October Monsoon

Iowa radar on Saturday morning. It rained heavily across the state all evening Friday.

I posted about my fat biking experience earlier in the week last week and told you all about how dry we'd been over the Summer and into Fall. We hadn't had a good rain since July and only one decent rain at all in August. Dry atmosphere was also an issue. Typical humidity here wasn't oppressive in August as it usually is. In fact, outside of a few weeks this past Summer, it has been rather pleasant here in Iowa.

But that which is great for cycling is bad for the land and that affects us all. The Black Hawk Creek was one of many indicators that we needed some rain badly. Well, we got it! In spades. It started on Thursday, but Friday was a day where it rained hard off and on all day and most of the evening. Saturday morning it continued. Some spots in Iowa were to receive well over 4" of rain during this period. It was like going from 0 mph to 100 mph in 3.5 seconds. Weather whiplash! Holy cow!

And of course, this happens right when the Spotted Horse gravel race happened. I'm sure the roads were impacted negatively for that event, although as of this writing I haven't heard anything yet. Suffice it to say that the weather over the Summer likely lulled riders to sleep in terms of wet weather preparations. Scrambling for the wet weather gear was probably a common theme amongst the riders going to that event.

Black Hawk Creek is hopefully filling back up with the latest rains

But we needed this rain so while it threw a wrench into those rider's plans and basically hampered any cycling related activities for me as well, I am okay with that sacrifice if it means restoration of water levels to a bit nearer to normal around here. Honestly, I was rather concerned that we were heading for a severe drought, and really, we still could be. We're going to need consistent moisture until it freezes otherwise this will only put off things for a while. Of course, Winter snows and whatever happens next Spring could put all of this away as a distant memory.

But that's the future, right now, this is a good thing. Even though I had planned on doing a bit of Trans Iowa recon. There is no sense in slugging it out on saturated gravel roads in a steady rain when next weekend may present drier, more favorable conditions. Of course, looking at any dirt roads would be quite out of the question as well. So, I will be puttering around the basement Lab and tweaking on some rigs. I have a couple of things coming in for testing/review for "Riding Gravel" and I want to be sure I am all ready to go when the components get here. Stay tuned on that.....

And speaking of "Riding Gravel", I can always while away the hours by working on the site's calendar of events. Or I could start in on my copy of Nick Legan's "Gravel Cycling", a book I plan to review for "Riding Gravel" and here as well. So, I've got plenty of stuff to keep me busy during rainy days.

October Monsoon

Iowa radar on Saturday morning. It rained heavily across the state all evening Friday.

I posted about my fat biking experience earlier in the week last week and told you all about how dry we'd been over the Summer and into Fall. We hadn't had a good rain since July and only one decent rain at all in August. Dry atmosphere was also an issue. Typical humidity here wasn't oppressive in August as it usually is. In fact, outside of a few weeks this past Summer, it has been rather pleasant here in Iowa.

But that which is great for cycling is bad for the land and that affects us all. The Black Hawk Creek was one of many indicators that we needed some rain badly. Well, we got it! In spades. It started on Thursday, but Friday was a day where it rained hard off and on all day and most of the evening. Saturday morning it continued. Some spots in Iowa were to receive well over 4" of rain during this period. It was like going from 0 mph to 100 mph in 3.5 seconds. Weather whiplash! Holy cow!

And of course, this happens right when the Spotted Horse gravel race happened. I'm sure the roads were impacted negatively for that event, although as of this writing I haven't heard anything yet. Suffice it to say that the weather over the Summer likely lulled riders to sleep in terms of wet weather preparations. Scrambling for the wet weather gear was probably a common theme amongst the riders going to that event.

Black Hawk Creek is hopefully filling back up with the latest rains

But we needed this rain so while it threw a wrench into those rider's plans and basically hampered any cycling related activities for me as well, I am okay with that sacrifice if it means restoration of water levels to a bit nearer to normal around here. Honestly, I was rather concerned that we were heading for a severe drought, and really, we still could be. We're going to need consistent moisture until it freezes otherwise this will only put off things for a while. Of course, Winter snows and whatever happens next Spring could put all of this away as a distant memory.

But that's the future, right now, this is a good thing. Even though I had planned on doing a bit of Trans Iowa recon. There is no sense in slugging it out on saturated gravel roads in a steady rain when next weekend may present drier, more favorable conditions. Of course, looking at any dirt roads would be quite out of the question as well. So, I will be puttering around the basement Lab and tweaking on some rigs. I have a couple of things coming in for testing/review for "Riding Gravel" and I want to be sure I am all ready to go when the components get here. Stay tuned on that.....

And speaking of "Riding Gravel", I can always while away the hours by working on the site's calendar of events. Or I could start in on my copy of Nick Legan's "Gravel Cycling", a book I plan to review for "Riding Gravel" and here as well. So, I've got plenty of stuff to keep me busy during rainy days.

Minus Ten Review- 40

Jeff Kerkove's work here. I miss his "digital flyers" for his gravel rides.

Ten years ago on the blog here I was giving a debrief on what I saw at Interbike. This was the year that the 27.5"er mountain bike idea was floated and it had a bit of a buzz going.

The thing was, that buzz kind of went away after awhile as the general population kind of gave that wheel size a general "Meh!" and was ready to move on. What we didn't know at the time was that the industry took this idea and planned to make the 26"er obsolete by creating their own "you gotta have it" product in 27/5" wheels and marrying that to long travel mountain bikes, whose sales were lagging circa 2007 due to the rise of the 29"er. Plus, by 2007 many brands had felt that they had "missed out" on a bunch of new bike sales that the Gary Fisher brand was taking away in the form of 29"ers. These brands wanted a piece of a pie that they could create buzz for, (long travel 27.5"ers), and not have to become "me too" 29"er brands and fight for an ever decreasing sized slice of that pie.

It worked out that way too. At least for a few years, but since that didn't happen for about 4 more years past 2007, I won't delve in to all of that right now. That said, there is a lot more to say about that time period.

Then there was one of the last Jeff Kerkove generated gravel group rides held here. He was, for all intents and purposes, moved to Colorado, but he had some loose ends to take care of back here. Since he was coming back, why not have a "swan song" gravel group ride? I never got to go on one of these Friday night deals, but I understand that they were well liked rides. Locals and the larger gravel community really needs to thank Jeff for being one of the pioneers of promoting gravel as a venue to hold group rides.

