Trans Iowa v13: Changes To The Route

T-shirt design for TIv13

Okay, so here is a list of names I haven't heard from regarding a t-shirt size. Remember- you must read the e-mail I sent and respond to that. 

•  Allie Cortlett
• Teri Collins 
• Robert Williams
• Ian Wilkey
• Jamin D Williamson
• Matt Acker
• Dan Hughes
• Paul Brogan
• Timothy Winterlin
• Ethiene Narvaez
• Kenny Branham
•  Bill Ostroski
• Alex Oenes
• Nickel Potter
• Paul Urnanski
• Benjamin Sopko
• Matthew Kutilek
• Nick McColloch
• Keisuke Inoue
• Balvindar Singh
• Lee Adams
• Crystal Wintle
• Andrea Cohen

Finally, I will be out doing a major reroute/recon of the leg from CP#1 to CP#2. I didn't like a few things and I have found a solution which addresses all my concerns. So, look out for a recon report on that soon. Also- I have been talking to WTB who is sponsoring T.I.v13. It looks as though all finishers of the event will again be going home with some tires from WTB. I'll have more details on that in the future just before the event.

Stay tuned........

Friday News And Views

TRANS IOWA v13 T-Shirt Design:

This is what it will look like. Artist approved!

Last Sunday I sent out an e-mail to all of the T.I.v13 entrants which gave a bunch of pertinent info and asked each rider for a t-shirt size. Well, here you can see an example of why I was asking that. This rendering is the design for the proposed t-shirt.

So, a little background here. Back in the earlier daze of Trans Iowa's history, I would get post card entries for the event from a guy named Gary Cale. He always had these awesome cards with a certain style that was unmistakable. One year, for T.I.v4's entry, he sent in a version of a design he had rendered that was reminiscent of the design for T.I.v13's shirt, seen here. He has done some other really cool cards to get into Trans Iowa as well which are all some of my all-time favorites.

Anyway, I asked Gary if we could use his artwork for a Trans Iowa v13 shirt and he agreed that we could. So, here is the result. We had to take some liberties with the colorization, font, and wording to make it work for this year's t-shirt, but the basic idea remains. Trans Iowa is a "good kick in the junk". I think it looks great and this is the idea I was hoping would work out.

I have gotten all but about 27 people still on the roster to respond to my e-mail sent out almost a week ago now. If you haven't responded, do so, or you will not be getting one of these t-shirts at the Pre-Race Meat-Up for Trans Iowa v13.

In other T.I.v13 news, I will be out doing some recon again this weekend and the hope is that I can wrap up the investigations into the options at hand. Once the course is finalized I can then begin to draft the cue sheets and get a time for the cutoff to Checkpoint #2 soon.

Co-Motion Klatch model to be displayed at NAHBS

Get Ready To Get Sick Of "Gravel Bikes":

Ya know, about six years ago or so I was thinking the only way I was going to get a bicycle designed to do what I wanted it to do in fine detail was going to be by getting a custom made frame and fork. Well, now it isn't it an irony that seven years later we are about to be pummeled by "gravel bike" designs?

 The NAHBS custom bike show will be rife with such bikes, and just wait until next month at Sea Otter. You won't believe the deluge of "gravel this-gravel that" you are going to hear about.

Now you might think I'd be really happy about all of that. Well, you'd be mistaken. See, just about 3/4's of what is labelled as "gravel specific design" is anything but that. It is almost all warmed over cyclo cross offerings. There isn't anything at all different about a lot of these frames and forks which are really repainted and renamed bits from 5 years ago when everyone thought the US was going to go ga-ga for cyclo cross.

The thing is that unsuspecting folk will buy this repainted/renamed cyclo-cross stuff and think they have something specifically designed for gravel riding which will be better than a plain old cyclo cross bike. Sorry. You will have been duped.

Sure, there are some bikes which really do have different geometry, (lower bottom brackets than 70mm drop, slacker than 72.5° head tube angles, fork offsets of greater than 45mm), and really do have a fork and frame which were designed to absorb the "paint shaker" effects that gravel roads impart on riders hands and bums. But most won't, and they will fit right in with cyclo cross geometry and riding characteristics.

Maybe you don't care about any of that, but if that is the case, I would be surprised that you are reading this at all. Anyway.... Just be aware that "gravel" is the new "enduro". And it will be run right into the ground.

Just Like Trans Iowa, only in Oklahoma for the Land Run 100

Land Run 100 This Weekend:

This weekend kicks off the big run of gravel events which lasts throughout the Spring. The first big event is the Land Run 100 in Stillwater Oklahoma.

I've been a bit amused by the chatter pre-event about what folks expect to experience there due to the weather that is forecast to be rather like what one might expect at a certain Iowa based event. Stillwater is much further South than Iowa, and generally has very comfortable temperatures by this time in the year. However; despite having a forecast high of 80°F yesterday, the event will see a high of maybe 48°F and stiff Northerly winds mixed in with periods of rain. I don't doubt that this will feel a lot less like "Land Run" and a lot more like "Trans Iowa".

In fact, the social media person in charge of Panaracer/Stan's NoTubes p/b Bicycle X-Change Team's feed said that the forecast conditions for Land Run were very "Trans Iowa-like". I think that is the first time I've seen a reference to Trans Iowa weather conditions outside of personal/private conversations. It is apparent that Trans Iowa has a reputation amongst gravel riders and this statement seems to prove that. At any rate, those Land Run people are in for 1/3rd or less of what Trans Iowa dishes out on occasion and it will be interesting to see how that goes down this weekend.

 Finally: Perhaps the ultimate irony is that all of today's subjects are having to do with gravel riding, and I am saying you will get sick of all of the gravel stuff being shoved down our eyeballs soon enough. Well, long time readers know I have been talking about gravel stuff since forever. It isn't a fad for me. It isn't a potential source of income or revenue that will lift last year's sagging sales results back to the flat line. (Because I don't sell "gravel bikes") I don't have a "horse in the race" in that manner. I just really like riding bicycles and doing that out in the country, which just so happens to have a lot of gravel roads. I like the people who also like doing that with me or without me.

People say, "What's the big deal? It's just riding bikes on gravel.", and they are right, but they are wrong. It is a big deal to ride a bicycle, and especially for me. It is just riding bicycles on gravel, but that is my passion in life, so yeah..... It may not float your boat, and that's cool. There are more than a few ways to enjoy riding bicycles. Go do it your way.

