DK My Way: Westward Alone

Pre-dawn tire pressure check. Tony airs up the tires on his Fargo.

4:00am, Saturday, June 3rd:

I hear Tony's phone alarm and we are both rolling within minutes, getting our duds on to go get the early breakfast at the cafeteria down the street a bit. I hadn't told Tony, but my plan was not to hang out at the start till the gun went off. I did that last year and I just felt so out of place, and people were all thinking I was doing the race. That led to a lot of explaining and confused looks. So, I figured I could just ride down with Tony, say "Good Luck", and be off on my adventure. That was the plan.

Breakfast went well and there were a lot of serious faces, but honestly, the tension wasn't as high as it was last year when the winds were forecast to be strong out of the North. This time the weather looked to be tranquil and that led to a more relaxed atmosphere, I believe. Tony and I went back to the room, donned our kits, grabbed the bikes, and we were off to check tires at his truck. Then we cruised down to the starting area.

We arrived just as the MC started barking on the PA system. It was loud and unnatural to me. The peaceful morning wasn't meant for amped up voices and music. But that didn't matter to me as I knew I was leaving that all behind in minutes. As I stood there briefly and spoke to a few riders that caught me down there, I noticed Sveta Vold. She had been one of my volunteers at Trans Iowa and we had seen her the day before downtown in Emporia. Tony and I went over to wish her the best on her ride. I saw that she was anxious and doubting. It was her first try at the DK 200. I felt she was underestimating her abilities, and it pained me to see the look on her face. She is such a talented and strong person. So, I decided to say goodbye before I stuck my foot in my mouth trying to encourage her with some stupid line. I said good luck to Tony, and I pedaled off North and West through Emporia's residential area to get out of town.

This street would soon be choked with riders, but I didn't stick around long enough to see that.

I suddenly was aware of a couple taking shots in front of a house for remembrance of the morning of the race by their camera's flash. I saw a few random riders headed down to the start line. They all looked at me like I was headed the wrong way, but no one said anything but a kind "hello" and if they didn't speak they waved. It only made me feel more awkward and I wanted to escape town as soon as possible.

By the time I crossed I-35, the sky had lit up.

It's the Real Thing.

This morning was going to be spectacular. The air was cool, the wind was non-existent, and there were few clouds in the sky, but just enough to paint the sky with reds, oranges, and erotic pinks. I was out of town to the West, on gravel, and cruising along by the time the riders started their 200 mile quest in Emporia behind me. There probably were loud pronouncements on the PA, clanging cow bells, and cheers. I had the song of birds in the prairie grasses to serenade me along my way and the soft crunch of gravel under my tires. I said a prayer out loud for the riders and then I turned my attention to my task at hand.

The proverbial "crack of dawn". Looking back Eastward.

A bit of dog bother was encountered.

As I neared a farm, I heard the howl of a hound and I sat up, alert and ready for an attack from my left side. However; what I heard and saw next was far worse than I imagined. A big, burly looking Great Pyrenees was running full throttle to cut me off. I anticipated his line and suddenly stopped up short. Disc brakes on the Fargo were working quite well, thank you very much! This put the big furry dog off a bit. It also gave me the split second I needed to get dismounted and put the bike between me and the growling, angry beast.

I immediately started to talk calmly to the dog and he was trying to get around the bike, but he also wasn't close in enough. He was about ten yards away from me and I kept rolling the bike back and forth as he swung side to side trying to figure out what to do. Realizing that his maneuvering was not making gains, he stood his ground and continued barking, but I could tell he was coming down some. Then the hound, who had hidden since I first heard it, came out trotting and went right around the bike and sniffed me. I did not feel threatened by this dog, it's tail was waging slightly, and I spoke softly to it. Then it sauntered away as if there were nothing more to be interested in and stood in the road with its back to me.

The big white dog took notice and quit barking. Then it too turned its back, at which point I got the photo. Then I slowly made my way down the road walking, always keeping an eye behind me. The Great Pyrenees turned and barked half heartedly at me, but I knew I was free to go. Whew! Close call, but I was back on my way again!

A windmill for Paul

Then I went out of farming territory and into cattle grazing country. My course was toward Cottonwood Falls, where I had dnf'ed during the first Dirty Kanza in 2006. From there I was going to make my way down some of the very same roads I had ridden back in 2006, and then on to Council Grove. But first, I had to get to Cottonwood Falls and there was a Minimum Maintenance Road in between me and that small city.

When the pioneers came through, there weren't any trees out here, so they made do with what the land provided them with.

Looks like an invitation to adventure to me!

The ironic thing is that I did not have the level of detail on my maps which would have indicated any minimum maintenance roads. So, when I came upon one, I was actually excited about it, because with these roads it has been my experience that anything is possible as far as what you might see and experience. So, I wasn't disappointed in that way with this road, despite being a bit spooked!

I crested the big hill and dropped in the other side to a scree filled, rocky road with ruts and grass growing up the middle, making it a two-track. As I calmly controlled the Fargo with the brakes, scanning for anything I needed to avoid or make a move over, I heard the hair raising sound of some animal. It sounded half like a wild pig and half like some demonic lost soul. It reverberated in the ravine I was in like some amplified voice of a disembodied ghost. Tony suggested later that it probably was a buck deer that was not pleased with my presence. I suppose I probably was quiet enough that I was able to make a surprise appearance in that vale. But at that time, I only was wondering how quickly I could scale the opposite side and get out of there!

Something back there didn't like me being there, and I wasn't about to stick around to find out what it was!

Well, I was back on gravel proper and was now not far from my first goal, Cottonwood Falls. I would need to hit up a convenience store for water and I planned on stopping by their famous court house to take in the view, then I would move on to hit roads from the first DK200.

Strong City

The road widened as I approached Strong City, a railroad town just two miles North of Cottonwood Falls. The gravel dumped me out just shy of the old depot and from there I was able to take a bike path to Cottonwood Falls proper.

