Sneaking One In

Melting snow, warmer air, and a chance.

This past weekend here we finally got a respite from the Arctic air that had plunged us into a January weather feel. It came around at the same time that I finally had started to feel better after having been down and out for three days with some sort of a sinus like malady that had sapped me of my strength and was giving me these pounding head aches. Well, I wasn't one hundred percent, but this chance was not to be missed. I had the added pressure of having to review this bike that came in recently for Twenty Nine Inches, so there was that as well.

The Plan: Ride as easily as I could to that new trail someone cut into Sherwood Park, do that loop, and get some impressions. Then take it easy on the way back. Maybe I'd not knock my health backward and I could get done what I needed to get done, with the added benefit of getting a bicycle ride in after having missed that the past three days before that.

So I got out late in the morning, or "fore noon", as my grandparents would call the hour between 11:00am and noon, and did what I had planned. I took it nice, smooth, and slow. The good thing? No pounding in the temples. Still, I wasn't pushing things yet, which I planned on doing once I reached the trails. What condition they would be in was anyone's guess at this point. The temperature was rising quickly and was forecast to top out at the 50 degree mark. At the time of my ride it was in the upper 30's and cloudy, with the slight hint of fog lingering in the air from earlier in the morning. It quickly got warmer, so I ditched one of my pairs of gloves for just the liners and opened the zippers some.

Woodsy

Not a lot of elevation gain, but a lot of twisty turns, obstacles, and snow covered single track.

A partially frozen over Cedar River was clearing again with the warmth. 

The ride was good. I couldn't really go as fast as I was planning because of the slicker conditions with the snow melting, but I did get what I wanted to know from this ride and that was the main goal. The secondary goal was met as well- no bad feelings and I didn't knock my health backward as a result. In fact, Sunday I felt even better than I did on Saturday.

On the way back to the house I saw that where there had been snow on the way out that it had melted and it was gone. Things were wetter. Water was trickling down the streets and alleys as if it were a Springtime melt. The Sun even popped out after I got about halfway to the house. The chance I had for a decent ride had passed. By the time the Sun appeared in the sky, the trails would have started to become a mire of mud and slush. It would not have provided the opportunity for me to get what I needed out of the ride. I guess I got lucky and hit the timing just right.

The next day was rainy and still warm, but trail riding would have been out of the question, so it only confirmed that I had hit the timing spot on for what I needed on that ride. Late Saturday and again on Sunday I got in two longer walks with my family as well, so I felt somewhat back on the road to health too. I'm looking forward to this short week and sneaking in some other rides soon. 

Sneaking One In

Melting snow, warmer air, and a chance.

This past weekend here we finally got a respite from the Arctic air that had plunged us into a January weather feel. It came around at the same time that I finally had started to feel better after having been down and out for three days with some sort of a sinus like malady that had sapped me of my strength and was giving me these pounding head aches. Well, I wasn't one hundred percent, but this chance was not to be missed. I had the added pressure of having to review this bike that came in recently for Twenty Nine Inches, so there was that as well.

The Plan: Ride as easily as I could to that new trail someone cut into Sherwood Park, do that loop, and get some impressions. Then take it easy on the way back. Maybe I'd not knock my health backward and I could get done what I needed to get done, with the added benefit of getting a bicycle ride in after having missed that the past three days before that.

So I got out late in the morning, or "fore noon", as my grandparents would call the hour between 11:00am and noon, and did what I had planned. I took it nice, smooth, and slow. The good thing? No pounding in the temples. Still, I wasn't pushing things yet, which I planned on doing once I reached the trails. What condition they would be in was anyone's guess at this point. The temperature was rising quickly and was forecast to top out at the 50 degree mark. At the time of my ride it was in the upper 30's and cloudy, with the slight hint of fog lingering in the air from earlier in the morning. It quickly got warmer, so I ditched one of my pairs of gloves for just the liners and opened the zippers some.

Woodsy

Not a lot of elevation gain, but a lot of twisty turns, obstacles, and snow covered single track.

A partially frozen over Cedar River was clearing again with the warmth. 

The ride was good. I couldn't really go as fast as I was planning because of the slicker conditions with the snow melting, but I did get what I wanted to know from this ride and that was the main goal. The secondary goal was met as well- no bad feelings and I didn't knock my health backward as a result. In fact, Sunday I felt even better than I did on Saturday.

On the way back to the house I saw that where there had been snow on the way out that it had melted and it was gone. Things were wetter. Water was trickling down the streets and alleys as if it were a Springtime melt. The Sun even popped out after I got about halfway to the house. The chance I had for a decent ride had passed. By the time the Sun appeared in the sky, the trails would have started to become a mire of mud and slush. It would not have provided the opportunity for me to get what I needed out of the ride. I guess I got lucky and hit the timing just right.

The next day was rainy and still warm, but trail riding would have been out of the question, so it only confirmed that I had hit the timing spot on for what I needed on that ride. Late Saturday and again on Sunday I got in two longer walks with my family as well, so I felt somewhat back on the road to health too. I'm looking forward to this short week and sneaking in some other rides soon. 

Trans Iowa V11: A Look At The Rules Part 11

Ira Ryan & Brian Hannon crossing a county blacktop in Wadena IA on T.I.V3

Last year I did a historical overview of each Trans Iowa up to T.I.V9. This year I am going to revisit something that I feel many folks have overlooked for a long time; The "Race Rules".

Last week I discussed the "single speed rule" and this week we take a look at a concern Jeff and I had about our course which was taken into account with the next two rules seen here....


11: You are completely on your own. Use your head. Look and yield for traffic. There will be no course marshalls to hold up traffic. Don't be a dumbass!

12: Riders must wear an ANSI or Snell approved helmet, must obey city, county and state laws and Rules of the Road, and conduct themselves in a manner that will not bring discredit to the event.

As I was doing the mapping for the first Trans Iowa to be held in 2005, I was alarmed by the amount of North/South county roads and state highways we were going to cross. It seemed as though there was pavement every five miles or so. Stop signs aplenty! I knew traditional road races had lead cars, maybe a sweeper car, and in many cases, a closed course. There was absolutely no way we were going to be able to pull any of that stuff off, at least in any traditionally understood way. Jeff told me not to worry, that he'd take care of it, and he did that with these two rules.

