Trans Iowa Stories: Let's Get This One Done - Part 2

 "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!

Rich Wince crosses the line 1st at T.I.v9

 In a previous entry to this series, I was speaking on why it was that Trans Iowa v9 seemed like one of the only Trans Iowa events I didn't really have any strong feelings about. I don't ever really think about this version of Trans Iowa when I think about the 'good times' associated with the event. There doesn't seem to be any really big, stand-out events surrounding it when I briefly consider this version. But that is not a problem for me when it comes to the other 13 versions of Trans Iowa. Why? This was a question that has dogged me for months as I was preparing to cover this part of Trans Iowa history.

The answer seems simple, once I had covered over old ground. I looked back at my initial race report. The week after a Trans Iowa was always dedicated to recapping Trans Iowa from my viewpoint. So, I thought there must be tidbits of information there which might spur on some memories and maybe give me a clue as to why I seemed so ambivalent about T.I.v9. 

The thing is, there would appear to be no outward reasons for this ambivalence. Trans Iowa v9 was a smashing success, compared to the eight that went down before it. The weather was nearly perfect, allowing for 36 people- a new record at the time- to finish. There were no really glaring faults to the running of the event, (there was a near miss, which I'll get to), and I witnessed a second time Women's class finisher and four of the nine women starters finished. We even had a single speed women finisher- Christina Mihaescu, the only one in Trans Iowa history - despite many women trying it single speed afterward. 

Checkpoint #2 @ T.I.v9- (L-R) volunteers Robert Fry, Jeremy Fry, rider Corey Godfrey, and photographer Jason Boucher.

 So, why wouldn't I have fond memories of T.I.v9? The Barn finish was highly successful, we had great volunteers, and no one had any real huge issues. No, it wasn't any of that which made me want to bury this one from my memory banks. What I think partially causes my lack of enthusiasm for T.I.v9 had to do with excess amounts of stress that I had going into 2013. 

2012 marked my tenth year at the old shop where I worked and by this time things were not well with me and that job. Although I was 'okay', deep inside I hated going into work with the way the place was being run. But at the time I had no other viable options and I wasn't really thinking about that anyway. It was just something that was "there"- an underlying issue, you might say. Then another layer was my planning to get out from under "Twenty Nine Inches.com" and, ironically, Trans Iowa. My plan, which I had determined as a goal by this point, was to be free of both things by the end of 2014. T.I.v9 was just an obstacle in the way to that end goal.

Then adding in the stress of the event, having hosted a record number of racers, (91) and the issues which popped up during the event. Things like two people getting bitten by dogs, (Eric Brunt and Steve Fuller), my plan involving cutting the cues down for checkpoints, which almost cost me some major embarrassment, and my waivers getting soaked in Templeton Rye. It was enough to set me over the edge, emotionally and physically. Post v9 I was an emotional wreck. 

T.I.v9 waivers being evaporated of their whiskey content during the event near Brooklyn, Iowa.

 Amazingly, none of the potential pitfalls which could have stained the event caused any big lasting impressions. Either dog bite situation could have gone South in a big way. The waivers? Well, I decided to dry them out by placing them on my window vent with the defroster on high heat which evaporated whiskey leavings so badly that any official that may have stopped by would have had due cause to arrest me. That was kind of a dumb move on my part, looking back. Then, of course, the cues running short at checkpoint #1 was a potential bad look. Fortunately, my volunteers, led by Brent Irish, saved the day by finding a printer to borrow at a small time garage repair place in the tiny village of Ira. What were the chances of that being a resource? I still am amazed at the lengths people would go for me and Trans Iowa. 

So, big deal, right? There were all those positives. The event was won by a rookie, Rich Wince. 36 people finished. Folks thought things were run exceptionally well. There was a great time had at the Barn finish line. As I stated, the weather, despite getting bone chillingly cold Saturday night/Sunday morning, was next to perfect. Any outsider would have thought I would have been elated by the outcome. But you wouldn't have known it by my sudden, random emotional breakdowns the week following. I would burst into tears at a moment's notice. Big, slobbering tears. I had no idea what was wrong with me. It was at once terrifying and baffling. Fortunately the emotional outbursts became less frequent by the end of that following week and by ten days out from T.I.v9, I seemed to be over it all. 

A triumphant Steve Fuller finishes T.I.v9 despite being bitten by a dog during the event.

 Apparently there is a thing called "Post Event Collapse Syndrome". Some folks e-mailed me to say that it was a real thing and to reach out for help if it didn't get better. I had no idea this could happen, but it was another reinforcement to my thinking that after ten Trans Iowas, I had to bail out. T.I.v9 was over, and afterward, I think I buried my memories as a way to protect myself from what had happened the week afterward. Of course, I know it could have been other things, but this makes the most sense to me now looking back. I believe it is the reason I feel like T.I.v9 has no real big meaning to me at this point in my life looking back at it. I just wanted to forget it all, I guess. 

Next: A Hurdle Cleared- On To The Finish Line!

Trans Iowa Stories: Let's Get This One Done - Part 2

 "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!

Rich Wince crosses the line 1st at T.I.v9

 In a previous entry to this series, I was speaking on why it was that Trans Iowa v9 seemed like one of the only Trans Iowa events I didn't really have any strong feelings about. I don't ever really think about this version of Trans Iowa when I think about the 'good times' associated with the event. There doesn't seem to be any really big, stand-out events surrounding it when I briefly consider this version. But that is not a problem for me when it comes to the other 13 versions of Trans Iowa. Why? This was a question that has dogged me for months as I was preparing to cover this part of Trans Iowa history.

The answer seems simple, once I had covered over old ground. I looked back at my initial race report. The week after a Trans Iowa was always dedicated to recapping Trans Iowa from my viewpoint. So, I thought there must be tidbits of information there which might spur on some memories and maybe give me a clue as to why I seemed so ambivalent about T.I.v9. 