The first order of business was to hit the Casey's convenience store I saw up the road. I went in and said hello to some early morning risers, mostly men, and went about my business. The cashier was a bit taken back by my presence, probably wondering what in the world I was doing so far off the DK200 course.

I took my water outside and started to refill my bottles as an older gentleman looked my way curiously. I said, "hello!" and he conversed with me a bit which led up to the following question from him:

"Say, my nephew did that dirty thing once, are you doing that dirty thing too?"

I didn't know whether to laugh, be very afraid, or to take him to mean "was I doing the Dirty Kanza 200 race?"  

Well, I said, "No, I am doing my own ride....", and that turned out to be the correct response.

Whew! 

Next: Route Modification 

DK My Way: Westward Alone

Pre-dawn tire pressure check. Tony airs up the tires on his Fargo.

4:00am, Saturday, June 3rd:

I hear Tony's phone alarm and we are both rolling within minutes, getting our duds on to go get the early breakfast at the cafeteria down the street a bit. I hadn't told Tony, but my plan was not to hang out at the start till the gun went off. I did that last year and I just felt so out of place, and people were all thinking I was doing the race. That led to a lot of explaining and confused looks. So, I figured I could just ride down with Tony, say "Good Luck", and be off on my adventure. That was the plan.

Breakfast went well and there were a lot of serious faces, but honestly, the tension wasn't as high as it was last year when the winds were forecast to be strong out of the North. This time the weather looked to be tranquil and that led to a more relaxed atmosphere, I believe. Tony and I went back to the room, donned our kits, grabbed the bikes, and we were off to check tires at his truck. Then we cruised down to the starting area.

We arrived just as the MC started barking on the PA system. It was loud and unnatural to me. The peaceful morning wasn't meant for amped up voices and music. But that didn't matter to me as I knew I was leaving that all behind in minutes. As I stood there briefly and spoke to a few riders that caught me down there, I noticed Sveta Vold. She had been one of my volunteers at Trans Iowa and we had seen her the day before downtown in Emporia. Tony and I went over to wish her the best on her ride. I saw that she was anxious and doubting. It was her first try at the DK 200. I felt she was underestimating her abilities, and it pained me to see the look on her face. She is such a talented and strong person. So, I decided to say goodbye before I stuck my foot in my mouth trying to encourage her with some stupid line. I said good luck to Tony, and I pedaled off North and West through Emporia's residential area to get out of town.

This street would soon be choked with riders, but I didn't stick around long enough to see that.

I suddenly was aware of a couple taking shots in front of a house for remembrance of the morning of the race by their camera's flash. I saw a few random riders headed down to the start line. They all looked at me like I was headed the wrong way, but no one said anything but a kind "hello" and if they didn't speak they waved. It only made me feel more awkward and I wanted to escape town as soon as possible.

By the time I crossed I-35, the sky had lit up.

It's the Real Thing.

This morning was going to be spectacular. The air was cool, the wind was non-existent, and there were few clouds in the sky, but just enough to paint the sky with reds, oranges, and erotic pinks. I was out of town to the West, on gravel, and cruising along by the time the riders started their 200 mile quest in Emporia behind me. There probably were loud pronouncements on the PA, clanging cow bells, and cheers. I had the song of birds in the prairie grasses to serenade me along my way and the soft crunch of gravel under my tires. I said a prayer out loud for the riders and then I turned my attention to my task at hand.

The proverbial "crack of dawn". Looking back Eastward.

A bit of dog bother was encountered.

As I neared a farm, I heard the howl of a hound and I sat up, alert and ready for an attack from my left side. However; what I heard and saw next was far worse than I imagined. A big, burly looking Great Pyrenees was running full throttle to cut me off. I anticipated his line and suddenly stopped up short. Disc brakes on the Fargo were working quite well, thank you very much! This put the big furry dog off a bit. It also gave me the split second I needed to get dismounted and put the bike between me and the growling, angry beast.

I immediately started to talk calmly to the dog and he was trying to get around the bike, but he also wasn't close in enough. He was about ten yards away from me and I kept rolling the bike back and forth as he swung side to side trying to figure out what to do. Realizing that his maneuvering was not making gains, he stood his ground and continued barking, but I could tell he was coming down some. Then the hound, who had hidden since I first heard it, came out trotting and went right around the bike and sniffed me. I did not feel threatened by this dog, it's tail was waging slightly, and I spoke softly to it. Then it sauntered away as if there were nothing more to be interested in and stood in the road with its back to me.

The big white dog took notice and quit barking. Then it too turned its back, at which point I got the photo. Then I slowly made my way down the road walking, always keeping an eye behind me. The Great Pyrenees turned and barked half heartedly at me, but I knew I was free to go. Whew! Close call, but I was back on my way again!

A windmill for Paul

Then I went out of farming territory and into cattle grazing country. My course was toward Cottonwood Falls, where I had dnf'ed during the first Dirty Kanza in 2006. From there I was going to make my way down some of the very same roads I had ridden back in 2006, and then on to Council Grove. But first, I had to get to Cottonwood Falls and there was a Minimum Maintenance Road in between me and that small city.

When the pioneers came through, there weren't any trees out here, so they made do with what the land provided them with.

Looks like an invitation to adventure to me!

The ironic thing is that I did not have the level of detail on my maps which would have indicated any minimum maintenance roads. So, when I came upon one, I was actually excited about it, because with these roads it has been my experience that anything is possible as far as what you might see and experience. So, I wasn't disappointed in that way with this road, despite being a bit spooked!

I crested the big hill and dropped in the other side to a scree filled, rocky road with ruts and grass growing up the middle, making it a two-track. As I calmly controlled the Fargo with the brakes, scanning for anything I needed to avoid or make a move over, I heard the hair raising sound of some animal. It sounded half like a wild pig and half like some demonic lost soul. It reverberated in the ravine I was in like some amplified voice of a disembodied ghost. Tony suggested later that it probably was a buck deer that was not pleased with my presence. I suppose I probably was quiet enough that I was able to make a surprise appearance in that vale. But at that time, I only was wondering how quickly I could scale the opposite side and get out of there!

