Trans Iowa Stories: Moving On

Taking notes at the T.I.v8 finish line. Image by Steve Fuller

"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! 

Moving past Trans Iowa v8 was a lot easier and calmer affair than the previous year. It was such a contrast in post-event feelings that it was remarkable. Yet for all of the good stuff, I still had to work through a lot of the past Trans Iowa stuff that had happened.

My sounding board for these issues was Trans Iowa veteran and finisher, Tim Ek. I cannot say exactly why it worked out that Tim and I were able to have these intimate, private conversations via email for several years, but I am so blessed that it did happen. Tim is wise, reasoned, and experienced. He also had a great way of expressing things which always resonated with me deeply. Without his steady hand of wisdom that he shared with me, I know I would have been in the weeds when it came to working through some of my troubled feelings and insecurities.

I credit Tim for a lot of my grounding when it came to decisions for Trans Iowa's 'middle years', as it were. While I cannot divulge our honored conversations, I will tell you that without those emails, I would not have been able to do what I did for later Trans Iowa events. Thank you Tim Ek. If you ever read these words, please understand that what you did meant, and still means, the world to me. Thank you!

Another victim of one of T.I.v8's Level B roads. Image by Steve Fuller.

Other feedback was important to me as well. MG, who only a year previous was madder than a wet hornet at me for my poor cues, was complimentary and afterward, we became even deeper friends than we had been previous to Trans Iowa v7. Obviously, this has meant a lot to me, not only then, but right up to the current times. In fact, MG ended up becoming my driver for the final three Trans Iowa events, and the last one was a super special time I will never forget. But I am jumping ahead here a bit........

Others chimed in, telling me that they were amazed by the level of organization, the spot-on cues for 300+ miles, and by the event's participants and especially the volunteer corps. (I'll be doing a special edition "Trans Iowa Stories" on volunteers soon) Of course, this affirmed my determined efforts for the bulk of 2011/2012 to do the best I could do. But it also did something else.

Moving on, I had now benefited from all that thinking, effort, and changes made which produced a much better Trans Iowa experience for all. The heavy lifting was done, and I relied upon that for the duration of the event going forward post-T.I.v8. Of course, there were changes and challenges, but the 'bones' of the event had now matured into something solid. A firm foundation to build upon now had been established after many trial and error Trans Iowas. There would never again be a "T.I.v7"-like debacle with regard to missteps made by myself as the event director. No more fretting about event production involving the route or cues ever again. No more worries about host towns or event venues ever again. These things went away after Trans Iowa v8.

The one thing that never did go away was the worries about the people in the event. From volunteers, to people in the pass-through towns and in checkpoints, to the riders, of course. These issues are eventually what would drive me out of putting on a Trans Iowa again the way that I did it. Charles Showalter, a finisher of Trans Iowa v8, put it thusly in an email he sent me post-T.I.v8:

"From the pre-race meeting up until the finish line, I was completely amazed with this event. The entire time I kept thinking, “I can’t imagine how much work this took” and “How is this free?!?!” I even mentioned to my friend and training partner, Craig Irving, when we were sitting at the steakhouse, that it’s pretty remarkable that all of this is put together for an unsanctioned race with no entry fee."

T.I. v8 was probably one of the most beautiful T.I.s any rider had seen since V3 (Image by Steve Fuller)

Indeed, "how that was free" is a fair question. The answer: It wasn't "free". It took a lot of work, as Charles noted, and it took a lot of trust. That was the hardest part of any Trans Iowa for me. To 'trust' in things that were far out of my control. I put a ton of faith in the riders, the processes, the volunteers, and none more so than God. You may not be a "believer", but trust me on this- I would not have continued Trans Iowa past v3 without my Faith.

Moving on would have been impossible for me without that.

Next: Two To Go

Trans Iowa Stories: Moving On

Taking notes at the T.I.v8 finish line. Image by Steve Fuller

"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! 

Moving past Trans Iowa v8 was a lot easier and calmer affair than the previous year. It was such a contrast in post-event feelings that it was remarkable. Yet for all of the good stuff, I still had to work through a lot of the past Trans Iowa stuff that had happened.

My sounding board for these issues was Trans Iowa veteran and finisher, Tim Ek. I cannot say exactly why it worked out that Tim and I were able to have these intimate, private conversations via email for several years, but I am so blessed that it did happen. Tim is wise, reasoned, and experienced. He also had a great way of expressing things which always resonated with me deeply. Without his steady hand of wisdom that he shared with me, I know I would have been in the weeds when it came to working through some of my troubled feelings and insecurities.

I credit Tim for a lot of my grounding when it came to decisions for Trans Iowa's 'middle years', as it were. While I cannot divulge our honored conversations, I will tell you that without those emails, I would not have been able to do what I did for later Trans Iowa events. Thank you Tim Ek. If you ever read these words, please understand that what you did meant, and still means, the world to me. Thank you!

Another victim of one of T.I.v8's Level B roads. Image by Steve Fuller.

Other feedback was important to me as well. MG, who only a year previous was madder than a wet hornet at me for my poor cues, was complimentary and afterward, we became even deeper friends than we had been previous to Trans Iowa v7. Obviously, this has meant a lot to me, not only then, but right up to the current times. In fact, MG ended up becoming my driver for the final three Trans Iowa events, and the last one was a super special time I will never forget. But I am jumping ahead here a bit........

Others chimed in, telling me that they were amazed by the level of organization, the spot-on cues for 300+ miles, and by the event's participants and especially the volunteer corps. (I'll be doing a special edition "Trans Iowa Stories" on volunteers soon) Of course, this affirmed my determined efforts for the bulk of 2011/2012 to do the best I could do. But it also did something else.

Moving on, I had now benefited from all that thinking, effort, and changes made which produced a much better Trans Iowa experience for all. The heavy lifting was done, and I relied upon that for the duration of the event going forward post-T.I.v8. Of course, there were changes and challenges, but the 'bones' of the event had now matured into something solid. A firm foundation to build upon now had been established after many trial and error Trans Iowas. There would never again be a "T.I.v7"-like debacle with regard to missteps made by myself as the event director. No more fretting about event production involving the route or cues ever again. No more worries about host towns or event venues ever again. These things went away after Trans Iowa v8.

