Randomonium: Catching Up

A look at my desk which is typically messy like this.

NOTE: Okay folks, if you haven't been around long enough here to know what a "Randomonium" post is, then here is the deal. I ramble, rant, and randomly moan about all things cycling in one, incohesive, bizarre post. "Randomonium", okay?

And: This particular version of the Randomonium is dedicated to catching you all up on what has been going on around here in the last ten days or so. The "End of Year" madness kind of takes over, and day-to-day stuff gets shuffled aside for that. Okay? Here we go... 

First, an update on my health. I finally overcame that nasty head cold by December 21st, I'd estimate, which was the first day I felt as though I had no further symptoms of whatever I had. So, good to go on that front for Christmas and beyond.

Of course, the big news was the pre-Christmas Winter storm we had.It's been awhile since we've experienced sub-zero temperatures for up to 48 hours, near blizzard conditions for three days, and a basic shut-down of things due to Winter's blast. But the old memories of hunkering down for a storm like this kept me hopeful for coming out of this one as well. Then we whip lashed into this. This mess above freezing and all that beautiful fat bike-able snow is junk already. Bah!

 

Pirate Cycling League's New Event:

A new Winter event was announced by the PCL/Gravel Worlds folks late in December which they billed as a "return to the grassroots" of events which they were known for once upon a time. 

The event will feature a metric century or a half-distance cycling course on gravel roads and a 10K running event as well. Registration is open now and the event is set to take place on February 18th, 2023 in Lincoln, NE. 

The event will use a small town as a checkpoint where you will be required to purchase a Nebraska Lottery ticket to prove that you had been there. This reflects how Gravel Worlds was run in its early days. 

Comments: Fun! My initial reaction is that this is the sort of madness the cycling world needs at this time when events are seemingly going toward more rules, bigger crowds, and the chase for a career in gravel means that those of us that are not capable or desiring of that are left behind. In my view, the "Winter Endurance" event reflects how we were thinking when we set up gravel road cycling challenges back in the day. 

The fact that the promoters say the following, " We’re going back to our roots on this one!", would indicate that they had left their roots at some point, for whatever reasons. I'm not going to read anymore into that than to say, "I agree with that". It's hard to stick to your roots, I get that, but some have managed to stay the course all along since those "good ol' days" of yore. There ya go.....

Snip showing Bixby State Preserve and how the North-South road is truncated.

Feedback On The GTDRI Route Redux: 

Last year I posted the GTDRI Stories bit on the 4rth route, a route I stated was one of those GTDRI's I would consider riding again. It is a spectacular route in terms of visuals and in its toughness. 

So, near the end of last week I floated the possibility that this route might be modified and then recorded with notes for a small fee making it available for anyone to ride. I didn't hear much about it on the blog, but after I posted the idea to Instagram, the response was quite noticeable. 

So, here's the deal: I have to do some mods to the route and verify them. There are a few places where things have changed and in one instance, a significant change will require a major rerouting. It isn't an easy decision to make either, as choices for other roads are scant to none. 

Specifically the problem lies in the fact that the former road through Bixby State Preserve is now truncated. Honestly, that's actually a good thing. The Northern section of that road was heinous. I mean, really steep, filled with ruts, it had huge embedded rocks sticking up out of the road, and it was a challenge even on a mountain bike. When we last used that road in 2015 I don't think you could even drive a car or 4X4 down it safely anymore. 

Now, no big deal if we were "on the grid", but this area is far from being on the grid and road choices are few. I also have the task of preserving the feel of the original route, not adding too much mileage, giving chances for a resupply in Edgewood, and keeping pavement miles to a bare minimum. And that's just that problem with this route. 

New Unit:

The Sigma ROX 4.0 GPS computer test is still ongoing. The last time I wrote about this, I mentioned that the navigation function was wonky and that I was to get another head unit to test since my contact felt that the one I had was dysfunctional for some reason.  I was assured that typically Sigma ROX units were pretty bomber. So, I waited....

Then about a day or two after Christmas I got a box with a new ROX 4.0 GPS computer in it. I quickly got it synced with my phone and updated, and this went rather well, so I am hopeful that when I get the weather to try a route I have in the Ride app, I will be able to tell you all if it works as advertised. 

Stay tuned.... 

