Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: Packing

Sifting through gear and nutrition choices for the coming weekend

It is getting down to it. In four short days I have to have everything packed up and ready to head down to Kansas to give the Dirty Kanza 200 another go. At this point my fitness is what it is. I cannot fix up anything more in that regard. I have my mental state and maintenance with sleep and eating and drinking right up to the event that I can do there. So, with nothing else to work on in regards to fitness, I have turned my attention toward packing up now.

The thing is with me, I have gear over here, over there, and all over yonder Guitar Ted Productions. I have set ups for this bike, that bike, and for a couple hydration packs. Heck, I have stuff that I can't find because it is in some bag or another in some hidden pocket. So, I spent the better part of Saturday evening just dumping out bags and digging through stuff. Sifting and sorting.

Some things were obvious- Lezyne pump, tubes, Remo patch kit. Some things were necessary due to the likely conditions this year- packable rain jacket, wind breaker, lights. Then there were choices to make for a tool kit from the three major ones I have assembled over time. Chain breakers, multi-tools, and special tool just for this event. I also packed in some Hammer Nutritional supplies since they were easy to put in there. Hopefully I don't forget about that stuff while I am out there! Usually I pack stuff in my top tube bag and totally forget all about it until I see it weeks later when I unpack my stuff.

An image published by the DK200 showing a rain soaked road.

I will be packing clothing and more yet today and Monday, but my goal is to be completely ready to leave before Tuesday. Then it will be onward to Emporia, where it has been raining and tearing up the roads out there. They received rain all day on Saturday after this image posted by the Dirty Kanza 200 promotions was posted Friday showing a rain soaked road being rutted up and washed clear of most of the smaller, finer road material.

So, all of that really bolstered my choice in bike along with my friend, MG's. He was up Saturday evening to visit and we chatted a bit about the coming event. We both agreed that since Trans Iowa many of the gravel events have seen their fair share of wet, nasty weather, and that perhaps the Dirty Kanza 200 was going to perpetuate that streak. One thing I know is that with the forecast that is out now, the temperatures don't look to be brutal, as they have been in years I have tried to ride this event. I'm not particularly good in heat. My record isn't too good in events with heat, that's a fact. However; if it sticks to what they are predicting down there, it would play into my wheelhouse. Rain? I'm okay with that as long as it is without violence and lightning.

Whatever the weather is, MG and I, (and my friend Ari), have decided that we're going to ride our bikes all day, have the most fun we can while doing that, and finish the course of the Dirty Kanza 200, no matter what it is.

This will probably be the close to the Chronicles for this Dirty Kanza. From here I will be putting up some random posts, but of course, there will be a full report here after the event is over. Stay tuned.....

Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: Packing

Sifting through gear and nutrition choices for the coming weekend

It is getting down to it. In four short days I have to have everything packed up and ready to head down to Kansas to give the Dirty Kanza 200 another go. At this point my fitness is what it is. I cannot fix up anything more in that regard. I have my mental state and maintenance with sleep and eating and drinking right up to the event that I can do there. So, with nothing else to work on in regards to fitness, I have turned my attention toward packing up now.

The thing is with me, I have gear over here, over there, and all over yonder Guitar Ted Productions. I have set ups for this bike, that bike, and for a couple hydration packs. Heck, I have stuff that I can't find because it is in some bag or another in some hidden pocket. So, I spent the better part of Saturday evening just dumping out bags and digging through stuff. Sifting and sorting.

Some things were obvious- Lezyne pump, tubes, Remo patch kit. Some things were necessary due to the likely conditions this year- packable rain jacket, wind breaker, lights. Then there were choices to make for a tool kit from the three major ones I have assembled over time. Chain breakers, multi-tools, and special tool just for this event. I also packed in some Hammer Nutritional supplies since they were easy to put in there. Hopefully I don't forget about that stuff while I am out there! Usually I pack stuff in my top tube bag and totally forget all about it until I see it weeks later when I unpack my stuff.

An image published by the DK200 showing a rain soaked road.

I will be packing clothing and more yet today and Monday, but my goal is to be completely ready to leave before Tuesday. Then it will be onward to Emporia, where it has been raining and tearing up the roads out there. They received rain all day on Saturday after this image posted by the Dirty Kanza 200 promotions was posted Friday showing a rain soaked road being rutted up and washed clear of most of the smaller, finer road material.

So, all of that really bolstered my choice in bike along with my friend, MG's. He was up Saturday evening to visit and we chatted a bit about the coming event. We both agreed that since Trans Iowa many of the gravel events have seen their fair share of wet, nasty weather, and that perhaps the Dirty Kanza 200 was going to perpetuate that streak. One thing I know is that with the forecast that is out now, the temperatures don't look to be brutal, as they have been in years I have tried to ride this event. I'm not particularly good in heat. My record isn't too good in events with heat, that's a fact. However; if it sticks to what they are predicting down there, it would play into my wheelhouse. Rain? I'm okay with that as long as it is without violence and lightning.

Whatever the weather is, MG and I, (and my friend Ari), have decided that we're going to ride our bikes all day, have the most fun we can while doing that, and finish the course of the Dirty Kanza 200, no matter what it is.

This will probably be the close to the Chronicles for this Dirty Kanza. From here I will be putting up some random posts, but of course, there will be a full report here after the event is over. Stay tuned.....

Friday News And Views

Podcast #9: The latest Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast is live now. In it Ben and I discuss the scene developing in Montana's prairies, our participation in the Badlands Gravel Battle and the Dirty Kanza 200, plus we cover a bit on some pedals I reviewed and make an announcement concerning something from Twin Six. It is a rambling, information infested hole of doom, so strap on the headphones and give it a listen.

Lube-Off Update

A Note On The Lube-Off:

Once again- Thank you readers for all the feedback and interest in the "Lube-Off". I continue to get suggestions rolling in, and although I may never get to testing them all out, I appreciate all the passion and knowledge being shared.

Secondly, I wanted everyone to know that I have gotten one of the contenders into the mix. Wednesday was rainy, cold, and with me just coming off a mild cold, I thought it best to work on some bikes rather than ride myself into getting sick, possibly, again. That means the the Fat Fargo is now sporting the Rock and Roll Gold lubrication. It was applied as per instructions, so we will also be getting a good idea on how this stuff works soon.