Something back there didn't like me being there, and I wasn't about to stick around to find out what it was!

Well, I was back on gravel proper and was now not far from my first goal, Cottonwood Falls. I would need to hit up a convenience store for water and I planned on stopping by their famous court house to take in the view, then I would move on to hit roads from the first DK200.

Strong City

The road widened as I approached Strong City, a railroad town just two miles North of Cottonwood Falls. The gravel dumped me out just shy of the old depot and from there I was able to take a bike path to Cottonwood Falls proper.

The first order of business was to hit the Casey's convenience store I saw up the road. I went in and said hello to some early morning risers, mostly men, and went about my business. The cashier was a bit taken back by my presence, probably wondering what in the world I was doing so far off the DK200 course.

I took my water outside and started to refill my bottles as an older gentleman looked my way curiously. I said, "hello!" and he conversed with me a bit which led up to the following question from him:

"Say, my nephew did that dirty thing once, are you doing that dirty thing too?"

I didn't know whether to laugh, be very afraid, or to take him to mean "was I doing the Dirty Kanza 200 race?"  

Well, I said, "No, I am doing my own ride....", and that turned out to be the correct response.

Whew! 

Next: Route Modification 

DK My Way: Gravel Family Reunion

The back of the 9:00am Pre-Ride field.

One of the best things about doing this event, or.....anything really, is the relationships you develop as you meet new people. I have been so greatly blessed by so many folks I have met it is crazy to try to count them all. I love being where they are gathered, so I wouldn't miss the DK200 weekend for most anything. I know many that didn't get there due to missing the registration feel similarly right about now. Especially after seeing all the social media posts about the event. There is just something about the atmosphere and the feeling you get when the "gravel family" comes together.

I get that at Trans Iowa, for sure, and Gravel Worlds, definitely, but the DK200 has this going on as well. So, I really enjoy being there and seeing all the folks. The Friday "hoopla" that the DK200 has going on makes it easier to rub elbows with a lot of these great people. So, I was up and at 'em early to get some breakfast in my belly and get out there and see some of these folks.

Tony and I decided to hit up the course South of town. The beginning stretch of the DK200 has used the same roads for at least three years running and I remember hitting these roads in my attempts years ago. So, it is a fairly well known set of turns to me now. I'm sure many of you reading this that are DK veterans could do the first 10-20 miles of the DK course with your eyes closed. I know I could. So, we didn't even have to figure out where to head out, but just in case, Tony was calling out turns on his GPS.

We ran across a guy on the way out of town on a white Specialized hard tail 29"er. He crossed the rail road tracks on Commercial Street as we were going out and ejected his seat post mounted water bottle. Tony swung back and grabbed it for him. That's how we met Kevin from Las Vegas.

We chatted him up and found out that he knew magazine editor Neil Shirley and had heard good things about the DK200 from him. So, apparently Kevin took Neil's advice and headed out one year to ride the DK200 and has been hooked ever since. Kevin mentioned that all his riding buddies in Vegas cannot fathom why he comes to Kansas every year to ride "gravel" when they are going to do mountain bike racing at Mammoth Mountain or some other cool place. Well, Kevin pretty much said that they were really the ones that were missing out. Tony and I nodded in agreement, and we pedaled on to what is known as "DK Hill", the first climb of any import in the DK 200 course.

Here's "Vegas Kevin" and his rig. It was great to make friends with him and spend a little time chatting.

This dog insisted we all three pet him/her before we continued onward. This was at the top of "DK Hill".

Eventually we parted ways as Tony and I wanted to get back in to town so Tony could get registered and we could get to eat before the Pre-Race Meeting at 1:00pm. So we headed back to town. It was like riding a "gravel bike path" with all the two way bicycle traffic. Everyone was giving a friendly "Hello" or "Good Morning", and the Sun was bright. It was a near perfect day.

Tony riding past a field of wheat as we headed back into town from our pre-ride.

We got back to town and headed down to the registration area. I stayed outside with the bikes as Tony stepped inside to get registered and pick up his materials. I saw a few folks and chatted with them as the hustle and bustle of the DK200 weekend got cranked up on Commercial Street. Then we went back and got cleaned up. Realizing that we were going to not have time for lunch, we hit up the expo for a little bit, then we headed in early to the meeting. We took our seats in the balcony and awaited the start of the proceedings.

DK200 co-founder Jim Cummins giving instructions on checkpoint procedure at the Pre-Race meeting.

When we got out of the meeting, we saw a few more folks, but then it was time to get something to eat. It was now about 2:00pm, and we hadn't eaten since breakfast! Well, another great restaurant in Emporia is Casa Ramos. It is family owned, authentic Mexican food and the service is outstanding. The food matches that and more. Again, under $12.00-$14.00 depending on how many cervezas you have. Crazy good place. Go there.

Anyway, afterward we had a lot of time to wander around. I needed to pick up some electrolyte tabs for my ride and I got a spare tube of Orange Seal "just in case". I saw Adam Blake at Gravel City, the bike shop down there, and he was busy installing a brand new Lauf fork on a rider's bike. It was great to see him, and it sounds like the shop is doing okay. Then we moved along....

I spied this, what I think is, a new WTB 650B tire- The Resolute.

I saw a ton of folks and we talked with many of them as we walked along. It was great to see everyone, and the buzz on Friday afternoon in Emporia is palpable. Folks were getting excited for the event. Worries of rain were evaporating like dew in the desert and spirits were high.

I spied a new WTB tire. At least, I'd never heard of it, but the 650B X 42 Resolute hasn't shown up on my radar before. It reminded me a lot of a skinny, smaller diameter Nineline. Probably a bit of overkill for gravel, but on dirt it might prove to be spectacular.

As the day wore on we stopped by Mulready's Pub once again and sampled a couple more beers. They have an incredible selection focusing mostly on Kansas breweries, but they offer others as well. The service, again, was great. After this we decided it was high time to eat something for supper and go find our beds. So, we thought about going back to Radius Brewing Company, but the line was out of the door for a table. (No wonder. The food and beer is outstanding.) So, we went directly across the street and waited 15 minutes for a seat at the bar of Bobby D's Merchant Street BBQ.

