It Has Been Ten Years Already?!

Want to feel "old"? It has been ten years since Trans Iowa v10. So, yeah, that hit me last week and I found it kind of hard to believe. But it has been that long ago now that the tenth (!) Trans Iowa was about to be run. Thanks Facebook memories! Ha!

Of course, I have written reams about Trans Iowa on this blog, since this blog was the de facto secondary source of information on the event back in the day. I wrote a series in 2014 about all the previous Trans Iowa events, and of course, the entire saga of Trans Iowa in the Trans Iowa Stories series. 

However; those Facebook memories stirred up some things I had forgotten about, and that I had not written much about concerning the tenth Trans Iowa. Any of you familiar with the history of the event may remember that this particular Tans Iowa was earmarked by myself as being the last one ever. I had serious plans for never doing the event again. Obviously, there were four more before the tank went dry, but the tenth one holds a special place in my heart, and I am sure it has a special place for those who were a part of that one. It was truly worthy of a ten year celebration, and it was a record setting event for myself, and the event in particular. 

But a lot of that has been beaten to death. What I wanted to point out were a few things I found in Facebook that I had forgotten about and have not really ever made known well enough, in my opinion. Things you all may find interesting. Well.....we'll see about that!

One of the first ten Nano 40 tires in the USA.

2014 was a year that could be said to be the first year of "gravel specific parts". Sure, we had the Warbird two years earlier with those Clement tires, and there was the Challenge Tires' Almanzo model, and maybe one or two other, hard to find bits for gravel by 2014. But beyond those few niche brands and low availability parts, there wasn't anything. 

That all changed in 2014. One of the most highly anticipated introductions that year, or since then, was the tire from WTB called the Nano 40. It was a folding bead, non-tubeless tire with a fairly aggressive tread in a 40mm width. 

WTB, and in particular, then employee Will Ritchie, convinced whomever they had to that Trans Iowa needed to be sponsored by WTB, and in a very special way. The idea was to send Trans Iowa the first batch of Nano 40 tires ever in the USA. A small batch of five pair of tires were sent to me and I was floored! 

There were, by 2014 bigger gravel events with more people attending. There were chances to bring a spotlight to those events, but WTB sent Trans Iowa these rare tires. What?!! I still am amazed that this happened. It is also worth mentioning that these went to the winners of each category, and I did not get any for myself. WTB did send a set later in the year for me to review. 

So, yeah, that was amazing, and what a thing to have happen to Trans Iowa and myself. Just an unprecedented happening, and I haven't heard about anything like that happening to an event since then. That an introduction of a new component would be sent to some bizarre event and given away as prizing? I cannot stress how rare that was. Thanks again to Will Ritchie and WTB! 

But Will and WTB didn't stop there. This isn't T.I.v10 related, but it fits this narrative in this story. That's because for the following year's T.I.v11 I received cases of tubeless Nano 40's to give away. A first for gravel, the Nano 40 TCS was not yet available anywhere in 2015. You could not buy them, look at them, or even touch a box that they were in. But I had a stack of them in my basement! And not only that, they were prizing for riders in T.I.v11. Not for sale! Amazing!

That one got me in hot water with bicycle dealers across the USA as I was getting calls to sell sets of these rare tires to shops for their customers! No doubt, I could have cleaned up on those offers, but that's not how I roll. It was a stressful thing and had I known how much demand for a tubeless gravel tire was motivating these bothersome calls, I wouldn't have made known I had them until after the event was over and I had given them away. 

Oh well! 

Look for another story or two in the coming weeks before April ends concerning the tenth Trans Iowa.

Trans Iowa Stories: So, You're Saying There's A Chance?

 "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject by going back to earlier Sunday posts on this blog. Thanks and enjoy! 

There are certain mysteries in Life which one may not quite ever understand. Sometimes as individuals we strive for a purpose or a thing- some goal we think we desperately need and want to attain to, and when we get the goal accomplished, maybe it isn't all it is cracked up to be. Or maybe it is something else. I'm not really sure in regard to Trans Iowa what it was that left me with a small flame that was still flickering inside me for this adventure. A bit of desire was there, certainly. I don't know that this was enough to knock me off my seat to do another Trans Iowa though. No.....it took more than just that. 

After Trans Iowa v10 I had mentioned to my wife, Phyllis, that this was the end of the line. She was not convinced, to put it bluntly. But I was going to honor my commitment to my decision as long as there was a chance that she believed that it could be the last one. And for a brief time, I really believed this. But that didn't last long. Eventually, thoughts crept in and feelings welled up and, well, people started bugging me about putting on the next one. Not in a bad way, mind you. No, these were very moving pleas to keep on keepin' on. Like this snippet of an email I received in May after Trans Iowa v10 was over: 

"While there really is nothing terribly profound about riding your bike for 336 miles, the fact that I can tackle something so challenging and be self sufficient in difficult terrain and bad weather without having to travel to mountains, deserts, or someplace exotic and expensive is a gift. Adventure is one of the gifts that I received from Trans Iowa."

Trans Iowa Stories: So, You're Saying There's A Chance?

 "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject by going back to earlier Sunday posts on this blog. Thanks and enjoy! 

There are certain mysteries in Life which one may not quite ever understand. Sometimes as individuals we strive for a purpose or a thing- some goal we think we desperately need and want to attain to, and when we get the goal accomplished, maybe it isn't all it is cracked up to be. Or maybe it is something else. I'm not really sure in regard to Trans Iowa what it was that left me with a small flame that was still flickering inside me for this adventure. A bit of desire was there, certainly. I don't know that this was enough to knock me off my seat to do another Trans Iowa though. No.....it took more than just that. 

After Trans Iowa v10 I had mentioned to my wife, Phyllis, that this was the end of the line. She was not convinced, to put it bluntly. But I was going to honor my commitment to my decision as long as there was a chance that she believed that it could be the last one. And for a brief time, I really believed this. But that didn't last long. Eventually, thoughts crept in and feelings welled up and, well, people started bugging me about putting on the next one. Not in a bad way, mind you. No, these were very moving pleas to keep on keepin' on. Like this snippet of an email I received in May after Trans Iowa v10 was over: 

Trans Iowa Stories: Some Observations From A Failed Ending

T.I. v10 winner, Greg Gleason.

