Trans Iowa V11: Registration Daze: Final Words.....

While the roster was settled on Monday, the Rookie registration for Trans Iowa V11 caused the biggest stir ever since the Rogue Seven of Trans Iowa V2's registration. I got more suggestions to "fix things" than ever and a ton of questions. I wanted to put out a definitive "final word" on this situation to settle the subject once and for all. Okay? Here we go....

• Letting More Folks In: Short answer- NO. Longer answer: This format, the way Trans Iowa has been formulated carefully and thoughtfully over ten years time, will not support more riders in the event. There are two main reasons for this. One is convenience store supply options. I cannot expect that having more people swarm a convenience store will be good for the competitors, the businesses, or Trans Iowa in general. We are already seeing and hearing that certain situations regarding convenience stores and the riders coming in are stressing the limits of what these stores can reasonably supply. To go "bigger" would require a different way of supplying the riders and would fundamentally change the way I would need to staff and fund Trans Iowa. Secondly, it would cause more issues with traffic, people needing to relieve themselves, garbage, and more. So far, Trans Iowa has not been adversely affected by such issues, but I know other events that got "bigger" and have these sorts of challenges. Again- I could find a way to take care of all of these things given more money and manpower. That isn't in the cards, and I don't want to fundamentally change Trans Iowa into another Dirty Kanza 200, or like event. Like it or not, Trans Iowa is as "big" as I am willing for it to ever get.
• Making Things Fair: There was a fair amount of comments complaining about the way that some could drive their entries in, be waiting at the door, or that had access to local folks who could drop off cards for them. Others had delivery nightmares with over night packages coming either too early or too late. Hear this: IF Trans Iowa happens again, the registration for Rookies will change to eliminate differences in how I get the post cards. I will say no more than that, but I have a plan, and I won't have to use it if I cannot/will not do another Trans Iowa event. Stay tuned......like until next year sometime. Don't ask me again now!! I'd like to focus on THIS Trans Iowa, if you please. 
• Qualifying Event(s): This idea was independently thought of by myself and another T.I. rider. It basically would entail that if someone that had never ridden a Trans Iowa finished a certain event, they would have a free pass to take on a Trans Iowa, if that should happen again. I am intrigued by this idea, but I am not fully sold on it either. This will go into the "think tank" for now, but I would entertain comments and suggestions on the merits, or lack thereof, on this concept. 
• And Finally: As in anything related to Trans Iowa, folks typically want whatever they are concerned about in regard to the event to be made easier. So, the obvious thing to do is to make it harder to get into Trans Iowa. So, after the dust settles, and T.I.V11 is in the rear view mirror, and IF I get the itch to do this madness again, you can pretty much guarantee that I will tweak the registration qualifications or process, (or both), to make it more difficult to get into Trans Iowa for Rookies. It's basic economics. More Demand = Higher Prices. I know I see a LOT higher demand for spots. The spots available are EXTREMELY limited. Makes perfect sense to me. 

Comments and suggestions are always considered. Please e-mail me or hit the comments section. Thanks!

Friday News And Views

The Blackborow DS

It Came Early!

The Blackborow bikes were due to be delivered by late November. The geared ones, that is. The Dingle Speed ones were not supposed to show up until December. I wasn't thinking I'd see mine until then or later. I know the usual drill with bicycle companies- over-promise, under-deliver. I was fully expecting something along those lines.

However; I walked into the back door at work Thursday and there it was! The "Forest Service Green" Blackborow DS. Oh boy........I was excited but I also was in a pickle since my financial house wasn't quite ready for this. That's my problem, so I'll just tell you all what you really want to know- how does it ride? 

Two things: Smooth and nimble. The tires I figured would be horrible rollers, and while there is no escaping the tell-tale rumble of the Lou's tread, it rolls far better than I figured it would. Then there is the handling, which is really dialed and the shorter rear end is definitely noticeable.  This acts more like a "regular" mountain bike than you'd ever expect. I was cutting turns at slow speed in the shop that were eye opening from the standpoint of how easy it was to steer and maneuver. Kicking the pedal and popping the front end up is far easier than on a Mukluk. I can also see where putting a Bluto on this would be a really great idea. Stuffing the front wheel into a rocky rut for rain drainage out back showed me that much to be true.

The shop also received this geared Blackborow

The dinglespeed thing was intriguing, and I purposely put it in the "low" combination for my brief test ride to see what I thought. Honestly, it is pretty spot on for any single speeder's trails. It isn't that "super low" gear I might need for slogging through deeper stuff, but it'll be fun to see how far I can go. The higher gear should be perfect for commuting in the slop and on snowy streets.

The bike has all the braze ons for a geared set up, I'd just need a new drive side Alternator plate and I can gear this up no problem. I figured I'd try this set up for Winter and then decide where to go from there. I really feel that this will be the smart way to go for at least the Winter time. Last year I trashed a chain and many of my drive train bits were really put through the ringer along with the brakes. I had a piston seize up on a caliper and rust set in on the rotors as well. It was a rougher year last year, but still. Wasting decent 9 or 10 speed stuff on roads for commuting really doesn't make sense when this dinglespeed set up is made to resist that sort of corrosion. Time will tell how that works out.

Trans Iowa Clinic:

We're all done with T.I.V11 registration so now we are announcing that the Trans Iowa Clinic will again be happening. The date is December 6th. The place will be the same as last year's venue, which was then called Tacopocalypse, but is now dubbed Krunkwich Ramen House. Of course, this is all in Des Moines Iowa.

We're working on bringing some gear out all set up for Trans Iowa and the panel will consist of a few women and men that have finished Trans Iowa who will be available for a Q&A session. There may be a couple of slides and we may be doing something for those who will not be available to attend, so that the riders who live far off can maybe pick up some pointers.

One question: Does anyone want to see the movie "300 Miles Of Gravel" again? Give us a shout out here so we can add that in if there seems to be enough interest in seeing that again. More details will be released soon as far as specific times and hopefully we'll have a sign up list going soon. Stay tuned......

Friday News And Views

The Blackborow DS

It Came Early!

The Blackborow bikes were due to be delivered by late November. The geared ones, that is. The Dingle Speed ones were not supposed to show up until December. I wasn't thinking I'd see mine until then or later. I know the usual drill with bicycle companies- over-promise, under-deliver. I was fully expecting something along those lines.

However; I walked into the back door at work Thursday and there it was! The "Forest Service Green" Blackborow DS. Oh boy........I was excited but I also was in a pickle since my financial house wasn't quite ready for this. That's my problem, so I'll just tell you all what you really want to know- how does it ride? 