The thing is, there would appear to be no outward reasons for this ambivalence. Trans Iowa v9 was a smashing success, compared to the eight that went down before it. The weather was nearly perfect, allowing for 36 people- a new record at the time- to finish. There were no really glaring faults to the running of the event, (there was a near miss, which I'll get to), and I witnessed a second time Women's class finisher and four of the nine women starters finished. We even had a single speed women finisher- Christina Mihaescu, the only one in Trans Iowa history - despite many women trying it single speed afterward. 

Checkpoint #2 @ T.I.v9- (L-R) volunteers Robert Fry, Jeremy Fry, rider Corey Godfrey, and photographer Jason Boucher.

 So, why wouldn't I have fond memories of T.I.v9? The Barn finish was highly successful, we had great volunteers, and no one had any real huge issues. No, it wasn't any of that which made me want to bury this one from my memory banks. What I think partially causes my lack of enthusiasm for T.I.v9 had to do with excess amounts of stress that I had going into 2013. 

2012 marked my tenth year at the old shop where I worked and by this time things were not well with me and that job. Although I was 'okay', deep inside I hated going into work with the way the place was being run. But at the time I had no other viable options and I wasn't really thinking about that anyway. It was just something that was "there"- an underlying issue, you might say. Then another layer was my planning to get out from under "Twenty Nine Inches.com" and, ironically, Trans Iowa. My plan, which I had determined as a goal by this point, was to be free of both things by the end of 2014. T.I.v9 was just an obstacle in the way to that end goal.

Then adding in the stress of the event, having hosted a record number of racers, (91) and the issues which popped up during the event. Things like two people getting bitten by dogs, (Eric Brunt and Steve Fuller), my plan involving cutting the cues down for checkpoints, which almost cost me some major embarrassment, and my waivers getting soaked in Templeton Rye. It was enough to set me over the edge, emotionally and physically. Post v9 I was an emotional wreck. 

T.I.v9 waivers being evaporated of their whiskey content during the event near Brooklyn, Iowa.

 Amazingly, none of the potential pitfalls which could have stained the event caused any big lasting impressions. Either dog bite situation could have gone South in a big way. The waivers? Well, I decided to dry them out by placing them on my window vent with the defroster on high heat which evaporated whiskey leavings so badly that any official that may have stopped by would have had due cause to arrest me. That was kind of a dumb move on my part, looking back. Then, of course, the cues running short at checkpoint #1 was a potential bad look. Fortunately, my volunteers, led by Brent Irish, saved the day by finding a printer to borrow at a small time garage repair place in the tiny village of Ira. What were the chances of that being a resource? I still am amazed at the lengths people would go for me and Trans Iowa. 

So, big deal, right? There were all those positives. The event was won by a rookie, Rich Wince. 36 people finished. Folks thought things were run exceptionally well. There was a great time had at the Barn finish line. As I stated, the weather, despite getting bone chillingly cold Saturday night/Sunday morning, was next to perfect. Any outsider would have thought I would have been elated by the outcome. But you wouldn't have known it by my sudden, random emotional breakdowns the week following. I would burst into tears at a moment's notice. Big, slobbering tears. I had no idea what was wrong with me. It was at once terrifying and baffling. Fortunately the emotional outbursts became less frequent by the end of that following week and by ten days out from T.I.v9, I seemed to be over it all. 

A triumphant Steve Fuller finishes T.I.v9 despite being bitten by a dog during the event.

 Apparently there is a thing called "Post Event Collapse Syndrome". Some folks e-mailed me to say that it was a real thing and to reach out for help if it didn't get better. I had no idea this could happen, but it was another reinforcement to my thinking that after ten Trans Iowas, I had to bail out. T.I.v9 was over, and afterward, I think I buried my memories as a way to protect myself from what had happened the week afterward. Of course, I know it could have been other things, but this makes the most sense to me now looking back. I believe it is the reason I feel like T.I.v9 has no real big meaning to me at this point in my life looking back at it. I just wanted to forget it all, I guess. 

Next: A Hurdle Cleared- On To The Finish Line!

Trans Iowa Stories: The V9 Barn Finish Line

The Barn as seen from the North. Image by Paul LaCava from T.I.v9

 "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!

 Probably one of the more unique things about a couple of the Trans Iowa events was the finish line set up at what I dubbed as "The Barn". This feature of the event was suggested to me as something we should add by Rob Versteegh. Rob had relatives on his wife's side who owned the property where "The Barn" was at. Rob suggested to me that when we brought the event to Grinnell for v6 that it might be a cool feature for Trans Iowa. 

At that time, David and I agreed. The thought was to have this also be "event central' where communications would be emanating from and parties would be happening all night long. We had visions of having Trans Iowa Radio broadcasts happening at The Barn. Essentially, we had some pretty big possibilities which could be implemented and made to enhance the experience for all. 

Grand plans, eh? But as we all know, even the best laid plans can come to naught. T.I.v6 was truncated due to severe weather, so we never made it all the way to finish at The Barn. We did have a makeshift gathering there though, as I have told already. Then there was v7 where......? I can only surmise that I fumbled the ball there and didn't get The Barn deal sewn up in time to have it be a part of the event. When the film, "300 Miles of Gravel" debuted at T.I.v8, it was supposed to have happened at "The Barn", but as Trans Iowa v8 weekend was Easter weekend, the plans had to be nixed as the family that owned the place could not allow us to be out there on Easter weekend. So, when v9 rolled around, Rob insisted we get this plan in gear and his belief that The Barn could be a really cool part of Trans Iowa finally became a reality. 

Three missed attempts at having The Barn be a part of Trans Iowa did not damp my enthusiasm for this either. Between Rob and I, we were excited to bring this part of Trans Iowa to life, and honestly, it was pretty cool. While I did not have the horsepower or the inclination to have The Barn become a huge part of Trans Iowa's functions, during the running of v9's finish line activities it became apparent that this venue had a certain charm to it which was appreciated by many folks. Much of this was just circumstantial. It was due, in part, to the venue's layout and proximity to Grinnell.

