Trans Iowa Stories: A Sunny Day In The Park

Waiting on Luke Wilson to finish T.I.v14 in Miller Park Image by Craig Groseth

"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!  

I used to think I had to stay awake all night. Trans Iowa required all my attention for the full 34 hours. And it really was that way for several years in the beginning. But by the fourteenth one? No.....I could have taken a nap. But by this point I just wanted to stay awake all night. It was a challenge of sorts, and since this was the last time I would get to do this, I was aiming for a PR on staying awake. 

I know. Dumb idea. But it was part of how I did the event and I wasn't going to change it up at this point. But this decision did not go without its consequences. I usually got to a point during Trans Iowa late into the event where I was pretty much in robotic mode. Emotions were not coming through because I was so tired and worn out emotionally anyway. This last Trans Iowa was no exception. 

Luke Wilson pounding out the final miles of Trans Iowa v14. Image by Jon Duke.

So, the early morning hours are somewhat of a vague memory for me. I was pretty much 'not really there', but apparently doing well enough to fake it. Luke came in and I shook his hand. I kind of remember that. Amazingly, I was on point enough that I was able to remember to shoot an image of each finishing rider. I guess I felt it was important to document the last people to ever finish a Trans Iowa. 

I do remember something about second place finisher, Mark Johnson. He was, as usual, riding a single speed. He wasn't too happy about the 120th cue thing before Checkpoint #2. I think I recall saying something to the effect that 'well, obviously you figured it out.', but I don't really remember. I just remember he wasn't happy about that. But we shook hands and he did thank me for the event. So.....

My picture of Mark Johnson from the finish of Trans Iowa v14.

I remember Matthew Kutilek looked flat-out destroyed upon finishing third. He said something about feeling 'near death' out there in the freezing cold. That made an impression coming from a man who nearly died in the Middle East as a Marine. 

I remember Jana Vavra finishing later on. To my way of thinking, what this woman had done at Trans Iowa was amazing and is one of the most underrated stories in gravel riding history. She finished four Trans Iowas, more than any other woman, but this last one was really something. 

See, we had the largest woman's field ever for a Trans Iowa. 21 women in all. Jana was the only one to finish! 

And I have to also say this again- We had begged and pleaded with women to come and do Trans Iowa for years. Many times we would have a single female, or maybe three. The year Jana first finished we had 'a record women's starting field of five'! Five women! 

So, when I had over 20 women coming to start I was ecstatic. That was one-fifth of the entire field. But when Jana was the only one of them that made it to the finish, I found that to be really quite amazing. Of all the things that happened during the last Trans Iowa, I was most proud of that finish. That made me very happy.  

Jana Vavra gets a handshake upon finishing Trans Iowa v14 from GT.

Then, well......I don't know.... Things kind of get blurry there for a while again, but this was when things were winding down. many of my volunteers and friends had left by now. It was getting on toward 1:00pm. One hour left of Trans Iowa, then it would be gone forever.....

Jason Sheerer, (R) was the second to last person to finish T.I.v14 at 1:04pm. (Image taken by bystander)

The second to last finisher, Jason Sheerer stands out in my memory. He was a rookie, first timer, and I recall that he thought Iowa was "boring" in terms of visuals. I remember being hurt by that statement, but I smiled and had my picture made with him anyway. Funny what sticks with you and what does not....

Not long before this, a very special person to Trans Iowa, and myself, Will Ritchie, who was working for WTB at the time, showed up at the finish area with a brown box and a handful of coffee cups. Coffee in a box, would I like any? Man! It was like an angel had come from heaven and brought the magic elixir. Will, in his typical low-key, almost sheepish manner, was my savior that day. That coffee was a godsend, and Will, well...... His being there at the end of it all was just poetic. Perfect timing, although he did not know it at the time. WTB, and Will Ritchie in particular, were so important to the success of Trans Iowa, and such a huge part of the event, that somehow this serendipitous appearance by Will and his brown box of coffee was just a given. It just was something preordained. And I loved that he was there, but I couldn't say anything about "The End". And that sucked, but it was what it was....

From a stop along the way home from the final Trans Iowa.

And in the end, after everyone was gone, I was left at Miller Park alone. I never got the chance to share that Trans Iowa was over with anyone, except Tony, MG, and Mike, of course. I was okay with that. I made that decision. Before 2:00pm, I stood and just looked over the few people who were still hanging out. They were spread out on the green April grass under the Sun. Just hanging out, enjoying each other, and sharing stories of the weekend. 

This was how I wanted it to end. With people enjoying the moment. Not sad that it was the last time. Not being forced into some kind of weird, 'gotta say goodbye to Ted and this event' situation. No, I wanted it to be like this. Like when Will just walked up on his own to do an act of kindness for me and anyone that wanted a cuppa joe. 

I stood there and really concentrated on what I saw. It made me happy that this would be my last memory of Trans Iowa. Not some melodramatic goodbyes, not some issue with a negative person, and nothing premeditated due to the event ending. After all the hand-wringing over how to do it, I was here. And I thought about it all. Was I sad that I didn't chose to share the news at the Pre-Race, or at the start line? No, this made me happy. 

And you don't often get to write your own script. I was super-blessed to have it end on such a high note. This is one of the main reasons I'd never entertain doing another Trans Iowa event. I could probably never end on such a note as I did. 

And then it was over.

Two o'clock came. I turned and looked at my truck and it dawned on me that no one had consumed any beers at all at the finish! So, I walked over to the truck, got in, grabbed a cold Dale's Pale Ale, and toasted the end of fourteen years of putting on a Springtime ultra-gravel event. Then I drove home. 

Next: The Fallout

Trans Iowa Stories: A Sunny Day In The Park

Waiting on Luke Wilson to finish T.I.v14 in Miller Park Image by Craig Groseth

"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!  

