Update On Upcoming "Events"

Next up on the "events schedule" will be the Fat Bike Century.

As many of you know I had most everything I had planned on doing back in January cancelled or postponed, you know- like everyone else has. Social distancing is probably still your best bet against getting this virus thing, so I have opted to do solo, or nearly solo, 'events' which I have devised for my own pleasure and/or pain.

The first one was successful with the Single Speed Century happening almost a month ago already. Next up for me will be the Fat Bike Century. I suppose it really should be called the Fat Bike Century v2, since I've already done one several years ago with Tony, my friend from the area here who joined me on that excursion.

I did that on the old Ti Muk, and this time it will happen on the Ti Muk 2, of course. It's pretty much ready to roll with the exception that I probably should add some sealant. It's been a long time since I last added any. But that should happen today and I'll get the rig cleaned up. I've only got to remove the big frame bag, add a couple water bottle cages, and that should do it.

The next 100 miler I want to do is my ride of this year's proposed Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational route. I might have one companion for this, and I might not. Depends. The thing is, it for sure cannot be the 20 something numbers of people that it has been the last few years. Not with the COVID-19 thing still wreaking havoc around the country. So while some folks may think it is weak, I don't care. It's a stupid bike ride. No need to take chances with something I have zero control over that could just as easily result in someone getting permanently damaged or dead.

Likely rig for the solo GTDRI

 The route goes through several small villages and towns, so I think I can do this without carrying a ton of stuff. That puts the ride in the capabilities of the MCD. I'll likely throw on some light wheels, cushy tires, and go. I cannot remember the exact mileage I planned, seems 114 is about what I was thinking.

Some of that I am cutting out since this will be a solo route and there is no need to do Petrie Road again for the umpteenth time if I am not showing it to new folks to the road. So, that bit will get cut out and I'll straighten the route out Southward which should bring things down to under 110 miles. (And yes- that is a hint in the direction this is going in.)

 Since I'm not promoting these rides as group rides this year I am not giving out any dates as to when they are happening. That's just how I want things because I would hate it if someone got sick after coming to one of these last two 'events' I am doing. Sorry......not sorry. So, don't ask me when any of this is happening because I won't say. Even my wife won't know probably until the day before I go. Y'all will find out when I roll out a ride report. Some have asked me to say when I am doing things so they can ride at the same time where they are. Ah.......no. Not risking having someone just show up here. Plan a century ride soon and just do your thing. I am doing mine.

In the meantime I am gathering supplies and making a list to check over. Then it will be a matter of watching the weather for a good window to roll out in one of these two routes I have in mind.

Update On Upcoming "Events"

Next up on the "events schedule" will be the Fat Bike Century.

As many of you know I had most everything I had planned on doing back in January cancelled or postponed, you know- like everyone else has. Social distancing is probably still your best bet against getting this virus thing, so I have opted to do solo, or nearly solo, 'events' which I have devised for my own pleasure and/or pain.

The first one was successful with the Single Speed Century happening almost a month ago already. Next up for me will be the Fat Bike Century. I suppose it really should be called the Fat Bike Century v2, since I've already done one several years ago with Tony, my friend from the area here who joined me on that excursion.

I did that on the old Ti Muk, and this time it will happen on the Ti Muk 2, of course. It's pretty much ready to roll with the exception that I probably should add some sealant. It's been a long time since I last added any. But that should happen today and I'll get the rig cleaned up. I've only got to remove the big frame bag, add a couple water bottle cages, and that should do it.

The next 100 miler I want to do is my ride of this year's proposed Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational route. I might have one companion for this, and I might not. Depends. The thing is, it for sure cannot be the 20 something numbers of people that it has been the last few years. Not with the COVID-19 thing still wreaking havoc around the country. So while some folks may think it is weak, I don't care. It's a stupid bike ride. No need to take chances with something I have zero control over that could just as easily result in someone getting permanently damaged or dead.

Likely rig for the solo GTDRI

 The route goes through several small villages and towns, so I think I can do this without carrying a ton of stuff. That puts the ride in the capabilities of the MCD. I'll likely throw on some light wheels, cushy tires, and go. I cannot remember the exact mileage I planned, seems 114 is about what I was thinking.