The Barn was situated just North of I-80 about three miles West of the main drag where the motels were situated in Grinnell. This made it so that finishers could be taken back for showers, rest, and to prepare to go home, easily and without much fuss. It was close to town, but it had a very rural feeling. The building we used, the actual barn, was a restored barn which had modern electrical outlets, a smooth cement floor, and clean interior. It did not have toilets, which was a bit of a bummer. But it was a very typical looking barn. There was no outward feature that would recommend anyone to taking a second glance at the place, and somehow, that was perfect for Trans Iowa. 

Wally Kilburg's image of The Barn from the Sunday morning of T.I.v9

 The building was also about an eighth of a mile up a two-track 'road'- more like a driveway, although at one time this was an actual road on the grid before I-80 forced it to be truncated just South of The Barn. So, it was marked as a Level B Road. A perfect ending to a Trans Iowa. I parked at a point pretty much straight across from the front of The Barn and ran the finish line there. Of course, being out in the country, alcoholic beverages were no problem. Parking wasn't an issue, and people were free to do pretty much what they needed to do out there and that all worked out fine. This all lent to the vibe of the v9 finish and I think this and v10's finish line experiences were right at the top from my viewpoint for everyone involved. 

Folks hanging out at The Barn at the finish of T.I.v10

The Barn wasn't a perfect finish line, not by any stretch. The lack of toilet facilities notwithstanding, there was the limited access by gravel to the place. Essentially, only two approaches were possible, and while this was not a huge deal, it wasn't going to take long for potential spectating and, maybe, cheating issues, to start occurring had I continued to use the same two approaches over and over again.  

Then there was the fact that Grinnell was 'hosting' Trans Iowa, and yet we weren't finishing the event there. This seemed incongruent to me. The city had rolled out the red carpet for us and done far beyond what I had ever hoped or dreamed of for me and Trans Iowa. Trans Iowa won the Grinnell Tourism Award, fer cryin' out loud! Somehow I knew that finishing out there, with nothing to do with the town, seemed, well......not quite right.

 But the memories and scenes of The Barn finishes were excellent and I savor those moments from time to time yet today. It was the finishes at The Barn, both in v9 and v10, that I thought were the most compelling from an emotional standpoint. Iconic Trans Iowa images were taken there which will forever be some of the main memories for many folks. I've added a couple to this post from v9 and one from v10 which I thought were standouts. I'll do another post like this for v10 separately, so hang on for that. 

It is a shame that only two Trans Iowas ever finished out there. I suppose that makes those two T.I's more special, since they were two outliers of the series. T.I.v11 had the possibility of a Barn finish early on, but family issues made this possibility seem rather tenuous at best. Rather than count on something that may fall through, I decided to move the finish back to Grinnell. The feared family issues then did cause The Barn to be taken off the table as a possibility from that point on as a finish line, so despite T.I.v11 being truncated, we wouldn't have been able to use The Barn again anyway. 

Next: I explore why I am ambivalent about Trans Iowa v9.

Trans Iowa Stories: The V9 Barn Finish Line

The Barn as seen from the North. Image by Paul LaCava from T.I.v9

 "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!

 Probably one of the more unique things about a couple of the Trans Iowa events was the finish line set up at what I dubbed as "The Barn". This feature of the event was suggested to me as something we should add by Rob Versteegh. Rob had relatives on his wife's side who owned the property where "The Barn" was at. Rob suggested to me that when we brought the event to Grinnell for v6 that it might be a cool feature for Trans Iowa. 

At that time, David and I agreed. The thought was to have this also be "event central' where communications would be emanating from and parties would be happening all night long. We had visions of having Trans Iowa Radio broadcasts happening at The Barn. Essentially, we had some pretty big possibilities which could be implemented and made to enhance the experience for all. 

Grand plans, eh? But as we all know, even the best laid plans can come to naught. T.I.v6 was truncated due to severe weather, so we never made it all the way to finish at The Barn. We did have a makeshift gathering there though, as I have told already. Then there was v7 where......? I can only surmise that I fumbled the ball there and didn't get The Barn deal sewn up in time to have it be a part of the event. When the film, "300 Miles of Gravel" debuted at T.I.v8, it was supposed to have happened at "The Barn", but as Trans Iowa v8 weekend was Easter weekend, the plans had to be nixed as the family that owned the place could not allow us to be out there on Easter weekend. So, when v9 rolled around, Rob insisted we get this plan in gear and his belief that The Barn could be a really cool part of Trans Iowa finally became a reality. 

Three missed attempts at having The Barn be a part of Trans Iowa did not damp my enthusiasm for this either. Between Rob and I, we were excited to bring this part of Trans Iowa to life, and honestly, it was pretty cool. While I did not have the horsepower or the inclination to have The Barn become a huge part of Trans Iowa's functions, during the running of v9's finish line activities it became apparent that this venue had a certain charm to it which was appreciated by many folks. Much of this was just circumstantial. It was due, in part, to the venue's layout and proximity to Grinnell.

The Barn was situated just North of I-80 about three miles West of the main drag where the motels were situated in Grinnell. This made it so that finishers could be taken back for showers, rest, and to prepare to go home, easily and without much fuss. It was close to town, but it had a very rural feeling. The building we used, the actual barn, was a restored barn which had modern electrical outlets, a smooth cement floor, and clean interior. It did not have toilets, which was a bit of a bummer. But it was a very typical looking barn. There was no outward feature that would recommend anyone to taking a second glance at the place, and somehow, that was perfect for Trans Iowa. 