Two things: Smooth and nimble. The tires I figured would be horrible rollers, and while there is no escaping the tell-tale rumble of the Lou's tread, it rolls far better than I figured it would. Then there is the handling, which is really dialed and the shorter rear end is definitely noticeable.  This acts more like a "regular" mountain bike than you'd ever expect. I was cutting turns at slow speed in the shop that were eye opening from the standpoint of how easy it was to steer and maneuver. Kicking the pedal and popping the front end up is far easier than on a Mukluk. I can also see where putting a Bluto on this would be a really great idea. Stuffing the front wheel into a rocky rut for rain drainage out back showed me that much to be true.

The shop also received this geared Blackborow

The dinglespeed thing was intriguing, and I purposely put it in the "low" combination for my brief test ride to see what I thought. Honestly, it is pretty spot on for any single speeder's trails. It isn't that "super low" gear I might need for slogging through deeper stuff, but it'll be fun to see how far I can go. The higher gear should be perfect for commuting in the slop and on snowy streets.

The bike has all the braze ons for a geared set up, I'd just need a new drive side Alternator plate and I can gear this up no problem. I figured I'd try this set up for Winter and then decide where to go from there. I really feel that this will be the smart way to go for at least the Winter time. Last year I trashed a chain and many of my drive train bits were really put through the ringer along with the brakes. I had a piston seize up on a caliper and rust set in on the rotors as well. It was a rougher year last year, but still. Wasting decent 9 or 10 speed stuff on roads for commuting really doesn't make sense when this dinglespeed set up is made to resist that sort of corrosion. Time will tell how that works out.

Trans Iowa Clinic:

We're all done with T.I.V11 registration so now we are announcing that the Trans Iowa Clinic will again be happening. The date is December 6th. The place will be the same as last year's venue, which was then called Tacopocalypse, but is now dubbed Krunkwich Ramen House. Of course, this is all in Des Moines Iowa.

We're working on bringing some gear out all set up for Trans Iowa and the panel will consist of a few women and men that have finished Trans Iowa who will be available for a Q&A session. There may be a couple of slides and we may be doing something for those who will not be available to attend, so that the riders who live far off can maybe pick up some pointers.

One question: Does anyone want to see the movie "300 Miles Of Gravel" again? Give us a shout out here so we can add that in if there seems to be enough interest in seeing that again. More details will be released soon as far as specific times and hopefully we'll have a sign up list going soon. Stay tuned......

The Night That Fall Ended

That's one massive Cottonwood tree my Mukluk is leaning on

Monday was warm, maybe in the 60's here, but the door on the warm air was about to close and a rushing wind was predicted for Monday night. Monday nights are my regular night ride night. So, I was wondering how this would go. Strong winds and our rag-tag woods generally will result in breaking branches and what not falling down. Possibly on me.

I weighed the options as I took off into the teeth of a strong Northwest wind. The trees were free from leaves, since Fall has advanced so far, and by the sounds of things, Winter was kissing my cheeks with a cold welcome. I decided to roll over toward George Wyth State Park and try the wider, more open trails which maybe would not be so dangerous. I reached the far side of the park and hit up a section where the trees were younger and less likely to throw off dead and weak wood. As I twisted and turned into the trail, I started to see something in my lights. The winds were dropping the temperatures and it was maybe already 30 degrees colder than it was in the afternoon. White looking, swirling bits in the head lights. Snow?

By the time I reached the house after an hour and a half I was pretty damp from the precipitation that was falling. As I came into the house, I was pretty sure that I was going to go to bed and wake up to Winter.

As it turned out, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but it was still really cold and the wind was straight at me outta the Northwest. Standard Winter fare for the commute to work, which on this day featured a wind chill into the single digits. Hello Winter, I suppose you'll be sticking around a while, won't you?

The Night That Fall Ended

That's one massive Cottonwood tree my Mukluk is leaning on

Monday was warm, maybe in the 60's here, but the door on the warm air was about to close and a rushing wind was predicted for Monday night. Monday nights are my regular night ride night. So, I was wondering how this would go. Strong winds and our rag-tag woods generally will result in breaking branches and what not falling down. Possibly on me.

I weighed the options as I took off into the teeth of a strong Northwest wind. The trees were free from leaves, since Fall has advanced so far, and by the sounds of things, Winter was kissing my cheeks with a cold welcome. I decided to roll over toward George Wyth State Park and try the wider, more open trails which maybe would not be so dangerous. I reached the far side of the park and hit up a section where the trees were younger and less likely to throw off dead and weak wood. As I twisted and turned into the trail, I started to see something in my lights. The winds were dropping the temperatures and it was maybe already 30 degrees colder than it was in the afternoon. White looking, swirling bits in the head lights. Snow?

By the time I reached the house after an hour and a half I was pretty damp from the precipitation that was falling. As I came into the house, I was pretty sure that I was going to go to bed and wake up to Winter.

As it turned out, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but it was still really cold and the wind was straight at me outta the Northwest. Standard Winter fare for the commute to work, which on this day featured a wind chill into the single digits. Hello Winter, I suppose you'll be sticking around a while, won't you?

Build Or Burn

Cards representing riders that didn't get on the roster for V11

The fall out regarding the Trans Iowa registration spilled over into an unexpected discussion on Facebook regarding a prank entry sent in to look like it was from Levi Leipheimer.

In that discussion there was an opinion expressed that I've seen before and, to be quite honest, thought was a bit of a scorched earth type of response to anyone accused/convicted of cheating by doping in professional cycling. I think this Tweet that I saw from one of the contributors to that thread pretty much sums up the whole "anti-Levi" part of that discussion.

"Im over cyclists defending and pardoning convicted dopers. We need lifetime bans & higher standards, esp in self supported scene #doperssuck"

First of all, since I put on an unsanctioned, unlicensed, totally free event that invites cyclists to accept and try to overcome a challenge, a challenge based on a trust that the riders will take it on honestly and with integrity, I was challenged to see the situation in the same "scorched earth" way. It is not my intention to change attitudes about Levi Leipheimer, or to somehow be a magical changing force in cycling regarding a "war on doping", but I will simply offer my observations here and ask that you, the readers, take some time to think this over, if you care to.

John Gorilla and Sean Mailen in T.I.V7 (Image by W Kilburg)

I feel that the things that happened which precipitated the cheating of Pro level cyclists and their handlers was on a level so unlike that of the situation we see at Trans Iowa, that saying that I should somehow reflect a certain protocol regarding doping in Pro cycling is unreasonable. I feel that to "ban" someone based upon Pro Road cycling's set of guidelines would probably mean I should also follow those guidelines as well, no? Well, I was told that doing anti-doping testing for Trans Iowa would easily eclipse the $8,000 mark. That simply is not feasible. Nor is it necessary, in my opinion.