I used to think I had to stay awake all night. Trans Iowa required all my attention for the full 34 hours. And it really was that way for several years in the beginning. But by the fourteenth one? No.....I could have taken a nap. But by this point I just wanted to stay awake all night. It was a challenge of sorts, and since this was the last time I would get to do this, I was aiming for a PR on staying awake. 

I know. Dumb idea. But it was part of how I did the event and I wasn't going to change it up at this point. But this decision did not go without its consequences. I usually got to a point during Trans Iowa late into the event where I was pretty much in robotic mode. Emotions were not coming through because I was so tired and worn out emotionally anyway. This last Trans Iowa was no exception. 

Luke Wilson pounding out the final miles of Trans Iowa v14. Image by Jon Duke.

So, the early morning hours are somewhat of a vague memory for me. I was pretty much 'not really there', but apparently doing well enough to fake it. Luke came in and I shook his hand. I kind of remember that. Amazingly, I was on point enough that I was able to remember to shoot an image of each finishing rider. I guess I felt it was important to document the last people to ever finish a Trans Iowa. 

I do remember something about second place finisher, Mark Johnson. He was, as usual, riding a single speed. He wasn't too happy about the 120th cue thing before Checkpoint #2. I think I recall saying something to the effect that 'well, obviously you figured it out.', but I don't really remember. I just remember he wasn't happy about that. But we shook hands and he did thank me for the event. So.....

My picture of Mark Johnson from the finish of Trans Iowa v14.

I remember Matthew Kutilek looked flat-out destroyed upon finishing third. He said something about feeling 'near death' out there in the freezing cold. That made an impression coming from a man who nearly died in the Middle East as a Marine. 

I remember Jana Vavra finishing later on. To my way of thinking, what this woman had done at Trans Iowa was amazing and is one of the most underrated stories in gravel riding history. She finished four Trans Iowas, more than any other woman, but this last one was really something. 

See, we had the largest woman's field ever for a Trans Iowa. 21 women in all. Jana was the only one to finish! 

And I have to also say this again- We had begged and pleaded with women to come and do Trans Iowa for years. Many times we would have a single female, or maybe three. The year Jana first finished we had 'a record women's starting field of five'! Five women! 

So, when I had over 20 women coming to start I was ecstatic. That was one-fifth of the entire field. But when Jana was the only one of them that made it to the finish, I found that to be really quite amazing. Of all the things that happened during the last Trans Iowa, I was most proud of that finish. That made me very happy.  

Jana Vavra gets a handshake upon finishing Trans Iowa v14 from GT.

Then, well......I don't know.... Things kind of get blurry there for a while again, but this was when things were winding down. many of my volunteers and friends had left by now. It was getting on toward 1:00pm. One hour left of Trans Iowa, then it would be gone forever.....

Jason Sheerer, (R) was the second to last person to finish T.I.v14 at 1:04pm. (Image taken by bystander)

The second to last finisher, Jason Sheerer stands out in my memory. He was a rookie, first timer, and I recall that he thought Iowa was "boring" in terms of visuals. I remember being hurt by that statement, but I smiled and had my picture made with him anyway. Funny what sticks with you and what does not....

Not long before this, a very special person to Trans Iowa, and myself, Will Ritchie, who was working for WTB at the time, showed up at the finish area with a brown box and a handful of coffee cups. Coffee in a box, would I like any? Man! It was like an angel had come from heaven and brought the magic elixir. Will, in his typical low-key, almost sheepish manner, was my savior that day. That coffee was a godsend, and Will, well...... His being there at the end of it all was just poetic. Perfect timing, although he did not know it at the time. WTB, and Will Ritchie in particular, were so important to the success of Trans Iowa, and such a huge part of the event, that somehow this serendipitous appearance by Will and his brown box of coffee was just a given. It just was something preordained. And I loved that he was there, but I couldn't say anything about "The End". And that sucked, but it was what it was....

From a stop along the way home from the final Trans Iowa.

And in the end, after everyone was gone, I was left at Miller Park alone. I never got the chance to share that Trans Iowa was over with anyone, except Tony, MG, and Mike, of course. I was okay with that. I made that decision. Before 2:00pm, I stood and just looked over the few people who were still hanging out. They were spread out on the green April grass under the Sun. Just hanging out, enjoying each other, and sharing stories of the weekend. 

This was how I wanted it to end. With people enjoying the moment. Not sad that it was the last time. Not being forced into some kind of weird, 'gotta say goodbye to Ted and this event' situation. No, I wanted it to be like this. Like when Will just walked up on his own to do an act of kindness for me and anyone that wanted a cuppa joe. 

I stood there and really concentrated on what I saw. It made me happy that this would be my last memory of Trans Iowa. Not some melodramatic goodbyes, not some issue with a negative person, and nothing premeditated due to the event ending. After all the hand-wringing over how to do it, I was here. And I thought about it all. Was I sad that I didn't chose to share the news at the Pre-Race, or at the start line? No, this made me happy. 

And you don't often get to write your own script. I was super-blessed to have it end on such a high note. This is one of the main reasons I'd never entertain doing another Trans Iowa event. I could probably never end on such a note as I did. 

And then it was over.

Two o'clock came. I turned and looked at my truck and it dawned on me that no one had consumed any beers at all at the finish! So, I walked over to the truck, got in, grabbed a cold Dale's Pale Ale, and toasted the end of fourteen years of putting on a Springtime ultra-gravel event. Then I drove home. 

Next: The Fallout

Trans Iowa Stories: Too Cold For Beers - Part 2

A really rough level B Road near the end of T.I.v14's course.

 "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!  

I was freezing. I wondered how long Matt would need to sleep. Where was Luke Wilson? He should have passed us by along about this time. Will anyone else be dropping out? 

