Saturday, May 02, 2009
Friday, May 01, 2009
One More Before I Go, Please.
I wasn't going to post, and then I thought I'd squeeze in one non-T.I. related post. But who am I kidding?
Crap......here I go!
On the eve of kicking off the fifth one, I have many mixed thoughts. In no particular order....
This is where I think I'm stupid, crazy, and totally loony for doing this. I know what I'm looking at: Friday- running around picking up some last minute supplies, heading out to look at a few roads, meeting up with some of the crew and prepping for the pre-race. Do pre-race, head back for a few fitful hours of sleep, (and I do mean a few- if any) and then it's time to run T.I.V5. I figure it'll be in the neighborhood of 30 plus hours of being awake with maybe a few hours of sleep, then back at it until I get home Sunday night. Worst case scenario- no sleep for 40 plus hours.
Crazy? Do you need to even ask?
How much longer? I figure the someday I will stop doing this gig is closer than the day I started. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't really think so.....right now!
The roster shrinkage is interesting this year. Funny how the vast majority of folks left are former T.I. vets. Does that say anything? Dunno myself, just sayin' that's what I see.
Weather: Boy.....could it be much better? If the roads weren't muddy in spots, this would be on par with T.I.V3. But I don't think the roads will be quite the same as those were.....
People: Once again, the people that are involved are amazing. Honestly, it is the reward I get for doing all the work and preparations. Example: I got a phone call at work Thursday morning. The caller is in this years T.I. He says, "I just wanted to call now and tell you thanks. This is going to be awesome!..." That's gold right there. And I know a lot more of you will say similar things. I am humbled......
I can't wait to get to the other side of this. Really, I don't care for all the hullabaloo that comes with the position I find myself in. Maybe this will explain. My favorite T.I. memories are always from the middle of Saturday night/Sunday morning. When it is all quiet and peaceful. When the stars twinkle, and I am alone with my thoughts. There's something really cool about being "up all night" that I have relished since childhood. Trans Iowa is a great excuse for me being up all night now. A much better one than I had back in my 20's, that's for sure!
Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys this coming Trans Iowa. I hope that the stories are epic, and no one gets seriously hurt. I hope everyone makes it back home safely and has a great story to tell for years to come.
And if you can't be here, ride your bike. Ride it and have a blast doing it.
See ya on the other side!
Crap......here I go!
On the eve of kicking off the fifth one, I have many mixed thoughts. In no particular order....
This is where I think I'm stupid, crazy, and totally loony for doing this. I know what I'm looking at: Friday- running around picking up some last minute supplies, heading out to look at a few roads, meeting up with some of the crew and prepping for the pre-race. Do pre-race, head back for a few fitful hours of sleep, (and I do mean a few- if any) and then it's time to run T.I.V5. I figure it'll be in the neighborhood of 30 plus hours of being awake with maybe a few hours of sleep, then back at it until I get home Sunday night. Worst case scenario- no sleep for 40 plus hours.
Crazy? Do you need to even ask?
How much longer? I figure the someday I will stop doing this gig is closer than the day I started. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't really think so.....right now!
The roster shrinkage is interesting this year. Funny how the vast majority of folks left are former T.I. vets. Does that say anything? Dunno myself, just sayin' that's what I see.
Weather: Boy.....could it be much better? If the roads weren't muddy in spots, this would be on par with T.I.V3. But I don't think the roads will be quite the same as those were.....
People: Once again, the people that are involved are amazing. Honestly, it is the reward I get for doing all the work and preparations. Example: I got a phone call at work Thursday morning. The caller is in this years T.I. He says, "I just wanted to call now and tell you thanks. This is going to be awesome!..." That's gold right there. And I know a lot more of you will say similar things. I am humbled......
I can't wait to get to the other side of this. Really, I don't care for all the hullabaloo that comes with the position I find myself in. Maybe this will explain. My favorite T.I. memories are always from the middle of Saturday night/Sunday morning. When it is all quiet and peaceful. When the stars twinkle, and I am alone with my thoughts. There's something really cool about being "up all night" that I have relished since childhood. Trans Iowa is a great excuse for me being up all night now. A much better one than I had back in my 20's, that's for sure!
Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys this coming Trans Iowa. I hope that the stories are epic, and no one gets seriously hurt. I hope everyone makes it back home safely and has a great story to tell for years to come.
And if you can't be here, ride your bike. Ride it and have a blast doing it.
See ya on the other side!
One More Before I Go, Please.
I wasn't going to post, and then I thought I'd squeeze in one non-T.I. related post. But who am I kidding?
Crap......here I go!
On the eve of kicking off the fifth one, I have many mixed thoughts. In no particular order....
This is where I think I'm stupid, crazy, and totally loony for doing this. I know what I'm looking at: Friday- running around picking up some last minute supplies, heading out to look at a few roads, meeting up with some of the crew and prepping for the pre-race. Do pre-race, head back for a few fitful hours of sleep, (and I do mean a few- if any) and then it's time to run T.I.V5. I figure it'll be in the neighborhood of 30 plus hours of being awake with maybe a few hours of sleep, then back at it until I get home Sunday night. Worst case scenario- no sleep for 40 plus hours.
Crazy? Do you need to even ask?
How much longer? I figure the someday I will stop doing this gig is closer than the day I started. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't really think so.....right now!
The roster shrinkage is interesting this year. Funny how the vast majority of folks left are former T.I. vets. Does that say anything? Dunno myself, just sayin' that's what I see.
Weather: Boy.....could it be much better? If the roads weren't muddy in spots, this would be on par with T.I.V3. But I don't think the roads will be quite the same as those were.....