 "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject by going back to earlier Sunday posts on this blog. Thanks and enjoy!

The end of Trans Iowa had been a goal of mine to reach for at least five years before I found myself standing in front of a restored barn West of Grinnell, Iowa in late April of 2014. I was just going to act like it was no big deal, run the event as always, and then just kind of ignore it afterward. See, I didn't want a big send off, I didn't want people making emotional pleas to have me keep it going, and really? Well, I wasn't going to be comfortable with any of that because I am an emotional guy. I would have been sobbing big cow tears if everyone knew it was the last Trans Iowa and if they were making a 'big deal', as we Mid-Westerners say, about that. But the funny thing is, often times we don't get to call our own shot and walk away the way we want to. 

But all of that was a million miles away from my mind at the time as I shook rookie rider Greg Gleason's hand, congratulating him as the winner of Trans Iowa v10. I was just getting settled in to being present for the possible finishers of this arduous event. Frankly, I was elated to be coming into an understanding that this particular Trans Iowa was going to be another successful one. The third one now in a row. I was, and still am, very proud of that fact. Now Trans Iowa was an event with an upstanding reputation for being run well, fairly, and with a strong sense of purpose. 

People knew what it was about by this point and that you either bought into the culture and spirit of Trans Iowa or you should probably stay away. That's why only certain folks even were attracted to this event. The ones that were not attracted to Trans Iowa 100% let me know why too. Either it was cue card navigation, or it was the entry process, or it was the self-support ethic I enforced, or it was too long. There were some other reasons too. I knew that some people just didn't like me. I was aware of that, of course, and I didn't care either. Still don't.....

But that wasn't going to matter. Trans Iowa v10 was going to be the last one. I was going to close up the books and get on with Life. I had a daughter that was a few years from graduating and a son that was getting into football and needed me around more. My wife, who really wasn't a big fan of the negative side effects of Trans Iowa upon me, was always hoping the next one was the last one. I owed it to them, and to myself, to walk away from Trans Iowa, which was a huge drain on my energy every year. 

The hang at The Barn for the finish of Trans Iowa v10 was a really good one.

And of course, I failed... Trans Iowa v10 ended up not being the last one. But if it had been, it would have worked out beautifully well. So many highlights were there and the vibe at the finish was spectacularly good. I know that I was not the only one that felt it either. It was so easy to see that this one had maybe the best ending to any of the Trans Iowa events that preceded v10. I may have failed at ending this thing, but this ending wasn't a failure by any stretch of the imagination.

(L-R) Troy Krause, Derek Weider,(obscured), Jeremy Kershaw, Guitar Ted. Image by Wally Kilburg.

Wally Kilburg's images from the end of this event are just inspiring, even to this day. I think it is the best event photography he has ever done. The images just speak to me yet, even now. Even my own imagery is maybe some of my best work at the finish of a Trans Iowa. Not that I was actually trying, or that I was anywhere near the talent that Wally Kilburg is mind you, it was just that I couldn't get a bad shot because everything I was shooting was so good. 

There was drama right up until the final hour of the event. My over-night companion, Ari Andonopoulos, the Slender Fungus Cycling Association leader, also agreed that it was good. Ari had one great point to add though. He said that there was a 'cherry on the top' which made the event sweeter for him. That was Jay Barre, a Slender Fungus member, finishing right at the end, for his third finish in a row, on a fixed gear bicycle. 

Jay Barre, at the finish of Trans Iowa v10 with his fixed gear Gunnar.

It was only the third time that a fixed gear cyclist had finished a Trans Iowa and as it turned out, the last time. Jay Barre also was the rider portrayed in the documentary "300 Miles of Gravel" that missed checkpoint #1 by a minute and was DQ'ed from the event. The famous scene that always brings a lump to my throat when I see it. Jay also has the distinction of being the only Trans Iowa rider to have finished Trans Iowa three years in a row on three different types of bikes- Geared, single speed, and fixed gear. Jay kind of gained a 'cult figure' status within the gravel scene as "Fixie Jesus", owing to his accomplishment and his appearance at the end of the event. 

 The image that I had taken intending it to be the last Trans Iowa related image ever.

So, eventually it was over. I knew I needed to really soak this one in because, you know.....it was the last one. I left it all out there. I had pulled off the best three Trans Iowa events I knew how to do and I had righted the ship. There would be no bad taste left in my mouth, no sense of having not turned over every stone I could to do anything better than it could have been done. This was it. This would be where I walked away.

Only it wasn't.

Next: So, You're Saying There's A Chance?

Trans Iowa Stories: Some Observations From A Failed Ending

T.I. v10 winner, Greg Gleason.

 "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject by going back to earlier Sunday posts on this blog. Thanks and enjoy!

The end of Trans Iowa had been a goal of mine to reach for at least five years before I found myself standing in front of a restored barn West of Grinnell, Iowa in late April of 2014. I was just going to act like it was no big deal, run the event as always, and then just kind of ignore it afterward. See, I didn't want a big send off, I didn't want people making emotional pleas to have me keep it going, and really? Well, I wasn't going to be comfortable with any of that because I am an emotional guy. I would have been sobbing big cow tears if everyone knew it was the last Trans Iowa and if they were making a 'big deal', as we Mid-Westerners say, about that. But the funny thing is, often times we don't get to call our own shot and walk away the way we want to. 

But all of that was a million miles away from my mind at the time as I shook rookie rider Greg Gleason's hand, congratulating him as the winner of Trans Iowa v10. I was just getting settled in to being present for the possible finishers of this arduous event. Frankly, I was elated to be coming into an understanding that this particular Trans Iowa was going to be another successful one. The third one now in a row. I was, and still am, very proud of that fact. Now Trans Iowa was an event with an upstanding reputation for being run well, fairly, and with a strong sense of purpose. 

People knew what it was about by this point and that you either bought into the culture and spirit of Trans Iowa or you should probably stay away. That's why only certain folks even were attracted to this event. The ones that were not attracted to Trans Iowa 100% let me know why too. Either it was cue card navigation, or it was the entry process, or it was the self-support ethic I enforced, or it was too long. There were some other reasons too. I knew that some people just didn't like me. I was aware of that, of course, and I didn't care either. Still don't.....