(L-R) Mrs GT, Vince Goterra, and GT: Image courtesy of St. John;s Lutheran Church

Gigging:

Christmas Eve saw myself and Mrs. Guitar Ted doing a gig at St. John's Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It was a two set affair and we had a great time. It was a heck of a lot better than sitting in our house and wistfully looking out the window at negative 30+ degree winds and snow. 

I played my new Sully Conspiracy Series Stardust. I have bonded with that guitar pretty quickly, to be honest. It's really kind of odd when you consider that most every guitar is CNC'ed to exacting specifications, made from similar tone woods, and set up with quality hardware, in this case, identical hardware to my other Sully. However; I like the Stardust's feel and play-ability over that of my other one by a large margin. Weird.

Even weirder was playing out at a different venue. I haven't done that in a while. It was good to have that opportunity though. Oh! And I have a new amplifier too. Gotta get that up here on the blog soon.... 

Brief Fat Bike Blast:

I just mentioned the cold blast and snowy Christmas Eve we had, but it sure did not last long. We got another 3" of fluffy white snow on Monday and then it started getting warmer, and warmer, and warmer....

By Wednesday morning the snow was junk. It was around 30°F and was headed to the 40's. So.......so much for that!

I did get in a few short rides in bitterly cold temperatures, but busting drifted in snow and battling wind chills in the negative 20+ range was not a lot of fun. So, those fat bike rides were short. Really short! 

And now? Who knows when, if ever, we will get any fat bike-able snow.  Chances are we'll make it through most of January without that happening, and then, if history is any indication, February will see a return to snow and cold enough to warrant fat tires again. 

And that's all I have to catch you all up on.

Randomonium: Catching Up

A look at my desk which is typically messy like this.

NOTE: Okay folks, if you haven't been around long enough here to know what a "Randomonium" post is, then here is the deal. I ramble, rant, and randomly moan about all things cycling in one, incohesive, bizarre post. "Randomonium", okay?

And: This particular version of the Randomonium is dedicated to catching you all up on what has been going on around here in the last ten days or so. The "End of Year" madness kind of takes over, and day-to-day stuff gets shuffled aside for that. Okay? Here we go... 

First, an update on my health. I finally overcame that nasty head cold by December 21st, I'd estimate, which was the first day I felt as though I had no further symptoms of whatever I had. So, good to go on that front for Christmas and beyond.

Of course, the big news was the pre-Christmas Winter storm we had.It's been awhile since we've experienced sub-zero temperatures for up to 48 hours, near blizzard conditions for three days, and a basic shut-down of things due to Winter's blast. But the old memories of hunkering down for a storm like this kept me hopeful for coming out of this one as well. Then we whip lashed into this. This mess above freezing and all that beautiful fat bike-able snow is junk already. Bah!

 

Pirate Cycling League's New Event:

A new Winter event was announced by the PCL/Gravel Worlds folks late in December which they billed as a "return to the grassroots" of events which they were known for once upon a time. 

The event will feature a metric century or a half-distance cycling course on gravel roads and a 10K running event as well. Registration is open now and the event is set to take place on February 18th, 2023 in Lincoln, NE. 

The event will use a small town as a checkpoint where you will be required to purchase a Nebraska Lottery ticket to prove that you had been there. This reflects how Gravel Worlds was run in its early days. 

Comments: Fun! My initial reaction is that this is the sort of madness the cycling world needs at this time when events are seemingly going toward more rules, bigger crowds, and the chase for a career in gravel means that those of us that are not capable or desiring of that are left behind. In my view, the "Winter Endurance" event reflects how we were thinking when we set up gravel road cycling challenges back in the day. 

The fact that the promoters say the following, " We’re going back to our roots on this one!", would indicate that they had left their roots at some point, for whatever reasons. I'm not going to read anymore into that than to say, "I agree with that". It's hard to stick to your roots, I get that, but some have managed to stay the course all along since those "good ol' days" of yore. There ya go.....

Snip showing Bixby State Preserve and how the North-South road is truncated.

Feedback On The GTDRI Route Redux: 

Last year I posted the GTDRI Stories bit on the 4rth route, a route I stated was one of those GTDRI's I would consider riding again. It is a spectacular route in terms of visuals and in its toughness. 

So, near the end of last week I floated the possibility that this route might be modified and then recorded with notes for a small fee making it available for anyone to ride. I didn't hear much about it on the blog, but after I posted the idea to Instagram, the response was quite noticeable. 