People: Once again, the people that are involved are amazing. Honestly, it is the reward I get for doing all the work and preparations. Example: I got a phone call at work Thursday morning. The caller is in this years T.I. He says, "I just wanted to call now and tell you thanks. This is going to be awesome!..." That's gold right there. And I know a lot more of you will say similar things. I am humbled......
I can't wait to get to the other side of this. Really, I don't care for all the hullabaloo that comes with the position I find myself in. Maybe this will explain. My favorite T.I. memories are always from the middle of Saturday night/Sunday morning. When it is all quiet and peaceful. When the stars twinkle, and I am alone with my thoughts. There's something really cool about being "up all night" that I have relished since childhood. Trans Iowa is a great excuse for me being up all night now. A much better one than I had back in my 20's, that's for sure!
Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys this coming Trans Iowa. I hope that the stories are epic, and no one gets seriously hurt. I hope everyone makes it back home safely and has a great story to tell for years to come.
And if you can't be here, ride your bike. Ride it and have a blast doing it.
See ya on the other side!
Crap......here I go!
On the eve of kicking off the fifth one, I have many mixed thoughts. In no particular order....
This is where I think I'm stupid, crazy, and totally loony for doing this. I know what I'm looking at: Friday- running around picking up some last minute supplies, heading out to look at a few roads, meeting up with some of the crew and prepping for the pre-race. Do pre-race, head back for a few fitful hours of sleep, (and I do mean a few- if any) and then it's time to run T.I.V5. I figure it'll be in the neighborhood of 30 plus hours of being awake with maybe a few hours of sleep, then back at it until I get home Sunday night. Worst case scenario- no sleep for 40 plus hours.
Crazy? Do you need to even ask?
How much longer? I figure the someday I will stop doing this gig is closer than the day I started. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't really think so.....right now!
The roster shrinkage is interesting this year. Funny how the vast majority of folks left are former T.I. vets. Does that say anything? Dunno myself, just sayin' that's what I see.
Weather: Boy.....could it be much better? If the roads weren't muddy in spots, this would be on par with T.I.V3. But I don't think the roads will be quite the same as those were.....
People: Once again, the people that are involved are amazing. Honestly, it is the reward I get for doing all the work and preparations. Example: I got a phone call at work Thursday morning. The caller is in this years T.I. He says, "I just wanted to call now and tell you thanks. This is going to be awesome!..." That's gold right there. And I know a lot more of you will say similar things. I am humbled......
I can't wait to get to the other side of this. Really, I don't care for all the hullabaloo that comes with the position I find myself in. Maybe this will explain. My favorite T.I. memories are always from the middle of Saturday night/Sunday morning. When it is all quiet and peaceful. When the stars twinkle, and I am alone with my thoughts. There's something really cool about being "up all night" that I have relished since childhood. Trans Iowa is a great excuse for me being up all night now. A much better one than I had back in my 20's, that's for sure!
Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys this coming Trans Iowa. I hope that the stories are epic, and no one gets seriously hurt. I hope everyone makes it back home safely and has a great story to tell for years to come.
And if you can't be here, ride your bike. Ride it and have a blast doing it.
See ya on the other side!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Final Preparations
Trans Iowa is about to gear up and blast off into the Iowa hinterlands. Here are a few things that are going on.......
Check down to the post following this one for a preview of Trans Iowa radio. I give a little hint as to what the course is looking like. Trans Iowa Radio is just a fun little thing I do, not a totally serious news report. I have had folks freaking out at home thinking husbands died, or were lost in a LaBrea-like tar pit/B road when I forgot to mention a significant others name in a post. Look, I run this thing outta pocket, eat beef jerky for hours, and am buzzed out on a continuous flow of Red Bull during the course of a day and a half with no sleep what so ever. Do ya think I might not be coherent after a bit?
I try. I really do, but there is a lot going on other than my follies with audio-blogging, so please do not rely on info on your loved one from me on Trans Iowa Radio. I'll do my best reporting I can do under the circumstances, but I don't promise anything but a little entertainment and some feel for how the event unfolds.
So there is my disclaimer! You've been warned!
Prizing trickles in and tomorrow is the last delivery day I can take stuff in, 'cause Friday in the morning I'm off to inspect roads and make my way over to Williamsburg, IA. The Dirty Blue Box will be reeling under the weight of goodies and equipment, so I'll be packing light and freezing at night.
Cue sheets are done, volunteers are set, and some folks are still e-mailing in wanting in this event! (Sorry! Too late now!) Crazy stuff, and I don't pretend to understand it all.
Okay, that's all from my end. Friday will be a short post, or no post at all. I will probably let the Trans Iowa Radio posts take over at that point. Remember- oldest posts will be down the page- newest at the top!
Check down to the post following this one for a preview of Trans Iowa radio. I give a little hint as to what the course is looking like. Trans Iowa Radio is just a fun little thing I do, not a totally serious news report. I have had folks freaking out at home thinking husbands died, or were lost in a LaBrea-like tar pit/B road when I forgot to mention a significant others name in a post. Look, I run this thing outta pocket, eat beef jerky for hours, and am buzzed out on a continuous flow of Red Bull during the course of a day and a half with no sleep what so ever. Do ya think I might not be coherent after a bit?
I try. I really do, but there is a lot going on other than my follies with audio-blogging, so please do not rely on info on your loved one from me on Trans Iowa Radio. I'll do my best reporting I can do under the circumstances, but I don't promise anything but a little entertainment and some feel for how the event unfolds.
