Housecleaning And Catching Up

Boingy bits installed for testing. More on that soon!

Now that we are well clear of the start of the New Year and all the series, announcements, and hoopla are now out there in the open, I can get on with "regular posting". But before I get on with that, I wanted to catch you all up on the latest mundanity and clear up a couple of things here so the blog is all up to date. Some of that will include a more in-depth look at why I ended up at Andy's Bike Shop.

As many of you know, it's been a strange weather scene in Iowa, with little to call "Winter" happening. December was a gift from the standpoint of riding gravel, however, I was battling a nasty head cold nearly the entire month, so I missed out on the lion's share of it. I'm glad to say that is behind me now though and I have been slowly getting back some form of fitness.

That my new job at Andy's Bike Shop is twice as far away as my old gig has been a help. In fact, on my first day working I ended up getting caught in a snow storm on the way home. Big, wet flakes and I could hardly see! Plus, I hadn't thought to bring my rain pants so my blue jeans, (yes.....you CAN ride in denim jeans), were soaked in the thigh area. Oh well! It made for a harder ride home since I had to keep on the gas to keep my legs from freezing!

The new job has also meant a new route. I took some time late last year to investigate that and to time it all out. I also had been looking into this since my RidingGravel.com stuff, which had been getting shipped to the old shop, was by that time being shipped to Andy's since things were unstable at the old job. I seriously didn't know from August onward whether I may find the place locked up or not. So, I switched the shipping address for that stuff to Andy's at that time, which Andy was okay with. Anyway.... enough about that. 

The snowy ride home from work

The point is, mileage will increase due to a longer commute. I also will have the choice of several routes, some of which could take me through George Wyth State Park on single track. So, I am looking forward to ramping up the miles just due to the location of my new job.

I'll mention that the whole scramble to switch up shipping for RidingGravel.com helped lead to the new job, as you might expect, but in reality, this had been a possibility for a longer time. Andy actually reached out to me over a year ago, so he had a head start in securing my services. With all the uncertainty surrounding what happened at the old job, making a tighter bond with Andy only made sense. Moving the family wasn't an option, and back in Fall, there weren't any other opportunities available, so I pursued the Andy's option first and foremost.

More mileage should also help out with my goals in cycling, which include doing a few century length rides, at least. This also works into what I have signed up for this year. I may have mentioned it, but I am signed up for the Solstice 100 in late June and Gravel Worlds in mid-August. Add to that the Renegade Gents Race in early April and the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational in July and my calendar is full. Yes.....I don't have anything scheduled for May. I have opportunities there and well...... Stay tuned. Whatever happens, one event a month is plenty. There are a lot of variables here and I haven't any idea what may be my direction, and that might affect some events here I have already mentioned.

I have also been working in my shop here at home doing various things to make life make sense there. With the influx of stuff brought home from the old job, where I owned all my own tools, to the current situation where Andy is supplying tools for my new job, it means I have tool overload in my Lab! Lots of organizing and planning down there, plus I am trying to make room for a space to start servicing my tube (valve for you Brits) amps too. There may be a culling of stuff I have. I am thinking about maybe donating some stuff to a local non-profit bike repair place. but we'll see. It's going to be a long term process.

Then there are the review bits and bikes to use for that which have been getting tweaked out. I put a new GRX rear derailleur on the pink BMC MCD rig recently and I have installed the RedShift Sports new seat post and that stem I have had back on there again. That will all be getting ridden whenever the weather is decent this Winter. Otherwise it is the good ol' Ti Muk 2 and maybe the Blackborow DS. However; I haven't seen a need for the really wide tires this Winter so far, so maybe not! This sure has been a strange year so far, and unless February kicks in like a mule, then Winter won't be adding up to much around these parts.

And that's about all I have going on here of late. Now we should be back on track for regular postings.

Housecleaning And Catching Up

Boingy bits installed for testing. More on that soon!

Now that we are well clear of the start of the New Year and all the series, announcements, and hoopla are now out there in the open, I can get on with "regular posting". But before I get on with that, I wanted to catch you all up on the latest mundanity and clear up a couple of things here so the blog is all up to date. Some of that will include a more in-depth look at why I ended up at Andy's Bike Shop.

As many of you know, it's been a strange weather scene in Iowa, with little to call "Winter" happening. December was a gift from the standpoint of riding gravel, however, I was battling a nasty head cold nearly the entire month, so I missed out on the lion's share of it. I'm glad to say that is behind me now though and I have been slowly getting back some form of fitness.

That my new job at Andy's Bike Shop is twice as far away as my old gig has been a help. In fact, on my first day working I ended up getting caught in a snow storm on the way home. Big, wet flakes and I could hardly see! Plus, I hadn't thought to bring my rain pants so my blue jeans, (yes.....you CAN ride in denim jeans), were soaked in the thigh area. Oh well! It made for a harder ride home since I had to keep on the gas to keep my legs from freezing!

The new job has also meant a new route. I took some time late last year to investigate that and to time it all out. I also had been looking into this since my RidingGravel.com stuff, which had been getting shipped to the old shop, was by that time being shipped to Andy's since things were unstable at the old job. I seriously didn't know from August onward whether I may find the place locked up or not. So, I switched the shipping address for that stuff to Andy's at that time, which Andy was okay with. Anyway.... enough about that. 

The snowy ride home from work

The point is, mileage will increase due to a longer commute. I also will have the choice of several routes, some of which could take me through George Wyth State Park on single track. So, I am looking forward to ramping up the miles just due to the location of my new job.

I'll mention that the whole scramble to switch up shipping for RidingGravel.com helped lead to the new job, as you might expect, but in reality, this had been a possibility for a longer time. Andy actually reached out to me over a year ago, so he had a head start in securing my services. With all the uncertainty surrounding what happened at the old job, making a tighter bond with Andy only made sense. Moving the family wasn't an option, and back in Fall, there weren't any other opportunities available, so I pursued the Andy's option first and foremost.

More mileage should also help out with my goals in cycling, which include doing a few century length rides, at least. This also works into what I have signed up for this year. I may have mentioned it, but I am signed up for the Solstice 100 in late June and Gravel Worlds in mid-August. Add to that the Renegade Gents Race in early April and the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational in July and my calendar is full. Yes.....I don't have anything scheduled for May. I have opportunities there and well...... Stay tuned. Whatever happens, one event a month is plenty. There are a lot of variables here and I haven't any idea what may be my direction, and that might affect some events here I have already mentioned.

I have also been working in my shop here at home doing various things to make life make sense there. With the influx of stuff brought home from the old job, where I owned all my own tools, to the current situation where Andy is supplying tools for my new job, it means I have tool overload in my Lab! Lots of organizing and planning down there, plus I am trying to make room for a space to start servicing my tube (valve for you Brits) amps too. There may be a culling of stuff I have. I am thinking about maybe donating some stuff to a local non-profit bike repair place. but we'll see. It's going to be a long term process.

Then there are the review bits and bikes to use for that which have been getting tweaked out. I put a new GRX rear derailleur on the pink BMC MCD rig recently and I have installed the RedShift Sports new seat post and that stem I have had back on there again. That will all be getting ridden whenever the weather is decent this Winter. Otherwise it is the good ol' Ti Muk 2 and maybe the Blackborow DS. However; I haven't seen a need for the really wide tires this Winter so far, so maybe not! This sure has been a strange year so far, and unless February kicks in like a mule, then Winter won't be adding up to much around these parts.

And that's about all I have going on here of late. Now we should be back on track for regular postings.

Iowa Gravel Expo Pop-Up Series

The "Iowa Gravel Expo Pop-Up Series" , sponsored by Riding Gravel and Andy's Bike Shop kicks off tonight at Second State Brewery, located at 203 State Street in Cedar Falls from 6:30pm - 7:30pm.