These were the thoughts I had running through my head as I paced about trying to stay warm. I wanted Matt to get a good nap, and I wasn't about to wake him up just yet. But he ended up stirring and finally I was able to climb back into the warm Subaru and unthaw my chilled fingers and toes. Matt was refreshed for the time being, and we headed out to look at the final bits of the Trans Iowa course. 

My question about riders dropping out was answered, pretty much, by a big fat 'no'. In fact, I would think by the situation at that time that Matt and I were on a fool's errand. We saw no riders. The phone was dead silent, and it was past midnight. We were enveloped in a dark rural landscape which seemed a world away from any reality we were familiar with. 

Eventually we came across Tony and Mike in their truck, but there was no one stirring inside and we assumed that they were napping, so we moved along. Somewhere in this time period we also came across Walter Zitz, riding for his pride now, but there was no sign of Gleason or Tomasello. Not far down the course from there we were surprised by a very rough and rutted Level B dirt road. It was about the roughest dirt road I had encountered on a Trans Iowa ever. I know it got our attention! 

This was the last Level B road on the T.I.v14 course where MG and I toasted the last T.I. ever.

We were rolling in closer to the finish. Matt was getting really tired again and we were just going through the motions at this point, trying to get through and then maybe have a nap. I had something in the back of my mind. I wanted to stop, at least once more, just to try to have that moment again. A moment like Matt and I had experienced earlier on Saturday morning at the end of a dirt road.

I chose the last Level B on the course, maybe five miles from the end of the T.I.v14 course. Matt stopped at the bottom of a hill in the valley. We scrambled out into the the chill of the night with two Dale's Pale Ales in hand. We toasted to the last Trans Iowa, and well..... It was just too darn cold! We quaffed those beers in a hurry. Later I would learn that the temperatures dipped into the low to mid 20's overnight. Matt and I couldn't take it. My plan for a meaningful stop was thwarted by the cold.

And then we were back in Grinnell. Matt went and dropped me off at my truck, and I aimed it over to Miller Park, found a suitable parking space, and began a long wait until the morning. It was a little after 3:00am. I fought off sleep demons until about 4:30am when a magical owl convention occurred around the small pond at Miller Park that morning. It was a old fashioned hootenanny, it was! I couldn't believe that the few Trans Iowa fans and Matt slept through it all. 

Cold and alone. I waited for the last bit of Trans Iowa v14 and the end of the run of Trans Iowa events.. What would happen? Would it be a really emotional time for me? I did not know quite what to expect.

A Sunny Day In The Park

Trans Iowa Stories: Too Cold For Beers - Part 2

A really rough level B Road near the end of T.I.v14's course.

 "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!  

I was freezing. I wondered how long Matt would need to sleep. Where was Luke Wilson? He should have passed us by along about this time. Will anyone else be dropping out? 

These were the thoughts I had running through my head as I paced about trying to stay warm. I wanted Matt to get a good nap, and I wasn't about to wake him up just yet. But he ended up stirring and finally I was able to climb back into the warm Subaru and unthaw my chilled fingers and toes. Matt was refreshed for the time being, and we headed out to look at the final bits of the Trans Iowa course. 

My question about riders dropping out was answered, pretty much, by a big fat 'no'. In fact, I would think by the situation at that time that Matt and I were on a fool's errand. We saw no riders. The phone was dead silent, and it was past midnight. We were enveloped in a dark rural landscape which seemed a world away from any reality we were familiar with. 

Eventually we came across Tony and Mike in their truck, but there was no one stirring inside and we assumed that they were napping, so we moved along. Somewhere in this time period we also came across Walter Zitz, riding for his pride now, but there was no sign of Gleason or Tomasello. Not far down the course from there we were surprised by a very rough and rutted Level B dirt road. It was about the roughest dirt road I had encountered on a Trans Iowa ever. I know it got our attention! 

This was the last Level B road on the T.I.v14 course where MG and I toasted the last T.I. ever.

We were rolling in closer to the finish. Matt was getting really tired again and we were just going through the motions at this point, trying to get through and then maybe have a nap. I had something in the back of my mind. I wanted to stop, at least once more, just to try to have that moment again. A moment like Matt and I had experienced earlier on Saturday morning at the end of a dirt road.

I chose the last Level B on the course, maybe five miles from the end of the T.I.v14 course. Matt stopped at the bottom of a hill in the valley. We scrambled out into the the chill of the night with two Dale's Pale Ales in hand. We toasted to the last Trans Iowa, and well..... It was just too darn cold! We quaffed those beers in a hurry. Later I would learn that the temperatures dipped into the low to mid 20's overnight. Matt and I couldn't take it. My plan for a meaningful stop was thwarted by the cold.

And then we were back in Grinnell. Matt went and dropped me off at my truck, and I aimed it over to Miller Park, found a suitable parking space, and began a long wait until the morning. It was a little after 3:00am. I fought off sleep demons until about 4:30am when a magical owl convention occurred around the small pond at Miller Park that morning. It was a old fashioned hootenanny, it was! I couldn't believe that the few Trans Iowa fans and Matt slept through it all. 

Cold and alone. I waited for the last bit of Trans Iowa v14 and the end of the run of Trans Iowa events.. What would happen? Would it be a really emotional time for me? I did not know quite what to expect.

A Sunny Day In The Park

Trans Iowa Stories: Too Cold For Beers: Part 1

The Sun sets before the last night for 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 clicking on the "Trans Iowa Stories" link under the blog header. Thanks and enjoy!  

The disqualification of Tomasello, Zitz, and Gleason sort of gutted my experience of the evening. Matt was driving and I was pretty much just zoning out as we headed toward the last convenience store on the course which was in Montezuma, Iowa. 

The day had gotten quite warm, almost hot, and as evening came we could feel the temperatures dipping quickly. Coats came out and we had the heater on before long. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to me, fires, beers, and frivolity ensued back at Checkpoint #2. Dave Roll related much of what had gone down to me days afterward, but as it was happening, I was bouncing along a dusty road towards Montezuma, and a last chance for gas- literally- before the end of the event.