Does cheating in Pro level road racing "suck", as the slogan that the anti-dopers often use says? Of course it does. In Pro cycling circles, it is a thing to be discouraged and punished at that level if that is called for. But guess what? Trans Iowa is not a Pro cycling event, and if I am to be totally honest, I cannot have "dopers suck" coming out of my mouth, nor say that , "...they should not ride in Trans Iowa", when I cannot even prove it hasn't happened at Trans Iowa, nor prevent it at all from happening in my event. That doesn't mean I don't care about this issue, but I realize what I can and cannot control, and wasting energy on being a hypocrite when it comes to doping and Trans Iowa is not a wise way to spend my limited energies.

In my view, it isn't an issue about "the rules". It isn't a "Trans Iowa" issue, it isn't a cycling issue, and it isn't even a Pro Road cycling issue. It is an issue of human character, however, and it also should be an issue of how we build up or tear down character. In my opinion, forgiveness and love win out over crucifying and castigating every time. Should there be consequences for ones actions? Absolutely. But there should be a path to forgiveness and restitution, if possible, as well. I speak in terms of spiritual things, but this can be applied to cycling's issues with doping as well. I don't think Levi or his other contemporaries should be allowed to race in the Pro ranks or in licensed events that fall under the auspices of Pro cycling's governmental umbrella. However; there are things these cyclists could do. Positive things. They should not be "banned from cycling", whatever that means to those who make that broad generalization.

The "reward" of a T.I. finish isn't worth doping. (Image by P LaCava)

I get why people feel that way though. They want to "crush the spirit" of the offensive practice and/or the riders involved.  Perhaps it is maybe a thought that by having this swept away by "banishment", they somehow will feel this issue will be gone and those folks will feel "better about the sport".

Well, to frame it in terms of another hot button topic, you can take away the guns, but that doesn't change the characters behind them. In other words, if there is a reason to cheat, and the reward is greater than the price to be paid for cheating, then cheating will find its way into the sport. Taking the dopers out isn't fixing the problems, it just addresses the wrong doing that already happened. Cheaters will justify their actions if it means they get what they came for in terms of results and the money, fame, and extras that come with that. Whether they do that by means of yesterday's doping, a new form of doping, or cheating in some other way, it doesn't matter. It isn't about the means, but it is about their choices and why they make them. It is about the "culture of Pro Road cycling". The bottom line is in a person's character and values and whether or not people have the correct choice available and are able to make it. It is a tricky thing to navigate.  

That's where I feel Trans Iowa, and some of the other gravel events, differs. In these events, a finish at the front doesn't really mean all that much more than it does if you come in last place. Take for instance T.I.V10, where Greg Gleason won overall, but the vast majority of the attention for any one finisher was arguably focused on Jay Barre who came in near to last and on a fixed gear bike. Or consider Charlie Farrow, who had the full respect of all in attendance, and didn't finish at all, but came up six miles short. How do you quantify that kind of thing? Is that worth cheating in Trans Iowa? Cheating yourself? To my way of thinking, the risks are not worth the "reward" you might get out of "cheating" by enhancing your performance with some drug. Not that anyone would know, or not that I could even hope to prevent that. As I said earlier, I have to trust that the riders will have honest intentions and do the event with integrity. If I felt that was violated, I would quit putting the challenge out there. In terms of Pro cycling, this is so far from their reality, that it cannot even be compared to Trans Iowa. 

Image by Wally Kilburg from T.I.V8

The bottom line then becomes a question of whether or not I might allow a rider of Levi's stature to attend and ride in Trans Iowa. If that were to ever happen, that a rider of this stature and situation were to actually correctly enter Trans Iowa, I would then have to answer that question. Right now, that is not the case, and I doubt it ever will be a situation I find myself in. I'd like to think that it would be a deal where folks would have an open mind, eschewing "scorched earth" thought, and be willing to see that there could be a way for a rider of that stature to be included in something that is so far removed from Pro Road cycling it is laughable to compare the two. Yes- they are both "cycling", but the rules and the situations are not remotely even the same. Heck- most riders of Levi's stature wouldn't even consider an event such as Trans Iowa a "real race" anyway.

Am I an "apologist" for dopers? I'd like to think I am more of a "realist" when it comes to whatever it is that goes on with doping and Pro Road cycling. For one thing, the vast majority of "average cyclists" in America probably don't even know or care about the travails of Pro road cycling. (To wit: my co-worker, a young 20's something male, doesn't even know who Levi Leipheimer is. And neither does my 70's something Mom.) Cycling will move forward regardless of those ne'er do wells. I think they should suffer the penalties doled out by the UCI, but as for the whole of cycling, I think there is something positive that could be had here versus a blanket statement of rejection. We can either build bridges, or burn them.

That's my take.

Build Or Burn

Cards representing riders that didn't get on the roster for V11

The fall out regarding the Trans Iowa registration spilled over into an unexpected discussion on Facebook regarding a prank entry sent in to look like it was from Levi Leipheimer.

In that discussion there was an opinion expressed that I've seen before and, to be quite honest, thought was a bit of a scorched earth type of response to anyone accused/convicted of cheating by doping in professional cycling. I think this Tweet that I saw from one of the contributors to that thread pretty much sums up the whole "anti-Levi" part of that discussion.

"Im over cyclists defending and pardoning convicted dopers. We need lifetime bans & higher standards, esp in self supported scene #doperssuck"

First of all, since I put on an unsanctioned, unlicensed, totally free event that invites cyclists to accept and try to overcome a challenge, a challenge based on a trust that the riders will take it on honestly and with integrity, I was challenged to see the situation in the same "scorched earth" way. It is not my intention to change attitudes about Levi Leipheimer, or to somehow be a magical changing force in cycling regarding a "war on doping", but I will simply offer my observations here and ask that you, the readers, take some time to think this over, if you care to.

John Gorilla and Sean Mailen in T.I.V7 (Image by W Kilburg)

I feel that the things that happened which precipitated the cheating of Pro level cyclists and their handlers was on a level so unlike that of the situation we see at Trans Iowa, that saying that I should somehow reflect a certain protocol regarding doping in Pro cycling is unreasonable. I feel that to "ban" someone based upon Pro Road cycling's set of guidelines would probably mean I should also follow those guidelines as well, no? Well, I was told that doing anti-doping testing for Trans Iowa would easily eclipse the $8,000 mark. That simply is not feasible. Nor is it necessary, in my opinion.

Does cheating in Pro level road racing "suck", as the slogan that the anti-dopers often use says? Of course it does. In Pro cycling circles, it is a thing to be discouraged and punished at that level if that is called for. But guess what? Trans Iowa is not a Pro cycling event, and if I am to be totally honest, I cannot have "dopers suck" coming out of my mouth, nor say that , "...they should not ride in Trans Iowa", when I cannot even prove it hasn't happened at Trans Iowa, nor prevent it at all from happening in my event. That doesn't mean I don't care about this issue, but I realize what I can and cannot control, and wasting energy on being a hypocrite when it comes to doping and Trans Iowa is not a wise way to spend my limited energies.