Rider- Matt Maxwell T.I.V7: Image by Steve Fuller

The first rule is purely Jeff. This was the rule that was to point out to riders that they needed to be careful at road crossings. The second rule was likely something Jeff copied over from somewhere else. The wording of these two rules would indicate that. It's easy to see that the wording is completely different.

In my opinion, these two rules are the second most important rules behind the self-supported rule of Trans Iowa. Riders must use discretion and caution at every crossing and especially going through larger towns and villages. Without riders being at their best, Trans Iowa cannot exist in its current form, or at all, really.

Finally, I always thought that the part that says "...conduct themselves in a manner that will not bring discredit to the event" was kind of weird. I suppose it would be easy to enforce this rule, say if someone was pitching a hissy fit in some town in front of a bunch of folks. However; I have no idea what most of the riders are doing when Trans Iowa is happening, so it is almost an unenforceable rule. Well.....until after the fact. I suppose. Then I could enforce banishment. <==HA! 

Next Week: Turn on the lights and charge up them cell phones!

Trans Iowa V11: A Look At The Rules Part 11

Ira Ryan & Brian Hannon crossing a county blacktop in Wadena IA on T.I.V3

Last year I did a historical overview of each Trans Iowa up to T.I.V9. This year I am going to revisit something that I feel many folks have overlooked for a long time; The "Race Rules".

Last week I discussed the "single speed rule" and this week we take a look at a concern Jeff and I had about our course which was taken into account with the next two rules seen here....


11: You are completely on your own. Use your head. Look and yield for traffic. There will be no course marshalls to hold up traffic. Don't be a dumbass!

12: Riders must wear an ANSI or Snell approved helmet, must obey city, county and state laws and Rules of the Road, and conduct themselves in a manner that will not bring discredit to the event.

As I was doing the mapping for the first Trans Iowa to be held in 2005, I was alarmed by the amount of North/South county roads and state highways we were going to cross. It seemed as though there was pavement every five miles or so. Stop signs aplenty! I knew traditional road races had lead cars, maybe a sweeper car, and in many cases, a closed course. There was absolutely no way we were going to be able to pull any of that stuff off, at least in any traditionally understood way. Jeff told me not to worry, that he'd take care of it, and he did that with these two rules.

Rider- Matt Maxwell T.I.V7: Image by Steve Fuller

The first rule is purely Jeff. This was the rule that was to point out to riders that they needed to be careful at road crossings. The second rule was likely something Jeff copied over from somewhere else. The wording of these two rules would indicate that. It's easy to see that the wording is completely different.

In my opinion, these two rules are the second most important rules behind the self-supported rule of Trans Iowa. Riders must use discretion and caution at every crossing and especially going through larger towns and villages. Without riders being at their best, Trans Iowa cannot exist in its current form, or at all, really.

Finally, I always thought that the part that says "...conduct themselves in a manner that will not bring discredit to the event" was kind of weird. I suppose it would be easy to enforce this rule, say if someone was pitching a hissy fit in some town in front of a bunch of folks. However; I have no idea what most of the riders are doing when Trans Iowa is happening, so it is almost an unenforceable rule. Well.....until after the fact. I suppose. Then I could enforce banishment. <==HA! 

Next Week: Turn on the lights and charge up them cell phones!

Trans Iowa V11: On Volunteers

Okay, since Trans Iowa V11's Rookie registration has ceased, I have seen and heard from several would be riders that they would like to see about volunteering in Trans Iowa. This is all well and fine, but when I see suggestions from friends of folks that missed out that they should volunteer because they would be guaranteed entry into the next T.I.?  Well, that raised a lot of red flags with me. 

First of all, I have all the volunteers that I can use now, so there will not be anymore bodies added. All that I contact in the Spring and actually show up to volunteer will be given a free, nontransferable pass into a possible Trans Iowa V12. Realizing that isn't a guarantee, by the way, just that if it happens, these folks have that grace to utilize.

People are "hungry" to get into Trans Iowa, I get that, but the thing is, now volunteering is seen as a way to get into the event, not so much as a will to actually help with a free, grassroots event on rural roads. It used to be that I had very few actually use their "free pass". Obviously there were a lot of volunteers last year and only three are coming back to use their opportunity to ride in T.I.V11. That's typical. I bet if I didn't already have so many volunteers I could staff the event totally with a group that had their eye on being in the event next time. That, to me, would be a shame.

You see, there are folks that want to be a part of the Trans Iowa experience that would never ride in it, either due to physical issues, or they just aren't motivated that way. However; they do want to get an up-close look, or are just altruistically interested in helping. I'd like to keep the door open for those folks. So, if there is a T.I.V12, there will be a limited number of free entries into a possible next Trans Iowa event. I'm thinking that number is three. That's about the average from the past, and I think that is a fair number.

Trans Iowa V11: On Volunteers

Okay, since Trans Iowa V11's Rookie registration has ceased, I have seen and heard from several would be riders that they would like to see about volunteering in Trans Iowa. This is all well and fine, but when I see suggestions from friends of folks that missed out that they should volunteer because they would be guaranteed entry into the next T.I.?  Well, that raised a lot of red flags with me. 

First of all, I have all the volunteers that I can use now, so there will not be anymore bodies added. All that I contact in the Spring and actually show up to volunteer will be given a free, nontransferable pass into a possible Trans Iowa V12. Realizing that isn't a guarantee, by the way, just that if it happens, these folks have that grace to utilize.

People are "hungry" to get into Trans Iowa, I get that, but the thing is, now volunteering is seen as a way to get into the event, not so much as a will to actually help with a free, grassroots event on rural roads. It used to be that I had very few actually use their "free pass". Obviously there were a lot of volunteers last year and only three are coming back to use their opportunity to ride in T.I.V11. That's typical. I bet if I didn't already have so many volunteers I could staff the event totally with a group that had their eye on being in the event next time. That, to me, would be a shame.

You see, there are folks that want to be a part of the Trans Iowa experience that would never ride in it, either due to physical issues, or they just aren't motivated that way. However; they do want to get an up-close look, or are just altruistically interested in helping. I'd like to keep the door open for those folks. So, if there is a T.I.V12, there will be a limited number of free entries into a possible next Trans Iowa event. I'm thinking that number is three. That's about the average from the past, and I think that is a fair number.