Todd Southworth tends to the fires at Checkpoint #2 as Dave Roll and others look on. Image by Craig Groseth

The whole early part of the evening after we left those DQ'ed riders is pretty much a blur to me now. I only recall stopping at Montezuma for gas and seeing Tony and Mike's vehicle there. There also was a lone bicycle propped up against the convenience store wall, and that belonged to Luke Wilson. 

Luke Wilson's bike as seen in Montezuma, Iowa during T.I.v14

Inside Tony and Mike were explaining the whole situation with regard to his chasers. How they carved back so much time that Wilson had to leave the checkpoint in a hurry as he saw them coming in. 

Wilson related that he basically dropped the hammer for many miles as hard as he was able, thinking he was about to be caught, and all the while wondering how it happened. The story we told him assuaged him to some degree, but he wasn't buying in 100% at that point. And who could really blame him? He had been pushing hard all day long with no idea how much of a lead he had built up. For all he knew, he hadn't been that far ahead at all, and now maybe some other riders might make contact with him during the night if he had to slow down, or stop for any reasons. 

We tried to let him know he was clear with plenty of room to spare, and that was because the three chasers had to be disqualified. But that did not really sink in, and Wilson didn't stick around long. He was gone into the inky night. Tony and Mike didn't want to stick around long and so we all left not long afterward. Tony and Mike went to set up shop at a point about 60 miles from the finish. Meanwhile, Matt and I had to continue to drive the course. 

We passed Wilson again, but oddly enough I do not remember this. I do remember that Matt was really feeling tired! At a point about 20 miles from the convenience store stop, I saw a drive way to a field and Matt and I decided to stop there. Across the road and up toward the way we had come maybe a tenth of a mile was a tall grove of evergreen trees. It was cold, and the moon was rising in the East. 

Luke Wilson gestures towards Matt Gersib as he speaks to us at the convenience store during T.I.v14

Matt went lights out pretty quickly and I was left standing out in the cold, answering phone calls for riders who were dropping out of the event. The phone was quite busy at this point since we had stopped just before 11:00pm and that was when the checkpoint closed. 

The 120th Street cue had bit more than a few riders and this caused several to have to bail out, or to miss the cut-off time completely. Either the riders were late getting there, or had just pushed themselves so hard to make it that they had burnt all their matches. And the fact that the temperature was dumping alarmingly probably did not help matters. 

Finally the DNF calls trailed off and I had more time to myself and my thoughts. A call of a Barred Owl suddenly pierced the night with its husky voice sounding as though it was coming right from those nearby evergreen trees. The trees, silhouetted by the rising moon, and in combination with the hooting owl made for a surreal time for me. An answering call came across the plain, and then the nearby owl called again. This went on for some time. 

Again, I had a memory burned into my brain. I was so blessed to have this experience, to have trusted volunteers who were running the event, and to have Matt right there, asleep, but sacrificing an entire weekend for this event of mine. It would never happen again......

The weight of those moments are something that I feel yet today. I was all alone. But I had support and I could feel that support as I stood there listening to the owls and feeling the bite of cold air on a beautiful moonlit April evening. I was alone- but I wasn't alone. 

Next: Too Cold For Beers: Part 2

Trans Iowa Stories: Too Cold For Beers: Part 1

The Sun sets before the last night for 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 clicking on the "Trans Iowa Stories" link under the blog header. Thanks and enjoy!  

The disqualification of Tomasello, Zitz, and Gleason sort of gutted my experience of the evening. Matt was driving and I was pretty much just zoning out as we headed toward the last convenience store on the course which was in Montezuma, Iowa. 

The day had gotten quite warm, almost hot, and as evening came we could feel the temperatures dipping quickly. Coats came out and we had the heater on before long. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to me, fires, beers, and frivolity ensued back at Checkpoint #2. Dave Roll related much of what had gone down to me days afterward, but as it was happening, I was bouncing along a dusty road towards Montezuma, and a last chance for gas- literally- before the end of the event.

Todd Southworth tends to the fires at Checkpoint #2 as Dave Roll and others look on. Image by Craig Groseth

The whole early part of the evening after we left those DQ'ed riders is pretty much a blur to me now. I only recall stopping at Montezuma for gas and seeing Tony and Mike's vehicle there. There also was a lone bicycle propped up against the convenience store wall, and that belonged to Luke Wilson. 

Luke Wilson's bike as seen in Montezuma, Iowa during T.I.v14

Inside Tony and Mike were explaining the whole situation with regard to his chasers. How they carved back so much time that Wilson had to leave the checkpoint in a hurry as he saw them coming in. 

Wilson related that he basically dropped the hammer for many miles as hard as he was able, thinking he was about to be caught, and all the while wondering how it happened. The story we told him assuaged him to some degree, but he wasn't buying in 100% at that point. And who could really blame him? He had been pushing hard all day long with no idea how much of a lead he had built up. For all he knew, he hadn't been that far ahead at all, and now maybe some other riders might make contact with him during the night if he had to slow down, or stop for any reasons. 

We tried to let him know he was clear with plenty of room to spare, and that was because the three chasers had to be disqualified. But that did not really sink in, and Wilson didn't stick around long. He was gone into the inky night. Tony and Mike didn't want to stick around long and so we all left not long afterward. Tony and Mike went to set up shop at a point about 60 miles from the finish. Meanwhile, Matt and I had to continue to drive the course. 

We passed Wilson again, but oddly enough I do not remember this. I do remember that Matt was really feeling tired! At a point about 20 miles from the convenience store stop, I saw a drive way to a field and Matt and I decided to stop there. Across the road and up toward the way we had come maybe a tenth of a mile was a tall grove of evergreen trees. It was cold, and the moon was rising in the East. 

