Fargo Retrospective

My friend, Jason Boucher, just tripped over his old Gen 1 Fargo frameset the other day and was reminded of all the good times and friends he had and met with that rig. While my time with a Gen 1 Fargo has not been as "world-wide" in scope as his, it has been no less impactful. I was tthinking about all these things as I rode it yesterday to work and back again.

The "unofficial" Fargo Adventure Ride where I was introduced to the Fargo in '08

My introduction to the Fargo actually goes way back to the summer of '08 and the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational, where Jason had been telling me he would be showing up on a super-secret, special rig for the ride. He did and it was a stunning bike for all in attendance to behold. Forging his new at the time, "Cagey McCagerson" persona, Jason had the top tube wrapped in black electrical tape to mask the name of the yet to be announced Fargo. We all dubbed the bike "Black Electrical Tape", and that was a fun ride. Well, later on that Fall, Salsa released the details of the new bike and I rode one at Interbike in the Fall. Then in late Fall, on a gloriously beautiful early November day, an old friend of mine and I went up to Minneapolis to join a ride with the Salsa Crew on new Fargos.

It was a really great ride, and was dubbed as the first "Fargo Adventure Ride" by myself and others, but "officially", it was just a Salsa event. The adventure was awesome from my point of view. I had never done anything quite like it before. I had my first taste of trailside coffee on this ride, but there were more firsts. I recall that this was when Obama was elected, I had my first taste of Sriracha sauce on hard boiled eggs, (thanks Mike Reimer!), and I came home with a brand spanking new Fargo, which I have been riding off and on to this very day. Definitely a "red letter day" in my life!

That's me on the left riding the last "official" Fargo Adventure Ride. Image courtesy of GNAT.

There were two more Fargo Adventure Rides and I was able to attend both of them. They were really a great time, and I was able to meet several great folks doing these rides. It was about this time that the Fargo underwent some evolutionary tweaks and the original nature of the Gen 1 design was slowly designed out of the model. In many ways, the Fargo has become a more capable "drop bar mountain bike", but for several reasons, I have not been able to quit on my Gen 1 frame.

My Fargo leaning up against a grocery store on 2009's GTDRI ride.

First and foremost, whenever I have thrown a leg over that Fargo, it feels like an old shoe, or your favorite pair of pants. That Fargo just fits! It feels very natural to me and as I ride it, I feel as though that particular bike was designed for me. I cannot say that about many bikes, if any, and somehow I have bonded with that bike physically to such a degree that I cannot imagine getting rid of it for that reason alone, but I have other reasons as well.

Me at Odin's Revenge last Summer (Image courtesy of M Quigley)

The other reason I would have a hard time parting with this rig now is the same reason I think Jason is thinking about this bike again- the memories. I have so many great riding memories stretching all the way back to 2008 with this bike. Of course, there are those three Fargo Adventure Rides, then there are a couple Guitar Ted Death Rides which stand out for me. I have ridden this bike at the Dirty Kanza, in Nebraska with my good buddy MG, and at Odin's Revenge last Summer.

I have ridden this Fargo through Winters, muddy Spring times, at the Night Nonsense gravel event when it rained all night on me. I've ridden this bike on awesome rides all alone and with groups of folks that were a blast to be with. There are just so many great times associated with this bike.

Finally, I have to say that even in 2014, the Gen 1 Fargo still works as a concept. It is not suspension corrected, which may be off-putting to many, but as a "heavy duty- all road bike" with "mountain biking/bike packing/adventure characteristics, it has no peer at this time. (Well, maybe there is that Co-Motion rig, but those are rare.) Is the Gen 1 fargo "perfect"? Not by a long shot, no. I wish it had the Alternator drop outs, for one thing, but it is dang close to being a perfect rig for these crazy gravel road and dirt road adventures I like.

I know one thing- there's going to be more memories forged with this bike, and I cannot wait to get to doing that! 

See Jason Boucher's take on the first Fargo appearance at the GTDRI and what effects it had on him here. 

Fargo Retrospective

My friend, Jason Boucher, just tripped over his old Gen 1 Fargo frameset the other day and was reminded of all the good times and friends he had and met with that rig. While my time with a Gen 1 Fargo has not been as "world-wide" in scope as his, it has been no less impactful. I was tthinking about all these things as I rode it yesterday to work and back again.

The "unofficial" Fargo Adventure Ride where I was introduced to the Fargo in '08

My introduction to the Fargo actually goes way back to the summer of '08 and the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational, where Jason had been telling me he would be showing up on a super-secret, special rig for the ride. He did and it was a stunning bike for all in attendance to behold. Forging his new at the time, "Cagey McCagerson" persona, Jason had the top tube wrapped in black electrical tape to mask the name of the yet to be announced Fargo. We all dubbed the bike "Black Electrical Tape", and that was a fun ride. Well, later on that Fall, Salsa released the details of the new bike and I rode one at Interbike in the Fall. Then in late Fall, on a gloriously beautiful early November day, an old friend of mine and I went up to Minneapolis to join a ride with the Salsa Crew on new Fargos.

It was a really great ride, and was dubbed as the first "Fargo Adventure Ride" by myself and others, but "officially", it was just a Salsa event. The adventure was awesome from my point of view. I had never done anything quite like it before. I had my first taste of trailside coffee on this ride, but there were more firsts. I recall that this was when Obama was elected, I had my first taste of Sriracha sauce on hard boiled eggs, (thanks Mike Reimer!), and I came home with a brand spanking new Fargo, which I have been riding off and on to this very day. Definitely a "red letter day" in my life!

That's me on the left riding the last "official" Fargo Adventure Ride. Image courtesy of GNAT.

There were two more Fargo Adventure Rides and I was able to attend both of them. They were really a great time, and I was able to meet several great folks doing these rides. It was about this time that the Fargo underwent some evolutionary tweaks and the original nature of the Gen 1 design was slowly designed out of the model. In many ways, the Fargo has become a more capable "drop bar mountain bike", but for several reasons, I have not been able to quit on my Gen 1 frame.

My Fargo leaning up against a grocery store on 2009's GTDRI ride.

First and foremost, whenever I have thrown a leg over that Fargo, it feels like an old shoe, or your favorite pair of pants. That Fargo just fits! It feels very natural to me and as I ride it, I feel as though that particular bike was designed for me. I cannot say that about many bikes, if any, and somehow I have bonded with that bike physically to such a degree that I cannot imagine getting rid of it for that reason alone, but I have other reasons as well.

Me at Odin's Revenge last Summer (Image courtesy of M Quigley)

The other reason I would have a hard time parting with this rig now is the same reason I think Jason is thinking about this bike again- the memories. I have so many great riding memories stretching all the way back to 2008 with this bike. Of course, there are those three Fargo Adventure Rides, then there are a couple Guitar Ted Death Rides which stand out for me. I have ridden this bike at the Dirty Kanza, in Nebraska with my good buddy MG, and at Odin's Revenge last Summer.

