A Reckoning

 Over the weekend there was tragic news coming out of a few gravel events. The things you never want to hear about, experience, see, or read about happened and with those events comes many emotions and thoughts. 

Details; The most publicized of these events happened at the Raputitsa Dirt event in Vermont where a 54 year old man lost his life in a crash with a pick-up truck. Another death was reported to me concerning an event in Kansas, which I have been unable to confirm officially, so I won't say more about that. Another incident that was described to me by N.Y. Roll occurred in an event in Northeast Iowa with an accident where an unconscious rider was seen on a rural road being looked over by two other racers. All of this brings to mind a lot of emotion and concern with me personally due to my experiences with gravel events and with Trans Iowa in particular, since I was the guy in charge of things regarding that event. 

So, I have some thoughts and opinions based upon my past experiences which I am going to share. These are my opinions only  and they may not reflect the opinions of many others in the gravel community, but I feel it is time for a reckoning in gravel events. 

I want to be respectful of those who are affected by this past weekend's tragedies. That said, we need to look hard in the mirror as riders and promoters and speak out some things that have been assumed, or forgotten. 

First of all, while gravel racing and riding is beautiful and worthy of doing, things can and will go wrong leading to personal injury and even death. While that sounds rather clinical and obvious, we have to ask ourselves, "Do we really understand and accept this fact?" 

I'm not assigning blame to anyone or any organization here, just stating a fact that, by necessity, should be examined carefully up front, not just for gravel racing, but in each of our lives. This should be the number one thing you've considered before riding in anyone;s event and your loved ones should know it as well. 

And then when something does go wrong, it is okay to talk about it with respect and love being foremost in our commentary. Let's be honest, with the spiraling popularity of gravel events, accidents, crashes, and injuries leading to death will happen. It isn't a "when". So, acknowledging the worst is being honest. When I see participants gleefully enjoying the after-event party on social media after a tragic event occurred, it seems like a disjointed thing when I know that "they" don't know something tragic happened, and is that fair to the participants? I cannot answer that question, but it needs to be examined. I think if we are going to celebrate the good stuff and hide the "bad" it feels wrong. Again, I remind you all, these are my opinions. 

Moving on- Can we make our events better?  Can we educate riders in skills and tactics to make large groups of cyclists racing together a safer thing to do? I feel like "gravel camps" are doing this, but they, by their very nature, can be exclusionary due to admission prices to come to them and participate. Shouldn't this sort of information be freely given to all for the benefit of the community? Can we disseminate specific information to participants in a more effective way? 

A lot of these newer riders to gravel could maybe benefit from knowledge and skills attained through experience that veteran riders of crushed rock roads possess. Becoming a mentor to these new riders is a worthy pursuit. Could we foster better community to see this happen, or is competition hindering us? 

Like I say, there are a lot of questions and we probably have a lot more of them we could, and should be considering. Those are my thoughts on these things.

A Reckoning

 Over the weekend there was tragic news coming out of a few gravel events. The things you never want to hear about, experience, see, or read about happened and with those events comes many emotions and thoughts. 

Details; The most publicized of these events happened at the Raputitsa Dirt event in Vermont where a 54 year old man lost his life in a crash with a pick-up truck. Another death was reported to me concerning an event in Kansas, which I have been unable to confirm officially, so I won't say more about that. Another incident that was described to me by N.Y. Roll occurred in an event in Northeast Iowa with an accident where an unconscious rider was seen on a rural road being looked over by two other racers. All of this brings to mind a lot of emotion and concern with me personally due to my experiences with gravel events and with Trans Iowa in particular, since I was the guy in charge of things regarding that event. 

So, I have some thoughts and opinions based upon my past experiences which I am going to share. These are my opinions only  and they may not reflect the opinions of many others in the gravel community, but I feel it is time for a reckoning in gravel events. 

I want to be respectful of those who are affected by this past weekend's tragedies. That said, we need to look hard in the mirror as riders and promoters and speak out some things that have been assumed, or forgotten. 

First of all, while gravel racing and riding is beautiful and worthy of doing, things can and will go wrong leading to personal injury and even death. While that sounds rather clinical and obvious, we have to ask ourselves, "Do we really understand and accept this fact?" 

I'm not assigning blame to anyone or any organization here, just stating a fact that, by necessity, should be examined carefully up front, not just for gravel racing, but in each of our lives. This should be the number one thing you've considered before riding in anyone;s event and your loved ones should know it as well. 

And then when something does go wrong, it is okay to talk about it with respect and love being foremost in our commentary. Let's be honest, with the spiraling popularity of gravel events, accidents, crashes, and injuries leading to death will happen. It isn't a "when". So, acknowledging the worst is being honest. When I see participants gleefully enjoying the after-event party on social media after a tragic event occurred, it seems like a disjointed thing when I know that "they" don't know something tragic happened, and is that fair to the participants? I cannot answer that question, but it needs to be examined. I think if we are going to celebrate the good stuff and hide the "bad" it feels wrong. Again, I remind you all, these are my opinions. 

Moving on- Can we make our events better?  Can we educate riders in skills and tactics to make large groups of cyclists racing together a safer thing to do? I feel like "gravel camps" are doing this, but they, by their very nature, can be exclusionary due to admission prices to come to them and participate. Shouldn't this sort of information be freely given to all for the benefit of the community? Can we disseminate specific information to participants in a more effective way? 

A lot of these newer riders to gravel could maybe benefit from knowledge and skills attained through experience that veteran riders of crushed rock roads possess. Becoming a mentor to these new riders is a worthy pursuit. Could we foster better community to see this happen, or is competition hindering us? 