Some of that I am cutting out since this will be a solo route and there is no need to do Petrie Road again for the umpteenth time if I am not showing it to new folks to the road. So, that bit will get cut out and I'll straighten the route out Southward which should bring things down to under 110 miles. (And yes- that is a hint in the direction this is going in.)

 Since I'm not promoting these rides as group rides this year I am not giving out any dates as to when they are happening. That's just how I want things because I would hate it if someone got sick after coming to one of these last two 'events' I am doing. Sorry......not sorry. So, don't ask me when any of this is happening because I won't say. Even my wife won't know probably until the day before I go. Y'all will find out when I roll out a ride report. Some have asked me to say when I am doing things so they can ride at the same time where they are. Ah.......no. Not risking having someone just show up here. Plan a century ride soon and just do your thing. I am doing mine.

In the meantime I am gathering supplies and making a list to check over. Then it will be a matter of watching the weather for a good window to roll out in one of these two routes I have in mind.

A Further Commentary On The Cummins/DK Story

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Halfway into 2020 and it would seem that the world at large has been disrupted to the point of being unrecognizable when compared to a year ago. At least in the "First World". Then throw in what is going on in the US with regard to racial issues and economic issues and it seems like everything is in upheaval. In our little corner of things, over here in the gravel cycling community, we have not been left untouched.

Postponements and cancellations have meant that many gatherings of folks for socialization and fun that have been looked forward to, have instead become points of discouragement. Plans have been changed, and we do not deal well with changes, as I have predicted. Throw in a racially charged issue, a corporate entity, and an individual who is held in high regard in the gravel community who made a mistake, and the dumpster fires which have resulted only serve to point out larger issues within our society.

So, let us stop a second here. taking in the landscape from a wide lens view. We know that society at large, and for sure in the US, is itching to 'go back to normal mode' and not have to worry about disease, protocols, shut-downs of entertainment, and loss of income. I get that. It is a huge disruption to 'life as it should be'. But here is the thing- we have got a long ways to go before this is all over. People are weary of it, and I understand the impatience. However, that is not why I bring that up. I point this out because this is the foundation for everything else that is bubbling up around us.

Secondly, it is not debatable that racial issues in this country need to be dealt with. We are in a time of social upheaval, introspection, challenging thoughts, and revealing of closed minds. Whatever side you are on in that debate does not lessen the fact that all this change is long overdue. So, there is that foundation for all of this as well.

Now, in regard to specifics, keeping in mind all of the above, we have a person- Jim Cummins- who represents something in the gravel community. How you define that persona may differ, but when you see comments like "The DK200 is nothing without Jim", and you see that over and over, well-  There are thoughts, feelings, and expectations connected to that persona that go well beyond anything having to do with the man himself. Call it 'celebrity', or 'fame', or 'cult figure' even. That part of the debate is a real thing. Many people that think these thoughts do not even really know the man, Jim Cummins, at all. They just feel he represents the Dirty Kanza 200. In fact, I'd go as far to say that the event and the persona are so intertwined as to be inseparable. That's true for many people, I am sure, judging from commentary I have seen over the past 72 hours on social media.

Taking that into consideration, along with the state of society now, we have the third part of this issue- The Corporate Entity. As you most likely know, Jim Cummins, and the rest of the DK Promotions team, sold the event to Life Time Fitness in the Fall of 2018. At that point, Life Time, realizing that Jim Cummins was "The Face" of the DK200, retained him, and that was a smart decision. Keep in mind though that now Life Time is "The Boss". They now have the ultimate say in things concerning DK and its doings. As a private entity, they have to be aware, and be concerned about how they are ultimately being portrayed by their employees. This includes, but is not limited to, actions observed on their employee's private social media encounters. It is not uncommon for folks to get fired from jobs for things that they share on their personal social media platforms. I can think of several times where individuals have posted negative thoughts pertaining to cyclists and where the cycling community has swarmed that persons employer with calls to have that individual fired. This isn't limited to cycling folks either.