Finally, I wrote a post, that looking back on, I find it held the seeds of my discontent with "Twenty Nine Inches" work and what was going on with that. Honestly, I probably should have cut my losses after 2007 and got out of the deal, but my sense of responsibility and my loyalty got in the way there. Both a good and a bad thing. Whatever...... It is what it is now, no sense in going back and fretting over it. I just wanted to point out one idea from that post that I feel we as cyclists can get wrong easily. Here it is as seen in that post:

 "Take my eyes off "cycling" for a bit, and put them on people.

Yep! Sometimes you get too focused. I think that it comes at the expense of some people that should get that attention. Family, friends, acquaintances, and just people that you meet that deserve being paid attention to. Time is too short to miss out on opportunities that might not repeat themselves in the future. It's nice if you can combine that with cycling or cycling related activities, but that's not always possible. Sometimes you just have to let go and spend some time away from the bike and all it's related stuff, ya know?"

Yeah.....wise words and all. Sometimes I am amazed that kind of thing comes out of my brain. Crazy! Then a couple days later I wrote a "Part Two" post to that and had this to say about our device driven, data acquisition centered lifestyles:

 "I like to think of it like we did about television back in the day. "The Idiot Box" we called it. It seems that the more information we have available to us, the more we get sucked into the hypnotic allure of staring at the monitor to find out more......and more........and more..... Like an addict, we lose sight of the "good" of the internet and how we are supposed to "enhance" our life experiences with it. Instead, it becomes our life, to some degree, and virtual reality takes over from what we used to go outside and experience for real.

Now it may seem mighty ironic to those of you who pay attention to what I do that I would be writing such stuff. I do benefit from the internet for sure, I won't hide that fact. However; it is a curse that has to be beaten back like a prowling beast, or it has the potential to take over my life too. I'm not immune. So I do something that I would prescribe to any of you. I ride whenever I can."

Still relevant ideas ten years down the road. I should take heed of the guy who wrote those things more often! 

Minus Ten Review- 40

Jeff Kerkove's work here. I miss his "digital flyers" for his gravel rides.

Ten years ago on the blog here I was giving a debrief on what I saw at Interbike. This was the year that the 27.5"er mountain bike idea was floated and it had a bit of a buzz going.

The thing was, that buzz kind of went away after awhile as the general population kind of gave that wheel size a general "Meh!" and was ready to move on. What we didn't know at the time was that the industry took this idea and planned to make the 26"er obsolete by creating their own "you gotta have it" product in 27/5" wheels and marrying that to long travel mountain bikes, whose sales were lagging circa 2007 due to the rise of the 29"er. Plus, by 2007 many brands had felt that they had "missed out" on a bunch of new bike sales that the Gary Fisher brand was taking away in the form of 29"ers. These brands wanted a piece of a pie that they could create buzz for, (long travel 27.5"ers), and not have to become "me too" 29"er brands and fight for an ever decreasing sized slice of that pie.

It worked out that way too. At least for a few years, but since that didn't happen for about 4 more years past 2007, I won't delve in to all of that right now. That said, there is a lot more to say about that time period.

Then there was one of the last Jeff Kerkove generated gravel group rides held here. He was, for all intents and purposes, moved to Colorado, but he had some loose ends to take care of back here. Since he was coming back, why not have a "swan song" gravel group ride? I never got to go on one of these Friday night deals, but I understand that they were well liked rides. Locals and the larger gravel community really needs to thank Jeff for being one of the pioneers of promoting gravel as a venue to hold group rides.

Finally, I wrote a post, that looking back on, I find it held the seeds of my discontent with "Twenty Nine Inches" work and what was going on with that. Honestly, I probably should have cut my losses after 2007 and got out of the deal, but my sense of responsibility and my loyalty got in the way there. Both a good and a bad thing. Whatever...... It is what it is now, no sense in going back and fretting over it. I just wanted to point out one idea from that post that I feel we as cyclists can get wrong easily. Here it is as seen in that post:

 "Take my eyes off "cycling" for a bit, and put them on people.

Yep! Sometimes you get too focused. I think that it comes at the expense of some people that should get that attention. Family, friends, acquaintances, and just people that you meet that deserve being paid attention to. Time is too short to miss out on opportunities that might not repeat themselves in the future. It's nice if you can combine that with cycling or cycling related activities, but that's not always possible. Sometimes you just have to let go and spend some time away from the bike and all it's related stuff, ya know?"

Yeah.....wise words and all. Sometimes I am amazed that kind of thing comes out of my brain. Crazy! Then a couple days later I wrote a "Part Two" post to that and had this to say about our device driven, data acquisition centered lifestyles:

 "I like to think of it like we did about television back in the day. "The Idiot Box" we called it. It seems that the more information we have available to us, the more we get sucked into the hypnotic allure of staring at the monitor to find out more......and more........and more..... Like an addict, we lose sight of the "good" of the internet and how we are supposed to "enhance" our life experiences with it. Instead, it becomes our life, to some degree, and virtual reality takes over from what we used to go outside and experience for real.

Now it may seem mighty ironic to those of you who pay attention to what I do that I would be writing such stuff. I do benefit from the internet for sure, I won't hide that fact. However; it is a curse that has to be beaten back like a prowling beast, or it has the potential to take over my life too. I'm not immune. So I do something that I would prescribe to any of you. I ride whenever I can."

Still relevant ideas ten years down the road. I should take heed of the guy who wrote those things more often! 

Friday News And Views

And so it begins..... #TIv14 registration started this week.

Trans Iowa v14 Registration Begins!

The post cards, which Trans Iowa has utilized as a way to register for the annual event since V3, are beginning to roll in to TI headquarters. (NOTE: If you want to know all the registration details, check the "Featured Post" on the right margin and click the title, "Trans Iowa v14 Registration Details") The first two cards rolled in on Thursday, and I suspect many more are on their way and will arrive today and tomorrow. 

The first wave of registration is for the past winners and riders of six or more Trans Iowas to get in. There aren't too many of them, and of course, not all will avail themselves of the opportunity to join in all the gravel games planned for next April. So, I suspect perhaps a few spots might roll over to the next wave of registration, which begins Wednesday next week, and will be for past Veterans and Finishers of Trans Iowa post Trans Iowa v8.  I decided that if any individuals hadn't bothered to be back and try Trans Iowa since Version 8 that they likely weren't coming back. That said, the third wave of registration, also reserved for Rookies to Trans Iowa, is for them. Enough has changed since v7 that the event will be pretty new to those older racers anyway. 