But that wasn't going to matter. Trans Iowa v10 was going to be the last one. I was going to close up the books and get on with Life. I had a daughter that was a few years from graduating and a son that was getting into football and needed me around more. My wife, who really wasn't a big fan of the negative side effects of Trans Iowa upon me, was always hoping the next one was the last one. I owed it to them, and to myself, to walk away from Trans Iowa, which was a huge drain on my energy every year. 

The hang at The Barn for the finish of Trans Iowa v10 was a really good one.

And of course, I failed... Trans Iowa v10 ended up not being the last one. But if it had been, it would have worked out beautifully well. So many highlights were there and the vibe at the finish was spectacularly good. I know that I was not the only one that felt it either. It was so easy to see that this one had maybe the best ending to any of the Trans Iowa events that preceded v10. I may have failed at ending this thing, but this ending wasn't a failure by any stretch of the imagination.

(L-R) Troy Krause, Derek Weider,(obscured), Jeremy Kershaw, Guitar Ted. Image by Wally Kilburg.

Wally Kilburg's images from the end of this event are just inspiring, even to this day. I think it is the best event photography he has ever done. The images just speak to me yet, even now. Even my own imagery is maybe some of my best work at the finish of a Trans Iowa. Not that I was actually trying, or that I was anywhere near the talent that Wally Kilburg is mind you, it was just that I couldn't get a bad shot because everything I was shooting was so good. 

There was drama right up until the final hour of the event. My over-night companion, Ari Andonopoulos, the Slender Fungus Cycling Association leader, also agreed that it was good. Ari had one great point to add though. He said that there was a 'cherry on the top' which made the event sweeter for him. That was Jay Barre, a Slender Fungus member, finishing right at the end, for his third finish in a row, on a fixed gear bicycle. 

Jay Barre, at the finish of Trans Iowa v10 with his fixed gear Gunnar.

It was only the third time that a fixed gear cyclist had finished a Trans Iowa and as it turned out, the last time. Jay Barre also was the rider portrayed in the documentary "300 Miles of Gravel" that missed checkpoint #1 by a minute and was DQ'ed from the event. The famous scene that always brings a lump to my throat when I see it. Jay also has the distinction of being the only Trans Iowa rider to have finished Trans Iowa three years in a row on three different types of bikes- Geared, single speed, and fixed gear. Jay kind of gained a 'cult figure' status within the gravel scene as "Fixie Jesus", owing to his accomplishment and his appearance at the end of the event. 

 The image that I had taken intending it to be the last Trans Iowa related image ever.

So, eventually it was over. I knew I needed to really soak this one in because, you know.....it was the last one. I left it all out there. I had pulled off the best three Trans Iowa events I knew how to do and I had righted the ship. There would be no bad taste left in my mouth, no sense of having not turned over every stone I could to do anything better than it could have been done. This was it. This would be where I walked away.

Only it wasn't.

Next: So, You're Saying There's A Chance?

Trans Iowa Stories: The Wind, The Hills, The Lightning!! Part 4

Just hiding out here for a bit. Image taker unknown.

  "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject by going back to earlier Sunday posts on this blog. Thanks and enjoy!

With this tale of Trans Iowa v10 now wrapping up, I will focus a little more on the very early morning hours and the end of this event. I have covered the crazy night time bits from my perspective a lot, and recently in this series, I gave an accounting of things regarding how dreadful that time sitting at the corner of 190th and J Avenue in Tama County was. There were things going on I didn't know about though. Things that later on I would find somewhat shocking and awe inspiring. 

So just a brief telling here of the tales as they were relayed to me. These stories belong to those guys and gals who were in the thick of things that night. I doubt any of us will ever forget that night, but especially those who became dwellers of abandoned farm houses and barns. Sheltering from crazy lightning and sideways rain, these inventive and probably desperate riders did what they had to do. Of course, after I heard about this I was horrified. Trespassing on private property and 'breaking and entering' isn't on my menu of things I would have allowed anyone to do under my watch. But seeing as how the riders did the deed and asked for forgiveness later, (even if that is actually necessary in such dire consequences), I left it be as it was. No harm- no foul. I wonder sometimes what I would have done had I known the situation was to be that way ahead of time, but that is not going to change anything. And I very much doubt a single one of the riders involved would have had it any other way, looking back. 

In fact, I heard later from Steve Fuller, when he spied me in my truck at the corner of 190th and J Avenue, that he was angry thinking I was pulling the riders off the course and truncating the event.  I'm sure he maybe thought better of that later, or maybe not.....

This brings up the situation of Trans Iowa itself, the crux of the event, if you will. It was a balance between what risks I, and the riders, were willing to take against what cautions I should enforce upon those riders. It was a fine-tuned balance on the knife's edge sometimes, and this night was a great example of that risk taking versus being conservative with regard to risks. I was not risk averse. Let's face it- I put on Trans Iowa with no safety net for me at all. So, it stood to reason that risk was a pretty big factor in regard to how the event was done. Sure, it could have all gone 'pear-shaped', as some say, and I would have taken the hit and been forever labeled as a 'bad race director'. Fortunately, that never happened. The bad part, that is. I still was labeled as a bad race director in some parts. Anyway......

This situation with the severe thunderstorms maybe went on for an hour or maybe somewhat less. The squall line moved through pretty quickly, and most of the riders affected were caught out in Northern Tama County Northeast of Gladbrook, Iowa. An area with many derelict buildings including farm houses, barns, and outbuildings. It was in these crude structures that riders took cover and made this bit of Trans Iowa one of the most unusual and memorable bits of the event's 14 year history. 

A friendly pooch takes refuge with Trans Iowa v10 riders in an old barn. Image by Paul LaCava.

I heard shreds of the stories afterward. Rain was bad, lightning came up out of the ground, and that was enough to send Steve Fuller and those with him into a nearby barn for refuge. I heard Charlie Farrow and another rider with him headed into a farm yard and were in an outbuilding with some livestock. Sarah Cooper, having had to make friends with a surly farm dog out on the road, was another that took refuge in a barn with eight other guys. 

