This is the third year I've done the Pony Express 120 Gravel Dash and it's normally one of the last races of the year, this year even more so with it happening a month later than normal. Usually we'd be Ponying it up in September but then the gravel race formally known as DK... The Dirty Kanza, if you're nasty... (a Prince and Janet reference in the same sentence, be still my heart) slid into the weekend that the Pony Express had slated for their race. The organizers of the Pony Express then called an audible and moved to October, ironically the DK never happened but the new date was already set. Still in the midst of Covid guidelines, masks and social distancing was the norm for the Pony Express as it has been for all the races I've been a part of this year. To the credit of the organizers of the races that I've participated in, I have not heard of any cases being contributed to the race. It's possible that the elimination of mass starts, large rider meetings and after race parties might be a rarity for the foreseeable future but from what I've seen and experienced, it does seem like modified events are possible. Even if not a popular opinion.
Teach me how to Hopken.
With the normal area used for the start/finish line in Marysville under construction, this year it moved to just in front of the Union Pacific Station. Built in 1929 the Station was weeks away from being demolished in 2015 when the City of Marysville and the UP Preservation Society bought the station and started restoring it. The Union Pacific station was designed by architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood, most famously known for designing lodges in our National Parks. Underwood also designed 9 Union Pacific stations and all of them were beautiful, ornate designs, the Union Pacific Station in Omaha is another of his designs. These stations and lodges were built by the Union Pacific as an incentive to get folks to travel by train to the National Parks thus increasing UP revenue. While still in the renovation process it's great to see these types of historical buildings being saved from the wrecking ball, architecture like this just isn't being produced today.
Check-ins were checked, beers drank, prizes raffled and won. Amy also gave an emotional speech about her recent battle with breast cancer and gave a little insight into her coming up with the idea and formation of Pink Gravel as a way to raise awareness of breast cancers among active runners and gravel enthusiast. For more information on Pink Gravel, click HERE.
The staggered start was in affect and participants had a 20 minute window in which to start their race, I was part of a three person relay team riding the third leg so I had time to kill before I'd need to get ready to ride.
Winds were strong and temps were low that morning, I was not envious of those riding in the wee hours of the day. On my way to checkpoint one I snagged a few pictures of the Pony Express rider and a few of the black squirrel sculptures that are everywhere around town. Two things Marysville is famous for is as a former Pony Express station and for the abundance of living black squirrels, which are also everywhere but not as into posing as the sculptured ones are.
The tiny town of Summerfield, Kansas, a town totally devoid of any sort of cell reception, was the site of the first checkpoint. Winds were still whipping and temps were still in the 40s, I was chilly but riding must have helped with that because a few of the crew left jackets and vests with me to take back to the start/finish. That was a good sign because it meant I might actually warm up at some point in the day.
The first relay point was some 20 miles up the course in Du bois, Nebraska. While bigger than Summerfield, there wasn't a single thing in Du bois except the forbidden love of a dog and cat. Nothing was open in the entire town, the lady running the Post Office was also the lady who would open the bar at 11 am after she closed the Post Office. I picked Doug up, who crushed his leg of the relay, and watched Sarah ride off to start her leg before Doug and I went in search of some Casey's pizza.
After Casey's, Doug and I headed to the second relay point to wait for Sarah to ride in. Once we saw Matt pull into the lot we knew it was only a matter of minutes before we'd see her so I grabbed the bike and warmed up a little bit. Sitting in a car and standing in the cold and wind most of the day was not ideal for preparing to race bicycles so I am glad that I got a few minutes to get the legs going.
Since we as a team were trying to do well in the race, I opted to not bring the camera along on the bike to stave off that distraction. The first 15 miles into that stiff SSW 24 mph wind sucked but thankfully as the day went on the winds began to drop so the second half of the leg became a little less windy as the ride went on. The entire leg was in about the same direction but I was able to add almost a mile per hour to the total mph average over the course of the second half of the leg once the winds started dropping. While not the fastest time or average I've had on the Revolt, given the winds I felt like it was a good effort and I gave it what I had.
As a team we did fantastic and raked in the hardware, we finished under 9 hours total time for the 120 miles and took first in the relay. Super proud of my teammates for absolutely crusing it out there on course!
The second and third place teams were comprised of junior racers from the Move Up Cycling Team. Don't let their young age or diminutive size fool you, they were fast and did really well, they are the future of gravel.
We weren't the only ones of the group to come home with some hardware however, Joe and Roy took 1st and 2nd in the 70 mile fat bike division.
Overall I am super stoked with our team and decently happy with my leg of the race. The Revolt performed flawlessly again and was fast as always, winds and temps could have been better but we don't get to control that part of it I suppose. It was great seeing all the Rastas out there and to have so many of us podium, great folks and great shop. Next year we are coming for the 70 mile tandem race, I think we have a decent chance of doing really well in that race also, we just need to get the miles on the bike early in the season and perfect our on bike teamwork.
Oh, some of the photos were borrowed from Matt Pearson. He can take some mighty fine pictures.
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