The one thing that never did go away was the worries about the people in the event. From volunteers, to people in the pass-through towns and in checkpoints, to the riders, of course. These issues are eventually what would drive me out of putting on a Trans Iowa again the way that I did it. Charles Showalter, a finisher of Trans Iowa v8, put it thusly in an email he sent me post-T.I.v8:

"From the pre-race meeting up until the finish line, I was completely amazed with this event. The entire time I kept thinking, “I can’t imagine how much work this took” and “How is this free?!?!” I even mentioned to my friend and training partner, Craig Irving, when we were sitting at the steakhouse, that it’s pretty remarkable that all of this is put together for an unsanctioned race with no entry fee."

T.I. v8 was probably one of the most beautiful T.I.s any rider had seen since V3 (Image by Steve Fuller)

Indeed, "how that was free" is a fair question. The answer: It wasn't "free". It took a lot of work, as Charles noted, and it took a lot of trust. That was the hardest part of any Trans Iowa for me. To 'trust' in things that were far out of my control. I put a ton of faith in the riders, the processes, the volunteers, and none more so than God. You may not be a "believer", but trust me on this- I would not have continued Trans Iowa past v3 without my Faith.

Moving on would have been impossible for me without that.

Next: Two To Go

Trans Iowa Stories: Broken Bikes and Broken Fellowship

Hanging out with Ari Andonopoulous (center) and Charlie Farrow (right) at the T.I.v8 finish

"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 the Braun Brothers spectacular flame-out, the event was up for grabs. We were going to see a surprise winner, and it would be someone not in the mix for most of the event. In another stunner, John Gorilla also packed it in at the secret checkpoint, claiming that if he couldn't win, it wasn't worth continuing. Most of this news was given to me as I finished up running the course to check it in the middle of the night. After I had my silent victory party, detailed a couple of weeks ago in this series, I only had to wait to see who would make the final cut. Who was going to finish this version of Trans Iowa that I had poured myself out for.

The weather, which had miraculously went peaceful, if not a bit cool and overcast, suddenly became an issue again. The East wind picked up and strengthened in the early morning hours to a pretty heavy state, and this coincided with miles of fresh gravel in Marshall County. This stretch consisted of a very long Eastward traverse of the county straight into that heavy wind. This combination of obstacles, after nearly 300 miles of gravel, was enough to really slow down the progress of the would-be finishers. The thoughts of anyone even having a crack at a sub-24 Trans Iowa would have been dashed on those rollers that morning. Flaming out or no.

John Gorilla, seen here at CP#2, was a surprise DNF for T.I.v8.Image by Wally Kilburg

While we had many riders still in the event by this point, there were two clear front runners. They had been working together for most of the event past the first checkpoint, and all through the night, they stayed with each other. They were Troy Krause and Eric Brunt, both then from the Lincoln/Omaha area.

Troy I knew from the last Good Life Gravel Adventure. (Later became Gravel Worlds) He had won that event, and then he was sent out by Corey "Cornbread" Godfrey, the RD,  to collect me, as I had DNF'ed at just over 100 miles. The winner.....fetching DNF'ers! Yeah, THAT's something you won't see these former Pro roadies doing anytime soon at the big events!

Anyway, he was with Eric Brunt, a former bicycle messenger and veteran of Trans Iowa, his first being T.I.v4 on a Surly Steamroller. They were the front runners for the win at T.I.v8. We all expected them to show up together. You just don't drop a fellow rider who you've been working with all day and night. But at about 7:10am, here was Eric Brunt, alone, for the Trans Iowa v8 win.

In the scrum of congratulations and Trans Iowa Radio posting, I did not get much of a chance to cross examine Brunt as to the whereabouts of his riding partner to my satisfaction. There was some off-hand comment about Krause waving him ahead because Troy was on a single speed, and before I could get into more depth with another question, here came Troy to finish. Then something happened which only a few Trans Iowa folks up to this point ever knew about. I never have published the following story until now.....

Krause dropped his bike at the line and called loudly for Brunt to come to the finish line. Brunt obliged and then Krause demanded to know why Brunt had dropped him when they should have had had a gentleman's agreement to come in together. Angry words were spoken on Krause's side while Brunt sheepishly defended his actions. It was clear that Brunt had taken advantage of Krause, but it was also very uncouth and unnecessary of Krause to have so publicly made his anger known at the finish line. I get it though- heat of the moment and all, and Troy was obviously upset. The onlookers at the scene were taken aback. Things were extremely uncomfortable. The scene didn't last long and Brunt scooted out of the area with his father immediately afterward. With that emotionally charged  scene finished, Trans Iowa got back to its old self with the rest of the day's events. The air suddenly became much lighter! 

Eric Brunt as he was hurrying away after his confrontation with Troy Krause.

 Time was dragging..... The East wind was bone chilling. Weary T.I.v8 drop outs filtered into the finish line area where some of the volunteers and super-fans of the event were also gathered. In between finishers I hung out with friends I'd made through the event, chatting and laughing with them. It was a great time that morning. The tension between Brunt and Krause, an early stain on the proceedings, was forgotten.

Then I received a phone call from a rider named Charles Showalter. He had snapped off his rear derailleur in the crossing of the last Level B road seven miles from the finish line. He wanted a clarification on the rules. Was it okay if he walked/scootered his bicycle to the finish? Would that count? I affirmed him, telling him as long as he did the course as outlined on the cues, he would be scored an official finisher. Bystanders to the conversation on my end were amazed and word soon spread that a rider was going to have to walk in after coming up seven miles short. And later on, he did. Charles Showalter finished with his compromised bike and became the sixth place finisher at 11:14am that morning.

Now that would be legendary enough. One rider scootering in with a sheared off rear derailleur. But no! This was Trans Iowa. Weird things were commonplace. We had another rider scooter his bike in due to the same Level B Road! This rider was no stranger to broken bikes, by the way. He is legendary in that unfortunate category. Corey "Cornbread" Godfrey probably has had some of the worst luck with bikes and injuries during events of anyone I know. However, this time it didn't get him down! He finished "officially", unlike the previous year where he blew up a derailleur and went off course to convert to a single speed, and finish. Corey came in 11th at 12:20pm.

Corey wasn't the only one to redeem himself that day. Jay Barre did as well. Jay, the guy who missed checkpoint #1 at T.I.v7 by one minute, so emotionally shown in the film, "300 Miles of Gravel", was all smiles this day as he finished for his first of three times in the event. I was very happy for him, since that scene in the movie really got to me. And as I have said before, it still does.

