Two Things

Graphic courtesy of Max Velocity YouTube channel

 Wet Weather, Dumb Decisions Hinder Riding:

I've been wanting to get back on the bike and do some chain lube testing, but the weather isn't having any of that. And neither has my gut, but that part is my fault. I'll explain. 

We've been getting rained on at times when I could go out, and when I have had dry periods, it's been so humid that I just don't have the gumption to pedal through it. Not when the heat index is near or at 100°F. That's not good for me. 

And then I did something dumb last Friday and ate a big bowl of ice cream at a friends ice cream shop he was proud to show me. And on an empty stomach. This caused big intestinal issues over the weekend. (Perhaps I'm more lactose intolerant than I thought), and I suffered like a dog until Monday. So, yeah....

Good times. 

Moving forward, I will have to get in rides whenever I can. Today is sketch. Friday we get more rain, and so on and on...

The good news is this won't last, but this certainly hasn't been a very productive time. 

The Last Chapter

Well, this week I finally got my BRAN 44 jersey. To be fair, I did not order it in time for the ride. Also, it came right when it was expected to. No disappointments there. 

But it is the final line in the BRAN 44 story for me. It's kind of funny now, but I was not really knowing what to expect out of this ride when I left Waterloo, Iowa on June 5th. 

It could have been a real slog. I wasn't trained up as good as I would have liked to have been, but then again, I had about a month's notice, so..... 

It could have been a bad experience. But thankfully, it was far from that. In fact, it was more than I could have imagined it to be. Which isn't usually the expectation for an event. 

But BRAN lived up to the reputation I had heard about it from others and even they did not convey the experience I actually had, but then again, who could have predicted I'd randomly meet Jacquie Phelan on this ride? 

Well, the answer is no one could have. And that wasn't all.  

My family thinks the jersey looks nice. It is pretty cool. 

I did not have to get it. I have more jerseys than I really need. But as I told the family, I may never get out to ride that ride again, so...why not? It's a good souvenir, at the least, and a decent jersey which is unlike anything else in my collection. So, it works for me. 

I met some very nice people on this ride. I think it is one of the benefits of any sort of travel. You leave behind the masks of socialization, the ability to hide behind a keyboard, and deal with people face to face on common ground. It's something more of us should be doing. 

Yeah.....I suppose for younger people it could be scary. But maybe us older folks are just putting limitations on them with our views of screen-raised younginz. I think this kind of backdrop to looking at society is not exactly how it works out in the field. There, in rural Nebraska, I was riding with a teenager. He got along with us just fine. It didn't mater that I was his grandfather's age, and I didn't care that he was a bit of a whippersnapper. We communicated just fine. 

But more to the point - we had different world views. Many of us did. But.....it doesn't really matter when you are together encouraging each other up steep hills. We are more the same than we think. 

That's what this jersey will remind me of when I wear it.  

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of Salsa Cycles

32" Fargo Live Now:

Salsa Cycles announced on Tuesday of this week that 32" Fargo frame sets were available from them now. Steel for now, titanium is yet to come this Fall. 

Comments: A drop bar specific 32" adventure bike? Yes. The Fargo is now available in the largest wheels you can get from Salsa Cycles. This follows the trend of brands getting whatever they can out in 32" wheels as fast as possible ahead of the Big Four brands. 

Although Salsa isn't necessarily a small brand. So this does hit a little differently. We will have to monitor how well this version of the Fargo does, as it may be an indication for the overall impact of 32" wheels on the market. 

But beyond speculation, we can now put some numbers on this Fargo 32"er. The frame, with carbon fork, cost $1,799.00 USD. That is surprising, to a degree, to me. I was speculating this would cost 2K. I was wrong about that. 

Then we see what Salsa estimates the weight of this Fargo with carbon fork is going to be. They are claiming an 8lb 9oz weight, which is only 10 ounces heavier than the steel frame/carbon fork Fargo in the 29"er guise. Not bad for a frame with longer stays. Although, I was a little taken aback by the weight of the frame and fork at first glance. That said, the Fargo never pretended to be a lightweight platform. 

It's an interesting offering, and that Pearl Orchid color is quite nice, if I do say so myself.  

Michael Kolakowski

BRAN Announces New President Of Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska Inc.:

When I was on BRAN earlier this Summer I was made aware the ride is 100% run by volunteers. Their president was also on his last BRAN as the leader of the organization. So this ride was going to be looking for a new President and Vice President for the coming years. 

Having been an event organizer for as many years as I was, and knowing volunteers are the heart and soul of any event, I was concerned about how a new President and Vice President would affect this cool event. Well, my fears were allayed recently concerning this when I received the email sent to past BRAN riders which heralded the news of BRAN's new officers. 

The new President is Michael Kolakowski, and the new Vice President is his wife, Jackie Kolakowski. I rode with Michael all week long at BRAN, and I got to know him well enough to be of the opinion he is the perfect person to lead this ride into the future. 

Michael is an avid cyclist, being a commuter in Omaha and loving his country rides in a way I could relate to easily. He is a BRAN veteran, having been on many past BRAN rides and he knows all the ins and outs of BRAN as a rider and as a volunteer on the team for several years. 