Luke Wilson gestures towards Matt Gersib as he speaks to us at the convenience store during T.I.v14

Matt went lights out pretty quickly and I was left standing out in the cold, answering phone calls for riders who were dropping out of the event. The phone was quite busy at this point since we had stopped just before 11:00pm and that was when the checkpoint closed. 

The 120th Street cue had bit more than a few riders and this caused several to have to bail out, or to miss the cut-off time completely. Either the riders were late getting there, or had just pushed themselves so hard to make it that they had burnt all their matches. And the fact that the temperature was dumping alarmingly probably did not help matters. 

Finally the DNF calls trailed off and I had more time to myself and my thoughts. A call of a Barred Owl suddenly pierced the night with its husky voice sounding as though it was coming right from those nearby evergreen trees. The trees, silhouetted by the rising moon, and in combination with the hooting owl made for a surreal time for me. An answering call came across the plain, and then the nearby owl called again. This went on for some time. 

Again, I had a memory burned into my brain. I was so blessed to have this experience, to have trusted volunteers who were running the event, and to have Matt right there, asleep, but sacrificing an entire weekend for this event of mine. It would never happen again......

The weight of those moments are something that I feel yet today. I was all alone. But I had support and I could feel that support as I stood there listening to the owls and feeling the bite of cold air on a beautiful moonlit April evening. I was alone- but I wasn't alone. 

Next: Too Cold For Beers: Part 2

Trans Iowa Stories: Lessons Learned - Part 3

GT explaining the 120th Street cue incident at CP#2 during T.I.v14. (Image bt C. Groseth)

  "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!  

Upon arriving at the checkpoint we found the volunteers in good spirits, but perhaps a bit confused as to what exactly was going on. N.Y. Roll, the lead volunteer along with Craig Groseth from South Dakota were on hand along with a few others waiting on more riders to show up. I was basically on a mission at this point to get the riders in question stopped and disqualified before they had gotten too far into the last leg of the event in case they wanted to come back to the checkpoint and be picked up. Tony and Mike were about to leave to go on ahead and look for them. Meanwhile, I tried to explain it all and gather whatever intel I could get to make sure I had the details correct. 

This wasn't what I wanted. None of it. The riders making that mistake. That was so unfortunate. I was so wanting to see what Gleason, Zitz, and Tomasello could do to maybe pull Wilson back and make it an exciting finish. I was sorry that Stefano's first, and little did he know at the time, only chance, at Trans Iowa was going to end in a DQ. I was sad that I had to be the bearer of that message to the riders. 

Chasing down the trio of riders we had to DQ. Tony and Mike are just ahead of us here.

I regretted not being able to hang at checkpoint #2. I had volunteers there I wanted to thank and perhaps none more than Craig Groseth who drove all the way from the Black Hills of South Dakota just to be a part of the event as volunteer. There was a fire being built, food, beers, and good times awaiting us, but we had to move on. 

The thing was difficult, this rule enforcement, and I wasn't very up for doing what needed to be done. As we barreled down the roller-coaster like hills, kicking up dust, I was playing out the possible scenarios. Would the three riders protest? Would they call me out for a bad route? Would there be a confrontation? Surely there would be extreme disappointment and this wasn't going to be pleasant in any way. 

But if there was a lesson here, it was that if you run an event, and you have rules, you have to back those rules up when called upon. I was the director and co-author of the rules for Trans Iowa. It was on my shoulders to bear the burden of giving the rules meaning. Yes- I wasn't looking forward to doing what I had to do, but if I let it go? What a farce that would have been! 

A Level B Road just out from what was Checkpoint #2 for Trans Iowa v14

As it turned out, Tony and Mike were the first to come up on the three riders on a stretch of road just Southeast of Montezuma, Iowa. The three had made quite some headway into that last sector of the event! Tony related to me later on that he called them to a stop, telling them that they had short cut the course.At first, they denied it, but Tony told me that they eventually slowed to a stop, and with heads down and shoulders drooped they admitted that they knew what had happened. 

That kind of took the edge off what I had to deal with when we rolled up a few minutes later on. The trio accepted the news quietly and the air was tense with a downcast feeling. But eventually Zitz popped his head up, pointed out that he had the cues, and could he just ride out the route anyway, despite being DQ'ed? And I allowed that, of course. I mean, why not? He seemed to be pleased with that and began to get ready to roll out. The other two didn't say much, and I don't recall that Greg Gleason even looked at me at all.

Tony McGrane assisting one of the three DQ'ed riders as the other two ride off. One of my all time favorite Trans Iowa images.

As the riders got ready to leave, I pulled out my camera to document the scene. The image above is what I got. It's weird, but this is one of my favorite images from Trans Iowa's run of 14 years. I don't know why it would be, seeing as how it documents a very sad moment in this event, but I am drawn to this image and I guess it is just one of those moments that really made an impression on me. 

Of course, I was relieved when it was over. In many ways this was the climax of Trans Iowa for me. Now we were moving on toward the final overnight of Trans Iowa's history. I knew what lay ahead for me. This wasn't my first rodeo. It always was the toughest part, physically and mentally, of any Trans Iowa. Those cold, lonely overnight hours. 

Next: Too Cold For Beer

Trans Iowa Stories: Lessons Learned - Part 3

GT explaining the 120th Street cue incident at CP#2 during T.I.v14. (Image bt C. Groseth)

  "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!  

Upon arriving at the checkpoint we found the volunteers in good spirits, but perhaps a bit confused as to what exactly was going on. N.Y. Roll, the lead volunteer along with Craig Groseth from South Dakota were on hand along with a few others waiting on more riders to show up. I was basically on a mission at this point to get the riders in question stopped and disqualified before they had gotten too far into the last leg of the event in case they wanted to come back to the checkpoint and be picked up. Tony and Mike were about to leave to go on ahead and look for them. Meanwhile, I tried to explain it all and gather whatever intel I could get to make sure I had the details correct. 

