My Moby-Dick

This is not a tale about a 55 year old, bald rapper or male genitalia so you can all rest easy with that knowledge and continue on without fear of something white and wrinkly popping up unannounced.


This little gem came in the mail yesterday, I knew something was coming since I got a notification something was on the way but to be honest when that blip came flashing across my texts I had no idea exactly what this way cometh. You see, I had almost completely forgotten about that email back in late November from the fellas who ran the C.O.G 100. In that email they let all of the registered racers know that there would not be a C.O.G 100 race in 2020 or even in 2021. Reading the email back in November the rhythm and flow painted a grim picture for the C.O.G happening again, ever, if you read between the lines. In that November email the registered riders were given a few options on what we wanted to do with our entry since the race was not going to happen any time soon. Those options  ranged from doing nothing and letting it ride for a future event to basically donating your entry and swag back to Guitar Ted and NY Roll so that they could try to sell the swag and recoup some of the costs they had already shelled out. Like the selfish prick I am I opted to have my name removed from the roster but wanted the hat. I just didn't know that this is what was in the mail and on it's way when I got that initial text. 


Honestly it wasn't that dickish in my head, the Real American Gravel hat went nicely with the other COG 100 hat I had from the first race in 2019 plus I have a bit of a hat collection if truth be told. As a hat collector, one as rare as this was a much desired addition and one I could not pass up. I mean come on, how many of these hats could possibly exist in the entire world? Additionally since November it has been verified that the C.O.G 100 is in fact dead for good. That bit of news along with the announcement by Guitar Ted that he was also stepping down from organizing any further events also now makes the hat a nice nostalgia piece. Something to talk about with the great, great grand kids some day. Maybe.


But it’s also a bit more than just having a cool hat really, I was determined to give the C.O.G another go in 2020 and try to redeem myself a little for the ass kicking I took in 2019. The race was always going to be difficult, it was 100 miles of gravel on a single speed after all but conditions were miserable in 2019 and that multiplied the suck factor. It had just rained the night before, it was cold and the winds were whipping across the fruited plains. You can read my post race write-up for that HERE if you so chose to read about that as I'm not going to rehashing it here. The flashbacks man, the flashbacks.

With the demise of the race I thought that the C.O.G 100 would always be my Moby-Dick, the one that got away. Instead of a big white whale biting off my leg, the race directors chomped off all my shifty bits and left me adrift in the gravel seas. Come to thinking of it, Guitar Ted does look more than a little bit like an 1800's sea captain and NY Roll sometimes smells like live bait. Kidding there, a little, but I thought I'd never get the chance to give it another go... sure I could have ridden the same course again, if I could find the cue sheets because there wasn't a GPS file out there to my knowledge. And really, what would have been the point of racing the same 66 mile failed attempt?


I felt like 2020 was going to be the year, I'd gotten into better shape than I had been in years, I figured out a way to have a lighter, more gravel worthy rig and I had a score to try and settle. No, it wasn't going to magically return all those beautiful shifty bits to my bicycle but Ahab didn't go after the white whale hoping to get his leg back either... it was about the revenge. All is not as dark as it seemed when that email hit my inbox as it turns out. In very un-GT like fashion, Guitar Ted and NY Roll released what would have been the 2020 C.O.G 100! So as it turns out I still have my chance to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight, even if it's not an official C.O.G 100. Now I just need to figure out when to do it, I do want to attempt it on a single speed in the true spirit of the race but I'm opting for a much nicer time of year than March in Iowa. I suppose one could argue that is cheating a bit but as the DJ of this particular dance I can change the date as I see fit. I guess it's time to see how serious I was about tackling the C.O.G because as the saying goes; be careful what you wish for, lest it come true.

*Photos of the race were taken by Jon Duke, to the best of my recollection.*

 

2019 Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational - The Thunder Rolls

Friday night we pulled up chocks in Nebraska and made our way over to Grinnell for the 14th annual GTDRI and then on Saturday morning we successfully recreated every awkward family photo of my youth. Always that one sibling not entirely committed to joining the family and having permanent evidence.