Like I say, there are a lot of questions and we probably have a lot more of them we could, and should be considering. Those are my thoughts on these things.

Friday News And Views

The new SOMA Gullwing Bar. Image courtesy of SOMA.

 New "Alt-Bar" From SOMA:

Ever since I have been writing this blog, (17 years, but who's counting!), I've been into the 'alt-bar' thing. So when I see a new one, I always check it out. The latest weirdo bar is from SOMA and is called the "Gullwing Bar". 

This one isn't weird because of its shape, which has been done pretty similarly by others. No, this one is different because of the shape AND that it is drop-bar control standard only. 

That means- don't try this with flat bar controls. So, as with many alt-bars, the question is always, "Why?!" Read the link above for SOMA's take on it. Basically it is an answer for those who don't like drops, have a bike with drops, and want to convert to a flat bar without having to buy new levers, shifters, and probably a derailluer or two. 

Comments: I see the reason why, and I get it, but my initial reaction is "mustache bar". I mean, essentially this is a mustache bar variant. That's fine, but functionally this bar only really varies the extension angle and otherwise it doesn't really do much for me. 

It does offer some unique hand positions and it probably would be great for some folks. So, a good alt bar here, just not one I see as being something I'd want for any bikes I have. I'd strongly recommend that if you think this looks interesting that a Whiskey Winston Bar might be even better from the standpoint of being able to use MTB or road controls and you can put MTB grips on that bar. Otherwise, the Gullwing Bar is another interesting choice. 

Wheelbased showed this image by VitalMTB on their Instagram.

SRAM To Debut New "Hangarless" Rear Derailleur:

This appeared in my Instagram feed last week from @wheelbased. (A link to the Wheelbased site is on the sidebar when that blog posts new material) 

The image, showing a new design by SRAM for a rear derailleur, features a new way to attach the rear derailleur to a frame by using a hollow bolt, a yoked upper derailleur body, and the wheel's through axle pierces the derailleur mount and frame. 

The design essentially makes a yoked hangar part of the rear derailleur itself which vastly increases rear derailleur stability leading to crisper shifting and less "ghost shifts". However; you might ask yourself, "Doesn't this put the frame and derailleur at risk of being destroyed in a crash or by trail obstacles? You would be correct if you think, "yes". 

But shifting stability and performance is critical now more than ever with the finicky nature and narrow performance window of 11, 12, and 13 speed drive trains. Consider also that rear derailleur hangars rarely break, they bend, and rear derailleurs which get the least amount out of shape are now for the bin.  

So, maybe you would trash a frame using this system, but more than likely you are going to destroy the derailleur. That's a sacrifice many are willing to make for better and more stable shifts on 11,12, and 13 speed drive trains. Plus, hangars are expensive anyway, weak, and don't really do what they were meant to do anymore. 

But the question no one is asking is "How did we get here?". Well, using really big cogs, wide range cassettes, and more gears on there- that's how. Really..... But go further. How did we get here? By accepting that front derailleurs weren't a good thing and that 1X is  "better". That's how this happened, really. 

Make of that what you will.

Controversy In Women's Elite Level Racing At Gravel Worlds:

Earlier this week I found a thread in the Riding Gravel site's forum dealing with an issue with the racing at the front of the Women's field at Gravel Worlds. To be honest, this is an issue, and will continue to be an issue, until we make elite level Men's and Women's events separate from all other gravel racing. 

I referred to this again in my post earlier in the week this week as well. No need to tread all that ground again, But, it is apparent that what Pro and Elite racers need and what the "95%" of the rest of us do not want is what is being described in this blog post from the second place Women's Pro finisher at Gravel Worlds. We don't want to see team cars, team support, team leaders deriding other riders, or heckling them, or causing doubt to gain advantage over racers. We don't need a "sanctioning body" to know that all that is wrong. 

We don't need a sanctioning body, but we do need strong leadership at the time of the events. We need immediate officiating, and yeah.....that's really a big ask when you have thousands of racers. But again- rules are nothing unless they are enforced, and if you cannot do that, then don't have that big of an event- or change your event to not have that sort of competitor, or find a way to make what you are doing work. My viewpoint is that there can be a way to figure this out. First off, much of the bickering is coming from mixing fast men with women's fields who are using those "wheels" to gain an advantage. So, separating them (different courses, different days for the events) is what needs to happen and would mitigate that issue. Secondly, supporting yourself means you carry it in- you carry it out. No hand-ups, and no team cars, (which- by the way- was explicitly mentioned in the run up to Gravel Worlds.) Officiating that with a separated Pro/Elite event would be a LOT easier than running several event distances concurrently with thousands of participants.

Tragedy At Vermont Overland Results In Kenyan Cyclist's Death:

 Saturday a high-speed crash resulted in the death of  Suleiman "Sule" Kangangi. He was a member of Team AMANI who were here in the USA on a swing of gravel events which the Vermont Overland was to be the last of before returning home to Kenya. Suleiman Kangangi was 33 years of age. 

He had participated in the SBT GRVL and Gravel Worlds before the Vermont Overland event. No further details were offered on the incident which caused Mr. Kangangi to succumb to his injuries. 

Comments: I am deeply saddened and I feel for all parties involved in this incident. Of course, my heartfelt condolences go out to Mr. Kangangi's family and friends. This is not a thing any of use want to think about happening to anyone in the gravel scene.