So there is my disclaimer! You've been warned!
Prizing trickles in and tomorrow is the last delivery day I can take stuff in, 'cause Friday in the morning I'm off to inspect roads and make my way over to Williamsburg, IA. The Dirty Blue Box will be reeling under the weight of goodies and equipment, so I'll be packing light and freezing at night.
Cue sheets are done, volunteers are set, and some folks are still e-mailing in wanting in this event! (Sorry! Too late now!) Crazy stuff, and I don't pretend to understand it all.
Okay, that's all from my end. Friday will be a short post, or no post at all. I will probably let the Trans Iowa Radio posts take over at that point. Remember- oldest posts will be down the page- newest at the top!
Final Preparations
Trans Iowa is about to gear up and blast off into the Iowa hinterlands. Here are a few things that are going on.......
Check down to the post following this one for a preview of Trans Iowa radio. I give a little hint as to what the course is looking like. Trans Iowa Radio is just a fun little thing I do, not a totally serious news report. I have had folks freaking out at home thinking husbands died, or were lost in a LaBrea-like tar pit/B road when I forgot to mention a significant others name in a post. Look, I run this thing outta pocket, eat beef jerky for hours, and am buzzed out on a continuous flow of Red Bull during the course of a day and a half with no sleep what so ever. Do ya think I might not be coherent after a bit?
I try. I really do, but there is a lot going on other than my follies with audio-blogging, so please do not rely on info on your loved one from me on Trans Iowa Radio. I'll do my best reporting I can do under the circumstances, but I don't promise anything but a little entertainment and some feel for how the event unfolds.
So there is my disclaimer! You've been warned!
Prizing trickles in and tomorrow is the last delivery day I can take stuff in, 'cause Friday in the morning I'm off to inspect roads and make my way over to Williamsburg, IA. The Dirty Blue Box will be reeling under the weight of goodies and equipment, so I'll be packing light and freezing at night.
Cue sheets are done, volunteers are set, and some folks are still e-mailing in wanting in this event! (Sorry! Too late now!) Crazy stuff, and I don't pretend to understand it all.
Okay, that's all from my end. Friday will be a short post, or no post at all. I will probably let the Trans Iowa Radio posts take over at that point. Remember- oldest posts will be down the page- newest at the top!
Check down to the post following this one for a preview of Trans Iowa radio. I give a little hint as to what the course is looking like. Trans Iowa Radio is just a fun little thing I do, not a totally serious news report. I have had folks freaking out at home thinking husbands died, or were lost in a LaBrea-like tar pit/B road when I forgot to mention a significant others name in a post. Look, I run this thing outta pocket, eat beef jerky for hours, and am buzzed out on a continuous flow of Red Bull during the course of a day and a half with no sleep what so ever. Do ya think I might not be coherent after a bit?
I try. I really do, but there is a lot going on other than my follies with audio-blogging, so please do not rely on info on your loved one from me on Trans Iowa Radio. I'll do my best reporting I can do under the circumstances, but I don't promise anything but a little entertainment and some feel for how the event unfolds.
So there is my disclaimer! You've been warned!
Prizing trickles in and tomorrow is the last delivery day I can take stuff in, 'cause Friday in the morning I'm off to inspect roads and make my way over to Williamsburg, IA. The Dirty Blue Box will be reeling under the weight of goodies and equipment, so I'll be packing light and freezing at night.
Cue sheets are done, volunteers are set, and some folks are still e-mailing in wanting in this event! (Sorry! Too late now!) Crazy stuff, and I don't pretend to understand it all.
Okay, that's all from my end. Friday will be a short post, or no post at all. I will probably let the Trans Iowa Radio posts take over at that point. Remember- oldest posts will be down the page- newest at the top!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Trans Iowa V5 Update II
<===You in T.I.V5? You'll be getting one of these sweet t-shirts.
T.I.V2 veteran Rusty Kay is sponsoring T.I.V5 this year by donating a free t-shirt to every person in Trans Iowa. Since this whole idea was spawned just before I took off for Sea Otter, there wasn't any time to get all the racer's sizes. So we went with a gaggle of XL's and a slew of Larges to cover ya'all.
Look, someday you won't be a racer anymore, and you'll get all fat and hairy drinking Belgian beer and reminiscing about "that time you were in Trans Iowa". The t-shirt should fit you fine by then. See, we don't just focus on "the now". We have vision ya'all!
And Rusty wishes he could be slingin' mud with all of the riders this year, but you see, he's a bit tied up starting his own bike brand and all. Yep! He calls it "feepish bikes" and they will be road bikes made out of titanium right here in the U.S. of A by Lynskey Performance.
So not only will you have a t-shirt that will fit you down the road, but you'll be on the cutting edge of knowledge regarding a new bike brand. One of those side benefits of Trans Iowa and all.
Who knows? Maybe next year Rusty will be up here gridin' some gravel on a "feepish" and rockin' out like he was in this T.I.V2 clip. (He's the one on the road bike, don't ya know!)
Will T.I.V5 be like that legendary day in Iowa back in 2006? Well, it certainly will be muddy in spots! I'll say that much. Looks as though the weekend should be okay, but we'll have to see how this next storm system gets by us. If it dumps, or leaves with some scattered precip here and there.
I'll be making a recon to selected spots tomorrow and again on Friday to assess the conditions. d.p. has also been reconning some sections lately. We think there will be just enough mud and wetness to make things interesting, but not totally undoable, as they were in T.I.V2. Stay tuned for updates.