The registration won't be as exciting on my end as it was in those days when people were sending me flowers, gifts, and booze, but the post cards are all I really need anyway. It works, it is tradition, and it is simple. I don't see that the process is broken and I don't get many complaints about it either. So, it still is fun and as long as it does what I need it to do, I'll keep doing it that way. I'll post some finer examples if I get any soon.

27.5 carbon fat bike rims from Whiskey Parts.

Will 27.5" Fat Kill Off 26" Fat?

About two years ago now Trek decided to roll out 27.5" fat bike wheels. It was an introduction I didn't see coming, but then again, I haven't gotten much right about fat bikes anyway. I said 170mm rear ends were going to stick around and well.......y'all know how that has gone. I said that we would probably never see single wall, cut out carbon fat bike rimes and well.......they exist now. So whatever I thought about the 27.5" fat bike wheels is probably not worth my talking about and not worth your reading about.

But now that they exist, and now that other companies are jumping in, I have to wonder if that eventually spells the end of 26" fat. I am really curious about how 27.5" is going to work out, but I have heard it can be the bees knees. If other riders start choosing that bigger size over 26" fat stuff then I think the days of 26"er wheels are really going to be numbered. 

But that will take time, if it ever happens. In the meantime, just go ahead and assume I am wrong about that too. 

In the meantime, I was made aware of a new 27.5" carbon fat bike rim from my friend, Ben Witt, who happens to be the head honch over at Whiskey Parts. The No. 9 carbon rim is typical of many of the other Whiskey Parts rims, double wall, and tubeless ready, of course. These would lace up into a really sweet set of wheels for a 27.5" wheeled fat bike set up. I'm looking in to maybe switching over to 27.5" fat bike stuff, and these rims could be a good start on my way to that. 

We'll see........

Better than your Zip-Loc baggie? It's certainly more high tech!

 It's A Pouch Thingie:

I was just made aware of a high tech "pouch" gizmo that basically does what a sandwich baggie does, only, I guess, even better? That's what they say anyway.

It's called the "Multi Pouch" and comes from Spurcycle. Yes.......the same company that does those bells. This does the job of keeping your smaller, flatter valuables, like bank or credit cards, or that anachronism called cash, from getting wet and from getting lost. 

It's light, bieng made from that Cuban Fiber stuff, and it can be folded in a couple different ways, making it a versatile choice for packing with other things. It's light, and it is somewhat transparent, soyou can actually see what you packed in there. Anyway, I thought it might actually be a better deal than going through Zip-Loc baggies left and right. Those don't seem very durable to me.

I could see this being useful as a wallet, or a small paper map case, or as a place to stow smaller bits and pieces for........whatever, that you don't want to lose in a bigger bag of stuff. For under $30.00, it is a lot more expensive that the "dirt bag way" of using Zip-Locs, but it seems maybe a bit smarter. Maybe. 

Have a great weekend and get out there and ride those bikes.

Friday News And Views

And so it begins..... #TIv14 registration started this week.

Trans Iowa v14 Registration Begins!

The post cards, which Trans Iowa has utilized as a way to register for the annual event since V3, are beginning to roll in to TI headquarters. (NOTE: If you want to know all the registration details, check the "Featured Post" on the right margin and click the title, "Trans Iowa v14 Registration Details") The first two cards rolled in on Thursday, and I suspect many more are on their way and will arrive today and tomorrow. 

The first wave of registration is for the past winners and riders of six or more Trans Iowas to get in. There aren't too many of them, and of course, not all will avail themselves of the opportunity to join in all the gravel games planned for next April. So, I suspect perhaps a few spots might roll over to the next wave of registration, which begins Wednesday next week, and will be for past Veterans and Finishers of Trans Iowa post Trans Iowa v8.  I decided that if any individuals hadn't bothered to be back and try Trans Iowa since Version 8 that they likely weren't coming back. That said, the third wave of registration, also reserved for Rookies to Trans Iowa, is for them. Enough has changed since v7 that the event will be pretty new to those older racers anyway. 

The registration won't be as exciting on my end as it was in those days when people were sending me flowers, gifts, and booze, but the post cards are all I really need anyway. It works, it is tradition, and it is simple. I don't see that the process is broken and I don't get many complaints about it either. So, it still is fun and as long as it does what I need it to do, I'll keep doing it that way. I'll post some finer examples if I get any soon.

27.5 carbon fat bike rims from Whiskey Parts.

Will 27.5" Fat Kill Off 26" Fat?

About two years ago now Trek decided to roll out 27.5" fat bike wheels. It was an introduction I didn't see coming, but then again, I haven't gotten much right about fat bikes anyway. I said 170mm rear ends were going to stick around and well.......y'all know how that has gone. I said that we would probably never see single wall, cut out carbon fat bike rimes and well.......they exist now. So whatever I thought about the 27.5" fat bike wheels is probably not worth my talking about and not worth your reading about.

But now that they exist, and now that other companies are jumping in, I have to wonder if that eventually spells the end of 26" fat. I am really curious about how 27.5" is going to work out, but I have heard it can be the bees knees. If other riders start choosing that bigger size over 26" fat stuff then I think the days of 26"er wheels are really going to be numbered. 

But that will take time, if it ever happens. In the meantime, just go ahead and assume I am wrong about that too. 

In the meantime, I was made aware of a new 27.5" carbon fat bike rim from my friend, Ben Witt, who happens to be the head honch over at Whiskey Parts. The No. 9 carbon rim is typical of many of the other Whiskey Parts rims, double wall, and tubeless ready, of course. These would lace up into a really sweet set of wheels for a 27.5" wheeled fat bike set up. I'm looking in to maybe switching over to 27.5" fat bike stuff, and these rims could be a good start on my way to that. 

We'll see........

Better than your Zip-Loc baggie? It's certainly more high tech!

 It's A Pouch Thingie:

I was just made aware of a high tech "pouch" gizmo that basically does what a sandwich baggie does, only, I guess, even better? That's what they say anyway.

It's called the "Multi Pouch" and comes from Spurcycle. Yes.......the same company that does those bells. This does the job of keeping your smaller, flatter valuables, like bank or credit cards, or that anachronism called cash, from getting wet and from getting lost. 