Keep in mind that I already have the DuMonde Tech on the Tamland and I will be riding that bike as part of the testing as well. The other two contenders- Boeshield T-9 and ProLink Gold- will be getting applied to two other rigs here real soon and then we will have all four lubes in play for this test. I figure that I won't have a lot to say about this after that point until a month or so goes by, so sit tight on this and I'll be back with more as Summer gets cranked up.

Notes On The Nano 40 TCS:

Okay, so as many of you may have noted, I moved the Nano 40TCS tires over to my HED Ardennes+ wheels and set them up tubeless utilizing Velocity USA blue tape and WTB valve stems. This set up is still in consideration for the Dirty Kanza 200 and I may be swayed by a potential "thorn" in the way the set up has played out.

After having ridden a nearly 70 mile ride on these, I figured I was good to go until I noticed the front tire kept leaking down. Hmmm...... I don't like any issues at all with a tubeless set up, so I was getting less and less confident in the set up as I tried to diagnose the issue, and yet the tire kept leaking down. In fact, it was getting to the point that the tire wasn't staying up for a day when I finally figured it out. The WTB valve stem has a removable core, of course, and it was screwing out every time I put a pump on it, which accounted for why the tire was losing air at a progressively faster rate. I tightened it down and it seems that it has maintained pressure. So, back in the running then, right?

Not so fast! The commenters yesterday made me think maybe I should consider the Fat Fargo as being the "smart choice. Okay, so that's your Dirty Kanza rig then! But wait! I rode that bike yesterday and discovered the middle ring is shot, and I need a new cassette. Bah! 

All is not lost though. I have a plan, and I'll see about that this weekend as it rains....... 

Okay- ya'all have a great Memorial Day Weekend, and be safe! 

Friday News And Views

Podcast #9: The latest Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast is live now. In it Ben and I discuss the scene developing in Montana's prairies, our participation in the Badlands Gravel Battle and the Dirty Kanza 200, plus we cover a bit on some pedals I reviewed and make an announcement concerning something from Twin Six. It is a rambling, information infested hole of doom, so strap on the headphones and give it a listen.

Lube-Off Update

A Note On The Lube-Off:

Once again- Thank you readers for all the feedback and interest in the "Lube-Off". I continue to get suggestions rolling in, and although I may never get to testing them all out, I appreciate all the passion and knowledge being shared.

Secondly, I wanted everyone to know that I have gotten one of the contenders into the mix. Wednesday was rainy, cold, and with me just coming off a mild cold, I thought it best to work on some bikes rather than ride myself into getting sick, possibly, again. That means the the Fat Fargo is now sporting the Rock and Roll Gold lubrication. It was applied as per instructions, so we will also be getting a good idea on how this stuff works soon.

Keep in mind that I already have the DuMonde Tech on the Tamland and I will be riding that bike as part of the testing as well. The other two contenders- Boeshield T-9 and ProLink Gold- will be getting applied to two other rigs here real soon and then we will have all four lubes in play for this test. I figure that I won't have a lot to say about this after that point until a month or so goes by, so sit tight on this and I'll be back with more as Summer gets cranked up.

Notes On The Nano 40 TCS:

Okay, so as many of you may have noted, I moved the Nano 40TCS tires over to my HED Ardennes+ wheels and set them up tubeless utilizing Velocity USA blue tape and WTB valve stems. This set up is still in consideration for the Dirty Kanza 200 and I may be swayed by a potential "thorn" in the way the set up has played out.

After having ridden a nearly 70 mile ride on these, I figured I was good to go until I noticed the front tire kept leaking down. Hmmm...... I don't like any issues at all with a tubeless set up, so I was getting less and less confident in the set up as I tried to diagnose the issue, and yet the tire kept leaking down. In fact, it was getting to the point that the tire wasn't staying up for a day when I finally figured it out. The WTB valve stem has a removable core, of course, and it was screwing out every time I put a pump on it, which accounted for why the tire was losing air at a progressively faster rate. I tightened it down and it seems that it has maintained pressure. So, back in the running then, right?

Not so fast! The commenters yesterday made me think maybe I should consider the Fat Fargo as being the "smart choice. Okay, so that's your Dirty Kanza rig then! But wait! I rode that bike yesterday and discovered the middle ring is shot, and I need a new cassette. Bah! 

All is not lost though. I have a plan, and I'll see about that this weekend as it rains....... 

Okay- ya'all have a great Memorial Day Weekend, and be safe! 

Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: Vacillating

Taking a good, hard look at this......

I know, I know...... Just last week I said I chose the rig for my Dirty Kanza 200 attempt. But what fun is getting ready for an ultra-long gravel ride if you don't question your choices five or six times before you leave, right? You folks that have done these events know exactly what I am talking about here. Anyway.....

So, here's the deal. Kansas has been getting a lot of rain lately. That will probably mean that the water crossings will not only be running, but that the silt and smaller rock will be washed away. I recall back in '09 or '10 when that was the case and every water crossing was followed with seven or eight riders on cross bikes fixing pinch flats alongside the road. I and my mountain bike tires did not even flinch at these obstacles. Of course, I have tubeless Nano40's now, but that isn't as big a tire as I have traditionally brought to Kansas.

I was talking to my good friend MG, and he is running a fat bike, but he has run cross and mtb tires at Dirty Kanza before. He made some great points to me. One which hit home was that comfort is king when you aren't racing it to win, but to get the finish. The bigger tires of an mtb bike can be light, and still allow comfort and they also give you some flat protection.

Plus I have some intel that leads me to believe that this new course is actually a bit rougher than in the past. That plays into the comfort/fat tires bit as well. We do know for certain that we are crossing private land, so that also leads me to believe that the roads, (if they are roads), are going to be rough.

I rode this Fargo at the DK 200 once, but I was sick that year.