I have ridden this Fargo through Winters, muddy Spring times, at the Night Nonsense gravel event when it rained all night on me. I've ridden this bike on awesome rides all alone and with groups of folks that were a blast to be with. There are just so many great times associated with this bike.

Finally, I have to say that even in 2014, the Gen 1 Fargo still works as a concept. It is not suspension corrected, which may be off-putting to many, but as a "heavy duty- all road bike" with "mountain biking/bike packing/adventure characteristics, it has no peer at this time. (Well, maybe there is that Co-Motion rig, but those are rare.) Is the Gen 1 fargo "perfect"? Not by a long shot, no. I wish it had the Alternator drop outs, for one thing, but it is dang close to being a perfect rig for these crazy gravel road and dirt road adventures I like.

I know one thing- there's going to be more memories forged with this bike, and I cannot wait to get to doing that! 

See Jason Boucher's take on the first Fargo appearance at the GTDRI and what effects it had on him here. 

Bugnacious!

Yes- You'd better like the color green if you ride here in the woods!

June in Iowa- The height of vegetation growth is upon us now and that also brings with it the lush, green woodland carpet, the "green smells" that permeate the cooler air under the canopy of trees, and bugs. Bazillions and bazillions of bugs!

2014 has been noteworthy so far for the gnat infestation. We usually get a somewhat annoying amount of these pests for a brief period, then they are quickly forgotten. However; this year there appears to be a bumper crop of the pesky, tiny black and brown flying insects. Clouds of them pepper you as you pass through them in various places. I'm not sure that they bite you as much as they just get into everything and annoy the heck out of you, but Mrs. Guitar Ted says that they bite her. Your mileage may vary. The mosquitoes beginning to appear now, on the other hand.......

Weeds six feet tall line the single track in places.

Then there are the weeds that have sprung up over the height of an average man in places. These weeds are grasses, so they don't really cause any problems, except that you cannot see the trail sometimes, and the weeds get wrapped around your derailleur, and whip you in the arms and legs. But really.......it isn't a big deal! Oh yeah, the weeds harbor all those insects I mentioned as well too. That said, at least the stinging nettles haven't overrun the trail just yet!

I was in the Green Belt and the trails were in their highest state of variability. There were dry, fast, hard packed parts, sandy pits, muddy, greasy parts, and water and deep mud as well. Really, a bit of everything out there yesterday. It's fun, but it is challenging to keep your wheels underneath you. Go too fast in the wrong place, and you go down right away. However; if you are hip to these trails, and know when to go and when to stay slow, it can be a fun ride not possible anywhere else.

The rear tire can slide a bit, you counter steer and punch the pedals. Sand tries to slow you and swap your tires, but you grab the handle bars and wrench against it. Punch the pedals again and straighten it right out. You see the grease and you just float the bike upright through the corner at a nice, wide arc to keep the wheels underneath you. The mud hole just demands some pure power to slog through. It's all dirty fun. And you get really dirty out there!

The repaired bridge was a nice surprise.

That and the weeds really make riding single speeds out there your best choice. No derailleur to rip off, no weeds wrapped around cassette gears, and no mud clogging up shifter cables and derailleurs. It's nice to just concentrate on sussing out the last bit of traction without worrying about shifting or what might be trying to destroy your drive train.

I was pretty averse to stopping for any images, so I kept rolling most of the time so I wouldn't get eaten alive by bugs. I stopped at the turn around for about five minutes to get a few images, and when I did I spent most of the time running around in circles trying to lessen the clouds of pests. So, I had absolutely no plans to stop again but when I saw the new bridge work, I had to take an image. The bridge had been falling into disrepair the last year or so, and I was afraid that it wouldn't be maintained, so when I saw that it had been done and done well, I was pleased.

Then I figured one more quickie of the tall grasses would be okay, and actually, I found the bugs weren't as bad as I thought they were way back in the Southern part of the trail. Eventually, I heard something that gave me pause and I decided no more stopping was a great idea. It was a sort of "pfft-pfft" at revolutionary intervals. A flat happening? Sealant coming out? The tires felt fine, but there was no way I wanted to deal with a flat in these woods with these bugs around! I hightailed it to the lake, and out in a more open area, when I determined it was my wet shoes making a weird noise, and not my tires. Whew! But by then, I was out of the woods and decided to just pack it in on the bike trails and went back home.

A great ride, but with these bugs, I may not be going back in the woods for awhile!

Bugnacious!

Yes- You'd better like the color green if you ride here in the woods!

June in Iowa- The height of vegetation growth is upon us now and that also brings with it the lush, green woodland carpet, the "green smells" that permeate the cooler air under the canopy of trees, and bugs. Bazillions and bazillions of bugs!

2014 has been noteworthy so far for the gnat infestation. We usually get a somewhat annoying amount of these pests for a brief period, then they are quickly forgotten. However; this year there appears to be a bumper crop of the pesky, tiny black and brown flying insects. Clouds of them pepper you as you pass through them in various places. I'm not sure that they bite you as much as they just get into everything and annoy the heck out of you, but Mrs. Guitar Ted says that they bite her. Your mileage may vary. The mosquitoes beginning to appear now, on the other hand.......

Weeds six feet tall line the single track in places.

Then there are the weeds that have sprung up over the height of an average man in places. These weeds are grasses, so they don't really cause any problems, except that you cannot see the trail sometimes, and the weeds get wrapped around your derailleur, and whip you in the arms and legs. But really.......it isn't a big deal! Oh yeah, the weeds harbor all those insects I mentioned as well too. That said, at least the stinging nettles haven't overrun the trail just yet!

I was in the Green Belt and the trails were in their highest state of variability. There were dry, fast, hard packed parts, sandy pits, muddy, greasy parts, and water and deep mud as well. Really, a bit of everything out there yesterday. It's fun, but it is challenging to keep your wheels underneath you. Go too fast in the wrong place, and you go down right away. However; if you are hip to these trails, and know when to go and when to stay slow, it can be a fun ride not possible anywhere else.

The rear tire can slide a bit, you counter steer and punch the pedals. Sand tries to slow you and swap your tires, but you grab the handle bars and wrench against it. Punch the pedals again and straighten it right out. You see the grease and you just float the bike upright through the corner at a nice, wide arc to keep the wheels underneath you. The mud hole just demands some pure power to slog through. It's all dirty fun. And you get really dirty out there!

The repaired bridge was a nice surprise.

That and the weeds really make riding single speeds out there your best choice. No derailleur to rip off, no weeds wrapped around cassette gears, and no mud clogging up shifter cables and derailleurs. It's nice to just concentrate on sussing out the last bit of traction without worrying about shifting or what might be trying to destroy your drive train.