I've spoken of the fear I lived with that I would be presiding over an event where this sort of thing might happen, and my thoughts go out to those who run the Vermont Overland event. My hope is that everyone- the event organizers, the family and friends of Mr. Kangangi, and those close to this will find peace and comfort. 

An example of Velocity USA's "Oil Slick". Image courtesy of Velocity USA.

Velocity USA Announces Oil Slick Color Options:

Oil Slick color options were being offered quite a bit on some MTB components pre-pandemic. That sort of went away for a bit, but apparently Velocity USA is thinking that Oil Slick color is a thing again.

Only offered on complete wheel set builds, Oil Slick can be had on hubs, spokes, and brass or alloy nipples too. 

Of course, all that faux-petroleum light bending comes at a cost. You'll spend an extra 100 bucks for hubs, 28-38 bucks extra for spokes, and an extra 13-14 bucks for nipples. You can get nips, or spokes, or hubs only in Oil Slick, but again- only on custom wheel builds from Velocity. 

That's it for this week! Have a great weekend! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

Friday News And Views

The new SOMA Gullwing Bar. Image courtesy of SOMA.

 New "Alt-Bar" From SOMA:

Ever since I have been writing this blog, (17 years, but who's counting!), I've been into the 'alt-bar' thing. So when I see a new one, I always check it out. The latest weirdo bar is from SOMA and is called the "Gullwing Bar". 

This one isn't weird because of its shape, which has been done pretty similarly by others. No, this one is different because of the shape AND that it is drop-bar control standard only. 

That means- don't try this with flat bar controls. So, as with many alt-bars, the question is always, "Why?!" Read the link above for SOMA's take on it. Basically it is an answer for those who don't like drops, have a bike with drops, and want to convert to a flat bar without having to buy new levers, shifters, and probably a derailluer or two. 

Comments: I see the reason why, and I get it, but my initial reaction is "mustache bar". I mean, essentially this is a mustache bar variant. That's fine, but functionally this bar only really varies the extension angle and otherwise it doesn't really do much for me. 

It does offer some unique hand positions and it probably would be great for some folks. So, a good alt bar here, just not one I see as being something I'd want for any bikes I have. I'd strongly recommend that if you think this looks interesting that a Whiskey Winston Bar might be even better from the standpoint of being able to use MTB or road controls and you can put MTB grips on that bar. Otherwise, the Gullwing Bar is another interesting choice. 

Wheelbased showed this image by VitalMTB on their Instagram.

SRAM To Debut New "Hangarless" Rear Derailleur:

This appeared in my Instagram feed last week from @wheelbased. (A link to the Wheelbased site is on the sidebar when that blog posts new material) 

The image, showing a new design by SRAM for a rear derailleur, features a new way to attach the rear derailleur to a frame by using a hollow bolt, a yoked upper derailleur body, and the wheel's through axle pierces the derailleur mount and frame. 

The design essentially makes a yoked hangar part of the rear derailleur itself which vastly increases rear derailleur stability leading to crisper shifting and less "ghost shifts". However; you might ask yourself, "Doesn't this put the frame and derailleur at risk of being destroyed in a crash or by trail obstacles? You would be correct if you think, "yes". 

But shifting stability and performance is critical now more than ever with the finicky nature and narrow performance window of 11, 12, and 13 speed drive trains. Consider also that rear derailleur hangars rarely break, they bend, and rear derailleurs which get the least amount out of shape are now for the bin.  

So, maybe you would trash a frame using this system, but more than likely you are going to destroy the derailleur. That's a sacrifice many are willing to make for better and more stable shifts on 11,12, and 13 speed drive trains. Plus, hangars are expensive anyway, weak, and don't really do what they were meant to do anymore. 

But the question no one is asking is "How did we get here?". Well, using really big cogs, wide range cassettes, and more gears on there- that's how. Really..... But go further. How did we get here? By accepting that front derailleurs weren't a good thing and that 1X is  "better". That's how this happened, really. 

Make of that what you will.

Controversy In Women's Elite Level Racing At Gravel Worlds:

Earlier this week I found a thread in the Riding Gravel site's forum dealing with an issue with the racing at the front of the Women's field at Gravel Worlds. To be honest, this is an issue, and will continue to be an issue, until we make elite level Men's and Women's events separate from all other gravel racing. 

I referred to this again in my post earlier in the week this week as well. No need to tread all that ground again, But, it is apparent that what Pro and Elite racers need and what the "95%" of the rest of us do not want is what is being described in this blog post from the second place Women's Pro finisher at Gravel Worlds. We don't want to see team cars, team support, team leaders deriding other riders, or heckling them, or causing doubt to gain advantage over racers. We don't need a "sanctioning body" to know that all that is wrong. 

We don't need a sanctioning body, but we do need strong leadership at the time of the events. We need immediate officiating, and yeah.....that's really a big ask when you have thousands of racers. But again- rules are nothing unless they are enforced, and if you cannot do that, then don't have that big of an event- or change your event to not have that sort of competitor, or find a way to make what you are doing work. My viewpoint is that there can be a way to figure this out. First off, much of the bickering is coming from mixing fast men with women's fields who are using those "wheels" to gain an advantage. So, separating them (different courses, different days for the events) is what needs to happen and would mitigate that issue. Secondly, supporting yourself means you carry it in- you carry it out. No hand-ups, and no team cars, (which- by the way- was explicitly mentioned in the run up to Gravel Worlds.) Officiating that with a separated Pro/Elite event would be a LOT easier than running several event distances concurrently with thousands of participants.