Then there is the Fargo itself, which lends me the capability to carry more water bottles, for one thing, and also a top tube bag to put food in. I can get by on that rig without wearing a back pack, which is a big deal. This wouldn't be on my Gen I Fargo, but on my Gen II Fargo which actually has a longer rigid fork that would be more comfortable than the shorter Gen I fork. That Gen II bike has a triple crank and a pretty wide range cassette, so climbing is not a big deal.

So, there is all of that, but I haven't put the BMC out of the picture just yet. Maybe..... I just have to decide based upon my fitness going in. If I am not all that confident in that, I am going for comfort, water bottle carrying capabilities, and better flat resistance. In the end, weight isn't all that different, but the BMC is not as comfortable in terms of ride smoothness. How could it compete with those poofy B+ tires?  Then there is the titanium Regulator post I swapped over from my Ti Mukluk. I will be riding this, hopefully on a long ride, this weekend and making the final call. I bet it will be ultra-smooth. We'll see how it all goes.

Stay tuned for more last minute Dirty Kanza madness. I'm sure there will be more where this came from!

Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: Vacillating

Taking a good, hard look at this......

I know, I know...... Just last week I said I chose the rig for my Dirty Kanza 200 attempt. But what fun is getting ready for an ultra-long gravel ride if you don't question your choices five or six times before you leave, right? You folks that have done these events know exactly what I am talking about here. Anyway.....

So, here's the deal. Kansas has been getting a lot of rain lately. That will probably mean that the water crossings will not only be running, but that the silt and smaller rock will be washed away. I recall back in '09 or '10 when that was the case and every water crossing was followed with seven or eight riders on cross bikes fixing pinch flats alongside the road. I and my mountain bike tires did not even flinch at these obstacles. Of course, I have tubeless Nano40's now, but that isn't as big a tire as I have traditionally brought to Kansas.

I was talking to my good friend MG, and he is running a fat bike, but he has run cross and mtb tires at Dirty Kanza before. He made some great points to me. One which hit home was that comfort is king when you aren't racing it to win, but to get the finish. The bigger tires of an mtb bike can be light, and still allow comfort and they also give you some flat protection.

Plus I have some intel that leads me to believe that this new course is actually a bit rougher than in the past. That plays into the comfort/fat tires bit as well. We do know for certain that we are crossing private land, so that also leads me to believe that the roads, (if they are roads), are going to be rough.

I rode this Fargo at the DK 200 once, but I was sick that year.

Then there is the Fargo itself, which lends me the capability to carry more water bottles, for one thing, and also a top tube bag to put food in. I can get by on that rig without wearing a back pack, which is a big deal. This wouldn't be on my Gen I Fargo, but on my Gen II Fargo which actually has a longer rigid fork that would be more comfortable than the shorter Gen I fork. That Gen II bike has a triple crank and a pretty wide range cassette, so climbing is not a big deal.

So, there is all of that, but I haven't put the BMC out of the picture just yet. Maybe..... I just have to decide based upon my fitness going in. If I am not all that confident in that, I am going for comfort, water bottle carrying capabilities, and better flat resistance. In the end, weight isn't all that different, but the BMC is not as comfortable in terms of ride smoothness. How could it compete with those poofy B+ tires?  Then there is the titanium Regulator post I swapped over from my Ti Mukluk. I will be riding this, hopefully on a long ride, this weekend and making the final call. I bet it will be ultra-smooth. We'll see how it all goes.

Stay tuned for more last minute Dirty Kanza madness. I'm sure there will be more where this came from!

Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: Hardware

The "Orange Crush" gets the call

With about two weeks to go till "DK Time" I figured it was high time I made a definitive call on the rig I will use for the event. Actually, I sort of already did make the call about a week ago now. Yep! It's gonna be the ol' "Orange Crush" rig from Black Mountain Cycles. Here's why I went this way.....

First off, I should say that I almost went with the Tamland. It was neck and neck there, but a couple of key road blocks came up with regard to the Tamland that are going to keep it home, for the time being anyway. I already have begun to address some of my nits with that bike, so it shouldn't be long before I can easily reach for that rig for any event. However; I just ran out of time and resources to get it all done before the DK 200.

The problems with that bike are the gearing, which is too high for an event the distance and with the difficulty level of the Dirty Kanza, well.....for me anyway. The bike I need has to have some easy, bail-out gearing for whatever I may run up against out there, and there will be hills and wind. Probably all at the same time. The Tamland's 11 speed group meant that I had no wheels to swap over to it that were tubeless ready either. Tubeless is a must for me if I am running sub-two inch rubber. So, I either had to make a wholesale change to 10 speed on the Tamland or get new wheels. Too expensive either way for me. So, I have gotten a WiFli 11 speed 11-36T cassette for the gearing issue, but the non-tubeless issue will have to wait a while yet.

The HED Ardennes+ wheels and Nano40 TCS tires matched up perfectly

So, the BMC does have tubeless ready wheels- the HED Ardennes+- which are really nice, reasonably light wheels with a decent, wide rim profile. I took my WTB Nano40 TCS tires and set them up tubeless on these wheels and it was so easy, it really elevated my confidence in this set up. I aired up both tires with a tired, ancient Blackburn floor pump, so you know the set up is pretty tight and solid. I even lost 20 grams per wheel in weight despite the TCS version of the Nano40 being heavier than the folding version I had previously on the bike. In another plus, the TCS sidewalls are thicker, so more resistance to cutting is there, which is good to know.

Then the gearing is lower on this bike as well. At least it was until I got my new cassette for the Raleigh! Anyway, it is 9 speed and a lot less finicky. Good to have in a situation where you will be in no-man's land for a day. But there is one trump card the BMC has over the Tamland right now, and that is time.

I've had the BMC longer, and I've tweaked out the bike over a longer period of time. Replace and refine, replace and refine, until I have gotten this bike to a point where I wouldn't change much if anything. It is like an old friend to me, despite its quirks and short comings. Plus, Kansas doesn't have the screaming, steep, loose descents over and over again like Iowa has in places, and that's sort of scary on the BMC. In fact, if Kansas were like that, I wouldn't be taking either of these bikes and I would reach for my Fargo Gen 1. In fact, that wouldn't be a bad idea anyway. 