So, here's the deal: I have to do some mods to the route and verify them. There are a few places where things have changed and in one instance, a significant change will require a major rerouting. It isn't an easy decision to make either, as choices for other roads are scant to none. 

Specifically the problem lies in the fact that the former road through Bixby State Preserve is now truncated. Honestly, that's actually a good thing. The Northern section of that road was heinous. I mean, really steep, filled with ruts, it had huge embedded rocks sticking up out of the road, and it was a challenge even on a mountain bike. When we last used that road in 2015 I don't think you could even drive a car or 4X4 down it safely anymore. 

Now, no big deal if we were "on the grid", but this area is far from being on the grid and road choices are few. I also have the task of preserving the feel of the original route, not adding too much mileage, giving chances for a resupply in Edgewood, and keeping pavement miles to a bare minimum. And that's just that problem with this route. 

New Unit:

The Sigma ROX 4.0 GPS computer test is still ongoing. The last time I wrote about this, I mentioned that the navigation function was wonky and that I was to get another head unit to test since my contact felt that the one I had was dysfunctional for some reason.  I was assured that typically Sigma ROX units were pretty bomber. So, I waited....

Then about a day or two after Christmas I got a box with a new ROX 4.0 GPS computer in it. I quickly got it synced with my phone and updated, and this went rather well, so I am hopeful that when I get the weather to try a route I have in the Ride app, I will be able to tell you all if it works as advertised. 

Stay tuned.... 

(L-R) Mrs GT, Vince Goterra, and GT: Image courtesy of St. John;s Lutheran Church

Gigging:

Christmas Eve saw myself and Mrs. Guitar Ted doing a gig at St. John's Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls, Iowa. It was a two set affair and we had a great time. It was a heck of a lot better than sitting in our house and wistfully looking out the window at negative 30+ degree winds and snow. 

I played my new Sully Conspiracy Series Stardust. I have bonded with that guitar pretty quickly, to be honest. It's really kind of odd when you consider that most every guitar is CNC'ed to exacting specifications, made from similar tone woods, and set up with quality hardware, in this case, identical hardware to my other Sully. However; I like the Stardust's feel and play-ability over that of my other one by a large margin. Weird.

Even weirder was playing out at a different venue. I haven't done that in a while. It was good to have that opportunity though. Oh! And I have a new amplifier too. Gotta get that up here on the blog soon.... 

Brief Fat Bike Blast:

I just mentioned the cold blast and snowy Christmas Eve we had, but it sure did not last long. We got another 3" of fluffy white snow on Monday and then it started getting warmer, and warmer, and warmer....

By Wednesday morning the snow was junk. It was around 30°F and was headed to the 40's. So.......so much for that!

I did get in a few short rides in bitterly cold temperatures, but busting drifted in snow and battling wind chills in the negative 20+ range was not a lot of fun. So, those fat bike rides were short. Really short! 

And now? Who knows when, if ever, we will get any fat bike-able snow.  Chances are we'll make it through most of January without that happening, and then, if history is any indication, February will see a return to snow and cold enough to warrant fat tires again. 

And that's all I have to catch you all up on.

Minus Ten Review 2009-44

Before CVAST, before Ingawanis Woodland- There was the Turkey Burn!

Ten years ago on the blog I had some chit-chat about a Salsa Cycles El Mariachi frame I had "Gun Koted". It had been a Superior Blue 2007 model from Salsa's demo fleet that I purchased from a friend. I ran it geared for quite some time but it ended up becoming a single speed. It's still in the area, but I do not own it anymore.

Then there was a bunch of reporting on the Trans Iowa v6 recon which was occurring at that time. This was going to be the very first one out of Grinnell. Little did I know then that I would be going back there to recon for gravel events to this day. (Not Trans Iowa! That's over, but the C.O.G.100)

But with the news that came out this week about Life Time Events debuting a new, fancy gravel event at 100 miles for $140.00 a pop, I thought what I said ten years ago about some news in the gravel world of the time was relevant to today. Here's the bit I am talking about:

"Well, you knew it had to happen sooner or later! Yes, some of the "under the radar" classics are banding together into a series. Mostly located in Minnesota, the Almanzo Gravel Road Series "Race For The Cup" consists of The Almanzo 100, The Ragnorok 105, "The Gentleman's Ride", The Heck Of The North, and the lone Iowa event, CIRREM. 