This wasn't what I wanted. None of it. The riders making that mistake. That was so unfortunate. I was so wanting to see what Gleason, Zitz, and Tomasello could do to maybe pull Wilson back and make it an exciting finish. I was sorry that Stefano's first, and little did he know at the time, only chance, at Trans Iowa was going to end in a DQ. I was sad that I had to be the bearer of that message to the riders. 

Chasing down the trio of riders we had to DQ. Tony and Mike are just ahead of us here.

I regretted not being able to hang at checkpoint #2. I had volunteers there I wanted to thank and perhaps none more than Craig Groseth who drove all the way from the Black Hills of South Dakota just to be a part of the event as volunteer. There was a fire being built, food, beers, and good times awaiting us, but we had to move on. 

The thing was difficult, this rule enforcement, and I wasn't very up for doing what needed to be done. As we barreled down the roller-coaster like hills, kicking up dust, I was playing out the possible scenarios. Would the three riders protest? Would they call me out for a bad route? Would there be a confrontation? Surely there would be extreme disappointment and this wasn't going to be pleasant in any way. 

But if there was a lesson here, it was that if you run an event, and you have rules, you have to back those rules up when called upon. I was the director and co-author of the rules for Trans Iowa. It was on my shoulders to bear the burden of giving the rules meaning. Yes- I wasn't looking forward to doing what I had to do, but if I let it go? What a farce that would have been! 

A Level B Road just out from what was Checkpoint #2 for Trans Iowa v14

As it turned out, Tony and Mike were the first to come up on the three riders on a stretch of road just Southeast of Montezuma, Iowa. The three had made quite some headway into that last sector of the event! Tony related to me later on that he called them to a stop, telling them that they had short cut the course.At first, they denied it, but Tony told me that they eventually slowed to a stop, and with heads down and shoulders drooped they admitted that they knew what had happened. 

That kind of took the edge off what I had to deal with when we rolled up a few minutes later on. The trio accepted the news quietly and the air was tense with a downcast feeling. But eventually Zitz popped his head up, pointed out that he had the cues, and could he just ride out the route anyway, despite being DQ'ed? And I allowed that, of course. I mean, why not? He seemed to be pleased with that and began to get ready to roll out. The other two didn't say much, and I don't recall that Greg Gleason even looked at me at all.

Tony McGrane assisting one of the three DQ'ed riders as the other two ride off. One of my all time favorite Trans Iowa images.

As the riders got ready to leave, I pulled out my camera to document the scene. The image above is what I got. It's weird, but this is one of my favorite images from Trans Iowa's run of 14 years. I don't know why it would be, seeing as how it documents a very sad moment in this event, but I am drawn to this image and I guess it is just one of those moments that really made an impression on me. 

Of course, I was relieved when it was over. In many ways this was the climax of Trans Iowa for me. Now we were moving on toward the final overnight of Trans Iowa's history. I knew what lay ahead for me. This wasn't my first rodeo. It always was the toughest part, physically and mentally, of any Trans Iowa. Those cold, lonely overnight hours. 

Next: Too Cold For Beer

Trans Iowa Stories: Lessons Learned - Part 2

(L-R) Riders Scott Sumpter, Nathan Griffee, and Corey Godfrey during T.I.v14 Image by J. 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!  

Part of the reasoning for Tony to have us stop at that preserve where we were hanging out was to observe riders going by. The Coffman Wood Preserve was situated such that it was the only way on gravel you could go after the cues which he knew were going to provide a huge challenge to the riders of Trans Iowa v14. If someone missed a certain set of cues, he knew, and so did I, that if they did not pass the drive way we were standing on, that they did not get it right, and that we had an issue. Good thing Tony suggested this, as what he and I feared did come true.

Trans Iowa was a gravel event, true enough, but it was much more than just a gravel event. One of the challenges of the event was the time cut-offs. Another was the self-supported nature of the challenge. But one other challenge inherent to the overall Trans Iowa experience was navigation. This was done manually by cue sheets and, if you've never done cue sheet navigation, it is very mentally taxing. Especially when you are dealing with a fatigued body and mind running on little to no sleep after around 200 miles of riding on chunky gravel roads. 

I happened upon a delicious little twist set up happenstance by how roads were named and laid out in two adjacent counties. I knew it would provide a serious challenge to navigation, but my cues for this were unquestionably spot on, so if a rider actually paid attention to detail, they would sail through the sector with no issues. If they assumed what was happening, well...... That was what bit a lot of the riders and ended up changing the face of the event for three riders in particular. 

Detail of the area in T.I.v14 that caused navigational issues. Red arrows define correct route.

I wouldn't normally go into fine detail on such a thing as a route and cues for it, but in this case, it bears looking at because this detail derailed a lot of riders and caused many to miss Checkpoint #2's cut-off time. Also, this is what tripped up a few riders and got them disqualified from the event, which I will get around to later.

The riders were traveling Northbound on Keokuk-Washington Road, which is pretty much the county line road. Now adjacent counties often do not use similar naming conventions, and situations like this where roads cross borders don't often happen, but in this case, there were two 120th Streets in close proximity to each other both stemming off of Keokuk-Washinton Road.  One was a right choice, the other was not. 

The cues said: "BR (means "Bear Right") On Keokuk-Washington Road". Then the next cue was "L (for Left turn) On 120th Street" 

What tripped up many riders was that "BR" isn't usually critical. Just - you know - follow the road. it bends to the right. No big deal. Many riders would instead skip over cues like that, focusing on only the directional turns "L" or "R". So, the next turn after they got on Keokuk- Washington Road was a "L" at 120th Street. They skipped over the critical "BR" on Keokuk-Washington Road. Because of this, many riders made the mistake of turning onto the first 120th street they saw, (despite it not matching up with mileage, which was given to the nearest tenth of a mile on the cues), and fell afoul of that navigational difficulty. Many riders caught it right away. They backtracked and found the correct way. Many riders got it on the first try. Three riders forged onward, not backtracking the course, and ended up getting caught. 

