Trans Iowa Stories: Assessing The Events So Far

The Subaru Forrester of MG's after T.I.v13

"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 clicking on the "Trans Iowa Stories" link under the blog header. Thanks and enjoy!  

Post Trans Iowa v13 I had a raging headache and my back was a mess for about five days due to all the bouncing around inside of Matt's Subaru for about a full day plus some. But this time I escaped the dreaded post-event emotional meltdown which I had gone through before a few times, at least. The event itself was considered to be one of the classic, epic, 'definitive' Trans Iowas by those who were riding in it or were there to witness it. At the time, I was calling it the toughest Trans Iowa ever. After all is said and done, I think I can still stand by that statement. 

The other thing I think that even I did not realize fully at the time was that by circumnavigating Des Moines with the event, and by getting covered bridges on the event, I had knocked off two of my biggest goals for the route planning. Not to mention how the event had run for 2017, which was pretty much flawless in terms of its execution by my standards. The volunteers were top-notch, the course was well received, and all the participants were accounted for and safe. I really couldn't have asked for anything better, except maybe for a bit nicer weather.

A quote from my blog containing a quote sent to me via an email from Michael Roe, a participant in T.I.v13.

"It was perfect", I was told. The stories about v13 were spilling out on social media and in reports sent to me by riders. It was, oddly enough, a more powerful response than v12 where I had over 40 people finish. But that's the way of this event- people wanted it to be crazy-hard or it wasn't what they thought it should have been in terms of the experience. 

Maybe these folks wanted stories to tell that would be over the top nuts and so impressive that the hearers would not believe them. I guess riding a triple century, plus some, with no sleep, and all in one go isn't enough. Maybe? I don't know.....

A Facebook post sent just before T.I.v13 happened.

I had done it all. Why bother with one more? Well, there were the people that were out there. The people that still believed in Trans Iowa and in what I had created it to be. That was a hard thing to deny and even harder to consider ending. There were those things associated with the event which I cherished. The recon, the figuring out of routes. The camaraderie I shared with volunteers- friends, people who became like family to me. How can you end relationships like those? And there were the people who came year after year to Trans Iowa. How could I disappoint them? 

I had experienced events and circumstances which had changed my life. Obviously, Trans Iowa was set up to give opportunity for the riders to acquire those life-changing experiences, but I was not immune to those either. How could I just walk away from ever having those chances at those types of experiences again? 

Myself and Greg Gleason at the finish of T.I.v13. Image by Michael Roe

But I had another side. Every year the care, the love I poured out into this event was draining, exhausting, and hard to recover from. My family saw what that did to me. My family! They were changing before my eyes and soon I would have adult children. I felt the pressing need to savor every moment with them that I could before they might spread their wings and leave. 

My wife, who doggedly supports every thing I put my hands to, was also the person I needed to listen to when she would tell me she wasn't keen on how much Trans Iowa was hurting me. The worrying, the stress, the times I was gone and she silently would suffer her jealousy of that time lost with me. I knew it. The time was coming that I had to say 'goodbye' to it all. 

And after v13, why not just call it? I had done it all. Everything I wanted to accomplish, at any rate. I had set goals after Trans Iowa v7 and I had achieved every single one of them. I had put on the very best event I could for six years straight. There really wasn't much I could have done to improve upon the pattern I set. 

Plus, times had changed vastly since I had started this journey back in late 2004. Gravel events were mainstream by 2017. Technology had radicalized the social fabric of.....everything- and that affected what I was doing to a large degree. Trans Iowa was really set up to be run in the 1990's, truth be known. But this was the 'twenty-teens' and you couldn't do things that way anymore. The world was a much different place, and myself and my event were anachronisms, reflections of a time past that most people didn't want anything to do with. I felt out of step, to be honest, and despite the many congratulations for what I had accomplished, it was hard for me to see beyond the depressing, heaviness of what I felt my event meant in the grand scheme of things. 

So, remind me- Why did I decide to do just one more again? 

Next: Coming To A Head

Trans Iowa Stories: Assessing The Events So Far

The Subaru Forrester of MG's after T.I.v13

"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 clicking on the "Trans Iowa Stories" link under the blog header. Thanks and enjoy!  

Post Trans Iowa v13 I had a raging headache and my back was a mess for about five days due to all the bouncing around inside of Matt's Subaru for about a full day plus some. But this time I escaped the dreaded post-event emotional meltdown which I had gone through before a few times, at least. The event itself was considered to be one of the classic, epic, 'definitive' Trans Iowas by those who were riding in it or were there to witness it. At the time, I was calling it the toughest Trans Iowa ever. After all is said and done, I think I can still stand by that statement. 

The other thing I think that even I did not realize fully at the time was that by circumnavigating Des Moines with the event, and by getting covered bridges on the event, I had knocked off two of my biggest goals for the route planning. Not to mention how the event had run for 2017, which was pretty much flawless in terms of its execution by my standards. The volunteers were top-notch, the course was well received, and all the participants were accounted for and safe. I really couldn't have asked for anything better, except maybe for a bit nicer weather.

A quote from my blog containing a quote sent to me via an email from Michael Roe, a participant in T.I.v13.

"It was perfect", I was told. The stories about v13 were spilling out on social media and in reports sent to me by riders. It was, oddly enough, a more powerful response than v12 where I had over 40 people finish. But that's the way of this event- people wanted it to be crazy-hard or it wasn't what they thought it should have been in terms of the experience. 

Maybe these folks wanted stories to tell that would be over the top nuts and so impressive that the hearers would not believe them. I guess riding a triple century, plus some, with no sleep, and all in one go isn't enough. Maybe? I don't know.....

A Facebook post sent just before T.I.v13 happened.

I had done it all. Why bother with one more? Well, there were the people that were out there. The people that still believed in Trans Iowa and in what I had created it to be. That was a hard thing to deny and even harder to consider ending. There were those things associated with the event which I cherished. The recon, the figuring out of routes. The camaraderie I shared with volunteers- friends, people who became like family to me. How can you end relationships like those? And there were the people who came year after year to Trans Iowa. How could I disappoint them? 

I had experienced events and circumstances which had changed my life. Obviously, Trans Iowa was set up to give opportunity for the riders to acquire those life-changing experiences, but I was not immune to those either. How could I just walk away from ever having those chances at those types of experiences again? 

