W hat a weekend of wind. Tammy and I went an attempted the 66.6 mile route. The roads were angry my friend as George Costanzia would say. The 20-30 MPH head winds for 20 miles was not welcomed. Tammy and I got north of Garwin and took the tail wind home. The important part is that what we rode was all new to me and was a nice route.
The route allows for bail out options if you are paying attention to water towers. Also, the bridge that is closed near Gladbrook is a dismount crossing. You will need to lift your bike up and over the barricades. Prior to getting into Garwin there is a steep climb with a wicked fast descent. I think my Wahoo said 40mph at one point, so she is steep and fast. The roads were hard and fast with no large chunk gravel. All of that can change if we get an early spring.
The B-Road we took south near Union Grove was firm and also had a 100 yard section encased in snow between the road shoulders. We rode the grass ridge to bypass it. We did not venture into the field, we stayed on the grass margin close to the road. Probably is considered trespassing, but I think a farmer would not mind. The section of that particular B-road we did ride was more like a normal gravel road.
My biggest concern is the B-Road section after Garwin I have in. It is a 6 mile bump out to the south. When the route comes out, if you are not feeling frisky, keep heading east and within 1 mile, you will be back on route.
The remaining of this post is the copy & paste of Post #2 to keep it consistent.
Post #2
I have created the routes. I want to ride them first prior to posting them. I need to clarify this is not a race, it is in no way a race, it is a guy who is providing a time window and two course suggestions. This 100% uninsured as I am not even gonna ride this thing the day of but be checking in on people to SAG them if needed. If you want to ride with others on a single speed gravel machine then here is a viable option. You are Responsible for you. You could show up and unload your bike, decide not too ride and go home. That is still a win in my book. You at least got out of the house.
Post #1 as follows.
As of now plan on a March 26th, 9am start time in Reinbeck, Iowa. I will have to come up with a new route and will post it to the blog in a separate post. I am going to remove a lot of B-roads, so this route will be more bland than tubular.
Expectations:
- Single Speed Only bikes
- Do not care how you do it since it is a ride, but if you want to show up with gears, go for it.
- Bring a beer for yourself and one to share
- If you rode gears, you bring a 6er of the good stuff.
- Find some random person you do not know and share a beer
- The ride is on your own and is not a race
- I will post a 30ish and 65ish mile routes.
- You are responsible for you since this is a group ride atmosphere.
- Be prepared for inclement weather.
- Mud
- Rain
- Wind
- Ice is possible
- Large Ag equipment
- Naughty Dogs
- Rad Cats
- And possible cow sightings
- No Tigers
- No bears unless TJ Fort shows up and goes shirtless
- No groomed gravel (aka it may be big chunk)
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