tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45097592173250350532024-03-13T16:10:53.791-05:00GravéloThings I hate;
1 Haters
2 Double Standards
3 ListsTravel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.comBlogger239125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-12214985175492783112024-02-17T15:17:00.002-06:002024-02-18T19:14:06.490-06:00The Year of the Hat<p>Well, you never know what you'll get into on any given day, do you? Take for instance my recent journey. Following the crash in my prior post I began to have sensations of smell and taste that were discovered to be hallucinations from a brain tumor. Wow, nice. Relentlessly chase better health, 365 days of running a 5K every day, 3000 miles of gravel in a year, keep busy doing the most good you can, raise great! kids, get brain cancer. </p><p>IF I am able to resume riding later in the year I will now have to wear my helmet on each ride. Not a problem just a change up front my usual Kavu hat that has 4500+ miles on it. There is a surgical site and scar on the right side of my temple that will be very suseptible to any trauma, so a hard cover has to be over it now. Can do, as long as the miles pile up under it!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirAE9Wwf76QHjomwswaoUDcJhqyxNRxSfjsz1rcDhRVA5tAdkDxxfRus_3WdkVIex_lLoRFzyqidBZ_vNYbvDvu-2OZf8iy3seTZMJeUbjz_1S5UMIp75w6W8DgsiiplfyvugXuM-hqrl7euq28diGSsI5r_OyTzOCzQHtqjxhk-Y_rftMWAs2xSDbR3g/s4000/IMG_20240217_161124454_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirAE9Wwf76QHjomwswaoUDcJhqyxNRxSfjsz1rcDhRVA5tAdkDxxfRus_3WdkVIex_lLoRFzyqidBZ_vNYbvDvu-2OZf8iy3seTZMJeUbjz_1S5UMIp75w6W8DgsiiplfyvugXuM-hqrl7euq28diGSsI5r_OyTzOCzQHtqjxhk-Y_rftMWAs2xSDbR3g/s320/IMG_20240217_161124454_HDR.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfN4Lhr15SkDL9lyj0zRIO3pn8KsTkuQ6aczX6BghhPMr2z08671NEjWw2u3wEghYAQzoYLP6E7jakYNo8Z0z-quXHgJXmN0d4S9zQmPb7ZFeN_C0g4vwV-C58PXHKl-R3nzL0YAAhx5sazM1SKA61BGRIHpvhlIe8JQp97XFzGjHLconBsJeIVSVZBw4/s4000/IMG_20240217_161013044_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfN4Lhr15SkDL9lyj0zRIO3pn8KsTkuQ6aczX6BghhPMr2z08671NEjWw2u3wEghYAQzoYLP6E7jakYNo8Z0z-quXHgJXmN0d4S9zQmPb7ZFeN_C0g4vwV-C58PXHKl-R3nzL0YAAhx5sazM1SKA61BGRIHpvhlIe8JQp97XFzGjHLconBsJeIVSVZBw4/s320/IMG_20240217_161013044_HDR.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-33900674505945788252023-12-06T21:12:00.002-06:002024-02-04T21:59:05.097-06:00A first, of Sorts, For Me<p> I had my first real crash 2 weeks ago. I say real because it scared the devil out of me. Anyone who has ridden multiple thousands of miles on a bicycle has had their share of whoopsy-doos. Myself included. Slide outs, overcooked corners, off the back while riding a wheelie (and clipped in) etc. Well, this was during my self proclaimed last ride of the season. I was going to ride my usual route backwards for variety, having ridden it forward 34 times this year, so that I could bomb down "Devil's Backbone" and enjoy it. I reached a terminal (nearly) speed of 31.7mph on the hill, brakes were not hooking up, tried to scrub speed with my foot to no avail, and ended up slamming into the back side of a ditch, neck and shoulders first, at 30 plus mph. My watch data shows a period of about 4½ minutes of ZERO movement right at the point where the speed track stops. So, I was unconscious during that time. I have no recollection of coming to, except for the unpleasant realization that I had peed my pants! My left arm was on fire from the impact smashing my nerves and I had to gather my wits and ride 12 miles back home. Here I am sitting on my sofa tonight in a reflective mood of survivor guilt! How did I not die? Or worse, become fully paralyzed but live? Terrible. Still in pain physically and have driven up to the spot three times to confront my fears. Better days ahead, and I will not resign from biking! Never! Just have to go out there again and bite the dog that bit me.