Charles Showalter's busted Trek frame which he scootered in for an official T.I.v8 finish.

I was also pleased to see early Trans Iowa participants Robert Fry and Joe Partridge come back and bag finishes at Trans Iowa v8 also. Between all these great stories, the friends at the finish, and the way the event went down, I was really pretty amazed and happy by the time I pulled away to go home.

Like many Trans Iowas to come, leaving the scene of the event was always a shadowy, hazy thing for me. You know, being up for 35+ hours will have that effect upon a human. That and exposure to the elements, not eating enough, or correctly, and not hydrating right will do that. But I had no such time for such niceties. I was very busy trying to run the event in the best way possible, and I received a lot of feedback to that effect that Sunday morning and immediately afterward.

That was obviously the affirmation I was seeking, but even to this day, one person's approval has meant more to me, for what reason I cannot say, than anyone else's words. John Gorilla answered me when I asked him about the cues, and he said they were "spot on". I was just so satisfied to hear that from him, that it stood out in my mind, for whatever reason, and I felt justified. I had done good! THIS was how Trans Iowa should go down. While that small word from John may not seem like much to anyone else, it has meant the world to me ever since. I had done it. I put on the best Trans Iowa to that date, but there was more work to be done.......

Next: Moving On.....

Trans Iowa Stories: Broken Bikes and Broken Fellowship

Hanging out with Ari Andonopoulous (center) and Charlie Farrow (right) at the T.I.v8 finish

"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 the Braun Brothers spectacular flame-out, the event was up for grabs. We were going to see a surprise winner, and it would be someone not in the mix for most of the event. In another stunner, John Gorilla also packed it in at the secret checkpoint, claiming that if he couldn't win, it wasn't worth continuing. Most of this news was given to me as I finished up running the course to check it in the middle of the night. After I had my silent victory party, detailed a couple of weeks ago in this series, I only had to wait to see who would make the final cut. Who was going to finish this version of Trans Iowa that I had poured myself out for.

The weather, which had miraculously went peaceful, if not a bit cool and overcast, suddenly became an issue again. The East wind picked up and strengthened in the early morning hours to a pretty heavy state, and this coincided with miles of fresh gravel in Marshall County. This stretch consisted of a very long Eastward traverse of the county straight into that heavy wind. This combination of obstacles, after nearly 300 miles of gravel, was enough to really slow down the progress of the would-be finishers. The thoughts of anyone even having a crack at a sub-24 Trans Iowa would have been dashed on those rollers that morning. Flaming out or no.

John Gorilla, seen here at CP#2, was a surprise DNF for T.I.v8.Image by Wally Kilburg

While we had many riders still in the event by this point, there were two clear front runners. They had been working together for most of the event past the first checkpoint, and all through the night, they stayed with each other. They were Troy Krause and Eric Brunt, both then from the Lincoln/Omaha area.

Troy I knew from the last Good Life Gravel Adventure. (Later became Gravel Worlds) He had won that event, and then he was sent out by Corey "Cornbread" Godfrey, the RD,  to collect me, as I had DNF'ed at just over 100 miles. The winner.....fetching DNF'ers! Yeah, THAT's something you won't see these former Pro roadies doing anytime soon at the big events!

Anyway, he was with Eric Brunt, a former bicycle messenger and veteran of Trans Iowa, his first being T.I.v4 on a Surly Steamroller. They were the front runners for the win at T.I.v8. We all expected them to show up together. You just don't drop a fellow rider who you've been working with all day and night. But at about 7:10am, here was Eric Brunt, alone, for the Trans Iowa v8 win.

In the scrum of congratulations and Trans Iowa Radio posting, I did not get much of a chance to cross examine Brunt as to the whereabouts of his riding partner to my satisfaction. There was some off-hand comment about Krause waving him ahead because Troy was on a single speed, and before I could get into more depth with another question, here came Troy to finish. Then something happened which only a few Trans Iowa folks up to this point ever knew about. I never have published the following story until now.....

Krause dropped his bike at the line and called loudly for Brunt to come to the finish line. Brunt obliged and then Krause demanded to know why Brunt had dropped him when they should have had had a gentleman's agreement to come in together. Angry words were spoken on Krause's side while Brunt sheepishly defended his actions. It was clear that Brunt had taken advantage of Krause, but it was also very uncouth and unnecessary of Krause to have so publicly made his anger known at the finish line. I get it though- heat of the moment and all, and Troy was obviously upset. The onlookers at the scene were taken aback. Things were extremely uncomfortable. The scene didn't last long and Brunt scooted out of the area with his father immediately afterward. With that emotionally charged  scene finished, Trans Iowa got back to its old self with the rest of the day's events. The air suddenly became much lighter! 

Eric Brunt as he was hurrying away after his confrontation with Troy Krause.

 Time was dragging..... The East wind was bone chilling. Weary T.I.v8 drop outs filtered into the finish line area where some of the volunteers and super-fans of the event were also gathered. In between finishers I hung out with friends I'd made through the event, chatting and laughing with them. It was a great time that morning. The tension between Brunt and Krause, an early stain on the proceedings, was forgotten.

Then I received a phone call from a rider named Charles Showalter. He had snapped off his rear derailleur in the crossing of the last Level B road seven miles from the finish line. He wanted a clarification on the rules. Was it okay if he walked/scootered his bicycle to the finish? Would that count? I affirmed him, telling him as long as he did the course as outlined on the cues, he would be scored an official finisher. Bystanders to the conversation on my end were amazed and word soon spread that a rider was going to have to walk in after coming up seven miles short. And later on, he did. Charles Showalter finished with his compromised bike and became the sixth place finisher at 11:14am that morning.

Now that would be legendary enough. One rider scootering in with a sheared off rear derailleur. But no! This was Trans Iowa. Weird things were commonplace. We had another rider scooter his bike in due to the same Level B Road! This rider was no stranger to broken bikes, by the way. He is legendary in that unfortunate category. Corey "Cornbread" Godfrey probably has had some of the worst luck with bikes and injuries during events of anyone I know. However, this time it didn't get him down! He finished "officially", unlike the previous year where he blew up a derailleur and went off course to convert to a single speed, and finish. Corey came in 11th at 12:20pm.

Corey wasn't the only one to redeem himself that day. Jay Barre did as well. Jay, the guy who missed checkpoint #1 at T.I.v7 by one minute, so emotionally shown in the film, "300 Miles of Gravel", was all smiles this day as he finished for his first of three times in the event. I was very happy for him, since that scene in the movie really got to me. And as I have said before, it still does.

