back to the USA on a large scale for the first time since Trek was building carbon frames in Wisconsin in the very early 2000's. 

 The plans were detailed in a recent "Bicycle Retailer and Industry News" article which stated that the facility would be utilizing a process known as "Resin Transfer Molding", or RTM for short. This is a technology for manufacturing carbon products utilized by the aerospace and auto industries. TIME is owned by the Cardinal Cycling Group, a company that also owns USA bike manufacturer Detroit Bikes. 

Comments: While these plans are still in development, this could be a big trend in bicycle manufacturing in the USA. Europe is experiencing a trend of "re-shoring", which is bringing bicycle manufacturing and component manufacturing closer to the products end users. 

But this plan doesn't seem that it will be in place for TIME to make anything here until late 2024 at the earliest. That's if there are no delays, so with the economy in upheaval, and consumers tightening their budgets due to inflationary pressures, who knows how it will go? But it bears watching as this sort of thing gets talked a lot about in the bicycle industry but there hasn't been any real action on a large scale production facility until (maybe) now. 

The Fish looks to add chapters to this book

Gary Fisher Re-emerges With Company Focused On Batteries:

Gary Fisher was in the news again recently as he announced his partnership with a company that claims it will produce HPC/eBike batteries that will have range up to twice that of current batteries used for electric bicycles. 

The company is called :"Morelle" and apparently they will also be doing bicycles with these new batteries which Fisher claims, in the linked article, will be very "connected' From the "Cyclingelectric.com" article: "Our bikes will be connected. The Bikes will have quite a few sensors. Real time metrics on tyre pressure, power, speed, stress gauges, GPS and an algorithm that includes adaptation to the weather. The battery and the charger will be monitored as well. Our batteries need not be left charging overnight"

 Comments: Once again, this is still a thing far off into the future. the linked article states 2025 as being a likely time for seeing this hit the streets, but aside from the battery business, what strikes me is how everything seems to be headed toward digital connectivity. 

I made a comment to this very point last Friday in the "FN&V" and I bet many of you all reading thought I was being a little bit crazy. And I didn't even know about this quote from Gary. Don't be surprised if it happens, and I think it will. I think this is just the tip of the iceberg and will be required for bicycles in urban areas so that traffic with larger electric self-driving vehicles and robots can coexist without crashing into each other. Robots? Yes.... Robots. 

Just wait and see....

Growtac Announces Plans For Versatile Drop Bar "Brifter":

You may know the name "Growtac" from seeing their brake calipers reviewed or from the "Velo Orange" site which carries their brake calipers for sale. Now the Japanese company is working on a new brake/shift lever, (amongst a few other items),  that is compatible with any drive train system and will shift anywhere from 2 to 13 gears. 

Shifting can be friction, or indexed by adding an indexing plate, and can be configured for several derailleur options via a changeable "winding pulley" which will change the cable pull ratio to match any rear derailleur. 

Furthermore; the right lever can operate two shift cables and a brake cable, enabling single-sided shifting, or enabling the use of a dropper post with the "B Shift lever" operating as a dropper remote. 

There is no price set and availability won't be until 2024, most likely. 

Comments: I'm betting Russ,  the "Path Less Pedaled" guy, is giddy about this product! (If you know- you know!) I see this as an outgrowth of the community of people who are looking for cross-compatibility, and therefore, personalization of their cycling set ups. Bikepacking folks are chief amongst those who I think will flock to a system like this, but gravel riders will likely be all over this as well. At least those who aren't buying into the current marketing trends for gravel. I think it is pretty cool, and especially if it actually works as advertised. The only bummer here is that there is no hydraulic brake option.
 

Gents Race This Weekend- Ready Or Not!

Tomorrow is the annual Gents Race, a team based gravel road event I have done every year, (except the COVID cancelled one) since 2011. I'll be getting up real good and early tomorrow to make it to this one, as I cannot go today and stay overnight since my son shares the "Truck With No Name" with me now.

Will it go well, or will it be hell? Hard to say, but the weather will be the typically cool, windy fare we normally get for this event with the long slog of ten or so miles straight into a Northwest wind forcast to be blowing at a nice 25mph. 

Yep! Figures....