Of course, I do not know Jackie, but I have no doubt she is as capable as Michael is, and by his own admission, a very smart and capable individual in her own right. So I feel she will also be a compliment to BRAN and its future.

Congratulations Michael and Jackie!

Guitar Ted Podcast Update:

I haven't been promoting the podcast here as much as I probably should be. So, let me take a bit of space here to do this.....

We're putting out shows at around one every two weeks or so. The latest ones, "Episodes 112, 113, and 114 are all pretty new. If you haven't listened for a while, you can catch up with us on those episodes. 

We  are hoping to get a few interviews done before we take our traditional break in December. Look for those to be sprinkled throughout the coming months. 

Finally, a big 'Thank You" to all who have expressed their feelings about the podcast to me of late. It appears several of you listen faithfully whenever we post a new episode.  N.Y. Roll and I are always amazed by any responses we get. So, again - Thanks!! 

I think we are going to get about 15 more episodes in before the end of 2026 which would make this year the record for episodes released. Year four isn't quite over with yet, but we are looking forward to Year 5 with anticipation.  

Embark: Good Stuff!

About four years ago, N.Y. Roll brought back a nutritional product for cycling, (and more), by a Wisconsin based company called Embark. I tried it out and it worked so well I actually bought some and tested it out for the site HERE. 

Oddly enough, I don't do enough events anymore that I think about on the bike nutrition, but the Ride For Jacob got me thinking about this again. Actually, you could say this started percolating in my mind during BRAN. 

Anyway, I landed on Embark in my research on the site here. I actually had a spare packet of the stuff and used it up this Spring, but at that time I did not place another order for it. 

Well, this past week I went ahead and got some more. They are currently running a sale on their Embark Maple Energy packets if you are curious. I highly recommend the stuff. 

By the way, I am not affiliated with Embark in any way, so I don't get anything out of it if you decide to check them out. It's just really good, natural energy which tastes great and can be used straight, in water bottles, or in cooking. 

That is a wrap on this week! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions. Now get out there and ride those bicycles.  

Friday News And Views

Image courtesy of the Polk County Health Department

E-Bike/Scooter/Moto Issues Reach Fever Peak In Iowa:

I realize this is a nationwide issue, but my focus here is on Iowa as it relates to the debate and concerns over electrified two and three wheeled devices. 

Reports of crashes, injuries, and damage are on the uptick. I saw a recent post by an ED professional (Emergency Department = ED) who was stating a case for helmet usage and proper education of children and adults concerning electrified vehicles. Stating a strong uptick in ED visits due to usage of these devices, the individual was pleading with parents, especially, to educate themselves and their children on the proper usage of these devices. 

Many municipalities in Iowa are also posting on social media concerning either education, laws currently on books, or about impending city ordinances which are being considered to regulate this surge of electric vehicle usage on streets and trails. 

Comments: The issues facing many cities are beyond the scope of control, in most cases, in my opinion. In view of how people are using these vehicles, it is my opinion that there are three basic user groups. One: Youth who are looking for easy transportation, thrills, and freedom from having to beg rides from parents or older siblings. Two: Low income people, either coming out of the legal system, or from other countries, who either cannot afford a car/truck, or cannot legally operate a car/truck, or both. Three: recreational cyclists who use e-bikes as a way to exercise and enjoy the outdoors who would not otherwise be doing so without an assisted bicycle or tricycle. 

Most concerns I see being voiced are over misuse or ignorance (or both) and point at the underage crowd on these vehicles as being a menace to society. I do not see much concern over low income/disadvantaged folks using even the vehicles which are prohibited by law to be ridden without a license and insurance. That said, there are probably a few instances where these folks are causing problems. Most assuredly most of this segment is on these electrified vehicles because they cannot get, or afford insurance and/or a license. The third crowd, the e-bikers with assisted pedaling platforms, are generally no big deal to anyone. 

What will likely happen? Smaller communities with limited resources will likely ban them all. Most of these cities and villages don't even have police. They just won't have any other way to enforce or apply any laws/ordinances. (Unless they lump the e-motor vehicles in with side-by-sides) At the very least, the laws and ordinances will keep the city/village governments out of liability in case of crashes, injuries, or deaths. Bigger cities may try separating the assisted vehicles from the non-assisted ones, but again, enforcement will be limited due to limited resources. Police are already spread thin, and asking them to separate goats from sheep is not going to be efficient. Maybe states will get involved, like New Jersey did, but I think this will be hit or miss based upon the specific cases each state is seeing rise through their judiciary systems. 

My gut tells me the issue will become solved, mostly, when either states, or the Federal government steps in at the behest of insurers to make all electric assist and e-motor equipped two and three wheeled vehicles illegal unless they are licensed and insured. Essentially following the New Jersey example, if it is a successfully implemented law there. 

Time will tell, but I think it will have to be solved sooner than later. 

Substack Story:

Some of you here may already have noted my Substack account, maybe you follow it, but if not, I just wanted to point it out. 

I don't post there a lot, but when I do it usually is something I don't publish anywhere else. Recently I wrote a bit more personal story about BRAN and why I went on the trip. If you want to check it out, Click Here.  

If this sort of thing intrigues you and you like my writing, please consider subscribing to my Substack. It's free, and there is no obligation.  