Tragedy At Vermont Overland Results In Kenyan Cyclist's Death:

 Saturday a high-speed crash resulted in the death of  Suleiman "Sule" Kangangi. He was a member of Team AMANI who were here in the USA on a swing of gravel events which the Vermont Overland was to be the last of before returning home to Kenya. Suleiman Kangangi was 33 years of age. 

He had participated in the SBT GRVL and Gravel Worlds before the Vermont Overland event. No further details were offered on the incident which caused Mr. Kangangi to succumb to his injuries. 

Comments: I am deeply saddened and I feel for all parties involved in this incident. Of course, my heartfelt condolences go out to Mr. Kangangi's family and friends. This is not a thing any of use want to think about happening to anyone in the gravel scene.

I've spoken of the fear I lived with that I would be presiding over an event where this sort of thing might happen, and my thoughts go out to those who run the Vermont Overland event. My hope is that everyone- the event organizers, the family and friends of Mr. Kangangi, and those close to this will find peace and comfort. 

An example of Velocity USA's "Oil Slick". Image courtesy of Velocity USA.

Velocity USA Announces Oil Slick Color Options:

Oil Slick color options were being offered quite a bit on some MTB components pre-pandemic. That sort of went away for a bit, but apparently Velocity USA is thinking that Oil Slick color is a thing again.

Only offered on complete wheel set builds, Oil Slick can be had on hubs, spokes, and brass or alloy nipples too. 

Of course, all that faux-petroleum light bending comes at a cost. You'll spend an extra 100 bucks for hubs, 28-38 bucks extra for spokes, and an extra 13-14 bucks for nipples. You can get nips, or spokes, or hubs only in Oil Slick, but again- only on custom wheel builds from Velocity. 

That's it for this week! Have a great weekend! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions!

A Pirate Sets Sail

Corey "Cornbread" Godfrey giving last minute instructions at the first Gravel Worlds

When I think of certain parts of my life there are those iconic people that were a big part of things for me. People that always rise to the forefront of my mind. Sometimes there may even be a group of people. In the context of the gravel scene, I feel that one of those groups of people are the "Pirate Cycling League".

The folks that make up this group are many, and I am sure that I don't know all of them. That said, the PCL guys were a really big influence on me and Trans Iowa. I know for a fact that the early support of riders like Matt Wills, Corey "Cornbread" Godfrey, Matt Gersib, and others was a big facet of the early success story for Trans Iowa. They took the story of TI back to Lincoln with them and they became "super fans" of the event. I will not easily forget the van full of Pirates from the truncated TIv4 finish line in Edgewood, Iowa.

This support and goodwill affected me directly when in 2009 I attended and raced in the last "Good Life Gravel Adventure" out of Lincoln. I stayed at the infamous "D Street Motel", a huge, rambling old Victorian era home near the Nebraska State capitol building that had been the college home for many of the PCL members in the past. One of the most notorious of these was a guy that went by the initials, "CVO".

I hadn't met Christopher Van Ooyen (CVO) when I first went to the D Street, but I had heard of him. If you were going in with the gravel cycling crowd in Lincoln, you were sure to find out who he was. Back in the early 00's, there was no Facebook, so everyone blogged. Well there was a Lincoln Blog about the local cycling scene which was pretty much dominated by CVO. I read it and followed the story of CVO as he led various group rides, raced, and then passed from a broken relationship into a time of living in Mexico. By the time I came to my second gravel adventure in Lincoln, the inaugural Gravel Worlds, CVO had returned and was living again at the D Street house.

  In Memory of Christopher Van Ooyen - 09/28/1972-10/10/2017

That's where I met him. We retired to the upper story of the house where we spent the evening before Gravel Worlds chatting and hanging out with other PCL members. The day of the first Gravel Worlds, CVO was a volunteer and I recall him writing my racer number on my calf in black marker. Just like a triathlete or runner might have, but this was a gravel race. Weird. I don't think I've ever seen or heard of that again in gravel racing.

Then, later on in to the first Gravel Worlds event, CVO was seen by many out rambling around in a beat-to-shit white GM car of some sort with two coolers of drinks. One Monster Energy, the other Bud heavy's. Here's a bit of a snippet from my race report:

"It was as I was stopped alongside the road, (where I had sat on a cockle burr bush by accident and was pulling the thorny devils outta my "nether regions"), that CVO appeared out of the haze like an angel. He didn't see me until he was right by me, slammed on the brakes, skidded to a halt, and backed up the car to see how I was doing."

CVO got me two Buds and a Monster. Then he did something I'll never forget.......

"As I stood and swilled the beers and energy drinks, CVO grabbed his clubs and some rogue balls and began to profess his love of golfing to me as he took a few swings at the "gravel fareway". Unwittingly, (or maybe not), he invented gravel road golfing in front of my very eyes. This CVO cat is brilliant!"

Craig Schmidt holding up the first Gravel Worlds jersey design at Yia-Yia's in downtown Lincoln

 He was brilliant, that CVO character. He made me feel good about my miserable finish as I climbed into his beat up car that day. He hauled me back to Lincoln, chatted me up like I was always one of the gang. Honestly, CVO was one of the reasons that Gravel Worlds has been cemented into the gravel cycling culture as one of those events that is at once "real", grassroots, and fun, but has that same cutting edge competitiveness that the pointy end of the peloton craves. CVO and his PCL cohorts really set the bar high back then, and to the Pirates credit, it still remains high.