It's light, bieng made from that Cuban Fiber stuff, and it can be folded in a couple different ways, making it a versatile choice for packing with other things. It's light, and it is somewhat transparent, soyou can actually see what you packed in there. Anyway, I thought it might actually be a better deal than going through Zip-Loc baggies left and right. Those don't seem very durable to me.

I could see this being useful as a wallet, or a small paper map case, or as a place to stow smaller bits and pieces for........whatever, that you don't want to lose in a bigger bag of stuff. For under $30.00, it is a lot more expensive that the "dirt bag way" of using Zip-Locs, but it seems maybe a bit smarter. Maybe. 

Have a great weekend and get out there and ride those bikes.

Tree Wrasslin'

A trail runs through it.

Just about this time every year since, oh I don't know when, I go on a ride through the Green Belt to check on the Fall colors. Sometimes I have to go a few times to hit "peak color". That's why I decided to try and see what the trees were up to yesterday.

The Green Belt isn't a place that gains or loses much elevation. A few feet, I'd wager, is about what it amounts to since the Green Belt contains Black Hawk Creek. Plus, this part of Iowa isn't known for its hills. It's got some hills, to be sure, but they don't help you with views of the Green Belt. Back in there, it is very flat! 

There is one place; however, that does offer a vista of the trees in the Green Belt and it is where there has been a meadow for a long time. The trail has traditionally just skirted this meadow, and recently a walking path has been mowed into the grasses there so you can get a good, up close look at things. While the trees haven't taken over this area yet, they are encroaching upon the meadow and it won't take long for this vista to be choked with trees. I would like to see the City do a prescribed burn back in there. It is getting very close to critical mass for a few places back there in regard to tree encroachment.

Well, anyway, the vista was reached and the trees are not quite ready yet for prime time.  I think in about ten days or so, it will be at the peak colors, so I will have to come back and check this out then. For now, I have a couple of shots to share.

So, moving on from there I wasn't very far from the Western entrance to Marky-Mark Trail. This year marks the 20th year of its existence! Man! I can hardly believe it  has been that long since I and another "Mark" worked to put this in. Essentially, for those locals that don't know, Marky-Mark runs roughly parallel to Ridgeway Avenue between the main entrance on the north side of the road and the secondary trail entrance further to the East on the same side of the road. There used to be more to it than there is, but the Eastern section was lost long ago and the only part that other riders seemed to be interested in was the connector bit, so it is all that is left now.

Cleared trail. I moved two dead falls here.

So, anyway, about 20 years ago I started clearing trail back there and I had a little assistance from a guy named Mark as well, which is ironic because he was a dyed in the wool roadie. But be that as it may, I did most of the trail back there. I was a bit frustrated when riders only seemed interested in the connector bit, but that's the way it goes sometimes. At least that bit got burned in and lasted the last 20 years.

There were a couple of times that Marky-Mark nearly disappeared. As recently as a few years ago was one of those times. Someone else decided to take up the mantle for clearing it and saved it. I still am not sure who that was. Today I found three deadfall trees on the trail and one more that will require a saw. I decided the other three were things I could tackle. Well.......wrassle would be more like it. Tree wrasslin' is one of my specialties!

So, I got off my bike and assessed the situation first. After determining what to do, I started in, and the duff, rotten branches, and insects were flying! The first one was an easy "slide job" off the trail. The next one was actually a hangar. It was laying across the trail about five feet in the air suspended by other smaller branches and shrubs. This one was a little sketchy. I easily could have dropped this one on myself, gotten injured, and had been in a world of hurt, but it went my way instead. No harm to me and after a bit of wrangling, it was clear of the tread of the trail. The last one took a lot of effort, and I was not sure I would win, but in the end I did by swinging it to be parallel to the tread of the trail.

I have a plan to extend the length of this section of trail in to some unused area of the Green Belt up along Ridgeway Avenue. I'll probably keep it short and manageable first. The Fall is an excellent time to do trail work, so I think I'll get in to that a bit again here and see how it goes.

Tree Wrasslin'

A trail runs through it.

Just about this time every year since, oh I don't know when, I go on a ride through the Green Belt to check on the Fall colors. Sometimes I have to go a few times to hit "peak color". That's why I decided to try and see what the trees were up to yesterday.

The Green Belt isn't a place that gains or loses much elevation. A few feet, I'd wager, is about what it amounts to since the Green Belt contains Black Hawk Creek. Plus, this part of Iowa isn't known for its hills. It's got some hills, to be sure, but they don't help you with views of the Green Belt. Back in there, it is very flat! 

There is one place; however, that does offer a vista of the trees in the Green Belt and it is where there has been a meadow for a long time. The trail has traditionally just skirted this meadow, and recently a walking path has been mowed into the grasses there so you can get a good, up close look at things. While the trees haven't taken over this area yet, they are encroaching upon the meadow and it won't take long for this vista to be choked with trees. I would like to see the City do a prescribed burn back in there. It is getting very close to critical mass for a few places back there in regard to tree encroachment.

Well, anyway, the vista was reached and the trees are not quite ready yet for prime time.  I think in about ten days or so, it will be at the peak colors, so I will have to come back and check this out then. For now, I have a couple of shots to share.

So, moving on from there I wasn't very far from the Western entrance to Marky-Mark Trail. This year marks the 20th year of its existence! Man! I can hardly believe it  has been that long since I and another "Mark" worked to put this in. Essentially, for those locals that don't know, Marky-Mark runs roughly parallel to Ridgeway Avenue between the main entrance on the north side of the road and the secondary trail entrance further to the East on the same side of the road. There used to be more to it than there is, but the Eastern section was lost long ago and the only part that other riders seemed to be interested in was the connector bit, so it is all that is left now.

Cleared trail. I moved two dead falls here.

So, anyway, about 20 years ago I started clearing trail back there and I had a little assistance from a guy named Mark as well, which is ironic because he was a dyed in the wool roadie. But be that as it may, I did most of the trail back there. I was a bit frustrated when riders only seemed interested in the connector bit, but that's the way it goes sometimes. At least that bit got burned in and lasted the last 20 years.

There were a couple of times that Marky-Mark nearly disappeared. As recently as a few years ago was one of those times. Someone else decided to take up the mantle for clearing it and saved it. I still am not sure who that was. Today I found three deadfall trees on the trail and one more that will require a saw. I decided the other three were things I could tackle. Well.......wrassle would be more like it. Tree wrasslin' is one of my specialties!