Myself and Greg Gleason at the finish of T.I.v13. Image by Michael Roe

But I had another side. Every year the care, the love I poured out into this event was draining, exhausting, and hard to recover from. My family saw what that did to me. My family! They were changing before my eyes and soon I would have adult children. I felt the pressing need to savor every moment with them that I could before they might spread their wings and leave. 

My wife, who doggedly supports every thing I put my hands to, was also the person I needed to listen to when she would tell me she wasn't keen on how much Trans Iowa was hurting me. The worrying, the stress, the times I was gone and she silently would suffer her jealousy of that time lost with me. I knew it. The time was coming that I had to say 'goodbye' to it all. 

And after v13, why not just call it? I had done it all. Everything I wanted to accomplish, at any rate. I had set goals after Trans Iowa v7 and I had achieved every single one of them. I had put on the very best event I could for six years straight. There really wasn't much I could have done to improve upon the pattern I set. 

Plus, times had changed vastly since I had started this journey back in late 2004. Gravel events were mainstream by 2017. Technology had radicalized the social fabric of.....everything- and that affected what I was doing to a large degree. Trans Iowa was really set up to be run in the 1990's, truth be known. But this was the 'twenty-teens' and you couldn't do things that way anymore. The world was a much different place, and myself and my event were anachronisms, reflections of a time past that most people didn't want anything to do with. I felt out of step, to be honest, and despite the many congratulations for what I had accomplished, it was hard for me to see beyond the depressing, heaviness of what I felt my event meant in the grand scheme of things. 

So, remind me- Why did I decide to do just one more again? 

Next: Coming To A Head

Trans Iowa Stories: When The Clock Strikes Two:

(L-R) Matt Aker, Walter Zitz, and Jackson Hinde finish T.I.v13 (Image by Jon Duke)

 "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 clicking on the "Trans Iowa Stories" link under the blog header. Thanks and enjoy!  

Greg Gleason had no sooner loaded up and left when here came three riders, Matt Aker, a rookie to Trans Iowa, Walter Zitz, the co-winner of v12, and Jackson Hinde, a top finisher in v12. They finished together and me, being none the wiser, figured that this trio had been together for much of the event. However; that was not the case, as I found out later on.

Walter was a great long distance cyclist before he tried Trans Iowa and, as it turned out, he was great at Trans Iowa as well. So good that his finishing place, to me, was a bit curious as I expected him to at least hang with Gleason and Hughes. However; an untimely puncture put an end to Walter running up front with those two riders. In fact, Walter was relieved to be freed from riding, at what he said was, an 'infernal pace'. He fell back in the running to Matt Aker, himself an accomplished long distance cyclist, but a 'rookie' to Trans Iowa. The pair found themselves at times riding with Jackson, who, as I have stated here, was a front runner in his rookie attempt at Trans Iowa two years prior. 

Jackson possibly had the most fortunate of finishes as he related to me that just prior to reaching Checkpoint #2 he had been laying in a ditch vomiting! How he recovered from that and still caught up with Zitz and Aker is another amazing story from this event. By all accounts, Hinde should have fallen prey to his gastrointestinal issues and in combination with the awful weather, he had basically no chance to finish, except that he did. 

Jackson Hinde gets the handshake . Image by Jon Duke

The flurry of activity from the time where Gleason finished to when the trio of Hinde, Aker, and Zitz left the finish area marked the best of times at the end of Trans Iowa v13. What followed seemed to be a tortuously long wait in solitary confinement for the two o'clock finish to Trans Iowa. 

When Aker, Hinde, and Zitz finished, Jon Duke, who I had allowed to go out and shadow the finish of T.I.v13, came in and reported that he was done. The weather and the remaining riders not being good enough for him to withstand being exposed to the elements, which were still rather extreme at that point. The wind was still strong and it hadn't really warmed up much at all. Being out of doors was still a very poor choice on this mid-day of the end of Trans Iowa v13. 

Before Jon left me there though, he reported that there were at least two riders still coming in. One 'might make it' by 2:00pm, the cut-off for the event, but the other guy was pushing his luck on the limits of time. Jon was unsure either guy would actually make the finish on time. I thanked him for his information and for his work on imagery, (which afterward I was astounded by), and he left. 

 

One of my all-time favorite images of Trans Iowa- Mark Johnson near the finish of T.I.v13 by Jon Duke

When Jon pulled out of the parking lot, he left me with three cars besides my truck there. One vehicle contained my volunteer, Sveta Vold and her daughter. The second and third cars were support people for the two remaining riders in Trans Iowa. We all huddled in our vehicles, engines running to warm cold bones, and we waited, and waited.......

I suppose this time period was really only an hour and fifteen minutes or so, but that hour and fifteen minutes seemed interminably long. I had been up for 35 hours by this point with no sleep, so things get a little weird by that stretch with no sleep. I was alone with my thoughts and trying to keep my eyes open was a real struggle. All I wanted to do was to go home at this point. The event was not 'fun' anymore, all my friends had left me and gone their way, and even the weather conspired to keep me isolated due to the circumstances. 

One thing really stood out to me about this time period. As I was sitting there stewing over the situation, riding herd on my volatile emotional state, a knock came on the fogged over window of the truck. I could vaguely make out Sveta Vold's figure motioning for me to open up my window. I obliged her and she offered me some hot tea and a couple cakes. It was a sweet gesture and it really made a big difference to me in terms of my emotional state. Funny how a little thing can really make all the difference in the world. 

Mark Johnson finishes T.I.v13 with ten minutes to spare. Image by Sveta Vold.

Time was running out now on Trans Iowa v13. It was getting close to 2:00pm, the traditional cut-off time for the event. This time was set for two reasons. One- the event needed to have a timing goal for participants for the challenge part to make any sense. Secondly, and most important to me, was that by having a time limitation, you could set goal posts for your volunteers. They could know when they were going to be done helping you. 

I always was flummoxed when other event directors would waffle on holding to time limitations. I mean, on the one hand, you have a sort of deep empathy for those who are 'close', have the physical abilities to actually come in under their own power, but are not meeting the time goal. You maybe feel like 'giving that person a break', but - in my opinion- that is cheapening the achievements of those who did make it under the time limit. I mean, if you aren't going to hold to your set time limits, why would you expect any riders to try to meet them? 