Update On Chris King Hub/Wheel Build:

A slow news week here folks! So, I am going through the archives and making sure nothing gets left behind. I did come across the Chris king hub story from back in April. (Here) 

The hang up is in regard to rims and what I want to spend. Carbon is nice, it builds a strong, lightweight wheel, and is my preference. However; they are expensive for anything with a reputation for quality and durability. 

For instance, I can buy two Velocity Blunt SS aluminum rims for a little bit more than I can buy one decent carbon rim in a few cases, and for less than many single carbon rims in the size and spoke count I need.  

So, seeing as how money has been tight, or allocated elsewhere of late (BRAN), I haven't made any decisions for those hubs yet. I probably will not make a decision on rims for quite some time yet. 

Update On Ergon Review:

Another thing I need to get back on is the review of the Ergon SR AllRoad Pro Saddle and the BT OrthoCell Handlebar Tape.  Those items are on the Honeman Flyer and I switched out to ride the bikes I was considering for BRAN shortly after the review kicked off. 

Now it is time to switch over to these products n the Honeman Flyer to conclude the review. I have another item coming in I cannot speak about yet which will help push these reviews up my "to do" list. 

Interestingly, I have used the Honeman Flyer as a training bike for BRAN and since I've returned several times. I just haven't done any longer rides out in the country. I do have a bit of feedback, even from ny shorter rides, so it hasn't been as though I don't have any time on these products. I just don't have the gravel time I like to get before I write up anything. 

So, stay tuned for updates on both products here from Ergon very soon.  

And That's A Wrap! 

I know.....The tour is on now. (May as well hand Pogačar the trophy now) But I have almost zero interest in Pro road racing these days, so you are not going to see much coverage of it here. With that, I want to thank you for checking out Guitar Ted Productions today. I hope you all get out for a ride this weekend.  

BRAN Gear Review

Now that the experience has been documented and my final thoughts on BRAN have been shared, it's time to check out what worked for me and what did not work. 

I'm going to cover a lot of stuff here since I did tent camp and that is another layer on top of the normal cycling gear I review. So, these won't be in-depth reviews of items. I don't have the space here to deep-dive everything I used. I will give a brief take on all the things that stood out negatively or positively to me throughout the week. 

I'll start off with the cycling specific stuff and end with the camping gear. If I miss anything, or if you want me to provide some clarity on any item I mention here, please hit me up in the comment section. I read every comment left and will answer every question to the best of my abilities. 

The Black Mountain Cycles MCD

Black Mountain Cycles MCD: 

This bike is a great bike for BRAN and I am really happy I decided to take it out there for this tour. It handled all the gravel, climbs, descents, and long hours without any failures or concerns.  The capability to run 700 X 50mm tires was definitely a plus out on the sandier, looser pea gravel sections. The ride quality and handling are spot on. Now you cannot buy a MCD anymore, but the bike which replaced this in Black Mountain Cycles' range is the Mod Zero, and I can definitely recommend this model as well. 

My gearing was 46T/36T crank with an 11 -40T cassette. I was in the 40 quite a bit. Newer GRX runs a 48/31T crank and that may actually have been just enough lower gearing to make some of those climbs nicer. That said, I only had to get off and walk once.  

Redshift Sports ShockStop Stem:

Get one. That is all you need to know. I would not ride without this component. It makes all the difference in the world in hand comfort, lack of fatigue, and handling, especially when you are dealing with the kind of washboard road surfaces we were seeing.  

Ritchey Venturemax Carbon handlebars:

Again, these saved my hands and upper body from a lot of pain and fatigue. Expensive but worth the upgrade. Caveat: You have to like the "bio-bump" in the drops, but if you get on with that these are top-notch gravel handle bars.  

Bike Bag Dude Top Tube Garage:

I LOVE this bag and I have several of them. Bike Bag Dude is from Australia, but he does ship to the USA. Worth checking out.  

Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM GPS Device:

Once the auto-reroute feature was turned off, this device behaved well. I had someone tell me they thought GPS devices for bicycles still are not all that great, but Wahoo seems to work well considering this. I like the climb feature a lot. Final word: It's okay.  

Schwalbe G-One Overland Tires 700 X 50mm:

I wasn't super impressed with these tires initially but they seem to have broken in (finally!), and they roll very fast on paved sections. From an all-around usage standpoint, it is hard to beat the G-One Overlands. They did sandy gravel and paved roads equally well and they held air pressure very well all week long.  

Sierra Designs Full Moon

Camping Gear:

Since I had to tent camp, I needed to upgrade and buy additional gear for camping. Following are some quick takes on what I got and whether or not it worked. 

Sierra Designs Full Moon: My old Sierra Designs tent was great, so I had high expectations for the new one. I was not let down. I rode out a gusty thunderstorm with heavy rain, light rain, high winds, and just every day usage with the Full Moon tent. 

I had enough room for myself and my gear, which included a humongous duffel bag, and venting was easily done. I mean, it is still a tent, so somethings are going to be what they are with any tent. That said, set up and tear down was fast, easy, and the tent packed up well every day. I'd recommend this one for the casual bike packer and occasional back packer. It's probably a little heavy for serious usage, but the tent is well made and holds up in weather well. 