And with that said, you should go do just that- Ride your bicycles this weekend. Peace!

Friday News And Views

TRANS IOWA v13 T-Shirt Design:

This is what it will look like. Artist approved!

Last Sunday I sent out an e-mail to all of the T.I.v13 entrants which gave a bunch of pertinent info and asked each rider for a t-shirt size. Well, here you can see an example of why I was asking that. This rendering is the design for the proposed t-shirt.

So, a little background here. Back in the earlier daze of Trans Iowa's history, I would get post card entries for the event from a guy named Gary Cale. He always had these awesome cards with a certain style that was unmistakable. One year, for T.I.v4's entry, he sent in a version of a design he had rendered that was reminiscent of the design for T.I.v13's shirt, seen here. He has done some other really cool cards to get into Trans Iowa as well which are all some of my all-time favorites.

Anyway, I asked Gary if we could use his artwork for a Trans Iowa v13 shirt and he agreed that we could. So, here is the result. We had to take some liberties with the colorization, font, and wording to make it work for this year's t-shirt, but the basic idea remains. Trans Iowa is a "good kick in the junk". I think it looks great and this is the idea I was hoping would work out.

I have gotten all but about 27 people still on the roster to respond to my e-mail sent out almost a week ago now. If you haven't responded, do so, or you will not be getting one of these t-shirts at the Pre-Race Meat-Up for Trans Iowa v13.

In other T.I.v13 news, I will be out doing some recon again this weekend and the hope is that I can wrap up the investigations into the options at hand. Once the course is finalized I can then begin to draft the cue sheets and get a time for the cutoff to Checkpoint #2 soon.

Co-Motion Klatch model to be displayed at NAHBS

Get Ready To Get Sick Of "Gravel Bikes":

Ya know, about six years ago or so I was thinking the only way I was going to get a bicycle designed to do what I wanted it to do in fine detail was going to be by getting a custom made frame and fork. Well, now it isn't it an irony that seven years later we are about to be pummeled by "gravel bike" designs?

 The NAHBS custom bike show will be rife with such bikes, and just wait until next month at Sea Otter. You won't believe the deluge of "gravel this-gravel that" you are going to hear about.

Now you might think I'd be really happy about all of that. Well, you'd be mistaken. See, just about 3/4's of what is labelled as "gravel specific design" is anything but that. It is almost all warmed over cyclo cross offerings. There isn't anything at all different about a lot of these frames and forks which are really repainted and renamed bits from 5 years ago when everyone thought the US was going to go ga-ga for cyclo cross.

The thing is that unsuspecting folk will buy this repainted/renamed cyclo-cross stuff and think they have something specifically designed for gravel riding which will be better than a plain old cyclo cross bike. Sorry. You will have been duped.

Sure, there are some bikes which really do have different geometry, (lower bottom brackets than 70mm drop, slacker than 72.5° head tube angles, fork offsets of greater than 45mm), and really do have a fork and frame which were designed to absorb the "paint shaker" effects that gravel roads impart on riders hands and bums. But most won't, and they will fit right in with cyclo cross geometry and riding characteristics.

Maybe you don't care about any of that, but if that is the case, I would be surprised that you are reading this at all. Anyway.... Just be aware that "gravel" is the new "enduro". And it will be run right into the ground.

Just Like Trans Iowa, only in Oklahoma for the Land Run 100

Land Run 100 This Weekend:

This weekend kicks off the big run of gravel events which lasts throughout the Spring. The first big event is the Land Run 100 in Stillwater Oklahoma.

I've been a bit amused by the chatter pre-event about what folks expect to experience there due to the weather that is forecast to be rather like what one might expect at a certain Iowa based event. Stillwater is much further South than Iowa, and generally has very comfortable temperatures by this time in the year. However; despite having a forecast high of 80°F yesterday, the event will see a high of maybe 48°F and stiff Northerly winds mixed in with periods of rain. I don't doubt that this will feel a lot less like "Land Run" and a lot more like "Trans Iowa".

In fact, the social media person in charge of Panaracer/Stan's NoTubes p/b Bicycle X-Change Team's feed said that the forecast conditions for Land Run were very "Trans Iowa-like". I think that is the first time I've seen a reference to Trans Iowa weather conditions outside of personal/private conversations. It is apparent that Trans Iowa has a reputation amongst gravel riders and this statement seems to prove that. At any rate, those Land Run people are in for 1/3rd or less of what Trans Iowa dishes out on occasion and it will be interesting to see how that goes down this weekend.

 Finally: Perhaps the ultimate irony is that all of today's subjects are having to do with gravel riding, and I am saying you will get sick of all of the gravel stuff being shoved down our eyeballs soon enough. Well, long time readers know I have been talking about gravel stuff since forever. It isn't a fad for me. It isn't a potential source of income or revenue that will lift last year's sagging sales results back to the flat line. (Because I don't sell "gravel bikes") I don't have a "horse in the race" in that manner. I just really like riding bicycles and doing that out in the country, which just so happens to have a lot of gravel roads. I like the people who also like doing that with me or without me.

People say, "What's the big deal? It's just riding bikes on gravel.", and they are right, but they are wrong. It is a big deal to ride a bicycle, and especially for me. It is just riding bicycles on gravel, but that is my passion in life, so yeah..... It may not float your boat, and that's cool. There are more than a few ways to enjoy riding bicycles. Go do it your way.

And with that said, you should go do just that- Ride your bicycles this weekend. Peace!

Gizmo Update

Mounts for the Gizmo

It has been some time since I have spoken about the new GPS gizmo thing-a-matron I have gotten to record my ride data with. Specifically, the device is named a Lezyne Super GPS. Just exactly how "super" it is will be determined later. Right now it seems to be a pretty snazzy little unit to keep track of things with.

So, I took the next step in regard to getting comfortable with this thing and that was to get myself more mounts. Mounts for GPS computers are nothing but special clamps with proprietary key-wayed slotted bases which work off of tension created by a cross member in the base. They aren't anything that awesome, but they cost like they are. Oh well, what are ya gonna do? 3D print yer own? Oh!.......wait.......

Okay, lacking a 3D printer of my own, I went ahead and purchased two more mounts made by Lezyne. So, these are "official" and all. Just to be clear.....