So, I got off my bike and assessed the situation first. After determining what to do, I started in, and the duff, rotten branches, and insects were flying! The first one was an easy "slide job" off the trail. The next one was actually a hangar. It was laying across the trail about five feet in the air suspended by other smaller branches and shrubs. This one was a little sketchy. I easily could have dropped this one on myself, gotten injured, and had been in a world of hurt, but it went my way instead. No harm to me and after a bit of wrangling, it was clear of the tread of the trail. The last one took a lot of effort, and I was not sure I would win, but in the end I did by swinging it to be parallel to the tread of the trail.

I have a plan to extend the length of this section of trail in to some unused area of the Green Belt up along Ridgeway Avenue. I'll probably keep it short and manageable first. The Fall is an excellent time to do trail work, so I think I'll get in to that a bit again here and see how it goes.

Rolling With The Changes

From my "DK My Way" ride last June

Registration season is in full swing it seems. Trans Iowa v14 registration went live yesterday, the Dirty Kanza 200 registration details, which weren't supposed to have been put out until the 10th, but some eager gravel related site slipped up, (No- not RidingGravel.com) went out yesterday, and some mountain bike events opened up registration for next year's events as well.

This post will focus mostly on what is happening with the DK200's affairs as I see them. so........

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

 

First and foremost, all of what you and I have witnessed over the past five years in regard to the Dirty Kanza 200 is due to the event's successes. Those successes are because of the riders. Yes, the demand, (in other words, the riders who want to come to Kansas every June to ride) has caused all of the changes you have seen in recent years with this event. The changes are reactions to this higher demand. So, anyone who balks at the price of entry, the new lottery system in place for choosing riders, or has any beef with not having full support stations or what have you has to keep in mind that nothing would have changed at all had the demand remained the same or went lower. 

 

 The beauty of the Flint Hills is stunning

So, if you don't like it, then simply don't participate. Vote with your dollars. Otherwise, in my opinion, any grousing folks do is a moot point. The DK Promotions team are not the "bad guys" in this. They are just keeping their heads above the water and reaping a bit of benefit in doing so. I would suggest that if the "dollar per mile" entry fee for the 200 is too rich for you, then your decision is simple. It isn't like there are no other gravel events in Kansas, or the Mid-west, or the nation. No, there are over 400 other events to choose from.  

Those chasing the "grail cup" for 5 DK200 finishes may have a beef with this new way of doing things, but the DK Promotions folks are saying that they are taking those folks into consideration for spots in their lottery process. So, that shouldn't be at issue if the DK folks can make that work. 

Changes are tough for many of us, and the DK200 has been changing every year for.......well a while now. It seems that nothing stays the same with that event from year to year. Maybe this is their problem. A public relations issue. Perhaps. I really think it boils down to something else which I have noted over the course of 13 years of putting on Trans Iowa. 

In my opinion, the issue is that participants want things to be easier and guaranteed. Especially when the event is set up in such a way that chance occurrences, weather, or other factors beyond the control of anyone can play a huge role in the outcome of a participant. Take the lottery that the DK200 is going to instigate. Folks want some reassurances that past participation and goal seeking will be recognized. The DK200 is saying that they will do this in some manner. It's a sticky wicket that I feel might be a landmine unless their process is transparent and expectations are set up in advance. That is yet to be seen. Folks want to know that they can get in as a group, so the DK has had to instigate a policy for that as well. 

Then there is the "easy button" everyone wants to be able to push. The biggest deal the DK200 has to rekon with is "aid" for riders out on the course. People want regular "aid stations", such as you might find in running events, which, in my opinion, waters down the challenge of the DK200. Look.....honestly, there are tougher courses. Take Gravel Worlds, for instance. Take what was "Odin's Revenge". That was way, way tougher. I'm sure other events are as well, and many, if not all of them have no outside support allowed. But that doesn't stop the folks from demanding aid stations, and at $200.00 a pop for the 200 miler, they are going to expect some "bennies" on their investment into the event. 

Changes. Many of us don't really like them, but they are one of the only guarantees in life. I suspect that the DK200 will sell out once again and after a year no one will be ruffling any feathers about this change anymore. It will just be the way it is now. People get twisted and angry up front but generally speaking, this goes away in the end. 

 But the constantly changing entry fee and calls for more benefits from riders are probably going to come to a head at some point. Obviously, the DK200 cannot expect to continue to increase the entry fee in such a dramatic fashion unless there are some features that are coming with it. Otherwise, I would predict some blow-back from participants, and honestly, that has already happened to a degree. Of course, this is all just my conjecturing and opinionated opinioning on things, so take it for what it's worth.

Rolling With The Changes

From my "DK My Way" ride last June

Registration season is in full swing it seems. Trans Iowa v14 registration went live yesterday, the Dirty Kanza 200 registration details, which weren't supposed to have been put out until the 10th, but some eager gravel related site slipped up, (No- not RidingGravel.com) went out yesterday, and some mountain bike events opened up registration for next year's events as well.

This post will focus mostly on what is happening with the DK200's affairs as I see them. so........

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

 

First and foremost, all of what you and I have witnessed over the past five years in regard to the Dirty Kanza 200 is due to the event's successes. Those successes are because of the riders. Yes, the demand, (in other words, the riders who want to come to Kansas every June to ride) has caused all of the changes you have seen in recent years with this event. The changes are reactions to this higher demand. So, anyone who balks at the price of entry, the new lottery system in place for choosing riders, or has any beef with not having full support stations or what have you has to keep in mind that nothing would have changed at all had the demand remained the same or went lower. 

 

 The beauty of the Flint Hills is stunning

So, if you don't like it, then simply don't participate. Vote with your dollars. Otherwise, in my opinion, any grousing folks do is a moot point. The DK Promotions team are not the "bad guys" in this. They are just keeping their heads above the water and reaping a bit of benefit in doing so. I would suggest that if the "dollar per mile" entry fee for the 200 is too rich for you, then your decision is simple. It isn't like there are no other gravel events in Kansas, or the Mid-west, or the nation. No, there are over 400 other events to choose from.  

Those chasing the "grail cup" for 5 DK200 finishes may have a beef with this new way of doing things, but the DK Promotions folks are saying that they are taking those folks into consideration for spots in their lottery process. So, that shouldn't be at issue if the DK folks can make that work. 