Thermarest pad: The one I got was the Base Camp pad. It's way too big for serious bike packing/back packing, but it was VERY comfortable and easy to regulate for softness/stiffness to dial in the best sleep experience I could have hoped for. 

Amazon Inflatable Pillow: I know this pillow is packable, light, and easy to use. I used it one night. It just wasn't my cup of tea. I ended up using either my sleeping bag in its stuff sack as a pillow, (excellent, by the way), or a bag with dirty laundry inside of it. Hey! I'm not fussy and I like a big pillow! 

Sleeping Bag: I don't even know what brand it is, but it is the lightest bag I could get and only rated down to 40°F. Perfect for this hot blooded guy in Summer. Like I said, several nights it didn't even come out of its stuff sack. 

DuPont Tyvek Ground Cloth: IYKYK.

Miscellaneous: As stated, everything went into a monstrous duffel bag and much of the smaller items, electronics, cords, etc went into a messenger bag. BRAN allows two bags and these bags were leveraged to the hilt, being stuffed as they were. Both held up to being tossed around and handled roughly well. 

I brought enough bibs and jerseys for the week, as there is no laundry. You can rinse out your gear in the showers, which I did, as did several others. You could see shirts and shorts hung all over flapping in the breeze in camp daily. I brought three changes of street clothes for the week, using each set twice. Maybe three times, I guess, because we were there for parts of nine days total. Anyway. I stretched the street clothes out over that time period and used liberal amounts of body spray to smell okay. Ha! 

I think I got by with $30.00 - $40.00 a day spending money and this covered food, beverages, and an occasional extra thing or two. BRAN doesn't provide meals, but they do have excellent on-ride aid stations with water and snacks of various types. 

Okay, like i said, I'm probably forgetting a lot, but hit me up with any and all questions. I'm happy to answer in the comments or a follow-up post if necessary. 
 

BRAN Epilogue

BRAN 44 was an interesting experience for me personally. I was in need of a distraction coming into Summer. This provided the perfect antidote to just slowly approaching some anniversary dates and ruminate on loss. 

But my mission on this gig was to spread the word about BRAN and specifically their gravel offering. So, I wanted to tie that thought up here as I do have some views on BRAN, Nebraska in general, and what opportunities await those who want to check out gravel roads out in a state with a very misunderstood story.

I think my recap shows, if nothing else, the vast variety of scenes and terrain types Nebraska has on offer. Of course, this particular BRAN route ran along the Niobrara River, the Missouri River, and cut down across Eastern Nebraska near the end of the route. It is but a small slice of what Nebraska has to offer the adventurous gravel rider. 

So, if you wanted to experience the Great Plains, or rural farmland, or both, Nebraska has this. I know from experience in West Central Nebraska that there are canyons and wide expanses of grasslands dotted with ranches and farms with amazing views. BRAN actually moves its route every year, so it would be worth keeping an eye on their site to see where they take things next year. 

One thing I thought about BRAN, and which we touched upon in the "Bran Recap" on the Guitar Ted Podcast, was how BRAN could serve as a bike packing test ground for anyone considering Tour Divide, or other bike packing adventures. The way BRAN creates the gravel routes helps provide bail-out opportunities. Considering Pork Belly Adventures support, one could even leverage the baggage cartage as a way to provide relief if needed. 

BRAN also provides many ways to consume the event. Besides the choices between paved and road routes, you can choose other options. You can do one, two, three days, the whole week, or become a volunteer and ride a couple of days as well. There are so many ways to get your toes dipped into the event it is fascinating to consider the possibilities. 

From an event production standpoint it was evident to me that BRAN is striving to evolve and become the best it can possibly be. This is all based on volunteers who are passionate about the ride. I don't think it can be stressed enough how no one is making bank off this ride. To my way of thinking, this means those who are working the aid stations, creating the routes, doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes, and dotting "I's" and crossing "T's" really care.  I believe if you were to go on BRAN in 2027, you'd quickly see and feel this passion. BRAN folks care about the ride and the riders. Period, end of story. 

BRAN provides a unique experience due to its size as well. You never get the feeling you are overwhelmed, or unseen on BRAN due to large crowds or lack of being able to connect with other riders. It's rather easy to disappear into the blur of the human circus in Iowa the last week of July doing "that ride", and perhaps this is what you like. But if something a bit more intimate and less stressful is your bag, you should check out BRAN.

The gravel bit is great. I loved all of it, but difficulties and adventure is what I feel make gravel unique and a better option than pavement. Your mileage may vary. But I think this is a big reason why gravel appeals to so many riders. 

Now, BRAN is far from perfect. I think they know this as well. I think the average age of riders is creeping upward, just like it is for many events I am aware of on gravel and pavement. This is concerning overall and for rides like BRAN, it is vital that they figure out a way to reverse the trend. I also feel BRAN, and other rides as well, could be more diverse. But you cannot make people want to ride BRAN, or other rides. You have to present a package which is appealing and attractive. I think BRAN has a lot of what they need to be successful, but how this shakes out in the future is anyone's guess now. 

Hopefully my shining a light on this event will help. 

Now comes the big question: Would I do BRAN again? 