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwQJgu0Ygexbol9zdFsYzp69P26NEsgQUmU09VBSNzMyiz7r1u70l1m7gkAvRYnj0FxGXy6DzbKByMKHyn3vBgWcfur5cLyNxME-Lyz1WcjqJ41MRmDOk7wRbavnHlr5A4fnVsVx11n9b8EcbGhGV9_SrxF2iMCs3FmXPm0DfqvuexatR-b0g9VEH-Fk/s4000/IMG_20231204_100256948_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwQJgu0Ygexbol9zdFsYzp69P26NEsgQUmU09VBSNzMyiz7r1u70l1m7gkAvRYnj0FxGXy6DzbKByMKHyn3vBgWcfur5cLyNxME-Lyz1WcjqJ41MRmDOk7wRbavnHlr5A4fnVsVx11n9b8EcbGhGV9_SrxF2iMCs3FmXPm0DfqvuexatR-b0g9VEH-Fk/s320/IMG_20231204_100256948_HDR.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>180⁰ turn at the bottom of this, at 31mph, without any real breaking force? Nope.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_D3PWyvCUsbh0sok3pP8uB78n4qVOVb0vAa82CpGSxxNOiTNih9aCe2jzaClZxA4bHhipMrKkbyhds520MNCByFkj4lmYfHm_Fb5NfHHSrGIPj_TXDrw1fR9vIYR21wiambazPwek7MyJ2UcRulwVhJQTGV1xbDCpRwfgYvJxKnjwoH_K6RCFfRcpdRc/s2684/IMG_20231204_100141815_HDR~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2684" data-original-width="1418" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_D3PWyvCUsbh0sok3pP8uB78n4qVOVb0vAa82CpGSxxNOiTNih9aCe2jzaClZxA4bHhipMrKkbyhds520MNCByFkj4lmYfHm_Fb5NfHHSrGIPj_TXDrw1fR9vIYR21wiambazPwek7MyJ2UcRulwVhJQTGV1xbDCpRwfgYvJxKnjwoH_K6RCFfRcpdRc/s320/IMG_20231204_100141815_HDR~2.jpg" width="169" /></a></div> No joke!<br /><p>Late update, 2-4-24, as a result of many types of scans to help resolve my new cancer diagnosis I have learned that this crash broke my 5th and 6th ribs as well as my T5 and T7! Thrilling eh?!</p>Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-7723034486916552522023-07-06T20:28:00.006-05:002023-07-12T16:51:37.783-05:00Firecracker 48<p> I did my annual July 4th ride to Stanhope again. Perfect conditions this year. Dry, warmish but not brutal, and a nice tailwind up, moderate headwind back. Only one vehicle passed me on the gravel, so I didn't even eat much dust. But hey, I would never expect to go "dust starved" on a bike ride that's about 45 miles of the good stuff! </p><p>Not really any good wildlife sightings to mention. Only thing that stands out is a Turkey Vulture that swooped down close to check me out. I must have smelled too clean to be worth eating, despite the standard dust caked sweat that was all over me. Stopped for a stretch at this Marsh Arch Bridge. So cool! One of three in Boone County, and this one is on the border with Hamilton County, so it's half ours anyway.</p><p>Lots of riding so far this year but not quite on pace to match my 3000 miles last year. I am getting a lot of projects nailed down around the house though.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixm76Qrcx2Kz5fRPkUYm7v_z6MzjN-6gQSSBSUOZqCyRf7HM87HreP4txyLMBdsBnRvSDViKs4BqBvsH00X46yQuVHk1BDPKAEOduO-tTdLsTbaq3qdKd9NADTAJ2AcpcJo1Ij9Td47Le8ksgTZHXX2AYDwoVOM4sM4A7gn9bmVu0dXrDCXv8bBkiNoKM/s1919/Screenshot_20230706-214010-495.