In my view, it isn't an issue about "the rules". It isn't a "Trans Iowa" issue, it isn't a cycling issue, and it isn't even a Pro Road cycling issue. It is an issue of human character, however, and it also should be an issue of how we build up or tear down character. In my opinion, forgiveness and love win out over crucifying and castigating every time. Should there be consequences for ones actions? Absolutely. But there should be a path to forgiveness and restitution, if possible, as well. I speak in terms of spiritual things, but this can be applied to cycling's issues with doping as well. I don't think Levi or his other contemporaries should be allowed to race in the Pro ranks or in licensed events that fall under the auspices of Pro cycling's governmental umbrella. However; there are things these cyclists could do. Positive things. They should not be "banned from cycling", whatever that means to those who make that broad generalization.

The "reward" of a T.I. finish isn't worth doping. (Image by P LaCava)

I get why people feel that way though. They want to "crush the spirit" of the offensive practice and/or the riders involved.  Perhaps it is maybe a thought that by having this swept away by "banishment", they somehow will feel this issue will be gone and those folks will feel "better about the sport".

Well, to frame it in terms of another hot button topic, you can take away the guns, but that doesn't change the characters behind them. In other words, if there is a reason to cheat, and the reward is greater than the price to be paid for cheating, then cheating will find its way into the sport. Taking the dopers out isn't fixing the problems, it just addresses the wrong doing that already happened. Cheaters will justify their actions if it means they get what they came for in terms of results and the money, fame, and extras that come with that. Whether they do that by means of yesterday's doping, a new form of doping, or cheating in some other way, it doesn't matter. It isn't about the means, but it is about their choices and why they make them. It is about the "culture of Pro Road cycling". The bottom line is in a person's character and values and whether or not people have the correct choice available and are able to make it. It is a tricky thing to navigate.  

That's where I feel Trans Iowa, and some of the other gravel events, differs. In these events, a finish at the front doesn't really mean all that much more than it does if you come in last place. Take for instance T.I.V10, where Greg Gleason won overall, but the vast majority of the attention for any one finisher was arguably focused on Jay Barre who came in near to last and on a fixed gear bike. Or consider Charlie Farrow, who had the full respect of all in attendance, and didn't finish at all, but came up six miles short. How do you quantify that kind of thing? Is that worth cheating in Trans Iowa? Cheating yourself? To my way of thinking, the risks are not worth the "reward" you might get out of "cheating" by enhancing your performance with some drug. Not that anyone would know, or not that I could even hope to prevent that. As I said earlier, I have to trust that the riders will have honest intentions and do the event with integrity. If I felt that was violated, I would quit putting the challenge out there. In terms of Pro cycling, this is so far from their reality, that it cannot even be compared to Trans Iowa. 

Image by Wally Kilburg from T.I.V8

The bottom line then becomes a question of whether or not I might allow a rider of Levi's stature to attend and ride in Trans Iowa. If that were to ever happen, that a rider of this stature and situation were to actually correctly enter Trans Iowa, I would then have to answer that question. Right now, that is not the case, and I doubt it ever will be a situation I find myself in. I'd like to think that it would be a deal where folks would have an open mind, eschewing "scorched earth" thought, and be willing to see that there could be a way for a rider of that stature to be included in something that is so far removed from Pro Road cycling it is laughable to compare the two. Yes- they are both "cycling", but the rules and the situations are not remotely even the same. Heck- most riders of Levi's stature wouldn't even consider an event such as Trans Iowa a "real race" anyway.

Am I an "apologist" for dopers? I'd like to think I am more of a "realist" when it comes to whatever it is that goes on with doping and Pro Road cycling. For one thing, the vast majority of "average cyclists" in America probably don't even know or care about the travails of Pro road cycling. (To wit: my co-worker, a young 20's something male, doesn't even know who Levi Leipheimer is. And neither does my 70's something Mom.) Cycling will move forward regardless of those ne'er do wells. I think they should suffer the penalties doled out by the UCI, but as for the whole of cycling, I think there is something positive that could be had here versus a blanket statement of rejection. We can either build bridges, or burn them.

That's my take.

All In The Family

This is the first Surly frame I ever saw.

This is the story about one Surly 1X1 Rat Ride frame and fork.

Somewhere back in the 90's folks were getting kind of fed up with the "NORBA" scene and XC racing in general. Mountain biking was originally a mash-up of messing around in the woods and touring with a dash of competition thrown in for good measure. It was never an uptight, outta sight deal where the big money was what made you cool and attitudes were that you had to have a certain swagger about yourself and your rig or you weren't one of the "cool guys". (Sound like mtb today? Hmm...)

A few folks began to rebel. They stripped their bikes of chi-chis and gears. They used old, beat up hard tail frames, preferably with rigid forks, and became "single speeders". They had competitions, but they didn't really have rules, and anyone could have a go, as long as you didn't mind a bit of tomfoolery and getting your "derby" on. Then a few ambitious souls in the employ of QBP came up with the idea of prepackaging a rolling chassis for the nascent Single Speed Nation which would derby the poser XC filth into the dust. Or something semi-evil along those lines. That's my take on it, at any rate.

The company was originally known as "1X1", and their first "catalog" appeared in 1998. Selling a steel hard tail frame and fork with track ends, cantilever brake mounts, a set of hubs and a handle bar. Then in '99 they became Surly. This frame is a Surly 1X1, and Surly makes a version of this right up to the present time. It's all disc-like and dropped top tubed, but it still is mostly a 1X1 from 1998.

Instructions left with the frame set.

I read about Surly in a mag somewhere, but one time, when I was at the shop I work at now before I worked there, I saw a brand spankin' new Surly 1X1 in the back of the shop. (Wait a minute.....was that as confusing for you as much as it was for me?) Anyway....It was this very frame set, the one in the image above. It was originally "Papa Vinny's" rig. He was the head mechanic then and since has gone off to work for Trek. After his departure the frame was passed on to Carlos The Jackal, who became another employee of the shop. Carlos then passed it on to another former shop employee, who worked there at the time, nicknamed Mr 24. Mr. 24 moved on to "greener pastures" and passed the frame on to A-Lo. He rode it for a bit, and when he left the shop to go work for Velocity USA, (eventually), up there in The Mitten, he left the 1X1 to Brian. (Dude! You need a nickname!) Brian Xtracycled the 1X1 and now he has moved on to become a doctor. He left the 1X1 to another shop employee yesterday.......me.

I became the 7th shop employee to have possession of this frame set. (Brian missed one former owner as evidenced by his note) In a way, things have kind of come full circle with the frame set. I have worked at the shop with all but the first owner, and it was the first Surly I ever saw, so it is kind of cool that way. It has to be one of the earlier 1X1's, since I am pretty sure I saw this first in '99 or so.