Other than that, cue sheets are done, we have last minute deliveries of schwag and prizing coming in, and details are being buttoned up. Look for a Trans Iowa Radio blast here in this space sometime tomorrow.
Preparations are almost done. Trans Iowa is about to start up once again..........
Trans Iowa V5 Update II
<===You in T.I.V5? You'll be getting one of these sweet t-shirts.
T.I.V2 veteran Rusty Kay is sponsoring T.I.V5 this year by donating a free t-shirt to every person in Trans Iowa. Since this whole idea was spawned just before I took off for Sea Otter, there wasn't any time to get all the racer's sizes. So we went with a gaggle of XL's and a slew of Larges to cover ya'all.
Look, someday you won't be a racer anymore, and you'll get all fat and hairy drinking Belgian beer and reminiscing about "that time you were in Trans Iowa". The t-shirt should fit you fine by then. See, we don't just focus on "the now". We have vision ya'all!
And Rusty wishes he could be slingin' mud with all of the riders this year, but you see, he's a bit tied up starting his own bike brand and all. Yep! He calls it "feepish bikes" and they will be road bikes made out of titanium right here in the U.S. of A by Lynskey Performance.
So not only will you have a t-shirt that will fit you down the road, but you'll be on the cutting edge of knowledge regarding a new bike brand. One of those side benefits of Trans Iowa and all.
Who knows? Maybe next year Rusty will be up here gridin' some gravel on a "feepish" and rockin' out like he was in this T.I.V2 clip. (He's the one on the road bike, don't ya know!)
Will T.I.V5 be like that legendary day in Iowa back in 2006? Well, it certainly will be muddy in spots! I'll say that much. Looks as though the weekend should be okay, but we'll have to see how this next storm system gets by us. If it dumps, or leaves with some scattered precip here and there.
I'll be making a recon to selected spots tomorrow and again on Friday to assess the conditions. d.p. has also been reconning some sections lately. We think there will be just enough mud and wetness to make things interesting, but not totally undoable, as they were in T.I.V2. Stay tuned for updates.
Other than that, cue sheets are done, we have last minute deliveries of schwag and prizing coming in, and details are being buttoned up. Look for a Trans Iowa Radio blast here in this space sometime tomorrow.
Preparations are almost done. Trans Iowa is about to start up once again..........
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The Race Against Death Tour: The Beginnings-Part III
The "Race Against Death Tour" readies to depart from Cedar Falls, Iowa.........
So, with all the preparations done well in advance, we had nothing to do but wait for the day to arrive for our departure. As with the "Beg, Borrow, and Bastard Tour", I wanted to chronicle the event for the future. I had a lofty goal of writing as we went, and even went so far as to buy a little book to take along and write in. I got as far as the first entry! Ha ha! So much for that. Here's a little excerpt from that entry, which will help lock a few details in;
Friday, August 4th: .....Now during a typically hot, humid Iowa summer, we tourers are on the brink of a once in a lifetime experience. .........We have as a goal to reach Winter Park, Colorado, via the Black Hills of South Dakota in two weeks. 100 mile a day average for an approximate total of 1300 miles. The stage is set. On Monday, August 7th at 6:30 am we shall set forth on our journey.
That was a lofty goal, and as you might be able to tell, I was pretty confident I had the details worked out. Well, we will see later how far off the mark I was! However; until then, there is much to tell, so on with the story......
The details were not written down as I went, but I did have the foresight to make notes on each days happenings and to record the mileage. Fortunately the rest was memorable enough that I can piece this together into a coherent and (hopefully) entertaining read. The highlights and low lights are all engraved on my memory still.
So it was that this tour was setting off on a hot August in 1995. Troy on his trusty green Voyager, Ryan on a slightly too big burgundy Voyager, and myself on the old Mongoose All Mountain Pro in chrome plate. Once again, we all had loads on that would render our bikes un-liftable. I have no idea what the weight we had on those rigs was, but I assure you, they were overloaded! The six man Eureka dome tent was split into sections that we all shared in carrying. We all had front and rear panniers, handle bar bags, and seat bags. I'm sure we looked pretty special out there!
The first goal was to get beyond Fort Dodge, Iowa to a campground just west of there. 100 miles a day average was the set goal for each day. We were all going to try to hold to that. The weather sounded great for the next few days, and with much expectation, we were all pumped for this trip.
Next week: Onward Through The Fog!
So, with all the preparations done well in advance, we had nothing to do but wait for the day to arrive for our departure. As with the "Beg, Borrow, and Bastard Tour", I wanted to chronicle the event for the future. I had a lofty goal of writing as we went, and even went so far as to buy a little book to take along and write in. I got as far as the first entry! Ha ha! So much for that. Here's a little excerpt from that entry, which will help lock a few details in;
Friday, August 4th: .....Now during a typically hot, humid Iowa summer, we tourers are on the brink of a once in a lifetime experience. .........We have as a goal to reach Winter Park, Colorado, via the Black Hills of South Dakota in two weeks. 100 mile a day average for an approximate total of 1300 miles. The stage is set. On Monday, August 7th at 6:30 am we shall set forth on our journey.
That was a lofty goal, and as you might be able to tell, I was pretty confident I had the details worked out. Well, we will see later how far off the mark I was! However; until then, there is much to tell, so on with the story......
The details were not written down as I went, but I did have the foresight to make notes on each days happenings and to record the mileage. Fortunately the rest was memorable enough that I can piece this together into a coherent and (hopefully) entertaining read. The highlights and low lights are all engraved on my memory still.