This is the third year in a row that N.Y. Roll and I have pulled together a Gravel Expo in the area. We have had single day events before, but with the demand we saw last year, we decided to break this down into a series and spread the dates out over two months to better serve the folks wanting to get into this deal we've cooked up.

This particular one, tonight's session, will be dealing with maintenance issues faced by gravel goers. I'm going to cover specific cleaning and lubrication techniques I have honed over the past ten plus years of riding gravel roads. Subsequent nights in the four part series look like this, along with their dates:

• Choosing an Event and How To Train For It- January 22nd
• Ultra-Endurance Tips with N.Y. Roll  - February 5th
• How To Put On A Gravel Event - February 19th

All the events start and finish at the same time and place- Second State Brewery in Cedar Falls, Iowa - 6:30pm - 7:30pm

All four events will feature different Iowa based gravel event directors who will present their event and take questions about them. Attend one or all sessions. No charge to attend.

N.Y. Roll and I will probably do a podcast at some point covering some of the highlights of the Expo after the series has been completed and I will link that here once we are posted so people not able to attend can maybe benefit as well.

#RealAmericanGravel

Iowa Gravel Expo Pop-Up Series

The "Iowa Gravel Expo Pop-Up Series" , sponsored by Riding Gravel and Andy's Bike Shop kicks off tonight at Second State Brewery, located at 203 State Street in Cedar Falls from 6:30pm - 7:30pm.

This is the third year in a row that N.Y. Roll and I have pulled together a Gravel Expo in the area. We have had single day events before, but with the demand we saw last year, we decided to break this down into a series and spread the dates out over two months to better serve the folks wanting to get into this deal we've cooked up.

This particular one, tonight's session, will be dealing with maintenance issues faced by gravel goers. I'm going to cover specific cleaning and lubrication techniques I have honed over the past ten plus years of riding gravel roads. Subsequent nights in the four part series look like this, along with their dates:

• Choosing an Event and How To Train For It- January 22nd
• Ultra-Endurance Tips with N.Y. Roll  - February 5th
• How To Put On A Gravel Event - February 19th

All the events start and finish at the same time and place- Second State Brewery in Cedar Falls, Iowa - 6:30pm - 7:30pm

All four events will feature different Iowa based gravel event directors who will present their event and take questions about them. Attend one or all sessions. No charge to attend.

N.Y. Roll and I will probably do a podcast at some point covering some of the highlights of the Expo after the series has been completed and I will link that here once we are posted so people not able to attend can maybe benefit as well.

#RealAmericanGravel

The New Job Announcement

The New Job Is At Andy's Bike Shop!

The day has finally come which I can announce my plans for 2020 and beyond as far as local employment. I will be wrenching on bikes for Andy's Bike Shop, but that isn't all. I'll get to it all here in a bit, but first, let me tell you about Andy and why I chose to go this direction.

Andy Tetmeyer is the owner of the shop. I have known Andy for several years now. He used to work at the shop I left in December. We got along well, and to the point that Andy actually was a volunteer for Trans Iowa v12 at Checkpoint #1. Andy is young, ambitious, and wanted to own his own shop. So, he left that old shop and started up a mobile bike shop to start out with called Andy's Mobile Bike Shop. He ran that for a couple of years before making plans to get a "brick and mortar" location. That location is at 100 East 2nd Street, Suite 105, Cedar Falls, Iowa, 50613.

Andy sought me out and made an offer to hire me, but there is a lot more going on than "just being a wrench" here. The second big chunk of news is that Andy's Bike Shop is now the "Official Bike Shop of Riding Gravel". In fact, the shop has been that, in a very discreet way, for a while now. This will open up a lot of opportunities for synergy of things like marketing, merchandise, and social media, podcasts, and the like. Andy and I have a lot of ideas for the future of both the bike shop and Riding Gravel which are exciting. As things get more clear I will share some of that here in the future, other bits will be on the Riding Gravel front.

This blog will remain a separate entity for the future, so don't expect any big changes here. But, as I mentioned before last week, I may be talking a bit more about work here than I did before, so there may be some "bike shop tales" added here and there.

The immediate future will be me doing work at Andy's on a limited basis until the season starts and then things should formulate and Andy and I will work together to see that we both benefit yearly and through all the seasons. It won't be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is. I am excited though, and this opportunity is one I plan on maximizing to its fullest potential. As I stated, I won't be there much immediately, but when things swing into Spring, and if you happen to be a local, or just swinging through town, please stop in and say "hello".

Andy's Bike Shop can be followed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and You Tube.

The New Job Announcement

The New Job Is At Andy's Bike Shop!

The day has finally come which I can announce my plans for 2020 and beyond as far as local employment. I will be wrenching on bikes for Andy's Bike Shop, but that isn't all. I'll get to it all here in a bit, but first, let me tell you about Andy and why I chose to go this direction.

Andy Tetmeyer is the owner of the shop. I have known Andy for several years now. He used to work at the shop I left in December. We got along well, and to the point that Andy actually was a volunteer for Trans Iowa v12 at Checkpoint #1. Andy is young, ambitious, and wanted to own his own shop. So, he left that old shop and started up a mobile bike shop to start out with called Andy's Mobile Bike Shop. He ran that for a couple of years before making plans to get a "brick and mortar" location. That location is at 100 East 2nd Street, Suite 105, Cedar Falls, Iowa, 50613.

Andy sought me out and made an offer to hire me, but there is a lot more going on than "just being a wrench" here. The second big chunk of news is that Andy's Bike Shop is now the "Official Bike Shop of Riding Gravel". In fact, the shop has been that, in a very discreet way, for a while now. This will open up a lot of opportunities for synergy of things like marketing, merchandise, and social media, podcasts, and the like. Andy and I have a lot of ideas for the future of both the bike shop and Riding Gravel which are exciting. As things get more clear I will share some of that here in the future, other bits will be on the Riding Gravel front.

This blog will remain a separate entity for the future, so don't expect any big changes here. But, as I mentioned before last week, I may be talking a bit more about work here than I did before, so there may be some "bike shop tales" added here and there.

The immediate future will be me doing work at Andy's on a limited basis until the season starts and then things should formulate and Andy and I will work together to see that we both benefit yearly and through all the seasons. It won't be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is. I am excited though, and this opportunity is one I plan on maximizing to its fullest potential. As I stated, I won't be there much immediately, but when things swing into Spring, and if you happen to be a local, or just swinging through town, please stop in and say "hello".

Andy's Bike Shop can be followed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and You Tube.

Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational 2020 Announcement

A pretty image from last year's GTDRI to whet your appetite.

Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational 2020 will be held July 25th, 2020:

In 2010, David Pals and I were discussing gravelly events and he suggested that I move the date of the GTDRI to the weekend which RAGBRAI ended on. Up to that point the GTDRI date had floated around from late August to early August, and then into late July, avoiding conflicts with Gravel Worlds, and then also with too little daylight to get in the big miles comfortably. I ran the GTDRI a couple of times on the Saturday which RAGBRAI started and got a lot of feedback on that. People didn't want to give up their RAGBY, but they wanted in on the GTDRI too. David's suggestion that many folks would bail on the last day of RAGBY anyway made the final weekend in July the date for the GTDRI for a decade.

Well, if you've kept your ears to the ground concerning our cross-state ride debacle, you know things have gone topsy-turvy and now we have TWO complete weeks of recreational cycling madness planned for July here. Various plans are afoot in regards to shops doing the maintenance gig, riders trying to decide which side of the "Cycling Civil War" they want to support, and all that madness has forced me to take stock here.