I found out what was actually going on during the event when some riders started texting me, like this from Corey, "Cornbread" Godfrey:

 "1:34 am: "Hey Mark! The nine of us are hiding out in a barn for now to wait out the worst of this storm. We plan on rolling again. We have Mike Johnson, Fuller, Joe Stephens, Josh, Sarah, Ben, Patrick, and Andy.""

These were situations that on the one hand no race director ever wants, but riders cherish as being just 'part of the adventure'. It's part of what they signed up for, really. Something memorable, something risky, a situation that pushes them outside of their comfort zone. But something they come through and will be able to tell the tales of afterward. I mean, how many people do you know that had to hide in a barn during a gravel road event?  

At any rate, the stories were incredible, and the few images that were shared with me were at once shocking and charming all at the same time. Only in Iowa. Only at Trans Iowa.....

Dawn of the Sunday of Trans Iowa v10 - Image by Paul LaCava.

 

Well, eventually that passed, all the riders got back at it, and most of those that were in that severe thunderstorm made the finish line later Sunday. Some of the chase group behind eventual winner Greg Gleason actually got caught in another thundershower and had to stop for a bit, hiding underneath the eaves of a farm house porch. But no one suffered any injuries from the dealings with the wind, rain, and lightning, and for that I am forever grateful. 

Ironically this event had two of the eventual race directors for Iowa Wind And Rock participating in it- Steve Fuller and Sarah Cooper. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to imagine that their participation in this particular Trans Iowa set off their desire to make their event happen after I concluded with Trans Iowa events after 14 years. While I don't know for sure that is the case, it wouldn't surprise me to find out that T.I.v10 was a big part of their inspiration to do so.

As the events of this particular Trans Iowa wound down, I found myself standing at the end of the long double track to The Barn. That rustic finish line which was really the perfect ending for this particular Trans Iowa. It would be the last time I would get to use this venue for the event, but I didn't know the reason why would be anything other than what I had intended- That this be the last Trans Iowa. Forever....

Next: Some Observations From A Failed Ending

Trans Iowa Stories: The Wind, The Hills, The Lightning!! Part 4

Just hiding out here for a bit. Image taker unknown.

  "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject by going back to earlier Sunday posts on this blog. Thanks and enjoy!

With this tale of Trans Iowa v10 now wrapping up, I will focus a little more on the very early morning hours and the end of this event. I have covered the crazy night time bits from my perspective a lot, and recently in this series, I gave an accounting of things regarding how dreadful that time sitting at the corner of 190th and J Avenue in Tama County was. There were things going on I didn't know about though. Things that later on I would find somewhat shocking and awe inspiring. 

So just a brief telling here of the tales as they were relayed to me. These stories belong to those guys and gals who were in the thick of things that night. I doubt any of us will ever forget that night, but especially those who became dwellers of abandoned farm houses and barns. Sheltering from crazy lightning and sideways rain, these inventive and probably desperate riders did what they had to do. Of course, after I heard about this I was horrified. Trespassing on private property and 'breaking and entering' isn't on my menu of things I would have allowed anyone to do under my watch. But seeing as how the riders did the deed and asked for forgiveness later, (even if that is actually necessary in such dire consequences), I left it be as it was. No harm- no foul. I wonder sometimes what I would have done had I known the situation was to be that way ahead of time, but that is not going to change anything. And I very much doubt a single one of the riders involved would have had it any other way, looking back. 

In fact, I heard later from Steve Fuller, when he spied me in my truck at the corner of 190th and J Avenue, that he was angry thinking I was pulling the riders off the course and truncating the event.  I'm sure he maybe thought better of that later, or maybe not.....

This brings up the situation of Trans Iowa itself, the crux of the event, if you will. It was a balance between what risks I, and the riders, were willing to take against what cautions I should enforce upon those riders. It was a fine-tuned balance on the knife's edge sometimes, and this night was a great example of that risk taking versus being conservative with regard to risks. I was not risk averse. Let's face it- I put on Trans Iowa with no safety net for me at all. So, it stood to reason that risk was a pretty big factor in regard to how the event was done. Sure, it could have all gone 'pear-shaped', as some say, and I would have taken the hit and been forever labeled as a 'bad race director'. Fortunately, that never happened. The bad part, that is. I still was labeled as a bad race director in some parts. Anyway......

This situation with the severe thunderstorms maybe went on for an hour or maybe somewhat less. The squall line moved through pretty quickly, and most of the riders affected were caught out in Northern Tama County Northeast of Gladbrook, Iowa. An area with many derelict buildings including farm houses, barns, and outbuildings. It was in these crude structures that riders took cover and made this bit of Trans Iowa one of the most unusual and memorable bits of the event's 14 year history. 

A friendly pooch takes refuge with Trans Iowa v10 riders in an old barn. Image by Paul LaCava.

I heard shreds of the stories afterward. Rain was bad, lightning came up out of the ground, and that was enough to send Steve Fuller and those with him into a nearby barn for refuge. I heard Charlie Farrow and another rider with him headed into a farm yard and were in an outbuilding with some livestock. Sarah Cooper, having had to make friends with a surly farm dog out on the road, was another that took refuge in a barn with eight other guys. 

I found out what was actually going on during the event when some riders started texting me, like this from Corey, "Cornbread" Godfrey:

 "1:34 am: "Hey Mark! The nine of us are hiding out in a barn for now to wait out the worst of this storm. We plan on rolling again. We have Mike Johnson, Fuller, Joe Stephens, Josh, Sarah, Ben, Patrick, and Andy.""

These were situations that on the one hand no race director ever wants, but riders cherish as being just 'part of the adventure'. It's part of what they signed up for, really. Something memorable, something risky, a situation that pushes them outside of their comfort zone. But something they come through and will be able to tell the tales of afterward. I mean, how many people do you know that had to hide in a barn during a gravel road event?  

At any rate, the stories were incredible, and the few images that were shared with me were at once shocking and charming all at the same time. Only in Iowa. Only at Trans Iowa.....

Dawn of the Sunday of Trans Iowa v10 - Image by Paul LaCava.