The seas have been stormy of late around Lincoln and the Pirates have been particularly hit hard. First it was Randy Gibson, who was hit by a driver under the influence of alcohol and was killed. Now CVO has succumbed to a rare disease that took his life Tuesday morning. That's just devastating right there.

The Facebook pages I follow are rife with stories about CVO, his creativity, his kindness, and his influence upon cyclists. It is obvious that CVO influenced and touched so many lives. Even the life of a crazy old blogger/cyclist from Waterloo, Iowa. I mentioned in the beginning of the post that there are certain iconic people that I will never forget. Even though I only knew CVO a minuscule amount, his impact was huge. He definitely will always be a bright spot in my life as I think back to Lincoln, the PCL, and Gravel Worlds.

Sail on, my friend! May you find calm seas and clear skies.

A Pirate Sets Sail

Corey "Cornbread" Godfrey giving last minute instructions at the first Gravel Worlds

When I think of certain parts of my life there are those iconic people that were a big part of things for me. People that always rise to the forefront of my mind. Sometimes there may even be a group of people. In the context of the gravel scene, I feel that one of those groups of people are the "Pirate Cycling League".

The folks that make up this group are many, and I am sure that I don't know all of them. That said, the PCL guys were a really big influence on me and Trans Iowa. I know for a fact that the early support of riders like Matt Wills, Corey "Cornbread" Godfrey, Matt Gersib, and others was a big facet of the early success story for Trans Iowa. They took the story of TI back to Lincoln with them and they became "super fans" of the event. I will not easily forget the van full of Pirates from the truncated TIv4 finish line in Edgewood, Iowa.

This support and goodwill affected me directly when in 2009 I attended and raced in the last "Good Life Gravel Adventure" out of Lincoln. I stayed at the infamous "D Street Motel", a huge, rambling old Victorian era home near the Nebraska State capitol building that had been the college home for many of the PCL members in the past. One of the most notorious of these was a guy that went by the initials, "CVO".

I hadn't met Christopher Van Ooyen (CVO) when I first went to the D Street, but I had heard of him. If you were going in with the gravel cycling crowd in Lincoln, you were sure to find out who he was. Back in the early 00's, there was no Facebook, so everyone blogged. Well there was a Lincoln Blog about the local cycling scene which was pretty much dominated by CVO. I read it and followed the story of CVO as he led various group rides, raced, and then passed from a broken relationship into a time of living in Mexico. By the time I came to my second gravel adventure in Lincoln, the inaugural Gravel Worlds, CVO had returned and was living again at the D Street house.

  In Memory of Christopher Van Ooyen - 09/28/1972-10/10/2017

That's where I met him. We retired to the upper story of the house where we spent the evening before Gravel Worlds chatting and hanging out with other PCL members. The day of the first Gravel Worlds, CVO was a volunteer and I recall him writing my racer number on my calf in black marker. Just like a triathlete or runner might have, but this was a gravel race. Weird. I don't think I've ever seen or heard of that again in gravel racing.

Then, later on in to the first Gravel Worlds event, CVO was seen by many out rambling around in a beat-to-shit white GM car of some sort with two coolers of drinks. One Monster Energy, the other Bud heavy's. Here's a bit of a snippet from my race report:

"It was as I was stopped alongside the road, (where I had sat on a cockle burr bush by accident and was pulling the thorny devils outta my "nether regions"), that CVO appeared out of the haze like an angel. He didn't see me until he was right by me, slammed on the brakes, skidded to a halt, and backed up the car to see how I was doing."

CVO got me two Buds and a Monster. Then he did something I'll never forget.......

"As I stood and swilled the beers and energy drinks, CVO grabbed his clubs and some rogue balls and began to profess his love of golfing to me as he took a few swings at the "gravel fareway". Unwittingly, (or maybe not), he invented gravel road golfing in front of my very eyes. This CVO cat is brilliant!"

Craig Schmidt holding up the first Gravel Worlds jersey design at Yia-Yia's in downtown Lincoln

 He was brilliant, that CVO character. He made me feel good about my miserable finish as I climbed into his beat up car that day. He hauled me back to Lincoln, chatted me up like I was always one of the gang. Honestly, CVO was one of the reasons that Gravel Worlds has been cemented into the gravel cycling culture as one of those events that is at once "real", grassroots, and fun, but has that same cutting edge competitiveness that the pointy end of the peloton craves. CVO and his PCL cohorts really set the bar high back then, and to the Pirates credit, it still remains high.

The seas have been stormy of late around Lincoln and the Pirates have been particularly hit hard. First it was Randy Gibson, who was hit by a driver under the influence of alcohol and was killed. Now CVO has succumbed to a rare disease that took his life Tuesday morning. That's just devastating right there.

The Facebook pages I follow are rife with stories about CVO, his creativity, his kindness, and his influence upon cyclists. It is obvious that CVO influenced and touched so many lives. Even the life of a crazy old blogger/cyclist from Waterloo, Iowa. I mentioned in the beginning of the post that there are certain iconic people that I will never forget. Even though I only knew CVO a minuscule amount, his impact was huge. He definitely will always be a bright spot in my life as I think back to Lincoln, the PCL, and Gravel Worlds.

Sail on, my friend! May you find calm seas and clear skies.

Ride For Randy

Special Announcement: Cyclists are a vulnerable user group and with drivers being more inattentive and impaired than ever before, we sometimes have tragedies occur like that of the death of Wade Franck, which hit the Iowa cycling community hard in 2015. 