Changes are tough for many of us, and the DK200 has been changing every year for.......well a while now. It seems that nothing stays the same with that event from year to year. Maybe this is their problem. A public relations issue. Perhaps. I really think it boils down to something else which I have noted over the course of 13 years of putting on Trans Iowa. 

In my opinion, the issue is that participants want things to be easier and guaranteed. Especially when the event is set up in such a way that chance occurrences, weather, or other factors beyond the control of anyone can play a huge role in the outcome of a participant. Take the lottery that the DK200 is going to instigate. Folks want some reassurances that past participation and goal seeking will be recognized. The DK200 is saying that they will do this in some manner. It's a sticky wicket that I feel might be a landmine unless their process is transparent and expectations are set up in advance. That is yet to be seen. Folks want to know that they can get in as a group, so the DK has had to instigate a policy for that as well. 

Then there is the "easy button" everyone wants to be able to push. The biggest deal the DK200 has to rekon with is "aid" for riders out on the course. People want regular "aid stations", such as you might find in running events, which, in my opinion, waters down the challenge of the DK200. Look.....honestly, there are tougher courses. Take Gravel Worlds, for instance. Take what was "Odin's Revenge". That was way, way tougher. I'm sure other events are as well, and many, if not all of them have no outside support allowed. But that doesn't stop the folks from demanding aid stations, and at $200.00 a pop for the 200 miler, they are going to expect some "bennies" on their investment into the event. 

Changes. Many of us don't really like them, but they are one of the only guarantees in life. I suspect that the DK200 will sell out once again and after a year no one will be ruffling any feathers about this change anymore. It will just be the way it is now. People get twisted and angry up front but generally speaking, this goes away in the end. 

 But the constantly changing entry fee and calls for more benefits from riders are probably going to come to a head at some point. Obviously, the DK200 cannot expect to continue to increase the entry fee in such a dramatic fashion unless there are some features that are coming with it. Otherwise, I would predict some blow-back from participants, and honestly, that has already happened to a degree. Of course, this is all just my conjecturing and opinionated opinioning on things, so take it for what it's worth.

Trans Iowa v14 Registration Details

Okay folks, this is it. Your details on how, when, and where to send in your registration cards to get a chance at being in Trans Iowa v14. Read this very carefully, as I will not be answering questions about "how can I can get into the event ?" this year, or anything like that after this posting. Those emails will be trashed. There should be no need for them after you have this info in hand. Okay- with that stated, here we go.....

Concerning The Post Cards: Everyone will be using post cards for registration. I don't mind home made ones, but they cannot be multi-layered, or have things sticking off of them, or be anything other than paper. Size is limited to standard post card size, which is approximately 5" X 7" or smaller. All post cards from the USA must be sent by US Mail! Overseas post cards may be sent airmail to insure a timely delivery. There will be specific information required for each class, so please make note of this as you fill out your cards. NOTE: Illegible writing or missing information will disqualify you from the lottery. I threw out at least a dozen cards last year due to these two things. Don't let that be you. I don't care if you are a Pro, have done the Ironman ten times, or are a so-and-so athlete that thinks that they don't need to follow my instructions. It doesn't matter to me. Most riders figure this out fine and have for a decade. You can too, or if not, you won't get in. Period.

Plus Six & Active Winners List: <==Click that link. If your name is on that list, and you want to ride in Trans Iowa v14, simply send me a post card with your Name, e-mail address, Class entering, (Mens Open, Womens Open, or Single Speed/Fixed), and address it to:

Guitar Ted
311 Baltimore Street
Waterloo, IA 50701

Get that out to me anytime from now until October 11th when your window closes. If I do not receive your card by next Tuesday, you won't get in.

Veterans And Finishers: <=== Check that link. If you find your name on it, you cannot enter Trans Iowa as a Finisher or Veteran this time. You must register as a Rookie. Sorry, but that's what I've decided. See HERE for why that is. Now, if you are not on that list, and have finished or participated in a Trans Iowa, you can register in the following manner.  Fill out a post card with your Name, Class desired, (Open Mens, Open Womens, or Single Speed/Fixed), your e-mail, and Rule #3 from The Rules. The whole thing, legible, and complete. NOTE- YOU WILL SEND YOUR POST CARDS TO:

Europa Cycle & Ski
C/O Trans Iowa v14
4302 University Avenue
Cedar Falls IA 50613

Your cards must not arrive before October 11th and you must get your card in by October 18th to be eligible for the Lottery For Vets & Finishers which will be held October 19th live via Periscope. A link will be provided just before the lottery if you'd like to tune in. There will be a minimum of 55 spots up for grabs here.

Rookies & Inactive Rider List Folks: <==  IF YOUR NAME IS ON THE INACTIVE RIDERS LIST you will follow this procedure along with anyone new, (Rookie) that wants to try Trans Iowa v14. Rookies & Inactive Riders must have their Name, Class desired, (Mens Open, Womens Open, or Single Speed/Fixed), E-MAIL ADDRESS, along with Rule #1 from the Race Rules page in its entirety, written legibly, completely, and spelled correctly. No joke. Get this wrong and your card will not make the lottery for the 40 spots up for grabs here. 

Your window for registration is October 19th to October 28th. Send those correctly sized and filled out post cards via USPS to -

Europa Cycle & Ski
C/O Trans Iowa v14
4302 University Avenue
Cedar Falls IA 50613

That lottery will be held October 31st, via Periscope. A link will be given to tune in and watch prior to the Lottery drawing.

NOTE: All decisions on legibility, content, post card size, post card deadlines, and all lottery functions are made by Guitar Ted and his decisions are final.

Good Luck!

Trans Iowa v14 Registration Details

Okay folks, this is it. Your details on how, when, and where to send in your registration cards to get a chance at being in Trans Iowa v14. Read this very carefully, as I will not be answering questions about "how can I can get into the event ?" this year, or anything like that after this posting. Those emails will be trashed. There should be no need for them after you have this info in hand. Okay- with that stated, here we go.....