Anyway, I mounted one on the Tamland, one on the Twin Six Standard Rando, and the original is on the Black Mountain Cycles rig. The "O" ring mount is on the Gen I Fargo.......I think. I'll have to go check on that. It's somewhere anyway. So, I'll have four mounts to swap the GPS head into and out of. This will make the so-called "Super GPS" a bit more, well.........super. I'll be more apt to use it a lot more often.

The next two steps will involve more functions of the unit. One will be turn-by-turn directions, which are supposedly now available with the Super GPS units, and the other is to mount the sensor on one of the bikes to see how the cadence function works. But the latter function will only be used to verify it works. I am definitely not using cadence. 

Stay tuned for an update on this GPS deal sooner than later......

 

Gizmo Update

Mounts for the Gizmo

It has been some time since I have spoken about the new GPS gizmo thing-a-matron I have gotten to record my ride data with. Specifically, the device is named a Lezyne Super GPS. Just exactly how "super" it is will be determined later. Right now it seems to be a pretty snazzy little unit to keep track of things with.

So, I took the next step in regard to getting comfortable with this thing and that was to get myself more mounts. Mounts for GPS computers are nothing but special clamps with proprietary key-wayed slotted bases which work off of tension created by a cross member in the base. They aren't anything that awesome, but they cost like they are. Oh well, what are ya gonna do? 3D print yer own? Oh!.......wait.......

Okay, lacking a 3D printer of my own, I went ahead and purchased two more mounts made by Lezyne. So, these are "official" and all. Just to be clear.....

Anyway, I mounted one on the Tamland, one on the Twin Six Standard Rando, and the original is on the Black Mountain Cycles rig. The "O" ring mount is on the Gen I Fargo.......I think. I'll have to go check on that. It's somewhere anyway. So, I'll have four mounts to swap the GPS head into and out of. This will make the so-called "Super GPS" a bit more, well.........super. I'll be more apt to use it a lot more often.

The next two steps will involve more functions of the unit. One will be turn-by-turn directions, which are supposedly now available with the Super GPS units, and the other is to mount the sensor on one of the bikes to see how the cadence function works. But the latter function will only be used to verify it works. I am definitely not using cadence. 

Stay tuned for an update on this GPS deal sooner than later......

 

Game Of (Cycling) Thrones

The WTB Pure V- One of my favorite saddles for long days of bicycling

The bicycle saddle has long been a source of contention, frustration, and laser beam focus for cyclists for decades if not for over a century. Of course, it is one of the primary "touch points" of a bicycle. The others being the grips and gloves, then the shoes/pedals, which, by the way, are much easier deals to navigate for any cyclist.

Take for instance the pedal. It basically is only a device for your shoe to push on. You can ride in whatever shoes fit you and are most comfortable, of course, and you already know what size you need. Well..........maybe I assume too much. Let's just agree that there is a well codified system that you can use to find a shoe that fits.

Grips and gloves are also pretty easy things to get figured out. There are ergonomically designed grips and gloves come in sizes which can be fitted to almost any human's paw. This isn't that hard to figure out. Not so with saddles. 

Cambium C-17. My newest favorite saddle.

Until recently we mostly were left to guess what saddle might work by reading marketing hype and squeezing saddles in the shops like we were shopping for fresh produce. Then we learned about "sit bones" but unless you were around a shop with one of those gel infested benches, you had no idea how to measure yours. Maybe it was all too sciency for mere mortals to grasp.

I actually got to sit on one of these benches. It was as if I mistakenly sat on a full diaper. Gross would describe the experience. Isn't there a better way to do this? Then there is the whole weird out with dealing with that part  of your body. I mean, for me- yeah. No big deal. But I could easily see where some folks that need the most help would be the most sensitive about getting fitted.

Ya know, I knew my shoe size and even my glove size when I was a teenager. But I never figured out my "sit bone" width until I was well on into my 40's. Then even when/if you know that, you still have to find the right saddle for the bike you have, the style of riding you do, and how you position yourself on said saddle. It ain't easy, and I wish it were, but I think after about ten years of trying different saddles I found a couple that fit me really well. Brooks and WTB for me, but the stubborn journey I took to discover that maybe would be too daunting for many folks.

I wonder if this is why we have so many "non-cyclists" who have left cycling because they couldn't find the right saddle? Maybe. What do I know. All I can say is that it is still crazy after all these years that we don't stop this silly game of not having a way to figure out the correct saddle for folks, at least in a rudimentary way.

Game Of (Cycling) Thrones

The WTB Pure V- One of my favorite saddles for long days of bicycling

The bicycle saddle has long been a source of contention, frustration, and laser beam focus for cyclists for decades if not for over a century. Of course, it is one of the primary "touch points" of a bicycle. The others being the grips and gloves, then the shoes/pedals, which, by the way, are much easier deals to navigate for any cyclist.

Take for instance the pedal. It basically is only a device for your shoe to push on. You can ride in whatever shoes fit you and are most comfortable, of course, and you already know what size you need. Well..........maybe I assume too much. Let's just agree that there is a well codified system that you can use to find a shoe that fits.

Grips and gloves are also pretty easy things to get figured out. There are ergonomically designed grips and gloves come in sizes which can be fitted to almost any human's paw. This isn't that hard to figure out. Not so with saddles. 

Cambium C-17. My newest favorite saddle.

Until recently we mostly were left to guess what saddle might work by reading marketing hype and squeezing saddles in the shops like we were shopping for fresh produce. Then we learned about "sit bones" but unless you were around a shop with one of those gel infested benches, you had no idea how to measure yours. Maybe it was all too sciency for mere mortals to grasp.

I actually got to sit on one of these benches. It was as if I mistakenly sat on a full diaper. Gross would describe the experience. Isn't there a better way to do this? Then there is the whole weird out with dealing with that part  of your body. I mean, for me- yeah. No big deal. But I could easily see where some folks that need the most help would be the most sensitive about getting fitted.

Ya know, I knew my shoe size and even my glove size when I was a teenager. But I never figured out my "sit bone" width until I was well on into my 40's. Then even when/if you know that, you still have to find the right saddle for the bike you have, the style of riding you do, and how you position yourself on said saddle. It ain't easy, and I wish it were, but I think after about ten years of trying different saddles I found a couple that fit me really well. Brooks and WTB for me, but the stubborn journey I took to discover that maybe would be too daunting for many folks.