I was pretty averse to stopping for any images, so I kept rolling most of the time so I wouldn't get eaten alive by bugs. I stopped at the turn around for about five minutes to get a few images, and when I did I spent most of the time running around in circles trying to lessen the clouds of pests. So, I had absolutely no plans to stop again but when I saw the new bridge work, I had to take an image. The bridge had been falling into disrepair the last year or so, and I was afraid that it wouldn't be maintained, so when I saw that it had been done and done well, I was pleased.

Then I figured one more quickie of the tall grasses would be okay, and actually, I found the bugs weren't as bad as I thought they were way back in the Southern part of the trail. Eventually, I heard something that gave me pause and I decided no more stopping was a great idea. It was a sort of "pfft-pfft" at revolutionary intervals. A flat happening? Sealant coming out? The tires felt fine, but there was no way I wanted to deal with a flat in these woods with these bugs around! I hightailed it to the lake, and out in a more open area, when I determined it was my wet shoes making a weird noise, and not my tires. Whew! But by then, I was out of the woods and decided to just pack it in on the bike trails and went back home.

A great ride, but with these bugs, I may not be going back in the woods for awhile!

Trans Iowa Masters Program: We Have Our First Finishers!

L-R: Scott Sumpter & Andy Zeiner at the finish in Lansing Iowa

Congratulations go out to Scott Sumpter and Andy Zeiner who were the first two riders to ever complete the Trans Iowa Masters Program course on Sunday morning at approximately 12:40 am in Lansing, Iowa.

Andy and Scott started their trek on gravel roads across the entire state of Iowa at 6:00am Friday June 6th on a bridge over the Big Sioux River which marks Iowa's border with South Dakota on the West. They followed a predetermined route covering many sections of the Trans Iowa V1 and V2 routes until they reached Cresco, Iowa where the route then diverted to a section of Trans Iowa V4 going into Decorah. Then leaving Decorah on the Trans Iowa V3 course, the riders were smack dab in the middle of some really big hills. This part of the course then diverted off at approximately Highway 76 to a new section of course designed to bring riders to the Mississippi River at Lansing, Iowa, the Eastern border of Iowa with Wisconsin.

Preliminary results gathered by Scott indicate that the course may be actually longer than the 377 miles that were determined on a mapping program by about 8 miles. The course seems to have in excess of 16,000 feet of elevation gain with 9,500 of that in the second half. It will be interesting to get comparisons from other TIMP riders.

Now Andy and Scott have to file written reports with images and then they will be the first two "graduates" of the TIMP! Look for their reports on a dedicated site soon! Congratulations fellas!

Trans Iowa Masters Program: We Have Our First Finishers!

L-R: Scott Sumpter & Andy Zeiner at the finish in Lansing Iowa

Congratulations go out to Scott Sumpter and Andy Zeiner who were the first two riders to ever complete the Trans Iowa Masters Program course on Sunday morning at approximately 12:40 am in Lansing, Iowa.

Andy and Scott started their trek on gravel roads across the entire state of Iowa at 6:00am Friday June 6th on a bridge over the Big Sioux River which marks Iowa's border with South Dakota on the West. They followed a predetermined route covering many sections of the Trans Iowa V1 and V2 routes until they reached Cresco, Iowa where the route then diverted to a section of Trans Iowa V4 going into Decorah. Then leaving Decorah on the Trans Iowa V3 course, the riders were smack dab in the middle of some really big hills. This part of the course then diverted off at approximately Highway 76 to a new section of course designed to bring riders to the Mississippi River at Lansing, Iowa, the Eastern border of Iowa with Wisconsin.

Preliminary results gathered by Scott indicate that the course may be actually longer than the 377 miles that were determined on a mapping program by about 8 miles. The course seems to have in excess of 16,000 feet of elevation gain with 9,500 of that in the second half. It will be interesting to get comparisons from other TIMP riders.

Now Andy and Scott have to file written reports with images and then they will be the first two "graduates" of the TIMP! Look for their reports on a dedicated site soon! Congratulations fellas!

Why Lists Are Stupid

The media just doesn't get it....

Recently a media story listing a "Top Ten" about gravel races has been getting a lot of attention. That's pretty interesting for a couple of reasons.

First of all, you have to understand the way media sites make money. They make money by telling potential advertisers about their Google Analytic numbers and other web metrics. More is better. Meaning more hits on a site, or a particular story is good for gathering and maintaining a certain stable of paying advertisers so the web monkeys can make a living. Sites get more hits by posting certain stories that get you to click on the link. They know what prompts this and that is all they need- for you to click on the link! 

One of the best ways to get folks to click on a link is to list things as a "Top Ten", or "Five Ways To Get Fit", etc. People love lists and click the bejesus outta them links! This is good for business and so as far as the particular content behind these links goes, anything is game. They usually have a LOT of B.S. in them. Take for instance the aforementioned "Top Ten" of gravel races in the U.S. (See it here if you must, but really- DON'T CLICK THE LINK!!)

This list has ten gravel road races listed on it as being the "ten best" in America. Of the ten, one has been cancelled for 2014, one hasn't even happened ever before, and another is so underground that you have to almost know someone to even get in the event. What's worse is that the list doesn't include one of the most seminal grassroots gravel races ever- The Almanzo 100. That is unconscionable.

So, once again, a list created to boost site hit numbers has erroneous and misleading info. Don't believe anything you see there folks. If these yahoos can't figure out that one of the best ever gravel events should be on the list, ya can't believe anything they say.

Why Lists Are Stupid

The media just doesn't get it....

Recently a media story listing a "Top Ten" about gravel races has been getting a lot of attention. That's pretty interesting for a couple of reasons.

First of all, you have to understand the way media sites make money. They make money by telling potential advertisers about their Google Analytic numbers and other web metrics. More is better. Meaning more hits on a site, or a particular story is good for gathering and maintaining a certain stable of paying advertisers so the web monkeys can make a living. Sites get more hits by posting certain stories that get you to click on the link. They know what prompts this and that is all they need- for you to click on the link! 

One of the best ways to get folks to click on a link is to list things as a "Top Ten", or "Five Ways To Get Fit", etc. People love lists and click the bejesus outta them links! This is good for business and so as far as the particular content behind these links goes, anything is game. They usually have a LOT of B.S. in them. Take for instance the aforementioned "Top Ten" of gravel races in the U.S. (See it here if you must, but really- DON'T CLICK THE LINK!!)

This list has ten gravel road races listed on it as being the "ten best" in America. Of the ten, one has been cancelled for 2014, one hasn't even happened ever before, and another is so underground that you have to almost know someone to even get in the event. What's worse is that the list doesn't include one of the most seminal grassroots gravel races ever- The Almanzo 100. That is unconscionable.

So, once again, a list created to boost site hit numbers has erroneous and misleading info. Don't believe anything you see there folks. If these yahoos can't figure out that one of the best ever gravel events should be on the list, ya can't believe anything they say.