 

Well, eventually that passed, all the riders got back at it, and most of those that were in that severe thunderstorm made the finish line later Sunday. Some of the chase group behind eventual winner Greg Gleason actually got caught in another thundershower and had to stop for a bit, hiding underneath the eaves of a farm house porch. But no one suffered any injuries from the dealings with the wind, rain, and lightning, and for that I am forever grateful. 

Ironically this event had two of the eventual race directors for Iowa Wind And Rock participating in it- Steve Fuller and Sarah Cooper. It wouldn't be much of a stretch to imagine that their participation in this particular Trans Iowa set off their desire to make their event happen after I concluded with Trans Iowa events after 14 years. While I don't know for sure that is the case, it wouldn't surprise me to find out that T.I.v10 was a big part of their inspiration to do so.

As the events of this particular Trans Iowa wound down, I found myself standing at the end of the long double track to The Barn. That rustic finish line which was really the perfect ending for this particular Trans Iowa. It would be the last time I would get to use this venue for the event, but I didn't know the reason why would be anything other than what I had intended- That this be the last Trans Iowa. Forever....

Next: Some Observations From A Failed Ending

Trans Iowa Stories: The Wind, The Hills, The Lightning!! Part 3

The view from my truck at Sunset on the first day of T.I.v10.

 "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject by going back to earlier Sunday posts on this blog. Thanks and enjoy!

As the day was swallowed up by the oncoming storm, and eventually, nightfall, I was constantly checking in on my phone for weather updates and being required to stop periodically to record the ever mounting list of names on the DNF list. Being that I was driving, managing volunteers, and managing race communications as well as doing this rider accounting, I was rather busy. To keep track of DNF's I had a very crude system of record keeping. Essentially, how it worked was that I had a pen or pencil stuck under my hat, a blank sheet of paper, (usually the back of a roster sheet, actually), and I would simply jot down the names and the time when I got the rider's message or phone call letting me know that they were out. This may or may not have been the time that the rider actually quit, by the way. Sometimes these were text messages and I would learn that the rider was out for dinner with their support crew back in Grinnell, or in worst case scenarios, I'd get a text for a DNF on Monday after the event when the rider thought to remember to let me know that they were okay. That was always a great experience for me! 

Another aspect of this was that I had no information, many times, as to whether or not the individual in question was getting a ride, trying to ride back themselves, or if they were in any kind of a bind. So, I happened upon a very simple thing that always elicited a response and gave me a lot more peace of mind.  A typical text would go like the following:

"Riders 91 and 384 pulled out at mile 110"

Me: "Thanks. Hope you guys are okay."

"We are, thank you. ......."

A simple question was all it took. No "rule" or edict would have worked so well. That was an actual text I received, by the way, which I still have on my phone from 2016. The rider went on to tell me what caused their demise and thanked me for the event. I have several like that on my phone messages to this day. Anyway....

At any rate, you never really knew if the call or message came out on the course unless it was a voice-to-voice communication back in the day. As the years wore on, text messaging became the norm, and to no one's surprise, actual 'phone calls' were a rarity by T.I.v14. But during T.I.v10, a fair number of folks still actually used their smart phones like, you know, a phone. So, I was stopping a lot during the early evening hours. I'd get four or five names and times rounded up, then I would text Jeremy back at Checkpoint #2 with the names I had gathered. He would, in turn, give me names of people who were quitting at the checkpoint, of which there were more than a few that did that as well. In this way, we were able to keep tabs on the bodies still out there pedaling away into the night. 

Ralf  Stormer, a resident of Germany, who came over to ride in T.I.v10. Image by Wally Kilburg

Jeremy Kershaw captures the pathos and the beauty of a moment here in this shot of Andrea Cohen during T.I.v10

As this was going on into the early evening hours, I was reaching a point in the course which was traversing West, then North, across Tama County. The course then took a brief Eastward leg into what was supposed to be a big climb North up the same road featured in the film, "300 Miles of Gravel". I approached this climb from the South and I made the slight bend around the corner where a small bridge should have been crossing Wolf Creek. But to my surprise and dismay, the bridge was wrapped up in barricades and big "Road Closed" signs greeted me instead. Great! NOW what?!

The bridge out as it appeared during T.I.v10.

I immediately texted Jeremy that this bridge was out and to let any remaining riders coming through the Checkpoint know that they should be aware that there would be a reroute. Jeremy responded famously with a text, "Get to staking!" Typical smart-alack remark from him, by the way, and as I read it I could see his smirk a hundred plus miles away. The reference to staking was from how we rerouted the course which would allow for riders to self-navigate through a new section to avoid such a thing as a bridge-out situation. 

And 'get to staking' I did! I quickly identified a simple reroute and then executed the reroute plan, all by myself, running like mad to try to make sure I didn't have a rider miss the reroute and end up standing at the bridge which was impassable. My plan was to end the reroute back into the original course and then I was going to park at a place just where the reroute would take effect and warn any riders coming that this was happening. 

Well, as I have said already, I was very busy without the reroute, but with it I was absolutely slammed. I'd drive, literally only a couple hundred yards at a crack at times, before the phone would go nuts with riders dropping out. Then I'd race up the road as fast as I dared to my next stake position, hurry up and construct a flag out of ribbons, and then pound in a stake with a big rubber mallet I had. Hop back in the truck, race up the road, rinse and repeat. 

This reroute finally was accomplished but I desperately needed a flashlight now as it was dark and I couldn't find the one I thought I had brought. I was frantic. I had no time to look through the mounds of detritus in the truck or rummage through the plastic tubs in the back of the truck. I needed that light NOW! I knew that there was a convenience store in a small town called Gladbrook not far away, but they were going to close at 11:00pm and it was 10:15 when I decided I needed this light. I raced up the road, only to get stopped again and again by phone calls. One of which was Greg Gleason, the leader of the event, who wanted to know what to do since the bridge he was looking at was closed. Drat! I relayed the plan to him, asked him if anyone was there that he could relay the info to, and he said there was no one. Well.....big news! The three-up lead group was no more! But I had to get that flashlight!