I've been using these iSSi Triple model pedals which have been nice.

 But the Orange Crush is lighter, more forgiving in ride quality, and very versatile in its own way. The front rack with the El Cofrecito bag is really great and with the added capacity of the Tangle Bag, I have all the room I need for carrying anything I need. So, while the Fargo would be great, I think the BMC will tackle the terrain in Kansas in a good way without being a handful. We'll see.....

If the roads weren't so rough there, and I had the Tamland tweaked out, it would have been the choice because of that bike's geometry, which is more stable. Even without the tubeless wheels. The Tamland will get there, but for a 200 mile event in heat and wind, I wanted to choose something so familiar that I wouldn't be worrying about how something might work or not with it. With a recent saddle change, new, untested gearing, and with the non-tubeless nature of the wheels, it all was just too much and trumped the great geometry of that bike.

The six hour ride last weekend really was the shake down cruise for my choice. I was pleased with the results, especially since I rode about three of those hours into a headwind and later I got to climb some decent sized hills to test out the gearing. So, I feel good about it now and that is all out of the way. Now it will just be getting in whatever rides I can during the next week or so, then a short rest. Right now it looks like all the pieces will come together so that I can cross that finish line in Emporia on the 30th.

Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: Hardware

The "Orange Crush" gets the call

With about two weeks to go till "DK Time" I figured it was high time I made a definitive call on the rig I will use for the event. Actually, I sort of already did make the call about a week ago now. Yep! It's gonna be the ol' "Orange Crush" rig from Black Mountain Cycles. Here's why I went this way.....

First off, I should say that I almost went with the Tamland. It was neck and neck there, but a couple of key road blocks came up with regard to the Tamland that are going to keep it home, for the time being anyway. I already have begun to address some of my nits with that bike, so it shouldn't be long before I can easily reach for that rig for any event. However; I just ran out of time and resources to get it all done before the DK 200.

The problems with that bike are the gearing, which is too high for an event the distance and with the difficulty level of the Dirty Kanza, well.....for me anyway. The bike I need has to have some easy, bail-out gearing for whatever I may run up against out there, and there will be hills and wind. Probably all at the same time. The Tamland's 11 speed group meant that I had no wheels to swap over to it that were tubeless ready either. Tubeless is a must for me if I am running sub-two inch rubber. So, I either had to make a wholesale change to 10 speed on the Tamland or get new wheels. Too expensive either way for me. So, I have gotten a WiFli 11 speed 11-36T cassette for the gearing issue, but the non-tubeless issue will have to wait a while yet.

The HED Ardennes+ wheels and Nano40 TCS tires matched up perfectly

So, the BMC does have tubeless ready wheels- the HED Ardennes+- which are really nice, reasonably light wheels with a decent, wide rim profile. I took my WTB Nano40 TCS tires and set them up tubeless on these wheels and it was so easy, it really elevated my confidence in this set up. I aired up both tires with a tired, ancient Blackburn floor pump, so you know the set up is pretty tight and solid. I even lost 20 grams per wheel in weight despite the TCS version of the Nano40 being heavier than the folding version I had previously on the bike. In another plus, the TCS sidewalls are thicker, so more resistance to cutting is there, which is good to know.

Then the gearing is lower on this bike as well. At least it was until I got my new cassette for the Raleigh! Anyway, it is 9 speed and a lot less finicky. Good to have in a situation where you will be in no-man's land for a day. But there is one trump card the BMC has over the Tamland right now, and that is time.

I've had the BMC longer, and I've tweaked out the bike over a longer period of time. Replace and refine, replace and refine, until I have gotten this bike to a point where I wouldn't change much if anything. It is like an old friend to me, despite its quirks and short comings. Plus, Kansas doesn't have the screaming, steep, loose descents over and over again like Iowa has in places, and that's sort of scary on the BMC. In fact, if Kansas were like that, I wouldn't be taking either of these bikes and I would reach for my Fargo Gen 1. In fact, that wouldn't be a bad idea anyway. 

I've been using these iSSi Triple model pedals which have been nice.

 But the Orange Crush is lighter, more forgiving in ride quality, and very versatile in its own way. The front rack with the El Cofrecito bag is really great and with the added capacity of the Tangle Bag, I have all the room I need for carrying anything I need. So, while the Fargo would be great, I think the BMC will tackle the terrain in Kansas in a good way without being a handful. We'll see.....

If the roads weren't so rough there, and I had the Tamland tweaked out, it would have been the choice because of that bike's geometry, which is more stable. Even without the tubeless wheels. The Tamland will get there, but for a 200 mile event in heat and wind, I wanted to choose something so familiar that I wouldn't be worrying about how something might work or not with it. With a recent saddle change, new, untested gearing, and with the non-tubeless nature of the wheels, it all was just too much and trumped the great geometry of that bike.

The six hour ride last weekend really was the shake down cruise for my choice. I was pleased with the results, especially since I rode about three of those hours into a headwind and later I got to climb some decent sized hills to test out the gearing. So, I feel good about it now and that is all out of the way. Now it will just be getting in whatever rides I can during the next week or so, then a short rest. Right now it looks like all the pieces will come together so that I can cross that finish line in Emporia on the 30th.

Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: RBRH

The Orange Crush in DK200 mode

Well, it was supposed to be a 3GR ride, so I went down to the usual start place and waited to see if anyone would show up. They didn't, so at 8:30am I took off under gray skies and into a steady Northeast win of about 12mph with an occasional gust. I had the good ol' Black Mountain cycles rig set up in Dity Kanza 200 mode.

It's going to come down to either this rig or my Raleigh Tamland for the event. I have a wider range 11 speed cassette coming for the Tamland and if it works, I'll continue to give it a chance, but as it stands right now I just do not have the confidence in myself and those high gears that the 11 speed Ultegra has. So, we'll see how it stacks up later this week. But anyway.....

I headed off North and just kept going toward Denver, chugging along against the wind and the mostly uphill course. Then where I was supposed to turn Left onto the Westward leg of the 3GR course, I hung a right instead. I didn't really have a plan, at least not a specific one, but I wanted more miles. I thought about doing a century, but after only having done 40-ish milers since I've gotten well, I decided a metric century would be cool. So, I needed to go beyond the 3GR course, and why not turn right instead of left!