Wally Kilburg's image of The Barn from the Sunday morning of T.I.v9

 The building was also about an eighth of a mile up a two-track 'road'- more like a driveway, although at one time this was an actual road on the grid before I-80 forced it to be truncated just South of The Barn. So, it was marked as a Level B Road. A perfect ending to a Trans Iowa. I parked at a point pretty much straight across from the front of The Barn and ran the finish line there. Of course, being out in the country, alcoholic beverages were no problem. Parking wasn't an issue, and people were free to do pretty much what they needed to do out there and that all worked out fine. This all lent to the vibe of the v9 finish and I think this and v10's finish line experiences were right at the top from my viewpoint for everyone involved. 

Folks hanging out at The Barn at the finish of T.I.v10

The Barn wasn't a perfect finish line, not by any stretch. The lack of toilet facilities notwithstanding, there was the limited access by gravel to the place. Essentially, only two approaches were possible, and while this was not a huge deal, it wasn't going to take long for potential spectating and, maybe, cheating issues, to start occurring had I continued to use the same two approaches over and over again.  

Then there was the fact that Grinnell was 'hosting' Trans Iowa, and yet we weren't finishing the event there. This seemed incongruent to me. The city had rolled out the red carpet for us and done far beyond what I had ever hoped or dreamed of for me and Trans Iowa. Trans Iowa won the Grinnell Tourism Award, fer cryin' out loud! Somehow I knew that finishing out there, with nothing to do with the town, seemed, well......not quite right.

 But the memories and scenes of The Barn finishes were excellent and I savor those moments from time to time yet today. It was the finishes at The Barn, both in v9 and v10, that I thought were the most compelling from an emotional standpoint. Iconic Trans Iowa images were taken there which will forever be some of the main memories for many folks. I've added a couple to this post from v9 and one from v10 which I thought were standouts. I'll do another post like this for v10 separately, so hang on for that. 

It is a shame that only two Trans Iowas ever finished out there. I suppose that makes those two T.I's more special, since they were two outliers of the series. T.I.v11 had the possibility of a Barn finish early on, but family issues made this possibility seem rather tenuous at best. Rather than count on something that may fall through, I decided to move the finish back to Grinnell. The feared family issues then did cause The Barn to be taken off the table as a possibility from that point on as a finish line, so despite T.I.v11 being truncated, we wouldn't have been able to use The Barn again anyway. 

Next: I explore why I am ambivalent about Trans Iowa v9.

Trans Iowa Stories: The Lone Ranger Of Trans Iowa

 "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!

 Alone in a truck, bouncing around Iowa. These are the visuals I usually had to myself.

After T.I.v7, when David Pals decided to quit helping with the event, I was on my own again, at least in terms of 'day-of' operations while traversing ahead of the riders during the event. Previous to v8 I had driven myself in v1, v2, v3, and that was it. Versions 4-7 were with David in the car, and a few of those times it was David doing the driving too. So, dealing with everything on race weekend was a new-ish thing come time for v8. 

I suppose it was the adrenaline of that post-v7 deal that drove me to stay awake the entire time during T.I.v8, because I never really had any issues staying awake for that one. However; this was not the case for v9 and v10. The stories of me being the 'lone ranger' out there were concerning many Trans Iowa folks, and after some sketchy deals it was suggested by more than a few folks close to me that maybe I ought to have a rider along with me. So, this post is about how that came about and why. 

I suppose the whole 'near-crashing' story about the Level B road during T.I.v8 and the truck skittering all over was the warning bell for some folks. But then came v9, where I had a really hard time staying awake in the wee hours of Saturday night/Sunday morning. The whole night was a blur to me, really. Driving at 20mph, having to stop multiple times to have the crisp night air awaken me, I'll tell you what..... There were more times than anyone knows about that I was probably a hairs width away from wrecking. Falling asleep at the wheel, its not a skill set for driving I'd recommend learning! 

Like I said though, I never really communicated how bad it was out there. I think people inferred from my "Trans Iowa Radio" posts how far gone I was at times. There were probably some folks also that were watching me closer than I ever knew. And- of course- there were the people who deeply cared about me and the event that worried about me out there no matter what they knew or did not know. Suggestions that I take on a rider in the truck for Trans Iowa duties started around the v9 time period. I brushed it off thinking, "Who would even want to do such a thing?" I mean, thirty-four hours plus in a truck with me, in rural Iowa? I thought that was far too big of an ask of anyone to sacrifice for the event and myself. 

What I learned though was completely different than my initial take on the situation. I learned that some people thought it would be an honor to ride along with me. It was even suggested that I sell time in the seat to people who might want a front row view of the event with me. Now.....that was crazy talk, in my opinion, but it opened my mind up to how folks out there- well some folks -were thinking about me having a driving companion. 

I literally sat here for three hours or so during T.I.v9....alone.

I finally made a turn-around on my feelings about having someone along with me during Trans Iowa v10. Before this though, I knew at times being a "lone ranger" of sorts was not at all fun. There were times of extreme loneliness. Sitting in the truck for hours at a crack, waiting for riders to come and appear as blackish dots on the horizon, or as little bluish points of light, bobbing in the night. 

It was boring, excruciatingly boring, and really hard to do at "o-dark-thirty" when it was near freezing. Now, I hate telling this story, really. Because it sounds like I am whining. I'm not- it is just how I felt about my choices in this event. I knew I was doing this every year I did not have a co-conspirator for the event. I knew full well this would happen, but I tell this story to help illustrate why it was I was resistant to having anyone else go through a similar situation. I figured it was part of the cost of putting on Trans Iowa. Why should anyone else be subjected to this type of experience?

Of course, there were fun times as well. I dearly looked forward to getting to checkpoints. I would check in with all the volunteers, gab about how things were going, maybe have a laugh and a beer along the way. It was always one of the highlights of the event for me. Kind of like having a secret meet-up with other ne'er-do-wells in the remotest parts of Iowa. We would meet up, then disperse, never to be heard from again. 