Friday News And Views

Trans Iowa Clinic

Last year we did a Trans Iowa Clinic and it was quite well received so it was decided that we should and could do this again. The basic format will be similar. The focus will be on the Q&A session with former Trans Iowa Veterans and Finishers including Steve Fuller, Mike Johnson, Dan Buettmer, and Sarah Cooper. Some of these folks are actually going to be in T.I.V11 and some are going to be volunteers. We may be adding a couple more folks, but this is a solid panel. If you are coming into Trans Iowa as a rookie, or thinking of doing some other longer gravel events, (which all of our panelists have done as well), please consider attending.

• What: Trans Iowa Clinic: A gravel grinder question and answer session with seasoned Trans Iowa riders. There also will be an expo of several bikes set up to do a Trans Iowa. Attendees will be able to get a close up look at the bikes and gear used in a Trans Iowa along with an opportunity to pick these athlete's brains to your heart's delight. 
• When: December 6th @ 5:00pm
• Where: Krunkwich Ramen House, 621 Des Moines Street, Des Moines Iowa.
• Why: To aid anyone curious about Trans Iowa to learn more about what it takes to get 'er dun!
• Who: Anyone. You do not have to be registered to do Trans Iowa. You just have to be "gravel curious"!

What You Need To Do: The clinic is FREE but we will require a preregistration only so we know how many chairs to rustle up and who to expect. Simply e-mail me @ g.ted.productions@gmail.com to give me your names. Expect the clinic to run until 9:00pm or so depending upon how the questions flow. Sorry- no children please!

Plenty of room

27.5+ For Winter:

I think that in many cases I could get away with a 2.8-ish sized tire for many snow rides. I used to do many rides on snow "pre-fat bike" on a single speed Dillinger with Blunt 35's and 2.4" Ardents. In fact, I have Duallys with 2.4 inch tires on there as well. I may even be doing something with that bike, but the Sawyer with the 27.5+ wheels and the original rigid fork should be better since it is a single speed with a belt drive which is supposedly better for durability in poor conditions. Maybe we'll just have to see about that.......

If the experiment turns out to be a positive experience, I would then be very interested in getting one of the 170mm OD Rohloff hub. That would go into the titanium Mukluk with a chain drive at first, and maybe a belt drive later. I feel that would be a great set up. Maybe it wouldn't be the best for everything, but one thing I do know- it would be super expensive! The hub alone is $1800.00.

That's a short post but I am a bit under the weather here and need to rest. Have a great weekend folks and get outside!

Friday News And Views

Trans Iowa Clinic

Last year we did a Trans Iowa Clinic and it was quite well received so it was decided that we should and could do this again. The basic format will be similar. The focus will be on the Q&A session with former Trans Iowa Veterans and Finishers including Steve Fuller, Mike Johnson, Dan Buettmer, and Sarah Cooper. Some of these folks are actually going to be in T.I.V11 and some are going to be volunteers. We may be adding a couple more folks, but this is a solid panel. If you are coming into Trans Iowa as a rookie, or thinking of doing some other longer gravel events, (which all of our panelists have done as well), please consider attending.

• What: Trans Iowa Clinic: A gravel grinder question and answer session with seasoned Trans Iowa riders. There also will be an expo of several bikes set up to do a Trans Iowa. Attendees will be able to get a close up look at the bikes and gear used in a Trans Iowa along with an opportunity to pick these athlete's brains to your heart's delight. 
• When: December 6th @ 5:00pm
• Where: Krunkwich Ramen House, 621 Des Moines Street, Des Moines Iowa.
• Why: To aid anyone curious about Trans Iowa to learn more about what it takes to get 'er dun!
• Who: Anyone. You do not have to be registered to do Trans Iowa. You just have to be "gravel curious"!

What You Need To Do: The clinic is FREE but we will require a preregistration only so we know how many chairs to rustle up and who to expect. Simply e-mail me @ g.ted.productions@gmail.com to give me your names. Expect the clinic to run until 9:00pm or so depending upon how the questions flow. Sorry- no children please!

Plenty of room

27.5+ For Winter:

I think that in many cases I could get away with a 2.8-ish sized tire for many snow rides. I used to do many rides on snow "pre-fat bike" on a single speed Dillinger with Blunt 35's and 2.4" Ardents. In fact, I have Duallys with 2.4 inch tires on there as well. I may even be doing something with that bike, but the Sawyer with the 27.5+ wheels and the original rigid fork should be better since it is a single speed with a belt drive which is supposedly better for durability in poor conditions. Maybe we'll just have to see about that.......

If the experiment turns out to be a positive experience, I would then be very interested in getting one of the 170mm OD Rohloff hub. That would go into the titanium Mukluk with a chain drive at first, and maybe a belt drive later. I feel that would be a great set up. Maybe it wouldn't be the best for everything, but one thing I do know- it would be super expensive! The hub alone is $1800.00.

That's a short post but I am a bit under the weather here and need to rest. Have a great weekend folks and get outside!

Meeting In The Middle?

Less "fat"- more "mtb".

As I look at what is going on with off road bicycles, I see a lot of things being tried. It is almost as crazy as it was in the early to mid 90's when so many small manufacturers were putting out dual suspension ideas and components were being turned out of small machine shops at rates none of us could keep up with at the time.

This is almost the case again, only now it isn't about which suspension design is going to end up being "best", but what wheel size, and even more than that, how wide and voluminous a tire are we going to end up with. 

Fat bikes are part of this, but so are the 29+ and the 27.5+ bikes. Big, voluminous tires on wider rims are all the rage now. Regular 2.4" tires, which were considered huge only 5-6 years ago, are now seen as "ho-hum" skinnies. Even I have caught myself looking at 3.8"-4.0" fat bike tires and thinking they were "small". Then I remember when I built up the Snow Dog in 2011 and thought those 3.8" Larrys were humongous!

So, what the heck is going on here? Do we really need these monster truck tires? I've been having several interesting conversations with folks in different parts of the cycling world that have given me a lot to think about. Here's where I think all this is coming from and going to......

29+: Fat and TALL!!

First of all, choices in what you can have in tires, widths of those tires, and in the rims you can mount them to have never been better. You had one choice in the 90's that was wide enough to get you by for mountain biking, and nobody thought twice about it. The reason? No choices. It was simply ludicrous to entertain thoughts of differing wheel sizes and widths of tires when there simply was zero chances you'd ever see it in your lifetime. Or so we thought......