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1919" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixm76Qrcx2Kz5fRPkUYm7v_z6MzjN-6gQSSBSUOZqCyRf7HM87HreP4txyLMBdsBnRvSDViKs4BqBvsH00X46yQuVHk1BDPKAEOduO-tTdLsTbaq3qdKd9NADTAJ2AcpcJo1Ij9Td47Le8ksgTZHXX2AYDwoVOM4sM4A7gn9bmVu0dXrDCXv8bBkiNoKM/s320/Screenshot_20230706-214010-495.png" width="180" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHshtGdTzs2hXRmwN_I_Oqga8P2Y-UWDfHisfU7cuc-itGOGnENVkMw38UH4D0JlL1OqNsx0I3C6S1Q0_WuIbVrzalwb6tZFCFa1G76pxkVMjWjVZdJIm7ENV_uQDRI8JP1rxbxyJ_UkHmA53txjM5Z1ONAcIR8YojCIKaAQCZSB1tcvGMr3w4jl9-t64/s4000/IMG_20230704_111336627.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHshtGdTzs2hXRmwN_I_Oqga8P2Y-UWDfHisfU7cuc-itGOGnENVkMw38UH4D0JlL1OqNsx0I3C6S1Q0_WuIbVrzalwb6tZFCFa1G76pxkVMjWjVZdJIm7ENV_uQDRI8JP1rxbxyJ_UkHmA53txjM5Z1ONAcIR8YojCIKaAQCZSB1tcvGMr3w4jl9-t64/s320/IMG_20230704_111336627.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUqMA_DgBuY-S7AEamzT6tSwbmT6Ilhjv6hjJluSe-N2-yfREdFg8M47NjeaWb4j3MW8O81bkmeJ4-_FURbJS3FPc2sxuE957QvCsYzTJgkdSBYbeIA_oB3G1Ur9KgGp0Rk9sucyrMVsgMMxjp28lasiB1R--BrJKtJ7PIyA61d-PilZSvTRsP-fRVdI/s4000/IMG_20230704_123009090.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUqMA_DgBuY-S7AEamzT6tSwbmT6Ilhjv6hjJluSe-N2-yfREdFg8M47NjeaWb4j3MW8O81bkmeJ4-_FURbJS3FPc2sxuE957QvCsYzTJgkdSBYbeIA_oB3G1Ur9KgGp0Rk9sucyrMVsgMMxjp28lasiB1R--BrJKtJ7PIyA61d-PilZSvTRsP-fRVdI/s320/IMG_20230704_123009090.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO41o7w0DZicS8ax2Qxc2g97l-m0ZqJD7NZN_7AndHh_FkhW65KKj5i36xNZ4vKBgZJYwj3I_OqDhp6AEfL9KclqUdnjEzQFWLw4C42nPw0XY2hVPtecNyZVvena2lZ7DTncE0iz5SUN_y0cOuWARdyEHjsTk4rqLIexjdOilK2ijmx-YROJoVEzqDFlI/s4000/IMG_20230704_103912585~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="2586" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO41o7w0DZicS8ax2Qxc2g97l-m0ZqJD7NZN_7AndHh_FkhW65KKj5i36xNZ4vKBgZJYwj3I_OqDhp6AEfL9KclqUdnjEzQFWLw4C42nPw0XY2hVPtecNyZVvena2lZ7DTncE0iz5SUN_y0cOuWARdyEHjsTk4rqLIexjdOilK2ijmx-YROJoVEzqDFlI/s320/IMG_20230704_103912585~2.jpg" width="207" /></a></div> I'd follow that flag anywhere!<p></p><div><br /></div><div>One last trip over these two grade crossings! 18 years of riding out over R Avenue and back over Q Avenue. Closed now as part of a deal with the state and Fareway, and the railroad, to close the grade crossings now that the bridge to nowhere is open. What part of ruining my gravel route is "progress" anyways!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1-Uv4aY8EqCMJtnpMqMWDLc6Ai1danAU2F9zeTyTEeIkBcAeBClS6pEv7xYDJ6vpJETjLH88mTz1C6Tybq61AWnIgUDt_5aWJDv4MKIb19qWpEkVhSMDX5medgAtBpoRjhmq3XRmYUWLBHxw51lwOC3cIiYJDbAazqoa3u8Nc-tYNLiE5G8ThvBk6LE/s4000/IMG_20230613_142028425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1-Uv4aY8EqCMJtnpMqMWDLc6Ai1danAU2F9zeTyTEeIkBcAeBClS6pEv7xYDJ6vpJETjLH88mTz1C6Tybq61AWnIgUDt_5aWJDv4MKIb19qWpEkVhSMDX5medgAtBpoRjhmq3XRmYUWLBHxw51lwOC3cIiYJDbAazqoa3u8Nc-tYNLiE5G8ThvBk6LE/s320/IMG_20230613_142028425.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhkQHdC4sYwvJN2_5JpuS6dz41KDV79eYikBqPUVG0nkyIVKabamm9eI6UhpdUvqqEjRxa1TV84Nb_SlB32zgYQct6S6Qy-3FQ6wUPpjaEGy3knAPof-v0EyG-kgsPP5MG6B4D7Dv63lFBCI6N0nnnFXXyIoAcPYzRr2o1fCiYZQP3IXiEGj8mJX-9gU/s4000/IMG_20230613_163334814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhkQHdC4sYwvJN2_5JpuS6dz41KDV79eYikBqPUVG0nkyIVKabamm9eI6UhpdUvqqEjRxa1TV84Nb_SlB32zgYQct6S6Qy-3FQ6wUPpjaEGy3knAPof-v0EyG-kgsPP5MG6B4D7Dv63lFBCI6N0nnnFXXyIoAcPYzRr2o1fCiYZQP3IXiEGj8mJX-9gU/s320/IMG_20230613_163334814.