Or there were those odd times I had interactions with riders. This was much more rare than you'd think, but I remember these times very well. Particular to Trans Iowa v9 was the near mid-night contact I had with eventual winner Rich Wince and Chris Shotz just North of Brooklyn, Iowa on a chilly April night. I watched as Rich overtook Chris for the lead about a half a mile up the road from me. I spoke briefly with both men as they slowly rolled by me, watching for clues as to their condition, and soaking in the knowledge that these two men had already traversed over 200 miles of tough Iowa gravel to get to this point. No sleep till Brooklyn indeed! 

A quick hit-and-run beer gathering in the middle-of-nowhere Iowa during T.I.v9.

But back to what turned the nut for me about getting a co-driver, or a ride-along pal- It was Trans Iowa v10, as I mentioned. This was a night I will never forget. The wind was ferocious all day out of the East. This ended up stirring up a weather system which built up a line of thunderstorms which approached the Trans Iowa course from the South. 

I also had a bridge out situation in the evening which required a pretty big re-route of the course late into the event. I figured I had better not only mark out the re-routed section, but stand at the point where I had diverted the course and alert every rider I saw to be aware of what was about to happen on course. This ended up being at the end of a Level B road section on 190th and J Avenue in Tama County, right on top of a hill with a clear view to the South. I also had parked my truck in such a way that I was pointed due South. 

This is important because I could see the approaching lightning storm. With the heavy winds still blowing, there was a lot of Iowa soil being blown off the mostly bare fields up into the sky. It was very dark by this time, around midnight, as I recall. This made the lightning strikes appear red and orange. It would be pitch black, then the sky from the East to the West would light up suddenly, illuminating the dust and clouds with this ghastly light. There was so much lightning at times that the hell-scape I saw in the constant flashes was nearly overwhelming me with additional fear over the top of worrying about riders and the rerouted section being navigable by these worn out athletes. It was as if I was experiencing an apocalypse of sorts. The violent wind rocked the truck, and when the rains came, it was going sideways across the headlights. Let me tell you, it was horrifying. 

Just getting out of the truck to communicate with each rider was a struggle. A struggle to steady yourself in the strong, gusty winds. A struggle to even communicate, since the thunder and wind was so loud, I remember shouting into the ears of some riders just to get my points across. I didn't know how long I'd be there doing this, but it was a surreal experience. Fortunately the situation was handled extremely well by - once again- unasked for assistance. My volunteers stepped forward, and in doing so, they helped not only make the event a success, but they helped change my mind about this subject of a companion for the event with me. 

The finish line volunteers were all huddled in at The Barn along with some super-fans of the event. Rob Versteegh, who was concerned about how things were going, given the weather, contacted me via text message. Once he learned about my situation, he communicated it to some of the Slender Fungus guys there at The Barn. They, in turn, sprang into action to assist me in helping with the re-route issue. Driving about 60 miles to where I was at, two of the Slender fungus guys, T.J and the Bonk King, stayed on to redirect riders, allowing me to leave and pursue the course recon duties and to be at the finish line. Ari Andonopoulous, who also came along, as he is the "El Presidente'" of the SF, motioned that there was a rider needing assistance that they had picked up on the way to meet me, and that he and this rider were coming with me to drop the guy off back in Grinnell. 

So it was that Ari stuck out the rest of the night with me doing Trans Iowa stuff. It was a refreshing change from the years prior, and guess what? I never had to battle falling asleep! Whoa! A revelatory feeling swept over me upon experiencing this. I knew having a companion along for the journey was a great idea now. As long as someone wanted to do this, I was perfectly fine in allowing it to happen after v10. Obviously, Ari relished his experience, and he said as much, encouraging me to take on a co-rider or even have someone drive me. 

This ended up in Matt Gersib's volunteering of himself for just such duties. It was all set up to happen for the ill-fated v11, but I'll get around to telling that tale later. 

Next: The Story Of The First Barn Finish

Trans Iowa Stories: The Lone Ranger Of Trans Iowa

 "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!

 Alone in a truck, bouncing around Iowa. These are the visuals I usually had to myself.

After T.I.v7, when David Pals decided to quit helping with the event, I was on my own again, at least in terms of 'day-of' operations while traversing ahead of the riders during the event. Previous to v8 I had driven myself in v1, v2, v3, and that was it. Versions 4-7 were with David in the car, and a few of those times it was David doing the driving too. So, dealing with everything on race weekend was a new-ish thing come time for v8. 

I suppose it was the adrenaline of that post-v7 deal that drove me to stay awake the entire time during T.I.v8, because I never really had any issues staying awake for that one. However; this was not the case for v9 and v10. The stories of me being the 'lone ranger' out there were concerning many Trans Iowa folks, and after some sketchy deals it was suggested by more than a few folks close to me that maybe I ought to have a rider along with me. So, this post is about how that came about and why. 

I suppose the whole 'near-crashing' story about the Level B road during T.I.v8 and the truck skittering all over was the warning bell for some folks. But then came v9, where I had a really hard time staying awake in the wee hours of Saturday night/Sunday morning. The whole night was a blur to me, really. Driving at 20mph, having to stop multiple times to have the crisp night air awaken me, I'll tell you what..... There were more times than anyone knows about that I was probably a hairs width away from wrecking. Falling asleep at the wheel, its not a skill set for driving I'd recommend learning! 

Like I said though, I never really communicated how bad it was out there. I think people inferred from my "Trans Iowa Radio" posts how far gone I was at times. There were probably some folks also that were watching me closer than I ever knew. And- of course- there were the people who deeply cared about me and the event that worried about me out there no matter what they knew or did not know. Suggestions that I take on a rider in the truck for Trans Iowa duties started around the v9 time period. I brushed it off thinking, "Who would even want to do such a thing?" I mean, thirty-four hours plus in a truck with me, in rural Iowa? I thought that was far too big of an ask of anyone to sacrifice for the event and myself. 

What I learned though was completely different than my initial take on the situation. I learned that some people thought it would be an honor to ride along with me. It was even suggested that I sell time in the seat to people who might want a front row view of the event with me. Now.....that was crazy talk, in my opinion, but it opened my mind up to how folks out there- well some folks -were thinking about me having a driving companion. 