I'm not as well prepped as I was hoping, but I am over that cold and I have a few rides in. So.... I'm not going into this with nothing in the tank! But I am not expecting this to be anything but a long training ride and as long as I can stay upright and turn the pedals I should be okay. Got the bags packed and ready to throw into the truck at "o-dark-thirty" for the two hour drive to get there. 

Stay tuned for a report next week. 

Evidence Surfaces Showing New Shimano RD Design:

 Monday of this week, "Bike Radar" had this image on their social media. It shows a "hangarless" design similar to the one shown off by SRAM last week. 

As we should all recognize, this is really an "integrated hangar rear derailleur", since the piece that actually does the shifting has to attach somehow, and that is "hanging" off the rear axle now. 

Anyway.... That's missing the point here.

If Shimano is buying into this design (or more likely, has had this in their development pipeline for a long time), then this signals a sea change in how MTB rear derailleurs will mount going forward. Even TRP is showing something similar now. Your MTB bikes with no SRAM UDH compatibility will not be able to be retrofitted with newer rear mechs. 

TRP is patenting something similar as well.

And I believe this is coming to more than just mountain bikes. Remember, one of the main reasons SRAM stated for this design was that it could work better with high-torque electric motors. So, anything using a motor on a bicycle (electric, of course, but isn't that a "motor-cycle"? Anyway...) could use this sort of design. So, I can see gravel bikes, urban bikes, or most any derailleur equipped bicycle, really, using this design. 

We will see.....

That's a wrap for this week! have a good one and Thank You for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Gents Race Preview

The Standard Rando v2 ready for the Gents Race.

The Gents Race will happen for the 13th time this weekend in Slater, Iowa and I am set to ride with the Careless Whispers again. (That's the name of our team, and yes- it is a reference to the song)

I've gone over the Twin Six Standard Rando v2 with a fine toothed comb and it is as good as it will get for this event. The last thing I added was the SKS rear clip-on fender because, well, the weather is sounding pretty awful right now. 

Iowa is supposed to get a couple to three days of rain here, and so far, we're on track to do that. Additionally, once the warm air leaves us, we are supposed to get a cold front that will dump the temperatures down into the 30's for most of our ride and feature winds into the 30's with snow. SNOW! 

I am guessing it will be wet. So, that's why the clip-on went on. I may even put on one of those downtube mounted splash guards if things look to be wet for Saturday. And if it looks real bad? I may switch my bike choice to my old Raleigh Tamland since it already has full-fenders on it right now.

The Tamland is set up for severe conditions

And the Tamland has near-dead components on it already. I'd rather sacrifice those to the angry gravel than my new-ish silver GRX Limited stuff. But I am keeping a close eye on the weather, and that sandy Gents race course does dry up pretty quickly. So, we will see. 

Since it's going to be cold and windy I am planning on wearing thermal bib tights, a base layer, and my long-sleeved Bontrager wool jersey with either a wet weather soft-shell or my heavy-duty Bontrager wind shell. My Hand-Up Winter gloves will likely get the call and I'll take some lighter weight ones in the top tube bag just in case that's too much. Of course, I'll wear my Northwave Winter cycling boots as I have for most Gents Races! 

Well, it'll be interesting at any rate! I probably won't make a call on the bike until moments before I leave Saturday morning. Stay tuned....

Gents Race Preview

The Standard Rando v2 ready for the Gents Race.

The Gents Race will happen for the 13th time this weekend in Slater, Iowa and I am set to ride with the Careless Whispers again. (That's the name of our team, and yes- it is a reference to the song)

I've gone over the Twin Six Standard Rando v2 with a fine toothed comb and it is as good as it will get for this event. The last thing I added was the SKS rear clip-on fender because, well, the weather is sounding pretty awful right now. 

Iowa is supposed to get a couple to three days of rain here, and so far, we're on track to do that. Additionally, once the warm air leaves us, we are supposed to get a cold front that will dump the temperatures down into the 30's for most of our ride and feature winds into the 30's with snow. SNOW! 

I am guessing it will be wet. So, that's why the clip-on went on. I may even put on one of those downtube mounted splash guards if things look to be wet for Saturday. And if it looks real bad? I may switch my bike choice to my old Raleigh Tamland since it already has full-fenders on it right now.

The Tamland is set up for severe conditions

And the Tamland has near-dead components on it already. I'd rather sacrifice those to the angry gravel than my new-ish silver GRX Limited stuff. But I am keeping a close eye on the weather, and that sandy Gents race course does dry up pretty quickly. So, we will see. 