That seemed obvious to me, so when it got to be 1:45pm, I was starting to pack up my papers and get organized for my hour and a half drive home. But just afterward, I saw a figure on a bicycle. It was a Trans Iowa rider, but this figure also looked more than a bit comical with plastic bags flapping from handlebars and from underneath his coat. It was the lone single speed finisher of T.I.v13, Mark Johnson. 

Sveta hopped out and congratulated Mark, and his support person was there to give Mark a hand as he was a bit out of sorts. Mark was happy, but he was also - most probably- suffering from exposure to the elements. After almost 34 hours of being in that hellish storm, I was perhaps more astounded by Mark's ride than by Dan's. 

Volunteer Tony McGrane's truck after T.I.v13

Mark was quickly taken into the waiting warmth of his support person's vehicle, and rightly so. No time for extended conversations when you have someone bordering on hypothermia, if in fact Mark wasn't already in the throes of hypothermia. That car sped away. I bid Sveta goodbye as well. There was no chance that anyone else was going to finish Trans Iowa now, as it was only a few minutes before 2:00pm. 

The only other car there had Dan Lockery's support person in it. (It may have been his father, as I recall) So, this was a moment which I had a couple of sharp points made for me. One was somewhat obvious, the second, maybe not so much. 

Dan's support person pulled out his cell phone, and he showed me something I found to be a bit of a discouragement. He had a map with a beacon showing the exact location of Dan on the roads near Grinnell. Now- of course- only Dan and I knew the exact course into town, but I immediately saw the possibilities for cheating here. Uggh..... That was pretty much my mental reaction to seeing that technology. "Here's something that is going to be a big problem in the future for events like mine.", and then I had to ask this man to repeat the question. He wanted to know how long I thought it might take for Dan to finish. 

I looked at my watch, and I flatly stated to the man that he wasn't going to make it. He'd probably be ten to fifteen minutes after the cut-off, if he was holding a decent pace. But I said that it didn't matter to me. The gentleman looked at me aghast and said something to the effect of, "You mean you are not going to wait until he finishes?!" And I replied, "Nope! Trans Iowa is over at 2:00 o'clock. After that you are on yer own!", and I turned, hopped into my truck, and started the long drive home.

Next: Assessing The Events So Far

Trans Iowa Stories: When The Clock Strikes Two:

(L-R) Matt Aker, Walter Zitz, and Jackson Hinde finish T.I.v13 (Image by Jon Duke)

 "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 clicking on the "Trans Iowa Stories" link under the blog header. Thanks and enjoy!  

Greg Gleason had no sooner loaded up and left when here came three riders, Matt Aker, a rookie to Trans Iowa, Walter Zitz, the co-winner of v12, and Jackson Hinde, a top finisher in v12. They finished together and me, being none the wiser, figured that this trio had been together for much of the event. However; that was not the case, as I found out later on.

Walter was a great long distance cyclist before he tried Trans Iowa and, as it turned out, he was great at Trans Iowa as well. So good that his finishing place, to me, was a bit curious as I expected him to at least hang with Gleason and Hughes. However; an untimely puncture put an end to Walter running up front with those two riders. In fact, Walter was relieved to be freed from riding, at what he said was, an 'infernal pace'. He fell back in the running to Matt Aker, himself an accomplished long distance cyclist, but a 'rookie' to Trans Iowa. The pair found themselves at times riding with Jackson, who, as I have stated here, was a front runner in his rookie attempt at Trans Iowa two years prior. 

Jackson possibly had the most fortunate of finishes as he related to me that just prior to reaching Checkpoint #2 he had been laying in a ditch vomiting! How he recovered from that and still caught up with Zitz and Aker is another amazing story from this event. By all accounts, Hinde should have fallen prey to his gastrointestinal issues and in combination with the awful weather, he had basically no chance to finish, except that he did. 

Jackson Hinde gets the handshake . Image by Jon Duke

The flurry of activity from the time where Gleason finished to when the trio of Hinde, Aker, and Zitz left the finish area marked the best of times at the end of Trans Iowa v13. What followed seemed to be a tortuously long wait in solitary confinement for the two o'clock finish to Trans Iowa. 

When Aker, Hinde, and Zitz finished, Jon Duke, who I had allowed to go out and shadow the finish of T.I.v13, came in and reported that he was done. The weather and the remaining riders not being good enough for him to withstand being exposed to the elements, which were still rather extreme at that point. The wind was still strong and it hadn't really warmed up much at all. Being out of doors was still a very poor choice on this mid-day of the end of Trans Iowa v13. 

Before Jon left me there though, he reported that there were at least two riders still coming in. One 'might make it' by 2:00pm, the cut-off for the event, but the other guy was pushing his luck on the limits of time. Jon was unsure either guy would actually make the finish on time. I thanked him for his information and for his work on imagery, (which afterward I was astounded by), and he left. 

 

One of my all-time favorite images of Trans Iowa- Mark Johnson near the finish of T.I.v13 by Jon Duke

When Jon pulled out of the parking lot, he left me with three cars besides my truck there. One vehicle contained my volunteer, Sveta Vold and her daughter. The second and third cars were support people for the two remaining riders in Trans Iowa. We all huddled in our vehicles, engines running to warm cold bones, and we waited, and waited.......

I suppose this time period was really only an hour and fifteen minutes or so, but that hour and fifteen minutes seemed interminably long. I had been up for 35 hours by this point with no sleep, so things get a little weird by that stretch with no sleep. I was alone with my thoughts and trying to keep my eyes open was a real struggle. All I wanted to do was to go home at this point. The event was not 'fun' anymore, all my friends had left me and gone their way, and even the weather conspired to keep me isolated due to the circumstances. 

One thing really stood out to me about this time period. As I was sitting there stewing over the situation, riding herd on my volatile emotional state, a knock came on the fogged over window of the truck. I could vaguely make out Sveta Vold's figure motioning for me to open up my window. I obliged her and she offered me some hot tea and a couple cakes. It was a sweet gesture and it really made a big difference to me in terms of my emotional state. Funny how a little thing can really make all the difference in the world. 

Mark Johnson finishes T.I.v13 with ten minutes to spare. Image by Sveta Vold.

Time was running out now on Trans Iowa v13. It was getting close to 2:00pm, the traditional cut-off time for the event. This time was set for two reasons. One- the event needed to have a timing goal for participants for the challenge part to make any sense. Secondly, and most important to me, was that by having a time limitation, you could set goal posts for your volunteers. They could know when they were going to be done helping you. 