If there was one thing that 29"ers existence did for mountain biking, it was to show the mtb tribes that there might be better alternative wheel and tire sizes to consider. Several years later, the 27.5er size was floated, then fat bikes rose to prominence, and it was on from that point. Surly has been a rabble rouser in the alt tire size scene with its 27.5 sized 26 inch based tires and of course, the 29+ tires which debuted on the Krampus.

Things in the mtb world tend to be cyclical with regard to vast choices. It seems you see tons of innovations and then a weeding out process. For instance, has anyone seen any Allsop stems or Boulder Defiants lately? I rest my case...... well, not really! 

This just to point out the folowing: Expect the tire sizes to weed out to something "in the middle". Fat bikes and 29+ are on the extremes. XC sized rubber in 27.5"er and 29"er sizes is on the conservative end. Somewhere in between I feel things will settle out, and that "somewhere", in my opinion, is 27.5+. 

Vee Tire Trax Fatty 27.5 X 3"

Already we are seeing fat bikes being pushed as "mountain bikes", which they can be. However; do you really need a huge, 3.8" tire that requires a special frame, and what is more, a really wide bottom bracket?

What if you could get some of those "fat bike benefits" in a slightly lighter, more traditional bike dimension friendly package? Fat tires have inherently attractive qualities for the off roader. Volume means lower air pressures which gain you comfort, traction for days, and stability which bodes for more confident, faster railing of terrain. However; fat bike tires, rims, and their dimensions push the weight limits and biomechanic boundaries a bit too far for some folks. Not to mention the special designs for frames and suspension bits.

29+ showed us that going slightly skinnier was a great idea to cut down on the "fat" and super wide bottom brackets. However; the huge diameter of these wheels, (something over 31" in most cases), is ponderous and just too big for a lot of people to have a bicycle designed around them. Enter B+/27.5+ tires and wheels.

Understanding that 29"er wheels have already had every conceivable type of mtb designed around their diameter, the 29-ish diameter size of the 27.5+ wheel is an easier thing to accommodate for. It would fit a wider slice of the mtb populace than 29+, and it can be had in 2.8"-3.0" widths already. Many current 29"er hardtails already exist which would work with the wheel size and full suspension designs could be executed without too much trouble going forward.

Plus sized benefits with fat bike tire traits in a package that is already somewhat familiar to current mountain bikers? Sounds like a plan to me.

Meeting In The Middle?

Less "fat"- more "mtb".

As I look at what is going on with off road bicycles, I see a lot of things being tried. It is almost as crazy as it was in the early to mid 90's when so many small manufacturers were putting out dual suspension ideas and components were being turned out of small machine shops at rates none of us could keep up with at the time.

This is almost the case again, only now it isn't about which suspension design is going to end up being "best", but what wheel size, and even more than that, how wide and voluminous a tire are we going to end up with. 

Fat bikes are part of this, but so are the 29+ and the 27.5+ bikes. Big, voluminous tires on wider rims are all the rage now. Regular 2.4" tires, which were considered huge only 5-6 years ago, are now seen as "ho-hum" skinnies. Even I have caught myself looking at 3.8"-4.0" fat bike tires and thinking they were "small". Then I remember when I built up the Snow Dog in 2011 and thought those 3.8" Larrys were humongous!

So, what the heck is going on here? Do we really need these monster truck tires? I've been having several interesting conversations with folks in different parts of the cycling world that have given me a lot to think about. Here's where I think all this is coming from and going to......

29+: Fat and TALL!!

First of all, choices in what you can have in tires, widths of those tires, and in the rims you can mount them to have never been better. You had one choice in the 90's that was wide enough to get you by for mountain biking, and nobody thought twice about it. The reason? No choices. It was simply ludicrous to entertain thoughts of differing wheel sizes and widths of tires when there simply was zero chances you'd ever see it in your lifetime. Or so we thought......

If there was one thing that 29"ers existence did for mountain biking, it was to show the mtb tribes that there might be better alternative wheel and tire sizes to consider. Several years later, the 27.5er size was floated, then fat bikes rose to prominence, and it was on from that point. Surly has been a rabble rouser in the alt tire size scene with its 27.5 sized 26 inch based tires and of course, the 29+ tires which debuted on the Krampus.

Things in the mtb world tend to be cyclical with regard to vast choices. It seems you see tons of innovations and then a weeding out process. For instance, has anyone seen any Allsop stems or Boulder Defiants lately? I rest my case...... well, not really! 

This just to point out the folowing: Expect the tire sizes to weed out to something "in the middle". Fat bikes and 29+ are on the extremes. XC sized rubber in 27.5"er and 29"er sizes is on the conservative end. Somewhere in between I feel things will settle out, and that "somewhere", in my opinion, is 27.5+. 

Vee Tire Trax Fatty 27.5 X 3"

Already we are seeing fat bikes being pushed as "mountain bikes", which they can be. However; do you really need a huge, 3.8" tire that requires a special frame, and what is more, a really wide bottom bracket?

What if you could get some of those "fat bike benefits" in a slightly lighter, more traditional bike dimension friendly package? Fat tires have inherently attractive qualities for the off roader. Volume means lower air pressures which gain you comfort, traction for days, and stability which bodes for more confident, faster railing of terrain. However; fat bike tires, rims, and their dimensions push the weight limits and biomechanic boundaries a bit too far for some folks. Not to mention the special designs for frames and suspension bits.

29+ showed us that going slightly skinnier was a great idea to cut down on the "fat" and super wide bottom brackets. However; the huge diameter of these wheels, (something over 31" in most cases), is ponderous and just too big for a lot of people to have a bicycle designed around them. Enter B+/27.5+ tires and wheels.

Understanding that 29"er wheels have already had every conceivable type of mtb designed around their diameter, the 29-ish diameter size of the 27.5+ wheel is an easier thing to accommodate for. It would fit a wider slice of the mtb populace than 29+, and it can be had in 2.8"-3.0" widths already. Many current 29"er hardtails already exist which would work with the wheel size and full suspension designs could be executed without too much trouble going forward.