Since it's going to be cold and windy I am planning on wearing thermal bib tights, a base layer, and my long-sleeved Bontrager wool jersey with either a wet weather soft-shell or my heavy-duty Bontrager wind shell. My Hand-Up Winter gloves will likely get the call and I'll take some lighter weight ones in the top tube bag just in case that's too much. Of course, I'll wear my Northwave Winter cycling boots as I have for most Gents Races! 

Well, it'll be interesting at any rate! I probably won't make a call on the bike until moments before I leave Saturday morning. Stay tuned....

Gravel History With Guitar Ted: The Challenge Tires "Gravel Grinder"

Challenge Tires' "Gravel Grinder" model.

Welcome To Gravel History With Guitar Ted! This will be a random series here on the blog where I will give you my take on the history of gravel riding and racing in the modern era.* 

There may be a "Ted-terview" or two where I speak with those from the early days of the Modern era of Gravel as well. 

 In this episode of "Gravel History With Guitar Ted" we will explore the story of Challenge Tires' "Gravel Grinder" model and an a mutual agreement to not seek legal action. 

Back in the Discovery Era  in these times of the Modern Gravel scene, we would often use touring tires for gravel road riding. I remember the Schwalbe Marathon series of tires as being one of the more popular choices due to that model being available in 40+mm sizes along with a very popular 38mm size.

The Marathon Extreme model also had a very tough puncture protection quality that was prized by gravel grinders especially for doing the race in Kansas then known as the Dirty Kanza 200. Its cut resistance was phenomenal, but if you did puncture, they were a bearcat to dismount and replace a tube in. This and they were pretty heavy tires as well, which put a lot of riders off. So it wasn't a perfect solution to our needs.

Gravel Grinder News header circa 2011

Along about 2011 or so, some tire manufacturers were looking into making a tire for gravel which, in all likelihood was sparked by the insider knowledge of Salsa Cycles development of a gravel racing bike at that time. One of those companies was Challenge Tire.

Challenge Tire was, and still is, a small company with few employees. Their niche was mainly cyclo cross and road racing tubulars and "open tubulars" which are Challenge Tires' version of their tubular tires in a clincher format.

Challenge decided to utilize their expertise in cyclo cross and use a model they had developed for grassy CX courses, fatten it up to 38mm, and rename it the "Gravel Grinder". Whether or not Challenge Tires was aware of my little site at that time, I don't know, but it soon came to their attention that there was a website using the same name. This could have gone pear-shaped, but fortunately, nothing of the sort happened. 

What did happen was that I ended up meeting the head of Challenge Tires operations at a Quality Bicycle Products "Frostbike" open house. We chatted, and ostensibly, I was only there for tire news, as I had heard Challenge was making a play to release a gravel tire. When the head man showed me the Gravel Grinder, he acknowledged that the name could be a stumbling block, since my website had the same name, unless, of course, I would be okay with that coincidence. He stuck out his hand, and stated, "There will be no legal ramifications to this situation from our side, how about you?", and of course, I said it would be fine and shook his hand. 

And that's how you get things done without lawyers getting in the way! 

Meanwhile, we had a lighter, capable choice in a gravel tire. Clement (Donnelly now) wasn't far behind, and the gravel gear choices only got better from then on out.

Gravel History With Guitar Ted: The Challenge Tires "Gravel Grinder"

Challenge Tires' "Gravel Grinder" model.

Welcome To Gravel History With Guitar Ted! This will be a random series here on the blog where I will give you my take on the history of gravel riding and racing in the modern era.* 

There may be a "Ted-terview" or two where I speak with those from the early days of the Modern era of Gravel as well. 

 In this episode of "Gravel History With Guitar Ted" we will explore the story of Challenge Tires' "Gravel Grinder" model and an a mutual agreement to not seek legal action. 

Back in the Discovery Era  in these times of the Modern Gravel scene, we would often use touring tires for gravel road riding. I remember the Schwalbe Marathon series of tires as being one of the more popular choices due to that model being available in 40+mm sizes along with a very popular 38mm size.

The Marathon Extreme model also had a very tough puncture protection quality that was prized by gravel grinders especially for doing the race in Kansas then known as the Dirty Kanza 200. Its cut resistance was phenomenal, but if you did puncture, they were a bearcat to dismount and replace a tube in. This and they were pretty heavy tires as well, which put a lot of riders off. So it wasn't a perfect solution to our needs.