I finally made it to Gladbrook where a young lady was in kind of an excited state to close up because she and her boyfriend had plans. She was nice enough, but she wanted to chat and well, I was in kind of a hurry at this point! She was a bit miffed by my rebuff of her conversation, but I was finally equipped with a light, albeit a cheesy cash register trap model, and off I went screaming Eastward on Highway 96 when wait.......what was THAT! I turned around and when my lights flashed back Westward up the road I clearly saw the blinking light and reflective bits of a cyclist. I ran back to the intersection to find it was a Trans Iowa rider! It turned out to be John Williams, waaaay off course! What?! 

Well, John had flatted and his Hutchinson tire would not come off the rim so he could repair the tire by inserting a tube. It was set up tubeless, but apparently the tire had too big a hole for the sealant to deal with it. John said he was in the lead and then the other two passed him, then more passed him, and by the time he had finally gotten the tire repaired, he was behind by quite a bit. He could have continued, but if he wasn't in the running for a win, he was done. I asked what his plans were. He said he was going to Gladbrook and getting picked up there. Once I knew he was going to be okay I bid him well and jumped back into the truck to go man my 'station' to warn riders about the reroute. 

The reroute worked out well. In fact, several others in the front of the event figured it out without my being at my 'station' and without calling me. I was really glad to have heard that. Meanwhile, the storm gathered and the wind blew and the lightning flashed. 

Next: The Wind, The Hills, The Lightning!! Part 4

Trans Iowa Stories: The Wind, The Hills, The Lightning!! Part 3

The view from my truck at Sunset on the first day of T.I.v10.

 "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject by going back to earlier Sunday posts on this blog. Thanks and enjoy!

As the day was swallowed up by the oncoming storm, and eventually, nightfall, I was constantly checking in on my phone for weather updates and being required to stop periodically to record the ever mounting list of names on the DNF list. Being that I was driving, managing volunteers, and managing race communications as well as doing this rider accounting, I was rather busy. To keep track of DNF's I had a very crude system of record keeping. Essentially, how it worked was that I had a pen or pencil stuck under my hat, a blank sheet of paper, (usually the back of a roster sheet, actually), and I would simply jot down the names and the time when I got the rider's message or phone call letting me know that they were out. This may or may not have been the time that the rider actually quit, by the way. Sometimes these were text messages and I would learn that the rider was out for dinner with their support crew back in Grinnell, or in worst case scenarios, I'd get a text for a DNF on Monday after the event when the rider thought to remember to let me know that they were okay. That was always a great experience for me! 

Another aspect of this was that I had no information, many times, as to whether or not the individual in question was getting a ride, trying to ride back themselves, or if they were in any kind of a bind. So, I happened upon a very simple thing that always elicited a response and gave me a lot more peace of mind.  A typical text would go like the following:

"Riders 91 and 384 pulled out at mile 110"

Me: "Thanks. Hope you guys are okay."

"We are, thank you. ......."

A simple question was all it took. No "rule" or edict would have worked so well. That was an actual text I received, by the way, which I still have on my phone from 2016. The rider went on to tell me what caused their demise and thanked me for the event. I have several like that on my phone messages to this day. Anyway....

At any rate, you never really knew if the call or message came out on the course unless it was a voice-to-voice communication back in the day. As the years wore on, text messaging became the norm, and to no one's surprise, actual 'phone calls' were a rarity by T.I.v14. But during T.I.v10, a fair number of folks still actually used their smart phones like, you know, a phone. So, I was stopping a lot during the early evening hours. I'd get four or five names and times rounded up, then I would text Jeremy back at Checkpoint #2 with the names I had gathered. He would, in turn, give me names of people who were quitting at the checkpoint, of which there were more than a few that did that as well. In this way, we were able to keep tabs on the bodies still out there pedaling away into the night. 

Ralf  Stormer, a resident of Germany, who came over to ride in T.I.v10. Image by Wally Kilburg

Jeremy Kershaw captures the pathos and the beauty of a moment here in this shot of Andrea Cohen during T.I.v10

As this was going on into the early evening hours, I was reaching a point in the course which was traversing West, then North, across Tama County. The course then took a brief Eastward leg into what was supposed to be a big climb North up the same road featured in the film, "300 Miles of Gravel". I approached this climb from the South and I made the slight bend around the corner where a small bridge should have been crossing Wolf Creek. But to my surprise and dismay, the bridge was wrapped up in barricades and big "Road Closed" signs greeted me instead. Great! NOW what?!

The bridge out as it appeared during T.I.v10.

I immediately texted Jeremy that this bridge was out and to let any remaining riders coming through the Checkpoint know that they should be aware that there would be a reroute. Jeremy responded famously with a text, "Get to staking!" Typical smart-alack remark from him, by the way, and as I read it I could see his smirk a hundred plus miles away. The reference to staking was from how we rerouted the course which would allow for riders to self-navigate through a new section to avoid such a thing as a bridge-out situation. 

And 'get to staking' I did! I quickly identified a simple reroute and then executed the reroute plan, all by myself, running like mad to try to make sure I didn't have a rider miss the reroute and end up standing at the bridge which was impassable. My plan was to end the reroute back into the original course and then I was going to park at a place just where the reroute would take effect and warn any riders coming that this was happening. 

Well, as I have said already, I was very busy without the reroute, but with it I was absolutely slammed. I'd drive, literally only a couple hundred yards at a crack at times, before the phone would go nuts with riders dropping out. Then I'd race up the road as fast as I dared to my next stake position, hurry up and construct a flag out of ribbons, and then pound in a stake with a big rubber mallet I had. Hop back in the truck, race up the road, rinse and repeat. 

This reroute finally was accomplished but I desperately needed a flashlight now as it was dark and I couldn't find the one I thought I had brought. I was frantic. I had no time to look through the mounds of detritus in the truck or rummage through the plastic tubs in the back of the truck. I needed that light NOW! I knew that there was a convenience store in a small town called Gladbrook not far away, but they were going to close at 11:00pm and it was 10:15 when I decided I needed this light. I raced up the road, only to get stopped again and again by phone calls. One of which was Greg Gleason, the leader of the event, who wanted to know what to do since the bridge he was looking at was closed. Drat! I relayed the plan to him, asked him if anyone was there that he could relay the info to, and he said there was no one. Well.....big news! The three-up lead group was no more! But I had to get that flashlight!