I wonder if this is why we have so many "non-cyclists" who have left cycling because they couldn't find the right saddle? Maybe. What do I know. All I can say is that it is still crazy after all these years that we don't stop this silly game of not having a way to figure out the correct saddle for folks, at least in a rudimentary way.

Trans Iowa v13: Rule #24 Explanation

It was brought to my attention yesterday that the new rule #24 is a bit confusing, perhaps, so I am going to make this as clear as I can before we get to the event.

First, we have to take a look at the rule, then I will explain why I added it, then I will give some examples of the rule to maybe help shed some light on this.

First the rule.....

24: Participants must remain within the primary boundaries of the roadway at all times. If the roadway is bordered by fences or ditches, riders must stay between them. If the roadway is in open range, stay on the roadway. Leaving the roadway or climbing over a fence is considered short cutting the course and will result in disqualification

This rule was added for a few reasons. First and foremost it was added because of an incident I witnessed at the Dirty Kanza 200's 2015 running. Otherwise known as the "Mud Year".  As many will recall, the first mud roads were reached about 10-11 miles in to the event which required dismounting, carrying your bike, and traversing difficult muddy, grassy, and uneven ditches for three miles or so. (See below) The other main reason was a confrontation with a landowner at last year's Trans Iowa. (Also- See below) Finally, I have heard it said in jest that if riders come upon a road that is nasty mud, that they would just hop the fence and run in the field if it looked easier. 

The following images help explain what I am talking about.

The March. Dirty Kanza 200, 2015. 

 I want to reference the image above to make a point. This was taken by myself at the DK200 in 2015 in the latter stages of "The March" through those sticky mud roads. Notice that beyond the fences the ground is covered with grasses. It was much easier going in the fields, but of course, you couldn't use the fields. Or could you? Apparently a few thought this idea was okay as I witnessed more than one person jumping the fence and running across the open fields. This was, of course, illegal trespassing on private land. The very next year, (2016), this was discussed in detail at the rider's meeting for the 2016 DK200 and it was explained that this would not be tolerated any further. 

The site of Checkpoint #2 for Trans Iowa v12.

 Now I want to reference the above image to show that there are no fences here. Also- there is no discernible "ditch". Last year we were approached by the land owner of the lands that this road passes through. This is a public road, as noted by the signage behind the cars. The landowner contended that we were trespassing on their land by parking on the grassy areas alongside the road. 

The situation was diffused to the satisfaction of both parties, but in the heat of the moment, technicalities of the law notwithstanding, the landowner has the right of refusal here. At least for the moment, and I would have deferred to this landowner had an agreement not been reached, and CP#2 would have been adjusted accordingly. 

That's all water under the dam, but my point is that had the road been muddy, the landowner would have forced us to make riders walk the middle of this, and if that wasn't happening, we would have had to have rerouted the course around this.  Whether that was according to the rule of law or not makes no difference to Trans Iowa. I would have deferred to the landowner. So would have you had to......

No where to go but forward....

 Here is a great example of where you have no choices. I think the point is pretty much made clear with this sort of road. You aren't going to scramble up the embankments, and the easiest way ahead on course is the road. 

Mixed bag- One side is fenceless, the other has a fence.

There can be a mixed bag- Fence on one side, no fence on the other. In this case I would avoid the field to the left and choose the right hand side ditch if I were trying to avoid mud in the roadway. 

Interpretation: So, the spirit of this rule is pretty simple- DO NOT TRESPASS ON PRIVATE LAND! And maybe that's how the rule should read, actually. However; the riders will have to negotiate a differing scenario of Level B Roads across the 300 plus mile course of Trans Iowa. By the way, Level B Roads, and perhaps in towns, are the only places I can see this ever being applied. But the bottom line is to keep off private lands, keep it between the fences, and when there are no fences, use your best judgement. I would then encourage you to stay on the roadway, but that may not be the best way to do things in the mind of a cyclist with 200 miles in their legs. 

Also, and this is very important- This has never been a problem at Trans Iowa. I just want to keep it that way. 

Make sense? If not, send me a comment and I will help you out here.
 

Trans Iowa v13: Rule #24 Explanation

It was brought to my attention yesterday that the new rule #24 is a bit confusing, perhaps, so I am going to make this as clear as I can before we get to the event.

First, we have to take a look at the rule, then I will explain why I added it, then I will give some examples of the rule to maybe help shed some light on this.

First the rule.....

24: Participants must remain within the primary boundaries of the roadway at all times. If the roadway is bordered by fences or ditches, riders must stay between them. If the roadway is in open range, stay on the roadway. Leaving the roadway or climbing over a fence is considered short cutting the course and will result in disqualification

This rule was added for a few reasons. First and foremost it was added because of an incident I witnessed at the Dirty Kanza 200's 2015 running. Otherwise known as the "Mud Year".  As many will recall, the first mud roads were reached about 10-11 miles in to the event which required dismounting, carrying your bike, and traversing difficult muddy, grassy, and uneven ditches for three miles or so. (See below) The other main reason was a confrontation with a landowner at last year's Trans Iowa. (Also- See below) Finally, I have heard it said in jest that if riders come upon a road that is nasty mud, that they would just hop the fence and run in the field if it looked easier. 

The following images help explain what I am talking about.

The March. Dirty Kanza 200, 2015. 

 I want to reference the image above to make a point. This was taken by myself at the DK200 in 2015 in the latter stages of "The March" through those sticky mud roads. Notice that beyond the fences the ground is covered with grasses. It was much easier going in the fields, but of course, you couldn't use the fields. Or could you? Apparently a few thought this idea was okay as I witnessed more than one person jumping the fence and running across the open fields. This was, of course, illegal trespassing on private land. The very next year, (2016), this was discussed in detail at the rider's meeting for the 2016 DK200 and it was explained that this would not be tolerated any further. 

The site of Checkpoint #2 for Trans Iowa v12.

 Now I want to reference the above image to show that there are no fences here. Also- there is no discernible "ditch". Last year we were approached by the land owner of the lands that this road passes through. This is a public road, as noted by the signage behind the cars. The landowner contended that we were trespassing on their land by parking on the grassy areas alongside the road. 

The situation was diffused to the satisfaction of both parties, but in the heat of the moment, technicalities of the law notwithstanding, the landowner has the right of refusal here. At least for the moment, and I would have deferred to this landowner had an agreement not been reached, and CP#2 would have been adjusted accordingly. 