I literally sat here for three hours or so during T.I.v9....alone.

I finally made a turn-around on my feelings about having someone along with me during Trans Iowa v10. Before this though, I knew at times being a "lone ranger" of sorts was not at all fun. There were times of extreme loneliness. Sitting in the truck for hours at a crack, waiting for riders to come and appear as blackish dots on the horizon, or as little bluish points of light, bobbing in the night. 

It was boring, excruciatingly boring, and really hard to do at "o-dark-thirty" when it was near freezing. Now, I hate telling this story, really. Because it sounds like I am whining. I'm not- it is just how I felt about my choices in this event. I knew I was doing this every year I did not have a co-conspirator for the event. I knew full well this would happen, but I tell this story to help illustrate why it was I was resistant to having anyone else go through a similar situation. I figured it was part of the cost of putting on Trans Iowa. Why should anyone else be subjected to this type of experience?

Of course, there were fun times as well. I dearly looked forward to getting to checkpoints. I would check in with all the volunteers, gab about how things were going, maybe have a laugh and a beer along the way. It was always one of the highlights of the event for me. Kind of like having a secret meet-up with other ne'er-do-wells in the remotest parts of Iowa. We would meet up, then disperse, never to be heard from again. 

Or there were those odd times I had interactions with riders. This was much more rare than you'd think, but I remember these times very well. Particular to Trans Iowa v9 was the near mid-night contact I had with eventual winner Rich Wince and Chris Shotz just North of Brooklyn, Iowa on a chilly April night. I watched as Rich overtook Chris for the lead about a half a mile up the road from me. I spoke briefly with both men as they slowly rolled by me, watching for clues as to their condition, and soaking in the knowledge that these two men had already traversed over 200 miles of tough Iowa gravel to get to this point. No sleep till Brooklyn indeed! 

A quick hit-and-run beer gathering in the middle-of-nowhere Iowa during T.I.v9.

But back to what turned the nut for me about getting a co-driver, or a ride-along pal- It was Trans Iowa v10, as I mentioned. This was a night I will never forget. The wind was ferocious all day out of the East. This ended up stirring up a weather system which built up a line of thunderstorms which approached the Trans Iowa course from the South. 

I also had a bridge out situation in the evening which required a pretty big re-route of the course late into the event. I figured I had better not only mark out the re-routed section, but stand at the point where I had diverted the course and alert every rider I saw to be aware of what was about to happen on course. This ended up being at the end of a Level B road section on 190th and J Avenue in Tama County, right on top of a hill with a clear view to the South. I also had parked my truck in such a way that I was pointed due South. 

This is important because I could see the approaching lightning storm. With the heavy winds still blowing, there was a lot of Iowa soil being blown off the mostly bare fields up into the sky. It was very dark by this time, around midnight, as I recall. This made the lightning strikes appear red and orange. It would be pitch black, then the sky from the East to the West would light up suddenly, illuminating the dust and clouds with this ghastly light. There was so much lightning at times that the hell-scape I saw in the constant flashes was nearly overwhelming me with additional fear over the top of worrying about riders and the rerouted section being navigable by these worn out athletes. It was as if I was experiencing an apocalypse of sorts. The violent wind rocked the truck, and when the rains came, it was going sideways across the headlights. Let me tell you, it was horrifying. 

Just getting out of the truck to communicate with each rider was a struggle. A struggle to steady yourself in the strong, gusty winds. A struggle to even communicate, since the thunder and wind was so loud, I remember shouting into the ears of some riders just to get my points across. I didn't know how long I'd be there doing this, but it was a surreal experience. Fortunately the situation was handled extremely well by - once again- unasked for assistance. My volunteers stepped forward, and in doing so, they helped not only make the event a success, but they helped change my mind about this subject of a companion for the event with me. 

The finish line volunteers were all huddled in at The Barn along with some super-fans of the event. Rob Versteegh, who was concerned about how things were going, given the weather, contacted me via text message. Once he learned about my situation, he communicated it to some of the Slender Fungus guys there at The Barn. They, in turn, sprang into action to assist me in helping with the re-route issue. Driving about 60 miles to where I was at, two of the Slender fungus guys, T.J and the Bonk King, stayed on to redirect riders, allowing me to leave and pursue the course recon duties and to be at the finish line. Ari Andonopoulous, who also came along, as he is the "El Presidente'" of the SF, motioned that there was a rider needing assistance that they had picked up on the way to meet me, and that he and this rider were coming with me to drop the guy off back in Grinnell. 

So it was that Ari stuck out the rest of the night with me doing Trans Iowa stuff. It was a refreshing change from the years prior, and guess what? I never had to battle falling asleep! Whoa! A revelatory feeling swept over me upon experiencing this. I knew having a companion along for the journey was a great idea now. As long as someone wanted to do this, I was perfectly fine in allowing it to happen after v10. Obviously, Ari relished his experience, and he said as much, encouraging me to take on a co-rider or even have someone drive me. 

This ended up in Matt Gersib's volunteering of himself for just such duties. It was all set up to happen for the ill-fated v11, but I'll get around to telling that tale later. 

Next: The Story Of The First Barn Finish

Trans Iowa Stories: T.I.v9 Photo Dump Part 2

 "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!

 Last week I shared with you a bunch of images from the morning, (mainly) of that foggy, ethereal Trans Iowa v9 start. Today I will finish up with the rest of the best, with the exception of certain images I am reserving for story-telling purposes. Again- I regret that I have seemed to have lost a bunch of the images from Jason Boucher and Wally Kilburg. They took images mostly up until the close of Saturday, then Jason had to bug out. Wally reappeared with George the following morning for some killer shots around The Barn finish line. Fortunately, I have been able to source some of these men's shots from T.I.v9 race reports other riders still have up in 2020.