Forked: Part 2

The Snow Dog: Now with a higher carbon content!

About a week ago I posted here about my new On One Fatty fork for the Snow Dog. I've been cautiously riding it around a bit here for the past week, just trying to settle in the head set and mostly to get acquainted with the change. Big changes like adding a new fork like this to a bike I really was accustomed to kind of throws me for a loop sometimes. I guess it takes me a while to "warm up" to things while sometimes I can constantly change a bike and it never really seems to bother me. Whatever the reason, I just was very averse to jumping in the deep end with this fork until I got to know it better.

Well, I can say that yesterday was the first time I rode it and never really thought about it. It was becoming "normal" and the sensations of the bike were good. They never really were bad, per se', so that may be a bad choice of words, but I wasn't blown away by anything in particular either. In fact, I really cannot say anything is all that much different. It's all in my head, most likely. Obviously, the bike is somewhat lighter, but honestly- I cannot feel it when I ride the bike. The geometry must be very close to what it was with the Enabler, so there are no real quirks that I can sus out with how it steers or handles so far.

Fat bikes, in my opinion, seem to be very "wheel-centric" in every way. The wheels dominate the looks, the traction, the way the bike handles, and when it comes to weight, the wheels are the heaviest component by a much larger margin than they are on almost any other type of bicycle. It's all about those fat, ginormous, heavy wheels. Sure- you can nuance certain things about the fat bike by doing component swaps but the wheels are the biggest attribute and the biggest detriment to a bike like this.

That's why I feel that tubeless tires and rims, lighter rims, and lighter tires are well worth the money to upgrade to on these machines. The old maxim about how wheels are the best thing to upgrade on a bicycle? Times two on a fat bike. The difference on my switch from tubed Larry 3.8's to the Velocity Dually/tubeless Sterling set up was not just a little different, it was hugely different. Even when I initially set the Sterlings up tubeless on the Fatback wheels, the difference was so obvious it was laughable. That's why the fork is merely a slight to not noticeable change here. The wheels will make a bigger difference when I change them. It'll be good......

Forked: Part 2

The Snow Dog: Now with a higher carbon content!

About a week ago I posted here about my new On One Fatty fork for the Snow Dog. I've been cautiously riding it around a bit here for the past week, just trying to settle in the head set and mostly to get acquainted with the change. Big changes like adding a new fork like this to a bike I really was accustomed to kind of throws me for a loop sometimes. I guess it takes me a while to "warm up" to things while sometimes I can constantly change a bike and it never really seems to bother me. Whatever the reason, I just was very averse to jumping in the deep end with this fork until I got to know it better.

Well, I can say that yesterday was the first time I rode it and never really thought about it. It was becoming "normal" and the sensations of the bike were good. They never really were bad, per se', so that may be a bad choice of words, but I wasn't blown away by anything in particular either. In fact, I really cannot say anything is all that much different. It's all in my head, most likely. Obviously, the bike is somewhat lighter, but honestly- I cannot feel it when I ride the bike. The geometry must be very close to what it was with the Enabler, so there are no real quirks that I can sus out with how it steers or handles so far.

Fat bikes, in my opinion, seem to be very "wheel-centric" in every way. The wheels dominate the looks, the traction, the way the bike handles, and when it comes to weight, the wheels are the heaviest component by a much larger margin than they are on almost any other type of bicycle. It's all about those fat, ginormous, heavy wheels. Sure- you can nuance certain things about the fat bike by doing component swaps but the wheels are the biggest attribute and the biggest detriment to a bike like this.

That's why I feel that tubeless tires and rims, lighter rims, and lighter tires are well worth the money to upgrade to on these machines. The old maxim about how wheels are the best thing to upgrade on a bicycle? Times two on a fat bike. The difference on my switch from tubed Larry 3.8's to the Velocity Dually/tubeless Sterling set up was not just a little different, it was hugely different. Even when I initially set the Sterlings up tubeless on the Fatback wheels, the difference was so obvious it was laughable. That's why the fork is merely a slight to not noticeable change here. The wheels will make a bigger difference when I change them. It'll be good......

Friday News And Views

The map of the Trans Iowa Masters Program route (Courtesy of Scott Sumpter/Bike Iowa)

Today at 6am CST two intrepid cyclists have taken on the Trans Iowa Masters Program route. The 377 mile route was designed to take in many parts of past Trans Iowa routes and to celebrate the across the state nature the event was founded upon. Riders can accept the challenge from now until August 31st when the challenge shall be withdrawn. More than just a ride, the TIMP is also a challenge to document the ride via imagery and to write a written report which will then be shared online. The route itself is a challenge, of course, but the entire TIMP idea is a way to share the challenge with other, like-minded individuals.

The TIMP is mostly gravel roads with some dirt roads and pavement sectors in and out of towns. It starts on the Big Sioux River just west of Hawarden and ends on the banks of the Mississippi River in Lansing Iowa. Our first two TIMP riders are Andy Ziener and Scott Sumpter. You can follow their progress via a SPOT Tracker device HERE.

Trading this for that.

Sticker Share: Recently I was asked if I had anymore of those Trans Iowa stickers that were printed up for T.I.V6 and handed out then and again this year for T.I.V10. I said that I had found a few left overs and asked to get a self-stamped, addressed envelope to send them out. Well, the mail came yesterday and......

I got some "sticker share". Cool! I don't know if I am right or wrong, but it would seem that cyclist are sticker hounds, no? I feel that many of us are. So, I figured I would share more than just a few T.I. stickers back. Today they go out to be shared by another cycling/sticker geek.

Maybe it would be a great idea to randomly select a friend and send them some cool stickers you've been hoarding in an envelope or box for years. I mean, what good are they doing in some unseen, dark place? Let them be free and share them with someone who will put them on their kid's tricycle, a tandem, or maybe their race bike. Start a "sticker bike", or like me, festoon yer bumper with 'em! I think it would be great and I plan on sending away an envelope or two more soon here.

Self portrait- Night Ride Rest Stop

Night Ride:

I finally got up the gumption to go do a short little night ride yesterday after thinking I should be doing that sort of thing for too long with too little action. Night rides are really a lot of fun, but I have a theory that night riding needs to be shared to really get the most out of it.

Unfortunately, with being a family man and with all my responsibilities to writing stuff, I cannot really plan on when a night ride will happen for myself. I either have a window of opportunity, or I don't. Even though I have been doing night rides most often by myself, and although I think these sorts of rides are more fulfilling when done with company, it doesn't mean that these rides aren't good for me.

I get a lot out of them both physically and mentally. The night time just seems really good for doing some on-the-bike thought since you can really only see the little globe of moving light and what it temporarily illumines as you silently glide along. Last night was a bit of a disappointment in that regard due to an Avid Elixir 9 brake that needs a bleed job. (Imagine that- an Avid brake that needs servicing? )

Okay, ya'all have a spectacular, safe, and fun weekend on bicycles. 