Gravel Grinder News header circa 2011

Along about 2011 or so, some tire manufacturers were looking into making a tire for gravel which, in all likelihood was sparked by the insider knowledge of Salsa Cycles development of a gravel racing bike at that time. One of those companies was Challenge Tire.

Challenge Tire was, and still is, a small company with few employees. Their niche was mainly cyclo cross and road racing tubulars and "open tubulars" which are Challenge Tires' version of their tubular tires in a clincher format.

Challenge decided to utilize their expertise in cyclo cross and use a model they had developed for grassy CX courses, fatten it up to 38mm, and rename it the "Gravel Grinder". Whether or not Challenge Tires was aware of my little site at that time, I don't know, but it soon came to their attention that there was a website using the same name. This could have gone pear-shaped, but fortunately, nothing of the sort happened. 

What did happen was that I ended up meeting the head of Challenge Tires operations at a Quality Bicycle Products "Frostbike" open house. We chatted, and ostensibly, I was only there for tire news, as I had heard Challenge was making a play to release a gravel tire. When the head man showed me the Gravel Grinder, he acknowledged that the name could be a stumbling block, since my website had the same name, unless, of course, I would be okay with that coincidence. He stuck out his hand, and stated, "There will be no legal ramifications to this situation from our side, how about you?", and of course, I said it would be fine and shook his hand. 

And that's how you get things done without lawyers getting in the way! 

Meanwhile, we had a lighter, capable choice in a gravel tire. Clement (Donnelly now) wasn't far behind, and the gravel gear choices only got better from then on out.

It All Seems So Long Ago

N.Y. Roll, early March 2020. If we only had known what was really up the road...

I was out doing some walking for fitness this past weekend and a memory struck me which caused me to feel a lot of emotions and wonderment. Sadness, thankfulness, gratitude, and maybe a bit of anger too. 

And yes, there is something about bicycles in all of this.

I did not know why this happened on this walk, or why it was at this time, but the loop I do is in a cemetery local to me and I started doing this in March of 2020. Maybe that was the trigger for all the memories and emotions. 

Maybe it is because, in the back of my mind, deep down in there somewhere, I felt that urge to become anxious for an upcoming event. The Gents Race? Sure, that could be it too. But I think this all runs a bit deeper than that for myself. 

Today marks the date that N.Y. Roll and I would have put on the C.O.G. 100 in 2020. The single speed, century distance gravel grinder out of Grinnell, Iowa. But, obviously, that did not happen. It all seems so long ago now, but really, it wasn't that long ago.

From the final recon in 2020 right before 'you-know-what' happened.

 During my walk this past weekend it struck me how we have "moved on" and all of the events of the past three years seems like ancient history. Part of me finds this offensive. Another part of me doesn't want to think about it. But I found myself in a deep state of thought about the past three years for some reason, and I think there has to be a reckoning here. 

I'll speak for myself, but that reckoning has partly to do with resolving the fears and anxieties I had back through the past three years. Specifically in terms of cycling, for myself, that would probably be about the C.O.G. 100, feeling guilty about not being able to put it on, and then how that eventually led to a state where I was done with promoting and organizing gravel events. 

Sometimes, like this past weekend, I feel like I miss doing all the prep work, the planning, and that I miss the excitement of the riders, and the production of the event, watching it all play out in front of me. Being able to do all of that for as long as I did was a great privilege that I do not take lightly. I am deeply thankful for being graced with the opportunities I have had to put on events like Trans Iowa, the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational, the 3GR rides, the Geezer Ride, and the C.O.G. 100. 

Still trying to figure this all out....

Then I also feel as though I am deeply satisfied and grateful for the feelings I have surrounding my not doing those events anymore. I emptied the tank and left it all out there many times during the years I have done the events I did, especially concerning Trans Iowa. I don't need to put myself through that wringer anymore, and once I realized that sometime during 2020, I found a peace I hadn't felt in a long time. 

And I needed to remind myself of that this weekend while I was thinking all of these thoughts. So while I miss part of all of those times, and I think that is only natural, I also am very happy I moved on and left that time behind. There is freedom there that, and maybe this is selfish, but that is deeply satisfying. 