I always was flummoxed when other event directors would waffle on holding to time limitations. I mean, on the one hand, you have a sort of deep empathy for those who are 'close', have the physical abilities to actually come in under their own power, but are not meeting the time goal. You maybe feel like 'giving that person a break', but - in my opinion- that is cheapening the achievements of those who did make it under the time limit. I mean, if you aren't going to hold to your set time limits, why would you expect any riders to try to meet them? 

That seemed obvious to me, so when it got to be 1:45pm, I was starting to pack up my papers and get organized for my hour and a half drive home. But just afterward, I saw a figure on a bicycle. It was a Trans Iowa rider, but this figure also looked more than a bit comical with plastic bags flapping from handlebars and from underneath his coat. It was the lone single speed finisher of T.I.v13, Mark Johnson. 

Sveta hopped out and congratulated Mark, and his support person was there to give Mark a hand as he was a bit out of sorts. Mark was happy, but he was also - most probably- suffering from exposure to the elements. After almost 34 hours of being in that hellish storm, I was perhaps more astounded by Mark's ride than by Dan's. 

Volunteer Tony McGrane's truck after T.I.v13

Mark was quickly taken into the waiting warmth of his support person's vehicle, and rightly so. No time for extended conversations when you have someone bordering on hypothermia, if in fact Mark wasn't already in the throes of hypothermia. That car sped away. I bid Sveta goodbye as well. There was no chance that anyone else was going to finish Trans Iowa now, as it was only a few minutes before 2:00pm. 

The only other car there had Dan Lockery's support person in it. (It may have been his father, as I recall) So, this was a moment which I had a couple of sharp points made for me. One was somewhat obvious, the second, maybe not so much. 

Dan's support person pulled out his cell phone, and he showed me something I found to be a bit of a discouragement. He had a map with a beacon showing the exact location of Dan on the roads near Grinnell. Now- of course- only Dan and I knew the exact course into town, but I immediately saw the possibilities for cheating here. Uggh..... That was pretty much my mental reaction to seeing that technology. "Here's something that is going to be a big problem in the future for events like mine.", and then I had to ask this man to repeat the question. He wanted to know how long I thought it might take for Dan to finish. 

I looked at my watch, and I flatly stated to the man that he wasn't going to make it. He'd probably be ten to fifteen minutes after the cut-off, if he was holding a decent pace. But I said that it didn't matter to me. The gentleman looked at me aghast and said something to the effect of, "You mean you are not going to wait until he finishes?!" And I replied, "Nope! Trans Iowa is over at 2:00 o'clock. After that you are on yer own!", and I turned, hopped into my truck, and started the long drive home.

Next: Assessing The Events So Far

Trans Iowa Stories: A Contrast Of Two Cyclists

Mark Johnson struggles against winds, hills, and his single gear. Image by Jon Duke

  "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 clicking on the "Trans Iowa Stories" link under the blog header. Thanks and enjoy!  

Dan Hughes had won Trans Iowa v13, and for probably more than half of the event we were pretty much solely focused on his progress. However; Dan wasn't the only one who finished, and he was chased for the entirety of the last 170 miles by Greg Gleason. 

Greg had already proven his acumen at Trans Iowa by winning the first one he entered (v10) and coming in as a co-winner the previous year to v13 with Walter Zitz, the pair nearly breaking the 24hr time for a finish. Greg was expected to do well here, and he proved once again that he was, perhaps, the best Trans Iowa rider in the history of the event. 

There were a few oddities regarding T.I.v13, Greg, and his rival Dan Hughes. First off, Greg was not set up to make an all-out assault on a win for this particular year. No, he had bigger fish to fry coming later in 2017 as he was going to attempt the Tour Divide. So, he claimed he had something of an extra amount of weight which he wanted to test himself with at T.I.v13. At one point during the event he relayed that he couldn't hang on to Hughes' wheel up the many steep rollers, and Hughes got away. This resulted in Hughes gaining about an hour and a half gap on Gleason by Checkpoint #2. 

MG giving Hughes a hug. Image taker unknown

Hughes, as has been documented already, was set up to be as light as possible, his set up eschewing any sense of warm clothes or even extra bottles, bags, or the typical things that you might see a self-supported rider carrying. So, on the one hand we thought that the weather was going to do him in, but since it did not, his set up allowed his faster travel over those roads versus what other riders had chosen to do. 

This is why I feel the most underrated story of T.I.v13 is what Greg Gleason did overnight and up to the end of the event. Greg pulled back a full 45 minutes of that hour and a half deficit to Hughes to finish 45 minutes after him. this is even more astounding when you consider that the finish was into the teeth of a 25-30mph wind and up some of the steepest hills of the event. That Tour Divide load didn't seem to matter much, but you have to wonder, what if? Had Gleason been 100% in for the win? I think we would have seen a very different event. 

Then there was some sort of friction between Gleason and Hughes which I never really understood. Gleason alluded to this when we saw him at Checkpoint #2, but he really was a bit steamed about it at the finish. He spoke about 'attitudes' and a refusal from Hughes to work with him, if I recall correctly. At any rate, there was some agitation on the part of Gleason at the finish which animated his conversation we had at the back of his vehicle as he loaded up to bug out. 

It was quite a contrast in cyclists. Gleason came in pretty much as he had previously at Trans Iowa. He looked fresh, not like a man who had been through a hellish 300+ mile ride. He was animated, jovial, and had a beer while onlookers stood amazed while prying him with questions. Greg didn't seem to mind. He answered them all and with a smile. Hughes, on the other hand, was gone within a few minutes of his arriving at Miller Park and didn't really rub shoulders with many of the onlookers there. He was more reserved, and his countenance was deep and felt more heavy. 

Greg Gleason smiles as he sips his Surly beer after T.I.v13.

Another thing that I always was impressed by, and I think of this particularly when I think about Greg at the finish of v13, is how the human body stays warm after 25-30-ish hours of straight riding. Look at Greg there, bare handing a cold beer in temperatures and in air that conspired to suck the very lifeblood out of anyone else standing there. You'll note the onlookers in the images here. How they are all bundled up against the wind and cold, damp air. 

Not Greg! Coat unzipped, nothing but a cycling cap on his head, and no gloves on. He was toasty warm! I don't know, but maybe I am an oddball for noticing these things. I just always found this characteristic of finishers of Trans Iowa to be remarkable. 