My answer is a qualified "Yes". I would do this ride again if I could take some other folks along to join me. I would do it again if it made financial sense at the time for me personally. I would do it again if I could find a way to integrate Mrs. Guitar Ted into the week's events. So, maybe it would all work out. I do know the ride is worth the money BRAN asks for it. No question about it. This is a killer value. There are ways to do it piecemeal if a whole week is too much. So you do have options, as discussed above. 

Ironically my favorite day of BRAN 44 was the day we rode the worst gravel, which was the day from Crofton to Wayne. That day was so fun, challenging, and had surprises along the way which kept me engaged and wanting more. My second favorite day was Springview to Spencer because the scenery was so different than anything I get around here. 

So, if BRAN could cook up another banger of a gravel route I'd be all-in, if the rest of my life was at a place that it would work. I think anyone who likes gravel riding should seriously consider this ride over something like, say, Unbound, which could cost you around the same amount of money overall. You'd get seven days versus one, and more experiences than you could ever imagine.  

I'm sure I am leaving some things out here, so if there are any questions or comments, feel free to chime in on the comment section. I always read all the comments and answer any questions presented there. 

Thanks for reading. Tomorrow will be the BRAN Gear Review. 

BRAN Report: Day Seven

A Sunrise in Oakland, Nebraska on Day Seven of BRAN 44

The last day of BRAN! What was supposed to be a quick, short run into Arlington, Nebraska of 34.7 miles turned into chaos. Weather reared its ugly head and what I thought would happen was the furthest thing from what actually happened. 

Per BRAN's urgings the evening before I was up before 5:00am and scuffling off to the porta-jon and to grab a cup of java to jump start my systems. On my way to fill water bottles I saw BRAN staff hurriedly moving through the camp and word spread quickly that thunderstorms were moving in from the Southwest which would have severe possibilities and at the least, lots of lightning. We were told to pack up as quick as possible and head inside Oakland High School.  

Fortunately Oakland citizens had planned an onsite breakfast so we did not have to go far for some biscuits and gravy. I sat munching my morning's fare wondering where this would end up. There was still hope we'd get to ride, but it would be later in the morning. Michael and Jayme informed me gravel was off the menu and IF we got to ride it would be pavement. 

With my baggage in the truck, I took my bicycle inside the high school, as did many others, and waited to see what might happen. Time slipped on and my gut was telling me this ride was probably over. 

Instead of a bicycle, I rode a high school bus to Arlington, Nebraska

 Inside the school word spread of some riders who dared to take off and try to beat the storms. They were pinned down in a small village between Oakland and Arlington and reporting heavy rain and lightning. Rain was falling in Arlington as well. Jayme then showed me a smoking field where a lightning strike from cloud to ground occurred which had been sent in by a rider minutes beforehand. I was convinced riding was out of the question. 

But what would BRAN do? I was standing near Jacquie Phelan and Michael when a BRAN staffer made an announcement that school busses would ferry us to Arlington while Pork Belly Adventures would transport our gear and bikes there as well. Jacquie looked around at us all and said, "Well, I guess this is farewell then Toodle-loo!". 

On the way to Arlington

 I walked out immediately, saw a buss pulling in, and when it stopped I hopped onboard. About 20 minutes later we were bouncing down a paved highway toward the end of BRAN. 

Once again I was alone. My thoughts were a mess. I cried. I felt sad. I wanted to get in my 4Runner and go home. This wasn't how this ride was supposed to end. Then I straightened up and a woman across the aisle from me offered to share the gravel rider's images we participated in at Oakland the evening before. BRAN invited all who took part of any of the gravel routes to be a part of a group photo. The woman was kind to share this with me, as I had no idea where the images resided at the time. 

The 2026 "Gravel Class" of BRAN 44

 Eventually we rolled into the Washington County Fairgrounds and I saw what a mess the dirt roads had become. It was a place swimming in sticky, gooey mud. I saw where Pork Belly had dumped out the baggage so I went and fetched my bags and slogged them over a couple hundred yards of wet, sticky mud to my 4Runner. By the time I reached my vehicle my feet looked like mud clown shoes. 

I tried to dress in street clothes and eventually decided I needed to just throw open the side doors, step in between them, and undress and dress like we used to do at XC races in the 1990's. Frankly, I didn't care who looked. I just wanted out of my kit and into the clothes I would be driving home in. 

 I had some cookies in the truck, so I "toasted" Michael, The Cookie King Of BRAN, and ate them. 

 

Eventually the bikes arrived and...... That was the end. 

Pork Belly arrived with the bikes a little before noon. By 12:30pm I was off to drive about 5 hours home. BRAN was over, just like that. 

It was not how anyone envisioned it to end, and it was a bit of a bummer. But I was ready to get home to my family, to rest up, and savor the week I just experienced. Of course, I was, and still am very grateful for the experience. A once-in-a-lifetime trip. I won't forget it. 

With the seventh day covered I will now do an epilogue for the event tomorrow.. The following day I will post my gear review of what worked, and what did not work. Then the BRAN coverage will come to a close with the possible exception of a podcast episode.  

Thanks for checking this recap out. I appreciate you readers more than you know.  

BRAN Report: Day Six

You go on with yer bad self then!

Day 6 of BRAN. Nearing the end of a week chock full of experiences and memories already, I awoke inside the cozy confines of one of Pork Belly Adventures' bunk houses made from a converted semi tractor trailer. The day would be shorter, only 53 miles, and would end up on another high school lawn, just like where it all started in Valentine. 