So it was that this tour was setting off on a hot August in 1995. Troy on his trusty green Voyager, Ryan on a slightly too big burgundy Voyager, and myself on the old Mongoose All Mountain Pro in chrome plate. Once again, we all had loads on that would render our bikes un-liftable. I have no idea what the weight we had on those rigs was, but I assure you, they were overloaded! The six man Eureka dome tent was split into sections that we all shared in carrying. We all had front and rear panniers, handle bar bags, and seat bags. I'm sure we looked pretty special out there!
The first goal was to get beyond Fort Dodge, Iowa to a campground just west of there. 100 miles a day average was the set goal for each day. We were all going to try to hold to that. The weather sounded great for the next few days, and with much expectation, we were all pumped for this trip.
Next week: Onward Through The Fog!
The Race Against Death Tour: The Beginnings-Part III
The "Race Against Death Tour" readies to depart from Cedar Falls, Iowa.........
So, with all the preparations done well in advance, we had nothing to do but wait for the day to arrive for our departure. As with the "Beg, Borrow, and Bastard Tour", I wanted to chronicle the event for the future. I had a lofty goal of writing as we went, and even went so far as to buy a little book to take along and write in. I got as far as the first entry! Ha ha! So much for that. Here's a little excerpt from that entry, which will help lock a few details in;
Friday, August 4th: .....Now during a typically hot, humid Iowa summer, we tourers are on the brink of a once in a lifetime experience. .........We have as a goal to reach Winter Park, Colorado, via the Black Hills of South Dakota in two weeks. 100 mile a day average for an approximate total of 1300 miles. The stage is set. On Monday, August 7th at 6:30 am we shall set forth on our journey.
That was a lofty goal, and as you might be able to tell, I was pretty confident I had the details worked out. Well, we will see later how far off the mark I was! However; until then, there is much to tell, so on with the story......
The details were not written down as I went, but I did have the foresight to make notes on each days happenings and to record the mileage. Fortunately the rest was memorable enough that I can piece this together into a coherent and (hopefully) entertaining read. The highlights and low lights are all engraved on my memory still.
So it was that this tour was setting off on a hot August in 1995. Troy on his trusty green Voyager, Ryan on a slightly too big burgundy Voyager, and myself on the old Mongoose All Mountain Pro in chrome plate. Once again, we all had loads on that would render our bikes un-liftable. I have no idea what the weight we had on those rigs was, but I assure you, they were overloaded! The six man Eureka dome tent was split into sections that we all shared in carrying. We all had front and rear panniers, handle bar bags, and seat bags. I'm sure we looked pretty special out there!
The first goal was to get beyond Fort Dodge, Iowa to a campground just west of there. 100 miles a day average was the set goal for each day. We were all going to try to hold to that. The weather sounded great for the next few days, and with much expectation, we were all pumped for this trip.
Next week: Onward Through The Fog!
So, with all the preparations done well in advance, we had nothing to do but wait for the day to arrive for our departure. As with the "Beg, Borrow, and Bastard Tour", I wanted to chronicle the event for the future. I had a lofty goal of writing as we went, and even went so far as to buy a little book to take along and write in. I got as far as the first entry! Ha ha! So much for that. Here's a little excerpt from that entry, which will help lock a few details in;
Friday, August 4th: .....Now during a typically hot, humid Iowa summer, we tourers are on the brink of a once in a lifetime experience. .........We have as a goal to reach Winter Park, Colorado, via the Black Hills of South Dakota in two weeks. 100 mile a day average for an approximate total of 1300 miles. The stage is set. On Monday, August 7th at 6:30 am we shall set forth on our journey.
That was a lofty goal, and as you might be able to tell, I was pretty confident I had the details worked out. Well, we will see later how far off the mark I was! However; until then, there is much to tell, so on with the story......
The details were not written down as I went, but I did have the foresight to make notes on each days happenings and to record the mileage. Fortunately the rest was memorable enough that I can piece this together into a coherent and (hopefully) entertaining read. The highlights and low lights are all engraved on my memory still.
So it was that this tour was setting off on a hot August in 1995. Troy on his trusty green Voyager, Ryan on a slightly too big burgundy Voyager, and myself on the old Mongoose All Mountain Pro in chrome plate. Once again, we all had loads on that would render our bikes un-liftable. I have no idea what the weight we had on those rigs was, but I assure you, they were overloaded! The six man Eureka dome tent was split into sections that we all shared in carrying. We all had front and rear panniers, handle bar bags, and seat bags. I'm sure we looked pretty special out there!
The first goal was to get beyond Fort Dodge, Iowa to a campground just west of there. 100 miles a day average was the set goal for each day. We were all going to try to hold to that. The weather sounded great for the next few days, and with much expectation, we were all pumped for this trip.
Next week: Onward Through The Fog!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Wet Weekend, Tires, and Trans Iowa
Yet another mish-mash of a post. The days count down to Trans Iowa V5, and some thoughts on 29"er tires are here for your perusal...........
Anybody Got A Boat? I think it rained harder for longer yesterday than I can remember in a long time. Maybe since 1993 when we had the big floods here. I am seeing that we received well in excess of 4 inches of rain in less than a 24 hour period from Sunday morning till now. (And it hasn't been raining for several hours!) That's a month's worth of rain in a day. Yeah.....go figure that out! Needless to say, I didn't get in a window of dryness to ride my bike in. Oh well........
Tire Report and Rumor: I have several tires on test for Twenty Nine Inches and The Cyclist. I did get out to ride these last week in the dry conditions. A report is up on both sites, so check that out, plus a feature has been started by Grannygear that has to do with bikepacking on The Cyclist. Good stuff coming up on that.