Now as to what lies ahead.....

Who knows? I'm still trying to figure that all out.

It All Seems So Long Ago

N.Y. Roll, early March 2020. If we only had known what was really up the road...

I was out doing some walking for fitness this past weekend and a memory struck me which caused me to feel a lot of emotions and wonderment. Sadness, thankfulness, gratitude, and maybe a bit of anger too. 

And yes, there is something about bicycles in all of this.

I did not know why this happened on this walk, or why it was at this time, but the loop I do is in a cemetery local to me and I started doing this in March of 2020. Maybe that was the trigger for all the memories and emotions. 

Maybe it is because, in the back of my mind, deep down in there somewhere, I felt that urge to become anxious for an upcoming event. The Gents Race? Sure, that could be it too. But I think this all runs a bit deeper than that for myself. 

Today marks the date that N.Y. Roll and I would have put on the C.O.G. 100 in 2020. The single speed, century distance gravel grinder out of Grinnell, Iowa. But, obviously, that did not happen. It all seems so long ago now, but really, it wasn't that long ago.

From the final recon in 2020 right before 'you-know-what' happened.

 During my walk this past weekend it struck me how we have "moved on" and all of the events of the past three years seems like ancient history. Part of me finds this offensive. Another part of me doesn't want to think about it. But I found myself in a deep state of thought about the past three years for some reason, and I think there has to be a reckoning here. 

I'll speak for myself, but that reckoning has partly to do with resolving the fears and anxieties I had back through the past three years. Specifically in terms of cycling, for myself, that would probably be about the C.O.G. 100, feeling guilty about not being able to put it on, and then how that eventually led to a state where I was done with promoting and organizing gravel events. 

Sometimes, like this past weekend, I feel like I miss doing all the prep work, the planning, and that I miss the excitement of the riders, and the production of the event, watching it all play out in front of me. Being able to do all of that for as long as I did was a great privilege that I do not take lightly. I am deeply thankful for being graced with the opportunities I have had to put on events like Trans Iowa, the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational, the 3GR rides, the Geezer Ride, and the C.O.G. 100. 

Still trying to figure this all out....

Then I also feel as though I am deeply satisfied and grateful for the feelings I have surrounding my not doing those events anymore. I emptied the tank and left it all out there many times during the years I have done the events I did, especially concerning Trans Iowa. I don't need to put myself through that wringer anymore, and once I realized that sometime during 2020, I found a peace I hadn't felt in a long time. 

And I needed to remind myself of that this weekend while I was thinking all of these thoughts. So while I miss part of all of those times, and I think that is only natural, I also am very happy I moved on and left that time behind. There is freedom there that, and maybe this is selfish, but that is deeply satisfying. 

Now as to what lies ahead.....

Who knows? I'm still trying to figure that all out.

Brown Season: Spring Dirt

Escape Route: Blocked! Had to take a detour...

 Friday was another good Spring day here and so I got out for another ride to help me be ready for the Gents Race in a week. A week! Gah!

I hate to even think about how I'll be at the ride itself. I just have to let it go and understand that I will be doing what I can, and that's all I can do. This weather, this head cold, have really put the binders on my plans. 

The good news is that cold broke this past week and I have been getting incrementally better every day since. Also, this particular ride wasn't done in a driving gale force wind. So, those are some positives to put in the bank for now. 

I have been putting in time on the Twin Six Standard Rando v2 which is the rig for this ride. I've got everything dialed in with the minor exception of touching up the chain with some more SILCA Super-Secret Lube before the ride. I noticed that the chain was getting a touch noisy on this particular ride. I have even put the Sigma ROX 4.0 computer on there. Despite the fact that techno-computers on bicycles drive me bonkers, I am going to try it out as it kinda works. 

On the way to Evansdale via the local bike path network.

 

The Cedar River at Evansdale.

In fact, I let the Sigma guide my route choice since I had a route uploaded into it which I could then navigate from. Well......kind of. It doesn't tell you via a sound or any other indication other than a weird 'bread crumb' route guide where to go. If you aren't constantly checking the bread crumb line on the screen, you can miss a turn, and then and only then, does the gol durn thing beep! 

What?!!

Who designs these things anyway? Gah! Oh well.... I figured out what was going on, and since I knew the route well enough, I did not really need the GPS bread crumb trail. But if I had to rely on that? I could easily get lost. That's because this GPS computer's rerouting is pretty sketchy, at best. 