(L-R) Greg Gleason, Stefano Tomasello, and Waletr Zitz got burned by the "120th Street Cue" issue in T.I.v14. Image by Celeste Mathias

The situation was that Luke Wilson had approximately an  hour, maybe a few minutes more, lead out on three chasers. They were Walter Zitz and Greg Gleason, co-winners of Trans Iowa v12, and Greg being the winner of Trans Iowa v10. With them was rookie to Trans Iowa, Stefano Tomasello. Behind those three was Matthew Kutilek, trailing that trio by about 45 minutes. 

As we stood in that driveway on that beautiful day, soaking it all in, we were also being vigilant to watch for riders. We observed Luke Wilson riding by. Then we waited. And we waited! Where were the three chasers? After what seemed like an eternity, Matthew Kutilek went by driving a steady cadence. Tony was the first to call out that the three chasers must have cut the course at the 120th cue.

What he meant was that by missing the second, and correct 120th Street, riders could cut off a 'lolipop' of the course by going directly West and not to the North, then West, and then South. It was this Southern road on the course where we were standing, and it was the only way, due to the way the South English river disrupted the normal 'grid' of gravel roads, to get by and find the next, correct part of the course. 

We assumed at that time that by going directly West that eventually that trio of Gleason, Zitz, and Tomasello found a correct road on the cues, decided that they were back on course, and proceeded on toward Checkpoint #2. 

On our way to Checkpoint #2, Matthew Kutilek (the dot ahead in the distance) was the only rider we passed.

 We had a situation. Tony and Mike were hoping to get to the checkpoint, tell the three riders that we knew they went off-course, and ask them to rectify that mistake or be disqualified. However; they were too late.  One of the checkpoint volunteers, Dave Roll, texted me and said that Luke Wilson had been through and that three chasers were also through at 8 minutes behind Wilson!  Wilson had an hour-plus some lead before. There was no way that the chasers had put that much time into Wilson, unless the trio had short-cut the course.

Now that the three chasers had gone through CP#2, there was no going back to rectify their mistake, and we were going to have to disqualify the trio for short-cutting the course. Why Gleason, Zitz, and Tomasello were the only ones that decided to do this out of the entire field was something I never did find out, and it doesn't matter anymore. They made a decision. There were consequences for that decision. 

While Tony and Mike had gone directly to Checkpoint #2, Matt and I drove the actual course. By doing this we hoped to verify that the three had, in fact, not done the correct course, but Dave's text basically made that point moot. 

Now we had a difficult job to do.....

Next: Lessons Learned - Part 3

Trans Iowa Stories: Lessons Learned - Part 2

(L-R) Riders Scott Sumpter, Nathan Griffee, and Corey Godfrey during T.I.v14 Image by J. 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!  

Part of the reasoning for Tony to have us stop at that preserve where we were hanging out was to observe riders going by. The Coffman Wood Preserve was situated such that it was the only way on gravel you could go after the cues which he knew were going to provide a huge challenge to the riders of Trans Iowa v14. If someone missed a certain set of cues, he knew, and so did I, that if they did not pass the drive way we were standing on, that they did not get it right, and that we had an issue. Good thing Tony suggested this, as what he and I feared did come true.

Trans Iowa was a gravel event, true enough, but it was much more than just a gravel event. One of the challenges of the event was the time cut-offs. Another was the self-supported nature of the challenge. But one other challenge inherent to the overall Trans Iowa experience was navigation. This was done manually by cue sheets and, if you've never done cue sheet navigation, it is very mentally taxing. Especially when you are dealing with a fatigued body and mind running on little to no sleep after around 200 miles of riding on chunky gravel roads. 

I happened upon a delicious little twist set up happenstance by how roads were named and laid out in two adjacent counties. I knew it would provide a serious challenge to navigation, but my cues for this were unquestionably spot on, so if a rider actually paid attention to detail, they would sail through the sector with no issues. If they assumed what was happening, well...... That was what bit a lot of the riders and ended up changing the face of the event for three riders in particular. 

Detail of the area in T.I.v14 that caused navigational issues. Red arrows define correct route.

I wouldn't normally go into fine detail on such a thing as a route and cues for it, but in this case, it bears looking at because this detail derailed a lot of riders and caused many to miss Checkpoint #2's cut-off time. Also, this is what tripped up a few riders and got them disqualified from the event, which I will get around to later.

The riders were traveling Northbound on Keokuk-Washington Road, which is pretty much the county line road. Now adjacent counties often do not use similar naming conventions, and situations like this where roads cross borders don't often happen, but in this case, there were two 120th Streets in close proximity to each other both stemming off of Keokuk-Washinton Road.  One was a right choice, the other was not. 

The cues said: "BR (means "Bear Right") On Keokuk-Washington Road". Then the next cue was "L (for Left turn) On 120th Street" 

What tripped up many riders was that "BR" isn't usually critical. Just - you know - follow the road. it bends to the right. No big deal. Many riders would instead skip over cues like that, focusing on only the directional turns "L" or "R". So, the next turn after they got on Keokuk- Washington Road was a "L" at 120th Street. They skipped over the critical "BR" on Keokuk-Washington Road. Because of this, many riders made the mistake of turning onto the first 120th street they saw, (despite it not matching up with mileage, which was given to the nearest tenth of a mile on the cues), and fell afoul of that navigational difficulty. Many riders caught it right away. They backtracked and found the correct way. Many riders got it on the first try. Three riders forged onward, not backtracking the course, and ended up getting caught. 