I had a meal of burnt tips and it was so good! The guy that was behind the bar serving the patrons was maybe the best server I've ever had anywhere. Fantastic! Both Tony and I tipped him big time. He deserved every penny. Amazing food and experience.

After all of the "eating and drinking like kings" that we had done, it was time to go back, get some rest, and put our game faces on. The following day was ride time. Of course, Tony was doing the actual race, and I was not. (See this post in case you have any questions about that.) But no matter, we each had something serious on our plate for the following day, and a good night's rest would go a long way toward meeting our goals.

Next: Westward Alone

DK My Way: Gravel Family Reunion

The back of the 9:00am Pre-Ride field.

One of the best things about doing this event, or.....anything really, is the relationships you develop as you meet new people. I have been so greatly blessed by so many folks I have met it is crazy to try to count them all. I love being where they are gathered, so I wouldn't miss the DK200 weekend for most anything. I know many that didn't get there due to missing the registration feel similarly right about now. Especially after seeing all the social media posts about the event. There is just something about the atmosphere and the feeling you get when the "gravel family" comes together.

I get that at Trans Iowa, for sure, and Gravel Worlds, definitely, but the DK200 has this going on as well. So, I really enjoy being there and seeing all the folks. The Friday "hoopla" that the DK200 has going on makes it easier to rub elbows with a lot of these great people. So, I was up and at 'em early to get some breakfast in my belly and get out there and see some of these folks.

Tony and I decided to hit up the course South of town. The beginning stretch of the DK200 has used the same roads for at least three years running and I remember hitting these roads in my attempts years ago. So, it is a fairly well known set of turns to me now. I'm sure many of you reading this that are DK veterans could do the first 10-20 miles of the DK course with your eyes closed. I know I could. So, we didn't even have to figure out where to head out, but just in case, Tony was calling out turns on his GPS.

We ran across a guy on the way out of town on a white Specialized hard tail 29"er. He crossed the rail road tracks on Commercial Street as we were going out and ejected his seat post mounted water bottle. Tony swung back and grabbed it for him. That's how we met Kevin from Las Vegas.

We chatted him up and found out that he knew magazine editor Neil Shirley and had heard good things about the DK200 from him. So, apparently Kevin took Neil's advice and headed out one year to ride the DK200 and has been hooked ever since. Kevin mentioned that all his riding buddies in Vegas cannot fathom why he comes to Kansas every year to ride "gravel" when they are going to do mountain bike racing at Mammoth Mountain or some other cool place. Well, Kevin pretty much said that they were really the ones that were missing out. Tony and I nodded in agreement, and we pedaled on to what is known as "DK Hill", the first climb of any import in the DK 200 course.

Here's "Vegas Kevin" and his rig. It was great to make friends with him and spend a little time chatting.

This dog insisted we all three pet him/her before we continued onward. This was at the top of "DK Hill".

Eventually we parted ways as Tony and I wanted to get back in to town so Tony could get registered and we could get to eat before the Pre-Race Meeting at 1:00pm. So we headed back to town. It was like riding a "gravel bike path" with all the two way bicycle traffic. Everyone was giving a friendly "Hello" or "Good Morning", and the Sun was bright. It was a near perfect day.

Tony riding past a field of wheat as we headed back into town from our pre-ride.

We got back to town and headed down to the registration area. I stayed outside with the bikes as Tony stepped inside to get registered and pick up his materials. I saw a few folks and chatted with them as the hustle and bustle of the DK200 weekend got cranked up on Commercial Street. Then we went back and got cleaned up. Realizing that we were going to not have time for lunch, we hit up the expo for a little bit, then we headed in early to the meeting. We took our seats in the balcony and awaited the start of the proceedings.

DK200 co-founder Jim Cummins giving instructions on checkpoint procedure at the Pre-Race meeting.

When we got out of the meeting, we saw a few more folks, but then it was time to get something to eat. It was now about 2:00pm, and we hadn't eaten since breakfast! Well, another great restaurant in Emporia is Casa Ramos. It is family owned, authentic Mexican food and the service is outstanding. The food matches that and more. Again, under $12.00-$14.00 depending on how many cervezas you have. Crazy good place. Go there.

Anyway, afterward we had a lot of time to wander around. I needed to pick up some electrolyte tabs for my ride and I got a spare tube of Orange Seal "just in case". I saw Adam Blake at Gravel City, the bike shop down there, and he was busy installing a brand new Lauf fork on a rider's bike. It was great to see him, and it sounds like the shop is doing okay. Then we moved along....

I spied this, what I think is, a new WTB 650B tire- The Resolute.

I saw a ton of folks and we talked with many of them as we walked along. It was great to see everyone, and the buzz on Friday afternoon in Emporia is palpable. Folks were getting excited for the event. Worries of rain were evaporating like dew in the desert and spirits were high.

I spied a new WTB tire. At least, I'd never heard of it, but the 650B X 42 Resolute hasn't shown up on my radar before. It reminded me a lot of a skinny, smaller diameter Nineline. Probably a bit of overkill for gravel, but on dirt it might prove to be spectacular.

As the day wore on we stopped by Mulready's Pub once again and sampled a couple more beers. They have an incredible selection focusing mostly on Kansas breweries, but they offer others as well. The service, again, was great. After this we decided it was high time to eat something for supper and go find our beds. So, we thought about going back to Radius Brewing Company, but the line was out of the door for a table. (No wonder. The food and beer is outstanding.) So, we went directly across the street and waited 15 minutes for a seat at the bar of Bobby D's Merchant Street BBQ.

I had a meal of burnt tips and it was so good! The guy that was behind the bar serving the patrons was maybe the best server I've ever had anywhere. Fantastic! Both Tony and I tipped him big time. He deserved every penny. Amazing food and experience.