It was one of those mornings where, despite getting a head start due to my not having to break camp, we still didn't get going very early. Part of this was due to where we stopped for breakfast in Wayne. 

Michael and Jayme had been hankering for a "real" coffee stop for a few days now and Wayne offered a great option or two, probably having to do with it being a college town. We made our way down Main Street to HIS Bakery, a nice shop with really great coffee products and breakfast items on their menu. On this day it would be a foursome: Matt, Michael, Jayme, and myself. 

Looking pretty yummy here!

It was a hot day with no clouds and little wind to speak of. 

This bakery had a menu item called a "Kickin' Chicken Burrito". Now, I had been all about burritos for breakfast all week. So, my choice was an obvious one. The other guys got pastries or just coffee. Man.... Gotta fuel up when you get the chance, is what I'm thinking here, so I wondered about their choices a bit. 

We were there a while and now I was sure we were - once again - the tail end of the BRAN riders. No big deal. Michael even remarked how he was starting to see how the laid back, take it easier approach was perhaps a better way to ride BRAN than the typical rush to get to the next town and sit around way many folks employed as a tactic for the tour. 

Discussing options for the route with John from Berry Fast Cycles. 

This here road ain't big nuff fer the both of us!

Once we left Wayne, Nebraska I was struck immediately by how firm and fast the gravel was South of town versus how loose and shifty it was coming into town the day before. I thought it would be very loose, like it was to the North, but not so. Weird. At any rate, it was far superior riding in terms of gravel quality. I was pleased. 

We met John Berry early into the day and he reported the gravel was a bit shiftier a few miles ahead. Jayme and Michael conferred with each other and decided we should take a minimum maintenance dirt road they were aware of over to the paved route and go the three or four paved miles into Pender instead of chancing us running into loose gravel again. But before this we had a ways to go....

A good sign

 

This MMR was a bit rutted, but great to ride on. 

We had good gravel for quite a while though and we found some nice lines to ride. A MMR which started in shade had me a bit sketched out for a moment as I couldn't see anything and it was steeply pitched downhill. But I came out okay.   

 

Michael smiling about our alternative choice in routing.

The alternative route to Pender up the MMR and down on a paved road worked great and we think we avoided some looser gravel, at least this is what John Berry led us to believe. What we did not avoid was closed local businesses to eat at. Plus, there was debate about timing. Some felt it was too early and we should go to Bancroft. we ended up at a Cubies Convenience store where I had a quick bite to eat. 

There were a few impressive buildings in Pender, which this being but one example.

 

My Cubbies 'Big Dog' wasn't so big afterall. It was okay though. 

Ten more miles to Bancroft and hopefully a rest stop. It was as hot as it was the day I sagged in now and I was dogging it. However; I had ridden myself into better shape than I was on Day Three so I was holding my own. This was a good sign I was riding well and I was hopeful I would retain some of this fitness once I got back to Iowa. 

An old bridge heading out of Pender. 

Note the washboard in the road.bed. 

Between Pender and Bancroft I was catching up to the group as they waited at the top of a hill at a point we were to make a right hand turn. I tried unclipping my left foot but the pedal would not disengage and I fell heavily on my left elbow, hip, and knee. I bloodied my elbow and we had to stop for for a while to clean me up. I took my bandana off and Michael tied it around my left elbow to keep any blood from trickling down my arm. 

A bit of a scare there, but no real harm done. I think my spring was binding due to all the dry grit and sand we had been riding through all week so far. At any rate, the pedal worked fine after this!  Wouldn't you know it?

Getting the side eye in Bancroft.

 Bancroft proved to be a bust as well, so.....another ten miles to Lyons! Of we went in the heat and we pushed ourselves to get to Lyons and see what we could drum up for a place to stop and eat at. It was kind of ironic that Lyons was only about 7 or 8 miles from our overnight town of Oakland, but seeing as how hot it was, riding another ten was better than riding 17 or 18 miles to a rest! 

When we arrived in Lyons we were in between lunch hours and dinner hours, so nothing was open.....again! We happened to be standing in front of a Mexican restaurant when a young man popped his head out of the door and invited us in to cool down. That is when we discovered the ice cream and sodas which revived us and sent us flying into Oakland a little less worse for the wear. 

Michael posing by the town sign on the North end of Oakland, Nebraska. 

The run in to Oakland was along a busy highway and was not real pleasant, but once we were in town, it was all good. The high school was set up well to welcome us in and I set up camp and showered before we set off to find some grub. A shuttle van took us to downtown Oakland to a bar and grill which was serving prime rib and baked potatoes. I think our late arrival prompted the man cutting the meat to give me a double portion. It was good. I did not complain. 

Nightfall came with a directive from BRAN to plan on getting out of Oakland and into Arlington by noon the next day. There was to be a "goodbye feast" and then everyone would go their own ways. 

Or so we thought when we went to sleep.

BRAN Report: Day Five

Preparing to bug out of Crofton, Jayme (L) and Carl

The weather for BRAN was flip-flopping day to day, or so it would seem. Day Four was a Sunny, breezy day while Day Five kicked things off with rain, overcast skies, and eventually a stiff Northwest wind. Fortunately for BRAN riders this would mostly be a tailwind into Wayne, Nebraska, our most populous overnight town of the trip. 