Friday News And Views

The map of the Trans Iowa Masters Program route (Courtesy of Scott Sumpter/Bike Iowa)

Today at 6am CST two intrepid cyclists have taken on the Trans Iowa Masters Program route. The 377 mile route was designed to take in many parts of past Trans Iowa routes and to celebrate the across the state nature the event was founded upon. Riders can accept the challenge from now until August 31st when the challenge shall be withdrawn. More than just a ride, the TIMP is also a challenge to document the ride via imagery and to write a written report which will then be shared online. The route itself is a challenge, of course, but the entire TIMP idea is a way to share the challenge with other, like-minded individuals.

The TIMP is mostly gravel roads with some dirt roads and pavement sectors in and out of towns. It starts on the Big Sioux River just west of Hawarden and ends on the banks of the Mississippi River in Lansing Iowa. Our first two TIMP riders are Andy Ziener and Scott Sumpter. You can follow their progress via a SPOT Tracker device HERE.

Trading this for that.

Sticker Share: Recently I was asked if I had anymore of those Trans Iowa stickers that were printed up for T.I.V6 and handed out then and again this year for T.I.V10. I said that I had found a few left overs and asked to get a self-stamped, addressed envelope to send them out. Well, the mail came yesterday and......

I got some "sticker share". Cool! I don't know if I am right or wrong, but it would seem that cyclist are sticker hounds, no? I feel that many of us are. So, I figured I would share more than just a few T.I. stickers back. Today they go out to be shared by another cycling/sticker geek.

Maybe it would be a great idea to randomly select a friend and send them some cool stickers you've been hoarding in an envelope or box for years. I mean, what good are they doing in some unseen, dark place? Let them be free and share them with someone who will put them on their kid's tricycle, a tandem, or maybe their race bike. Start a "sticker bike", or like me, festoon yer bumper with 'em! I think it would be great and I plan on sending away an envelope or two more soon here.

Self portrait- Night Ride Rest Stop

Night Ride:

I finally got up the gumption to go do a short little night ride yesterday after thinking I should be doing that sort of thing for too long with too little action. Night rides are really a lot of fun, but I have a theory that night riding needs to be shared to really get the most out of it.

Unfortunately, with being a family man and with all my responsibilities to writing stuff, I cannot really plan on when a night ride will happen for myself. I either have a window of opportunity, or I don't. Even though I have been doing night rides most often by myself, and although I think these sorts of rides are more fulfilling when done with company, it doesn't mean that these rides aren't good for me.

I get a lot out of them both physically and mentally. The night time just seems really good for doing some on-the-bike thought since you can really only see the little globe of moving light and what it temporarily illumines as you silently glide along. Last night was a bit of a disappointment in that regard due to an Avid Elixir 9 brake that needs a bleed job. (Imagine that- an Avid brake that needs servicing? )

Okay, ya'all have a spectacular, safe, and fun weekend on bicycles. 

Contemplating Madness: Part 2

Yesterday I detailed out my Pofahl single speed rig and mentioned that I was considering that bike for Odin's Revenge and why. Today I reveal "the other choice" mentioned and I will talk about why By-Tor the Titanium Mukluk will likely get the nod. (Hint: It isn't just because it as gears!)

When I purchased the titanium Mukluk frame and steel Enabler fork to build up By-Tor, I had in mind that this bike could be a "do everything" type of bike if that's what I wanted it to be. Certainly, it is a very fine fat bike. I know that is its main purpose, and that it does what it was designed to do well. It is stable, comfortable, and fits those crazy wide tires and rims. However; this bike has more than one trick up its sleeve. I won't get into all of what I feel it could be, but I do want to touch on the hard tail mountain bike transformation you see here.

Obviously, I have a different wheel set based upon fat bike hubs with the rear at 170mmOD and the front at 135mmOD. This makes for some stiff, strong 29"er wheels. They are a bit on the heavy side, but that is because of the hubs more than anything else. If I had the latest fat bike hubs I could shave a fair amount off and they would weigh about what a decent set of 29"er hoops do now. I have Stan's Flow rims on here and shod those with a pair of GEAX AKA folding bead tires. This makes for a wide, fast rolling, and grippy set of wheels for all the dirt and gravel at Odin's.

Fat bike mode- snowier times!

Comfort on a long ride is king, and the Ti Mukluk has that in spades. Is it really different than an aluminum frame? Yes. You really can tell the difference here. My Snow Dog is great but it rides much "stiffer" than the Ti Muk does. Of course, that smoothness is enhanced by the Salsa Ti seat post which is super nice to have for the longer rides. The combination of the frame and seat post makes this the smoothest ride in my stable suited for Odin's.

The Ergon BioKork grips and saddle round out the comfortable bits here. While I have flat pedals on it now, those will be swapped for SPD's for the event which will be the only contact point change on the bike. Bags will figure heavily into the plan and the main compartment will be the Bike Bag Dude frame bag and his super useful Chaff Bags, (not shown), which easily hold water bottles or gobs of trail mix! Inside the frame bag will be extra water, repair kit, and perhaps some food or rain gear, (depending upon the weather forecast for the event), and exact contents will be determined later. The Chaff Bags will hold a water bottle and grub. Two more water bottles can go on the fork blades as well. This set up will keep almost all the stuff I need on the bike and off my back. The Planet Bike Snack Sack you see will be primarily for my camera and smaller items.

Of course, By-Tor is a geared bike. That it also has really low gears doesn't hurt, as I found out at Triple D, and that will be useful at Odin's. However, it lacks a big ring for downhill cruising. I may see about fixing that issue soon. Otherwise, that dratted SRAM 10 speed chain is going away. The worst chain by far I have ever used. It has done everything bad short of breaking, and that won't be long at the rate it is corroding. I'm switching it out to a Shimano or a KMC real quick here.

More on the set up as it evolves running up to Odin's. As you can see, the titanium rig probably is the smarter choice here. So far, that is the choice. More soon......

Contemplating Madness: Part 2

Yesterday I detailed out my Pofahl single speed rig and mentioned that I was considering that bike for Odin's Revenge and why. Today I reveal "the other choice" mentioned and I will talk about why By-Tor the Titanium Mukluk will likely get the nod. (Hint: It isn't just because it as gears!)

When I purchased the titanium Mukluk frame and steel Enabler fork to build up By-Tor, I had in mind that this bike could be a "do everything" type of bike if that's what I wanted it to be. Certainly, it is a very fine fat bike. I know that is its main purpose, and that it does what it was designed to do well. It is stable, comfortable, and fits those crazy wide tires and rims. However; this bike has more than one trick up its sleeve. I won't get into all of what I feel it could be, but I do want to touch on the hard tail mountain bike transformation you see here.