Plus sized benefits with fat bike tire traits in a package that is already somewhat familiar to current mountain bikers? Sounds like a plan to me.

Where It All Began

 

From a 1980 Des Moines Register article

What you are looking at here represents what is pretty much one of the major reasons Trans Iowa got started. This article is the story about four road riders that decided to try to cross the state of Iowa in a single day on road racing style bikes. I happen to work for one of the four men who did this, know another, and have met the eldest one just recently. They are all nice guys, but you'd never know they had done this unless they told you. It's one of those forgotten "feats of strength" that not too many folks know about.


That's a shame really.

So, how did this forgotten ride that happened 34 years ago help to spawn Trans Iowa, and arguably, the whole gravel scene that followed? Interestingly, it was because a couple of mountain biking fans got fed up with hearing the story a few times too many.

An old story of road riding tripped the trigger for the idea of Trans Iowa Image by W. Kilburg

I mention it in the film "300 Miles Of Gravel" when I am talking about how Trans Iowa got its start and I allude to the "riding across Iowa in a day on road bikes". Jeff Kerkove and I were mechanics together at Europa Cycle & Ski, and Russ Clarke, our boss, (and still is my boss!), used to regale us with stories about road riding when the business was slow, which it typically is during November. After one particularly long assault on our mtb leaning minds, which ended with the riding across Iowa story, Jeff asked the now infamous question, "What if we rode across Iowa on mountain bikes....?"

 Of course, we wouldn't be able to do that on dirt. Iowa is, after all, a very agrarian state and most of the countryside is plowed and tilled. However; there are a claimed 70,000 plus miles of gravel roads with some dirt ones sprinkled in for good measure. You know the rest of that story......

Now, there were other influences on Trans Iowa, certainly, and the whole gravel riding scene may have popped up without us at some point, but if you ever come to do Trans Iowa, or have ridden in it, or ride other events inspired by T.I., then you have these four humble gents to thank for it. At least in part. I cannot imagine Trans Iowa ever happening without them.

Where It All Began

 

From a 1980 Des Moines Register article

What you are looking at here represents what is pretty much one of the major reasons Trans Iowa got started. This article is the story about four road riders that decided to try to cross the state of Iowa in a single day on road racing style bikes. I happen to work for one of the four men who did this, know another, and have met the eldest one just recently. They are all nice guys, but you'd never know they had done this unless they told you. It's one of those forgotten "feats of strength" that not too many folks know about.


That's a shame really.

So, how did this forgotten ride that happened 34 years ago help to spawn Trans Iowa, and arguably, the whole gravel scene that followed? Interestingly, it was because a couple of mountain biking fans got fed up with hearing the story a few times too many.

An old story of road riding tripped the trigger for the idea of Trans Iowa Image by W. Kilburg

I mention it in the film "300 Miles Of Gravel" when I am talking about how Trans Iowa got its start and I allude to the "riding across Iowa in a day on road bikes". Jeff Kerkove and I were mechanics together at Europa Cycle & Ski, and Russ Clarke, our boss, (and still is my boss!), used to regale us with stories about road riding when the business was slow, which it typically is during November. After one particularly long assault on our mtb leaning minds, which ended with the riding across Iowa story, Jeff asked the now infamous question, "What if we rode across Iowa on mountain bikes....?"

 Of course, we wouldn't be able to do that on dirt. Iowa is, after all, a very agrarian state and most of the countryside is plowed and tilled. However; there are a claimed 70,000 plus miles of gravel roads with some dirt ones sprinkled in for good measure. You know the rest of that story......

Now, there were other influences on Trans Iowa, certainly, and the whole gravel riding scene may have popped up without us at some point, but if you ever come to do Trans Iowa, or have ridden in it, or ride other events inspired by T.I., then you have these four humble gents to thank for it. At least in part. I cannot imagine Trans Iowa ever happening without them.

How To Dress For The Cold Weather Commute

Those "things" on my handle bars are essential for successful cold weather commuting.

There isn't any "bad weather" for riding bicycles, just "bad clothing choices".

You've likely heard that and thought to yourself, "Yeah.....whatever Buddy! I bet you don't ride when it gets really cold out there!"

Well, as a matter of fact, I do- and so could you.

Here's how I tackled a 7°F commute straight into a 22mph Northwest wind, (so wind chills were, ya know....ridiculous!), and returned when it was a bit balmier. If you can call 12°F "balmy"! I'll walk you through my equipment choices and clothing here, and then you'll have to decide what will work for you. I am not saying to anyone that my set up is "the set up", but I am saying it could be a guide for you and I hope this encourages you to stretch your boundaries of what you think is possible for bicycling in Winter.

Equipment: I choose to ride my titanium Mukluk in Winter because my commute crosses several snowy sections, places where snow drifts, and several places where there is ice. Fat bikes are inherently stable beasts, and of course, they have tons of traction, so they are a good bicycle to use for Winter commuting, but you can use a fixed gear bike, hybrid, or a mountain bike if you want. Just make sure that it is in good running order, with great winter tires for traction, (maybe consider studded tires), and that everything is lubed and in order. The last thing you want is to have a break down when it is cold! Finally, I highly recommend "pogies". These are the fabric "covers" over the bars which you insert your hands into on the open end. Think of them as big, warm "hand socks" which block the wind, and you'll get the idea. If you suffer from cold hands, these are indispensable. I got mine at Blaine's Farm & Fleet as a gift. The "ATB" pogies, or "bar mitts", are cheaper, and oversized for bicycles, but they typically sell for less than $20.00 a pair. "Real" bicycle pogies are smaller and less apt to catch the wind but are higher priced.

Take me to your leader!

Clothing Choices: Starting with the feet, I used some heavy wool boot socks and my Keen Brixen boots, (out of production) which are lighter Winter boots. Obviously, I don't use clipless pedals, but instead I use flat platform pedals with traction pins. This works a trick in Winter since I don't have to worry about getting into or out of pedal bindings and I can wear footwear that actually keeps my feet warm!

On the bottom, I opt for wool long underwear and a pair of Dickies 874 work pants. That's all I need to stay warm on the bottom, but if I weren't so warm blooded, I'd maybe add a pair of rain pants to block the wind. Your call....