Charles Showalter's busted Trek frame which he scootered in for an official T.I.v8 finish.

I was also pleased to see early Trans Iowa participants Robert Fry and Joe Partridge come back and bag finishes at Trans Iowa v8 also. Between all these great stories, the friends at the finish, and the way the event went down, I was really pretty amazed and happy by the time I pulled away to go home.

Like many Trans Iowas to come, leaving the scene of the event was always a shadowy, hazy thing for me. You know, being up for 35+ hours will have that effect upon a human. That and exposure to the elements, not eating enough, or correctly, and not hydrating right will do that. But I had no such time for such niceties. I was very busy trying to run the event in the best way possible, and I received a lot of feedback to that effect that Sunday morning and immediately afterward.

That was obviously the affirmation I was seeking, but even to this day, one person's approval has meant more to me, for what reason I cannot say, than anyone else's words. John Gorilla answered me when I asked him about the cues, and he said they were "spot on". I was just so satisfied to hear that from him, that it stood out in my mind, for whatever reason, and I felt justified. I had done good! THIS was how Trans Iowa should go down. While that small word from John may not seem like much to anyone else, it has meant the world to me ever since. I had done it. I put on the best Trans Iowa to that date, but there was more work to be done.......

Next: Moving On.....

Trans Iowa Stories: Flaming Out

The Braun Brothers and Charly Tri break away after 100 miles into T.I.v8

 "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!

Sub 24. It was the mythical goal silently talked about amongst the stronger racers that were involved in Trans Iowa. The ability to do the event in such a short amount of time was, to me, also a motivation. Not that I was going to try it, but I was always aware of that being a goal for the fast guys, so I tried to make it hard to accomplish. 

How this idea ever got legs, well, I will never know. I suppose that Ira Ryan doing the first loop course in 25 hours flat was, perhaps, where it all started. At any rate, the first I ever was aware of it was when Joe Meiser won T.I.v5 in a little under 25 hours and told me he would come back to take back the quickest Trans Iowa time if anyone ever beat his time. Note- that happened, but Joe never came back. Family life and whatnot, I heard. Anyway.....

I never would have pegged Trans Iowa v8 as being a version that would have seen a serious threat to the 'sub-24 barrier', but then the Braun Brothers had other ideas, I guess, because they pushed the pace to a ridiculous level during T.I.v8. The course may have baited them into it, or maybe they had a strategy, I never did know, but after 100 miles, they set sail and tore up the road.

MG playing on a scooter at the "Secret Checkpoint" during T.I.v8

The course that year led to a small village with a convenience store at right about the century mark. Most all riders stopped here, as I had strictly warned them that convenience store opportunities were slim that year. Well, I'm not sure if the Braun Brothers stopped or not, but if they did, they didn't stay long, because they and Charly Tri, a Minnesota rider, were up the road alone after the 100 mile mark with no one else in sight. This coincided with what ended up being the flattest part of Trans Iowa that year, so they dieseled along at an amazing pace. There wasn't much wind later into Saturday either, so even that wasn't going to be an issue plus, the weather and roads were tranquil. It all added up to a record early arrival to the the second checkpoint.

By the time the three had reached Checkpoint Bravo, they were back into some heavy hills, and there would be no let up for the rest of the event. In fact, they got worse the closer they got to Grinnell. But, of course, no one knew that. So it was that Charly Tri, trying to keep pace with the Brauns, ended up having a total body shutdown after leaving the second checkpoint. He ended up limping back and calling it in there. This left Travis and Matt Braun alone up front.

Now about this time I was thinking this sub-24 hour Trans Iowa thing might actually go down. The Braun Brothers showed no weakness, and they rolled into the secret checkpoint well ahead of the time they needed to make it there by to stay on track for that miracle time. Amazingly, they appeared fresh and light on their feet. One of the brothers even stooped down to fix a young girl's bike there! This was one of the most touching, amazing shows of caring I ever saw. I mean, where else would the leader of a difficult bicycle race take the time to adjust a child's bicycle for them? 

The co-leader of Trans Iowa v8- fixing a kid's bike while the event was in full swing? Yep! One of the most amazing things I ever saw at a Trans Iowa.

 And think about that- The leaders of Trans Iowa, so confident and calm that they felt they could take care of a kid's bike, and still win the event! I just am still completely blown away by that moment. Things like that made me very proud of what Trans Iowa was. It still does. This is something I'll never forget about the event.

I was hoping the Braun Brothers would prevail, but secretly I was also hoping they would not break that sub-24 hour barrier. Why? Maybe my pride in designing tough courses was at stake. Maybe I would see it as my work being 'lame' and it was too easy? Not sure, but I was doing calculations like some mad scientist trying to figure out when the Braun's would cruise into Grinnell. At Checkpoint Charlie, it still looked like it would be an easy feat for them to accomplish a sub-24 Trans Iowa.

The next stop up the road would be in a small college town and I found a spot where I could sit and observe any Trans Iowa riders going down a bike path into this town without the riders knowing I was there. Perfect! I wrestled with more math, and determined that at the rate the Braun Brothers were going, I should be seeing them before much longer. A need to relieve myself could wait. They'd be there and then I could go find a restroom. It was dark now, and getting colder......

One of the Braun Brothers at the last convenience store on the T.I.v8 route.

And I waited....... Man! I really gotta go, but they should be here any minute! So I tried waiting longer, and the time went by I thought that they should have gone by, and...... Man! I REALLY gotta pee! 

I furtively looked around for a place to discreetly relieve myself. I ended up in a nearby construction firm's parking lot and found my nirvana. Then it was back on watch! Just one more example of the weird situations I got myself into putting on Trans Iowa over the years.

Anyway, the Braun's were slowing down. Not to be wondered at either. But even at their slower pace, they had so much 'time in the bank' to withdraw from that a sub-24 was still in the cards, even at this late point into the event. They reached the last convenience store on the route, 90 miles out, at around 11:30pm on Saturday evening. They had until 2:00pm Sunday to finish. It was a slam dunk they would win. I could see no other outcome.

Then, at nearly 2:00am, with over eleven hours left in the event, the phone buzzed to life. It was one of the Braun's. They were disoriented. They had been off course several times. "....yeah, we're done. Just not feeling it." They reported that they were in a ditch just North of I-80, delirious. Someone was coming to get them. I asked them two or maybe three times if they were sure they were done. Yes, came the answer. With a mere 57 miles to go, they were out. Flamed out.