A bit of a footnote here. The BRAN staffers riding the tour with me were offered a bunk house with Pork Belly Adventures because a roomer had to leave the BRAN ride and the room would be empty otherwise the remainder of the week. 

Jayme and Michael tried to convince me to stay with them in the bunk house but I refused saying to them that my snoring would keep them awake at night and I did not want to put them through that. 

So, a compromise was arranged where Jayme got the first night, and I would get the second in Wayne. Michael would get the third night in Oakland, and this would close out the week. So, at the end of Day Five I would not have to set up a tent! This was getting to be a better day as time went on!

Jayme rolling by a church in Fordyce, Nebraska.

This day marked a turning point in our week of riding. Now we were heading mainly South. We were solidly in Eastern Nebraska now. The wide empty spaces of the Great Plains were giving way to more row crop farming with some cattle grazing going on in lush, green pastures. The gravel was sandier and looser on this day. I rode almost the entire day right on the margin between the grass leading to the ditch and the road as this was where the least washboard was and the firmest gravel was. 

The "grid" of roads was in force here. Now the gravel route ran parallel to the road route in many places, being only a mile off pavement. We traveled in the cardinal directions now - North, South, East, or West, and curved roads were few and far between. 

Row crop farming was broken up by the occasional pasture with beef cattle grazing. 

 

And then it started raining!

Over the past couple of days of BRAN Michael would ask me in the morning if I thought he needed a rain coat. Well, I had told him I thought the rains had passed and on this morning he would not need one. Guess what? It rained. So much for my future as a weather prognosticator! 

The rain did not last long. Maybe 20 minutes. We were in a hilly stretch of the course and I actually liked the light rain. Cool, wet weather does not bother me and my body operates well in it. Maybe I should move to the U.K...... Right... 

 

BRAN Barns For Jason

After a bit of these wet, rolling hills we came into Hartington, Nebraska. This was one of the largest pass through towns on BRAN, if not the largest of all. There were a lot of folks buzzing around in cars and trucks here doing their morning business. The paved ride and gravel ride routes overlapped here, so at the Casey's Convenience Store there were a lot of cyclists going in and out. 

I went in and grabbed a small bite to eat with an eye toward being at Burbach's Dairy in a little while. Michael came out with cookies (BIG surprise) and after hee-hawing with a few riders we were off. Well, until Jayme and Michael saw a local roadside food stand and pulled off again. And guess what? The kind folks there had COOKIES. So you know Michael had to buy more! 

The locals in Hartington snared Michael in with cookies. Not a difficult task, by the way!

 

We had to ride the rolling hills to get to Burbach's Dairy farm. 

We had hill after hill climb to get to Burbach's Dairy farm. There was a nice stretch of minimum maintenance road with dirt so smooth it was better than pavement. But then it was back to shifty, loose pea gravel/sandy gravel roads. Descents were sketchy sometimes due to these road conditions.

Eventually we made the turn-off to Burbach's and saw a few smiling faces riding back toward us. I will admit this was something I was really excited about. I haven't been on a working dairy farm in decades. All my relatives were dairy farmers when I was a kid. Well....almost all of them were. The memories of those days were brought back to the forefront as we turned up the Burbach's driveway. 

The Burbach's use Holsteins and Jersey-Holstein crosses for the herd.

The Burbach's dog, April, wasn't too keen on me taking her picture! 

Inside the dairy we got more samples of milk and a tour of their processing and bottling facility. Outside we were allowed to get up close and personal with the members of the Burbach's herd. The smells of cows, straw, and whatnot were so familiar to me. I really enjoyed this stop, and I think everyone in our group did as well. 

However; we had many miles to cover to get to Wayne. Jacquie Phelan was in a big hurry to get to a massage appointment, (yes- there is a massage therapist on BRAN which you can pay to get a massage), and so she split at the next paved connection to save her time. Meanwhile we had to deal with a passing cold front and heavy Northwest winds which accompanied it. 

Taking a short break after a long climb

The skies started to clear up after the cold front went through and the wind, a quartering tailwind, was helpful as it pushed us along. The gusts were a bother on fast downhills though. At 30+ mph on shifty gravel a little sideways push is very disconcerting! Plus, a good line through the mush was often hard to find. This killed momentum and there were more than a few times I cussed out the roads for sucking the fun out of a fast downhill. 

Entering Coleridge, Nebraska

Time for some grub. I'll have the Special!

We hit up a local bar and grill for some lunch in Coleridge. After resting a bit we had to get up and hit the gravel roads again. It was warming up, the winds were still gusty, and the gravel was still loose. This would be the most difficult gravel to ride for the entire week. 

We had 30 miles yet to cover with one more pass-through town eleven miles up the road. We'd heard from our Berry Fast gravel sag support that we were likely the last BRAN riders which would ride into Wayne for the day. 

Jayme gives a wave to a local farmer working the fields.

We came across a mower doing the ditch edging. 

Not long after Coleridge and Laurel were in our rearview mirrors, the weather turned hot. The winds were still brisk, and it was harder to keep hydrated. Fortunately all of us had enough water to get by on for the remainder of the ride. 