After all of the "eating and drinking like kings" that we had done, it was time to go back, get some rest, and put our game faces on. The following day was ride time. Of course, Tony was doing the actual race, and I was not. (See this post in case you have any questions about that.) But no matter, we each had something serious on our plate for the following day, and a good night's rest would go a long way toward meeting our goals.

Next: Westward Alone

DK My Way: Travel Daze

Packed and ready to roll out.

Thursday I needed to be ready to roll with Tony by 11:00am when he and I agreed he should swing by to pick me and my stuff up. Thursday morning when I awoke at 5:30am I did not have a thing packed.

Yeah.....that's an issue. 

So, I get the kids off to school and say goodbye to Mrs. Guitar Ted as she leaves for work, and I get cracking. I had a mental checklist of things I was going to take, so it went smoothly, and in the end, I even had time to run to the bank and sit on the porch with a cup of coffee and watch the local city maintenance guys chop down a three story tall cottonwood that had gotten damaged in a recent storm.

Tony rolled up and we were off with fair skies and a hope for good times ahead. Things were going smoothly when suddenly Tony mentioned food and we were sliding over to the gravel parking area next to a food truck in a tiny village called Albion Iowa. I looked and it was a pork and tenderloin affair. We both got the tenderloin without the bun and a coleslaw side with a drink. Holy smokes! Was that ever a good bit of meat. Just shows that you never know where you might find a good meal.

Someone had an accident which bottle necked I-435. We were stopped at this point.

If there were some way to get to Emporia efficiently from where we live without going near Kansas City, we would do that. But unfortunately, we ended up mired in traffic in KC, and of course, it was during rush hour. Oh well......

That was a mere blemish on what otherwise was a fun, decent trip down to Emporia. We got our room secured at Emporia State University, and we went there to check in first off. Last year the air conditioning was broken, and the stay was, well......miserable. This time, as we went into the residence hall, Tony remarked that the air was working. That was a good sign but when we opened the door to room 712 of the South Residence Hall, boy howdy!

It may not look like much, but for what we needed, it was perfect.

 We opened that door and it felt like a walk in cooler. Awesome! We actually had to turn the A/C down a bit, it was so cold. Cheers to the Emporia State Maintenance/HVAC crew! They had the air crankin' all weekend and it was much appreciated. Next order of business was to get something to eat. We went to the Radius Brewing Company, which also has really great, inexpensive food, and top notch service. The Black IPA was really killer, and a beer and my soup and sandwich was under $12.00. Crazy.

After this we went to Mulready's Pub and sat and sampled some more different IPA's before heading back to our personal walk in cooler that just happened to be a bedroom and went to sleep. We had a full day on Friday to do all sorts of things and we were really looking forward to meeting our friends.

Next: DK My Way: Gravel Family Reunion

DK My Way: Travel Daze

Packed and ready to roll out.

Thursday I needed to be ready to roll with Tony by 11:00am when he and I agreed he should swing by to pick me and my stuff up. Thursday morning when I awoke at 5:30am I did not have a thing packed.

Yeah.....that's an issue. 

So, I get the kids off to school and say goodbye to Mrs. Guitar Ted as she leaves for work, and I get cracking. I had a mental checklist of things I was going to take, so it went smoothly, and in the end, I even had time to run to the bank and sit on the porch with a cup of coffee and watch the local city maintenance guys chop down a three story tall cottonwood that had gotten damaged in a recent storm.

Tony rolled up and we were off with fair skies and a hope for good times ahead. Things were going smoothly when suddenly Tony mentioned food and we were sliding over to the gravel parking area next to a food truck in a tiny village called Albion Iowa. I looked and it was a pork and tenderloin affair. We both got the tenderloin without the bun and a coleslaw side with a drink. Holy smokes! Was that ever a good bit of meat. Just shows that you never know where you might find a good meal.

Someone had an accident which bottle necked I-435. We were stopped at this point.

If there were some way to get to Emporia efficiently from where we live without going near Kansas City, we would do that. But unfortunately, we ended up mired in traffic in KC, and of course, it was during rush hour. Oh well......

That was a mere blemish on what otherwise was a fun, decent trip down to Emporia. We got our room secured at Emporia State University, and we went there to check in first off. Last year the air conditioning was broken, and the stay was, well......miserable. This time, as we went into the residence hall, Tony remarked that the air was working. That was a good sign but when we opened the door to room 712 of the South Residence Hall, boy howdy!

It may not look like much, but for what we needed, it was perfect.

 We opened that door and it felt like a walk in cooler. Awesome! We actually had to turn the A/C down a bit, it was so cold. Cheers to the Emporia State Maintenance/HVAC crew! They had the air crankin' all weekend and it was much appreciated. Next order of business was to get something to eat. We went to the Radius Brewing Company, which also has really great, inexpensive food, and top notch service. The Black IPA was really killer, and a beer and my soup and sandwich was under $12.00. Crazy.

After this we went to Mulready's Pub and sat and sampled some more different IPA's before heading back to our personal walk in cooler that just happened to be a bedroom and went to sleep. We had a full day on Friday to do all sorts of things and we were really looking forward to meeting our friends.

Next: DK My Way: Gravel Family Reunion

DK My Way: Preamble

The Dirty Kanza 200 event is a really special event. I respect everything about it and, of course, all the good folks behind it. So, I wanted to make something clear before I tell my story about the weekend I just experienced.

First off- no, I did not ride in the race. I will explain why that is as I go along here, but that needs to be understood up front. I think it could be a misunderstood point and I certainly don't want that to be the case.

Secondly- It might prove useful to reread the first paragraph. I did my own ride, but not because I am "against what the DK200 stands for". That also needs to be crystal clear. I heartily support anyone's efforts in this event. So, lest anyone try to misconstrue my intentions, here they are written out.......