Up top I use a wool long sleeved base layer, my cotton t-shirt I have to wear for work, and then a hooded jersey. Mine is an old Nike thermal hooded jersey, but you might find other brands or even wool ones now days. I put an old Zoic Black Market jacket over this. It is a windproof synthetic jacket that fits fairly loose. Choose something windproof that is similar and you should be fine. On the head, besides the hood, I put on a Challenge Tires branded fleece cap and then my Bell helmet. On the way to work, into the wind, I used a Craft balaclava, which is thin but does a wonderful job of keeping the wind off your face. That goes on first, by the way. On my eyes I used Spy Optic Daft glasses with the amber tinted lens. The rimless design with mucho coverage works like goggles without the bulk and weight. On my hands I used some Polarfleece gloves that are MallWart cheapos. Under the pogies, you can get away with almost nothing on your hands. And.....that's all. 

Keys To The Kingdom: Whatever you decide to wear, you should always be a bit chilled to start out. Working the pedals and if there is any wind, or hills, will cause you to build up heat and you'll be fine. Start out all warm and toasty and you'll end up overheating and getting sweaty, which will end up freezing your butt off, amongst other parts. It might also be wise to pack extra clothes to switch into later in case you have a longer commute or need to look "presentable" when you get to your destination. Whatever you do, don't choose your commuting/cycling Winter clothes primarily based upon looking good. Function over fashion here.

Okay, hope that helps get you started on tackling a situation on your bicycle you thought was undoable. Ride on!

How To Dress For The Cold Weather Commute

Those "things" on my handle bars are essential for successful cold weather commuting.

There isn't any "bad weather" for riding bicycles, just "bad clothing choices".

You've likely heard that and thought to yourself, "Yeah.....whatever Buddy! I bet you don't ride when it gets really cold out there!"

Well, as a matter of fact, I do- and so could you.

Here's how I tackled a 7°F commute straight into a 22mph Northwest wind, (so wind chills were, ya know....ridiculous!), and returned when it was a bit balmier. If you can call 12°F "balmy"! I'll walk you through my equipment choices and clothing here, and then you'll have to decide what will work for you. I am not saying to anyone that my set up is "the set up", but I am saying it could be a guide for you and I hope this encourages you to stretch your boundaries of what you think is possible for bicycling in Winter.

Equipment: I choose to ride my titanium Mukluk in Winter because my commute crosses several snowy sections, places where snow drifts, and several places where there is ice. Fat bikes are inherently stable beasts, and of course, they have tons of traction, so they are a good bicycle to use for Winter commuting, but you can use a fixed gear bike, hybrid, or a mountain bike if you want. Just make sure that it is in good running order, with great winter tires for traction, (maybe consider studded tires), and that everything is lubed and in order. The last thing you want is to have a break down when it is cold! Finally, I highly recommend "pogies". These are the fabric "covers" over the bars which you insert your hands into on the open end. Think of them as big, warm "hand socks" which block the wind, and you'll get the idea. If you suffer from cold hands, these are indispensable. I got mine at Blaine's Farm & Fleet as a gift. The "ATB" pogies, or "bar mitts", are cheaper, and oversized for bicycles, but they typically sell for less than $20.00 a pair. "Real" bicycle pogies are smaller and less apt to catch the wind but are higher priced.

Take me to your leader!

Clothing Choices: Starting with the feet, I used some heavy wool boot socks and my Keen Brixen boots, (out of production) which are lighter Winter boots. Obviously, I don't use clipless pedals, but instead I use flat platform pedals with traction pins. This works a trick in Winter since I don't have to worry about getting into or out of pedal bindings and I can wear footwear that actually keeps my feet warm!

On the bottom, I opt for wool long underwear and a pair of Dickies 874 work pants. That's all I need to stay warm on the bottom, but if I weren't so warm blooded, I'd maybe add a pair of rain pants to block the wind. Your call....

Up top I use a wool long sleeved base layer, my cotton t-shirt I have to wear for work, and then a hooded jersey. Mine is an old Nike thermal hooded jersey, but you might find other brands or even wool ones now days. I put an old Zoic Black Market jacket over this. It is a windproof synthetic jacket that fits fairly loose. Choose something windproof that is similar and you should be fine. On the head, besides the hood, I put on a Challenge Tires branded fleece cap and then my Bell helmet. On the way to work, into the wind, I used a Craft balaclava, which is thin but does a wonderful job of keeping the wind off your face. That goes on first, by the way. On my eyes I used Spy Optic Daft glasses with the amber tinted lens. The rimless design with mucho coverage works like goggles without the bulk and weight. On my hands I used some Polarfleece gloves that are MallWart cheapos. Under the pogies, you can get away with almost nothing on your hands. And.....that's all. 

Keys To The Kingdom: Whatever you decide to wear, you should always be a bit chilled to start out. Working the pedals and if there is any wind, or hills, will cause you to build up heat and you'll be fine. Start out all warm and toasty and you'll end up overheating and getting sweaty, which will end up freezing your butt off, amongst other parts. It might also be wise to pack extra clothes to switch into later in case you have a longer commute or need to look "presentable" when you get to your destination. Whatever you do, don't choose your commuting/cycling Winter clothes primarily based upon looking good. Function over fashion here.

Okay, hope that helps get you started on tackling a situation on your bicycle you thought was undoable. Ride on!

White Is The New Dirt

On the "Marky-Mark" trail.

Saturday we got our first good dosage of snow. It didn't come until well into the afternoon, but I was not able to get away until then due to dog-sitting duties and other situations. Once I got freed up, I set out to go make some tracks.

Of course, having big, voluminous tires with crazy tread makes even this two inches or so of white fluff pretty much nothing. It isn't any different than riding on dirt. Kinda like "white dirt"! It wasn't until I went up the steep incline of the dike that I even noticed the tires working hard at all. Up until that point I could disregard that this was snow I was riding on. It was simply not challenging at all.

That isn't to say that I was not having fun, because I was. Ripping through the corners as fast as I wanted to go despite the conditions was cool. Hidden sand and branches don't affect the big tires either, so while I may have been upended on a skinnier tired bike, this seemed almost like cheating. If we get to a point where we have a deeper base and it has been walked upon, skied upon, and what not, that is where these behemoth tires will earn their keep. There and on the deeper snowed in trails and snowmobile tracks.

Black Hawk Creek is just starting to ice over.