The tire rumors are always swirling. Here are the latest ones I am aware of. Michelin, who have one lonely 29"er tire in their line, (The XC AT, a great mud conditions tire), are currently developing "a few" new 29"er tires "coming out soon". The individual at Sea Otter I spoke with didn't know, (or was unwilling to tell me) any specifics, but promised that there are going to be new Michelin 29"er tires. I would think Interbike, or Eurobike would be the introduction time for these. Next up we have Continental, who are rumored to be developing a 29"er Rubber Queen tire. This would be an aggressive, all mountain type tire. No width has been set yet, (as far as I know), so I voted for a 2.4 inch version. We'll see, but it is coming. Finally, Geax should be popping out a 2.35 Gato 29"er tire yet this summer, unless economic concerns have them rolling that back a bit. I haven't heard much from GEAX on it of late, but I do know it is very near to being a reality.
Yes.....You knew I couldn't end without talking about this! The weather and Trans Iowa. Like peanut butter and jelly, these two go hand in hand. The weather is always a big player in the outcome of this event. Now we have had upwards of five inches or more of rain in two days over parts of the course and you know that some of that will be making for slower going in some places, even without more rain. Trouble is, there are scattered thunderstorms predicted for Iowa on Wednesday and Thursday now. So far, the weekend forecast has flip flopped several times, but is looking to be cool, overcast to partly cloudy, windy..........and dry!
Things are piecing together quite well on all fronts now, so be prepared to see a flurry of updates on the T.I.V5 site leading up to the event. Trans Iowa Radio will also make a "test post" on this site soon, so look for that to pop up anytime here.
Stay tuned................
Anybody Got A Boat? I think it rained harder for longer yesterday than I can remember in a long time. Maybe since 1993 when we had the big floods here. I am seeing that we received well in excess of 4 inches of rain in less than a 24 hour period from Sunday morning till now. (And it hasn't been raining for several hours!) That's a month's worth of rain in a day. Yeah.....go figure that out! Needless to say, I didn't get in a window of dryness to ride my bike in. Oh well........
Tire Report and Rumor: I have several tires on test for Twenty Nine Inches and The Cyclist. I did get out to ride these last week in the dry conditions. A report is up on both sites, so check that out, plus a feature has been started by Grannygear that has to do with bikepacking on The Cyclist. Good stuff coming up on that.
The tire rumors are always swirling. Here are the latest ones I am aware of. Michelin, who have one lonely 29"er tire in their line, (The XC AT, a great mud conditions tire), are currently developing "a few" new 29"er tires "coming out soon". The individual at Sea Otter I spoke with didn't know, (or was unwilling to tell me) any specifics, but promised that there are going to be new Michelin 29"er tires. I would think Interbike, or Eurobike would be the introduction time for these. Next up we have Continental, who are rumored to be developing a 29"er Rubber Queen tire. This would be an aggressive, all mountain type tire. No width has been set yet, (as far as I know), so I voted for a 2.4 inch version. We'll see, but it is coming. Finally, Geax should be popping out a 2.35 Gato 29"er tire yet this summer, unless economic concerns have them rolling that back a bit. I haven't heard much from GEAX on it of late, but I do know it is very near to being a reality.
Yes.....You knew I couldn't end without talking about this! The weather and Trans Iowa. Like peanut butter and jelly, these two go hand in hand. The weather is always a big player in the outcome of this event. Now we have had upwards of five inches or more of rain in two days over parts of the course and you know that some of that will be making for slower going in some places, even without more rain. Trouble is, there are scattered thunderstorms predicted for Iowa on Wednesday and Thursday now. So far, the weekend forecast has flip flopped several times, but is looking to be cool, overcast to partly cloudy, windy..........and dry!
Things are piecing together quite well on all fronts now, so be prepared to see a flurry of updates on the T.I.V5 site leading up to the event. Trans Iowa Radio will also make a "test post" on this site soon, so look for that to pop up anytime here.
Stay tuned................
Wet Weekend, Tires, and Trans Iowa
Yet another mish-mash of a post. The days count down to Trans Iowa V5, and some thoughts on 29"er tires are here for your perusal...........
Anybody Got A Boat? I think it rained harder for longer yesterday than I can remember in a long time. Maybe since 1993 when we had the big floods here. I am seeing that we received well in excess of 4 inches of rain in less than a 24 hour period from Sunday morning till now. (And it hasn't been raining for several hours!) That's a month's worth of rain in a day. Yeah.....go figure that out! Needless to say, I didn't get in a window of dryness to ride my bike in. Oh well........
Tire Report and Rumor: I have several tires on test for Twenty Nine Inches and The Cyclist. I did get out to ride these last week in the dry conditions. A report is up on both sites, so check that out, plus a feature has been started by Grannygear that has to do with bikepacking on The Cyclist. Good stuff coming up on that.
The tire rumors are always swirling. Here are the latest ones I am aware of. Michelin, who have one lonely 29"er tire in their line, (The XC AT, a great mud conditions tire), are currently developing "a few" new 29"er tires "coming out soon". The individual at Sea Otter I spoke with didn't know, (or was unwilling to tell me) any specifics, but promised that there are going to be new Michelin 29"er tires. I would think Interbike, or Eurobike would be the introduction time for these. Next up we have Continental, who are rumored to be developing a 29"er Rubber Queen tire. This would be an aggressive, all mountain type tire. No width has been set yet, (as far as I know), so I voted for a 2.4 inch version. We'll see, but it is coming. Finally, Geax should be popping out a 2.35 Gato 29"er tire yet this summer, unless economic concerns have them rolling that back a bit. I haven't heard much from GEAX on it of late, but I do know it is very near to being a reality.