Think about celebrities of any stripe. We get bent out of shape many times for things that they share on social media which sometimes has detrimental effects with their employer. I would argue that the more well known you are, the more intense this facet of our society gets. For instance, if my next door neighbor, a plumber, speaks out about a sensitive issue, maybe his small circle of friends on social media are affected. Now, if his boss, the owner of a large plumbing concern in the area says the same thing, there will be a much bigger outcry from the citizens of the area. If this were a national chain of plumbing concerns, and the CEO of said corporation makes the same statements, then it becomes a national issue. See what I mean?

Jim Cummins stands among the few race/event directors that has a fairly well known status nationwide amongst cyclists and sports people. If you say his name amongst a group of cycling nerds, chances are they know you are talking about the Dirty Kanza 200. That's why Jim is not just an ordinary person in matters of social commentary. Many have decried his firing as unfair because he was "only expressing his personal opinion", which many say Life Time had no business dealing with. Well, if you are one of those people, all of the above explanation I have offered is completely lost on you, or you are ignoring the elephant in the room on purpose, and why would you do that?

Probably because of selfish desires to see that a beloved event never changes. To have all these things ripped out from under us in a single year, less than a year, and to have your favorite event be forever changed as well? Yeah, I'd be bitterly disappointed too. But if you want to place blame for that, focusing your ire on Life Time Fitness is a misplaced effort.

Life Time is an entity that is trying to make its events welcoming to everybody. The comment made by Jim Cummins on his post was not seen as something that would make people of color feel welcomed, and Jim is the 'face', the de-facto heart of the DK200, as evidenced by the very fans of his stature and celebrity who now are saying they will never attend the DK again. Life Time cannot tell you what to think. Life Time cannot cause racism, or any other social issue, to go away. That isn't what this is about. What it is about is how Life Time has a right to control how their customers are welcomed. Remember, they bought the DK200 long before any of this happened, and Jim Cummins was their employee.

And the bottom line here is that it is done. There is no going back, and what is more, the name of the event will likely change as a result of all of this. Many people will not deal with this change well. That's a fact, and to a point, understandable. What isn't acceptable is how people on both sides of the issue are vilifying others and being completely irrational when it comes to how they are dealing with the end of the DK200's run with Jim Cummins.

And speaking of 'the end', you should understand that his time with the event was drawing to a close. To think that Jim Cummins was going to be a part of, the face of, and the reason many wanted to go to the DK200, forever, or for much longer, is unreasonable. I happen to know something about that, actually, but all I can say is that one way or the other, Jim was going to be gone. That it had to end the way that it has is very sad, upsetting, and not how many of us envisioned it to be like. But it is over.

A Further Commentary On The Cummins/DK Story

 NOTE: Large doses of "my opinion" will be handed out in gloppy dollops today. You've been forewarned.....

Halfway into 2020 and it would seem that the world at large has been disrupted to the point of being unrecognizable when compared to a year ago. At least in the "First World". Then throw in what is going on in the US with regard to racial issues and economic issues and it seems like everything is in upheaval. In our little corner of things, over here in the gravel cycling community, we have not been left untouched.

Postponements and cancellations have meant that many gatherings of folks for socialization and fun that have been looked forward to, have instead become points of discouragement. Plans have been changed, and we do not deal well with changes, as I have predicted. Throw in a racially charged issue, a corporate entity, and an individual who is held in high regard in the gravel community who made a mistake, and the dumpster fires which have resulted only serve to point out larger issues within our society.

So, let us stop a second here. taking in the landscape from a wide lens view. We know that society at large, and for sure in the US, is itching to 'go back to normal mode' and not have to worry about disease, protocols, shut-downs of entertainment, and loss of income. I get that. It is a huge disruption to 'life as it should be'. But here is the thing- we have got a long ways to go before this is all over. People are weary of it, and I understand the impatience. However, that is not why I bring that up. I point this out because this is the foundation for everything else that is bubbling up around us.

Secondly, it is not debatable that racial issues in this country need to be dealt with. We are in a time of social upheaval, introspection, challenging thoughts, and revealing of closed minds. Whatever side you are on in that debate does not lessen the fact that all this change is long overdue. So, there is that foundation for all of this as well.