I'll add in some comments along the way to help explain some things as necessary. I hope that you all enjoy looking back at these. For many of us involved in this particular version of Trans Iowa, it should stir up some memories. For the rest of you, this might help explain, in a visual form, why Trans Iowa stuck in the hearts of those who became fans of the event. 

More of that big, chunky gravel on the second leg of T.I.v9's course.

From the morning of T.I.v9's start, after CP#1 near Melbourne, Iowa. Image by Wally Kilburg

Trans Iowa never was noted for long climbs, just hundreds of short, steep ones like this. Image by Wally Kilburg

Just one more from that foggy morning- again- from Wally Kilburg

The Level B road shortly after CP#1. This is now a gated C Level Road

The above image is notable for two reasons. One- the road was completely rideable. Tough, but rideable. Had we had any sort of moisture before the event, it would have knocked a LOT of riders out, since this was a very steep descent and climb, just out of view in this image, which is looking backward on the course, by the way. 

I took this image while leading out ahead of the event that morning. The reason why was that I had to be the one to mark any unmarked corners. The second notable thing here being the lathe board with the day-glo ribbon, which was the protocol I used to mark directions at unmarked corners on the cues. This was a technique I borrowed from the first running of the DK200 several years prior to this. 

Dodging farm equipment on the course of Trans Iowa v9. Image by Michael Lemberger.

This scene above was one I never really witnessed during any Trans Iowa, and - fortunately- I never heard about any incidents involving riders and farm equipment. This was a warning I gave every year prior to any Trans Iowa. SEVERAL times, and perhaps was a help in why we never had any troubles. Of course, Trans Iowa weekend often fell during prime planting time for farmers, especially when the weather was good, and we had near perfection for weather during T.I.v9. So, seeing this image from Michael Lemberger's race report is no surprise. 

Gravel posse: (L-R) Ben Oney, Jat Barre, Paul Errington, and Tim Ek. Image by J. Boucher or T. Ek.

Convenience stores were integral to running Trans Iowa. The distances necessitated opportunities to allow riders to resupply on water and food. These convenience stores also relieved me of having to have aid stations and more volunteers which both would have increased costs and fundamentally changed the event. 

Convenience stores eventually became more than just resupply points. They were strategic points for planning for riders getting through the night. They ended up becoming places where riders could bail out of the event, leaving them at a point easy to reach for support people, and a place, an oasis, of comfort from pain, weather, and mental fatigue. 

Here, in Trans Iowa v9, at Gladbrook Iowa's Casey's store, there was a lot of activity. Riders quit, strategized for the oncoming night, and it provided for a glimpse into the bonds formed by riders in the event. Above we see such a thing happening between the four riders pictured. I highly doubt any of the four pictured here will ever forget those moments together. By the way, I'm not sure if this is a Jason Boucher shot or a selfie by Tim Ek. Either way, it's a good scene. This was also a first for Trans Iowa- the convenience store was beyond checkpoint #2. This REALLY messed with rider's logistics and was a big factor in some rider's either making it to the finish or not. 

An image which Salsa Cycles used a few times. Paul Errington  during the Saturday of T.I.v9 by Jason Boucher

Sunday morning of T.I.v9. Image by A. Andonopoulous

That's a wrap on this photo dump, but there will be more awesome images shared as I tell about a few notable stories behind the scenes at T.I.v9. I'll also have a story about the incredibly emotional finish line scene of this event, so stay tuned......

A Special Note: I learned this week that a former Trans Iowa rider, Paul Black, succumbed to cancer and died recently. He was a well know Des Moines area rider who counted many ultra-endurance events and feats of long suffering cycling as accomplishments. He also has been noted as being a very unassuming and modest man, never making anything of his vast achievements and always at the ready to help other cyclists in their pursuits. Paul was a finisher of Trans Iowa v3. My condolences go out to Paul's family and friends upon the loss of this man. I would like to dedicate this post of Trans Iowa imagery to his memory. 

Next: The "Lone Ranger" of T.I.v9

Trans Iowa Stories: T.I.v9 Photo Dump Part 2

 "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!

 Last week I shared with you a bunch of images from the morning, (mainly) of that foggy, ethereal Trans Iowa v9 start. Today I will finish up with the rest of the best, with the exception of certain images I am reserving for story-telling purposes. Again- I regret that I have seemed to have lost a bunch of the images from Jason Boucher and Wally Kilburg. They took images mostly up until the close of Saturday, then Jason had to bug out. Wally reappeared with George the following morning for some killer shots around The Barn finish line. Fortunately, I have been able to source some of these men's shots from T.I.v9 race reports other riders still have up in 2020.

I'll add in some comments along the way to help explain some things as necessary. I hope that you all enjoy looking back at these. For many of us involved in this particular version of Trans Iowa, it should stir up some memories. For the rest of you, this might help explain, in a visual form, why Trans Iowa stuck in the hearts of those who became fans of the event. 

More of that big, chunky gravel on the second leg of T.I.v9's course.

From the morning of T.I.v9's start, after CP#1 near Melbourne, Iowa. Image by Wally Kilburg

Trans Iowa never was noted for long climbs, just hundreds of short, steep ones like this. Image by Wally Kilburg

Just one more from that foggy morning- again- from Wally Kilburg

The Level B road shortly after CP#1. This is now a gated C Level Road

The above image is notable for two reasons. One- the road was completely rideable. Tough, but rideable. Had we had any sort of moisture before the event, it would have knocked a LOT of riders out, since this was a very steep descent and climb, just out of view in this image, which is looking backward on the course, by the way. 

I took this image while leading out ahead of the event that morning. The reason why was that I had to be the one to mark any unmarked corners. The second notable thing here being the lathe board with the day-glo ribbon, which was the protocol I used to mark directions at unmarked corners on the cues. This was a technique I borrowed from the first running of the DK200 several years prior to this. 

Dodging farm equipment on the course of Trans Iowa v9. Image by Michael Lemberger.