Yes.....You knew I couldn't end without talking about this! The weather and Trans Iowa. Like peanut butter and jelly, these two go hand in hand. The weather is always a big player in the outcome of this event. Now we have had upwards of five inches or more of rain in two days over parts of the course and you know that some of that will be making for slower going in some places, even without more rain. Trouble is, there are scattered thunderstorms predicted for Iowa on Wednesday and Thursday now. So far, the weekend forecast has flip flopped several times, but is looking to be cool, overcast to partly cloudy, windy..........and dry!
Things are piecing together quite well on all fronts now, so be prepared to see a flurry of updates on the T.I.V5 site leading up to the event. Trans Iowa Radio will also make a "test post" on this site soon, so look for that to pop up anytime here.
Stay tuned................
Anybody Got A Boat? I think it rained harder for longer yesterday than I can remember in a long time. Maybe since 1993 when we had the big floods here. I am seeing that we received well in excess of 4 inches of rain in less than a 24 hour period from Sunday morning till now. (And it hasn't been raining for several hours!) That's a month's worth of rain in a day. Yeah.....go figure that out! Needless to say, I didn't get in a window of dryness to ride my bike in. Oh well........
Tire Report and Rumor: I have several tires on test for Twenty Nine Inches and The Cyclist. I did get out to ride these last week in the dry conditions. A report is up on both sites, so check that out, plus a feature has been started by Grannygear that has to do with bikepacking on The Cyclist. Good stuff coming up on that.
The tire rumors are always swirling. Here are the latest ones I am aware of. Michelin, who have one lonely 29"er tire in their line, (The XC AT, a great mud conditions tire), are currently developing "a few" new 29"er tires "coming out soon". The individual at Sea Otter I spoke with didn't know, (or was unwilling to tell me) any specifics, but promised that there are going to be new Michelin 29"er tires. I would think Interbike, or Eurobike would be the introduction time for these. Next up we have Continental, who are rumored to be developing a 29"er Rubber Queen tire. This would be an aggressive, all mountain type tire. No width has been set yet, (as far as I know), so I voted for a 2.4 inch version. We'll see, but it is coming. Finally, Geax should be popping out a 2.35 Gato 29"er tire yet this summer, unless economic concerns have them rolling that back a bit. I haven't heard much from GEAX on it of late, but I do know it is very near to being a reality.
Yes.....You knew I couldn't end without talking about this! The weather and Trans Iowa. Like peanut butter and jelly, these two go hand in hand. The weather is always a big player in the outcome of this event. Now we have had upwards of five inches or more of rain in two days over parts of the course and you know that some of that will be making for slower going in some places, even without more rain. Trouble is, there are scattered thunderstorms predicted for Iowa on Wednesday and Thursday now. So far, the weekend forecast has flip flopped several times, but is looking to be cool, overcast to partly cloudy, windy..........and dry!
Things are piecing together quite well on all fronts now, so be prepared to see a flurry of updates on the T.I.V5 site leading up to the event. Trans Iowa Radio will also make a "test post" on this site soon, so look for that to pop up anytime here.
Stay tuned................
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Trans Iowa Roster Attrition and Musings
The roster, which so many folks want to get on becomes littered with drop outs about this time and T.I.V5 is no exception. No fault of the riders in question, just things that happen. Injuries, family problems, job losses, and financial difficulties are some of the more common reasons for missing Trans Iowa.
It is what it is.
Thankfully most folks have caught on that we need to know about the drops before hand to save us a lot of trouble stuffing bags and printing cue sheet sets. There's nothing like toting around 20 extra race bags and having printed up all the extra cue sheets and arranging them to get your water boiling. Especially when those 20 folks just decided not to show up at the last minute. (T.I.V3) I mean, you are going to have a few no-shows, but 20........
Anyway, I see we are down to 59 riders as of today. I have said all along that just above 50 is where I'd expect the roster to get to before the start. With the expected "few" no-shows, this is a stone cold lock now. We may even get below 50, which would be dipping into record low numbers for a T.I.
Does that matter? Not to me. I don't measure the success or failure of T.I. by numbers. If the event comes off safely, and folks get some satisfaction from the challenge, then that is all that really matters in the end.
More Trans Iowa thoughts in the coming days...........I warned you!
It is what it is.
Thankfully most folks have caught on that we need to know about the drops before hand to save us a lot of trouble stuffing bags and printing cue sheet sets. There's nothing like toting around 20 extra race bags and having printed up all the extra cue sheets and arranging them to get your water boiling. Especially when those 20 folks just decided not to show up at the last minute. (T.I.V3) I mean, you are going to have a few no-shows, but 20........
Anyway, I see we are down to 59 riders as of today. I have said all along that just above 50 is where I'd expect the roster to get to before the start. With the expected "few" no-shows, this is a stone cold lock now. We may even get below 50, which would be dipping into record low numbers for a T.I.
Does that matter? Not to me. I don't measure the success or failure of T.I. by numbers. If the event comes off safely, and folks get some satisfaction from the challenge, then that is all that really matters in the end.
More Trans Iowa thoughts in the coming days...........I warned you!
Trans Iowa Roster Attrition and Musings
The roster, which so many folks want to get on becomes littered with drop outs about this time and T.I.V5 is no exception. No fault of the riders in question, just things that happen. Injuries, family problems, job losses, and financial difficulties are some of the more common reasons for missing Trans Iowa.
It is what it is.