Since I have decided to start the ride out of Waterloo, Iowa, and the next weekend is Iowa Irish Fest in town, I decided to slot my ride into the last day of RAGBY again for 2020. So, set your date for the GTDRI as Saturday, July 25th, 2020. Start time should be the traditional 6:00am time I have used in years past as well. The venue will be Prairie Grove Park located on Shaulis Road on the Southern edge of Waterloo, Iowa. There is a good sized gravel lot there which cars can park in. That said, I encourage as many of you to ride to the start as possible to cut down on clutter. It is a public park, and I don't want my ride to monopolize the space there.

The "Old Creamery Trail" was part of T.I.v7 and will be on the 2020 GTDRI

Okay, so now about this course I have come up with. It will be a complete divergence from the "Tour of Dirt Roads" inspired courses of the last three years. This one will focus on towns and villages in the Cedar Valley. The route, as planned now, is a 114 mile affair with towns at about 20 mile intervals. Towns and villages tentatively scheduled to be visited are as follows- Dysart, Garrison, Vinton, Center Point, Brandon, and LaPorte City, Iowa. This course will basically run down the Cedar Valley on either side of I-380 for much of its length.

I am also using elements of former Trans Iowa v4 and v7's courses, along with tiny bits of v12. There may be a bit of v5's course in there too, but I haven't checked on that yet. That said, much of this route I've never been on before. It will have several breaks in the gravel, since every village and town will have pavement leading into and out of them. There will still be a few Level B Roads of course, starting out with Petrie Road's section used in the '17 and '18 GTDRI's.

Expect rolling hills, some flat stuff, but I cannot really comment intelligently on much of the route, as I haven't seen it yet. I suspect, judging from my years of laying out these things, that a couple of the roads are "ridge type", with scenic views, and there are a LOT of off the grid roads on this course. We will also be using the Cedar Valley Nature Trail from Brandon to LaPorte City, which is the same section of that bicycle trail used for T.I.v4. This was done mainly to get us back over the Cedar River without using a busy highway or county road.

Since this route starts so near to me, I will likely recon it via bicycle. Look for reports on that to come in Spring as things get rideable here. I will also be posting the route as it gets confirmed ahead of time for anyone wanting to check it out. There ultimately will be a confirmed GPS file and cues for this route before the ride happens.

Got questions? Hit me up.

Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational 2020 Announcement

A pretty image from last year's GTDRI to whet your appetite.

Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational 2020 will be held July 25th, 2020:

In 2010, David Pals and I were discussing gravelly events and he suggested that I move the date of the GTDRI to the weekend which RAGBRAI ended on. Up to that point the GTDRI date had floated around from late August to early August, and then into late July, avoiding conflicts with Gravel Worlds, and then also with too little daylight to get in the big miles comfortably. I ran the GTDRI a couple of times on the Saturday which RAGBRAI started and got a lot of feedback on that. People didn't want to give up their RAGBY, but they wanted in on the GTDRI too. David's suggestion that many folks would bail on the last day of RAGBY anyway made the final weekend in July the date for the GTDRI for a decade.

Well, if you've kept your ears to the ground concerning our cross-state ride debacle, you know things have gone topsy-turvy and now we have TWO complete weeks of recreational cycling madness planned for July here. Various plans are afoot in regards to shops doing the maintenance gig, riders trying to decide which side of the "Cycling Civil War" they want to support, and all that madness has forced me to take stock here.

Since I have decided to start the ride out of Waterloo, Iowa, and the next weekend is Iowa Irish Fest in town, I decided to slot my ride into the last day of RAGBY again for 2020. So, set your date for the GTDRI as Saturday, July 25th, 2020. Start time should be the traditional 6:00am time I have used in years past as well. The venue will be Prairie Grove Park located on Shaulis Road on the Southern edge of Waterloo, Iowa. There is a good sized gravel lot there which cars can park in. That said, I encourage as many of you to ride to the start as possible to cut down on clutter. It is a public park, and I don't want my ride to monopolize the space there.

The "Old Creamery Trail" was part of T.I.v7 and will be on the 2020 GTDRI

Okay, so now about this course I have come up with. It will be a complete divergence from the "Tour of Dirt Roads" inspired courses of the last three years. This one will focus on towns and villages in the Cedar Valley. The route, as planned now, is a 114 mile affair with towns at about 20 mile intervals. Towns and villages tentatively scheduled to be visited are as follows- Dysart, Garrison, Vinton, Center Point, Brandon, and LaPorte City, Iowa. This course will basically run down the Cedar Valley on either side of I-380 for much of its length.

I am also using elements of former Trans Iowa v4 and v7's courses, along with tiny bits of v12. There may be a bit of v5's course in there too, but I haven't checked on that yet. That said, much of this route I've never been on before. It will have several breaks in the gravel, since every village and town will have pavement leading into and out of them. There will still be a few Level B Roads of course, starting out with Petrie Road's section used in the '17 and '18 GTDRI's.

Expect rolling hills, some flat stuff, but I cannot really comment intelligently on much of the route, as I haven't seen it yet. I suspect, judging from my years of laying out these things, that a couple of the roads are "ridge type", with scenic views, and there are a LOT of off the grid roads on this course. We will also be using the Cedar Valley Nature Trail from Brandon to LaPorte City, which is the same section of that bicycle trail used for T.I.v4. This was done mainly to get us back over the Cedar River without using a busy highway or county road.

Since this route starts so near to me, I will likely recon it via bicycle. Look for reports on that to come in Spring as things get rideable here. I will also be posting the route as it gets confirmed ahead of time for anyone wanting to check it out. There ultimately will be a confirmed GPS file and cues for this route before the ride happens.

Got questions? Hit me up.

Trans Iowa Stories: Subterfuge At The Meeting

 "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject by going back to earlier Sunday posts on this blog. Thanks and enjoy!

One of my all time favorite Trans Iowa stories has to do with a bit of subterfuge and daring on the part of a woman by the name of Tara Brick. I cannot recall how many times I've shared this story about Tara and T.I.v5 orally, but I haven't ever fleshed out all the details on the blog here before, so check this out....

I had a fellow, who at the time of T.I.v5 ran a bike shop in Mason City, Iowa, by the name of Robin Bennett, get into T.I.v5. Along about two months prior to Trans Iowa that year, Robin e-mails me. I figured he was dropping out, but no- he was lobbying me to let in some really great woman cyclist, supposedly great at triathlon, into T.I.v5. Well, that was a hard pass from me. Once registration closed, that was it. I told Robin she should "try next year to get in the proper way". Besides, if I let Tara in, I'd have to let others in that petitioned me as well. Nope! But not to be denied, Robin emailed me at least two more times on her behalf, with similar responses from me each time.

Finally, about two weeks out from Trans Iowa, I get an email from Tara herself, pleading with me to let her in. Okay, by this time the whole ramping up to another Trans Iowa was happening for me, plus I was on the eve of leaving for Sea Otter. I may not have been too kind in my response, I don't remember that, but I do remember being very annoyed by this entire situation, and I was making asides to this in posts on the Trans Iowa site. I should say, I never outed Tara at anytime, but I wasn't sure I could contain my annoyance much longer. Thankfully, she left me alone, and I went on with my life.

After David Pals pulled off the miraculous when he found a spot to hold the pre-race meeting on that May 1st day, (yes- the only Trans Iowa not run in April), I was a LOT more laid back. Everything seemed to be coming together well. We had awesome volunteers, Mark Pals, David's brother, and Daryl Pals, his father, were amongst them. Even Dave Nice, "Fixie Dave", had come out early and lent a hand in stuffing bags again, just like he did for T.I.v2. I was about as relaxed and loose before a Trans Iowa as I ever was before or after.