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-46766118645077350672023-04-13T16:31:00.003-05:002023-04-13T16:49:58.986-05:00Against The Wind<p>I have found lately that I don't mind riding out with the wind at my back and returning against the wind. My oldest riding adage, "Go against the wind on the trip out, let the wind blow you back" seems to have vanished. At least the dust is in great shape this year. Powdery and clingy. It's like you have proof all over your bike that you were out in the gravel. As always, there's time for a ditch beer no matter what the wind is doing!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvu7yuDNeD0bYdJ8joTZFMHMcjgrMsckzdVKPpkSeiQAblmnkl0mLxKYfGztfhF6fR0IhkIyfEEjvNGZ_TkQ93ghNr996sDoDOk4HqlM6N8IqnOnStdD3AcLKXXRXc9ntS2LF2E0DRCY9ZkF2deFz6jV61_ucJFD8Td17EoQT8L370I9bs3VcPPAc/s4000/IMG_20230411_111134028_HDR-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvu7yuDNeD0bYdJ8joTZFMHMcjgrMsckzdVKPpkSeiQAblmnkl0mLxKYfGztfhF6fR0IhkIyfEEjvNGZ_TkQ93ghNr996sDoDOk4HqlM6N8IqnOnStdD3AcLKXXRXc9ntS2LF2E0DRCY9ZkF2deFz6jV61_ucJFD8Td17EoQT8L370I9bs3VcPPAc/s320/IMG_20230411_111134028_HDR-01.jpeg" width="144" /></a></div>B Road that I haven't touched any kind of wheel on for 35 years or more.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTpm1TDCFlLvKVBPQCAAYSmSv38Vdcg4cQxWMJ8IoTh8VacmQPZ2GWJ_bv3yS_yOwVjxLjE462UtbrzeZONBvAsZtzbdr6Gk_vJ1ro23Cu37PWIFkegqNBntrr4apnHkebYj0dwgoY0_wYO6t91AskpJkwxrKzkeUrccwBFztx8WH2O4gotl-4ls_7/s4000/IMG_20230411_121437371_HDR-02.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTpm1TDCFlLvKVBPQCAAYSmSv38Vdcg4cQxWMJ8IoTh8VacmQPZ2GWJ_bv3yS_yOwVjxLjE462UtbrzeZONBvAsZtzbdr6Gk_vJ1ro23Cu37PWIFkegqNBntrr4apnHkebYj0dwgoY0_wYO6t91AskpJkwxrKzkeUrccwBFztx8WH2O4gotl-4ls_7/s320/IMG_20230411_121437371_HDR-02.jpeg" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The fabled Ditch Beer</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-15978424511887222652023-02-01T15:36:00.002-06:002023-02-01T16:16:50.404-06:00The One<p>This is the bike that started it all for me. As you can see, it is a girl's frame with a "gas tank" added onto it. My dad must have been pretty happy with himself for getting a tank formed (probably out of scrap metal from who knows where) and the whole bike repainted too! The color was a metallic plum or burgundy. In fact, the stool that was in Dad's "workshop" for 60 years has the color on it from some young Einstein spraying it with the leftover paint. They say you can't keep them all, but man would I love to have this one back!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoL--OUBp_q73eZsi72eu7ExK7J8YRs1_9mlmrzO_xA_GMcAle5ZH0VomsuuCGR6IXdjMN8uKCWlnLoaQRJTDibyswlQXdIIJaIMGcMknA0K20WRqI9yE9cj9WHGU_tQIX8cwvlZFm1HTZm3Gsr-HXZ0FxgNLpDbigRrxymx4P3ffit9KJ7-YMpPD/s8000/IMG_20230131_103829140_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="8000" data-original-width="3600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoL--OUBp_q73eZsi72eu7ExK7J8YRs1_9mlmrzO_xA_GMcAle5ZH0VomsuuCGR6IXdjMN8uKCWlnLoaQRJTDibyswlQXdIIJaIMGcMknA0K20WRqI9yE9cj9WHGU_tQIX8cwvlZFm1HTZm3Gsr-HXZ0FxgNLpDbigRrxymx4P3ffit9KJ7-YMpPD/s320/IMG_20230131_103829140_HDR.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-24844567127543211622023-01-27T19:11:00.002-06:002023-01-27T19:11:21.963-06:00Stage 1 of 12<p> I got in my first ride of 2023 today with an easy 19.8 mile fat bike cruise to Ledges. Mostly paved roads but a few nice miles of gravel too. </p><p>I had my first (of what I'm sure will be many) experience for the year of getting flipped off by a motorist. Some dumb ass in a pickup truck decided that he was so tough that he would flip the bird to a guy on a bike. For no good reason, unprovoked. Sure he was a rough, tough, 1%er, micro-penis, loser! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1VzoEpFsb4pMDY5YEBd8ZhuIx3lRTkpVS_BZS4Ozh_ZNV9BsEfPJGBP_iseHUdpd0OUPkFGhIrJ2tl4JSvSFP4YB2e5Raqy305Bw872nrEpfRP--m09XsyGZqvUtWRwyd9B45RXupkchFD7su9JX8P-Qhfsm_775e1zH1UjsQ_KJdu9UrvQ39gWT/s3264/IMG_20230124_135135051_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="1468" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn1VzoEpFsb4pMDY5YEBd8ZhuIx3lRTkpVS_BZS4Ozh_ZNV9BsEfPJGBP_iseHUdpd0OUPkFGhIrJ2tl4JSvSFP4YB2e5Raqy305Bw872nrEpfRP--m09XsyGZqvUtWRwyd9B45RXupkchFD7su9JX8P-Qhfsm_775e1zH1UjsQ_KJdu9UrvQ39gWT/s320/IMG_20230124_135135051_HDR.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Some snow loving soul rolled this huge snowball down Canyon Road.</div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><br /><p><br /></p>Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-29775970866840235652022-12-11T00:58:00.000-06:002022-12-11T00:58:14.644-06:002022 Riding<p> Some stats from the year 2022. Not sure I'll get in a recorded ride for December, but I'll certainly try. I've had at least one for every month so far. </p><p>I feel like I've ridden into some of my best shape since I was 40! Maybe it just feels that way since there's no pressure from racing, but I am not complaining. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiic1EV2LiHG3xcz5hED0m8ZQQz2tGRRdRjxUCw2VyHW0xSZ3kJONiWG9SJaBwiv3sj1D3Zh4siQxdFsh9x43COkeb0uZIBKRawQsr0MJZo6T7Eep0mJzlTRBNJ1zxq3GPFcWoyHrVJaedV3r8Fed6Re_4bevUcM8IuJ-dMB5JQMTyP1qtZbnfUS6dA/s1080/Screenshot_20221211-005137-118.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="1080" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiic1EV2LiHG3xcz5hED0m8ZQQz2tGRRdRjxUCw2VyHW0xSZ3kJONiWG9SJaBwiv3sj1D3Zh4siQxdFsh9x43COkeb0uZIBKRawQsr0MJZo6T7Eep0mJzlTRBNJ1zxq3GPFcWoyHrVJaedV3r8Fed6Re_4bevUcM8IuJ-dMB5JQMTyP1qtZbnfUS6dA/s320/Screenshot_20221211-005137-118.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNkd7lznKzfJ3CpSww8ekpENtUvjVApEMYrhJySm0lEmiMK5F_92GHF_ouiROOXGtc6mYnyDaPVNMLjrai6R-zDtvmY6Wr8jCqvYdmT9cIDoypfYuu0daAt8nkZQ2j2NmxxbnPcp0TqH-4Oq-esBAwAtMzonBjzsnsqwtSOk3pg2Dz7mat4s4kw2V/s1080/Screenshot_20221211-005113-933.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="1080" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNkd7lznKzfJ3CpSww8ekpENtUvjVApEMYrhJySm0lEmiMK5F_92GHF_ouiROOXGtc6mYnyDaPVNMLjrai6R-zDtvmY6Wr8jCqvYdmT9cIDoypfYuu0daAt8nkZQ2j2NmxxbnPcp0TqH-4Oq-esBAwAtMzonBjzsnsqwtSOk3pg2Dz7mat4s4kw2V/s320/Screenshot_20221211-005113-933.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-1963121173835460412022-05-12T23:51:00.001-05:002022-05-12T23:54:15.891-05:00The Wind Blows Both Ways...<p> ... As the old saying goes, meaning that two perspectives can exist about the same set of facts and usually both prospectives (people) think that THEY are right. Will there was some of that wind today! I did a 24 mile ride to Fraser and the wind managed to blow against me for all but about a mile of it. To make it even worse the county engineer has decided to put white rock on top of the gravel. The logic there is that white rock is better able to take high volumes of tragic and require less maintenance than gravel