That's all water under the dam, but my point is that had the road been muddy, the landowner would have forced us to make riders walk the middle of this, and if that wasn't happening, we would have had to have rerouted the course around this.  Whether that was according to the rule of law or not makes no difference to Trans Iowa. I would have deferred to the landowner. So would have you had to......

No where to go but forward....

 Here is a great example of where you have no choices. I think the point is pretty much made clear with this sort of road. You aren't going to scramble up the embankments, and the easiest way ahead on course is the road. 

Mixed bag- One side is fenceless, the other has a fence.

There can be a mixed bag- Fence on one side, no fence on the other. In this case I would avoid the field to the left and choose the right hand side ditch if I were trying to avoid mud in the roadway. 

Interpretation: So, the spirit of this rule is pretty simple- DO NOT TRESPASS ON PRIVATE LAND! And maybe that's how the rule should read, actually. However; the riders will have to negotiate a differing scenario of Level B Roads across the 300 plus mile course of Trans Iowa. By the way, Level B Roads, and perhaps in towns, are the only places I can see this ever being applied. But the bottom line is to keep off private lands, keep it between the fences, and when there are no fences, use your best judgement. I would then encourage you to stay on the roadway, but that may not be the best way to do things in the mind of a cyclist with 200 miles in their legs. 

Also, and this is very important- This has never been a problem at Trans Iowa. I just want to keep it that way. 

Make sense? If not, send me a comment and I will help you out here.
 

Activism And Downtime

Some folks think breaking glass on the sidewalk is funny. I don't.

I've been commuting to work on pretty much the same route for over a decade now, and I've seen my fair share of things. Glass, debris, odd ball things, and dead animals. The thing that gets my fur to stand on end though is the glass that people deliberately break on sidewalks and bicycle trails.

I just nearly destroyed a brand new Panaracer Gravel King SK last year because someone thought it would be a good idea to smash a liquor bottle smack dab in the middle of a corner which is blind coming from a lower elevation side. I've seen glass busted up on sidewalks in my neighborhood where kids are playing and where people walk dogs.

Not cool people. Not cool.

So, I have a Facebook friend who lives in Des Moines, and she commutes by bicycle. She posted a bit about how she cleaned off a bicycle trail where someone had busted some glass. After a bit of back and forth, she inspired me to do the same thing. So, Saturday I took my son, a dust pan, and a whisk broom along with a couple of plastic shopping bags and we cleaned off some sidewalks in our neighborhood.

That danged clear glass is hard to see!

I don't want to make it seem that I am some kind of do-gooder, special guy because I did this. What I am trying to do is to get someone else on board with being an "activist". I know that often we hear the word and think, "marching in the street, protester, weirdo anti-government type", and maybe that's okay if you are doing that. But that's the point- doing something. 

It is easy to bitch and moan about trails being rutted out, that you don't have a bike rack to park where you want one, or to be like me and bitch about glass on the way to work. It is quite another to put your gripe into gear and act on it. That's what activism is. Doing something about a problem.

So, thanks to that Facebook friend in Des Moines for showing me I was being silly for not actually doing something. It was easy to do, and solved a problem for me, and I was able to use it as a teachable moment for my son as well. Bottom line- get off yer butt, kwitcher bellyachin', and do something about it. It doesn't have to be a big deal. Just doing something is better than talking about it and doing nothing.

But please- don't go about trail maintenance on single track without speaking with those tasked to oversee the trails! They would love your input and even more so- your work efforts- to make a difference. Nuff said.

That was pretty much the extent of my weekend's cycling activities as I contracted a head cold Friday or so and by Saturday evening I was pretty much toast. Of course, Sunday it was awesome outside for cycling, but I had to sit it out on the sidelines. Gotta rest up, kick this in the booty and out of my body, and then get after it.

In the meantime, I'll just take it easy and sip on another Lemon tea with honey whipped up by Mrs. Guitar Ted to aid in my recovery.........

Activism And Downtime

Some folks think breaking glass on the sidewalk is funny. I don't.

I've been commuting to work on pretty much the same route for over a decade now, and I've seen my fair share of things. Glass, debris, odd ball things, and dead animals. The thing that gets my fur to stand on end though is the glass that people deliberately break on sidewalks and bicycle trails.

I just nearly destroyed a brand new Panaracer Gravel King SK last year because someone thought it would be a good idea to smash a liquor bottle smack dab in the middle of a corner which is blind coming from a lower elevation side. I've seen glass busted up on sidewalks in my neighborhood where kids are playing and where people walk dogs.

Not cool people. Not cool.

So, I have a Facebook friend who lives in Des Moines, and she commutes by bicycle. She posted a bit about how she cleaned off a bicycle trail where someone had busted some glass. After a bit of back and forth, she inspired me to do the same thing. So, Saturday I took my son, a dust pan, and a whisk broom along with a couple of plastic shopping bags and we cleaned off some sidewalks in our neighborhood.

That danged clear glass is hard to see!

I don't want to make it seem that I am some kind of do-gooder, special guy because I did this. What I am trying to do is to get someone else on board with being an "activist". I know that often we hear the word and think, "marching in the street, protester, weirdo anti-government type", and maybe that's okay if you are doing that. But that's the point- doing something. 

It is easy to bitch and moan about trails being rutted out, that you don't have a bike rack to park where you want one, or to be like me and bitch about glass on the way to work. It is quite another to put your gripe into gear and act on it. That's what activism is. Doing something about a problem.

So, thanks to that Facebook friend in Des Moines for showing me I was being silly for not actually doing something. It was easy to do, and solved a problem for me, and I was able to use it as a teachable moment for my son as well. Bottom line- get off yer butt, kwitcher bellyachin', and do something about it. It doesn't have to be a big deal. Just doing something is better than talking about it and doing nothing.

But please- don't go about trail maintenance on single track without speaking with those tasked to oversee the trails! They would love your input and even more so- your work efforts- to make a difference. Nuff said.

That was pretty much the extent of my weekend's cycling activities as I contracted a head cold Friday or so and by Saturday evening I was pretty much toast. Of course, Sunday it was awesome outside for cycling, but I had to sit it out on the sidelines. Gotta rest up, kick this in the booty and out of my body, and then get after it.