So, we get to the Pre-Race and I am reading off the rider's names, in the traditional fashion, as they picked up their race bags, (paper that year from World of Bikes- thank you very much!), and I am noticing that it seemed we were having a full roster. No "no-shows", and I was feeling great about that. Well, I am getting on to the back third of names to be called when I call out for a guy, and nothing. Hmm, I call again.....people look around, but nothing. I call one last time. Just before I am about to move on, a young lady jumps up and says, "He told me I could take his spot!"

Taken aback by this outburst, I ask her to repeat herself. She does. I stare at her and a sudden random thought came into my mind just then. I thought, "Okay....... Let's see what she's got!", and I slowly lifted up the paper bag. She looked down at it, took it from my hand, and I asked her to leave her name with David so we could get it on the roster.  Of course, it was Tara. There were plenty of amazed looks by those left in the room, but I was not deterred. David asked me about it afterward, surprised by the turn of events. I explained the situation to him and he seemed pleased. Yes.....let's see what she's made of then! 

A grainy shot of "The Dirty Blue Box" and the T.I.v5 trophy made by David Pals at the start of T.I.v5

Well, we forgot about Tara then, going onward with the event. The next day we started, the morning wore on. Checkpoint #1 was closed and David and I were well on our way toward Checkpoint #2. It was a very sunny, pleasant day. We were in one of those "lulls in the action" when my cell phone crackled to life. It was Cale Wenthur, one of my CP#1 volunteers.

He related to me how he and his friend, Katy, also a volunteer, had headed out for a gravel ride around Williamsburg toward the West after their duties were over at the checkpoint. Then they spotted another cyclist in the distance. Seeing a lone cyclist, they decided to head on in that direction to see what was up. As they approached, Cale told me they could see a number plate, and that the person looked like a Trans Iowa competitor. Seeing that this wasn't anywhere near the course, they became concerned. Was this a racer that was bailing due to injury, were they wandering around, trying to get their way back to Williamsburg?

Well, it turned out to be Tara. Somehow or another she had gotten turned around off course, found a road with a similar name to what she saw on the cues, (it is not uncommon for adjacent counties to use similar, or even identical names/numbers to mark roads), and she was trying to make sense out of cues which didn't make any sense. Cale then used his iPhone with Google Maps, (new at that point in history) and figured out she was 70 miles off course and had no hope of making it back on course in time to make CP#2 before the cut-off. They pointed her off in the direction of Williamsburg, and that was another DNF to add to our list of ever-increasing DNF's on that day.

David and I had a bit of a chuckle after that. But credit Tara, who could have easily never come back to another T.I. She showed up for T.I.v7, and put in a solid ride, but eventually missed a checkpoint cut-off and did not finish.

That was another "one-off" which characterized this particular Trans Iowa. Something so odd, and notable, and which the likes of were to never happen again in Trans Iowa's history.

Next: Three Quick Tales About V5  

Trans Iowa Stories: Subterfuge At The Meeting

 "Trans Iowa Stories" is an every Sunday post which helps tell the stories behind the event. You can check out other posts about this subject by going back to earlier Sunday posts on this blog. Thanks and enjoy!

One of my all time favorite Trans Iowa stories has to do with a bit of subterfuge and daring on the part of a woman by the name of Tara Brick. I cannot recall how many times I've shared this story about Tara and T.I.v5 orally, but I haven't ever fleshed out all the details on the blog here before, so check this out....

I had a fellow, who at the time of T.I.v5 ran a bike shop in Mason City, Iowa, by the name of Robin Bennett, get into T.I.v5. Along about two months prior to Trans Iowa that year, Robin e-mails me. I figured he was dropping out, but no- he was lobbying me to let in some really great woman cyclist, supposedly great at triathlon, into T.I.v5. Well, that was a hard pass from me. Once registration closed, that was it. I told Robin she should "try next year to get in the proper way". Besides, if I let Tara in, I'd have to let others in that petitioned me as well. Nope! But not to be denied, Robin emailed me at least two more times on her behalf, with similar responses from me each time.

Finally, about two weeks out from Trans Iowa, I get an email from Tara herself, pleading with me to let her in. Okay, by this time the whole ramping up to another Trans Iowa was happening for me, plus I was on the eve of leaving for Sea Otter. I may not have been too kind in my response, I don't remember that, but I do remember being very annoyed by this entire situation, and I was making asides to this in posts on the Trans Iowa site. I should say, I never outed Tara at anytime, but I wasn't sure I could contain my annoyance much longer. Thankfully, she left me alone, and I went on with my life.

After David Pals pulled off the miraculous when he found a spot to hold the pre-race meeting on that May 1st day, (yes- the only Trans Iowa not run in April), I was a LOT more laid back. Everything seemed to be coming together well. We had awesome volunteers, Mark Pals, David's brother, and Daryl Pals, his father, were amongst them. Even Dave Nice, "Fixie Dave", had come out early and lent a hand in stuffing bags again, just like he did for T.I.v2. I was about as relaxed and loose before a Trans Iowa as I ever was before or after.

So, we get to the Pre-Race and I am reading off the rider's names, in the traditional fashion, as they picked up their race bags, (paper that year from World of Bikes- thank you very much!), and I am noticing that it seemed we were having a full roster. No "no-shows", and I was feeling great about that. Well, I am getting on to the back third of names to be called when I call out for a guy, and nothing. Hmm, I call again.....people look around, but nothing. I call one last time. Just before I am about to move on, a young lady jumps up and says, "He told me I could take his spot!"

Taken aback by this outburst, I ask her to repeat herself. She does. I stare at her and a sudden random thought came into my mind just then. I thought, "Okay....... Let's see what she's got!", and I slowly lifted up the paper bag. She looked down at it, took it from my hand, and I asked her to leave her name with David so we could get it on the roster.  Of course, it was Tara. There were plenty of amazed looks by those left in the room, but I was not deterred. David asked me about it afterward, surprised by the turn of events. I explained the situation to him and he seemed pleased. Yes.....let's see what she's made of then! 

A grainy shot of "The Dirty Blue Box" and the T.I.v5 trophy made by David Pals at the start of T.I.v5

Well, we forgot about Tara then, going onward with the event. The next day we started, the morning wore on. Checkpoint #1 was closed and David and I were well on our way toward Checkpoint #2. It was a very sunny, pleasant day. We were in one of those "lulls in the action" when my cell phone crackled to life. It was Cale Wenthur, one of my CP#1 volunteers.

He related to me how he and his friend, Katy, also a volunteer, had headed out for a gravel ride around Williamsburg toward the West after their duties were over at the checkpoint. Then they spotted another cyclist in the distance. Seeing a lone cyclist, they decided to head on in that direction to see what was up. As they approached, Cale told me they could see a number plate, and that the person looked like a Trans Iowa competitor. Seeing that this wasn't anywhere near the course, they became concerned. Was this a racer that was bailing due to injury, were they wandering around, trying to get their way back to Williamsburg?

Well, it turned out to be Tara. Somehow or another she had gotten turned around off course, found a road with a similar name to what she saw on the cues, (it is not uncommon for adjacent counties to use similar, or even identical names/numbers to mark roads), and she was trying to make sense out of cues which didn't make any sense. Cale then used his iPhone with Google Maps, (new at that point in history) and figured out she was 70 miles off course and had no hope of making it back on course in time to make CP#2 before the cut-off. They pointed her off in the direction of Williamsburg, and that was another DNF to add to our list of ever-increasing DNF's on that day.

David and I had a bit of a chuckle after that. But credit Tara, who could have easily never come back to another T.I. She showed up for T.I.v7, and put in a solid ride, but eventually missed a checkpoint cut-off and did not finish.