Of course, there has been talk of creating a "Gravel Triple Crown" series for several years now, even before a Nebraska based event existed. Now that the GLGA is up and running, the talk of the "Gravel Triple Crown" has resurfaced with Trans Iowa and Dirty Kanza 200 filling out the limestone triumvirate. Of course, it is all just talk right now, but if what I am hearing actually happens? Yeah.......... Crazy stuff!!! And throw into that mix that the GLGA is going to be the "Official Gravel World Championships" , well, things could get "big". And well........I have some reservations about that. 

 I'll keep it brief and just say that these developments most likely signal a slippery slope downwards. You see it all the time with stuff like this. You can call me pessimistic, crazy, and downright wrong if you want to. I say, let's revisit this in five years and see. I am not saying this is all doomed, just doomed to change, and I wonder if it'll be for the better. I'm not feeling all that great about it sitting here today. That's all I'll say."

While none of the above from ten years ago is about the monetization of gravel events for the support of  individual's lifestyles, it was a bit concerning in that the whole "freedom to shape events" seemed to be going away. The trappings of "events" that many in the scene at the time were going to gravel events to avoid was creeping in. Series of events, rules governing series, more serious levels of competition, race venue trappings like finish lines, trophies, prizes, and the like. It was a bit of "growing pains" that was the issue, I think.  

As I said then, and the same applies now- "Gravel riding and the events connected to that are not doomed, but they are doomed to change". Even more than before. Will we see things get better? Or......is this the beginning of the end? 

Ask me again in five years........

Minus Ten Review 2009-44

Before CVAST, before Ingawanis Woodland- There was the Turkey Burn!

Ten years ago on the blog I had some chit-chat about a Salsa Cycles El Mariachi frame I had "Gun Koted". It had been a Superior Blue 2007 model from Salsa's demo fleet that I purchased from a friend. I ran it geared for quite some time but it ended up becoming a single speed. It's still in the area, but I do not own it anymore.

Then there was a bunch of reporting on the Trans Iowa v6 recon which was occurring at that time. This was going to be the very first one out of Grinnell. Little did I know then that I would be going back there to recon for gravel events to this day. (Not Trans Iowa! That's over, but the C.O.G.100)

But with the news that came out this week about Life Time Events debuting a new, fancy gravel event at 100 miles for $140.00 a pop, I thought what I said ten years ago about some news in the gravel world of the time was relevant to today. Here's the bit I am talking about:

"Well, you knew it had to happen sooner or later! Yes, some of the "under the radar" classics are banding together into a series. Mostly located in Minnesota, the Almanzo Gravel Road Series "Race For The Cup" consists of The Almanzo 100, The Ragnorok 105, "The Gentleman's Ride", The Heck Of The North, and the lone Iowa event, CIRREM. 

Of course, there has been talk of creating a "Gravel Triple Crown" series for several years now, even before a Nebraska based event existed. Now that the GLGA is up and running, the talk of the "Gravel Triple Crown" has resurfaced with Trans Iowa and Dirty Kanza 200 filling out the limestone triumvirate. Of course, it is all just talk right now, but if what I am hearing actually happens? Yeah.......... Crazy stuff!!! And throw into that mix that the GLGA is going to be the "Official Gravel World Championships" , well, things could get "big". And well........I have some reservations about that. 

 I'll keep it brief and just say that these developments most likely signal a slippery slope downwards. You see it all the time with stuff like this. You can call me pessimistic, crazy, and downright wrong if you want to. I say, let's revisit this in five years and see. I am not saying this is all doomed, just doomed to change, and I wonder if it'll be for the better. I'm not feeling all that great about it sitting here today. That's all I'll say."

While none of the above from ten years ago is about the monetization of gravel events for the support of  individual's lifestyles, it was a bit concerning in that the whole "freedom to shape events" seemed to be going away. The trappings of "events" that many in the scene at the time were going to gravel events to avoid was creeping in. Series of events, rules governing series, more serious levels of competition, race venue trappings like finish lines, trophies, prizes, and the like. It was a bit of "growing pains" that was the issue, I think.  

As I said then, and the same applies now- "Gravel riding and the events connected to that are not doomed, but they are doomed to change". Even more than before. Will we see things get better? Or......is this the beginning of the end? 

Ask me again in five years........