Anyway, now I get to interpret this in my own way. I need to come up with some wheels for it, but I think I have everything else, even tires for it. (That's right, I have 26"er tires!) I think I'll get a sprung Brooks for it, (which isn't a bad thing, being a sprung saddle, that is), but otherwise I hope to get this up and running real soon and to carry on the "family" tradition!

All In The Family

This is the first Surly frame I ever saw.

This is the story about one Surly 1X1 Rat Ride frame and fork.

Somewhere back in the 90's folks were getting kind of fed up with the "NORBA" scene and XC racing in general. Mountain biking was originally a mash-up of messing around in the woods and touring with a dash of competition thrown in for good measure. It was never an uptight, outta sight deal where the big money was what made you cool and attitudes were that you had to have a certain swagger about yourself and your rig or you weren't one of the "cool guys". (Sound like mtb today? Hmm...)

A few folks began to rebel. They stripped their bikes of chi-chis and gears. They used old, beat up hard tail frames, preferably with rigid forks, and became "single speeders". They had competitions, but they didn't really have rules, and anyone could have a go, as long as you didn't mind a bit of tomfoolery and getting your "derby" on. Then a few ambitious souls in the employ of QBP came up with the idea of prepackaging a rolling chassis for the nascent Single Speed Nation which would derby the poser XC filth into the dust. Or something semi-evil along those lines. That's my take on it, at any rate.

The company was originally known as "1X1", and their first "catalog" appeared in 1998. Selling a steel hard tail frame and fork with track ends, cantilever brake mounts, a set of hubs and a handle bar. Then in '99 they became Surly. This frame is a Surly 1X1, and Surly makes a version of this right up to the present time. It's all disc-like and dropped top tubed, but it still is mostly a 1X1 from 1998.

Instructions left with the frame set.

I read about Surly in a mag somewhere, but one time, when I was at the shop I work at now before I worked there, I saw a brand spankin' new Surly 1X1 in the back of the shop. (Wait a minute.....was that as confusing for you as much as it was for me?) Anyway....It was this very frame set, the one in the image above. It was originally "Papa Vinny's" rig. He was the head mechanic then and since has gone off to work for Trek. After his departure the frame was passed on to Carlos The Jackal, who became another employee of the shop. Carlos then passed it on to another former shop employee, who worked there at the time, nicknamed Mr 24. Mr. 24 moved on to "greener pastures" and passed the frame on to A-Lo. He rode it for a bit, and when he left the shop to go work for Velocity USA, (eventually), up there in The Mitten, he left the 1X1 to Brian. (Dude! You need a nickname!) Brian Xtracycled the 1X1 and now he has moved on to become a doctor. He left the 1X1 to another shop employee yesterday.......me.

I became the 7th shop employee to have possession of this frame set. (Brian missed one former owner as evidenced by his note) In a way, things have kind of come full circle with the frame set. I have worked at the shop with all but the first owner, and it was the first Surly I ever saw, so it is kind of cool that way. It has to be one of the earlier 1X1's, since I am pretty sure I saw this first in '99 or so.

Anyway, now I get to interpret this in my own way. I need to come up with some wheels for it, but I think I have everything else, even tires for it. (That's right, I have 26"er tires!) I think I'll get a sprung Brooks for it, (which isn't a bad thing, being a sprung saddle, that is), but otherwise I hope to get this up and running real soon and to carry on the "family" tradition!

In About 30 Minutes

Folks were lined up outside the door starting at about 7:30am.

I fully expected a crazy morning, and I got it, albeit compacted into about an hour and a half of time. Trans Iowa registration for the Rookies reached a fevered pitch, and the fall out afterward, (which may not be over yet, by the way), has been very much a bummer for many reasons.

The line up of folks that streamed into the door at a bit before 9:00am, (we had some mercy on those that had been waiting a long time), was amazing. Before I could get my feet underneath me we had gone through a half of the available spots for the Rookies.

I had a couple of questions from folks, then a walk in, and then FedEx showed up with 17 over nighted packages. Many with multiple entries included inside. I assumed at that point it was over. I was right. It was about 9:30am, and Trans Iowa's Rookie class was settled. Those standing around at the time were astounded. It was just unreal.

I went back to check out the cards, and by the way, some of those earlier walk-ins were plant and flower deliveries, so we had to pluck the cards out of those as well. Once all was in hand, put in order I received them, and double checked I went through them all again with a finer toothed comb. All entries were readable, but one had Rule #8 written down when it was supposed to be Rule #18. Tossed.

Flowers lined the counter alongside several plants. Thank you!

I double checked my accounting, then wrote down the names on the site, and then did a final check on the total numbers. 119! I grabbed one more off the Pile of Broken Dreams and that was it. Trans Iowa was full for V11.

The UPS came later. All of those entries were too late. The USPS never did show up by the time I left, but it did not matter. I'll likely see a pile of cards on my bench come morning. There were a few more cards walked in as well. A fellow walked in about four and a half hours too late and was shocked we had filled up, even though I had mentioned we filled up in 4 hours last year, and even at that he wouldn't have made it in. No matter, there was much pleading and arm twisting which I had to endure. It was uncomfortable, to say the least, but what can I do? There is a limit, and that's that.

Of course, there was more trouble with entries claimed to have been delivered which we couldn't find, a few grumbles on Facebook, and folks were pointing fingers at UPS and making plans to camp out in front of the shop if there were to be a T.I.V12. Wow.......just wow. 

I left to go grab some lunch just to get away from all the madness and think. Trans Iowa has grown. It has become more well known, marked on "bucket lists" as a must do someday event, and my saying "I am closer to not ever doing it again" every year just amps up the anxiety levels amongst folks. I had a guy drive from an hour South of St. Louis to hand deliver a card, a guy that didn't get his in on time claimed he'd been on the road for 30+ hours. Plants came in after the roster filled up. It was a big mess in my mind. Something will get changed if Trans Iowa ever happens again, and I know that one of those things will be how Rookies register. I'm not putting any ideas out now. We'll see how T.I.V11 goes. However; don't ever expect this to happen again. It's gone waaaaay too far. Too far for my tastes.

I know that, as my friend Jeremy says, "Trans Iowa will get into your head." Of course, he is referring to those who want to participate in it. I also know he's right when he says that  I care a lot about the riders and the event. It's a hard thing to balance all this out. Hopefully you folks who did get on the roster realize what that means to get on. In the meantime, I need to go ride my bicycle for a bit........

In About 30 Minutes

Folks were lined up outside the door starting at about 7:30am.

I fully expected a crazy morning, and I got it, albeit compacted into about an hour and a half of time. Trans Iowa registration for the Rookies reached a fevered pitch, and the fall out afterward, (which may not be over yet, by the way), has been very much a bummer for many reasons.