In the meantime, I'll just take it easy and sip on another Lemon tea with honey whipped up by Mrs. Guitar Ted to aid in my recovery.........

Minus Ten Review- 9

Since I didn't post any pictures this week ten years ago you get another look at this animal excavation.

Ten years ago this week I didn't post any pictures for the week. I know.....I know! I said that would be rare going forward. It will be. I promise.....

Anyway, ten years ago I was going on about a few things. Trans Iowa, of course, Jan Ullrich's retirement from Pro cycling, and I was ranting about the icy Winter storms we were getting then. But one thing I made some prognostications about concerned an image seen on the web forums of Travis Brown piloting a strange beast of a bike, As it turned out, it was a 29 inch wheeled front/26 inch wheeled rear bicycle which Trek eventually produced and dubbed a "69er".

One thing I did get right from that image was that Trek was experimenting with offsets for forks. In fact, they already had what they were going to do figured out. Later in the Summer Trek would release the bombshell that they had an exclusive one year deal with Fox Shox and that the new offset would be 51mm which was part of what Trek dubbed "G2 Geometry". Many folks only remember the fork offsets, but there was more to G2 than just that.

G2 geometry pretty much opened the door for what we now see as "normal" trail bike geometry. Slacker head tube angles matched up with longer fork offsets were the first step. Longer front-centers and wider bars set up with stubby stems were the next step. Matched up with the short rear-centers, these geometries and angles all are pretty much the culmination of a vision Gary Fisher had in 1999 for 29"ers.

Minus Ten Review- 9

Since I didn't post any pictures this week ten years ago you get another look at this animal excavation.

Ten years ago this week I didn't post any pictures for the week. I know.....I know! I said that would be rare going forward. It will be. I promise.....

Anyway, ten years ago I was going on about a few things. Trans Iowa, of course, Jan Ullrich's retirement from Pro cycling, and I was ranting about the icy Winter storms we were getting then. But one thing I made some prognostications about concerned an image seen on the web forums of Travis Brown piloting a strange beast of a bike, As it turned out, it was a 29 inch wheeled front/26 inch wheeled rear bicycle which Trek eventually produced and dubbed a "69er".

One thing I did get right from that image was that Trek was experimenting with offsets for forks. In fact, they already had what they were going to do figured out. Later in the Summer Trek would release the bombshell that they had an exclusive one year deal with Fox Shox and that the new offset would be 51mm which was part of what Trek dubbed "G2 Geometry". Many folks only remember the fork offsets, but there was more to G2 than just that.

G2 geometry pretty much opened the door for what we now see as "normal" trail bike geometry. Slacker head tube angles matched up with longer fork offsets were the first step. Longer front-centers and wider bars set up with stubby stems were the next step. Matched up with the short rear-centers, these geometries and angles all are pretty much the culmination of a vision Gary Fisher had in 1999 for 29"ers.

Friday News And Views

Gettin' the Band back together again.

Confirmed Renegade:

The registration for the 7th annual Renegade Gents Race opened up March 1st and I wondered if we would be making our 7th straight appearance there. As many of you readers know, this event has been my favorite ride of the year for quite some time now.

March 1st went by without any chatter from my social networking teammates. I decided to throw out a Tweet which expressed my wondering about the status of Team Careless Whispers. (More on the name in a moment)

In the meantime between Wednesday and yesterday morning, I resigned myself to the understanding that someday the streak will be broken. Just like all those years I went to Frostbike and now I haven't gone in two years. I think it is healthy to have a sense of things ending at some point, because they will. We all like to romanticize things and think we will never see the end of.......fill in the blank. Relationships, jobs, luck, and that bottle of beer won't last forever. So it is with my streak of Renegade Gents races. Someday that won't happen anymore, and I was okay if the end was this year. Of course, I didn't want that, but I accepted that it could happen. 

That said, I am happy to report that the Careless Whispers will once again be lining up for the seventh consecutive time. Oh yeah, about that name...... Well, when this whole deal got started there was banter between the teammates that knew each other already about what the name of our squad should be. Something about the fact that almost all of us had had facial hair came up and then Sam, I believe it was, suggested we should name our team in honor of George Michael, who was famous for not only music, but that studly 5 o'clock shadow he sported in the 80's. Thus the "Careless Whispers" name, as that was a famous hit song by George. I think something born out of the look of ZZ Top would have fit better, but hey! It is what it is. 

 Clinic Time:

 Friday morning, SRAM rep extraordinaire, Dan Jennings, came by to give our shop employees a SRAM e-Tap demo. This is SRAM's wireless, electronic shifting group. I was pretty impressed with several aspects of the system.

Now before I go on I will say that I am not a big fan of SRAM mechanical road shifting action. The whole "Double Tap" thing is annoying and less efficient, in my opinion, than Shimano's mechanical groups. However; I reverse my preferences when it comes to electronic shifting based upon a few things I've experienced so far.

The SRAM e-Tap is completely wireless, so you do not have any wires between components at all. No fishing wires through frames, no junction boxes, or hideous , limp wires flopping around your stem and rear derailleur. It also is super easy to set up. A monkey could set up a SRAM e-Tap derailleur and shifter set up. Shimano is a lot more fuss and you have to plug it into a computer to finalize the set up. But the big deal in the end is the ergonomics and in that area I think the way you depress the SRAM e-Tap levers and the feedback you get is superior to Shimano's Di2.

Make no mistake- both are really awesome. Shimano Di2 may shift faster, but having never to have to tune up the shifting and always getting precise, consistent shifts despite the conditions and circumstances blows mechanical shifting out of the water. Both Shimano Di2 and SRAM e-Tap are really that much better. It is also that much more expensive. These choices will have to be a less expensive alternative before many cyclists ever see the benefits, but I believe that will happen someday.

A Little T.I.v13 Update:

Get ready folks, Trans Iowa is only two months away. You are going to hear a lot about this in the next eight to ten weeks. Just a heads up for y'all.

My world will get more and more consumed with this as time passes. I have some in the field recon of a reroute to do, I have to check on a couple of other route details while I am looking at the course, and then it is on to drafting cue sheets so they can be checked in the field in April.

I am crafting a few e-mails tailored to specific groups- Rookies, Veterans/Finishers, and Volunteers, so that I can communicate some important points concerning the upcoming event. Look for those to go out very soon. Then I have the Truck With No Name in for servicing so it will be in tip-top shape for the event. I have a "check engine" light and an oil leak to be looked in to.