It was a stunning turn of events, and I don't think I have ever heard of anything like it since. The event now was completely changed. There would be no sub-24 Trans Iowa, as the next chasers, Eric Brunt and Troy Krause, were not on pace to get into Grinnell in under 24 hours from the start. Things swung a totally different direction, and the end game of Trans Iowa v8 would be very different than I thought it would be. In fact, it was weirder than I ever could have dreamed.

Next; Broken Bikes and Broken Fellowship

Trans Iowa Stories: Flaming Out

The Braun Brothers and Charly Tri break away after 100 miles into T.I.v8

 "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!

Sub 24. It was the mythical goal silently talked about amongst the stronger racers that were involved in Trans Iowa. The ability to do the event in such a short amount of time was, to me, also a motivation. Not that I was going to try it, but I was always aware of that being a goal for the fast guys, so I tried to make it hard to accomplish. 

How this idea ever got legs, well, I will never know. I suppose that Ira Ryan doing the first loop course in 25 hours flat was, perhaps, where it all started. At any rate, the first I ever was aware of it was when Joe Meiser won T.I.v5 in a little under 25 hours and told me he would come back to take back the quickest Trans Iowa time if anyone ever beat his time. Note- that happened, but Joe never came back. Family life and whatnot, I heard. Anyway.....

I never would have pegged Trans Iowa v8 as being a version that would have seen a serious threat to the 'sub-24 barrier', but then the Braun Brothers had other ideas, I guess, because they pushed the pace to a ridiculous level during T.I.v8. The course may have baited them into it, or maybe they had a strategy, I never did know, but after 100 miles, they set sail and tore up the road.

MG playing on a scooter at the "Secret Checkpoint" during T.I.v8

The course that year led to a small village with a convenience store at right about the century mark. Most all riders stopped here, as I had strictly warned them that convenience store opportunities were slim that year. Well, I'm not sure if the Braun Brothers stopped or not, but if they did, they didn't stay long, because they and Charly Tri, a Minnesota rider, were up the road alone after the 100 mile mark with no one else in sight. This coincided with what ended up being the flattest part of Trans Iowa that year, so they dieseled along at an amazing pace. There wasn't much wind later into Saturday either, so even that wasn't going to be an issue plus, the weather and roads were tranquil. It all added up to a record early arrival to the the second checkpoint.

By the time the three had reached Checkpoint Bravo, they were back into some heavy hills, and there would be no let up for the rest of the event. In fact, they got worse the closer they got to Grinnell. But, of course, no one knew that. So it was that Charly Tri, trying to keep pace with the Brauns, ended up having a total body shutdown after leaving the second checkpoint. He ended up limping back and calling it in there. This left Travis and Matt Braun alone up front.

Now about this time I was thinking this sub-24 hour Trans Iowa thing might actually go down. The Braun Brothers showed no weakness, and they rolled into the secret checkpoint well ahead of the time they needed to make it there by to stay on track for that miracle time. Amazingly, they appeared fresh and light on their feet. One of the brothers even stooped down to fix a young girl's bike there! This was one of the most touching, amazing shows of caring I ever saw. I mean, where else would the leader of a difficult bicycle race take the time to adjust a child's bicycle for them? 

The co-leader of Trans Iowa v8- fixing a kid's bike while the event was in full swing? Yep! One of the most amazing things I ever saw at a Trans Iowa.

 And think about that- The leaders of Trans Iowa, so confident and calm that they felt they could take care of a kid's bike, and still win the event! I just am still completely blown away by that moment. Things like that made me very proud of what Trans Iowa was. It still does. This is something I'll never forget about the event.

I was hoping the Braun Brothers would prevail, but secretly I was also hoping they would not break that sub-24 hour barrier. Why? Maybe my pride in designing tough courses was at stake. Maybe I would see it as my work being 'lame' and it was too easy? Not sure, but I was doing calculations like some mad scientist trying to figure out when the Braun's would cruise into Grinnell. At Checkpoint Charlie, it still looked like it would be an easy feat for them to accomplish a sub-24 Trans Iowa.

The next stop up the road would be in a small college town and I found a spot where I could sit and observe any Trans Iowa riders going down a bike path into this town without the riders knowing I was there. Perfect! I wrestled with more math, and determined that at the rate the Braun Brothers were going, I should be seeing them before much longer. A need to relieve myself could wait. They'd be there and then I could go find a restroom. It was dark now, and getting colder......

One of the Braun Brothers at the last convenience store on the T.I.v8 route.

And I waited....... Man! I really gotta go, but they should be here any minute! So I tried waiting longer, and the time went by I thought that they should have gone by, and...... Man! I REALLY gotta pee! 

I furtively looked around for a place to discreetly relieve myself. I ended up in a nearby construction firm's parking lot and found my nirvana. Then it was back on watch! Just one more example of the weird situations I got myself into putting on Trans Iowa over the years.

Anyway, the Braun's were slowing down. Not to be wondered at either. But even at their slower pace, they had so much 'time in the bank' to withdraw from that a sub-24 was still in the cards, even at this late point into the event. They reached the last convenience store on the route, 90 miles out, at around 11:30pm on Saturday evening. They had until 2:00pm Sunday to finish. It was a slam dunk they would win. I could see no other outcome.

Then, at nearly 2:00am, with over eleven hours left in the event, the phone buzzed to life. It was one of the Braun's. They were disoriented. They had been off course several times. "....yeah, we're done. Just not feeling it." They reported that they were in a ditch just North of I-80, delirious. Someone was coming to get them. I asked them two or maybe three times if they were sure they were done. Yes, came the answer. With a mere 57 miles to go, they were out. Flamed out.

It was a stunning turn of events, and I don't think I have ever heard of anything like it since. The event now was completely changed. There would be no sub-24 Trans Iowa, as the next chasers, Eric Brunt and Troy Krause, were not on pace to get into Grinnell in under 24 hours from the start. Things swung a totally different direction, and the end game of Trans Iowa v8 would be very different than I thought it would be. In fact, it was weirder than I ever could have dreamed.

Next; Broken Bikes and Broken Fellowship

Trans Iowa Stories: Feeling Low - Part 2

Good ol' Craig Cooper! He had the shop open before the start of T.I.v8.

 "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!