The line up of folks that streamed into the door at a bit before 9:00am, (we had some mercy on those that had been waiting a long time), was amazing. Before I could get my feet underneath me we had gone through a half of the available spots for the Rookies.

I had a couple of questions from folks, then a walk in, and then FedEx showed up with 17 over nighted packages. Many with multiple entries included inside. I assumed at that point it was over. I was right. It was about 9:30am, and Trans Iowa's Rookie class was settled. Those standing around at the time were astounded. It was just unreal.

I went back to check out the cards, and by the way, some of those earlier walk-ins were plant and flower deliveries, so we had to pluck the cards out of those as well. Once all was in hand, put in order I received them, and double checked I went through them all again with a finer toothed comb. All entries were readable, but one had Rule #8 written down when it was supposed to be Rule #18. Tossed.

Flowers lined the counter alongside several plants. Thank you!

I double checked my accounting, then wrote down the names on the site, and then did a final check on the total numbers. 119! I grabbed one more off the Pile of Broken Dreams and that was it. Trans Iowa was full for V11.

The UPS came later. All of those entries were too late. The USPS never did show up by the time I left, but it did not matter. I'll likely see a pile of cards on my bench come morning. There were a few more cards walked in as well. A fellow walked in about four and a half hours too late and was shocked we had filled up, even though I had mentioned we filled up in 4 hours last year, and even at that he wouldn't have made it in. No matter, there was much pleading and arm twisting which I had to endure. It was uncomfortable, to say the least, but what can I do? There is a limit, and that's that.

Of course, there was more trouble with entries claimed to have been delivered which we couldn't find, a few grumbles on Facebook, and folks were pointing fingers at UPS and making plans to camp out in front of the shop if there were to be a T.I.V12. Wow.......just wow. 

I left to go grab some lunch just to get away from all the madness and think. Trans Iowa has grown. It has become more well known, marked on "bucket lists" as a must do someday event, and my saying "I am closer to not ever doing it again" every year just amps up the anxiety levels amongst folks. I had a guy drive from an hour South of St. Louis to hand deliver a card, a guy that didn't get his in on time claimed he'd been on the road for 30+ hours. Plants came in after the roster filled up. It was a big mess in my mind. Something will get changed if Trans Iowa ever happens again, and I know that one of those things will be how Rookies register. I'm not putting any ideas out now. We'll see how T.I.V11 goes. However; don't ever expect this to happen again. It's gone waaaaay too far. Too far for my tastes.

I know that, as my friend Jeremy says, "Trans Iowa will get into your head." Of course, he is referring to those who want to participate in it. I also know he's right when he says that  I care a lot about the riders and the event. It's a hard thing to balance all this out. Hopefully you folks who did get on the roster realize what that means to get on. In the meantime, I need to go ride my bicycle for a bit........

In Other News.....

Singular Gryphon in SS gravel mode

Of course, most folks hitting the blog here today will probably be Trans Iowa hopefuls or curious on lookers. It would seem that my entire life has been Trans Iowa centered by the looks of this blog of late. However; that couldn't be further from the truth.

I've been busy, for sure, but I've been doing some other stuff that is bicycle related besides Trans Iowa. One of the things I've been up to of late is getting things arranged for Winter and lining up the Winter time projects. One of those thing has been taking care of some rigs that have been long neglected and that I hope will see some Winter time duties.

The first out of project phase and back in order is the Singular Cycles Gryphon. Tires re-juiced, and basically patched up for Winter time gravel duty. Now sporting the rare and lovely Ragley Luxy Bar, I am reminded how much I really like this bike. This is a "steel" bike ride feel bicycle if there ever was one. Smooth does not quite describe the feel here. I may swap to a silver stem again and go back to green bar tape. The red/black combo doesn't do anything for me, but that aside, this is a good bike to bring out again. It's been too long since I've used it regularly.

Another bicycle I haven't ridden since.......well it probably has been well over ten years! It is the only road bike I own. Well.......if you don't count gravel bikes I have as road bikes. This one is going to be the trainer mule for the time being.

Early 80's Colnago Super

The old Colnago Super was my last serious road racing style bicycle. It has a lot of Campagnolo Record stuff on it, but as you might be able to tell by the silvery looks of the drive train, it is older 9 speed stuff. The wheels I built on some impossibly thin, spindly, flexy Sun Mistral rims and honestly, I don't quite know how it was that I was able to make them last as long as I did. The handle bars and stem......I hate. I know, strong words, but they really stink on this bike and they should get replaced with some silvery bits later in the Winter. At some point, I'll likely have to re-lace those Record hubs to some real rims. Likely some silver Velocity A-23's.

But none of those things prevents me from using the bike as a trainer mule, and that is just what the old Colnago will be doing. I have a trainer and will be commencing "rides to nowhere" soon. Maybe after the Winter I will find the time to re-lace the hubs and get some new bars, stem, and re-wrap the bars. New tires will definitely be needed by then as well.

He huffed, and he puffed......

Then there has been some riding going on as well. I have been on a couple rides with my son on the fat bikes. He's growing more, (had to raise the saddle yet again), and he has gotten to the point where a new handle bar is probably going on there as well to make this more comfortable for him.

Speaking of handle bars, I am going to a wider bar and a different stem, (maybe), on the titanium fat bike. Sharp eyes will note that the crank looks different. It is a new Surly OD crank. I have been eyeballing these cranks since a year ago, and now I have finally gotten them on there. Honestly, I cannot tell that big of a change, or even that there is a change, in terms of stiffness, but I can tell that this crank has a 36T big ring versus the 32T I had grown accustomed to. The main thing though is that now I can clear every gear combination without chain to tire contact but one. That would be in the lowest gear combination, but it barely "tics" the sidewall of the tire, so really, not a big deal. Before the swap, I was contacting the tire with the chain in four out of the nine cogs in the cassette in the granny gear. So, a big improvement there, and I can honestly say that with these big, grippy tires and with this crankset combination, I have gotten the most capable Winter time set up I've had so far. I cannot wait to get into the snow with this! Well.........maybe I could wait a little while longer. However; it may be that in a day or two we'll have the white stuff on the ground again. Ah well........

So, I know Trans Iowa is taking up a lot of bandwidth here of late, but today the registration will close, (more than likely before noon), and then it will be back to the regularly scheduled programming here. Thanks for putting up with all this!

In Other News.....

Singular Gryphon in SS gravel mode

Of course, most folks hitting the blog here today will probably be Trans Iowa hopefuls or curious on lookers. It would seem that my entire life has been Trans Iowa centered by the looks of this blog of late. However; that couldn't be further from the truth.