I finally made it to Gladbrook where a young lady was in kind of an excited state to close up because she and her boyfriend had plans. She was nice enough, but she wanted to chat and well, I was in kind of a hurry at this point! She was a bit miffed by my rebuff of her conversation, but I was finally equipped with a light, albeit a cheesy cash register trap model, and off I went screaming Eastward on Highway 96 when wait.......what was THAT! I turned around and when my lights flashed back Westward up the road I clearly saw the blinking light and reflective bits of a cyclist. I ran back to the intersection to find it was a Trans Iowa rider! It turned out to be John Williams, waaaay off course! What?! 

Well, John had flatted and his Hutchinson tire would not come off the rim so he could repair the tire by inserting a tube. It was set up tubeless, but apparently the tire had too big a hole for the sealant to deal with it. John said he was in the lead and then the other two passed him, then more passed him, and by the time he had finally gotten the tire repaired, he was behind by quite a bit. He could have continued, but if he wasn't in the running for a win, he was done. I asked what his plans were. He said he was going to Gladbrook and getting picked up there. Once I knew he was going to be okay I bid him well and jumped back into the truck to go man my 'station' to warn riders about the reroute. 

The reroute worked out well. In fact, several others in the front of the event figured it out without my being at my 'station' and without calling me. I was really glad to have heard that. Meanwhile, the storm gathered and the wind blew and the lightning flashed. 

Next: The Wind, The Hills, The Lightning!! Part 4

Trans Iowa Stories: The Wind, The Hills, The Lightning!! Part 1

 "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject by going back to earlier Sunday posts on this blog. Thanks and enjoy!

Volunteer Brent Irish helping to put the final touches on the prizing table for T.I.v10

Immediately upon returning home from putting on Trans Iowa v10, after being awake for 40+ hours, I sat down and wrote a quick post for this blog which mentioned my initial reactions to the event. The sentence, " There will be so much to say about this one: The Wind, The Hills, The Lightning!!" , pretty much says what was foremost in my mind at that point. That initial reaction is still what is foundational to my understanding of Trans Iowa v10 today, years later. I said later on it was the toughest Trans Iowa ever. While v13 would give that a run for its money, I could still make an argument for v10 as being a harder to finish event. While the story of v13 has to wait, this post will lay out why I feel like I did, and still do, about Trans Iowa v10. 

Of course, wind had been a big factor in Trans Iowa events from the onset. Who could forget that gusting Northwest wind at the checkpoint in Algona that just about took down the 40 foot Red Bull tent? (Well.......that is, if you were there!) Then there was that Arctic blast at T.I.v4 which was knocking folks right off their bicycles. The winds during v7 and v5 were bad depending on the direction the course was going, but they had equally as great tailwind sections also. 

That was the thing I noted. Since Trans Iowa had gone to the loop course for v3, I noted that everything sort of balanced itself out. The winds being one of those things, but in v10, I had designed in a long, mostly Eastward section right after the first checkpoint. My thoughts were that a sustained East wind in Iowa wasn't a common thing. Well.......apparently The Wind said, "Oh yeah? Hold my beer!" The crazy East wind was brutal that day of Trans Iowa v10, and it never really ever let up for the entire event. I was later very surprised by this. It just goes to show you that even after producing these events for a decade you can still learn a thing or two. 

Toys for all the girls and boys! The check-in table for v10. Located at the kid's area in the Grinnell Steakhouse.

The wind for v10 wasn't really a pre-event talking point, that I recall, so it came as an even bigger surprise that this wind was so ferocious and long lasting. As the event started, it wasn't there. I recall the hours before Sunrise being pretty calm, actually. The course wound its way West and then South and the checkpoint ended up being at a corner on the South side of a village called Lynville. All the way to that point, about 50 miles in, the weather was actually about perfect. 

Early into T.I.v10. Image by Wally Kilburg.

My main memory from the morning of this event was making my way to a point on an eastward portion of the course where a bunch of big rollers were located. I found a spot on top of one looking back where I could see the tops of the two previous rollers. I figured this spot would make for a good lookout point.

I remember sitting there for quite a while before I saw any riders appear. Meanwhile, in a field across the road to the North, there was a small tree that must have been filled with Robins. There strong warbling rang across the hillsides as a soft breeze was rising up from behind me in the East. The Sun peered over the greening hills and it was again one of those surreal, special moments during a Trans Iowa I experienced alone. I will never forget the peacefulness that filled my heart in that moment.

But eventually I had to get back to the task at hand. I was tasked with making updates on the event to the "Trans Iowa Radio" feature where folks would be expecting some news on a somewhat regular basis. My job, as a course checker, meant that I'd likely only be able to tell folks about the 'pointy end' of the group of riders. That would have to do since I did not have the resources to cover the largest group of Trans Iowa riders to ever take part in a single Trans Iowa. 

And that group didn't whittle down much coming into Checkpoint #1. This is where I learned something that made me make a change to following Trans Iowa events. The situation was that, as usual, I had the checkpoint in a small town with a convenience store so that riders had a chance to resupply, or pick up anything they may have forgotten in the scrum to get ready at 3:00am earlier in the morning. (Note- I did have T.I.v9 stop in a town with no convenience store where CP#1 was at, so I had a clue as to how this might work) Lynville did happen to have a convenience store, but it was the bare bones type of place. Not what we think of these days when we think about convenience stores. 

The small store was inundated with the back half of the riders in the event, who, for whatever reason, made this stop a resupply/breakfast/social gathering spot. With probably five times the amount of people this store would normally see on a Saturday morning hitting this store up within a period of a couple of hours, it was a recipe for a bad experience. Fortunately the 'bad' part was not experienced by the riders, although I did hear of some folks near the back saying this place had run out of some things. No, the big complaints came from the store itself. 

While I never was contacted directly about the issues, I had it come back to me through the grapevine that the store was upset since many items were wiped out, they were not getting resupplied until early in the following week, and residents were going to be upset with the store due to the situation. Obviously, having local customers upset is not ideal if you run a local convenience store. 