Now, in regard to specifics, keeping in mind all of the above, we have a person- Jim Cummins- who represents something in the gravel community. How you define that persona may differ, but when you see comments like "The DK200 is nothing without Jim", and you see that over and over, well-  There are thoughts, feelings, and expectations connected to that persona that go well beyond anything having to do with the man himself. Call it 'celebrity', or 'fame', or 'cult figure' even. That part of the debate is a real thing. Many people that think these thoughts do not even really know the man, Jim Cummins, at all. They just feel he represents the Dirty Kanza 200. In fact, I'd go as far to say that the event and the persona are so intertwined as to be inseparable. That's true for many people, I am sure, judging from commentary I have seen over the past 72 hours on social media.

Taking that into consideration, along with the state of society now, we have the third part of this issue- The Corporate Entity. As you most likely know, Jim Cummins, and the rest of the DK Promotions team, sold the event to Life Time Fitness in the Fall of 2018. At that point, Life Time, realizing that Jim Cummins was "The Face" of the DK200, retained him, and that was a smart decision. Keep in mind though that now Life Time is "The Boss". They now have the ultimate say in things concerning DK and its doings. As a private entity, they have to be aware, and be concerned about how they are ultimately being portrayed by their employees. This includes, but is not limited to, actions observed on their employee's private social media encounters. It is not uncommon for folks to get fired from jobs for things that they share on their personal social media platforms. I can think of several times where individuals have posted negative thoughts pertaining to cyclists and where the cycling community has swarmed that persons employer with calls to have that individual fired. This isn't limited to cycling folks either.

Think about celebrities of any stripe. We get bent out of shape many times for things that they share on social media which sometimes has detrimental effects with their employer. I would argue that the more well known you are, the more intense this facet of our society gets. For instance, if my next door neighbor, a plumber, speaks out about a sensitive issue, maybe his small circle of friends on social media are affected. Now, if his boss, the owner of a large plumbing concern in the area says the same thing, there will be a much bigger outcry from the citizens of the area. If this were a national chain of plumbing concerns, and the CEO of said corporation makes the same statements, then it becomes a national issue. See what I mean?

Jim Cummins stands among the few race/event directors that has a fairly well known status nationwide amongst cyclists and sports people. If you say his name amongst a group of cycling nerds, chances are they know you are talking about the Dirty Kanza 200. That's why Jim is not just an ordinary person in matters of social commentary. Many have decried his firing as unfair because he was "only expressing his personal opinion", which many say Life Time had no business dealing with. Well, if you are one of those people, all of the above explanation I have offered is completely lost on you, or you are ignoring the elephant in the room on purpose, and why would you do that?

Probably because of selfish desires to see that a beloved event never changes. To have all these things ripped out from under us in a single year, less than a year, and to have your favorite event be forever changed as well? Yeah, I'd be bitterly disappointed too. But if you want to place blame for that, focusing your ire on Life Time Fitness is a misplaced effort.

Life Time is an entity that is trying to make its events welcoming to everybody. The comment made by Jim Cummins on his post was not seen as something that would make people of color feel welcomed, and Jim is the 'face', the de-facto heart of the DK200, as evidenced by the very fans of his stature and celebrity who now are saying they will never attend the DK again. Life Time cannot tell you what to think. Life Time cannot cause racism, or any other social issue, to go away. That isn't what this is about. What it is about is how Life Time has a right to control how their customers are welcomed. Remember, they bought the DK200 long before any of this happened, and Jim Cummins was their employee.

And the bottom line here is that it is done. There is no going back, and what is more, the name of the event will likely change as a result of all of this. Many people will not deal with this change well. That's a fact, and to a point, understandable. What isn't acceptable is how people on both sides of the issue are vilifying others and being completely irrational when it comes to how they are dealing with the end of the DK200's run with Jim Cummins.

And speaking of 'the end', you should understand that his time with the event was drawing to a close. To think that Jim Cummins was going to be a part of, the face of, and the reason many wanted to go to the DK200, forever, or for much longer, is unreasonable. I happen to know something about that, actually, but all I can say is that one way or the other, Jim was going to be gone. That it had to end the way that it has is very sad, upsetting, and not how many of us envisioned it to be like. But it is over.