That was another "one-off" which characterized this particular Trans Iowa. Something so odd, and notable, and which the likes of were to never happen again in Trans Iowa's history.

Next: Three Quick Tales About V5  

The "FN&V" Story

Yesterday was the first Friday of 2020 and there was no "Friday News And Views" post. Maybe you missed that? I am thinking many of you do, as the "FN&V" posts are often my highest read posts in terms of views based upon my stat counter. It's obvious that many readers of the blog tend to look for that.

So, I thought it might be fun to look into where that came from, because I didn't always do those posts. The "FN&V" is a fixture of the blog these days, but when did that start? I didn't know, or couldn't remember, so I started doing a bit of research.

I noticed that over the years that I had been doing the "Minus Ten Review" that "FN&V" posts weren't happening on any regular basis, and in fact, I just would post a "News And Views" post any ol' day I felt like it, apparently. There were "News And Views" posts on every day of the work week, Monday through Friday, just randomly, for several years on the blog. My favored day for a while was Wednesday, as I had come across many a "Wednesday News And Views" post, but in one instance that I am aware of, I did a "News And Views" post three days in a row!

I noted during my research that a "FN&V" post started becoming more of a thing in 2010, but I was still doing Wednesdays, Thursdays, or nothing at all, randomly, all that year. This seemed to persist through the beginning of 2011, but along about July of that year I seem to have settled upon doing the "FN&V" and it has been that way ever since, as far as I could see.

The whole "Friday News And Views" post thing really started taking off, as far as stats, a few years ago now. It is by far the busiest day, or at least the most viewed post, of any week here. Only "hot button" issues seem to garner bigger numbers, like the just concluded series, or when I announced I was leaving my old job, and only then do I see numbers that surpass an "FN&V" post. The seasonal "views" posts, (Spring Views, Country Views, Winter Views, etc), get some bigger numbers, but generally "FN&V" surpasses even those.

So, if you wonder why I keep doing those "Friday News And Views" posts, or if you wonder if I had maybe forgotten this week, or stopped them altogether, well, now you know. I'm not going to quit doing the most popular thing on the blog.

The "FN&V" Story

Yesterday was the first Friday of 2020 and there was no "Friday News And Views" post. Maybe you missed that? I am thinking many of you do, as the "FN&V" posts are often my highest read posts in terms of views based upon my stat counter. It's obvious that many readers of the blog tend to look for that.

So, I thought it might be fun to look into where that came from, because I didn't always do those posts. The "FN&V" is a fixture of the blog these days, but when did that start? I didn't know, or couldn't remember, so I started doing a bit of research.

I noticed that over the years that I had been doing the "Minus Ten Review" that "FN&V" posts weren't happening on any regular basis, and in fact, I just would post a "News And Views" post any ol' day I felt like it, apparently. There were "News And Views" posts on every day of the work week, Monday through Friday, just randomly, for several years on the blog. My favored day for a while was Wednesday, as I had come across many a "Wednesday News And Views" post, but in one instance that I am aware of, I did a "News And Views" post three days in a row!

I noted during my research that a "FN&V" post started becoming more of a thing in 2010, but I was still doing Wednesdays, Thursdays, or nothing at all, randomly, all that year. This seemed to persist through the beginning of 2011, but along about July of that year I seem to have settled upon doing the "FN&V" and it has been that way ever since, as far as I could see.

The whole "Friday News And Views" post thing really started taking off, as far as stats, a few years ago now. It is by far the busiest day, or at least the most viewed post, of any week here. Only "hot button" issues seem to garner bigger numbers, like the just concluded series, or when I announced I was leaving my old job, and only then do I see numbers that surpass an "FN&V" post. The seasonal "views" posts, (Spring Views, Country Views, Winter Views, etc), get some bigger numbers, but generally "FN&V" surpasses even those.

So, if you wonder why I keep doing those "Friday News And Views" posts, or if you wonder if I had maybe forgotten this week, or stopped them altogether, well, now you know. I'm not going to quit doing the most popular thing on the blog.

The State Of The Gravel Scene - 2020; Part 3

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

This is the third and last in this year's "State of the Gravel Scene" posts. 

Grassroots Gravel In The Age Of "Big Time" Events: 

Sometimes I have to remind myself that even in the year 2020, a full fifteen years after the first Trans Iowa, that people are still "discovering gravel" and that the punters and media wonks think it is the "new thing" yet. Obviously gravel cycling has grown up over the last 15 years. At least the "modern version" of it. Heck, even "Velo News" has a weekly Wednesday column on the genre now. So, if that site has consistent coverage on gravel/all-road cycling, you know it is something that is worthwhile covering from an impact and monetary viewpoint. They pretty much had to start talking about it. 

Oh, I'm sure they want to as well, but make no mistake- gravel cycling is big time now- both in numbers of riders, in terms of impact on the industry, and in terms of money out there to be made from it. So, is it all over? Is grassroots gravel grinding going away while corporate entities and hordes of fans run rough shod over what was fun, free, and alive?

In a word- No.

I've beat this drum to death on here, and mentioned it in a previous post in this series, but my take is that there is a definite and strong reaction to the "Big Time Gravel Machine". It takes the form of what I already mentioned as "pop-up" gravel events, and it also takes the form of many low-key, down to earth events that hearken back to the late 00's gravel scene. But I also can tell you that people have been saying that "gravel is dead" for a decade. Even I felt that way at one time, but I have come to realize that the scene just keeps reinventing itself despite the "big time" productions, higher than high entry fees, and marketing and promotion shtick that makes you shake your head in disbelief.

Yes, me- Guitar Ted - thought gravel had lost its soul at one time. It would have been around 2010, or maybe it was 2009. Hmmm....... Anyway, the "soul sister" to Trans Iowa, the Dirty Kanza 200, was going "big time" and I felt that if this is how gravel events look in the future than I am not going to like it. I was fond of the spontaneity, the freedom, and the intimacy that "Small Dirty Kanza" had. That was special. I felt it needed to be nurtured, not slathered in fancy trappings and what not. But Jim Cummins saw it differently.  In years afterward I saw several finish lines of DK200's, and I participated in the 10th DK200, and I get it. I see why Jim wanted to expand the opportunity to the many, and not nurture the way it was for the few.

That said, I feel there should be both things. And there are, if you shut out all the "shouting" by the "Big Time Gravel Machine" Those events which feature the vibe that the '06 DK200 had are still out there. Most are like these "pop-up" events which I see a lot of now. Group rides, annual gatherings, or one-off deals. They happen all the time in numbers too big to count here.

So, I feel that if "grassroots" gravel, the "soul" thing, is what you are after, it probably will be found in several smaller events. It definitely will be found in the "local scenes", the group rides, and the annual gatherings some have where there may be competition, but it is mostly about just being out there. Making yourself go further than you thought you could. Doing things that you didn't know you could do. You don't need a fancy finish line, slick website, timing chips, or a three digit entry fee to get that. You just need to pay attention to the quieter things and get out there.

That's the end of "The State of the Gravel Scene - 2020" for this round.

The State Of The Gravel Scene - 2020; Part 3

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

This is the third and last in this year's "State of the Gravel Scene" posts. 

Grassroots Gravel In The Age Of "Big Time" Events: 

Sometimes I have to remind myself that even in the year 2020, a full fifteen years after the first Trans Iowa, that people are still "discovering gravel" and that the punters and media wonks think it is the "new thing" yet. Obviously gravel cycling has grown up over the last 15 years. At least the "modern version" of it. Heck, even "Velo News" has a weekly Wednesday column on the genre now. So, if that site has consistent coverage on gravel/all-road cycling, you know it is something that is worthwhile covering from an impact and monetary viewpoint. They pretty much had to start talking about it. 