What we did not know was that there was one more surprise for the day and it was a really fun one as well. Jayme and Michael, being the route creators, probably knew about this, but the others had no clue. Oh! I did not mention the others. We had another BRAN volunteer in Matt Steele join us. Matt had done Trans Iowa before and was a great rider. We also had the young man named Carl from Pierce Nebraska still with us also. 

Our group, minus myself, for this Day Five afternoon grave adventure. 

 

This MMR led to a chance encounter I won't soon forget. 

Jayme led us onto a nice double track minimum maintenance road. In the distance, I could pick out a decrepit old iron bridge. Not a big one, but it looked pretty crusty nonetheless. Hovering on a steel pole above the threshold to the bridge was a square rectangular steel sign. Not a County issued warning sign, but a crudely painted warning which had a very simple message. 

Those rebellious gravel riders!

Michael Kolakowski poses and gets one for the album.

The sign simply said "NO". I laughed out loud. I've seen a lot out in the country, but this was a new one on me. The bridge decking was missing in spots, so we had to take care in crossing here. Plus the opposite approach was weed-covered and even worse than the side we entered upon. 

Shortly after our arrival, a small ATV with an older gentleman zoomed up, stopped, and with a smile asked how we were doing. It turned out to be the landowner of the farmland surrounding us. His name is Steve. Steve knew a lot about this bridge and the road leading to and from it. 

Steve showed us on the bridge frame where names had been etched into the old paint with rocks years ago by youngsters with nothing better to do. One of those boys was Steve's father, Paul. Steve figured he was around seven years old when he etched his name into the then fairly new paint of this bridge. 

Steve's father had been born in a farmhouse within sight of the bridge. Steve pointed to a clump of trees about a quarter mile away where a house still stood surrounded by those trees. Steve said he lived about 3/4's of a mile away, just over a hill to the West. The road we were on? The county had to put it in for Steve to be able to access his fields after the bridge was decommissioned. Steve said the condition of the deck was as we saw it due to youths coming by and pulling up the loose planks to throw into Butler Creek below. 

Hooligans! 

You could still see the names etched into the girder after probably 100+ years. 

 

Steve speaking with Jayme on the decommissioned bridge

Time came to say goodbye to Steve and carry on with our trip to Wayne, Nebraska. What a treat that was though! It probably ranks right up there with some of my best experiences on gravel. In fact, come to think of it, this was my favorite day of the BRAN trip, and it was only going to get better! But first, I had to drag myself over more steep rollers and down some nasty, loose descents to get to Wayne. 

That's corn growing up in the middle of this dirt road.

The climbs were long and the gravel was difficult

Along the way, as I was winching myself up yet another steep, long ascent, I heard Carl behind me yelping about something. I did not understand what he was saying as the wind was blowing and his cries were not terribly alarming. He was still moving, so....? I turned and kept working up the hill. 

As we crested the others were waiting. Turns out Carl had a bloody nose. Some of the others had some tissues and they shared them with Carl. He plugged one of his nostrils up and we were back at it again.  I was a little alarmed by this, seeing as Carl is diabetic, so I alerted the Berry Fast sag person, Bridgette, John's wife, to keep an eye on Carl, just in case. 

A meeting of two worlds....

 Later, after another stop to gather us up into the group, Carl was complaining about his drive train not shifting into the granny gear. I asked if I could take a look. I picked up the rear of the bike, shifted it into granny, pedaled. Bam! It went right into place. However; as a mechanic, I understood there was more to this. I asked Carl if I could ride his bike. 

I was easily able to duplicate his problem with the front bake applied and pedaling with pressure. That cheesy Shimano Acera front derailleur wasn't up to the task. They never are, really. This level of componentry is basically for casual bike path usage and anything past this is beyond the scope of what it was designed to do. 

I instructed Carl that he would have to baby the drive train, making sure there was near zero pressure on the pedals, to attain a front down shift. Likely his chain and cassette were shot, making this issue even worse, but it was what it was at the time. 

Anyway, I hopped off the bike and felt my hands were sticky and gooey. Ah! Carl's bloody nose! He had blood all over the grips. 

Great! 

I wiped off as much as I could using gravel dust. Yeeesh! That wasn't very pleasant! 

We ended up in Wayne eventually where my brother from another mother, Matt Gersib, was awaiting me. I grabbed my gear and headed for the bunkhouse. I changed, got cleaned up, and then we hooked up again with Jacquie Phelan. All three of us went to a local Mexican restaurant for the evening meal. 

Matt Gersib and Jacquie Phelan

 

A color-changing fountain in the pond near where I stayed in Wayne, Nebraska. 

Matt dropped me off later and then I did a little bit of writing and hit the hay in my private bunk. It was nice. I slept pretty well. The following day I was able to stand up and get dressed. Yes, that is a big deal after a few days of struggling to dress off your back in a two-person bike packing tent! 

What a day that was! Jam packed with things I won't soon forget. Challenging gravel, rain, cows, old bridge history, and struggles overcome to reach the end of a 59 mile day.  Day Six was upon us now. The second to last day of BRAN. The route was shorter. I was looking forward to it and the next stop in Oakland, Nebraska.