Greg loaded up, said a few goodbyes, and motored out of Miller Park. This seemed to signal to many of the other onlookers that it was time for them to leave as well. Of course, it was after 12 noon by this point in the day. Many folks there had been up all night long, or had been up late and not slept much. The weather was inhospitable yet, and all the excitement was gone. But I still had a few riders to look out for yet, and Trans Iowa was not over.

The ending of T.I.v13 was one which I feel was perhaps the ending with one of the deepest feeling of loneliness I have experienced at this event. Maybe v3 was close, but I was delirious at that point of that event. Anyway.....I'll get to that next week.

Next: When The Clock Strikes Two

Trans Iowa Stories: A Contrast Of Two Cyclists

Mark Johnson struggles against winds, hills, and his single gear. Image by Jon Duke

  "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 clicking on the "Trans Iowa Stories" link under the blog header. Thanks and enjoy!  

Dan Hughes had won Trans Iowa v13, and for probably more than half of the event we were pretty much solely focused on his progress. However; Dan wasn't the only one who finished, and he was chased for the entirety of the last 170 miles by Greg Gleason. 

Greg had already proven his acumen at Trans Iowa by winning the first one he entered (v10) and coming in as a co-winner the previous year to v13 with Walter Zitz, the pair nearly breaking the 24hr time for a finish. Greg was expected to do well here, and he proved once again that he was, perhaps, the best Trans Iowa rider in the history of the event. 

There were a few oddities regarding T.I.v13, Greg, and his rival Dan Hughes. First off, Greg was not set up to make an all-out assault on a win for this particular year. No, he had bigger fish to fry coming later in 2017 as he was going to attempt the Tour Divide. So, he claimed he had something of an extra amount of weight which he wanted to test himself with at T.I.v13. At one point during the event he relayed that he couldn't hang on to Hughes' wheel up the many steep rollers, and Hughes got away. This resulted in Hughes gaining about an hour and a half gap on Gleason by Checkpoint #2. 

MG giving Hughes a hug. Image taker unknown

Hughes, as has been documented already, was set up to be as light as possible, his set up eschewing any sense of warm clothes or even extra bottles, bags, or the typical things that you might see a self-supported rider carrying. So, on the one hand we thought that the weather was going to do him in, but since it did not, his set up allowed his faster travel over those roads versus what other riders had chosen to do. 

This is why I feel the most underrated story of T.I.v13 is what Greg Gleason did overnight and up to the end of the event. Greg pulled back a full 45 minutes of that hour and a half deficit to Hughes to finish 45 minutes after him. this is even more astounding when you consider that the finish was into the teeth of a 25-30mph wind and up some of the steepest hills of the event. That Tour Divide load didn't seem to matter much, but you have to wonder, what if? Had Gleason been 100% in for the win? I think we would have seen a very different event. 

Then there was some sort of friction between Gleason and Hughes which I never really understood. Gleason alluded to this when we saw him at Checkpoint #2, but he really was a bit steamed about it at the finish. He spoke about 'attitudes' and a refusal from Hughes to work with him, if I recall correctly. At any rate, there was some agitation on the part of Gleason at the finish which animated his conversation we had at the back of his vehicle as he loaded up to bug out. 

It was quite a contrast in cyclists. Gleason came in pretty much as he had previously at Trans Iowa. He looked fresh, not like a man who had been through a hellish 300+ mile ride. He was animated, jovial, and had a beer while onlookers stood amazed while prying him with questions. Greg didn't seem to mind. He answered them all and with a smile. Hughes, on the other hand, was gone within a few minutes of his arriving at Miller Park and didn't really rub shoulders with many of the onlookers there. He was more reserved, and his countenance was deep and felt more heavy. 

Greg Gleason smiles as he sips his Surly beer after T.I.v13.

Another thing that I always was impressed by, and I think of this particularly when I think about Greg at the finish of v13, is how the human body stays warm after 25-30-ish hours of straight riding. Look at Greg there, bare handing a cold beer in temperatures and in air that conspired to suck the very lifeblood out of anyone else standing there. You'll note the onlookers in the images here. How they are all bundled up against the wind and cold, damp air. 

Not Greg! Coat unzipped, nothing but a cycling cap on his head, and no gloves on. He was toasty warm! I don't know, but maybe I am an oddball for noticing these things. I just always found this characteristic of finishers of Trans Iowa to be remarkable. 

Greg loaded up, said a few goodbyes, and motored out of Miller Park. This seemed to signal to many of the other onlookers that it was time for them to leave as well. Of course, it was after 12 noon by this point in the day. Many folks there had been up all night long, or had been up late and not slept much. The weather was inhospitable yet, and all the excitement was gone. But I still had a few riders to look out for yet, and Trans Iowa was not over.

The ending of T.I.v13 was one which I feel was perhaps the ending with one of the deepest feeling of loneliness I have experienced at this event. Maybe v3 was close, but I was delirious at that point of that event. Anyway.....I'll get to that next week.

Next: When The Clock Strikes Two

Trans Iowa Stories: An Ending- A Release

Zitz, Aker, and Hinde coming home near the end of T.I.v13. Image by Jon Duke.

 "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 clicking on the "Trans Iowa Stories" link under the blog header. Thanks and enjoy!  

Miller Park was a cold, wet, and wind swept place on Sunday, April 30th, 2017. It was not a good place to be, but that wasn't particular to Miller Park. It was just downright inhospitable anywhere out of doors on that morning. The kind of morning on which a good church goer would seriously entertain the idea of skipping services. But there we were, a small group of Trans Iowa folks. Waiting.....

I guess we thought Dan Hughes had some sort of super-power that day. We were amazed at his tenacity and perseverance. We were amazed that he was going to finish. We were amazed that anyone was going to finish! 

 Of course, Trans Iowa any year it was held, was no joke from a cycling perspective. 300+ miles, self-navigated, self-supported, and under time limits. Then throw in whatever roads I found: Hills, dirt roads, and even the occasional bike path. On top of all of that, toss on some fresh gravel. Finish it all with a heaping dose of weather. Depending upon the mixture and the nature of the ingredients, Trans Iowa was either a very tough challenge, ridiculously hard, or impossible. When it was on the edge of "ridiculously hard" and not quite "impossible", that was what most folks wanted to see. They called these "classic Trans Iowas". 

This Trans Iowa definitely fell into that "classic" status, and we all knew it while it was unfolding. That's why we were all standing around, shivering, trying to stay warm. We wanted to be eye witnesses to possibly the greatest Trans Iowa finish ever. 