McKellar Road. One of the few Level B Maintenance roads in Black Hawk County.

Weiden Road. These roads are amongst the last to be maintained in the county.

My route would be taking me through the two other Level B Maintenance roads in Black Hawk County besides Petrie Road's one mile section of Level B. Not many riders go out this way, and honestly, not many people do either. These roads are little used and are usually not that well maintained as a result. This left me with some remaining "Winter conditions" roads to ride on which hadn't been graded or had any new gravel on them yet this year. 

Rottinghaus Road

The Standard Rando v2 on Weiden Road

The route has a 'lollipop' section which ran me by Washburn and then down Weiden Road's dirt section which was severely rutted out from car and truck traffic trying out the difficult early spring mud. There were sections where the ruts were probably three feet deep. 

Here you can see how torn up the dirt road was.

Headin' back to the 'loo.

The Sun was out, it wasn't very windy, and the roads were fun, if not hilly. In fact, one of the reasons I chose this route was that it was pretty flat, just like the Gents Race course is. I was pleased with how everything went, but I still need more work. 

I'd like to put together a 3+ hour ride next. That would make me feel a whole lot better, although it is far short of what I need to be having in the bank. But that is water under the dam now. I just have to keep doing the little things I can do now. 

Gents Race- Here I come, ready or not.

Brown Season: Spring Dirt

Escape Route: Blocked! Had to take a detour...

 Friday was another good Spring day here and so I got out for another ride to help me be ready for the Gents Race in a week. A week! Gah!

I hate to even think about how I'll be at the ride itself. I just have to let it go and understand that I will be doing what I can, and that's all I can do. This weather, this head cold, have really put the binders on my plans. 

The good news is that cold broke this past week and I have been getting incrementally better every day since. Also, this particular ride wasn't done in a driving gale force wind. So, those are some positives to put in the bank for now. 

I have been putting in time on the Twin Six Standard Rando v2 which is the rig for this ride. I've got everything dialed in with the minor exception of touching up the chain with some more SILCA Super-Secret Lube before the ride. I noticed that the chain was getting a touch noisy on this particular ride. I have even put the Sigma ROX 4.0 computer on there. Despite the fact that techno-computers on bicycles drive me bonkers, I am going to try it out as it kinda works. 

On the way to Evansdale via the local bike path network.

 

The Cedar River at Evansdale.

In fact, I let the Sigma guide my route choice since I had a route uploaded into it which I could then navigate from. Well......kind of. It doesn't tell you via a sound or any other indication other than a weird 'bread crumb' route guide where to go. If you aren't constantly checking the bread crumb line on the screen, you can miss a turn, and then and only then, does the gol durn thing beep! 

What?!!

Who designs these things anyway? Gah! Oh well.... I figured out what was going on, and since I knew the route well enough, I did not really need the GPS bread crumb trail. But if I had to rely on that? I could easily get lost. That's because this GPS computer's rerouting is pretty sketchy, at best. 

McKellar Road. One of the few Level B Maintenance roads in Black Hawk County.

Weiden Road. These roads are amongst the last to be maintained in the county.

My route would be taking me through the two other Level B Maintenance roads in Black Hawk County besides Petrie Road's one mile section of Level B. Not many riders go out this way, and honestly, not many people do either. These roads are little used and are usually not that well maintained as a result. This left me with some remaining "Winter conditions" roads to ride on which hadn't been graded or had any new gravel on them yet this year. 

Rottinghaus Road

The Standard Rando v2 on Weiden Road

The route has a 'lollipop' section which ran me by Washburn and then down Weiden Road's dirt section which was severely rutted out from car and truck traffic trying out the difficult early spring mud. There were sections where the ruts were probably three feet deep. 

Here you can see how torn up the dirt road was.

Headin' back to the 'loo.

The Sun was out, it wasn't very windy, and the roads were fun, if not hilly. In fact, one of the reasons I chose this route was that it was pretty flat, just like the Gents Race course is. I was pleased with how everything went, but I still need more work. 

I'd like to put together a 3+ hour ride next. That would make me feel a whole lot better, although it is far short of what I need to be having in the bank. But that is water under the dam now. I just have to keep doing the little things I can do now. 

Gents Race- Here I come, ready or not.