I've been busy, for sure, but I've been doing some other stuff that is bicycle related besides Trans Iowa. One of the things I've been up to of late is getting things arranged for Winter and lining up the Winter time projects. One of those thing has been taking care of some rigs that have been long neglected and that I hope will see some Winter time duties.

The first out of project phase and back in order is the Singular Cycles Gryphon. Tires re-juiced, and basically patched up for Winter time gravel duty. Now sporting the rare and lovely Ragley Luxy Bar, I am reminded how much I really like this bike. This is a "steel" bike ride feel bicycle if there ever was one. Smooth does not quite describe the feel here. I may swap to a silver stem again and go back to green bar tape. The red/black combo doesn't do anything for me, but that aside, this is a good bike to bring out again. It's been too long since I've used it regularly.

Another bicycle I haven't ridden since.......well it probably has been well over ten years! It is the only road bike I own. Well.......if you don't count gravel bikes I have as road bikes. This one is going to be the trainer mule for the time being.

Early 80's Colnago Super

The old Colnago Super was my last serious road racing style bicycle. It has a lot of Campagnolo Record stuff on it, but as you might be able to tell by the silvery looks of the drive train, it is older 9 speed stuff. The wheels I built on some impossibly thin, spindly, flexy Sun Mistral rims and honestly, I don't quite know how it was that I was able to make them last as long as I did. The handle bars and stem......I hate. I know, strong words, but they really stink on this bike and they should get replaced with some silvery bits later in the Winter. At some point, I'll likely have to re-lace those Record hubs to some real rims. Likely some silver Velocity A-23's.

But none of those things prevents me from using the bike as a trainer mule, and that is just what the old Colnago will be doing. I have a trainer and will be commencing "rides to nowhere" soon. Maybe after the Winter I will find the time to re-lace the hubs and get some new bars, stem, and re-wrap the bars. New tires will definitely be needed by then as well.

He huffed, and he puffed......

Then there has been some riding going on as well. I have been on a couple rides with my son on the fat bikes. He's growing more, (had to raise the saddle yet again), and he has gotten to the point where a new handle bar is probably going on there as well to make this more comfortable for him.

Speaking of handle bars, I am going to a wider bar and a different stem, (maybe), on the titanium fat bike. Sharp eyes will note that the crank looks different. It is a new Surly OD crank. I have been eyeballing these cranks since a year ago, and now I have finally gotten them on there. Honestly, I cannot tell that big of a change, or even that there is a change, in terms of stiffness, but I can tell that this crank has a 36T big ring versus the 32T I had grown accustomed to. The main thing though is that now I can clear every gear combination without chain to tire contact but one. That would be in the lowest gear combination, but it barely "tics" the sidewall of the tire, so really, not a big deal. Before the swap, I was contacting the tire with the chain in four out of the nine cogs in the cassette in the granny gear. So, a big improvement there, and I can honestly say that with these big, grippy tires and with this crankset combination, I have gotten the most capable Winter time set up I've had so far. I cannot wait to get into the snow with this! Well.........maybe I could wait a little while longer. However; it may be that in a day or two we'll have the white stuff on the ground again. Ah well........

So, I know Trans Iowa is taking up a lot of bandwidth here of late, but today the registration will close, (more than likely before noon), and then it will be back to the regularly scheduled programming here. Thanks for putting up with all this!

Trans Iowa V11: A Look At The Rules Part 9

Stay the course! Onward through the fog!

Last year I did a historical overview of each Trans Iowa up to T.I.V9. This year I am going to revisit something that I feel many folks have overlooked for a long time; The "Race Rules".

Mid-week I picked up this series to help explain a rule that affected the current Trans Iowa registration, but in this post, I will be lumping together two consecutive rules that preceded Rule #9, which I skipped up to. Both these rules are closely related. Here they are:

 7: Competitors may, in the case of emergency, mechanical or other unforeseeable problems, be assisted by motorized transport. By accepting motorized transport you will automatically relinquish your standing in the race.

8: The primary race route must be followed at all times. No short cuts or alternate routes are permitted. If you do this, you are a retard and will be forced to help local farmers scoop poop!



 Since Iowa is crisscrossed with a grid network of gravel roads, it might seem to be enticing to cut the course, or to leave the course for resupply in a nearby town and re-enter the course further down the route to save some time. It also must be noted that Trans Iowa volunteers are not scouring the course for folks short-cutting either, so a reminder in the rules to stay the course was deemed necessary. It also prompted Jeff to add his humorous admonishment to those who may fear scooping pig poop!

CP#2 T.I.V9: (L-R) Robert Fry, Jeremy Fry, Corey "Cornbread" Godfrey, Jason Boucher.

The rule dealing with motorized transport was put in to help the riders realize that they could, (and were encouraged to), get a ride from a support person they brought along, or from a local, in case of a mechanical, emergency, or if they were going to drop out. The second part was there to help riders realize that accepting any rides put them out of the running for a finish in Trans Iowa.

During the last ten Trans Iowa events, we've only had two known issues with the course being cut. One wasn't found out about right away, and resulted in a win for one of the two that were found out to have cut the course. (You can read about that here) That was mostly the fault of us as organizers, and in fact, so was the second instance of this, in T.IV7. That was the year we found a bridge out only 7 or so miles from the start and in the flurry of activity that followed to try to mark a re-route, something went haywire and riders went up a Level B road that they shouldn't have. Instead of backtracking that, several of the riders went down a paved road to access the course again.

In both instances there was forgiveness and a realization that we as organizers had things to learn. I, (and the past co-directors and volunteers), do not claim to have been perfect, and so we strove to learn from our mistakes and will continue to do so going forward. Sometimes the rules can even make us as event coordinators learn a thing or three!

Trans Iowa V11: A Look At The Rules Part 9

Stay the course! Onward through the fog!

Last year I did a historical overview of each Trans Iowa up to T.I.V9. This year I am going to revisit something that I feel many folks have overlooked for a long time; The "Race Rules".

Mid-week I picked up this series to help explain a rule that affected the current Trans Iowa registration, but in this post, I will be lumping together two consecutive rules that preceded Rule #9, which I skipped up to. Both these rules are closely related. Here they are:

 7: Competitors may, in the case of emergency, mechanical or other unforeseeable problems, be assisted by motorized transport. By accepting motorized transport you will automatically relinquish your standing in the race.

8: The primary race route must be followed at all times. No short cuts or alternate routes are permitted. If you do this, you are a retard and will be forced to help local farmers scoop poop!



 Since Iowa is crisscrossed with a grid network of gravel roads, it might seem to be enticing to cut the course, or to leave the course for resupply in a nearby town and re-enter the course further down the route to save some time. It also must be noted that Trans Iowa volunteers are not scouring the course for folks short-cutting either, so a reminder in the rules to stay the course was deemed necessary. It also prompted Jeff to add his humorous admonishment to those who may fear scooping pig poop!