(L-R) Trans Iowa veteran, Ari Andonopoulous, volunteer and T.I. finisher Mike Johnson, and volunteer and T.I. finisher Steve Fuller all awaiting the arrival of Dan Hughes.  (Image by Michael Roe)

From a logistical standpoint I was doing well. The event was going well and I had a finish line volunteer lined up again, which generally speaking wasn't always the case. This time it was Sveta Vold and her youngest daughter, Yeva. She was maybe just old enough to be walking, maybe a little over a year old at the time. Yeva splashed in the many puddles formed in the chip-seal parking lot area while the rest of us stood shivering, waiting... I found the contrast between the joy of a cavorting toddler, seemingly oblivious to the storm going on, and the rest of us cowering adults rather comical. 

Unfortunately for Sveta and Yeva, there was not going to be a lot to do during this soggy day. Trans Iowa was set to have well under ten finishers, and maybe less than five, if things played out accordingly. Hughes' expected arrival was taking so long now that the awaiting group of well-wishers were taking short trips to their vehicles to warm up frozen digits and toes. Along about 10:30am word came, via a text from Jon Duke to me, that Hughes was about ten minutes away from the finish line. I announced to those standing around that we had a finisher coming soon. That got the assembled souls there to stand to attention and all gazed Eastward up the entrance to Miller Park awaiting Dan Hughes arrival. 

My image of Dan Hughes as he finished T.I.v13. I was not ready for what came next....

Looking back, I have to mark that the whole finish line routine I practiced never really got its start until the third Trans Iowa. Since T.I.v1 was so haphazardly run, and because I was the only person in charge, we had to rely on Decorah Time Trial people to man our finish line, so I wasn't there for that one. Of course, Trans Iowa v2 was unfinishable. So, T.I.v3 was the first time I was present for a finisher of the event. And as has been documented before, that first effort made to congratulate the winner wasn't taken well. 

Some events made a big deal about getting that "hug" at the end from the event director. Chris Skogen was famous for his "Almanzo Handshake". What would I do? I cannot say that I really gave the thing much thought back then. I figured that the gentlemanly thing to do was to offer congratulations and a firm handshake. A look in the eyes to convey that I acknowledged the rider's achievement in overcoming the challenge that I set up. A handshake then. And while the first person it was offered to was not pleased, that turned out to be an aberration in the history of Trans Iowa finishers. 

So I figured, ya know, Dan Hughes would roll up, and in his typical, sardonic, dry manner, he would make some crack statement, then I would shake his hand, and we'd make a few pictures together. Then he would hang maybe for a bit, and that would be that. But I wasn't ready for what actually happened.

I have several shots of Dan Hughes at the finish of T.I.v13, but this one by Christopher Rhodes is my favorite.

Hughes showed up finally at about 10:45am. He rolled up to me and I stuck my hand out for that traditional handshake, but Hughes was having none of that. He reached out with his right arm and pulled me close to him in a powerful hug that lasted longer than you might feel comfortable with. 

I know words were exchanged then between he and I, but I have no recollection what those words might have been. All I can remember, and I remember this feeling vividly, is the emotional power that was in that hug Dan gave me. You could say it was a sort of catharsis. A purification of sorts happened right there. Something happened. More than Dan just giving me a hug. It was bigger than that, for him at any rate, and I was left sort of confused by what had just happened. I just knew something really big- more important than finishing Trans Iowa- had just occurred right then. 

Dan Hughes speaking with me shortly after his T.I.v13 finish. Image by Sveta Vold

I've often been told that Trans Iowa was a chance for someone who got into it to have their life changed. I have always taken that to heart, and since T.I.v3 I really focused on that aspect of the event. Many people may not have understood  the various unique facets of Trans Iowa, but then again, many events are not focused on things which are spiritual and psychological. The whole "mental" part of the event was of superior importance to me, so when I got feedback to the effect that someone had a so-called 'life changing' experience out there, I was particularly pleased by that. 

Dan's act was something that conveyed this with more than words to me. It was a powerful moment in my Trans Iowa experiences. Maybe the most memorable moment for me of all 14 years of the event. The fact that Dan is something of an enigma to me, and that his act at the finish line was so intimate and powerful to me, was at once confusing and supremely meaningful. I cannot speak for Dan, but all I know is that something - a release of sorts- happened in that moment, and while I cannot say exactly what that was, it is a moment I will not forget. 

Next: A Contrast Of Two Cyclists

Trans Iowa Stories: An Ending- A Release

Zitz, Aker, and Hinde coming home near the end of T.I.v13. Image by Jon Duke.

 "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 clicking on the "Trans Iowa Stories" link under the blog header. Thanks and enjoy!  

Miller Park was a cold, wet, and wind swept place on Sunday, April 30th, 2017. It was not a good place to be, but that wasn't particular to Miller Park. It was just downright inhospitable anywhere out of doors on that morning. The kind of morning on which a good church goer would seriously entertain the idea of skipping services. But there we were, a small group of Trans Iowa folks. Waiting.....

I guess we thought Dan Hughes had some sort of super-power that day. We were amazed at his tenacity and perseverance. We were amazed that he was going to finish. We were amazed that anyone was going to finish! 

 Of course, Trans Iowa any year it was held, was no joke from a cycling perspective. 300+ miles, self-navigated, self-supported, and under time limits. Then throw in whatever roads I found: Hills, dirt roads, and even the occasional bike path. On top of all of that, toss on some fresh gravel. Finish it all with a heaping dose of weather. Depending upon the mixture and the nature of the ingredients, Trans Iowa was either a very tough challenge, ridiculously hard, or impossible. When it was on the edge of "ridiculously hard" and not quite "impossible", that was what most folks wanted to see. They called these "classic Trans Iowas". 

This Trans Iowa definitely fell into that "classic" status, and we all knew it while it was unfolding. That's why we were all standing around, shivering, trying to stay warm. We wanted to be eye witnesses to possibly the greatest Trans Iowa finish ever. 