The GTDRI Stories: The Seventh One - Part 2

 "The GTDRI Stories" is a series telling the history, untold tales, and showing the sights from the run of Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitationals. This series will run on Sundays. Thanks for reading!

I mentioned much earlier in this series that every year seemed to have a "surprise rider" show up and for this GTDRI that rider was Craig from Mt. Vernon, Iowa. So, that was nice to see. The seventh running of the GTDRI had nine riders total. Interestingly, three of us were on Fargos, one on a Ti Vaya, and another on a Surly Cross Check. This was no surprise as the early gravel scene in the Mid-West was often dominated by QBP brand bikes being used for gravel duty. 

It was a stunning morning, once again, for the ride. As I look back on the years of the GTDRI, this is one facet of the ride that sticks out for me- That almost every one of these featured a drop-dead gorgeous Sunrise. 

And they say that the Mid-West is boring. Bah! 

The route was set up, as I have mentioned before, in a sort of twin-loop fashion where the morning loop went East and South a bit from Grinnell and the afternoon loop went West and North before coming back to Grinnell again. This arrangement played out perfectly for three of the attending riders. 

Before we got back to Grinnell, we had several fine, smooth Level B Maintenance dirt roads on tap. We stopped in Brooklyn, Iowa for a break and food. Then on just North of Montezuma, Iowa and a stretch of three Level B dirt roads which ended up providing one of the better memories for me of this GTDRI.

Mike Johnson (seated) and Craig Irving at the Brooklyn morning stop on the 2012 GTDRI.

 

Two riders descending a Level B road near Montezuma, Iowa on the 2012 GTDRI

By the time we stopped for a 'nature break' at the bottom of a valley between two hills on a dirt road, it had become beastly hot and humid. The heat was going to be one of the deciding factors in how many of us would make the entire 120 mile ride, if any of us would. I had thoughts back to a couple of years prior where in Northeast Iowa we had to take refuge in a corn field and cut the loop short that year due to excessive heat.

But at this stop those thoughts were chased away. One of the riders was a public defender/lawyer. He was telling us about his job dealing with the nere-do-wells of the area and pronouncing some mild forms of judgement upon such folks who did crimes which caused grief for his clients and himself. Meanwhile, I spied just over his shoulder, one of the attendees of this ride taking a "safety break" (a euphemism for smoking marijuana) off about 20 yards away in the ditch. This scene where someone was firing up a one-hitter while we were being regaled with tales from a public defender was pretty humorous. The names were all withheld then, and shall remain withheld now. But that was some fine irony right there! 

This wild flower-lined road South of Grinnell is a chief memory from the 2012 GTDRI. Riders are Jeremy Fry (L) and Matt Wills.

At this point it was over 100°F Riders (L-R) Jeremy Fry. Mike Johnson, John Mathias Cody Matthias. Matt Wills obscured by Cody here.

One of the recurring themes for several GTDRI's was the late arrival of Jeremy Fry and his "catching us up". He often started GTDRI rides late and would speed on down the course, catch us, then finish out the ride at our casual pace. He did this on the 2011 GTDRI and again on this one. Odd, but I was always glad to have him join us.

The first loop ended near the truck stop at the Southern edge of Grinnell where we took advantage of a Subway sandwich shop. Dennis, Craig, and Courtney ended their rides here for various reasons. So, my plan to have a bail-out option baked into the route proved useful. The heat and humidity were really hard on us that day already, and it would get worse. 

This stunning shot was taken by Celeste Mathias on E 84th St. N. in Jasper County, Iowa.

Another by Celestes Mathias. This time on N 99th Ave E in Jasper County.

We were really fortunate to have skirted a big thunderstorm, but get close enough that we were cooled by some of its precipitation. It came at the right time and probably helped most of us along to finish the ride. This brought out my tendency to revive when things cool off or get rainy, or both. 

Jeremy Fry never let me live this down, because before the rain came I was literally the anchor for the group, lagging far behind and having to make everyone wait on me. But when the rains came, it was as if I had taken some sort of illegal performance enhancing drug. I was gone! Going up the steeps like a goat on caffeine. Jeremy was calling me "Contador", after a then well-known professional road racer. 

This ride, as I stated earlier was one of the classic GTDRI's and since there is more remembrances than I can stuff into one post, or two, there will be a third and final post on the seventh GTDRI next Sunday.