Unfortunately my friends in the Lincoln, Nebraska cycling community are going through similar emotions after the tragic death of Randy Gibson, an accomplished, well known, and well liked cyclist from Lincoln, Nebraska. Besides being a cyclist many may not know that Randy was also heavily involved in Gravel Worlds and was responsible for the artwork used for this year's edition of the event, as well as helping to produce the event itself.

A memorial ride in Randy Gibson's honor will happen on October the 1st in Lincoln, Nebraska. I encourage anyone that can to attend in support of Randy Gibson's family, friends, and in support of the Lincoln cycling community and cyclists everywhere.

Following is a press release for the event:

Cyclists Organize Ride to Celebrate Life of Randy Gibson

Lincoln’s Hub Café to host the ride and remembrance October 1 at 10:00 a.m.

LINCOLN, Neb. (September 27, 2017) – Friends and family of Randy Gibson are planning a ride to celebrate the life of the Lincoln cyclist killed Saturday, Sept. 23, by a suspected drunk driver. The ride will take place Sunday, Oct. 1, from the Hub Café, 250 N. 21st St in Lincoln.

According to Gibson’s friend and ride co-host, Corey Godfrey, the ride will give friends and family an opportunity to reminisce and share stories.

“Let’s get together and remember Randy by doing one of the things he loved most – ride bicycles. We will meet at the Hub Café and roll out at 10:00 a.m. The plan is to ride around Lincoln and end up back at the Hub Café around noon for lunch,” Godfrey said.

Godfrey said the route would primarily utilize Lincoln bike paths, with a total distance of just under fifteen miles. 

Following lunch, the group will gather at the Jayne Snyder Trail Center, adjacent to the Hub Café, for a brief memorial, and to share stories and write well wishes to Gibson’s family. Participants are encouraged to bring along pictures, videos and other memories of Gibson to share with the group.

The Hub Café kitchen will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Learn more about the ride and memorial at the Ride for Randy event page.

Ride For Randy

Special Announcement: Cyclists are a vulnerable user group and with drivers being more inattentive and impaired than ever before, we sometimes have tragedies occur like that of the death of Wade Franck, which hit the Iowa cycling community hard in 2015. 

Unfortunately my friends in the Lincoln, Nebraska cycling community are going through similar emotions after the tragic death of Randy Gibson, an accomplished, well known, and well liked cyclist from Lincoln, Nebraska. Besides being a cyclist many may not know that Randy was also heavily involved in Gravel Worlds and was responsible for the artwork used for this year's edition of the event, as well as helping to produce the event itself.

A memorial ride in Randy Gibson's honor will happen on October the 1st in Lincoln, Nebraska. I encourage anyone that can to attend in support of Randy Gibson's family, friends, and in support of the Lincoln cycling community and cyclists everywhere.

Following is a press release for the event:

Cyclists Organize Ride to Celebrate Life of Randy Gibson

Lincoln’s Hub Café to host the ride and remembrance October 1 at 10:00 a.m.

LINCOLN, Neb. (September 27, 2017) – Friends and family of Randy Gibson are planning a ride to celebrate the life of the Lincoln cyclist killed Saturday, Sept. 23, by a suspected drunk driver. The ride will take place Sunday, Oct. 1, from the Hub Café, 250 N. 21st St in Lincoln.

According to Gibson’s friend and ride co-host, Corey Godfrey, the ride will give friends and family an opportunity to reminisce and share stories.

“Let’s get together and remember Randy by doing one of the things he loved most – ride bicycles. We will meet at the Hub Café and roll out at 10:00 a.m. The plan is to ride around Lincoln and end up back at the Hub Café around noon for lunch,” Godfrey said.

Godfrey said the route would primarily utilize Lincoln bike paths, with a total distance of just under fifteen miles. 

Following lunch, the group will gather at the Jayne Snyder Trail Center, adjacent to the Hub Café, for a brief memorial, and to share stories and write well wishes to Gibson’s family. Participants are encouraged to bring along pictures, videos and other memories of Gibson to share with the group.

The Hub Café kitchen will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Learn more about the ride and memorial at the Ride for Randy event page.

Riding Through Storm Clouds

Waiting out a shower under the canopy of the old Falls Avenue Drug store.

"Welcome back to the real world". That is what I was thinking Saturday evening as I looked through social media after being off of it for a week. I just cannot fathom some of the things that have happened.

Of course, we have all the political hoopla about what folks do at the beginning of sporting events and hardly anyone is aching over what has happened in Puerto Rico, Nashville, or in Lincoln Nebraska. 

You see, I found out someone was cycling there and got pretty busted up in a crash with a car, then later on I read about Randy Gibson, an accomplished cyclist and a pillar of the Lincoln cycling community, who was run down and killed by a person who was found to have a blood alcohol level well in excess of the legal limit. I must say that I do not personally know the two individuals who were involved in these crashes, but I do know many in Lincoln and beyond quite well who are really devastated by what has happened. I empathize with them and I grieve with them over this terrible turn of events.

So, I have to ride to work. Yes......I have to for myself. Not because I am a "loser" or because I cannot drive a car. I just choose not to, and I am the better for it. I have done this for 15 years now. I wouldn't have it any other way. But on days like yesterday, as I rolled out in to the city streets, I was a bit more cautious. I was more vigilant, and I was a bit afraid, yes I was. Why? Because inattentive drivers, impaired drivers, and just plain old mean spirited folk can injure or kill me so easily with a car that I have to wonder if I am not certifiably insane to be doing this commuting by bicycle thing. I mean, even I have been struck by a drunk driver. 