One thing about Bremer County- it's flat!

This took me into the heart of Bremer County and flat land. Really flat land! I went quite a few miles again before I hit anything I could coast down. In fact, only stream crossings broke up the flat land feel. Then I decided to swing into a little town called Readlyn for a bite to eat. My thought being that I wanted to gauge my on bike nutrition compatibility with convenience store grub. This was turning into an experimental ride for Dirty Kanza. I had gels and Gu Chomps along for the ride, but at the Readlyn convenience store, I bought an energy drink for later on, in case I got fatigued, and a salty bag of chips, which I also saved for later. The only thing I did consume there was a breakfast sandwich, which shut down the hunger pangs really well. Once refueled, I was off Northward again.

Headed North crossing Highway 3. It was still gloomy and chilly out. 

Dandelions lined the roads for many miles.

I had now decided to do a ride past Rob's house. I heard someone say a while back that they were going to do a long ride and "ride by Rob's house", ("RBRH" is the title for today), so I figured I was in that neck of the woods, so why not. Rob used to help me eons ago with some Twenty Nine Inches stuff, so I was familiar with where he lived, having been there a few times in the past. I knew it would tack on a significant amount of miles, but I had no clear idea how many. The only thing I did know was that I would turn left immediately after passing Rob's house, so it would mark the furthest point from home.

The skies started to lift somewhat and the Sun was finally raising the temperatures so that I was planning to ditch my wind breaker after my Westward stretch. I had about six miles to go past Rob's house before I would be able to do that, at least by my plan. In fact, I was sticking to a plan of refueling and drinking all along the ride. That isn't my usual way. Typically, I don't eat anything at all, I just drink fluids. I could tell that the nutritional intake was making a difference though. I didn't feel tired, and actually, I felt rather good.

Barns For Jason

 I had to stop a couple of times to consult the maps, but I managed to get back to the 3GR route at the point where it usually comes the furthest North. I rode down to the next corner, where the 3GR turns South on Hilton, and ate my chips and started in on the energy drink. I was feeling really good. I decided to not turn left and do the rest of the 3GR as we've been doing it, but went Right and picked up the 3GR's original course going backward, following it all the way back into Cedar Falls, for "bonus miles", and it was a good change of pace. By now the Sun had actually broken through for a bit.

The last rest stop looking down Hilton Avenue. 

A bit of "hero gravel" just North of Cedar Falls.

I ended up getting into Cedar Falls and then traversing the city along Grand Boulevard to Waterloo. I was going to do the short, steep climb out of the bike path to go on to Rainbow Drive when as I came down to the street, I was just pushing too hard and I went down. No big deal, I just biffed it, but I was reminded that I was fatigued and that I needed to watch my step. I ended up getting home after being gone for almost six hours and having ridden 68 miles. Not very fast, but a great ride and I felt really good afterward. Not wiped out or totally dead. I credit that to doing nutrition on the bike and being in better health.

So far so good on getting some longer miles in the books.

Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: RBRH

The Orange Crush in DK200 mode

Well, it was supposed to be a 3GR ride, so I went down to the usual start place and waited to see if anyone would show up. They didn't, so at 8:30am I took off under gray skies and into a steady Northeast win of about 12mph with an occasional gust. I had the good ol' Black Mountain cycles rig set up in Dity Kanza 200 mode.

It's going to come down to either this rig or my Raleigh Tamland for the event. I have a wider range 11 speed cassette coming for the Tamland and if it works, I'll continue to give it a chance, but as it stands right now I just do not have the confidence in myself and those high gears that the 11 speed Ultegra has. So, we'll see how it stacks up later this week. But anyway.....

I headed off North and just kept going toward Denver, chugging along against the wind and the mostly uphill course. Then where I was supposed to turn Left onto the Westward leg of the 3GR course, I hung a right instead. I didn't really have a plan, at least not a specific one, but I wanted more miles. I thought about doing a century, but after only having done 40-ish milers since I've gotten well, I decided a metric century would be cool. So, I needed to go beyond the 3GR course, and why not turn right instead of left!

One thing about Bremer County- it's flat!

This took me into the heart of Bremer County and flat land. Really flat land! I went quite a few miles again before I hit anything I could coast down. In fact, only stream crossings broke up the flat land feel. Then I decided to swing into a little town called Readlyn for a bite to eat. My thought being that I wanted to gauge my on bike nutrition compatibility with convenience store grub. This was turning into an experimental ride for Dirty Kanza. I had gels and Gu Chomps along for the ride, but at the Readlyn convenience store, I bought an energy drink for later on, in case I got fatigued, and a salty bag of chips, which I also saved for later. The only thing I did consume there was a breakfast sandwich, which shut down the hunger pangs really well. Once refueled, I was off Northward again.

Headed North crossing Highway 3. It was still gloomy and chilly out. 

Dandelions lined the roads for many miles.

I had now decided to do a ride past Rob's house. I heard someone say a while back that they were going to do a long ride and "ride by Rob's house", ("RBRH" is the title for today), so I figured I was in that neck of the woods, so why not. Rob used to help me eons ago with some Twenty Nine Inches stuff, so I was familiar with where he lived, having been there a few times in the past. I knew it would tack on a significant amount of miles, but I had no clear idea how many. The only thing I did know was that I would turn left immediately after passing Rob's house, so it would mark the furthest point from home.

The skies started to lift somewhat and the Sun was finally raising the temperatures so that I was planning to ditch my wind breaker after my Westward stretch. I had about six miles to go past Rob's house before I would be able to do that, at least by my plan. In fact, I was sticking to a plan of refueling and drinking all along the ride. That isn't my usual way. Typically, I don't eat anything at all, I just drink fluids. I could tell that the nutritional intake was making a difference though. I didn't feel tired, and actually, I felt rather good.