(L-R) Greg Gleason, Stefano Tomasello, and Waletr Zitz got burned by the "120th Street Cue" issue in T.I.v14. Image by Celeste Mathias

The situation was that Luke Wilson had approximately an  hour, maybe a few minutes more, lead out on three chasers. They were Walter Zitz and Greg Gleason, co-winners of Trans Iowa v12, and Greg being the winner of Trans Iowa v10. With them was rookie to Trans Iowa, Stefano Tomasello. Behind those three was Matthew Kutilek, trailing that trio by about 45 minutes. 

As we stood in that driveway on that beautiful day, soaking it all in, we were also being vigilant to watch for riders. We observed Luke Wilson riding by. Then we waited. And we waited! Where were the three chasers? After what seemed like an eternity, Matthew Kutilek went by driving a steady cadence. Tony was the first to call out that the three chasers must have cut the course at the 120th cue.

What he meant was that by missing the second, and correct 120th Street, riders could cut off a 'lolipop' of the course by going directly West and not to the North, then West, and then South. It was this Southern road on the course where we were standing, and it was the only way, due to the way the South English river disrupted the normal 'grid' of gravel roads, to get by and find the next, correct part of the course. 

We assumed at that time that by going directly West that eventually that trio of Gleason, Zitz, and Tomasello found a correct road on the cues, decided that they were back on course, and proceeded on toward Checkpoint #2. 

On our way to Checkpoint #2, Matthew Kutilek (the dot ahead in the distance) was the only rider we passed.

 We had a situation. Tony and Mike were hoping to get to the checkpoint, tell the three riders that we knew they went off-course, and ask them to rectify that mistake or be disqualified. However; they were too late.  One of the checkpoint volunteers, Dave Roll, texted me and said that Luke Wilson had been through and that three chasers were also through at 8 minutes behind Wilson!  Wilson had an hour-plus some lead before. There was no way that the chasers had put that much time into Wilson, unless the trio had short-cut the course.

Now that the three chasers had gone through CP#2, there was no going back to rectify their mistake, and we were going to have to disqualify the trio for short-cutting the course. Why Gleason, Zitz, and Tomasello were the only ones that decided to do this out of the entire field was something I never did find out, and it doesn't matter anymore. They made a decision. There were consequences for that decision. 

While Tony and Mike had gone directly to Checkpoint #2, Matt and I drove the actual course. By doing this we hoped to verify that the three had, in fact, not done the correct course, but Dave's text basically made that point moot. 

Now we had a difficult job to do.....

Next: Lessons Learned - Part 3

Trans Iowa Stories: Lessons Learned: Part 1

Unidentified volunteer and rider seen at the construction zone during T.I.v14

  "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!  

We stuck around to see how the reroute at the mis-signed corner was being accepted and how riders were negotiating the road under construction out of Kalona for a while. I just wanted to make sure that riders were not getting confused here. Fortunately this was all during the daylight hours. Had this occurred when it was dark, it would have been a lot more confusing, and dangerous when it comes to that road under construction. 

Once I was satisfied that everything was going to be okay, Matt and I decided to head on up the course toward where Tony and Mike would be meeting us at a wildlife reserve South of North English, Iowa called Coffman Wood Preserve. I was looking forward to settling in for a nice, relaxing moment or two as we had earlier that day together on that old bridge deck. 

A group of three women during T.I.v14. We had the largest women's field ever for v14. Image by Celeste Mathias.

T.I.v14 riders resupply in Kalona Iowa. Image by Celeste Mathias

Meanwhile the riders were getting along down the course behind the leaders. I wasn't getting the drop-out calls as often anymore as riders became accustomed to negotiating the everlasting miles of fresh gravel roads. It had become apparent, however, that the fresh gravel would be the thing that was going cause many riders not to finish. It was that difficult for this, the last Trans Iowa. 

Even though the riders had probably the best weather ever for this event, and winds were minimal, it was still one of the most difficult Trans Iowas. So you just never know. As my co-creator for the event, Jeff Kerkove used to say about his solo 24hr racing, "Everything has to come together to finish". One small detail left undone, or one wild card out of your control could be all it takes to wipe out a year of training and get you that unwanted ride back to the start area. But that was Trans Iowa's unique twist on gravel racing. It was a HUGE commitment, and it could all come undone in a minute. 

Riders battled fresh gravel on roads with no good lines all day Saturday of T.I.v14. Image by Celeste Mathias

Riders pick their way through the worst of the road construction. Image by Celeste Mathias.

Matt and I pulled into the short gravel driveway which led to the wood preserve. Tony and Mike were already taking their leisure and had beers in hand. Matt and I grabbed a couple from our stash and we gathered around in a small circle and began to chat. 

Meanwhile, in my head, I was wrestling with how to spill the beans to Tony and Mike that this was the last Trans Iowa. I figured I owed it to these two faithful, stalwart supporters of mine to let them in on the secret. Suddenly I found myself blurting it out, and the reaction I got was surprising.

"Oh! We already knew about that!, retorted Tony, as he handed me another beer.  I sat with my mouth agape at the revelation. The others were then engaged in some other subject and left the end of Trans Iowa story go. It was not how I thought this would be received, but as I stood in silence listening to old friends, I realized a couple things. No more needed to be said about Trans Iowa ending, and that I was a very blessed man. Very blessed.

It was a lesson learned. Friends and supporters are worth more than fame and riches. I was amazed, full in the heart, and I will never forget that moment either, as long as I can remember things. It was the medicine I needed for a rough afternoon of event directing. What I didn't realize was that it was these moments which I needed to be able to deal with the next situation. A situation which was unfolding as I stood there that sunny, beautiful afternoon at the entrance of Coffman Wood Preserve. 

Next: Lessons Learned: Part 2