But then I remember that I absolutely hate it when I have to drive to work, because I get sucked into that hole of other drivers who don't care, are overly aggressive, inattentive, or worse. Just because I could drive, it doesn't mean it is better in those regards, just a tiny bit safer is all. That and I know how to be as safe as I can be when I ride my bicycle. I cannot just give up in the face of these swirling storms that threaten to take away my freedom and my sane place on my bicycle. I am also confident that those people that died and those that were injured on their bicycles wouldn't want me to stop either. 

So today, and tomorrow, and on into the future, as long as I am able, I will ride my bicycle through these swirling clouds and keep searching for the Sun.  


 

Riding Through Storm Clouds

Waiting out a shower under the canopy of the old Falls Avenue Drug store.

"Welcome back to the real world". That is what I was thinking Saturday evening as I looked through social media after being off of it for a week. I just cannot fathom some of the things that have happened.

Of course, we have all the political hoopla about what folks do at the beginning of sporting events and hardly anyone is aching over what has happened in Puerto Rico, Nashville, or in Lincoln Nebraska. 

You see, I found out someone was cycling there and got pretty busted up in a crash with a car, then later on I read about Randy Gibson, an accomplished cyclist and a pillar of the Lincoln cycling community, who was run down and killed by a person who was found to have a blood alcohol level well in excess of the legal limit. I must say that I do not personally know the two individuals who were involved in these crashes, but I do know many in Lincoln and beyond quite well who are really devastated by what has happened. I empathize with them and I grieve with them over this terrible turn of events.

So, I have to ride to work. Yes......I have to for myself. Not because I am a "loser" or because I cannot drive a car. I just choose not to, and I am the better for it. I have done this for 15 years now. I wouldn't have it any other way. But on days like yesterday, as I rolled out in to the city streets, I was a bit more cautious. I was more vigilant, and I was a bit afraid, yes I was. Why? Because inattentive drivers, impaired drivers, and just plain old mean spirited folk can injure or kill me so easily with a car that I have to wonder if I am not certifiably insane to be doing this commuting by bicycle thing. I mean, even I have been struck by a drunk driver. 

But then I remember that I absolutely hate it when I have to drive to work, because I get sucked into that hole of other drivers who don't care, are overly aggressive, inattentive, or worse. Just because I could drive, it doesn't mean it is better in those regards, just a tiny bit safer is all. That and I know how to be as safe as I can be when I ride my bicycle. I cannot just give up in the face of these swirling storms that threaten to take away my freedom and my sane place on my bicycle. I am also confident that those people that died and those that were injured on their bicycles wouldn't want me to stop either. 

So today, and tomorrow, and on into the future, as long as I am able, I will ride my bicycle through these swirling clouds and keep searching for the Sun.  


 

Knowing When To Say When

Even remote gravel events can be dangerous......I know!

Maybe you've been too busy to hear about the tragedies suffered in the ultra-endurance cycling scene this year, but there have been a few deaths in some of the higher profile, longer distance road based ultras this season. Probably the most notorious death of recent times was that of Mike Hall. The recent events concerning these deaths have brought the microscope of criticism and cries for solutions. The "something must be done" drums are being beaten loudly.

What this means for the future of ultra-cycling events is not clearly known yet, but the responses have been typical. Here is a Cyclingtips.com post which should give you a pretty good idea of what I mean here.

First of all, I think we have to call out some obvious points that are not being discussed, (at least not that I have seen), and the first and foremost of these is that someone's death does not always mean we "have to do something" to prevent more deaths. I think this is more a philosophical viewpoint than maybe we are really seeing here. Think about people dying. It happens every day in many ways. We are not "doing something" about many of these deaths. Are these lives worth less than the lives lost by higher profile ultra-cyclists? I ask this more as a point to ponder for us all. Because it seems to me that it is easy to get indignant and raise our passions when we are saddened by the loss of someone we feel is an iconic figure for......whatever, but we don't raise an eyebrow for certain (you fill in the blanks) folks when they die. So, there is that facet of all of this which is really more than a cycling issue. I'll leave that for others to discuss.....

Second of all, we seem to have an issue with death. You will have to search your own souls concerning this, but when the spectre of death is brought up, many try to deflect thinking about it. You've all seen it on the waivers we sign- "This activity may cause serious injury or DEATH"- but few consider this a possible reality for them. You should though.......Death is a thing. It is real. One day, you will experience it......

Mark Johnson was dancing with hypothermia for hours at T.I.v13. Image by Jon Duke

 I've contemplated dying on several occasions during gravel events. I've heat stroked, bonked, passed out, seen visions, and fallen asleep raging down hill on my bicycle in these events. I don't finish a lot of these events due to my pushing the limits so far. I also have a front seat to witness such things as other riders wrestle with their "demons" during Trans Iowas. Saying we all have "danced with death" might cause most folks to roll their eyes, but I believe we're on the knife's edge more than many might suspect. The trick, the gift of higher guidance, wisdom, or......dumb luck to know when to say when is the difference here, I believe.

That more than anything is what makes these events what they are, to my mind. You- the rider- get to decide when enough is enough, and having some other entity try to govern that is......well, it may seem like a better idea, but it guts the challenge of the thing and the meaningfulness of doing these kinds of rides, in my opinion. So, what is the answer then?