Barns For Jason

 I had to stop a couple of times to consult the maps, but I managed to get back to the 3GR route at the point where it usually comes the furthest North. I rode down to the next corner, where the 3GR turns South on Hilton, and ate my chips and started in on the energy drink. I was feeling really good. I decided to not turn left and do the rest of the 3GR as we've been doing it, but went Right and picked up the 3GR's original course going backward, following it all the way back into Cedar Falls, for "bonus miles", and it was a good change of pace. By now the Sun had actually broken through for a bit.

The last rest stop looking down Hilton Avenue. 

A bit of "hero gravel" just North of Cedar Falls.

I ended up getting into Cedar Falls and then traversing the city along Grand Boulevard to Waterloo. I was going to do the short, steep climb out of the bike path to go on to Rainbow Drive when as I came down to the street, I was just pushing too hard and I went down. No big deal, I just biffed it, but I was reminded that I was fatigued and that I needed to watch my step. I ended up getting home after being gone for almost six hours and having ridden 68 miles. Not very fast, but a great ride and I felt really good afterward. Not wiped out or totally dead. I credit that to doing nutrition on the bike and being in better health.

So far so good on getting some longer miles in the books.

Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: Time To Kick It Up A Notch

The road to the Dirty Kanza 200 is getting shorter.....

I mentioned earlier this week that I had gotten in a couple of good rides on the 3GR course since Trans Iowa v11. Those rides have shown me that since the Texas trip in March where I was so sick I was at basically zero for fitness, that I have rebounded quite nicely. At least I feel I am back to a base level for fitness that I expect for typical riding. To me, that is a minor miracle, considering Trans Iowa was stuck in the middle of all of that.

So far, so good, but that won't be "good enough" to get the job done in Kansas at the end of this month. It will take another level up to get me across that finish line in downtown Emporia. I don't take this lightly either. This will be another "minor miracle" in the making. I believe it can be done, and I have some support to help me in this matter. Speaking of that.....

Gone are the days of just showing up in Emporia and checking out for a days ride with no one else there to bail you out and being out there alone for hours on end. The DK 200 has grown into a monster and there are good things and not so good things about all of that. In my case, I am choosing to focus on the positives and how those positives will make this trip to the Flint Hills a successful one.

One thing is that I have more pre-ride information and support from friends than ever. Ari from the Slender Fungus Cycling Association has formed an alliance with me and we are already chatting back and forth concerning strategies and we are staying positive throughout. I have a ride with Tony set up to get me there and back, so I won't have to travel alone. I have a place to stay with my good friend MG, so I have his positive energy to draw from right before the event as well. The DK 200 folks have laid out where resupplies can be gotten, in terms of mileages, so I can be prepared to succeed.

Ari is riding his orange BMC. Maybe I should too.....

During the ride, Ari and I plan on sticking together, and perhaps we will add a few more to a group that will hopefully pull each other through to the end. This would be vastly different than any other DK 200 attempt I have ever done, since I have never had anyone that I could count on to ride with me at all. I've always ended up just being "on my own" out there at my previous DK attempts. (Keep in mind my last attempt was in 2010 when the event was far smaller as well.)

Added to the mix is the Dirty Dog Race Pack, which have offered to look out for me at the two checkpoints. That's very cool of them to do. So, all the extras have fallen into place for me, and much of this is all new stuff for me to rely on and look forward to. Logistically, I have everything I need in place to succeed.

Now it is up to me to get that "next level up" in fitness in a short amount of time. I feel that I need to get in at least one big, long ride to sort out a few things and get time in the saddle to help me get used to sitting on a bike for hours at a crack. I hope to get some rides in the heat to get acclimated, but that will all depend upon the weather. I know wind, and I am okay with that, but riding into some wind will be a welcome thing, as you generally have a long slog into the wind at the Dirty Kanza 200 at some point during the day.

All that and I am throwing another bike idea into the mix. More on that next time.......

Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: Time To Kick It Up A Notch

The road to the Dirty Kanza 200 is getting shorter.....

I mentioned earlier this week that I had gotten in a couple of good rides on the 3GR course since Trans Iowa v11. Those rides have shown me that since the Texas trip in March where I was so sick I was at basically zero for fitness, that I have rebounded quite nicely. At least I feel I am back to a base level for fitness that I expect for typical riding. To me, that is a minor miracle, considering Trans Iowa was stuck in the middle of all of that.

So far, so good, but that won't be "good enough" to get the job done in Kansas at the end of this month. It will take another level up to get me across that finish line in downtown Emporia. I don't take this lightly either. This will be another "minor miracle" in the making. I believe it can be done, and I have some support to help me in this matter. Speaking of that.....

Gone are the days of just showing up in Emporia and checking out for a days ride with no one else there to bail you out and being out there alone for hours on end. The DK 200 has grown into a monster and there are good things and not so good things about all of that. In my case, I am choosing to focus on the positives and how those positives will make this trip to the Flint Hills a successful one.

One thing is that I have more pre-ride information and support from friends than ever. Ari from the Slender Fungus Cycling Association has formed an alliance with me and we are already chatting back and forth concerning strategies and we are staying positive throughout. I have a ride with Tony set up to get me there and back, so I won't have to travel alone. I have a place to stay with my good friend MG, so I have his positive energy to draw from right before the event as well. The DK 200 folks have laid out where resupplies can be gotten, in terms of mileages, so I can be prepared to succeed.

Ari is riding his orange BMC. Maybe I should too.....

During the ride, Ari and I plan on sticking together, and perhaps we will add a few more to a group that will hopefully pull each other through to the end. This would be vastly different than any other DK 200 attempt I have ever done, since I have never had anyone that I could count on to ride with me at all. I've always ended up just being "on my own" out there at my previous DK attempts. (Keep in mind my last attempt was in 2010 when the event was far smaller as well.)

Added to the mix is the Dirty Dog Race Pack, which have offered to look out for me at the two checkpoints. That's very cool of them to do. So, all the extras have fallen into place for me, and much of this is all new stuff for me to rely on and look forward to. Logistically, I have everything I need in place to succeed.

Now it is up to me to get that "next level up" in fitness in a short amount of time. I feel that I need to get in at least one big, long ride to sort out a few things and get time in the saddle to help me get used to sitting on a bike for hours at a crack. I hope to get some rides in the heat to get acclimated, but that will all depend upon the weather. I know wind, and I am okay with that, but riding into some wind will be a welcome thing, as you generally have a long slog into the wind at the Dirty Kanza 200 at some point during the day.