My intentions are to go it alone in a self-supported effort and to see and experience the Flint Hills of Kansas without the overbearing weight of "doing a race". If I wanted to stop and take in the view, so be it. I had no checkpoint to make. If I needed to reroute myself, I was completely on my own to make the correct decisions, and I was willing to do that if the consequences were less than pleasant. I didn't have a bail out person. I needed to ride accordingly. Sure, it is a risk, but I wanted that experience. I don't expect anyone else would or will want to ride in the Flint Hills like that, but I am so grateful I did.

 Another reason is that the Dirty Kanza 200 brings together many of the people I have gotten to know over a decade plus of being heavily involved in gravel road racing/riding/promotion. I rarely get to see many of these folks, and I get to also add new faces to my family everytime I go to an event. It is a wonderful treasure I have been allowed to experience.

Then there are the businesses that cater to all of the rider's needs, especially the restaurants and bars. I will not hide the fact that for a town of 24,000 or so, Emporia ranks at the top for dining and socializing experiences when the DK is happening. The restaurants I went to were on point. Service, food, and prices were so good it was crazy. Do yourself a favor and indulge in these places when you get to Emporia, (if ever you find yourself there), and you will be surprised. So, there is that aspect of doing things the way I do.

Finally, it is something I do out of a mutual convenience with my friend Tony. He enrolls in the event, buys the "support for hire" package, (I would strongly recommend that option if you are ever wondering about that), and really wants to share the ride down and back with someone. I get to do all of the above mentioned points and I wouldn't get to without Tony.

So, a big thank you to Tony.

The Dirty Kanza also was a record setter this year. Obviously, as with any long, extended time activity out of doors, the weather is a wild card. This year, the DK200 hit a jackpot of sorts. The weather was, for this event, spectacular. I've seen a heck of a lot worse there. The temperatures rose to the low 80's and the winds were mere breezes. A few drops of rain were seen here and there, but for the most part, it was about as good as you could ask for out there. This resulted in a reported 80%+ finishing rate for the 1150 starters of the 200 miler. A new women's race record was set, and more folks "beat the sun" than in any other year.

So, second of all, Congratulations to all who rode in the event, and Congratulations to the DK Promotions Team and all the volunteers.

Now with all of the above said, I will tell my tale starting tomorrow. Expect about five installments of "DK MY Way".

DK My Way: Preamble

The Dirty Kanza 200 event is a really special event. I respect everything about it and, of course, all the good folks behind it. So, I wanted to make something clear before I tell my story about the weekend I just experienced.

First off- no, I did not ride in the race. I will explain why that is as I go along here, but that needs to be understood up front. I think it could be a misunderstood point and I certainly don't want that to be the case.

Secondly- It might prove useful to reread the first paragraph. I did my own ride, but not because I am "against what the DK200 stands for". That also needs to be crystal clear. I heartily support anyone's efforts in this event. So, lest anyone try to misconstrue my intentions, here they are written out.......

My intentions are to go it alone in a self-supported effort and to see and experience the Flint Hills of Kansas without the overbearing weight of "doing a race". If I wanted to stop and take in the view, so be it. I had no checkpoint to make. If I needed to reroute myself, I was completely on my own to make the correct decisions, and I was willing to do that if the consequences were less than pleasant. I didn't have a bail out person. I needed to ride accordingly. Sure, it is a risk, but I wanted that experience. I don't expect anyone else would or will want to ride in the Flint Hills like that, but I am so grateful I did.

 Another reason is that the Dirty Kanza 200 brings together many of the people I have gotten to know over a decade plus of being heavily involved in gravel road racing/riding/promotion. I rarely get to see many of these folks, and I get to also add new faces to my family everytime I go to an event. It is a wonderful treasure I have been allowed to experience.

Then there are the businesses that cater to all of the rider's needs, especially the restaurants and bars. I will not hide the fact that for a town of 24,000 or so, Emporia ranks at the top for dining and socializing experiences when the DK is happening. The restaurants I went to were on point. Service, food, and prices were so good it was crazy. Do yourself a favor and indulge in these places when you get to Emporia, (if ever you find yourself there), and you will be surprised. So, there is that aspect of doing things the way I do.

Finally, it is something I do out of a mutual convenience with my friend Tony. He enrolls in the event, buys the "support for hire" package, (I would strongly recommend that option if you are ever wondering about that), and really wants to share the ride down and back with someone. I get to do all of the above mentioned points and I wouldn't get to without Tony.

So, a big thank you to Tony.

The Dirty Kanza also was a record setter this year. Obviously, as with any long, extended time activity out of doors, the weather is a wild card. This year, the DK200 hit a jackpot of sorts. The weather was, for this event, spectacular. I've seen a heck of a lot worse there. The temperatures rose to the low 80's and the winds were mere breezes. A few drops of rain were seen here and there, but for the most part, it was about as good as you could ask for out there. This resulted in a reported 80%+ finishing rate for the 1150 starters of the 200 miler. A new women's race record was set, and more folks "beat the sun" than in any other year.

So, second of all, Congratulations to all who rode in the event, and Congratulations to the DK Promotions Team and all the volunteers.

Now with all of the above said, I will tell my tale starting tomorrow. Expect about five installments of "DK MY Way".

Minus Ten Review- 22

Stopped by a train. A theme that has been repeated a lot ten years later!

On the blog ten years ago I had a ride report from Lebanon Hills up in the Twin Cities. I'm not sure 100%, but I believe it was my first rodeo up there after hearing reams about it from Jason Boucher and Brent Gale of Twin Six. It was all they had said and more.

I was smitten by how the local trails organization, MORC, had made the trails so fun, challenging, easy to navigate, and clear. Totally unlike what we had here, (and to a great degree, it still is unlike what we have here), for soft trails. I told anyone that would listen after I got back to the W'loo/CF area that MORC and later on I would mention THOR, which runs trails in Nebraska, were models for what we should have at Ingawanis Woodlands and for the soft trails in the area here. But I guess I didn't have a clue, judging from the responses I got ten years ago and since then.