This very thing was why the now defunct Dirty Kanza 200 went to the aid station type set up for their event to handle more riders than convenience stores could service. I never wanted to go that direction, so the following year, I set the checkpoint at village where there was no convenience store at all, and made the first resupply chance at a point where riders would be more spread out. I also figured on possibly reducing field size, if I had anymore issues, but as I have said, I never had another field this size again. So, I never had to worry about that change for any future Trans Iowa events.

A bridge early on in the course during T.I.v10

A pack of riders early on into the event during T.I.v10. Image by Wally Kilburg

The next big issue in the event became the hills and the wind mixed together. This middle part of Trans Iowa ended a lot of people's day. This all came to a head at a point just about ten miles past Checkpoint #2. This part deserves its own post and next time I will continue on with stories from this part of the event. 

Next: Trans Iowa Stories: The Wind, The Hills, The Lightning!! Part 2

Trans Iowa Stories: The Wind, The Hills, The Lightning!! Part 1

 "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject by going back to earlier Sunday posts on this blog. Thanks and enjoy!

Volunteer Brent Irish helping to put the final touches on the prizing table for T.I.v10

Immediately upon returning home from putting on Trans Iowa v10, after being awake for 40+ hours, I sat down and wrote a quick post for this blog which mentioned my initial reactions to the event. The sentence, " There will be so much to say about this one: The Wind, The Hills, The Lightning!!" , pretty much says what was foremost in my mind at that point. That initial reaction is still what is foundational to my understanding of Trans Iowa v10 today, years later. I said later on it was the toughest Trans Iowa ever. While v13 would give that a run for its money, I could still make an argument for v10 as being a harder to finish event. While the story of v13 has to wait, this post will lay out why I feel like I did, and still do, about Trans Iowa v10. 

Of course, wind had been a big factor in Trans Iowa events from the onset. Who could forget that gusting Northwest wind at the checkpoint in Algona that just about took down the 40 foot Red Bull tent? (Well.......that is, if you were there!) Then there was that Arctic blast at T.I.v4 which was knocking folks right off their bicycles. The winds during v7 and v5 were bad depending on the direction the course was going, but they had equally as great tailwind sections also. 

That was the thing I noted. Since Trans Iowa had gone to the loop course for v3, I noted that everything sort of balanced itself out. The winds being one of those things, but in v10, I had designed in a long, mostly Eastward section right after the first checkpoint. My thoughts were that a sustained East wind in Iowa wasn't a common thing. Well.......apparently The Wind said, "Oh yeah? Hold my beer!" The crazy East wind was brutal that day of Trans Iowa v10, and it never really ever let up for the entire event. I was later very surprised by this. It just goes to show you that even after producing these events for a decade you can still learn a thing or two. 

Toys for all the girls and boys! The check-in table for v10. Located at the kid's area in the Grinnell Steakhouse.

The wind for v10 wasn't really a pre-event talking point, that I recall, so it came as an even bigger surprise that this wind was so ferocious and long lasting. As the event started, it wasn't there. I recall the hours before Sunrise being pretty calm, actually. The course wound its way West and then South and the checkpoint ended up being at a corner on the South side of a village called Lynville. All the way to that point, about 50 miles in, the weather was actually about perfect. 

Early into T.I.v10. Image by Wally Kilburg.

My main memory from the morning of this event was making my way to a point on an eastward portion of the course where a bunch of big rollers were located. I found a spot on top of one looking back where I could see the tops of the two previous rollers. I figured this spot would make for a good lookout point.

I remember sitting there for quite a while before I saw any riders appear. Meanwhile, in a field across the road to the North, there was a small tree that must have been filled with Robins. There strong warbling rang across the hillsides as a soft breeze was rising up from behind me in the East. The Sun peered over the greening hills and it was again one of those surreal, special moments during a Trans Iowa I experienced alone. I will never forget the peacefulness that filled my heart in that moment.

But eventually I had to get back to the task at hand. I was tasked with making updates on the event to the "Trans Iowa Radio" feature where folks would be expecting some news on a somewhat regular basis. My job, as a course checker, meant that I'd likely only be able to tell folks about the 'pointy end' of the group of riders. That would have to do since I did not have the resources to cover the largest group of Trans Iowa riders to ever take part in a single Trans Iowa. 

And that group didn't whittle down much coming into Checkpoint #1. This is where I learned something that made me make a change to following Trans Iowa events. The situation was that, as usual, I had the checkpoint in a small town with a convenience store so that riders had a chance to resupply, or pick up anything they may have forgotten in the scrum to get ready at 3:00am earlier in the morning. (Note- I did have T.I.v9 stop in a town with no convenience store where CP#1 was at, so I had a clue as to how this might work) Lynville did happen to have a convenience store, but it was the bare bones type of place. Not what we think of these days when we think about convenience stores. 

The small store was inundated with the back half of the riders in the event, who, for whatever reason, made this stop a resupply/breakfast/social gathering spot. With probably five times the amount of people this store would normally see on a Saturday morning hitting this store up within a period of a couple of hours, it was a recipe for a bad experience. Fortunately the 'bad' part was not experienced by the riders, although I did hear of some folks near the back saying this place had run out of some things. No, the big complaints came from the store itself. 

While I never was contacted directly about the issues, I had it come back to me through the grapevine that the store was upset since many items were wiped out, they were not getting resupplied until early in the following week, and residents were going to be upset with the store due to the situation. Obviously, having local customers upset is not ideal if you run a local convenience store. 

This very thing was why the now defunct Dirty Kanza 200 went to the aid station type set up for their event to handle more riders than convenience stores could service. I never wanted to go that direction, so the following year, I set the checkpoint at village where there was no convenience store at all, and made the first resupply chance at a point where riders would be more spread out. I also figured on possibly reducing field size, if I had anymore issues, but as I have said, I never had another field this size again. So, I never had to worry about that change for any future Trans Iowa events.

A bridge early on in the course during T.I.v10

A pack of riders early on into the event during T.I.v10. Image by Wally Kilburg

The next big issue in the event became the hills and the wind mixed together. This middle part of Trans Iowa ended a lot of people's day. This all came to a head at a point just about ten miles past Checkpoint #2. This part deserves its own post and next time I will continue on with stories from this part of the event. 

Next: Trans Iowa Stories: The Wind, The Hills, The Lightning!! Part 2