All that and I am throwing another bike idea into the mix. More on that next time.......

Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: On Track But Getting Derailled Again!

Getting sidetracked by Trans Iowa- Maybe worse than a flat tire!

Well, I've been really pleased with the riding of late. The last time I checked in I had just done the Renegade Gent's Race and had felt really good. The next weekend was the Geezer Ride and I was really happy with how that went. The next step would be taking some longer rides, and I sure would like to, but, ya see.......I have this little race to put on.

Honestly, Trans Iowa is one of the main reasons I don't usually sign up for Dirty Kanza or the Almanzo 100, as well. They come just a bit too close on the heels of the grind I put in for Trans Iowa. Doing any sort of meaningful training is pretty much out of the question the week beforehand. The week afterward I am emotionally drained while trying to get back to some semblance of a decent backlog of repairs at work. That brings me right into May with an almost two week time period where all I can get done is commute to work and back.

I suppose I'll have to chalk it up to a period of "rest" for the body. (<===HA!) It is what it is. I sure hope that I can put together a few long rides in the few weeks I'll have left to me before I hop in a truck and head down to Emporia. I'll have to make the best of things in the meantime.

Tamland call up to duty......

Equipment Choices:

Well, I still have to decide what bike to ride, so I have made a decision to swap the WTB rims/tires from the Vaya over to the Tamland and ride that bike in the event. I'm going to carry water bottles, I think, and I can easily get four on the bike, five if I think I need to. The race intel is that there will be "oasis" stops in between the start and the first checkpoint and between there and the final check point. That means I should be able to count on four refill opportunities. I figure on consuming a bottle per hour.  Maybe a bit more. I should be okay with this plan if I stay within a pace that I can maintain without burning myself to a crisp.

And that may not be avoidable, depending upon the weather which, if very hot, will roast me and it will make things very interesting, that's for sure! Heat and I do not have a very successful relationship when it comes to longer rides.  I have slogged through a few, so it isn't like it is impossible for me to do it, but the margin of error becomes very thin indeed when the temperatures soar and I need to do big miles.

Well, I don't expect I'll have another update on the Dirty Kanza for a while.......

Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: On Track But Getting Derailled Again!

Getting sidetracked by Trans Iowa- Maybe worse than a flat tire!

Well, I've been really pleased with the riding of late. The last time I checked in I had just done the Renegade Gent's Race and had felt really good. The next weekend was the Geezer Ride and I was really happy with how that went. The next step would be taking some longer rides, and I sure would like to, but, ya see.......I have this little race to put on.

Honestly, Trans Iowa is one of the main reasons I don't usually sign up for Dirty Kanza or the Almanzo 100, as well. They come just a bit too close on the heels of the grind I put in for Trans Iowa. Doing any sort of meaningful training is pretty much out of the question the week beforehand. The week afterward I am emotionally drained while trying to get back to some semblance of a decent backlog of repairs at work. That brings me right into May with an almost two week time period where all I can get done is commute to work and back.

I suppose I'll have to chalk it up to a period of "rest" for the body. (<===HA!) It is what it is. I sure hope that I can put together a few long rides in the few weeks I'll have left to me before I hop in a truck and head down to Emporia. I'll have to make the best of things in the meantime.

Tamland call up to duty......

Equipment Choices:

Well, I still have to decide what bike to ride, so I have made a decision to swap the WTB rims/tires from the Vaya over to the Tamland and ride that bike in the event. I'm going to carry water bottles, I think, and I can easily get four on the bike, five if I think I need to. The race intel is that there will be "oasis" stops in between the start and the first checkpoint and between there and the final check point. That means I should be able to count on four refill opportunities. I figure on consuming a bottle per hour.  Maybe a bit more. I should be okay with this plan if I stay within a pace that I can maintain without burning myself to a crisp.

And that may not be avoidable, depending upon the weather which, if very hot, will roast me and it will make things very interesting, that's for sure! Heat and I do not have a very successful relationship when it comes to longer rides.  I have slogged through a few, so it isn't like it is impossible for me to do it, but the margin of error becomes very thin indeed when the temperatures soar and I need to do big miles.

Well, I don't expect I'll have another update on the Dirty Kanza for a while.......

Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: Something To Build Upon

Well, if you read yesterday's post on the Renegade Gent's Race, you know that it went fairly well for me. Really well if you think about the fact that a mere almost three weeks ago now I was on a bed for 24 hours straight sick to the point of near death. Considering the fact that I probably was starting from a lower baseline of health than I have for many a year, I cannot complain.

So, since I now have that long day as a base, and recovery is nearly completed, I can start building off this. I hope to get something longer in on Wednesday, then maybe a night ride yet before the Geezer Ride on Saturday. That will be a casually paced ride, so miles will be logged but not hard ones. Sunday will be Trans Iowa recon for the finalization of cue sheets, so I won't get any riding in on that day. I'll have to look to the following week to keep adding to this.

On the equipment front I haven't been making any final decisions yet. Well, other than running the Nano 40 TCS tires. I know this doesn't have anything to do with the DK 200, but as many of you have obviously read here, Trans Iowa V11 is sponsored by WTB and I do have several Nano 40 TCS tires as sponsored prizing for racers on the roster for Trans Iowa v11 that finish Trans Iowa v11. Okay.......read the previous sentence very carefully. Guess what? If you are not on the T.I.V11 roster, you cannot get these tires, and if you are, and you do not finish T.I.v11, you cannot get the tires that I have for prizing for T.I.v11. So.........no. I cannot sell you any. No.....I cannot give you some to try.

Capeesh?

Anyway......I have several equipment choices to sort through yet, so I hope to get some longer rides in to help me sort through a lot of these things. Stay tuned.......

Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: Something To Build Upon

Well, if you read yesterday's post on the Renegade Gent's Race, you know that it went fairly well for me. Really well if you think about the fact that a mere almost three weeks ago now I was on a bed for 24 hours straight sick to the point of near death. Considering the fact that I probably was starting from a lower baseline of health than I have for many a year, I cannot complain.