I also reported on a ride I did in the area where I got stopped by a train coming back into town after riding some gravel roads. Hmmm........ Ten years later, I am still getting stopped by trains. Many folks may not know this, but Waterloo is a railroad town. It gets a lot of publicity from having been the town where John Deere and from its history in meat packing with the shuttered Rath Packing. But before those companies got their roots laid down in Waterloo, the railroad was already here and Waterloo was a hub for the industry in Iowa along with several other cities. Some of those cities have lost the railroad industry, but not Waterloo. Therefore; we have a lot of freight trains switched out here, and a lot of rail traffic. Thus the crossings and chances to get stopped.

Some things haven't changed in ten years of writing this blog.  

Minus Ten Review- 22

Stopped by a train. A theme that has been repeated a lot ten years later!

On the blog ten years ago I had a ride report from Lebanon Hills up in the Twin Cities. I'm not sure 100%, but I believe it was my first rodeo up there after hearing reams about it from Jason Boucher and Brent Gale of Twin Six. It was all they had said and more.

I was smitten by how the local trails organization, MORC, had made the trails so fun, challenging, easy to navigate, and clear. Totally unlike what we had here, (and to a great degree, it still is unlike what we have here), for soft trails. I told anyone that would listen after I got back to the W'loo/CF area that MORC and later on I would mention THOR, which runs trails in Nebraska, were models for what we should have at Ingawanis Woodlands and for the soft trails in the area here. But I guess I didn't have a clue, judging from the responses I got ten years ago and since then.

I also reported on a ride I did in the area where I got stopped by a train coming back into town after riding some gravel roads. Hmmm........ Ten years later, I am still getting stopped by trains. Many folks may not know this, but Waterloo is a railroad town. It gets a lot of publicity from having been the town where John Deere and from its history in meat packing with the shuttered Rath Packing. But before those companies got their roots laid down in Waterloo, the railroad was already here and Waterloo was a hub for the industry in Iowa along with several other cities. Some of those cities have lost the railroad industry, but not Waterloo. Therefore; we have a lot of freight trains switched out here, and a lot of rail traffic. Thus the crossings and chances to get stopped.

Some things haven't changed in ten years of writing this blog.  

Friday News And Views

The new Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast features tales of Almanzo and more.

New Podcast Is Live: 

Ben, Matt, (of  the "Just Riding Along" podcast), and myself have just put out the latest "Riding Gravel Radio Ranch" podcast for your listening pleasure HERE. It is also available through the Mountain Bike Radio app, Stitcher, and most podcast outlets.

It is a rambling show where we talk about the Trans Iowa experience, our volunteering at the Cherry Grove checkpoint for the Almanzo 100 and Royal (or "Royale", as Matt thinks it should be), 162 events held in Spring Valley Minnesota a couple of weeks ago now. Ben also gets a kick out of #bikeshophorrors and "chain sculptures'. Finally, we touch on what will be coming up in the next update on the podcast, hopefully which will be available for download in a couple of weeks or so from now.

I apologize to listeners for the unusual timing between podcasts, but Ben has been in a big moving phase in his life right now going from North Dakota to Wisconsin and that has put a big obstacle in our way as far as producing these podcasts. At some point, it will become more of a regular thing.

Someone with this sticker on a Subaru Forester was not very patient Wednesday!

Not My Red Light:

I commute to work by bicycle and have used the same basic route for probably 13 years plus. So, folks know me out there. It isn't often that I see something I haven't before, but Wednesday proved different.

I rolled up behind an sage green Forrester with the bumper sticker shown here plastered on the back of it. I hadn't seen the car before, but it had Black Hawk County plates. Heading West on Falls, you have to wait at the red light to allow oncoming traffic to turn left. It takes a few seconds to wait. That turn signal for left turning traffic maybe lasts 30-45 seconds. I know. I go through that intersection a lot.

Well, apparently "Not My President" thought that the red light wasn't his red light, because he tried to poke his nose up the street, clearly alarming those who had the right to turn. Eventually the Forrester caused one car to stop and the Forrester blew the intersection and raced up the street.

Nice!

Sometimes it might be best if you didn't put any stickers on your car at all. Or maybe it would be better if you obeyed traffic laws for all of our safety? I don't know. Maybe I'm just not in touch with reality..........

So.......Guitar Ted? Where'd that come from? Image by Jason Boucher

Frequently Asked Question:

If I had to chose what I get asked most about, I would have no problem identifying that subject. It would be why I am called "Guitar Ted" and where that came from.

Matt from Mountain Bike Radio asked me that point blank when we met up in Cherry Grove. Many folks have asked me that question over the years.

It has been that way for years. In fact, I have a permanent page explaining the story which has a link just under the header up there. For those of you that have never noticed, here is that same link. I think it was like the second or third blog post I ever wrote for this site. I did not have any images for it back then, but I have added a couple since.

Anyway, Matt from Mountain Bike Radio says that I need to tell the story on the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast, so I guess that will be out there sometime soon. If you can't be arsed to read about it, well at least soon you can listen to it at your leisure while you do whatever. Just a fair warning there......

Okay, that's all for today. I hope to be having a good ride in Kansas tomorrow and if you are riding, I hope you have a great, safe ride as well.

Friday News And Views

The new Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast features tales of Almanzo and more.

New Podcast Is Live: 

Ben, Matt, (of  the "Just Riding Along" podcast), and myself have just put out the latest "Riding Gravel Radio Ranch" podcast for your listening pleasure HERE. It is also available through the Mountain Bike Radio app, Stitcher, and most podcast outlets.

It is a rambling show where we talk about the Trans Iowa experience, our volunteering at the Cherry Grove checkpoint for the Almanzo 100 and Royal (or "Royale", as Matt thinks it should be), 162 events held in Spring Valley Minnesota a couple of weeks ago now. Ben also gets a kick out of #bikeshophorrors and "chain sculptures'. Finally, we touch on what will be coming up in the next update on the podcast, hopefully which will be available for download in a couple of weeks or so from now.

I apologize to listeners for the unusual timing between podcasts, but Ben has been in a big moving phase in his life right now going from North Dakota to Wisconsin and that has put a big obstacle in our way as far as producing these podcasts. At some point, it will become more of a regular thing.