CP#2 T.I.V9: (L-R) Robert Fry, Jeremy Fry, Corey "Cornbread" Godfrey, Jason Boucher.

The rule dealing with motorized transport was put in to help the riders realize that they could, (and were encouraged to), get a ride from a support person they brought along, or from a local, in case of a mechanical, emergency, or if they were going to drop out. The second part was there to help riders realize that accepting any rides put them out of the running for a finish in Trans Iowa.

During the last ten Trans Iowa events, we've only had two known issues with the course being cut. One wasn't found out about right away, and resulted in a win for one of the two that were found out to have cut the course. (You can read about that here) That was mostly the fault of us as organizers, and in fact, so was the second instance of this, in T.IV7. That was the year we found a bridge out only 7 or so miles from the start and in the flurry of activity that followed to try to mark a re-route, something went haywire and riders went up a Level B road that they shouldn't have. Instead of backtracking that, several of the riders went down a paved road to access the course again.

In both instances there was forgiveness and a realization that we as organizers had things to learn. I, (and the past co-directors and volunteers), do not claim to have been perfect, and so we strove to learn from our mistakes and will continue to do so going forward. Sometimes the rules can even make us as event coordinators learn a thing or three!

Registration Daze Update #6

One More Crazy Day:

The Vet registration finally concluded Friday around noon when the last spot was claimed by an express mailed card. The next to last spot was a walk-in earlier that day. So we're 2/3rds of the way to a full field for Trans Iowa V11.

Before I get to the roster and the last phase of registration, I want to address a couple of things that have occurred, (and likely will again today), in regard to the registration. First of all, I have stated in no uncertain terms how registration works. If you can not find it written down in the link from this blog which is found on the Trans Iowa site at least three times, then it cannot be done, doesn't have to be done, or isn't against the rules to do. I've gotten questions about holding early received cards, (registration rules say no), I've gotten questions about sending in multiple cards,(registration post discourages this in the comments section, but doesn't say you cannot do it), and whether or not Rule #18 can be typewritten or handwritten, (either is fine, I just have to be able to READ it).

Next- I have stated that if your entry arrives too soon, it will not be accepted. I have already received Rookie registration cards. Several. Guess what?  You got it......they do not count. Not my fault folks. Anyone can send an over nighted, guaranteed delivery card on Saturday, (which won't be delivered on a Sunday), and it would arrive on a Monday, no? You see, these companies that expedite mail don't work on pinpointed dates, they figure if they beat the claimed delivery time, that's good, right? So some folks didn't account for that, I guess. Again, that isn't my issue to deal with, but I simply put that out there so when I get the pile of over nighted entries today, you will know that they won't get you into T.I.V11. There probably will be post cards as well in the USPS. Same deal there.

Lining up to go after it in T.I.V8 (Image by Wally Kilburg)

The Veteran's Class: 

While there are several perennial Trans Iowa riders not in the event this year on the finisher's side, I  see that the Veteran's Class is stocked with many riders with multiple Trans Iowa attempts. Some of these folks are like family to me anymore. There is a good crop of riders from the T.I.V10 roster that didn't make it last Spring and will be gunning to check Trans Iowa off their "bucket list" of accomplishments. A couple of faces I haven't seen for a few years are back as well. In international news, we have a couple riders from Canada. The two fellows from Germany, Ralf and Gerald, have both committed to come back to Iowa also. Finally, I have to mention Jim McGuire, who is the only rider to have attempted every past Trans Iowa. He threw his hat into the ring for #11.

Crazy Monday Ahead!

Monday at 9:00am the registration for the Rookies will start. Last year, (and I double checked on this), the registration filled up for Rookies in 4 hours.  I fully expect that to happen again this Monday. Remember- I have to receive the card, the card has to be legible, and I will take the cards first come- first served. Any extras will not be held in a waiting list and entries are not transferable. There will be a significant pile of broken dreams again, but that's how it goes.

Okay, once the roster is set, I will have some other news and plans to go over soon. Stay tuned.....

Registration Daze Update #6

One More Crazy Day:

The Vet registration finally concluded Friday around noon when the last spot was claimed by an express mailed card. The next to last spot was a walk-in earlier that day. So we're 2/3rds of the way to a full field for Trans Iowa V11.

Before I get to the roster and the last phase of registration, I want to address a couple of things that have occurred, (and likely will again today), in regard to the registration. First of all, I have stated in no uncertain terms how registration works. If you can not find it written down in the link from this blog which is found on the Trans Iowa site at least three times, then it cannot be done, doesn't have to be done, or isn't against the rules to do. I've gotten questions about holding early received cards, (registration rules say no), I've gotten questions about sending in multiple cards,(registration post discourages this in the comments section, but doesn't say you cannot do it), and whether or not Rule #18 can be typewritten or handwritten, (either is fine, I just have to be able to READ it).

Next- I have stated that if your entry arrives too soon, it will not be accepted. I have already received Rookie registration cards. Several. Guess what?  You got it......they do not count. Not my fault folks. Anyone can send an over nighted, guaranteed delivery card on Saturday, (which won't be delivered on a Sunday), and it would arrive on a Monday, no? You see, these companies that expedite mail don't work on pinpointed dates, they figure if they beat the claimed delivery time, that's good, right? So some folks didn't account for that, I guess. Again, that isn't my issue to deal with, but I simply put that out there so when I get the pile of over nighted entries today, you will know that they won't get you into T.I.V11. There probably will be post cards as well in the USPS. Same deal there.

Lining up to go after it in T.I.V8 (Image by Wally Kilburg)

The Veteran's Class: 

While there are several perennial Trans Iowa riders not in the event this year on the finisher's side, I  see that the Veteran's Class is stocked with many riders with multiple Trans Iowa attempts. Some of these folks are like family to me anymore. There is a good crop of riders from the T.I.V10 roster that didn't make it last Spring and will be gunning to check Trans Iowa off their "bucket list" of accomplishments. A couple of faces I haven't seen for a few years are back as well. In international news, we have a couple riders from Canada. The two fellows from Germany, Ralf and Gerald, have both committed to come back to Iowa also. Finally, I have to mention Jim McGuire, who is the only rider to have attempted every past Trans Iowa. He threw his hat into the ring for #11.

Crazy Monday Ahead!

Monday at 9:00am the registration for the Rookies will start. Last year, (and I double checked on this), the registration filled up for Rookies in 4 hours.  I fully expect that to happen again this Monday. Remember- I have to receive the card, the card has to be legible, and I will take the cards first come- first served. Any extras will not be held in a waiting list and entries are not transferable. There will be a significant pile of broken dreams again, but that's how it goes.

Okay, once the roster is set, I will have some other news and plans to go over soon. Stay tuned.....