This time we join the story at the beginning of Trans Iowa v8.

The alarm didn't have to go off. I was sneaking peeks at the clock for about the last 45 minutes as I lay in my bed listening to the rain and wind hitting the Comfort Inn and Suites building. I was figuring that this was going to be one of those Trans Iowas. We'd get started, but folks wouldn't make the checkpoints, the weather would be too wild, and "the Trans Iowa would not let you pass", as Tim Ek used to say about the event.

Tim wasn't at this one though. Nope. He had a wedding he had to attend, but he strictly told me that I must look after Charlie Farrow. The previous year, at T.I.v7, I guess things were pretty tough out there and Tim was concerned for his friend being at another T.I. without his wing man. Good friends look out for each other. I understood that and promised that I'd keep an eye out for Charlie's well being during the event. But really......what could I do? I was overwhelmed with concerns. This was the Trans Iowa that would define me, the one I staked everything on, all the chips were in. If I let anyone down, or failed at any one detail, I was going to take it very hard this time. This was all on me. Charlie? He'd be okay, right? He managed his own affairs and finished T.I.v5 after a rough go. I wasn't going to worry about him.

I climbed into my truck and with all my belongings, race stuff, food, and drink for the next 30+ hours, I was off toward downtown Grinnell. I won't kid you, I was pretty nervous. The weather sucked, and I was racing through my mind trying to make sure I didn't have any loose ends. But really, it was too late. This train was rolling now. There was no stopping it.

I wrote the following in my post-event report after T.I.v8:

"A couple things always strike me at the start of Trans Iowa. First- The moment of the start, for me at least, is much like the start of a sled ride. The moment when you feel gravity clawing at the sled and you know that any sense of control is quickly slipping away as the snow and gravitational pull send you flying downwards. It is exciting, and you know that the moments that are coming in the next 34 hours are going to make for one thrilling, crazy, out of control ride.
.
All I can do is ride herd best that I can and pray that all goes well. The ducks on my end were all in a row, but there are so many things happening over miles and miles of Iowa gravel roads that I would be foolish to even think I could be in control over them. Trans Iowa is something that gains a life of its own in that time."

The first of several Wally Kilburg start line images. Just before the wet start of T.I.v8 here.

 Well, things slipped off down that steep hill right on time, and off I went into the darkness. Behind me, 67 riders struggled North, then Eastward, into an ever increasing gale of 25+mph wind. It was only in the low 40's, and the gravel was a mess. I couldn't imagine much worse conditions for the riders to start out in. There was no where to hide in that first sector to the first Level B Road about 29 miles into the event. 

I stopped a couple of times, made a few "Trans Iowa Radio" posts, and then I parked my truck alongside County V-18 at the entrance to the muddy mess of 370th Street. I figured I'd better wait there to get a feel for how fast the riders were going. 29 miles in meant that they should be there around 6:00am, maybe 6:30am, at least for the fast guys. 

That black smudge in the road is the lead pack coming toward me during T.I.v8

They were closer to the 6:30am time, going about what I figured was 12 miles an hour average. Wow...... That was slow for the leaders. I was heartbroken. See, the checkpoint they had to reach closed at 9:30am and was 50+ miles into the course. They had over 20 miles to go, and yes, the leaders would surely make that, but what about the rest? Uggh...... This was looking like T.I.v6 where a bunch of the field never made the first checkpoint. This Level B road was a walker too. No riding that quagmire! That would slow them further. 

I had worked so hard that I wanted more riders to see what I had cooked up for them, but ya know.....sometimes things don't go as planned. I was down. Real down. I was also colder than hell. I'd been out of the truck several times peering into the mists and the wind was relentless. The wind chill must have been into the low 20's, and with all the moisture, it was hard to keep any heat in my body. I had been running the heater on the truck and trying to unfreeze when Wally and George showed up and told me I'd better get on up the road. They were going to stick around and take images for a while at the Level B Road. I gladly bid them adieu, and safely ensconced in my heated cab, I went on my way checking the course into Checkpoint Alpha. 

Later, Wally told me the story of a strange encounter he had at that Level B on 370th Street that morning of Trans Iowa v8. It concerned a certain individual who was to go on to become a figure of legend concerning an event he had started a few years prior to T.I.v8. I had seen him at the pre-race, but I had no idea who he was. See, I had been hobnobbing with those folks I knew, and since the check in table was ably manned and run by Brent Irish, a stellar Trans Iowa volunteer for a few years, I had not met this strange fellow yet. He had a beard and a dashing coonskin cap on. He wasn't very talkative, as I remember, and pretty much kept to himself. I didn't put his face to a name until I called it out at the bag pick up at the end of the evening. 

Lead pack rolling into Checkpoint Alpha during T.I.v8

Well, it was Chris Skogen, of Almanzo 100 fame. I never saw him after that meeting during the event, but Wally said this fellow rolled up on him in the midst of all the Level B Road madness, whipped out a cigarette, and lit up.  Like a high society suitor at a muddy debutante ball, Skogen blithely proclaimed his views on the day between wafts of smoke and waves of his hand. Wally was a bit taken aback, and later had asked me what was up with this dude. Well, Chris DNF'ed there, went home, and that was the last we ever saw of him at Trans Iowa. So, I cannot answer that question. But it was just another one of those odd Trans Iowa stories many people never knew about. 

Back at the Checkpoint Alpha, I was glad to see my volunteer corps ready and waiting for those first bodies through the small town we were set up in. Interestingly, these first checkpoints were generally in small towns and villages. We'd be around from 6;30am onward to about 10:00 am, and never asked anyone's permission to be there. I always figured that we'd be there and gone before anyone noticed we were there. I always used public places, so we weren't encroaching on private property, and usually, The Law was the county sheriff, who had bigger fish to fry on an early Saturday morning.  There were a few times that we attracted attention, but it was never, ever a problem. 

As it turned out, for this version of Trans Iowa, we were pretty much right in the middle of the street! It all worked like a fine oiled machine though. I noted the early arrivals and made plans for a quick edition of "Trans Iowa Radio", then I hightailed it outta there. Checkpoint Alpha wouldn't close for a bit, and I was worried what the outcome would be, but resigned to the fact that at least some riders were still in it. 