Anyway, I have a lot on my plate and very little time to deal with it all. This has been an odd year for me and Trans Iowa. Every year is different, but this one has presented its own difficulties. I hope to rise to the challenge and overcome the obstacles and once again put on a good event for all to enjoy.

That's it for this week. Have a great weekend and get out and ride!

Friday News And Views

Gettin' the Band back together again.

Confirmed Renegade:

The registration for the 7th annual Renegade Gents Race opened up March 1st and I wondered if we would be making our 7th straight appearance there. As many of you readers know, this event has been my favorite ride of the year for quite some time now.

March 1st went by without any chatter from my social networking teammates. I decided to throw out a Tweet which expressed my wondering about the status of Team Careless Whispers. (More on the name in a moment)

In the meantime between Wednesday and yesterday morning, I resigned myself to the understanding that someday the streak will be broken. Just like all those years I went to Frostbike and now I haven't gone in two years. I think it is healthy to have a sense of things ending at some point, because they will. We all like to romanticize things and think we will never see the end of.......fill in the blank. Relationships, jobs, luck, and that bottle of beer won't last forever. So it is with my streak of Renegade Gents races. Someday that won't happen anymore, and I was okay if the end was this year. Of course, I didn't want that, but I accepted that it could happen. 

That said, I am happy to report that the Careless Whispers will once again be lining up for the seventh consecutive time. Oh yeah, about that name...... Well, when this whole deal got started there was banter between the teammates that knew each other already about what the name of our squad should be. Something about the fact that almost all of us had had facial hair came up and then Sam, I believe it was, suggested we should name our team in honor of George Michael, who was famous for not only music, but that studly 5 o'clock shadow he sported in the 80's. Thus the "Careless Whispers" name, as that was a famous hit song by George. I think something born out of the look of ZZ Top would have fit better, but hey! It is what it is. 

 Clinic Time:

 Friday morning, SRAM rep extraordinaire, Dan Jennings, came by to give our shop employees a SRAM e-Tap demo. This is SRAM's wireless, electronic shifting group. I was pretty impressed with several aspects of the system.

Now before I go on I will say that I am not a big fan of SRAM mechanical road shifting action. The whole "Double Tap" thing is annoying and less efficient, in my opinion, than Shimano's mechanical groups. However; I reverse my preferences when it comes to electronic shifting based upon a few things I've experienced so far.

The SRAM e-Tap is completely wireless, so you do not have any wires between components at all. No fishing wires through frames, no junction boxes, or hideous , limp wires flopping around your stem and rear derailleur. It also is super easy to set up. A monkey could set up a SRAM e-Tap derailleur and shifter set up. Shimano is a lot more fuss and you have to plug it into a computer to finalize the set up. But the big deal in the end is the ergonomics and in that area I think the way you depress the SRAM e-Tap levers and the feedback you get is superior to Shimano's Di2.

Make no mistake- both are really awesome. Shimano Di2 may shift faster, but having never to have to tune up the shifting and always getting precise, consistent shifts despite the conditions and circumstances blows mechanical shifting out of the water. Both Shimano Di2 and SRAM e-Tap are really that much better. It is also that much more expensive. These choices will have to be a less expensive alternative before many cyclists ever see the benefits, but I believe that will happen someday.

A Little T.I.v13 Update:

Get ready folks, Trans Iowa is only two months away. You are going to hear a lot about this in the next eight to ten weeks. Just a heads up for y'all.

My world will get more and more consumed with this as time passes. I have some in the field recon of a reroute to do, I have to check on a couple of other route details while I am looking at the course, and then it is on to drafting cue sheets so they can be checked in the field in April.

I am crafting a few e-mails tailored to specific groups- Rookies, Veterans/Finishers, and Volunteers, so that I can communicate some important points concerning the upcoming event. Look for those to go out very soon. Then I have the Truck With No Name in for servicing so it will be in tip-top shape for the event. I have a "check engine" light and an oil leak to be looked in to.

Anyway, I have a lot on my plate and very little time to deal with it all. This has been an odd year for me and Trans Iowa. Every year is different, but this one has presented its own difficulties. I hope to rise to the challenge and overcome the obstacles and once again put on a good event for all to enjoy.

That's it for this week. Have a great weekend and get out and ride!

Cleaning House

This outlandish load was extricated from the Lab and disposed of.

I spent a good chunk of my day off clearing out another corner of the Lab at Guitar Ted Productions headquarters yesterday. This was a big load of crusty, old, worn out tires, for the most part. During the process I learned several things.

The first is that it feels incredibly good, (for me anyway) to clean up and clear out stuff. There is some fancy word or this. Feng shui, or something. If you Google the term you find all sorts of nuttiness. I just mean it to say that I felt liberated by clearing out that old junk. Nuff said......

The next thing was that when you fold up old, dry rotted tires, they crack like bones. That's kind of creepy, but that felt good to do as well. Definitely nuff said there!

Then I really learned that the Big Dummy is so vastly superior to my old cargo rig that it was laughable. Old tires weigh a lot, in case you didn't know. Add in a few steel wheels and you get a potentially unruly load which could twist a typical Xtracycle rig into a wet noodle of death to ride. Not the Big Dummy! Stiff and secure to ride. Not a problem. Those brakes too..... Marvelous. I actually had fun riding it loaded down.

Finally, when you ride against a stiff, cold wind, loads that stick up in the air can be a bit unsettling. I should have tied those wheels down lower! But I got there 5 miles later to the place where I could dispose of this stuff. Then I felt like Superman when all the weight was off the bike and the wind was at my back, That was really fun.

More cleaning and arranging to come. I've made excellent progress so far, but I am only maybe half the way done.

Cleaning House

This outlandish load was extricated from the Lab and disposed of.

I spent a good chunk of my day off clearing out another corner of the Lab at Guitar Ted Productions headquarters yesterday. This was a big load of crusty, old, worn out tires, for the most part. During the process I learned several things.

The first is that it feels incredibly good, (for me anyway) to clean up and clear out stuff. There is some fancy word or this. Feng shui, or something. If you Google the term you find all sorts of nuttiness. I just mean it to say that I felt liberated by clearing out that old junk. Nuff said......

The next thing was that when you fold up old, dry rotted tires, they crack like bones. That's kind of creepy, but that felt good to do as well. Definitely nuff said there!