Oh, I'm sure they want to as well, but make no mistake- gravel cycling is big time now- both in numbers of riders, in terms of impact on the industry, and in terms of money out there to be made from it. So, is it all over? Is grassroots gravel grinding going away while corporate entities and hordes of fans run rough shod over what was fun, free, and alive?

In a word- No.

I've beat this drum to death on here, and mentioned it in a previous post in this series, but my take is that there is a definite and strong reaction to the "Big Time Gravel Machine". It takes the form of what I already mentioned as "pop-up" gravel events, and it also takes the form of many low-key, down to earth events that hearken back to the late 00's gravel scene. But I also can tell you that people have been saying that "gravel is dead" for a decade. Even I felt that way at one time, but I have come to realize that the scene just keeps reinventing itself despite the "big time" productions, higher than high entry fees, and marketing and promotion shtick that makes you shake your head in disbelief.

Yes, me- Guitar Ted - thought gravel had lost its soul at one time. It would have been around 2010, or maybe it was 2009. Hmmm....... Anyway, the "soul sister" to Trans Iowa, the Dirty Kanza 200, was going "big time" and I felt that if this is how gravel events look in the future than I am not going to like it. I was fond of the spontaneity, the freedom, and the intimacy that "Small Dirty Kanza" had. That was special. I felt it needed to be nurtured, not slathered in fancy trappings and what not. But Jim Cummins saw it differently.  In years afterward I saw several finish lines of DK200's, and I participated in the 10th DK200, and I get it. I see why Jim wanted to expand the opportunity to the many, and not nurture the way it was for the few.

That said, I feel there should be both things. And there are, if you shut out all the "shouting" by the "Big Time Gravel Machine" Those events which feature the vibe that the '06 DK200 had are still out there. Most are like these "pop-up" events which I see a lot of now. Group rides, annual gatherings, or one-off deals. They happen all the time in numbers too big to count here.

So, I feel that if "grassroots" gravel, the "soul" thing, is what you are after, it probably will be found in several smaller events. It definitely will be found in the "local scenes", the group rides, and the annual gatherings some have where there may be competition, but it is mostly about just being out there. Making yourself go further than you thought you could. Doing things that you didn't know you could do. You don't need a fancy finish line, slick website, timing chips, or a three digit entry fee to get that. You just need to pay attention to the quieter things and get out there.

That's the end of "The State of the Gravel Scene - 2020" for this round.

The State Of The Gravel Scene : 2020: Part 2

Note: This is the second part of "The State Of The Gravel Scene- 2020" posts. Part 1 can be seen here. 

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

 Dealing With Electric Bicycles (HPC's)

The ongoing popularity, and the ever increasing industry clamor, for electric assisted bicycles, or "Hybrid Powered Cycles",as I like to call them, has infiltrated the gravel scene, of course. There are now events which offer specific categories for HPC users. I have some thoughts and predictions for this as it concerns gravel events. This isn't going to be a very popular opinion with advocates of HPC rigs, but if you have cogent, well thought out rebuttals, I am all ears. Just do not expect me to respond to the trite, well worn, typical responses folks give when HPC's are criticized. Like "well, if it gets more people riding, then.....". I have no time for that unless you have hard numbers to back it up. If you know people that are "having more fun" now, well, drop that one too. That means absolutely nothing in regard to this post. Okay? So, let's dive in.......

When we talk about cycling, it is a given that you can "buy" a certain amount of ( real or perceived ) advantage over your competition. Lighter weight things, more aero things, coaching, nutrition, and more. It's what drives the cycling industry. Think about that and how it affects electric motors.

We already are seeing lighter and lighter weight HPC rigs. They are astronomically expensive, but like I said, money can always buy "advantages" in this game. There will become a point where spending more won't make sense for grams of lightness though, and when that happens, where do you think the focus will be next? If you are thinking, on the motors/batteries, you are on the right track.

Now you may be thinking, "Yeah, but with the three class e-bike regulations, no one will have anything for sale that is more powerful." If this is you, I am sorry, but you are a fool. Right now, at this very moment, you can Google this category of two-wheeled transpo and find examples of throttle powered rigs that go faster, longer, and don't need pedal assistance to do it, than any "Class 3" bike on the market. Many times they are also cheaper. And then there are the modders.

Tell me no one will mod a HPC to cheat in a race/event. Go ahead. Again, you are very foolish to think it will not happen, if it hasn't already. And making this the responsibility of event promoters, or "governing bodies" is not the answer. Laying on more layers of inspection, rules, regulations, and dealing with all that for events will, in the end, bring on less, not more, participation. It will get harder for many people to even achieve any level close to what top-dollar spending, or smarter cheating riders, will have at start lines, so why bother? Think I'm nuts? Go look at the histories of any of the motorized sports. Every one of them is rife with rules, cheating, high dollar engineering, and less participation. 

The electrification of bicycles was supposed to get more people riding bikes. Is it? Again, specifically with regard to bringing new folks into the sport of gravel, only well-heeled folks are going to be able to even afford it. The extra batteries, maintenance, and initial cost to get a HPC gravel rig will always be more than traditional, 100% human powered bicycles, and obviously, we aren't knocking down the doors with new riders here. Sure, I see some folks I never saw on bicycles doing gravel, but slapping a motor on a bicycle isn't going to increase that number in and of itself. What will it take? The "inclusive nature", low cost, low barriers to entry gravel events, and people willing to reach out to marginalized folk, non-cyclists, and youth. Note: no electronic devices will achieve this goal. Only a genuine attempt from the heart will continue to grow "the pie", as it were, of gravel riders. Slapping motors on bikes and offering categories for them at gravel events will not do this.

Next- What "Grassroots Gravel" Should Be In 2020 And Beyond.

The State Of The Gravel Scene : 2020: Part 2

Note: This is the second part of "The State Of The Gravel Scene- 2020" posts. Part 1 can be seen here. 

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

 Dealing With Electric Bicycles (HPC's)

The ongoing popularity, and the ever increasing industry clamor, for electric assisted bicycles, or "Hybrid Powered Cycles",as I like to call them, has infiltrated the gravel scene, of course. There are now events which offer specific categories for HPC users. I have some thoughts and predictions for this as it concerns gravel events. This isn't going to be a very popular opinion with advocates of HPC rigs, but if you have cogent, well thought out rebuttals, I am all ears. Just do not expect me to respond to the trite, well worn, typical responses folks give when HPC's are criticized. Like "well, if it gets more people riding, then.....". I have no time for that unless you have hard numbers to back it up. If you know people that are "having more fun" now, well, drop that one too. That means absolutely nothing in regard to this post. Okay? So, let's dive in.......

When we talk about cycling, it is a given that you can "buy" a certain amount of ( real or perceived ) advantage over your competition. Lighter weight things, more aero things, coaching, nutrition, and more. It's what drives the cycling industry. Think about that and how it affects electric motors.

We already are seeing lighter and lighter weight HPC rigs. They are astronomically expensive, but like I said, money can always buy "advantages" in this game. There will become a point where spending more won't make sense for grams of lightness though, and when that happens, where do you think the focus will be next? If you are thinking, on the motors/batteries, you are on the right track.

Now you may be thinking, "Yeah, but with the three class e-bike regulations, no one will have anything for sale that is more powerful." If this is you, I am sorry, but you are a fool. Right now, at this very moment, you can Google this category of two-wheeled transpo and find examples of throttle powered rigs that go faster, longer, and don't need pedal assistance to do it, than any "Class 3" bike on the market. Many times they are also cheaper. And then there are the modders.