After a few last minute route updates and instructions to remember not to blink during photos, it was time to get rolling.




Temps were fairly mild with clouds and a gentle breeze, if things stuck like they were at the start it would be an ideal day for 92 miles on the gravel. Pretty decent sized group also, 14 of us in total I believe.





On the menu for the ride were the dirt roads around Poweshiek county and we hit them early and often. Some of my favorite roads on a bike have been those not maintained much by the state or county so I was pretty excited to see what Iowa had to offer. Some of the roads seemed similar to when we were over for the COG and Prairie Burn but I'm not sure if we ever did ride on any of the exact same roads.





Sun kept playing peek-a-boo through the clouds for most of the morning but the roads were rolling fast, dry and a tad dusty in spots.




The roads around Grinnell were mostly steady rollers with the occasional hill tipping over the 10% grade mark but the views were pretty spectacular from the tops of the hills at times.


Some views weren't as spectacular, Tim ended up breaking a quick link on his chain and catching his derailleur in his spokes. Thankfully Tim had an extra quick link and we were able to bend things back enough that they would shift enough to get him moving again without needing to set him up single speed.


As we performing road side emergency surgery on the bike however, we started to hear the distant rumbling of thunder and started seeing tell tale signs of possible rain heading our way.




There weren't any towns on the route until about mile 70 so GT had made arrangements to have two water stops along the way to Brooklyn. The first was at mile 30 and supplied by Jon Duke, organizer of the Prairie Burn and Grinnell local. Pastries, water and even a splash of Coke could be had for riders at the stop, those mini strudels really hit the spot.





After the break it was more of the same, miles of gorgeous MMR (Level B) roads. There were so many great MMRs in this part of Iowa that they even had intersections where two of them would meetup! I've seen a lot of odd things riding gravel but I can't recall ever riding where one MMR would intersect with another MMR out in the middle of nowhere. Fun times and so far no rain, so both of those things were good.


Also had a shirtless tire repair class on the side of the road, this ride really sort of had it all.





With storms all around us our luck finally ran out and we got caught in two sprinkle rains and one pretty decent soaking rain. We even stopped under a tree for a bit to get out of the liquid sunshine, it was kind of and odd rain because you'd be getting rained on and then half mile down the road it would be bone dry, even the roads weren't showing any signs of rain and then suddenly you'd be in it again.


We carried on until mile 60 and the second water stop hosted by none other than Michaela, there were chips, sodas, gatorade and red/white/blue peanut M&M's (dubbed freedom nuts) to be had. I was soaked to the bone and Doug was feeling the lack of cycling this year so we both called it a day and watched the group roll out before packing it up and driving back to Grinnell.





Back in Grinnell we showered up and then decided to hit the town and ended up at an old soda fountain place called Candyland Station, really good floats and ice cream sodas. Unfortunately it was also the last day ever for the place, a few hours after we stopped in they were shuttering the doors for good. Glad we got to see what it was all about before it went out of business. The GTDRI was a great time, not even the rains could damper our enjoyment. This is my second time doing the ride but probably won't be the last one, it's not too far away, a good time and I get to see roads and views I wouldn't normally see. Plus a little mini vacation is always worth it.

Next Saturday is the third annual Kolache Ride to Wilber, also a great time and a ride I am looking forward to participating in, check back next week for the ride report.

Prairie Burn

On the windswept plains of central Iowa lies the tiny town of Grinnell Iowa. If you've never heard of Grinnell I would not be surprised, up until March of this year when I traveled there for the C.O.G 100 I had never heard of it either. Saturday we were in Grinnell again but this time for the Prairie Burn 100 gravel ride, not a race but not really a tour either. I guess you could say it was more of a group ride with a hundred people you probably don't know. Unlike the Lazy Horse the Prairie Burn did not have stops planned in surrounding small towns but what it did have was live music in the park on Friday and Saturday nights, so more festival and less tour but still a good time.