(L-R) Trans Iowa veteran, Ari Andonopoulous, volunteer and T.I. finisher Mike Johnson, and volunteer and T.I. finisher Steve Fuller all awaiting the arrival of Dan Hughes.  (Image by Michael Roe)

From a logistical standpoint I was doing well. The event was going well and I had a finish line volunteer lined up again, which generally speaking wasn't always the case. This time it was Sveta Vold and her youngest daughter, Yeva. She was maybe just old enough to be walking, maybe a little over a year old at the time. Yeva splashed in the many puddles formed in the chip-seal parking lot area while the rest of us stood shivering, waiting... I found the contrast between the joy of a cavorting toddler, seemingly oblivious to the storm going on, and the rest of us cowering adults rather comical. 

Unfortunately for Sveta and Yeva, there was not going to be a lot to do during this soggy day. Trans Iowa was set to have well under ten finishers, and maybe less than five, if things played out accordingly. Hughes' expected arrival was taking so long now that the awaiting group of well-wishers were taking short trips to their vehicles to warm up frozen digits and toes. Along about 10:30am word came, via a text from Jon Duke to me, that Hughes was about ten minutes away from the finish line. I announced to those standing around that we had a finisher coming soon. That got the assembled souls there to stand to attention and all gazed Eastward up the entrance to Miller Park awaiting Dan Hughes arrival. 

My image of Dan Hughes as he finished T.I.v13. I was not ready for what came next....

Looking back, I have to mark that the whole finish line routine I practiced never really got its start until the third Trans Iowa. Since T.I.v1 was so haphazardly run, and because I was the only person in charge, we had to rely on Decorah Time Trial people to man our finish line, so I wasn't there for that one. Of course, Trans Iowa v2 was unfinishable. So, T.I.v3 was the first time I was present for a finisher of the event. And as has been documented before, that first effort made to congratulate the winner wasn't taken well. 

Some events made a big deal about getting that "hug" at the end from the event director. Chris Skogen was famous for his "Almanzo Handshake". What would I do? I cannot say that I really gave the thing much thought back then. I figured that the gentlemanly thing to do was to offer congratulations and a firm handshake. A look in the eyes to convey that I acknowledged the rider's achievement in overcoming the challenge that I set up. A handshake then. And while the first person it was offered to was not pleased, that turned out to be an aberration in the history of Trans Iowa finishers. 

So I figured, ya know, Dan Hughes would roll up, and in his typical, sardonic, dry manner, he would make some crack statement, then I would shake his hand, and we'd make a few pictures together. Then he would hang maybe for a bit, and that would be that. But I wasn't ready for what actually happened.

I have several shots of Dan Hughes at the finish of T.I.v13, but this one by Christopher Rhodes is my favorite.

Hughes showed up finally at about 10:45am. He rolled up to me and I stuck my hand out for that traditional handshake, but Hughes was having none of that. He reached out with his right arm and pulled me close to him in a powerful hug that lasted longer than you might feel comfortable with. 

I know words were exchanged then between he and I, but I have no recollection what those words might have been. All I can remember, and I remember this feeling vividly, is the emotional power that was in that hug Dan gave me. You could say it was a sort of catharsis. A purification of sorts happened right there. Something happened. More than Dan just giving me a hug. It was bigger than that, for him at any rate, and I was left sort of confused by what had just happened. I just knew something really big- more important than finishing Trans Iowa- had just occurred right then. 

Dan Hughes speaking with me shortly after his T.I.v13 finish. Image by Sveta Vold

I've often been told that Trans Iowa was a chance for someone who got into it to have their life changed. I have always taken that to heart, and since T.I.v3 I really focused on that aspect of the event. Many people may not have understood  the various unique facets of Trans Iowa, but then again, many events are not focused on things which are spiritual and psychological. The whole "mental" part of the event was of superior importance to me, so when I got feedback to the effect that someone had a so-called 'life changing' experience out there, I was particularly pleased by that. 

Dan's act was something that conveyed this with more than words to me. It was a powerful moment in my Trans Iowa experiences. Maybe the most memorable moment for me of all 14 years of the event. The fact that Dan is something of an enigma to me, and that his act at the finish line was so intimate and powerful to me, was at once confusing and supremely meaningful. I cannot speak for Dan, but all I know is that something - a release of sorts- happened in that moment, and while I cannot say exactly what that was, it is a moment I will not forget. 

Next: A Contrast Of Two Cyclists

Trans Iowa Stories: It All Came Down to This

In many ways, the t-shirt for v-13 was a prophecy for those who rode in the event.

 "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 clicking on the "Trans Iowa Stories" link under the blog header. Thanks and enjoy!  

The meeting we had with the volunteers and a few supporters of Trans Iowa at the Mc Donald's breakfast were ready to witness what would be, by any stretch of the hackneyed term, 'an epic ride finish'. The weather amplified the normal Trans Iowa experience into something that those who were there probably will never forget. The wind, the rain, the cold! Just trying to stay warm was really hard to do. Anytime the humidity is high, whenever the Spring winds howl, and when you combine all of that with temperatures in the upper 30's and lower 40's, you will get into a situation that makes it very hard to retain body heat. Hypothermia can be a real problem for normal folks during such times. But when you have people that are dressed in cycling gear, who have been exposed for well over 24 hours to rain, wind, and cold, well then you are really pushing your luck there. And we definitely dodged a few bullets over the night and during the early morning of T.I.v13's finish. 

Sarah Cooper was one such person who ran into some trouble. Ironically, it all happened at about the same spot where Matt and I had waited to see Dan Hughes' glowing headlight cresting a hill several hours earlier. Sarah was riding with Luke Wilson and another rider. Sarah was dropping into the icy grip of hypothermia when Luke, a trained law officer, recognized that she was in bad shape. They stopped at a local farmhouse where they spied an open garage and Luke had Sarah get in a dog bed they found while he roused the owners. Eventually they were cared for by a nice Iowa farm couple and found their way back to safety. Then there was also Ben Mullin, who got within 80 miles or so of the finish but found himself taking shelter from the wind behind a barn. Due to time running out and he being nearly hypothermic,  he decided to pull the plug on his attempt.

(L-R) Walter Zitz, Jackson Hinde, and Matt Aker climb the final hills in T.Iv13's course. (Image by Jon Duke)

Meanwhile there were now only seven riders moving toward Grinnell with any hope of getting back to the finish before the 2;00pm cut-off time limit. The few that were hardy enough to want to stand around and see the front runners come in made their way down to Miller Park. The rain had pretty much ended at this point, thankfully, and would not return. However; the winds and the temperatures were such that just merely being outside was really hard on one's body. 