This scene above was one I never really witnessed during any Trans Iowa, and - fortunately- I never heard about any incidents involving riders and farm equipment. This was a warning I gave every year prior to any Trans Iowa. SEVERAL times, and perhaps was a help in why we never had any troubles. Of course, Trans Iowa weekend often fell during prime planting time for farmers, especially when the weather was good, and we had near perfection for weather during T.I.v9. So, seeing this image from Michael Lemberger's race report is no surprise. 

Gravel posse: (L-R) Ben Oney, Jat Barre, Paul Errington, and Tim Ek. Image by J. Boucher or T. Ek.

Convenience stores were integral to running Trans Iowa. The distances necessitated opportunities to allow riders to resupply on water and food. These convenience stores also relieved me of having to have aid stations and more volunteers which both would have increased costs and fundamentally changed the event. 

Convenience stores eventually became more than just resupply points. They were strategic points for planning for riders getting through the night. They ended up becoming places where riders could bail out of the event, leaving them at a point easy to reach for support people, and a place, an oasis, of comfort from pain, weather, and mental fatigue. 

Here, in Trans Iowa v9, at Gladbrook Iowa's Casey's store, there was a lot of activity. Riders quit, strategized for the oncoming night, and it provided for a glimpse into the bonds formed by riders in the event. Above we see such a thing happening between the four riders pictured. I highly doubt any of the four pictured here will ever forget those moments together. By the way, I'm not sure if this is a Jason Boucher shot or a selfie by Tim Ek. Either way, it's a good scene. This was also a first for Trans Iowa- the convenience store was beyond checkpoint #2. This REALLY messed with rider's logistics and was a big factor in some rider's either making it to the finish or not. 

An image which Salsa Cycles used a few times. Paul Errington  during the Saturday of T.I.v9 by Jason Boucher

Sunday morning of T.I.v9. Image by A. Andonopoulous

That's a wrap on this photo dump, but there will be more awesome images shared as I tell about a few notable stories behind the scenes at T.I.v9. I'll also have a story about the incredibly emotional finish line scene of this event, so stay tuned......

A Special Note: I learned this week that a former Trans Iowa rider, Paul Black, succumbed to cancer and died recently. He was a well know Des Moines area rider who counted many ultra-endurance events and feats of long suffering cycling as accomplishments. He also has been noted as being a very unassuming and modest man, never making anything of his vast achievements and always at the ready to help other cyclists in their pursuits. Paul was a finisher of Trans Iowa v3. My condolences go out to Paul's family and friends upon the loss of this man. I would like to dedicate this post of Trans Iowa imagery to his memory. 

Next: The "Lone Ranger" of T.I.v9

Trans Iowa Stories: T.I.V9 Photo Dump 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!

The events of T.I.v9 maybe weren't all that dramatic, but the day/night/day of the event were spectacular in the sense that the photo opportunities were very high in quality and quantity. That we had so many photographers out that day was quite an unusual thing as well. There was Jason Boucher, Wally Kilburg, George Keslin, and Scott Haraldson all armed with big lenses and expensive camera bodies. I also was taking images and I believe a Des Moines Register photographer was also there. Add in some spectacular shots taken by the riders themselves during that event, and the images are just too good and too numerous to get into my regular story telling here. 

So, the plan here is to put up a gob of the best stuff, add a bit of context, and just try to show the imagery of that particular Trans Iowa in a way that might help explain this event's allure, it's challenges, and the beauty of Iowa in Springtime. Enjoy!

This mile section of exceptionally rough gravel was on the course past Checkpoint #1.

A nearly full moon hung over the T.I.v9 course the morning the event started. This view from E. 84th St. N West of Grinnell.

 

The lead-out, here seen at HWY 146's crossing, at the start of T.I.v9. Image by Heather Wince.

Sunrise on the Saturday of T.I.v9 as seen east of Ira, Iowa.

Morning fog as Ari Andonopoulous 'spreads his wings' Image by Jason Boucher

Fog shrouds a rider the morning of the T.I.v9 start. Image by Ari Andonopoulous

A derelict windmill tower stands vigil during the foggy morning of T.I.v9

Unfortunately, I don't seem to have a lot of the really good stuff from Wall Kilburg and George Keslin anymore, but these should be enough to convey the beauty of that Saturday morning. I'll have a Part 2 coming up next, so stay tuned!

Trans Iowa Stories: T.I.V9 Photo Dump 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!

The events of T.I.v9 maybe weren't all that dramatic, but the day/night/day of the event were spectacular in the sense that the photo opportunities were very high in quality and quantity. That we had so many photographers out that day was quite an unusual thing as well. There was Jason Boucher, Wally Kilburg, George Keslin, and Scott Haraldson all armed with big lenses and expensive camera bodies. I also was taking images and I believe a Des Moines Register photographer was also there. Add in some spectacular shots taken by the riders themselves during that event, and the images are just too good and too numerous to get into my regular story telling here. 

So, the plan here is to put up a gob of the best stuff, add a bit of context, and just try to show the imagery of that particular Trans Iowa in a way that might help explain this event's allure, it's challenges, and the beauty of Iowa in Springtime. Enjoy!

This mile section of exceptionally rough gravel was on the course past Checkpoint #1.

A nearly full moon hung over the T.I.v9 course the morning the event started. This view from E. 84th St. N West of Grinnell.

 

The lead-out, here seen at HWY 146's crossing, at the start of T.I.v9. Image by Heather Wince.

Sunrise on the Saturday of T.I.v9 as seen east of Ira, Iowa.

Morning fog as Ari Andonopoulous 'spreads his wings' Image by Jason Boucher

Fog shrouds a rider the morning of the T.I.v9 start. Image by Ari Andonopoulous

A derelict windmill tower stands vigil during the foggy morning of T.I.v9

Unfortunately, I don't seem to have a lot of the really good stuff from Wall Kilburg and George Keslin anymore, but these should be enough to convey the beauty of that Saturday morning. I'll have a Part 2 coming up next, so stay tuned!