Obviously, I have a different wheel set based upon fat bike hubs with the rear at 170mmOD and the front at 135mmOD. This makes for some stiff, strong 29"er wheels. They are a bit on the heavy side, but that is because of the hubs more than anything else. If I had the latest fat bike hubs I could shave a fair amount off and they would weigh about what a decent set of 29"er hoops do now. I have Stan's Flow rims on here and shod those with a pair of GEAX AKA folding bead tires. This makes for a wide, fast rolling, and grippy set of wheels for all the dirt and gravel at Odin's.

Fat bike mode- snowier times!

Comfort on a long ride is king, and the Ti Mukluk has that in spades. Is it really different than an aluminum frame? Yes. You really can tell the difference here. My Snow Dog is great but it rides much "stiffer" than the Ti Muk does. Of course, that smoothness is enhanced by the Salsa Ti seat post which is super nice to have for the longer rides. The combination of the frame and seat post makes this the smoothest ride in my stable suited for Odin's.

The Ergon BioKork grips and saddle round out the comfortable bits here. While I have flat pedals on it now, those will be swapped for SPD's for the event which will be the only contact point change on the bike. Bags will figure heavily into the plan and the main compartment will be the Bike Bag Dude frame bag and his super useful Chaff Bags, (not shown), which easily hold water bottles or gobs of trail mix! Inside the frame bag will be extra water, repair kit, and perhaps some food or rain gear, (depending upon the weather forecast for the event), and exact contents will be determined later. The Chaff Bags will hold a water bottle and grub. Two more water bottles can go on the fork blades as well. This set up will keep almost all the stuff I need on the bike and off my back. The Planet Bike Snack Sack you see will be primarily for my camera and smaller items.

Of course, By-Tor is a geared bike. That it also has really low gears doesn't hurt, as I found out at Triple D, and that will be useful at Odin's. However, it lacks a big ring for downhill cruising. I may see about fixing that issue soon. Otherwise, that dratted SRAM 10 speed chain is going away. The worst chain by far I have ever used. It has done everything bad short of breaking, and that won't be long at the rate it is corroding. I'm switching it out to a Shimano or a KMC real quick here.

More on the set up as it evolves running up to Odin's. As you can see, the titanium rig probably is the smarter choice here. So far, that is the choice. More soon......

Contemplating Madness

Custom, custom, hand made, fillet brazed.

"What is that!?

I sometimes get this reaction to the ol' Pofahl Custom. It is a weird bike, for sure. It's been on here several times before, and I've not gotten to ride it as much as I'd have liked to when I got it, but things were different back then. I didn't figure on going down the path I did with cycling back in '07, so back then, the plan was to ride the crap outta this rig.

The back story goes something like this: I have the Karate Monkey in Campstove Green, the '03 model. I put drop bars on it, always used it as a single speed, and it was essentially my first gravel road rig. I decided I could do something better, and drew up an idea which I had shown to Ben Witt of Milltown Cycles. Ben immediately got excited about it, did some geometry tweaks, and the next thing I now we're into a project.

The idea from my standpoint was to have two bi-lateral tubes instead of seat stays. My position was that it would allow for the seat tube and flatter angled stays to get some of that mythical vertical compliance. The bi-laterals would stiffen the front end for out of the saddle honking up hills via one gear. Ben added some offset/head angle wizardry and voila'! The Pofahl Custom Signature model!

No suspension ever on this one!

Early in the design process I was asked if I'd ever run a suspension device on this, to which I said, "no", and so the fork was not suspension corrected. I still do not regret that idea, since the Pofahl has also almost exclusively been a gravel machine. The other thing about this bike is there was to be a custom titanium handle bar, which Ben designed for this, and was sent to another "famous" titanium fabricator who shall remain nameless and then we heard.......nothing. Oddly enough, after about six months the design, slightly revised, showed up on this fellows bikes. Yeah........not cool, but whatever.....

So I've never had the finishing piece done for this bike and that's resulted in a plethora of handle bar and stem ideas on this bike. Nothing has really sparked any love until I stuck a Luxy Bar on there with this high rise Bontrager stem. That's been the best thing so far. I once had a monstrosity of a Niner Bikes bar on there which also wasn't too bad.

Anyway, I am considering doing a single speed or another of my "fatter tired' bikes for Odin's. The course isn't too hilly for a single gear, but it is a case where a fatter tired gravel rig shines. I would really like to do the Tamland Two, but with a forecast of 35 miles of dirt that could be powdery, deep, and maybe sandy, I am looking at doing some 2.0"-2.25" tires. That was good last year, but last year there wasn't as much dirt either.

Next time I post about Odin's I'll show the other bike I'm contemplating which probably hold the edge for the final choice at Odins. Stay tuned!

Contemplating Madness

Custom, custom, hand made, fillet brazed.

"What is that!?

I sometimes get this reaction to the ol' Pofahl Custom. It is a weird bike, for sure. It's been on here several times before, and I've not gotten to ride it as much as I'd have liked to when I got it, but things were different back then. I didn't figure on going down the path I did with cycling back in '07, so back then, the plan was to ride the crap outta this rig.

The back story goes something like this: I have the Karate Monkey in Campstove Green, the '03 model. I put drop bars on it, always used it as a single speed, and it was essentially my first gravel road rig. I decided I could do something better, and drew up an idea which I had shown to Ben Witt of Milltown Cycles. Ben immediately got excited about it, did some geometry tweaks, and the next thing I now we're into a project.

The idea from my standpoint was to have two bi-lateral tubes instead of seat stays. My position was that it would allow for the seat tube and flatter angled stays to get some of that mythical vertical compliance. The bi-laterals would stiffen the front end for out of the saddle honking up hills via one gear. Ben added some offset/head angle wizardry and voila'! The Pofahl Custom Signature model!

No suspension ever on this one!

Early in the design process I was asked if I'd ever run a suspension device on this, to which I said, "no", and so the fork was not suspension corrected. I still do not regret that idea, since the Pofahl has also almost exclusively been a gravel machine. The other thing about this bike is there was to be a custom titanium handle bar, which Ben designed for this, and was sent to another "famous" titanium fabricator who shall remain nameless and then we heard.......nothing. Oddly enough, after about six months the design, slightly revised, showed up on this fellows bikes. Yeah........not cool, but whatever.....

So I've never had the finishing piece done for this bike and that's resulted in a plethora of handle bar and stem ideas on this bike. Nothing has really sparked any love until I stuck a Luxy Bar on there with this high rise Bontrager stem. That's been the best thing so far. I once had a monstrosity of a Niner Bikes bar on there which also wasn't too bad.