Then the time passed for the checkpoint to close. I always instructed my checkpoint leader to call me with numbers and DNF's so I could get my master roster list updated. That year my CP#1 leader was Brent Irish, and he being a military guy, was right on point. The checkpoint had no sooner closed than he was on the horn to me with my information. What he said was astounding to me. We had 55 people pass the checkpoint out of 67 starters. A new Trans Iowa record at the time. I was incredulous, and I think I insulted Brent a bit due to my initial shock and unbelief. But it was real, he assured me, and knowing Brent, I knew this was the truth. Wow!

I hung up with a renewed sense of excitement after that call. I was happy. Things were running like clockwork. There were no issues, and we had a ton of riders still going for it. But, there were many miles and many hours to go. I couldn't celebrate just yet. But if you could have seen me in my truck just then, I'm sure I was sporting a big ol' smile as I drove on Southward.

Next: Charlie! Where Art Thou? 

Trans Iowa Stories: Feeling Low - Part 2

Good ol' Craig Cooper! He had the shop open before the start of T.I.v8.

 "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!

This time we join the story at the beginning of Trans Iowa v8.

The alarm didn't have to go off. I was sneaking peeks at the clock for about the last 45 minutes as I lay in my bed listening to the rain and wind hitting the Comfort Inn and Suites building. I was figuring that this was going to be one of those Trans Iowas. We'd get started, but folks wouldn't make the checkpoints, the weather would be too wild, and "the Trans Iowa would not let you pass", as Tim Ek used to say about the event.

Tim wasn't at this one though. Nope. He had a wedding he had to attend, but he strictly told me that I must look after Charlie Farrow. The previous year, at T.I.v7, I guess things were pretty tough out there and Tim was concerned for his friend being at another T.I. without his wing man. Good friends look out for each other. I understood that and promised that I'd keep an eye out for Charlie's well being during the event. But really......what could I do? I was overwhelmed with concerns. This was the Trans Iowa that would define me, the one I staked everything on, all the chips were in. If I let anyone down, or failed at any one detail, I was going to take it very hard this time. This was all on me. Charlie? He'd be okay, right? He managed his own affairs and finished T.I.v5 after a rough go. I wasn't going to worry about him.

I climbed into my truck and with all my belongings, race stuff, food, and drink for the next 30+ hours, I was off toward downtown Grinnell. I won't kid you, I was pretty nervous. The weather sucked, and I was racing through my mind trying to make sure I didn't have any loose ends. But really, it was too late. This train was rolling now. There was no stopping it.

I wrote the following in my post-event report after T.I.v8:

"A couple things always strike me at the start of Trans Iowa. First- The moment of the start, for me at least, is much like the start of a sled ride. The moment when you feel gravity clawing at the sled and you know that any sense of control is quickly slipping away as the snow and gravitational pull send you flying downwards. It is exciting, and you know that the moments that are coming in the next 34 hours are going to make for one thrilling, crazy, out of control ride.
.
All I can do is ride herd best that I can and pray that all goes well. The ducks on my end were all in a row, but there are so many things happening over miles and miles of Iowa gravel roads that I would be foolish to even think I could be in control over them. Trans Iowa is something that gains a life of its own in that time."

The first of several Wally Kilburg start line images. Just before the wet start of T.I.v8 here.

 Well, things slipped off down that steep hill right on time, and off I went into the darkness. Behind me, 67 riders struggled North, then Eastward, into an ever increasing gale of 25+mph wind. It was only in the low 40's, and the gravel was a mess. I couldn't imagine much worse conditions for the riders to start out in. There was no where to hide in that first sector to the first Level B Road about 29 miles into the event. 

I stopped a couple of times, made a few "Trans Iowa Radio" posts, and then I parked my truck alongside County V-18 at the entrance to the muddy mess of 370th Street. I figured I'd better wait there to get a feel for how fast the riders were going. 29 miles in meant that they should be there around 6:00am, maybe 6:30am, at least for the fast guys. 

That black smudge in the road is the lead pack coming toward me during T.I.v8

They were closer to the 6:30am time, going about what I figured was 12 miles an hour average. Wow...... That was slow for the leaders. I was heartbroken. See, the checkpoint they had to reach closed at 9:30am and was 50+ miles into the course. They had over 20 miles to go, and yes, the leaders would surely make that, but what about the rest? Uggh...... This was looking like T.I.v6 where a bunch of the field never made the first checkpoint. This Level B road was a walker too. No riding that quagmire! That would slow them further. 

I had worked so hard that I wanted more riders to see what I had cooked up for them, but ya know.....sometimes things don't go as planned. I was down. Real down. I was also colder than hell. I'd been out of the truck several times peering into the mists and the wind was relentless. The wind chill must have been into the low 20's, and with all the moisture, it was hard to keep any heat in my body. I had been running the heater on the truck and trying to unfreeze when Wally and George showed up and told me I'd better get on up the road. They were going to stick around and take images for a while at the Level B Road. I gladly bid them adieu, and safely ensconced in my heated cab, I went on my way checking the course into Checkpoint Alpha. 

Later, Wally told me the story of a strange encounter he had at that Level B on 370th Street that morning of Trans Iowa v8. It concerned a certain individual who was to go on to become a figure of legend concerning an event he had started a few years prior to T.I.v8. I had seen him at the pre-race, but I had no idea who he was. See, I had been hobnobbing with those folks I knew, and since the check in table was ably manned and run by Brent Irish, a stellar Trans Iowa volunteer for a few years, I had not met this strange fellow yet. He had a beard and a dashing coonskin cap on. He wasn't very talkative, as I remember, and pretty much kept to himself. I didn't put his face to a name until I called it out at the bag pick up at the end of the evening. 

Lead pack rolling into Checkpoint Alpha during T.I.v8

Well, it was Chris Skogen, of Almanzo 100 fame. I never saw him after that meeting during the event, but Wally said this fellow rolled up on him in the midst of all the Level B Road madness, whipped out a cigarette, and lit up.  Like a high society suitor at a muddy debutante ball, Skogen blithely proclaimed his views on the day between wafts of smoke and waves of his hand. Wally was a bit taken aback, and later had asked me what was up with this dude. Well, Chris DNF'ed there, went home, and that was the last we ever saw of him at Trans Iowa. So, I cannot answer that question. But it was just another one of those odd Trans Iowa stories many people never knew about. 