So, since I now have that long day as a base, and recovery is nearly completed, I can start building off this. I hope to get something longer in on Wednesday, then maybe a night ride yet before the Geezer Ride on Saturday. That will be a casually paced ride, so miles will be logged but not hard ones. Sunday will be Trans Iowa recon for the finalization of cue sheets, so I won't get any riding in on that day. I'll have to look to the following week to keep adding to this.

On the equipment front I haven't been making any final decisions yet. Well, other than running the Nano 40 TCS tires. I know this doesn't have anything to do with the DK 200, but as many of you have obviously read here, Trans Iowa V11 is sponsored by WTB and I do have several Nano 40 TCS tires as sponsored prizing for racers on the roster for Trans Iowa v11 that finish Trans Iowa v11. Okay.......read the previous sentence very carefully. Guess what? If you are not on the T.I.V11 roster, you cannot get these tires, and if you are, and you do not finish T.I.v11, you cannot get the tires that I have for prizing for T.I.v11. So.........no. I cannot sell you any. No.....I cannot give you some to try.

Capeesh?

Anyway......I have several equipment choices to sort through yet, so I hope to get some longer rides in to help me sort through a lot of these things. Stay tuned.......

Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: Getting My Sea Legs

Crisp, cool air, blue skies, fresh gravel.

Saturday was the day of the Endurance Clinic at Ingawanis Woodlands. I decided to ride on up. The start of the clinic was to be at 11:00am, so I figured I could get there by the start if I left at 9:30am or before. Well, of course, I didn't leave until 9:30am.

I also was just over a week removed from being so sick I felt nigh unto my death bed. I hadn't been on a bicycle ride of any significance for ten days. So, whatever possessed me to think that I could motor on up there in an hour and a half, well, I don't know what it was. I didn't quite grasp my folly until I got about two and a half miles out into the country. That's when I knew I was really out of shape. 

I ended up deciding that I should stop to try to get my self collected and to take a few images of some bits I needed to update on for RidingGravel.com. At this point, I was still under the false illusion that I was way ahead of schedule and didn't have that far to go. I should have known better, because I've ridden this route a lot, but at the time, I wasn't aware of exactly where I was on the route. After I got rolling, I figured out where I was, and then things got a bit clearer. I needed to get a move on.

On the way home I felt good. Roads in Bremer County were clean.

I decided that I needed to amend my route plans and go more directly to the clinic site. So, I took a road I hadn't been on before to the West and it was pretty interesting. There was a big, black Labrador that wasn't too fond of my passing, but that didn't result in anything serious beyond barking and an escort past his turf.

I was pretty stoked until I realized the road dead ended into Highway 63. Meh! It was a half a mile to the North and then another turn Westward toward my goal. The Denver Hills loomed to my right and I found another "T" intersection on Wagner Road. Bummer! I headed North and found the Westward turn on a gravel road I was familiar with. This was the road that went right by the Ingawanis Woodlands' Lodge. Good, but also bad. This road is anything but flat. Big hills, speedy downhills, and short on time meant I was gassed by the time I got there, only five minutes late! After two hours, the clinic was over and I headed back home into the wind. Oh yeah, and also into tons of fresh gravel in Black Hawk County.

That ride went well, and I got home feeling okay, but more fatigued than I should have. That I expected, but feeling good on the ride? Not so much. The result is that I think I will end up bouncing back a bit quicker than I thought. Hopefully..... Now with warmer weather coming on, and more daylight, I hope to start getting out more often. The next two weekends are planned out as for rides with the Renegade Gent's Race and the Geezer Ride #2. In between, I need to start getting mileage.

Dirty Kanza 200 Chronicles V2: Getting My Sea Legs

Crisp, cool air, blue skies, fresh gravel.

Saturday was the day of the Endurance Clinic at Ingawanis Woodlands. I decided to ride on up. The start of the clinic was to be at 11:00am, so I figured I could get there by the start if I left at 9:30am or before. Well, of course, I didn't leave until 9:30am.

I also was just over a week removed from being so sick I felt nigh unto my death bed. I hadn't been on a bicycle ride of any significance for ten days. So, whatever possessed me to think that I could motor on up there in an hour and a half, well, I don't know what it was. I didn't quite grasp my folly until I got about two and a half miles out into the country. That's when I knew I was really out of shape. 

I ended up deciding that I should stop to try to get my self collected and to take a few images of some bits I needed to update on for RidingGravel.com. At this point, I was still under the false illusion that I was way ahead of schedule and didn't have that far to go. I should have known better, because I've ridden this route a lot, but at the time, I wasn't aware of exactly where I was on the route. After I got rolling, I figured out where I was, and then things got a bit clearer. I needed to get a move on.

On the way home I felt good. Roads in Bremer County were clean.

I decided that I needed to amend my route plans and go more directly to the clinic site. So, I took a road I hadn't been on before to the West and it was pretty interesting. There was a big, black Labrador that wasn't too fond of my passing, but that didn't result in anything serious beyond barking and an escort past his turf.

I was pretty stoked until I realized the road dead ended into Highway 63. Meh! It was a half a mile to the North and then another turn Westward toward my goal. The Denver Hills loomed to my right and I found another "T" intersection on Wagner Road. Bummer! I headed North and found the Westward turn on a gravel road I was familiar with. This was the road that went right by the Ingawanis Woodlands' Lodge. Good, but also bad. This road is anything but flat. Big hills, speedy downhills, and short on time meant I was gassed by the time I got there, only five minutes late! After two hours, the clinic was over and I headed back home into the wind. Oh yeah, and also into tons of fresh gravel in Black Hawk County.

That ride went well, and I got home feeling okay, but more fatigued than I should have. That I expected, but feeling good on the ride? Not so much. The result is that I think I will end up bouncing back a bit quicker than I thought. Hopefully..... Now with warmer weather coming on, and more daylight, I hope to start getting out more often. The next two weekends are planned out as for rides with the Renegade Gent's Race and the Geezer Ride #2. In between, I need to start getting mileage.