I hadn't been out to "Marky-Mark" for a while, but I see someone with a chain saw came through and cleared it up. It doesn't have any logs to test your bunny hopping skills on anymore nor is it closed in upon you in that section between the ponds. Gee.......its almost as if it were a legit trail now. Next thing ya know the City will run that stupid end loader through there, straighten out all the corners, and turn it into a path for the elderly.

Anyway, for now it seems okay, and obviously, it is easily found and you can clear it without fuss. I don't mean to come off as "unthankful", because it was a good deed, but ya never know where that might lead if ya don't know who has taken on the job of trail custodian. If it is the City, well....... I'm not confident things will stay as fun as they are now. Let's just leave it at that.

It isn't like I own that trail or anything. It is Public land, after all, and I have no say. Just like I stated a while back when speaking of this trail- I truly am amazed any of it is still there after all these years.  In fact, there used to be an extension of Marky-Mark that went Eastward past the original trail and came out by the lake. It was a much longer trail and in the middle it was susceptible to flooding. I had a laugh Saturday when I came out of Marky-Mark because you cannot even make anything out of that former trail now, whereas Marky-Mark thrives in comparison.

It was snowing pretty good by the time I got home and had the lights on. The trails will be beaten in by traffic by now, but it was fun to be out while it was snowing when the single track looked like a white line instead of like dirt. That doesn't happen often around here. It may not last either, as not only the traffic but warmer weather is supposed to arrive in about a week. We'll see........ For now it is going to feel like a walk in freezer out there!

White Is The New Dirt

On the "Marky-Mark" trail.

Saturday we got our first good dosage of snow. It didn't come until well into the afternoon, but I was not able to get away until then due to dog-sitting duties and other situations. Once I got freed up, I set out to go make some tracks.

Of course, having big, voluminous tires with crazy tread makes even this two inches or so of white fluff pretty much nothing. It isn't any different than riding on dirt. Kinda like "white dirt"! It wasn't until I went up the steep incline of the dike that I even noticed the tires working hard at all. Up until that point I could disregard that this was snow I was riding on. It was simply not challenging at all.

That isn't to say that I was not having fun, because I was. Ripping through the corners as fast as I wanted to go despite the conditions was cool. Hidden sand and branches don't affect the big tires either, so while I may have been upended on a skinnier tired bike, this seemed almost like cheating. If we get to a point where we have a deeper base and it has been walked upon, skied upon, and what not, that is where these behemoth tires will earn their keep. There and on the deeper snowed in trails and snowmobile tracks.

Black Hawk Creek is just starting to ice over.

I hadn't been out to "Marky-Mark" for a while, but I see someone with a chain saw came through and cleared it up. It doesn't have any logs to test your bunny hopping skills on anymore nor is it closed in upon you in that section between the ponds. Gee.......its almost as if it were a legit trail now. Next thing ya know the City will run that stupid end loader through there, straighten out all the corners, and turn it into a path for the elderly.

Anyway, for now it seems okay, and obviously, it is easily found and you can clear it without fuss. I don't mean to come off as "unthankful", because it was a good deed, but ya never know where that might lead if ya don't know who has taken on the job of trail custodian. If it is the City, well....... I'm not confident things will stay as fun as they are now. Let's just leave it at that.

It isn't like I own that trail or anything. It is Public land, after all, and I have no say. Just like I stated a while back when speaking of this trail- I truly am amazed any of it is still there after all these years.  In fact, there used to be an extension of Marky-Mark that went Eastward past the original trail and came out by the lake. It was a much longer trail and in the middle it was susceptible to flooding. I had a laugh Saturday when I came out of Marky-Mark because you cannot even make anything out of that former trail now, whereas Marky-Mark thrives in comparison.

It was snowing pretty good by the time I got home and had the lights on. The trails will be beaten in by traffic by now, but it was fun to be out while it was snowing when the single track looked like a white line instead of like dirt. That doesn't happen often around here. It may not last either, as not only the traffic but warmer weather is supposed to arrive in about a week. We'll see........ For now it is going to feel like a walk in freezer out there!

Trans Iowa V11: A Look At The Rules Part 10

Charlie Farrow struggles against the wind and hills of T.I.v10. Image by W. Kilburg

Last year I did a historical overview of each Trans Iowa up to T.I.V9. This year I am going to revisit something that I feel many folks have overlooked for a long time; The "Race Rules".

Last week I picked the series back up with a discussion of Rules #7 & #8, which can be seen here.  This week I will discuss Rule #10 which reads as follows.....

10: All singlespeed/fixie category racers must start and finish on the same gear. So, that means don't stick 10 assorted freewheels/track cogs in your bag. You CAN run a flip-flop hub, but both gears (freewheel & cog) must have the same number of teeth.

One would assume that a "single speed" means just that- one cog to rule them all and in the Darkness bind them.... Oh! Wait a minute..... Anyway, you know, it is assumed that you cannot switch your gear ratio as a single speeder, right? Well, let me tell ya......

See, ya got yer flip flop hubs and yer dinglespeeds, and yes- some even pack the tools to swap out cogs in the field. We were getting questions during the lead up to the first Trans Iowa about "what was a single speed?" What was our definition? Jeff wrote the rule to address that.

Fixed finisher Jay Barre- Only the third one ever in ten years.

We've never had any issues with the single speed class since the beginning. Maybe this rule is unnecessary? Probably not, so it stays. We lumped the single speed freewheelers in with the fixie guys. However; it has become very evident throughout the years that doing 300 plus miles of Springtime Iowa gravel is.......difficult. 

I don't have any hard numbers for fixed gear attempts, but I feel pretty sure that since V3 there has been at least one rider in the field that has taken the start on a fixed gear machine. Maybe there were guys in V2 running fixed? I'd like to know.....Updated: I remember now! One of the LaLonde brothers attempted T.I.V2 on a fixie and was running up front in the event until the mud and rain just became too much for everyone.


Anyway, the very first fixed gear finisher and the very first guy I was ever aware of that attempted a Trans Iowa on a fixie was Ken Yokanovich. His bike even had panniers! Then I know that in V4 Eric Brunt was on a Steamroller but had to stop since he didn't make the cut off for CP#1. V5 saw Ben Shockey pull off a fixed gear finish, which was pretty amazing due to the tough course that year.

