The GTDRI Stories: Post- 2019 GTDRI Times

From a ride North of Waterloo, October 2019

"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!

Following the 2019 GTDRI, about two weeks later, I went to Gravel Worlds and flamed out spectacularly due to being not ready and due to my life and how I was living it for the past two years before that. 

See, I was really stressed out. At first it was ending Trans Iowa. That was a very stressful, energy-consuming plan and acting it out was difficult beyond words. On top of that, starting pretty much in the Fall of 2017, I had job concerns mounting, as it became increasingly apparent that Europa Cycle and Ski was in big trouble and was going to go out of business at some near-future date. 

My health and how I was handling it was poor, to be honest, and by the end of 2019 Trans Iowa was gone, Europa was gone, and I was ready to turn over a new leaf both personally and professionally. This all was to be a positive for the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational. I saw myself being not only a better rider, but a better host.

By the time I left Europa in mid-December, 2019, the place was on the skids big time.

Things initially were on the upswing at the same time.

I had high-hopes for the GTDRI. I had high hopes for myself. I was pretty sure I had a job at Andy's Bike Shop lined up. It was a new shop, I knew Andy, and he was very supportive of me doing gravel rides like the GTDRI. I would have full-on shop support for it. 

My main goals, besides securing the new job, were to repent of my past habits in terms of drinking, eating, and exercise. I had already cut way back on the alcohol, and I was taking opportunities to do gravel group rides where possible. I was thinking of doing some other events as well. Andy was totally fine with all of that. 

From a group ride I did in November, 2019.

But, of course, we all know how 2020 went down. That changed everything. While plans were being formulated for a 2020 GTDRI, I wasn't 100% solidified on them as I had the new single speed gravel event coming up for its second year and N.Y. Roll and I were very busy trying to piece that all together. 

Then, on the eve of the second C.O.G. 100, it all went pear-shaped. The roller-coaster ride started and I didn't get off until January 2022. A LOT happened in between. All of it affected the GTDRI to a huge degree and that tale will be told next week.