Tell me no one will mod a HPC to cheat in a race/event. Go ahead. Again, you are very foolish to think it will not happen, if it hasn't already. And making this the responsibility of event promoters, or "governing bodies" is not the answer. Laying on more layers of inspection, rules, regulations, and dealing with all that for events will, in the end, bring on less, not more, participation. It will get harder for many people to even achieve any level close to what top-dollar spending, or smarter cheating riders, will have at start lines, so why bother? Think I'm nuts? Go look at the histories of any of the motorized sports. Every one of them is rife with rules, cheating, high dollar engineering, and less participation. 

The electrification of bicycles was supposed to get more people riding bikes. Is it? Again, specifically with regard to bringing new folks into the sport of gravel, only well-heeled folks are going to be able to even afford it. The extra batteries, maintenance, and initial cost to get a HPC gravel rig will always be more than traditional, 100% human powered bicycles, and obviously, we aren't knocking down the doors with new riders here. Sure, I see some folks I never saw on bicycles doing gravel, but slapping a motor on a bicycle isn't going to increase that number in and of itself. What will it take? The "inclusive nature", low cost, low barriers to entry gravel events, and people willing to reach out to marginalized folk, non-cyclists, and youth. Note: no electronic devices will achieve this goal. Only a genuine attempt from the heart will continue to grow "the pie", as it were, of gravel riders. Slapping motors on bikes and offering categories for them at gravel events will not do this.

Next- What "Grassroots Gravel" Should Be In 2020 And Beyond.

The State Of The Gravel Scene - 2020: Part 1

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

Change- The old axiom says "The only constant is change", but when it happens it upsets people. Not everyone likes change. To be fair, some relish change, but most folks get uncomfortable when they are prodded out of their 'comfort zones" by the inevitable force called change.

My prediction for 2020 gravel riding: "There are going to be a lot of uncomfortable people."

Big changes are coming now that the racing industry and the bicycle industry are all now on the same page when it comes to what venue of cycling is going to get their attention. That would be the so-called "gravel events". This includes anything "all-road", and "gravel", or "multi-surface". Whatever you think it should be called, the industry- both racing and cycling- call it "gravel" for better or worse. Point is, what "gravel" is about is going to be heavily impacted by the captains of the very entities that made the grassroots rural cycling scene begin in the first place. In fact, it might behoove us to remind ourselves at this point just what it was that propelled this form of off-pavement cycling in the first place. The following is from my "State of the Gravel Scene" series which I published on this blog in 2018.

I think there were a few key things that helped spark the gravel grinding scene then. 

• No oversight, no governing body. You didn't have to deal with anyone else's idea of what gravel cycling looked like. You could frame an event in any way you wanted with no licensing fee, no extras to buy, and if you wanted- no insurance. You could even charge no entry fee. This knocked down a lot of barriers to event production and rider participation. 
• You could do this on public roads almost anywhere in rural areas. This meant you didn't have to pay a venue to have an event. 
• You could invite anyone to come. It wasn't a "roadie event", a "mountain biker event", nor was it tailored for any specific group of cyclists. Anyone and everyone was welcomed, and as it turned out, they were accepted. 

I am going to take these three points and expound on how they are going to look in 2020 and beyond. 

Governing Bodies: The chit-chat now is that the UCI and USAC- the Pro governing bodies of bicycle racing worldwide and here in the USA respectively, are coming in to set up gravel races and possibly take control of executing rules and continuity across existing events. Already we know that Life Time Events, owners of Dirty Kanza, the new Big Sugar NWA Gravel, and now the Crusher In The Tushar, are looking at having a six event series eventually. There will be rules and whatnot across those events for the sake of continuity as well. (In fact, the new Big Sugar event has an almost word for word copy of the rule book for the DK200.) Other, smaller series of gravel events already exist in Michigan, Mississippi, and elsewhere. The potential for many of these smaller series of events to adopt rules which would allow riders to cross series, gain "points" for a season, and basically recreate the USAC criterium./road racing set up for gravel is looking more likely every year now. 

Think that sounds nuts? Well, there already is an arbitrary points system, (which no one asked for), being done by a site called "Pure Gravel" . Their criteria for inclusion is, amongst other things, having a race with a field of at least 500, and having more than 33% gravel on the course. So, if you contest smaller events, you won't get "points", and what do you think that sort of idea will do for smaller events? Yeah.....apparently being "inclusive" is really exclusive when it comes to making rules about competition. Does any of that sound familiar? 

Furthermore, on December 21st, 2019, USAC announced that it had partnered with the Grand Fondo National Championships, an organization founded by GFNC series event director, Rueben Kline, to expand his nine event series into a nationwide series which would serve to crown "National Champions" in age groups and categories. USAC says it wants to merge competitive and participatory cycling events and to "elevate" riders experiences with the chances to win a National Championship jersey and become members of USAC. 

We've already heard of a few Gran Fondo riders being sanctioned for doping, (really!), and what do you think this sort of arrangement will do for the chances of this happening again? And of course- you've got to wonder about things like Life Time's events and USAC getting together. I'm saying this is in the cards.Want more evidence? How about a reigning World Champion Juniors Road racer showing up to contest the DK200 alongside the World Pro Tour events on his calendar?

Governmental Oversight Of Public Roads: Generally speaking, most governments, (county and state) could care less about a 100 guys and gals riding in the middle of nowhere. That is, unless money is involved, expectations of people are heightened, and the possibilities of rankling the local populace comes into play. Look no further than the former Almanzo event, (for just one example I am aware of) which had issues with public urination, farm animals getting injured and dying, and raising the ire of municipalities where the event was first run out of. The Almanzo was a free event. There was no money in it from the promotions side, and the towns it was staged in and through stood to benefit from an economic boost. But with entry fees reaching triple digits, governmental officials are going to start raising eyebrows, and already are, when gravel events come knocking on their doors to stage events. The "easy to set up" gravel event may die a death due to the sheer popularity of the grand gravel events where getting money out of the scene for government uses becomes too tantalizing to resist. There will then perhaps be no distinction between gravel events of any size, and requirements of insurance and policing will quash what was once a thriving scene. It happened to paved road events, so there is a precedent here.

In fact, many gravel events already deal with permitting fees and releases from the BLM and Forestry Services. MTB events in the Chequamegon area of Wisconsin are under the threat of raising entry fees to cover permitting/taxation fees which are going to go into the County's general fund. Even the Hungry Bear gravel event, which is held in the area, has to comply with this new "tax". Don't think for a minute that the popularity of gravel events is going unnoticed by government officials. There is money in it, and they will want a piece of that pie. This will help propagate more "pop up" gravel events, (see below).

Welcoming Atmosphere: Of all the original intents and attractions of the early gravel scene, this is the one that the governing bodies, the series, and the big, fancy events cannot replicate. In fact, those big events, series, and the relationships with the governing bodies are almost always exclusionary. You cannot participate unless you have "won a lottery", paid a triple digit entry fee, or unless you fit a category and accumulate "points". You are forced into a culture of increased spending on almost everything surrounding "just riding a bicycle". This ends up, almost always, keeping competitive cycling the way it has been for decades. Do we really want to perpetuate that? Because I do not see the way the series ideas work, the corporatization of events, nor any of the governing bodies doing anything significantly different than before.

That's why I feel "pop up" gravel events and smaller, less corporate events will still thrive. These are events that, most generally, are recreational, fun oriented adventures on gravel, but not necessarily always that. Some of these are competitions, but at a very low key, super-simple level. They are often times regularly scheduled group rides. I see a lot of this on Facebook, and on some other social media platforms. Typically these rides are themed, or spur-of-the-moment affairs, with little to no organization generally associated with an "event". No numbers, fees, or licenses required. Government agencies won't even know these events are happening until it is too late.  Or, they will embrace these events as opportunities for organically generated income in the form of businesses benefiting from riders who come to do an event. 