alone. Thus saving the citizens of Boone County some money (that can be wasted elsewhere?) I cannot stand riding on white rock! It's like riding on golf balls. The rock takes you to where the rock wants you to go. There is no good line to be had. What a disaster, and on some of my oldest and best routes too. </p><p>But, speaking of the wind blowing both ways, the roads are being prepared for the heavy machinery that will be required to build a huge wind farm! It will be along and around my oldest and most trusted route. North on R Avenue and back on Q. Personally I find wind turbines fascinating. They can generate free energy and look awesome doing so. The power that will be generated by the 75+ turbines will be used to power the Facebook/Meta facility in Altoona. This place is committed to being zero emissions and is willing to put $4.5 million dollars into this project to get it done. Some people find wind farms ugly, or say that they ruin the landscape, kill birds, cause neurological issues, cause cancer (really world?) Indeed, the wind will blow, and usually both ways.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkcdjcboN3g_ulOBQ5sSn-DESC_IA5UN9xt2Y_lAdJyCQCZ5u_12Q_A6pnaxUC-VX2AwKAYADIAqY4J2ud2xFVr-LEwemnuKx5lgweQr16o6bL5z5TsWOJy3tajTpKN0Wg0oTgrnIH8-ILYA0q5PYXedTPFQuclQ6wD--E2a-TSEMA_6I68Bcph-37/s1423/Screenshot_20220511-080020-593.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1423" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkcdjcboN3g_ulOBQ5sSn-DESC_IA5UN9xt2Y_lAdJyCQCZ5u_12Q_A6pnaxUC-VX2AwKAYADIAqY4J2ud2xFVr-LEwemnuKx5lgweQr16o6bL5z5TsWOJy3tajTpKN0Wg0oTgrnIH8-ILYA0q5PYXedTPFQuclQ6wD--E2a-TSEMA_6I68Bcph-37/s320/Screenshot_20220511-080020-593.png" width="243" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNAtSTArfFX_TbKImh_Vzv-DPiggoqMzqHNo71XkdyEMOTjat4YQS0zhXag95FC11-sLTVoUn0NMQHK48lsUXnb6GfZUcDHqeHML-dT-iQicZR9GjpjViQDXh1CoCcYDlm7OedmYwmCiPhjRsQ5UaMt2ZqTIMU__qAt8_iYfxuXTbp6xZ6WfU5njq/s1984/Screenshot_20220511-135223-361.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1984" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwNAtSTArfFX_TbKImh_Vzv-DPiggoqMzqHNo71XkdyEMOTjat4YQS0zhXag95FC11-sLTVoUn0NMQHK48lsUXnb6GfZUcDHqeHML-dT-iQicZR9GjpjViQDXh1CoCcYDlm7OedmYwmCiPhjRsQ5UaMt2ZqTIMU__qAt8_iYfxuXTbp6xZ6WfU5njq/s320/Screenshot_20220511-135223-361.png" width="174" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-72729069647882938952022-04-24T17:23:00.000-05:002022-04-24T17:23:03.423-05:00May-hem<p> It has been a terrible spring for bike riding! The winter was better, and Spring is supposed to be the harbinger if that nice hot summer weather that I love so much? I can't believe that it has been so windy. I went on a gravel adventure through some parts of Story County, on the route for Iowa Games, and got blown off of my bike. My only crash ever on gravel. That's 15+years of crunching along without incident. I rode this route several times between January and April and it was downright got! Now it is just windy and rainy. Oh well, like last year we will probably go right to beastly hot from this misery.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpR2ZRlc8t1pO1XGU1eMvvFJWMOLIzQaQTeXn05ca4GdO6SqemweQ8x7q9-iK3gIz6yUsTNyOj_tMY-csfArNU6CyJXKeHh92e1IaA51CMM9AwmToi8az5W01YYQhIIf0RFDys_pTQMbHSzUD40R2Bd-p10ZccmLRy1adL1F5xO1jr5mfNm2-j0yP/s2160/Screenshot_20220301-211140.