Well, I think prudence is something that has to be considered upfront by race directors. I'll use the Route 66 Challenge as an example. I- and this is purely my opinion- didn't think it was very prudent to stick to the Route 66 course through busy metropolitan areas like St. Louis, or to keep the riders on heavily trafficked roads. I would say that sort of deal is raising your odds for seeing someone get hit by a car and get injured or have someone die due to a car crash. That doesn't seem like a prudent thing to have someone do. I also will say that the riders could have also been more prudent in taking on that sort of route. There is honor in making wise choices, and in the case where a route is deemed unsafe due to heavy traffic, I think riders have a right and a duty to decline to ride such courses. I think these sorts of courses and riders accepting the situations which are clearly unsafe is where prudence and wisdom sometimes gets thrown out the window. For what? Well, that's another long blog post........

Clearly, there are certain challenges that are okay. It is a sticky wicket, but when you look at what folks are getting upset about here- riders dying due to bicycle/car crashes- removing that possibility as much as possible would seem to be the choice to go with. I think what I am saying here is somewhat obvious. Paved ultra-cycling courses that are not closed in any way, or that don't have follow vehicles are probably not great choices. Then again- there are no guarantees.

You can die anywhere by any means. Those who decide to gamble with their lives may have to pay the ultimate price. It's not an easy question to answer, but when do you say when? At what point do you "pull the plug". Should race directors and course/route designers be staying away from risky, high traffic roads? Do we go as far as having significant family members sign away rights to sue in case a loved one dies in an event? I don't know. These are just some of the questions, I am sure there are many more....

All I know is that it is time to say "when" for this blog post to end!

Knowing When To Say When

Even remote gravel events can be dangerous......I know!

Maybe you've been too busy to hear about the tragedies suffered in the ultra-endurance cycling scene this year, but there have been a few deaths in some of the higher profile, longer distance road based ultras this season. Probably the most notorious death of recent times was that of Mike Hall. The recent events concerning these deaths have brought the microscope of criticism and cries for solutions. The "something must be done" drums are being beaten loudly.

What this means for the future of ultra-cycling events is not clearly known yet, but the responses have been typical. Here is a Cyclingtips.com post which should give you a pretty good idea of what I mean here.

First of all, I think we have to call out some obvious points that are not being discussed, (at least not that I have seen), and the first and foremost of these is that someone's death does not always mean we "have to do something" to prevent more deaths. I think this is more a philosophical viewpoint than maybe we are really seeing here. Think about people dying. It happens every day in many ways. We are not "doing something" about many of these deaths. Are these lives worth less than the lives lost by higher profile ultra-cyclists? I ask this more as a point to ponder for us all. Because it seems to me that it is easy to get indignant and raise our passions when we are saddened by the loss of someone we feel is an iconic figure for......whatever, but we don't raise an eyebrow for certain (you fill in the blanks) folks when they die. So, there is that facet of all of this which is really more than a cycling issue. I'll leave that for others to discuss.....

Second of all, we seem to have an issue with death. You will have to search your own souls concerning this, but when the spectre of death is brought up, many try to deflect thinking about it. You've all seen it on the waivers we sign- "This activity may cause serious injury or DEATH"- but few consider this a possible reality for them. You should though.......Death is a thing. It is real. One day, you will experience it......

Mark Johnson was dancing with hypothermia for hours at T.I.v13. Image by Jon Duke

 I've contemplated dying on several occasions during gravel events. I've heat stroked, bonked, passed out, seen visions, and fallen asleep raging down hill on my bicycle in these events. I don't finish a lot of these events due to my pushing the limits so far. I also have a front seat to witness such things as other riders wrestle with their "demons" during Trans Iowas. Saying we all have "danced with death" might cause most folks to roll their eyes, but I believe we're on the knife's edge more than many might suspect. The trick, the gift of higher guidance, wisdom, or......dumb luck to know when to say when is the difference here, I believe.

That more than anything is what makes these events what they are, to my mind. You- the rider- get to decide when enough is enough, and having some other entity try to govern that is......well, it may seem like a better idea, but it guts the challenge of the thing and the meaningfulness of doing these kinds of rides, in my opinion. So, what is the answer then?

Well, I think prudence is something that has to be considered upfront by race directors. I'll use the Route 66 Challenge as an example. I- and this is purely my opinion- didn't think it was very prudent to stick to the Route 66 course through busy metropolitan areas like St. Louis, or to keep the riders on heavily trafficked roads. I would say that sort of deal is raising your odds for seeing someone get hit by a car and get injured or have someone die due to a car crash. That doesn't seem like a prudent thing to have someone do. I also will say that the riders could have also been more prudent in taking on that sort of route. There is honor in making wise choices, and in the case where a route is deemed unsafe due to heavy traffic, I think riders have a right and a duty to decline to ride such courses. I think these sorts of courses and riders accepting the situations which are clearly unsafe is where prudence and wisdom sometimes gets thrown out the window. For what? Well, that's another long blog post........

Clearly, there are certain challenges that are okay. It is a sticky wicket, but when you look at what folks are getting upset about here- riders dying due to bicycle/car crashes- removing that possibility as much as possible would seem to be the choice to go with. I think what I am saying here is somewhat obvious. Paved ultra-cycling courses that are not closed in any way, or that don't have follow vehicles are probably not great choices. Then again- there are no guarantees.

You can die anywhere by any means. Those who decide to gamble with their lives may have to pay the ultimate price. It's not an easy question to answer, but when do you say when? At what point do you "pull the plug". Should race directors and course/route designers be staying away from risky, high traffic roads? Do we go as far as having significant family members sign away rights to sue in case a loved one dies in an event? I don't know. These are just some of the questions, I am sure there are many more....

All I know is that it is time to say "when" for this blog post to end!