Thankfully most folks have caught on that we need to know about the drops before hand to save us a lot of trouble stuffing bags and printing cue sheet sets. There's nothing like toting around 20 extra race bags and having printed up all the extra cue sheets and arranging them to get your water boiling. Especially when those 20 folks just decided not to show up at the last minute. (T.I.V3) I mean, you are going to have a few no-shows, but 20........
Anyway, I see we are down to 59 riders as of today. I have said all along that just above 50 is where I'd expect the roster to get to before the start. With the expected "few" no-shows, this is a stone cold lock now. We may even get below 50, which would be dipping into record low numbers for a T.I.
Does that matter? Not to me. I don't measure the success or failure of T.I. by numbers. If the event comes off safely, and folks get some satisfaction from the challenge, then that is all that really matters in the end.
More Trans Iowa thoughts in the coming days...........I warned you!
It is what it is.
Thankfully most folks have caught on that we need to know about the drops before hand to save us a lot of trouble stuffing bags and printing cue sheet sets. There's nothing like toting around 20 extra race bags and having printed up all the extra cue sheets and arranging them to get your water boiling. Especially when those 20 folks just decided not to show up at the last minute. (T.I.V3) I mean, you are going to have a few no-shows, but 20........
Anyway, I see we are down to 59 riders as of today. I have said all along that just above 50 is where I'd expect the roster to get to before the start. With the expected "few" no-shows, this is a stone cold lock now. We may even get below 50, which would be dipping into record low numbers for a T.I.
Does that matter? Not to me. I don't measure the success or failure of T.I. by numbers. If the event comes off safely, and folks get some satisfaction from the challenge, then that is all that really matters in the end.
More Trans Iowa thoughts in the coming days...........I warned you!
Friday, April 24, 2009
One Week And Counting.....
Sorry, Trans Iowa V5 is on my brain. You will have to indulge me my pre-occupation with this if you stick around the next week or so.
Cue sheets have been drafted and are being proof read. This is obviously a big deal. Needs to be right, so I'll be careful with that. Then bags will start to be assembled. Race numbers will be used to label them. Checkpoint cut off times need to be determined and published. Volunteers need to be directed.
Sponsorship has taken a huge hit with the economic downturn of the last quarter of '08 and this year. I'll not say more, but expect to hear the story at the pre-race meeting. To those of you that came through, we are indebted to you! Thanks!
I have gotten some comments and e-mails to the effect that there are questions about T.I.V5's basic operating mode. I posted a new missive on the site. Read it. Learn it. Live it. And don't ask me about the course. (This means you Paul J.!) I ain't sayin' nuttin'. I will be posting course condition updates though, so look for that.
Finally, Trans Iowa Radio will put up a test post next week on this blog. If it works, there will again be live updates.
Have a great weekend and please.......go ride your bike!
Cue sheets have been drafted and are being proof read. This is obviously a big deal. Needs to be right, so I'll be careful with that. Then bags will start to be assembled. Race numbers will be used to label them. Checkpoint cut off times need to be determined and published. Volunteers need to be directed.
Sponsorship has taken a huge hit with the economic downturn of the last quarter of '08 and this year. I'll not say more, but expect to hear the story at the pre-race meeting. To those of you that came through, we are indebted to you! Thanks!
I have gotten some comments and e-mails to the effect that there are questions about T.I.V5's basic operating mode. I posted a new missive on the site. Read it. Learn it. Live it. And don't ask me about the course. (This means you Paul J.!) I ain't sayin' nuttin'. I will be posting course condition updates though, so look for that.
Finally, Trans Iowa Radio will put up a test post next week on this blog. If it works, there will again be live updates.
Have a great weekend and please.......go ride your bike!
One Week And Counting.....
Sorry, Trans Iowa V5 is on my brain. You will have to indulge me my pre-occupation with this if you stick around the next week or so.
Cue sheets have been drafted and are being proof read. This is obviously a big deal. Needs to be right, so I'll be careful with that. Then bags will start to be assembled. Race numbers will be used to label them. Checkpoint cut off times need to be determined and published. Volunteers need to be directed.
Sponsorship has taken a huge hit with the economic downturn of the last quarter of '08 and this year. I'll not say more, but expect to hear the story at the pre-race meeting. To those of you that came through, we are indebted to you! Thanks!
I have gotten some comments and e-mails to the effect that there are questions about T.I.V5's basic operating mode. I posted a new missive on the site. Read it. Learn it. Live it. And don't ask me about the course. (This means you Paul J.!) I ain't sayin' nuttin'. I will be posting course condition updates though, so look for that.
Finally, Trans Iowa Radio will put up a test post next week on this blog. If it works, there will again be live updates.
Have a great weekend and please.......go ride your bike!
Cue sheets have been drafted and are being proof read. This is obviously a big deal. Needs to be right, so I'll be careful with that. Then bags will start to be assembled. Race numbers will be used to label them. Checkpoint cut off times need to be determined and published. Volunteers need to be directed.
Sponsorship has taken a huge hit with the economic downturn of the last quarter of '08 and this year. I'll not say more, but expect to hear the story at the pre-race meeting. To those of you that came through, we are indebted to you! Thanks!
I have gotten some comments and e-mails to the effect that there are questions about T.I.V5's basic operating mode. I posted a new missive on the site. Read it. Learn it. Live it. And don't ask me about the course. (This means you Paul J.!) I ain't sayin' nuttin'. I will be posting course condition updates though, so look for that.
Finally, Trans Iowa Radio will put up a test post next week on this blog. If it works, there will again be live updates.
Have a great weekend and please.......go ride your bike!
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