These events won't push the needle of "Big Corporate Gravel" or nosey governments. Self-important websites and "official sanctioning bodies" won't care, because the events are too small.  I see this category growing even more as a reaction to what is going on with higher entry fees and more organized rides which preclude folks from participating due to finances, lottery drawing for entries, or other limiting factors and barriers to participation. Considering the possibilities for permitting and taxation by governments, this seems to also be a factor which I believe will push gravel "pop-up" events even further under the radar. 

Next: The State Of The Gravel Scene - 2020: Part 2 

The State Of The Gravel Scene - 2020: Part 1

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

Change- The old axiom says "The only constant is change", but when it happens it upsets people. Not everyone likes change. To be fair, some relish change, but most folks get uncomfortable when they are prodded out of their 'comfort zones" by the inevitable force called change.

My prediction for 2020 gravel riding: "There are going to be a lot of uncomfortable people."

Big changes are coming now that the racing industry and the bicycle industry are all now on the same page when it comes to what venue of cycling is going to get their attention. That would be the so-called "gravel events". This includes anything "all-road", and "gravel", or "multi-surface". Whatever you think it should be called, the industry- both racing and cycling- call it "gravel" for better or worse. Point is, what "gravel" is about is going to be heavily impacted by the captains of the very entities that made the grassroots rural cycling scene begin in the first place. In fact, it might behoove us to remind ourselves at this point just what it was that propelled this form of off-pavement cycling in the first place. The following is from my "State of the Gravel Scene" series which I published on this blog in 2018.

I think there were a few key things that helped spark the gravel grinding scene then. 

• No oversight, no governing body. You didn't have to deal with anyone else's idea of what gravel cycling looked like. You could frame an event in any way you wanted with no licensing fee, no extras to buy, and if you wanted- no insurance. You could even charge no entry fee. This knocked down a lot of barriers to event production and rider participation. 
• You could do this on public roads almost anywhere in rural areas. This meant you didn't have to pay a venue to have an event. 
• You could invite anyone to come. It wasn't a "roadie event", a "mountain biker event", nor was it tailored for any specific group of cyclists. Anyone and everyone was welcomed, and as it turned out, they were accepted. 

I am going to take these three points and expound on how they are going to look in 2020 and beyond. 

Governing Bodies: The chit-chat now is that the UCI and USAC- the Pro governing bodies of bicycle racing worldwide and here in the USA respectively, are coming in to set up gravel races and possibly take control of executing rules and continuity across existing events. Already we know that Life Time Events, owners of Dirty Kanza, the new Big Sugar NWA Gravel, and now the Crusher In The Tushar, are looking at having a six event series eventually. There will be rules and whatnot across those events for the sake of continuity as well. (In fact, the new Big Sugar event has an almost word for word copy of the rule book for the DK200.) Other, smaller series of gravel events already exist in Michigan, Mississippi, and elsewhere. The potential for many of these smaller series of events to adopt rules which would allow riders to cross series, gain "points" for a season, and basically recreate the USAC criterium./road racing set up for gravel is looking more likely every year now. 

Think that sounds nuts? Well, there already is an arbitrary points system, (which no one asked for), being done by a site called "Pure Gravel" . Their criteria for inclusion is, amongst other things, having a race with a field of at least 500, and having more than 33% gravel on the course. So, if you contest smaller events, you won't get "points", and what do you think that sort of idea will do for smaller events? Yeah.....apparently being "inclusive" is really exclusive when it comes to making rules about competition. Does any of that sound familiar? 

Furthermore, on December 21st, 2019, USAC announced that it had partnered with the Grand Fondo National Championships, an organization founded by GFNC series event director, Rueben Kline, to expand his nine event series into a nationwide series which would serve to crown "National Champions" in age groups and categories. USAC says it wants to merge competitive and participatory cycling events and to "elevate" riders experiences with the chances to win a National Championship jersey and become members of USAC. 

We've already heard of a few Gran Fondo riders being sanctioned for doping, (really!), and what do you think this sort of arrangement will do for the chances of this happening again? And of course- you've got to wonder about things like Life Time's events and USAC getting together. I'm saying this is in the cards.Want more evidence? How about a reigning World Champion Juniors Road racer showing up to contest the DK200 alongside the World Pro Tour events on his calendar?

Governmental Oversight Of Public Roads: Generally speaking, most governments, (county and state) could care less about a 100 guys and gals riding in the middle of nowhere. That is, unless money is involved, expectations of people are heightened, and the possibilities of rankling the local populace comes into play. Look no further than the former Almanzo event, (for just one example I am aware of) which had issues with public urination, farm animals getting injured and dying, and raising the ire of municipalities where the event was first run out of. The Almanzo was a free event. There was no money in it from the promotions side, and the towns it was staged in and through stood to benefit from an economic boost. But with entry fees reaching triple digits, governmental officials are going to start raising eyebrows, and already are, when gravel events come knocking on their doors to stage events. The "easy to set up" gravel event may die a death due to the sheer popularity of the grand gravel events where getting money out of the scene for government uses becomes too tantalizing to resist. There will then perhaps be no distinction between gravel events of any size, and requirements of insurance and policing will quash what was once a thriving scene. It happened to paved road events, so there is a precedent here.

In fact, many gravel events already deal with permitting fees and releases from the BLM and Forestry Services. MTB events in the Chequamegon area of Wisconsin are under the threat of raising entry fees to cover permitting/taxation fees which are going to go into the County's general fund. Even the Hungry Bear gravel event, which is held in the area, has to comply with this new "tax". Don't think for a minute that the popularity of gravel events is going unnoticed by government officials. There is money in it, and they will want a piece of that pie. This will help propagate more "pop up" gravel events, (see below).

Welcoming Atmosphere: Of all the original intents and attractions of the early gravel scene, this is the one that the governing bodies, the series, and the big, fancy events cannot replicate. In fact, those big events, series, and the relationships with the governing bodies are almost always exclusionary. You cannot participate unless you have "won a lottery", paid a triple digit entry fee, or unless you fit a category and accumulate "points". You are forced into a culture of increased spending on almost everything surrounding "just riding a bicycle". This ends up, almost always, keeping competitive cycling the way it has been for decades. Do we really want to perpetuate that? Because I do not see the way the series ideas work, the corporatization of events, nor any of the governing bodies doing anything significantly different than before.

That's why I feel "pop up" gravel events and smaller, less corporate events will still thrive. These are events that, most generally, are recreational, fun oriented adventures on gravel, but not necessarily always that. Some of these are competitions, but at a very low key, super-simple level. They are often times regularly scheduled group rides. I see a lot of this on Facebook, and on some other social media platforms. Typically these rides are themed, or spur-of-the-moment affairs, with little to no organization generally associated with an "event". No numbers, fees, or licenses required. Government agencies won't even know these events are happening until it is too late.  Or, they will embrace these events as opportunities for organically generated income in the form of businesses benefiting from riders who come to do an event. 

These events won't push the needle of "Big Corporate Gravel" or nosey governments. Self-important websites and "official sanctioning bodies" won't care, because the events are too small.  I see this category growing even more as a reaction to what is going on with higher entry fees and more organized rides which preclude folks from participating due to finances, lottery drawing for entries, or other limiting factors and barriers to participation. Considering the possibilities for permitting and taxation by governments, this seems to also be a factor which I believe will push gravel "pop-up" events even further under the radar. 

Next: The State Of The Gravel Scene - 2020: Part 2