Someone with this sticker on a Subaru Forester was not very patient Wednesday!

Not My Red Light:

I commute to work by bicycle and have used the same basic route for probably 13 years plus. So, folks know me out there. It isn't often that I see something I haven't before, but Wednesday proved different.

I rolled up behind an sage green Forrester with the bumper sticker shown here plastered on the back of it. I hadn't seen the car before, but it had Black Hawk County plates. Heading West on Falls, you have to wait at the red light to allow oncoming traffic to turn left. It takes a few seconds to wait. That turn signal for left turning traffic maybe lasts 30-45 seconds. I know. I go through that intersection a lot.

Well, apparently "Not My President" thought that the red light wasn't his red light, because he tried to poke his nose up the street, clearly alarming those who had the right to turn. Eventually the Forrester caused one car to stop and the Forrester blew the intersection and raced up the street.

Nice!

Sometimes it might be best if you didn't put any stickers on your car at all. Or maybe it would be better if you obeyed traffic laws for all of our safety? I don't know. Maybe I'm just not in touch with reality..........

So.......Guitar Ted? Where'd that come from? Image by Jason Boucher

Frequently Asked Question:

If I had to chose what I get asked most about, I would have no problem identifying that subject. It would be why I am called "Guitar Ted" and where that came from.

Matt from Mountain Bike Radio asked me that point blank when we met up in Cherry Grove. Many folks have asked me that question over the years.

It has been that way for years. In fact, I have a permanent page explaining the story which has a link just under the header up there. For those of you that have never noticed, here is that same link. I think it was like the second or third blog post I ever wrote for this site. I did not have any images for it back then, but I have added a couple since.

Anyway, Matt from Mountain Bike Radio says that I need to tell the story on the Riding Gravel Radio Ranch podcast, so I guess that will be out there sometime soon. If you can't be arsed to read about it, well at least soon you can listen to it at your leisure while you do whatever. Just a fair warning there......

Okay, that's all for today. I hope to be having a good ride in Kansas tomorrow and if you are riding, I hope you have a great, safe ride as well.

Hittin' The Road

Waiting to go a year ago.......

DK My Way:

Today I am heading out to the Dirty Kanza 200 with my friend Tony. No.......I am not riding in the Dirty Kanza 200. Like last year, I am just riding along.

I am coming down to hang out with a lot of people I do not get to see very often. Maybe I wouldn't see them at all if I don't go to Emporia, Kansas. The hoopla and hustle and bustle of the day before the event is a time that is exciting to be involved in, even as an observer. You know this to be true when you go to the DK200 expo and see all the local residents walking around with their kids, gawking at all of the "bike nerdery" on display.

It must be as if a couple thousand circus geeks landed in town for the weekend to them. At any rate, the local Emporeans seem to like it, and they celebrate the weekend with various activities. Even small neighborhood parties happen around the DK200 weekend. I'm sure there are haters too. You know......the "get offa my lawn" crowd. But for the most part, it seems that the town of 24,000 plus residents gets a kick out of all of it.

Chunky Flint Hills gravel

I'll be on my own adventure Saturday. Last year I did a 75 mile jaunt into the territory North of Emporia. I'll likely be doing something similar this year again since the DK200 route is essentially the same as last year, which is primarily South of Emporia again. I definitely want to stay as far away from the official route as I can to avoid any possibilities of conflict with the event.

I am not sure what the weather will bring. Rain and a thunderstorm is being talked about.So, my rig for this trip will be a bit different than last year's was. I am planning on taking fenders, a seat pack, which necessitates a seat post swap, and no frame bag. I'll have more water and plenty of food this time. Same basic bike though. The trusty Gen I Fargo is the bike of choice.

Anyway, I'll be posting random bits throughout the weekend, hopefully. I have an iPad along with me this time, and I may do a bit or two on social media. Facebook and Twitter. Possibly Periscope. You can find me on Twitter at @guitarted1961 or check the Riding Gravel Facebook page. Any Periscopes will be linked to my Twitter account. 

Hittin' The Road

Waiting to go a year ago.......

DK My Way:

Today I am heading out to the Dirty Kanza 200 with my friend Tony. No.......I am not riding in the Dirty Kanza 200. Like last year, I am just riding along.

I am coming down to hang out with a lot of people I do not get to see very often. Maybe I wouldn't see them at all if I don't go to Emporia, Kansas. The hoopla and hustle and bustle of the day before the event is a time that is exciting to be involved in, even as an observer. You know this to be true when you go to the DK200 expo and see all the local residents walking around with their kids, gawking at all of the "bike nerdery" on display.

It must be as if a couple thousand circus geeks landed in town for the weekend to them. At any rate, the local Emporeans seem to like it, and they celebrate the weekend with various activities. Even small neighborhood parties happen around the DK200 weekend. I'm sure there are haters too. You know......the "get offa my lawn" crowd. But for the most part, it seems that the town of 24,000 plus residents gets a kick out of all of it.

Chunky Flint Hills gravel

I'll be on my own adventure Saturday. Last year I did a 75 mile jaunt into the territory North of Emporia. I'll likely be doing something similar this year again since the DK200 route is essentially the same as last year, which is primarily South of Emporia again. I definitely want to stay as far away from the official route as I can to avoid any possibilities of conflict with the event.

I am not sure what the weather will bring. Rain and a thunderstorm is being talked about.So, my rig for this trip will be a bit different than last year's was. I am planning on taking fenders, a seat pack, which necessitates a seat post swap, and no frame bag. I'll have more water and plenty of food this time. Same basic bike though. The trusty Gen I Fargo is the bike of choice.

Anyway, I'll be posting random bits throughout the weekend, hopefully. I have an iPad along with me this time, and I may do a bit or two on social media. Facebook and Twitter. Possibly Periscope. You can find me on Twitter at @guitarted1961 or check the Riding Gravel Facebook page. Any Periscopes will be linked to my Twitter account.