Beyond the Ride

       So here are the routes.  I did move the routes around the B-roads to avoid them and even trimmed off a few miles to make the 63 mile route less gnarly.     For those of you who have reached out to confirm you are coming, thank you.  I hope you characters have Strava, because here is the 63 mile route , and here is the 31 mile route . Please note there is no town stop on the 31 mile route.  If you need a C-Store it is is Traer off route on HWY 63.  You have two choices, but I would suggest the BP Gas Station near Down town intersection.       Today's Post was about the routes, nothing more.  If you are following along, you know the time an start location.  I may even ride the 31 mile route as things are shaping up. Cheers & Godspeed Dave

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 ya...

G  ood Day All,     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.   Expecta...

          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)   ...

     It seems everyone has an opinion about everything.  And everyone knows or wants to be associated with the best.  It is just not bikes, it is every aspect in our lives.  In the grand scheme that speaks volumes about ourselves as a culture and a world.  An example is food.  We have to have the best street taco and if you are not having the best street taco, you are wrong.  We are evolving into a culture of snobs, or maybe we are already there.  And as I write this, maybe I am reliving my past.  Glory days no, but at least the past.     Full disclosure, I use to drink the Salsa Cycles Kool-Aid early on.  It was not because they were the best, it was because I thought they had well thought out bikes that no one else had.  The niche they created in 2013 - 2016 was ideal for how I was riding.  Today, they are just another bike company, and their designs and my wants/needs have diverged....

 Post #26: Tammy and I are going for a late (for us) morning ride of gravel from Waverly to Charles City.  The route is mostly gravel and with a Charles City  beer  stop.       This leads to me talk about my route creations.  Well it is no secret that I am on the board of directors for the Sterile Iowan .  I watched Dangerous Dan create his route based on a river valley.  Since then I have done the same for a few of my rides.  It is pretty genius concept to follow the river.  A few reasons as to why it is genius.  The first reason is that almost guarantees you passing through a town that has a C-Store.  Secondly, it will give you hills to ride as you go up and down the river valley walls.  Lastly, it creates a course with a lot of turns and twists, and that in of it self breaks up the grid square riding Iowa gravel is known for.           So Saturday we ride, and we ride back.  Simp...