That was it. There were fixed gear attempts, but no one even got close until last Spring when Jay Barre pulled off an incredible, highly unlikely finish in what I have said is probably the toughest Trans Iowa ever. How he managed to survive the hills, winds, storms, and mud to reach the end was unfathomable to me. But....he did. 

The "freewheelin'" single speeders have always fared well at Trans Iowa. Almost every edition has seen a single speed rider in the top five and a single speed rider has finished Trans Iowa in second place three times out of the ten run.  One of these days a single speed rider will win it all.

Trans Iowa V11: A Look At The Rules Part 10

Charlie Farrow struggles against the wind and hills of T.I.v10. Image by W. Kilburg

Last year I did a historical overview of each Trans Iowa up to T.I.V9. This year I am going to revisit something that I feel many folks have overlooked for a long time; The "Race Rules".

Last week I picked the series back up with a discussion of Rules #7 & #8, which can be seen here.  This week I will discuss Rule #10 which reads as follows.....

10: All singlespeed/fixie category racers must start and finish on the same gear. So, that means don't stick 10 assorted freewheels/track cogs in your bag. You CAN run a flip-flop hub, but both gears (freewheel & cog) must have the same number of teeth.

One would assume that a "single speed" means just that- one cog to rule them all and in the Darkness bind them.... Oh! Wait a minute..... Anyway, you know, it is assumed that you cannot switch your gear ratio as a single speeder, right? Well, let me tell ya......

See, ya got yer flip flop hubs and yer dinglespeeds, and yes- some even pack the tools to swap out cogs in the field. We were getting questions during the lead up to the first Trans Iowa about "what was a single speed?" What was our definition? Jeff wrote the rule to address that.

Fixed finisher Jay Barre- Only the third one ever in ten years.

We've never had any issues with the single speed class since the beginning. Maybe this rule is unnecessary? Probably not, so it stays. We lumped the single speed freewheelers in with the fixie guys. However; it has become very evident throughout the years that doing 300 plus miles of Springtime Iowa gravel is.......difficult. 

I don't have any hard numbers for fixed gear attempts, but I feel pretty sure that since V3 there has been at least one rider in the field that has taken the start on a fixed gear machine. Maybe there were guys in V2 running fixed? I'd like to know.....Updated: I remember now! One of the LaLonde brothers attempted T.I.V2 on a fixie and was running up front in the event until the mud and rain just became too much for everyone.


Anyway, the very first fixed gear finisher and the very first guy I was ever aware of that attempted a Trans Iowa on a fixie was Ken Yokanovich. His bike even had panniers! Then I know that in V4 Eric Brunt was on a Steamroller but had to stop since he didn't make the cut off for CP#1. V5 saw Ben Shockey pull off a fixed gear finish, which was pretty amazing due to the tough course that year.

That was it. There were fixed gear attempts, but no one even got close until last Spring when Jay Barre pulled off an incredible, highly unlikely finish in what I have said is probably the toughest Trans Iowa ever. How he managed to survive the hills, winds, storms, and mud to reach the end was unfathomable to me. But....he did. 

The "freewheelin'" single speeders have always fared well at Trans Iowa. Almost every edition has seen a single speed rider in the top five and a single speed rider has finished Trans Iowa in second place three times out of the ten run.  One of these days a single speed rider will win it all.

Trans Iowa V11: Registration Daze: Final Words.....

While the roster was settled on Monday, the Rookie registration for Trans Iowa V11 caused the biggest stir ever since the Rogue Seven of Trans Iowa V2's registration. I got more suggestions to "fix things" than ever and a ton of questions. I wanted to put out a definitive "final word" on this situation to settle the subject once and for all. Okay? Here we go....

• Letting More Folks In: Short answer- NO. Longer answer: This format, the way Trans Iowa has been formulated carefully and thoughtfully over ten years time, will not support more riders in the event. There are two main reasons for this. One is convenience store supply options. I cannot expect that having more people swarm a convenience store will be good for the competitors, the businesses, or Trans Iowa in general. We are already seeing and hearing that certain situations regarding convenience stores and the riders coming in are stressing the limits of what these stores can reasonably supply. To go "bigger" would require a different way of supplying the riders and would fundamentally change the way I would need to staff and fund Trans Iowa. Secondly, it would cause more issues with traffic, people needing to relieve themselves, garbage, and more. So far, Trans Iowa has not been adversely affected by such issues, but I know other events that got "bigger" and have these sorts of challenges. Again- I could find a way to take care of all of these things given more money and manpower. That isn't in the cards, and I don't want to fundamentally change Trans Iowa into another Dirty Kanza 200, or like event. Like it or not, Trans Iowa is as "big" as I am willing for it to ever get.
• Making Things Fair: There was a fair amount of comments complaining about the way that some could drive their entries in, be waiting at the door, or that had access to local folks who could drop off cards for them. Others had delivery nightmares with over night packages coming either too early or too late. Hear this: IF Trans Iowa happens again, the registration for Rookies will change to eliminate differences in how I get the post cards. I will say no more than that, but I have a plan, and I won't have to use it if I cannot/will not do another Trans Iowa event. Stay tuned......like until next year sometime. Don't ask me again now!! I'd like to focus on THIS Trans Iowa, if you please. 
• Qualifying Event(s): This idea was independently thought of by myself and another T.I. rider. It basically would entail that if someone that had never ridden a Trans Iowa finished a certain event, they would have a free pass to take on a Trans Iowa, if that should happen again. I am intrigued by this idea, but I am not fully sold on it either. This will go into the "think tank" for now, but I would entertain comments and suggestions on the merits, or lack thereof, on this concept. 
• And Finally: As in anything related to Trans Iowa, folks typically want whatever they are concerned about in regard to the event to be made easier. So, the obvious thing to do is to make it harder to get into Trans Iowa. So, after the dust settles, and T.I.V11 is in the rear view mirror, and IF I get the itch to do this madness again, you can pretty much guarantee that I will tweak the registration qualifications or process, (or both), to make it more difficult to get into Trans Iowa for Rookies. It's basic economics. More Demand = Higher Prices. I know I see a LOT higher demand for spots. The spots available are EXTREMELY limited. Makes perfect sense to me. 

Comments and suggestions are always considered. Please e-mail me or hit the comments section. Thanks!