Mark Johnson toils up a hill on his single speed. (Image by Jon Duke)

Thus began the 'Dan Hughes Finish Watch', and it was a highly anticipated event for the few who were there. Just when it would happen was somewhat in doubt, but that it would happen, now, was not in question. 

Matt and I witnessed first hand the conditions  which Dan had persevered through. We witnessed his countenance and the way he had been carrying himself. Dan had proven his mettle. That was not any longer a thing to be questioned. It was now- as they say- just a matter of time. 

These things which were noted by Matt, myself, and the gathered few which made up the small crowd at Miller Park were the reasons we all were there. We knew we were witnessing the finish of a ride which, on the one hand would go largely unnoticed by those who champion cycling's biggest feats and accomplishments, and on the other hand, would be treasured by the witnesses for a lifetime as being something really quite special. That's kind of the way it was with Trans Iowa.

Any other 'big time' gravel event of that day, or afterward, would have had the eyeballs of cycling's Cognoscenti. The gatekeepers of 'The Narrative' would have been feting Hughes' accomplishments far and wide. 'The Industry' would have offered him prize endorsements and support. But no.... This was not how Trans Iowa was set up. This was something quite different, and to be honest, quite in opposition of such 'normal' affairs associated with such ultra-endurance events. Trans Iowa didn't create 'rock stars', nor was it set up to celebrate the participant's accomplishments. It was, however, set up in such a way that maybe, just maybe, the participants would gain a thing that no one could possibly give to them, but would be worth more than ribbons, trophies, and endorsements. What 'those things' might be could be quite different depending on the person's experiences. Go ask them. I cannot tell you. 

Dan Hughes driving it home over the last miles of T.I.v13 (Image by Jon Duke)

Dan Hughes was the center piece of Trans Iowa v13. Matt and I, and several others, had been keenly following his efforts for most of the event. While we were, at one point or another, fairly sure he would fail, he was proving to us that we were all wrong. He, perhaps, was proving himself wrong, but however that was that cold, wet, windy weekend, we will never truly understand. Only Dan really knows what went on out there. 

And that's the way it should be.  

Next: An Ending- A Release

Trans Iowa Stories: It All Came Down to This

In many ways, the t-shirt for v-13 was a prophecy for those who rode in the event.

 "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 clicking on the "Trans Iowa Stories" link under the blog header. Thanks and enjoy!  

The meeting we had with the volunteers and a few supporters of Trans Iowa at the Mc Donald's breakfast were ready to witness what would be, by any stretch of the hackneyed term, 'an epic ride finish'. The weather amplified the normal Trans Iowa experience into something that those who were there probably will never forget. The wind, the rain, the cold! Just trying to stay warm was really hard to do. Anytime the humidity is high, whenever the Spring winds howl, and when you combine all of that with temperatures in the upper 30's and lower 40's, you will get into a situation that makes it very hard to retain body heat. Hypothermia can be a real problem for normal folks during such times. But when you have people that are dressed in cycling gear, who have been exposed for well over 24 hours to rain, wind, and cold, well then you are really pushing your luck there. And we definitely dodged a few bullets over the night and during the early morning of T.I.v13's finish. 

Sarah Cooper was one such person who ran into some trouble. Ironically, it all happened at about the same spot where Matt and I had waited to see Dan Hughes' glowing headlight cresting a hill several hours earlier. Sarah was riding with Luke Wilson and another rider. Sarah was dropping into the icy grip of hypothermia when Luke, a trained law officer, recognized that she was in bad shape. They stopped at a local farmhouse where they spied an open garage and Luke had Sarah get in a dog bed they found while he roused the owners. Eventually they were cared for by a nice Iowa farm couple and found their way back to safety. Then there was also Ben Mullin, who got within 80 miles or so of the finish but found himself taking shelter from the wind behind a barn. Due to time running out and he being nearly hypothermic,  he decided to pull the plug on his attempt.

(L-R) Walter Zitz, Jackson Hinde, and Matt Aker climb the final hills in T.Iv13's course. (Image by Jon Duke)

Meanwhile there were now only seven riders moving toward Grinnell with any hope of getting back to the finish before the 2;00pm cut-off time limit. The few that were hardy enough to want to stand around and see the front runners come in made their way down to Miller Park. The rain had pretty much ended at this point, thankfully, and would not return. However; the winds and the temperatures were such that just merely being outside was really hard on one's body. 

Mark Johnson toils up a hill on his single speed. (Image by Jon Duke)

Thus began the 'Dan Hughes Finish Watch', and it was a highly anticipated event for the few who were there. Just when it would happen was somewhat in doubt, but that it would happen, now, was not in question. 

Matt and I witnessed first hand the conditions  which Dan had persevered through. We witnessed his countenance and the way he had been carrying himself. Dan had proven his mettle. That was not any longer a thing to be questioned. It was now- as they say- just a matter of time. 

These things which were noted by Matt, myself, and the gathered few which made up the small crowd at Miller Park were the reasons we all were there. We knew we were witnessing the finish of a ride which, on the one hand would go largely unnoticed by those who champion cycling's biggest feats and accomplishments, and on the other hand, would be treasured by the witnesses for a lifetime as being something really quite special. That's kind of the way it was with Trans Iowa.

Any other 'big time' gravel event of that day, or afterward, would have had the eyeballs of cycling's Cognoscenti. The gatekeepers of 'The Narrative' would have been feting Hughes' accomplishments far and wide. 'The Industry' would have offered him prize endorsements and support. But no.... This was not how Trans Iowa was set up. This was something quite different, and to be honest, quite in opposition of such 'normal' affairs associated with such ultra-endurance events. Trans Iowa didn't create 'rock stars', nor was it set up to celebrate the participant's accomplishments. It was, however, set up in such a way that maybe, just maybe, the participants would gain a thing that no one could possibly give to them, but would be worth more than ribbons, trophies, and endorsements. What 'those things' might be could be quite different depending on the person's experiences. Go ask them. I cannot tell you. 

Dan Hughes driving it home over the last miles of T.I.v13 (Image by Jon Duke)

Dan Hughes was the center piece of Trans Iowa v13. Matt and I, and several others, had been keenly following his efforts for most of the event. While we were, at one point or another, fairly sure he would fail, he was proving to us that we were all wrong. He, perhaps, was proving himself wrong, but however that was that cold, wet, windy weekend, we will never truly understand. Only Dan really knows what went on out there. 

And that's the way it should be.  

Next: An Ending- A Release