Back at the Checkpoint Alpha, I was glad to see my volunteer corps ready and waiting for those first bodies through the small town we were set up in. Interestingly, these first checkpoints were generally in small towns and villages. We'd be around from 6;30am onward to about 10:00 am, and never asked anyone's permission to be there. I always figured that we'd be there and gone before anyone noticed we were there. I always used public places, so we weren't encroaching on private property, and usually, The Law was the county sheriff, who had bigger fish to fry on an early Saturday morning.  There were a few times that we attracted attention, but it was never, ever a problem. 

As it turned out, for this version of Trans Iowa, we were pretty much right in the middle of the street! It all worked like a fine oiled machine though. I noted the early arrivals and made plans for a quick edition of "Trans Iowa Radio", then I hightailed it outta there. Checkpoint Alpha wouldn't close for a bit, and I was worried what the outcome would be, but resigned to the fact that at least some riders were still in it. 

Then the time passed for the checkpoint to close. I always instructed my checkpoint leader to call me with numbers and DNF's so I could get my master roster list updated. That year my CP#1 leader was Brent Irish, and he being a military guy, was right on point. The checkpoint had no sooner closed than he was on the horn to me with my information. What he said was astounding to me. We had 55 people pass the checkpoint out of 67 starters. A new Trans Iowa record at the time. I was incredulous, and I think I insulted Brent a bit due to my initial shock and unbelief. But it was real, he assured me, and knowing Brent, I knew this was the truth. Wow!

I hung up with a renewed sense of excitement after that call. I was happy. Things were running like clockwork. There were no issues, and we had a ton of riders still going for it. But, there were many miles and many hours to go. I couldn't celebrate just yet. But if you could have seen me in my truck just then, I'm sure I was sporting a big ol' smile as I drove on Southward.

Next: Charlie! Where Art Thou? 

Trans Iowa Stories: Feeling Low - Part 1

The final version of the Trans Iowa v8 header art. Image by Jeff Kerkove

 "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!

Trans Iowa v8: The details were all laid out and tackled to the best of my abilities. I had checked, double checked, and triple checked every small thing that I could possibly think of. There were zero issues going into this one, unlike the previous years of doing Trans Iowa. No last minute surprises with bad cues, no struggles getting the cues produced. No wondering where the pre-race event would be held. Nope.

No drama.

So, why was I so down in the dumps? I had everything I could possibly cover sewn up solidly. Well, as Jeff Kerkove used to say, "The weather is the wildcard". This was going to be an "even year" Trans Iowa, and we Trans Iowa freaks all knew what that meant! A bad weather year. That was the "legend", at any rate, and it had held true for v2,v4,and v6. Even the roster numbers were down from the previous years record of 76 riders. Trans Iowa v8 would only have 67 riders taking the start. The "curse of the even year" had to have some effect on that.

The thing was, it looked as if the weather was also going to hold up its end of the deal. There was cold, wind, and rain forecast for that Friday night before the event, and it looked every bit as though we'd be dealing with really bad weather, at least during Saturday, for Trans Iowa v8. I had worked so hard to get all my ducks in a row, and now all of it would come to naught due to something I could not control. I was depressed.

From the course of Trans Iowa v8. During the cue sheet checking drive.

There were nagging little things too. Jeff Frings was to bring his video of the "300 Miles of Gravel" to show at the Pre-race Meat-Up, but getting clearance from the venue, and from Grinnell's Chamber of Commerce for video machine and screen use, were details that were draining me of energy. Heck, Jeff didn't even know for sure if he could even make it in time to show the thing. Then I had to line up a room, get all my racer's bags, stuff to run the checkpoints, and volunteer's assigned. Plus, stupid little things like worrying about getting a flat tire with my vehicle were haunting me. The following is something I wrote not long before the event in 2012;

"I have to get my truck looked over for the long day into night into day. Which reminds me. I need to find a jack for that dang thing!"

Ironically, to this day I still do not have a complete working jack for my truck! 

There was also a lot of work done with Sheryl Parmely to get the park again for the finish line, as we had done for v7. Now this leads me to the curious case of why the barn wasn't used as a finish line for T.I.v8. I had to get clearance to have the finish line again at the park, which would have been something I had to do in the Fall of 2011, so by that time, the barn thing probably was already off the table. Here's what I think happened there, as there are no records I can find to support the facts. 

Pretty sure this is from the start line of Trans Iowa v8. Image taker unknown.

Going off memory and what little references I can dredge up on the blog and emails, the main factor appears to have been the thought of moving Trans Iowa from Grinnell. As I have stated before, everything was on the table after v7, at least in terms of changes. Part of that was moving from Grinnell, and the front runner for that move was Winterset, Iowa, ironically the home of the heavily Trans Iowa inspired Iowa Wind and Rock. Anyway, my memory of this is vague, but my guess is that I did not/could not/would not commit to a barn finish due to the uncertainty of my plans. I could bail on a finish line in Grinnell with little repercussions, but to put good friends out, well that wasn't on my list of bridges to burn. Obviously, the event stayed in Grinnell and the "back-up plan" to have the park be the finish line then was important. That's as good an explanation as any, unless someone else in the know can fill in the blanks there. 

So, I went down to Grinnell that Friday, April 27th, 2012, drove a big portion of the first leg of T.I.v8, and found no defects to worry about. The volunteers showed up, the Pre-Race Meat-Up went off without a hitch, and even Jeff Frings showed up in time. I remember the film starting, and in the opening audio, you could hear the cowbells clanking and there was a strange horn blowing. "What the heck?", I thought to myself. "I don't remember hearing a horn blowing at the start." Well, as it turned out, that was me! I was blowing a note on a Salsa Cycles Woodchipper Bar out the window of David's Honda Element as we pulled away. Probably the one and only time that's ever been captured on film! 

Jeff got a boisterous round of applause for the flick he made when the credits rolled. It was all a rousing success, but my heart was anxious and the weather...... I was worried. Afterward I repaired to the Bikes To You bike shop, where we'd be starting the event in only a short time from then. There I found Craig and Rob who were holding an Oakley trade in event. I heard what sounded like my voice over the speakers in the store. There was Jeff! He was playing the film again for Craig and Rob, who missed it to be at their Oakley event. We chatted, had a couple of beers, and then someone rushed in, dripping wet. "It's pouring out there!", the woman said as she shook off the rain. "Great!", I thought to myself as I prepared to leave and get to my motel room, " Just what I needed".  

Later, alone in my motel room, I checked the radar and the future forecast for the next several hours leading up to the start time of 4:00am. It didn't look good. 

I went to sleep that night to the sound of thunder. 

Next: Feeling Low - Part 2