Concerning The Post Cards: Everyone will be using post cards for registration. I don't mind home made ones, but they cannot be multi-layered, or have things sticking off of them, or be anything other than paper. Size is limited to standard post card size, which is approximately 5" X 7" or smaller. All post cards from the USA must be sent by US Mail! Overseas post cards may be sent airmail to insure a timely delivery. There will be specific information required for each class, so please make note of this as you fill out your cards. NOTE: Illegible writing or missing information will disqualify you from the lottery. I threw out at least a dozen cards last year due to these two things. Don't let that be you. I don't care if you are a Pro, have done the Ironman ten times, or are a so-and-so athlete that thinks that they don't need to follow my instructions. It doesn't matter to me. Most riders figure this out fine and have for a decade. You can too, or if not, you won't get in. Period.

Plus Six & Active Winners List: <==Click that link. If your name is on that list, and you want to ride in Trans Iowa v14, simply send me a post card with your Name, e-mail address, Class entering, (Mens Open, Womens Open, or Single Speed/Fixed), and address it to:

Guitar Ted
311 Baltimore Street
Waterloo, IA 50701

Get that out to me anytime from now until October 11th when your window closes. If I do not receive your card by next Tuesday, you won't get in.

Veterans And Finishers: <=== Check that link. If you find your name on it, you cannot enter Trans Iowa as a Finisher or Veteran this time. You must register as a Rookie. Sorry, but that's what I've decided. See HERE for why that is. Now, if you are not on that list, and have finished or participated in a Trans Iowa, you can register in the following manner.  Fill out a post card with your Name, Class desired, (Open Mens, Open Womens, or Single Speed/Fixed), your e-mail, and Rule #3 from The Rules. The whole thing, legible, and complete. NOTE- YOU WILL SEND YOUR POST CARDS TO:

Europa Cycle & Ski
C/O Trans Iowa v14
4302 University Avenue
Cedar Falls IA 50613

Your cards must not arrive before October 11th and you must get your card in by October 18th to be eligible for the Lottery For Vets & Finishers which will be held October 19th live via Periscope. A link will be provided just before the lottery if you'd like to tune in. There will be a minimum of 55 spots up for grabs here.

Rookies & Inactive Rider List Folks: <==  IF YOUR NAME IS ON THE INACTIVE RIDERS LIST you will follow this procedure along with anyone new, (Rookie) that wants to try Trans Iowa v14. Rookies & Inactive Riders must have their Name, Class desired, (Mens Open, Womens Open, or Single Speed/Fixed), E-MAIL ADDRESS, along with Rule #1 from the Race Rules page in its entirety, written legibly, completely, and spelled correctly. No joke. Get this wrong and your card will not make the lottery for the 40 spots up for grabs here. 

Your window for registration is October 19th to October 28th. Send those correctly sized and filled out post cards via USPS to -

Europa Cycle & Ski
C/O Trans Iowa v14
4302 University Avenue
Cedar Falls IA 50613

That lottery will be held October 31st, via Periscope. A link will be given to tune in and watch prior to the Lottery drawing.

NOTE: All decisions on legibility, content, post card size, post card deadlines, and all lottery functions are made by Guitar Ted and his decisions are final.

Good Luck!

Low Water Crawling

The Green Belt, the Ti Muk, and Fall. A great combination!

With the Spotted Horse off the table as a possibility for me, (See yesterday's post),  the focus has been on trying to take some small steps toward getting my legs and lungs back in to shape for the remainder of the year. I had planned on trying to sneak in a century on the single speed on Saturday but other obligations, long put off, had to take precedence. Plus, a century ride certainly is not a "baby step" towards wholeness! I suppose I should have written off September long ago, but I held out hope even through till the last day.

With the financial set back due to an unforeseen shortfall, I wasn't going to travel anywhere to ride. That's okay as we have the Green Belt right near where I live, and the water is low. Really low right now. That meant that I could pull out the Ti Muk and make a go of circumnavigating the lake out there without going outside the bounds of the normal shoreline.

I'd done this feat once, maybe twice before. It doesn't usually come without the lake being really low because there is one place in particular where the bottom slopes down severely and unless I want to swim, this is the spot I would usually have to retreat above the shoreline's normal boundary. But we've been in a drought the latter half of Summer and this lake is woefully low. Not just this lake either, but all the streams and rivers in Iowa are at, perhaps, all time lows as far as levels go. It's pretty bad around here.

I grabbed the Ti Muk, aired the tires to a good level for muck crawling without sacrificing hard pack performance, (about 8psi or so), and I headed off to do battle with sand, muck, and mire. I approached the lake coming from the North on the Green Belt where I entered the trail at the dog park. Man.......the dog park. I know it is a great resource for the dog owners in the area, but ever since they put that in, the dog walkers on the Green Belt trails have increased by 1000% over the years past.

What gets me is how some of them looked at me with an annoyed look on their face because my presence made them have to stop and restrain their mutts. I call it "The Alone So I Own" attitude. Hey.....even I have suffered that in the past. But whatever. I was pleasant and whether or not they responded in kind was their deal. I just find it amazing that these dog owners would think they (a) should be out there thinking no one else is, and (b) that it is okay to let their dog defecate anywhere they want out there. At least one person I saw had a bag for poop and everyone had their dogs on leashes. That hasn't always been the case. I recall earlier this year a young woman with a free ranging dog gave me a look that could kill when her mutt about caused me to crash. Yeah......my bad! All of this since that dratted dog park opened. Hopefully Saturday's bunch, with their dogs on leashes, will be the normal and not the exception.

I took this shot looking down Black Hawk Creek to the South while standing on dry ground in the middle of it!

The Green Belt is now alternatively harder than a rock or sandy. Big stretches of sandy trail exist out there now so a fat bike really makes for a good ride at the moment. Of course, that could change, but that isn't likely until Winter when we will have to see how the weather treats us. I've seen big promises of more snow than last year, which, honestly, wouldn't take all that much to accomplish!

The Black Hawk Creek is as low as I've ever seen it. Sad to see this, but I took the opportunity to take an image or two while standing on dry ground in the middle of the creek's normal run. Hopefully I never get that chance again. The lake is also as low as I ever can remember it. Circumnavigation was no issue except at a couple places where abandoned beaver lodges were. there I had to scramble over the top of a dilapidated pile of interlaced branches. At least the beavers made it so strong it easily supported my weight, despite the fact that the branches were so dry.

The ride went off without a hitch and the circumnavigation of the mucky shoreline was fun, but a sad chance all the same. I'd rather that the lake be full and at normal water levels. Low water crawling is fun on the fat bike though. I gotta admit that. I'm glad I got out and did it. But with rain in the forecast, perhaps things will start to turn around for the better now.