Anyway, I am considering doing a single speed or another of my "fatter tired' bikes for Odin's. The course isn't too hilly for a single gear, but it is a case where a fatter tired gravel rig shines. I would really like to do the Tamland Two, but with a forecast of 35 miles of dirt that could be powdery, deep, and maybe sandy, I am looking at doing some 2.0"-2.25" tires. That was good last year, but last year there wasn't as much dirt either.

Next time I post about Odin's I'll show the other bike I'm contemplating which probably hold the edge for the final choice at Odins. Stay tuned!

A Different Kind Of Titanium

Hopefully the start of something......

I received a small box in the mail yesterday. It was light, and I was expecting it to be so. It had some nice titanium things inside of it. Not the cycling bits you might think of, but these things will be cycling related in this case.

I've always been envious of the guys I know that go out and have a breakfast or a coffee or both on their way to work in the woods using a camp/back/bike packing kit. I was introduced to the idea way back in '08 and since I am a slow learner it takes me a long time to get things together, I guess, but here I am getting a bit closer to the goal, at least!

So, no big, huge plans here, just baby steps and small goals at first. Then.......who knows? I do have a can stove and a bit of alcohol. I have some coffee I can grind, so the first thing on the menu is to just go somewhere quiet and have a cuppa joe, then ride back. We'll see where it goes from there.

I know I have a camping trip on the horizon in mid-July where I will be staying overnight with my son, so there's another opportunity to cook with this little kit. Hope he likes instant oatmeal! That will definitely be on the menu that weekend! Maybe we'll do something else as well, but that's awhile down the road just yet.

So, stay tuned. I hope to be having some "mini-adventures" soon enough, and we'll see how the kit does out in the field. 

A Different Kind Of Titanium

Hopefully the start of something......

I received a small box in the mail yesterday. It was light, and I was expecting it to be so. It had some nice titanium things inside of it. Not the cycling bits you might think of, but these things will be cycling related in this case.

I've always been envious of the guys I know that go out and have a breakfast or a coffee or both on their way to work in the woods using a camp/back/bike packing kit. I was introduced to the idea way back in '08 and since I am a slow learner it takes me a long time to get things together, I guess, but here I am getting a bit closer to the goal, at least!

So, no big, huge plans here, just baby steps and small goals at first. Then.......who knows? I do have a can stove and a bit of alcohol. I have some coffee I can grind, so the first thing on the menu is to just go somewhere quiet and have a cuppa joe, then ride back. We'll see where it goes from there.

I know I have a camping trip on the horizon in mid-July where I will be staying overnight with my son, so there's another opportunity to cook with this little kit. Hope he likes instant oatmeal! That will definitely be on the menu that weekend! Maybe we'll do something else as well, but that's awhile down the road just yet.

So, stay tuned. I hope to be having some "mini-adventures" soon enough, and we'll see how the kit does out in the field. 

XTR Di2: Inevitable Progress Or Have We Gone Wrong?

You Will Be Assimilated!

Last Friday the "big" news was the introduction of Shimano's XTR Di2. You know........electronic shifting? Like the roadies have had for awhile now, that stuff, okay?

So, the road guys seem to love this stuff, but it is crazy expensive. Even with the drop to the Ultegra level, you have to be pretty well heeled to get into a Di2 bike, since they don't hang these components on "cheap" frames......yet! I am sure somewhere that is happening, I just have not seen that yet. ( It seems that Bikes Direct hasn't gotten ahold of that stuff, which surprises me!) Anyway.......

So a question came up in a discussion on Facebook about this development and here's my personal take on electronically shifted mountain bikes:

First of all, the technology of Di2 is amazing. It works as advertised and yes- it is better than mechanically shifted anything from the aspect of shifting performance. Nothing comes close, and I am sure the XTR stuff will follow suit. The system obviously does away with cables and housings, which effectively eliminates the need to tune up the drive train. Replace wear related parts and keep the battery charged when either of those two things are necessary. That's it.

Shifting a Di2 bike couldn't be easier.

Mountain bikes more than any other type of riding discipline, (other than maybe cyclo cross), can stand to benefit the most from the elimination of cables and housings. So, from that aspect alone, Di2 will revolutionize mountain biking, and shifting a Di2 bike is a no brainer. Not only that- you can command what each paddle does, or use only one shifter to shift everything! "Have it your way" indeed!

So, what's not to like, other than the price? Well, that's hard to say without coming off as an anti-tech, retro-grouch, but here goes nuthin'.....

The Di2 system runs off a battery. So do all of our current devices du jour, and you know what that means: Ya gotta have a charger, cable, and you need to maintain the battery to be able to shift your Di2 mtb rig. Now, I will say that charging a road Di2 doesn't have to happen all that often, but the demands and rigors of mountain biking may make battery life somewhat shorter for off roading types. At any rate, we've introduced the "device culture" into the very heart of our mountain biking experience, and that's kind of what turns me off to Di2.

Why? Because I ride to get away from that very stuff. It is hard to do, as well. I have a smart phone. I take it with me out of responsibility to my loved ones. However; instead of turning it off and only using it in an emergency, I take images, check my e-mails, get and send texts, and take the occasional phone call. It bothers me that I do that so much sometimes that I actually get mad and turn the damn thing off.

You could always just go single speed!

Now I may never get a Di2 mountain bike, but if I did, the gadgetry factor would bother me even more. Maybe that's just me. I don't know how many folks would be with me on this, but all I do know is that I feel mountain biking, (or any sort of cycling, really, but especially mountain biking), is there as a human powered vehicle to take me as far away from this techno-driven madness as I can get. Even the act of cycling is sort of an antithesis to modern society. Why sully it with electronics?

Again, maybe I have a unique outlook here, but the whole idea of Di2 just feels weird to me. And then there is the cost of entry, which catapults Di2 into a range that may only be attainable to an upper class of the citizenry. Somehow that just seems weird when you consider the roots of mountain biking and the sort of vibe the sport has had for over 30 years.

So, is Di2 cool? Yes.....very cool. You cannot argue the technology. It works and does everything well, excepting that most folks will find it hard to afford it. I'm not at odds with the technology so much as I am at odds with what that technology represents for riding a mountain bike and the very reasons why we do that. Maybe I'm just being overly romantic about the whole deal and really, it doesn't matter in the end.

XTR Di2: Inevitable Progress Or Have We Gone Wrong?

You Will Be Assimilated!

Last Friday the "big" news was the introduction of Shimano's XTR Di2. You know........electronic shifting? Like the roadies have had for awhile now, that stuff, okay?

So, the road guys seem to love this stuff, but it is crazy expensive. Even with the drop to the Ultegra level, you have to be pretty well heeled to get into a Di2 bike, since they don't hang these components on "cheap" frames......yet! I am sure somewhere that is happening, I just have not seen that yet. ( It seems that Bikes Direct hasn't gotten ahold of that stuff, which surprises me!) Anyway.......