Then I really learned that the Big Dummy is so vastly superior to my old cargo rig that it was laughable. Old tires weigh a lot, in case you didn't know. Add in a few steel wheels and you get a potentially unruly load which could twist a typical Xtracycle rig into a wet noodle of death to ride. Not the Big Dummy! Stiff and secure to ride. Not a problem. Those brakes too..... Marvelous. I actually had fun riding it loaded down.

Finally, when you ride against a stiff, cold wind, loads that stick up in the air can be a bit unsettling. I should have tied those wheels down lower! But I got there 5 miles later to the place where I could dispose of this stuff. Then I felt like Superman when all the weight was off the bike and the wind was at my back, That was really fun.

More cleaning and arranging to come. I've made excellent progress so far, but I am only maybe half the way done.

Lock Time

The Rocky Mounts "Hendrix" foldable lock.

I have always been intrigued by these folding lock deals I've seen for years. I was never around anyone that had one or that had any feedback on one, so I never pursued the getting of one. I needed to have a bit of a push one way or the other to know if these things really worked or not. Maybe you've wondered about these things too. Actually, I have an old cable lock, but I was wondering about something like this because it looks burly and harder to break. Well, I got more than just feedback from someone. I actually was offered to try a lock out.

Rocky Mounts, normally known for their line of racks, just introduced a line of bicycle locks to secure your bicycle whilst out on errands, commutes, training rides, or just to insure your bike stays put in the garage. They graciously sent me their Hendrix model to check out.

So, it comes with a holster which is mountable to a set of water bottle cage bosses and three keys. I like keys myself, since numbers tend to get forgotten or mixed up. Especially if I were to go awhile without using the lock. Keys stay on key chains until called upon. I have that dialed. You may be different.

Anyway, this guy gets a "7" on a scale of 1-10 for security with a ten being most secure. I can dig it. 7 is good enough for around here. It is made from steel. 3mm thick rubber coated steel plates. That's pretty tough sounding.

It seems to me to be pretty easy to unlock and lock, so I will have to see how it works on some errands and what not coming up here. I am also probably going to lug it around on gravel rides so I can use it when I stop for coffee when I get back to town. I shouldn't have to worry about my bike getting jacked while I get juiced up on java now.

My townie, the Big Dummy.

Mostly this will get used on trips with the Big Dummy though. I mounted the holster to one of the many bottle mounts this bike has. That way I won't have to search in those cavernous bags for the dang thing when I want to lock up. I also have a longer cable lock to string through the wheels and whatnot for even more secure parking action. But that said, I expect that I will have some decent "peace of mind" feelings now when I get out and about with the Big Dummy.

Once this weather straightens out a bit more, I will be doing just that. There are growlers to be filled, groceries to be toted, and who knows what all I'll be doing with the Big Dummy around town now that I have this folding lock. That will be a good thing. Will the lock work? Well, in a way, it already has.

You see, if you don't have a good way to secure your rig on errands, or at a coffee stop, or if you want to stop on the way to work to grab a sandwich, well.......you probably won't do anything but ride. That's great, (the riding part), but you will use your bicycle more if you have an easy way to secure it while you go inside businesses and other places. With this $69.99 retail lock, you could have the peace of mind, and more importantly, the choice, to actually use a bicycle for practical things. So, by just having the means to secure your bike makes the device you secure it with "work".

That said, I'll be back later with the "how it worked out" thing after I've lived with this for a while.

NOTE: Rocky Mounts sent the Hendrix lock at no charge for me to check out and review. I was not paid nor bribed for these words and I will strive to give my honest take throughout.

Lock Time

The Rocky Mounts "Hendrix" foldable lock.

I have always been intrigued by these folding lock deals I've seen for years. I was never around anyone that had one or that had any feedback on one, so I never pursued the getting of one. I needed to have a bit of a push one way or the other to know if these things really worked or not. Maybe you've wondered about these things too. Actually, I have an old cable lock, but I was wondering about something like this because it looks burly and harder to break. Well, I got more than just feedback from someone. I actually was offered to try a lock out.

Rocky Mounts, normally known for their line of racks, just introduced a line of bicycle locks to secure your bicycle whilst out on errands, commutes, training rides, or just to insure your bike stays put in the garage. They graciously sent me their Hendrix model to check out.

So, it comes with a holster which is mountable to a set of water bottle cage bosses and three keys. I like keys myself, since numbers tend to get forgotten or mixed up. Especially if I were to go awhile without using the lock. Keys stay on key chains until called upon. I have that dialed. You may be different.

Anyway, this guy gets a "7" on a scale of 1-10 for security with a ten being most secure. I can dig it. 7 is good enough for around here. It is made from steel. 3mm thick rubber coated steel plates. That's pretty tough sounding.

It seems to me to be pretty easy to unlock and lock, so I will have to see how it works on some errands and what not coming up here. I am also probably going to lug it around on gravel rides so I can use it when I stop for coffee when I get back to town. I shouldn't have to worry about my bike getting jacked while I get juiced up on java now.

My townie, the Big Dummy.

Mostly this will get used on trips with the Big Dummy though. I mounted the holster to one of the many bottle mounts this bike has. That way I won't have to search in those cavernous bags for the dang thing when I want to lock up. I also have a longer cable lock to string through the wheels and whatnot for even more secure parking action. But that said, I expect that I will have some decent "peace of mind" feelings now when I get out and about with the Big Dummy.

Once this weather straightens out a bit more, I will be doing just that. There are growlers to be filled, groceries to be toted, and who knows what all I'll be doing with the Big Dummy around town now that I have this folding lock. That will be a good thing. Will the lock work? Well, in a way, it already has.

You see, if you don't have a good way to secure your rig on errands, or at a coffee stop, or if you want to stop on the way to work to grab a sandwich, well.......you probably won't do anything but ride. That's great, (the riding part), but you will use your bicycle more if you have an easy way to secure it while you go inside businesses and other places. With this $69.99 retail lock, you could have the peace of mind, and more importantly, the choice, to actually use a bicycle for practical things. So, by just having the means to secure your bike makes the device you secure it with "work".

That said, I'll be back later with the "how it worked out" thing after I've lived with this for a while.

NOTE: Rocky Mounts sent the Hendrix lock at no charge for me to check out and review. I was not paid nor bribed for these words and I will strive to give my honest take throughout.