And perhaps things will turn around for the better for my health as well. The symptoms of this illness seem to fit in with what I am hearing many others are suffering from in this area. I understand this strain of crud seems to hang on and on. I can confirm that, yes, it does! But it is time to forge on and see if I cannot make a little headway against this and regain my abilities to do some longer rides.

Low Water Crawling

The Green Belt, the Ti Muk, and Fall. A great combination!

With the Spotted Horse off the table as a possibility for me, (See yesterday's post),  the focus has been on trying to take some small steps toward getting my legs and lungs back in to shape for the remainder of the year. I had planned on trying to sneak in a century on the single speed on Saturday but other obligations, long put off, had to take precedence. Plus, a century ride certainly is not a "baby step" towards wholeness! I suppose I should have written off September long ago, but I held out hope even through till the last day.

With the financial set back due to an unforeseen shortfall, I wasn't going to travel anywhere to ride. That's okay as we have the Green Belt right near where I live, and the water is low. Really low right now. That meant that I could pull out the Ti Muk and make a go of circumnavigating the lake out there without going outside the bounds of the normal shoreline.

I'd done this feat once, maybe twice before. It doesn't usually come without the lake being really low because there is one place in particular where the bottom slopes down severely and unless I want to swim, this is the spot I would usually have to retreat above the shoreline's normal boundary. But we've been in a drought the latter half of Summer and this lake is woefully low. Not just this lake either, but all the streams and rivers in Iowa are at, perhaps, all time lows as far as levels go. It's pretty bad around here.

I grabbed the Ti Muk, aired the tires to a good level for muck crawling without sacrificing hard pack performance, (about 8psi or so), and I headed off to do battle with sand, muck, and mire. I approached the lake coming from the North on the Green Belt where I entered the trail at the dog park. Man.......the dog park. I know it is a great resource for the dog owners in the area, but ever since they put that in, the dog walkers on the Green Belt trails have increased by 1000% over the years past.

What gets me is how some of them looked at me with an annoyed look on their face because my presence made them have to stop and restrain their mutts. I call it "The Alone So I Own" attitude. Hey.....even I have suffered that in the past. But whatever. I was pleasant and whether or not they responded in kind was their deal. I just find it amazing that these dog owners would think they (a) should be out there thinking no one else is, and (b) that it is okay to let their dog defecate anywhere they want out there. At least one person I saw had a bag for poop and everyone had their dogs on leashes. That hasn't always been the case. I recall earlier this year a young woman with a free ranging dog gave me a look that could kill when her mutt about caused me to crash. Yeah......my bad! All of this since that dratted dog park opened. Hopefully Saturday's bunch, with their dogs on leashes, will be the normal and not the exception.

I took this shot looking down Black Hawk Creek to the South while standing on dry ground in the middle of it!

The Green Belt is now alternatively harder than a rock or sandy. Big stretches of sandy trail exist out there now so a fat bike really makes for a good ride at the moment. Of course, that could change, but that isn't likely until Winter when we will have to see how the weather treats us. I've seen big promises of more snow than last year, which, honestly, wouldn't take all that much to accomplish!

The Black Hawk Creek is as low as I've ever seen it. Sad to see this, but I took the opportunity to take an image or two while standing on dry ground in the middle of the creek's normal run. Hopefully I never get that chance again. The lake is also as low as I ever can remember it. Circumnavigation was no issue except at a couple places where abandoned beaver lodges were. there I had to scramble over the top of a dilapidated pile of interlaced branches. At least the beavers made it so strong it easily supported my weight, despite the fact that the branches were so dry.

The ride went off without a hitch and the circumnavigation of the mucky shoreline was fun, but a sad chance all the same. I'd rather that the lake be full and at normal water levels. Low water crawling is fun on the fat bike though. I gotta admit that. I'm glad I got out and did it. But with rain in the forecast, perhaps things will start to turn around for the better now.

And perhaps things will turn around for the better for my health as well. The symptoms of this illness seem to fit in with what I am hearing many others are suffering from in this area. I understand this strain of crud seems to hang on and on. I can confirm that, yes, it does! But it is time to forge on and see if I cannot make a little headway against this and regain my abilities to do some longer rides.

Bummer Stretch

The month of September is gone and so is my fitness and a few chances. The month kicked off with me getting a cold.A wicked, almost lose your voice deal and, of course, the joint pain and all that comes with a hard cold/flu-like deal. I never was so bad I couldn't function in a daily, normal way, but cycling beyond my commute to work was not happening. In fact, there for a while my commute to work was a stretch.

I did all the right things for two weeks. Rested a lot. Drank lots of water. Ate well. Then I went on a week vacation, so no cycling at all. Then when I got back, although I felt great on my trip and thought I was over it, the cold came back and reminded me I wasn't. It wasn't as bad, but I felt really stiff and sore. I knew that if I did go to the Spotted Horse, it would be a short ride. Then an individual helping the race promoter made a statement on Facebook that said, "You'd better bring your 'A game' for this course.....", or something similar, and that pretty much made up my mind. I had no "A game". That was pretty discouraging.

So, I made the call of shame.

Then something else happened which was a financial blow to me and even if I had stayed in the game that would have taken me out anyway. So, it just wasn't meant to be. No Spotted Horse for me no matter what.

Bummer......... 

Bummer Stretch

The month of September is gone and so is my fitness and a few chances. The month kicked off with me getting a cold.A wicked, almost lose your voice deal and, of course, the joint pain and all that comes with a hard cold/flu-like deal. I never was so bad I couldn't function in a daily, normal way, but cycling beyond my commute to work was not happening. In fact, there for a while my commute to work was a stretch.

I did all the right things for two weeks. Rested a lot. Drank lots of water. Ate well. Then I went on a week vacation, so no cycling at all. Then when I got back, although I felt great on my trip and thought I was over it, the cold came back and reminded me I wasn't. It wasn't as bad, but I felt really stiff and sore. I knew that if I did go to the Spotted Horse, it would be a short ride. Then an individual helping the race promoter made a statement on Facebook that said, "You'd better bring your 'A game' for this course.....", or something similar, and that pretty much made up my mind. I had no "A game". That was pretty discouraging.

So, I made the call of shame.

Then something else happened which was a financial blow to me and even if I had stayed in the game that would have taken me out anyway. So, it just wasn't meant to be. No Spotted Horse for me no matter what.

Bummer.........