So a question came up in a discussion on Facebook about this development and here's my personal take on electronically shifted mountain bikes:

First of all, the technology of Di2 is amazing. It works as advertised and yes- it is better than mechanically shifted anything from the aspect of shifting performance. Nothing comes close, and I am sure the XTR stuff will follow suit. The system obviously does away with cables and housings, which effectively eliminates the need to tune up the drive train. Replace wear related parts and keep the battery charged when either of those two things are necessary. That's it.

Shifting a Di2 bike couldn't be easier.

Mountain bikes more than any other type of riding discipline, (other than maybe cyclo cross), can stand to benefit the most from the elimination of cables and housings. So, from that aspect alone, Di2 will revolutionize mountain biking, and shifting a Di2 bike is a no brainer. Not only that- you can command what each paddle does, or use only one shifter to shift everything! "Have it your way" indeed!

So, what's not to like, other than the price? Well, that's hard to say without coming off as an anti-tech, retro-grouch, but here goes nuthin'.....

The Di2 system runs off a battery. So do all of our current devices du jour, and you know what that means: Ya gotta have a charger, cable, and you need to maintain the battery to be able to shift your Di2 mtb rig. Now, I will say that charging a road Di2 doesn't have to happen all that often, but the demands and rigors of mountain biking may make battery life somewhat shorter for off roading types. At any rate, we've introduced the "device culture" into the very heart of our mountain biking experience, and that's kind of what turns me off to Di2.

Why? Because I ride to get away from that very stuff. It is hard to do, as well. I have a smart phone. I take it with me out of responsibility to my loved ones. However; instead of turning it off and only using it in an emergency, I take images, check my e-mails, get and send texts, and take the occasional phone call. It bothers me that I do that so much sometimes that I actually get mad and turn the damn thing off.

You could always just go single speed!

Now I may never get a Di2 mountain bike, but if I did, the gadgetry factor would bother me even more. Maybe that's just me. I don't know how many folks would be with me on this, but all I do know is that I feel mountain biking, (or any sort of cycling, really, but especially mountain biking), is there as a human powered vehicle to take me as far away from this techno-driven madness as I can get. Even the act of cycling is sort of an antithesis to modern society. Why sully it with electronics?

Again, maybe I have a unique outlook here, but the whole idea of Di2 just feels weird to me. And then there is the cost of entry, which catapults Di2 into a range that may only be attainable to an upper class of the citizenry. Somehow that just seems weird when you consider the roots of mountain biking and the sort of vibe the sport has had for over 30 years.

So, is Di2 cool? Yes.....very cool. You cannot argue the technology. It works and does everything well, excepting that most folks will find it hard to afford it. I'm not at odds with the technology so much as I am at odds with what that technology represents for riding a mountain bike and the very reasons why we do that. Maybe I'm just being overly romantic about the whole deal and really, it doesn't matter in the end.

Gettin' Used To The Heat

The calender may still say Spring, but it's Summer out here!

Saturday I only had a short window of opportunity to ride, so I didn't get a longer ride like I wanted to, but I did get to ride, so that was something, at least. I need to be getting used to the heat of the day since Odin's Revenge looms on the calendar and I've got a long ways to go to be ready for that one, I feel anyway.

I was sporting my German cycling cap given to me by Gerald.

At least the weather cooperated and it was not only in the 80's, but it was windy too. Coming out of the Southeast, and the majority of my ride was in a cross wind or head wind. Roads were variable, but things started out on gravel with a bang. New crushed rock all across the roadway for the first several miles of gravel I rode. Once I hit the Grundy County line, the roads were hard packed and much faster.

I had to string together bits of gravel interspersed with pavement due to my limited amount of ride time, but what gravel I did get in was fun. Once back into town I had to traverse the ever expanding sidewalk network of the University of Northern Iowa and then onward toward the bike paths.

The bike paths are very busy, as you might expect on such a sunny, warm day. The last few outings on the bike paths have reminded me why I avoid these paths in Summer. It is because these flattish paths with their super-smooth pavement and sheltered from the wind nature bring out the time trial and roadie wannabees in droves. These fellows, (mostly guys anyway), tend to blow by you as if they are late for work and almost never acknowledge a wave or greeting from me. Nice! I don't know, but to my mind, if you really want to be all aggro, go out and test yourselves on the open roads in the full brunt of the wind and elements. Let the recreationalists and children have the paths without fear of being scared or worse by your seemingly aloof, uncaring attitudes. At least I gave everybody I met a wide berth, a wave and a smile, and slowed down for children. Not that I'm a saint or anything, but it's what you should do, I think.

Well, the bike paths cut off a huge chink of distance back home for me from the West, but I believe I'll avoid those paths again for the Summer at least. Certainly on weekends. Not worth the aggravation and near misses. I have good, alternative routes that I can ride away from all of that. Still, the ride I did get in was good. I felt decent, and the heat was not debilitating. So far so good........

Gettin' Used To The Heat

The calender may still say Spring, but it's Summer out here!

Saturday I only had a short window of opportunity to ride, so I didn't get a longer ride like I wanted to, but I did get to ride, so that was something, at least. I need to be getting used to the heat of the day since Odin's Revenge looms on the calendar and I've got a long ways to go to be ready for that one, I feel anyway.

I was sporting my German cycling cap given to me by Gerald.

At least the weather cooperated and it was not only in the 80's, but it was windy too. Coming out of the Southeast, and the majority of my ride was in a cross wind or head wind. Roads were variable, but things started out on gravel with a bang. New crushed rock all across the roadway for the first several miles of gravel I rode. Once I hit the Grundy County line, the roads were hard packed and much faster.

I had to string together bits of gravel interspersed with pavement due to my limited amount of ride time, but what gravel I did get in was fun. Once back into town I had to traverse the ever expanding sidewalk network of the University of Northern Iowa and then onward toward the bike paths.

The bike paths are very busy, as you might expect on such a sunny, warm day. The last few outings on the bike paths have reminded me why I avoid these paths in Summer. It is because these flattish paths with their super-smooth pavement and sheltered from the wind nature bring out the time trial and roadie wannabees in droves. These fellows, (mostly guys anyway), tend to blow by you as if they are late for work and almost never acknowledge a wave or greeting from me. Nice! I don't know, but to my mind, if you really want to be all aggro, go out and test yourselves on the open roads in the full brunt of the wind and elements. Let the recreationalists and children have the paths without fear of being scared or worse by your seemingly aloof, uncaring attitudes. At least I gave everybody I met a wide berth, a wave and a smile, and slowed down for children. Not that I'm a saint or anything, but it's what you should do, I think.

Well, the bike paths cut off a huge chink of distance back home for me from the West, but I believe I'll avoid those paths again for the Summer at least. Certainly on weekends. Not worth the aggravation and near misses. I have good, alternative routes that I can ride away from all of that. Still, the ride I did get in was good. I felt decent, and the heat was not debilitating. So far so good........