Father's Day Weekend

University Avenue construction showing the new Sergeant Road Trail underpass.

First off, if you are a father or serve as a father figure, I hope that you had a great Father's Day. Secondly, if you were here looking for reactions to the firing of Jim Cummins from the DK200 by Life Time Fitness, see the second post for Saturday over the weekend. Right now that's all I have to say about it.

Now then, over the weekend I did not go out on any long gravel rides preferring to stick close to the G-Ted Headquarters to (a) be close to shelter should it rain and (b) spend a lot of time with my family. It would kind of make sense to spend time with the humans that made you a father in the first place, yes? I think so, and I was very happy to do it. My children are very important to me.

So, adventures close to home were what I did on a bicycle over the weekend. First up was an exploration into what was going on with the new construction on University Avenue and the Sergeant Road Trail which are near to where I live. I decided to take the Ti Muk 2 since it had rained heavily on Friday evening and Saturday morning. In fact, it looked as though it might rain at any time during the day. I figured a quick look at the construction site and a tool-around the neighborhood was all in order and should be fine. So, I headed off in that direction first. While the site is all dirt, I figured that due to all the recent dry days, that the moisture dropped by the overnight storms would be absorbed quickly.

I spent about a half an hour clearing the mud off I gained from going from this spot to the paved trail.

So........yeah. I got stuck. Like really stuck! The mud was so wet and fluid in one spot that the front wheel of the Ti Muk 2 was sinking so fast I could see it happening. Like the old quick sand scenes in old time Western movies. The Ti Muk was about to become part of the muck! I had to get pretty physical with the bike- yanking and lifting- to get free of the mire and then I ended up nearly sucking my shoe off in the same mud. It was touch and go there for a few minutes!

Then it was mud clearing time. I'm always amazed at how quickly a bicycle tire can attract mud and how long it takes to get that mud off the bike. I know mud and tires do not have a magnetic attraction, but you'd swear that they do. I kept clearing off handfuls of mud, thinking I was about done, only to find several more handfuls of mud. Then I would find several more handfuls. What?! Was this mud replicating as fast as I could pull it off? It would seem that way.

After I cleared off as much mud by hand that I could, I sped off down the trail, throwing clods of dirt and mud like an old time manure spreader. I ended up running through tall grass and mud puddles alternately to clean up as much of the tires as possible. That worked and by the time I was satisfied with the cleaning operations, it started to sprinkle, so I high-tailed it back to the house and parked it for the day.

Spiffed up the Pofahl Signature. Check out that radioactive pink glow on the fence from the tape!

On Father's day proper I spent some time taking care of the Pofahl Signature rig. The Single Speed Century pretty much killed the old blue handle bar tape, and it was time to replace it. I had the option of going with red, black, or pink. I had been holding on to this Marque Cycling pink tape (out of production) for about two years waiting for inspiration to use it. Well, that happened Sunday.

I also had to address the 'knock' in the seat post. This could turn into its own blog post, but the deal is that where the post clamps is 27.0mm. Where the seat tube flares out underneath that has a larger inner diameter. The action of riding sways the seat post, with the clamp being the fulcrum point, so to speak. This allows the slightly smaller 27.0mm diameter post to hit the inner wall of the slightly larger than 27.0mm diameter inner seat tube which makes a small 'clank' when pedaling in the saddle.

I wrapped the bottom of the post with electrical tape, which damped the 'clank' until recently when the tape finally failed during the Single Speed Century. Removing the post and putting on a run of new electrical tape should solve that issue. I haven't ridden it since I serviced the post, so I'll have to wait to see if I was successful again in taking care of that or whether I may have to try it again. It is hard to get that first bit of wrapped post past the seat collar area without pushing the tape back.

I did ride the bike before this, so I didn't feel compelled to go out again after the servicing. Plus, I still need to look at the hub's innards. That Industry 9 hub has never been serviced in 14 years! I probably should get around to that. Also, the eagle eyed of you will have noticed the new Bike Bag Dude Garage Top Tube bag on here. It's a great bag, and will see duties on multiple bikes.

Well, that's about all I did with bicycles over the weekend. I had a great Father's Day, and spent a lot of time with the family. Hope your weekend was good too.