I have to admit that I am more than a little enamored with Grinnell, with a population of just under 10,000 people it's small enough to have that small town feel but big enough to have almost everything you could ask for or at least that I could ask for. The town is clean, has some great architecture in it's buildings, there appears to be a vibrant economy, a movie theater and a few restaurants that have no business being in a town this size. The economy is bolstered by the Jen Weld plant, a new one of a kind Brownells retail store and Grinnell College. The is ranked as one of the top 20 alternative colleges to the Ivy League schools and ranked as the 7th best bang for your buck liberal arts college. From the outside looking in it seems like a slice of Mayberry right here in Iowa. If I could convince the other half that the hustle and bustle of big city life ain't all it's cracked up to be, I'd love to find a place like this to call home.





Saturday morning was the ride and for a first year event there was quite a showing, not sure what the total number was but I wouldn't be too surprised if it got up near 100 riders. With three distance options, 25, 50 and 100 it was friendly for almost everyone.




The gravel was worlds apart from the mess it was back in March when we were in town for the C.O.G, there were still soft spots and chunky rock but gone was the endless amounts of mud. I much preferred the gravel on Saturday, even if my legs felt like they weren't there for the first loop. Brent and Beth came up from Missouri for the ride, haven't ridden with them in over a year so it was good to see them again.


It was odd seeing planting still going on in June, there were some fields that were already planted but nothing was taller than a few inches tall. Looks like it's going to be a late season this year, I do think that the lack of corn has contributed to the lack of stifling humidity, so there is at least one positive.





First loop was 25 miles and to be honest it just wasn't my day and there were a few times I thought about doing just the 25 and calling it good. Now had it been a race those thoughts would probably not have been there but it wasn't a race and it was in the loop format, which to me eases the ability to pull out early. If you're 25 miles into a 100 mile loop, you might as well keep going if you can keep going because it's 25 miles back so you'd have at least 50 in before you could be done and if you've gone 50, well you might as well stack on that other 50 for good measure. Did I mention how clean and awesome Grinnell is, I could ride through there everyday and not get tired of seeing the architecture.



Brent and I got back and I grabbed something to drink and a Stinger waffle to snack on while I contemplated what to do. I didn't feel bad but I definitely felt pretty blah and there wasn't much in the legs. As we sat there I did start to feel better so once Beth caught up with us it was decided we'd probably just do the second 25 mile loop and call it good.


As we sat in the shade deciding what to do, we talked to a guy from the news and he was a plethora of information on the history of Grinnell. This building is debated to be the site where one of the first if not the first automobile was manufactured in the US. Check out that crazy balloon on the lamp post sculpture, like I said, a lot to like about this town.


The three of us left Grinnell for the next loop and decided to just ride it as a group, since it had been a while since we've seen these two; that was more than alright with me.




I caught a second wind on the second wind, it ended up being a much better loop for me than the first. This despite the fact that most said the second loop was the harder of the two, not for me. Even managed to sneak in a ditch beer spot which did hurt to pick the spirits up.




Iowa is not flat, at one of our regroups Brent decided to tackle this little molehill just for the heck of it as it wasn't even on course. I told him I'd wait at the intersection for him and take pictures and so I did, that little speck on the left side on the third picture is Brent at the top... waaaaaay up there.



The shade was nice so we did a lot of our regroups in the shade, met this friendly farm cat at one of the stops. Directly across the road was this ground squirrel digging away, the two unaware of each other, someday they might meet up and it probably won't be to discuss the weather.





I thought we made pretty quick work of the second loop and it wasn't too long before we were back in Grinnell. The quicker end of our group decided that they had had enough also so it was quick shower at the local fitness center and then some pie (pizza and rhubarb varieties) and great music for the rest of the evening. The event was such a success that they already have a date set for next year, mark June 6th on your calendars for next year; it's well worth the drive over. Great ride, great food and great music. It's too bad every ride couldn't end like this.