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpR2ZRlc8t1pO1XGU1eMvvFJWMOLIzQaQTeXn05ca4GdO6SqemweQ8x7q9-iK3gIz6yUsTNyOj_tMY-csfArNU6CyJXKeHh92e1IaA51CMM9AwmToi8az5W01YYQhIIf0RFDys_pTQMbHSzUD40R2Bd-p10ZccmLRy1adL1F5xO1jr5mfNm2-j0yP/s320/Screenshot_20220301-211140.png" width="160" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-82534370823345496952021-02-23T20:29:00.000-06:002021-02-23T20:29:11.649-06:00Take A Hike Will Ya!<p> Trying to preserve my bikes from the ravenous rust monster that consumes all cars these days, I have done some extra hiking this year instead of snow riding. My Malus fat bike suffered really bad a couple of years ago. The chain seized and the seat post is questionable. My boots, however, slide off every time. </p><p>Apologies for image quality, or lack there of.😁</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yf5nKc9cyeI/YDW48lEUaLI/AAAAAAAABgk/CgHgqzO9EBgGVleMdoH1ALXJXabYNRNSgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20210223_194737_kindlephoto-550259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yf5nKc9cyeI/YDW48lEUaLI/AAAAAAAABgk/CgHgqzO9EBgGVleMdoH1ALXJXabYNRNSgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20210223_194737_kindlephoto-550259.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8jYJYpnmFmA/YDW4_bUOr1I/AAAAAAAABgo/9a8f_CNb1zYe5KFleyBurvsh3XksEQDIQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1070/IMG_20210223_195056_kindlephoto-421501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="784" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8jYJYpnmFmA/YDW4_bUOr1I/AAAAAAAABgo/9a8f_CNb1zYe5KFleyBurvsh3XksEQDIQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20210223_195056_kindlephoto-421501.jpg" /></a></div> It ain't called Ledges for nothing!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YpQ0nf7Ad0c/YDW5DaSZE6I/AAAAAAAABgs/LIH01MxtuFYl2O4XcS3CrPeFvWdr1uKnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20210223_195203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YpQ0nf7Ad0c/YDW5DaSZE6I/AAAAAAAABgs/LIH01MxtuFYl2O4XcS3CrPeFvWdr1uKnwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20210223_195203.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kx4PVoar4o4/YDW5JGT0M-I/AAAAAAAABg0/o_DQHEDqcMUWz2t-z4biHzHALcTqTBr9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20210223_195008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kx4PVoar4o4/YDW5JGT0M-I/AAAAAAAABg0/o_DQHEDqcMUWz2t-z4biHzHALcTqTBr9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20210223_195008.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yC-Z4N_-2Ng/YDW5NqowvtI/AAAAAAAABg8/FpZsSVNIX1g7s9p0ol2rZ5tESp9Q8ulAwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20210223_194900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yC-Z4N_-2Ng/YDW5NqowvtI/AAAAAAAABg8/FpZsSVNIX1g7s9p0ol2rZ5tESp9Q8ulAwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20210223_194900.jpg" /></a></div> (Shoveling snow in this one)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BOfokzYNlMI/YDW5RpWr6yI/AAAAAAAABhE/omoWvIDHnL8qK3DybxuK5eEnQmsp8C7MQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20210223_194826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BOfokzYNlMI/YDW5RpWr6yI/AAAAAAAABhE/omoWvIDHnL8qK3DybxuK5eEnQmsp8C7MQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20210223_194826.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-32246251445272022422021-01-14T00:03:00.002-06:002021-01-14T21:39:33.380-06:00Skirt-skrt<p> Quick ride today along a very nice stretch of Story County gravel. It goes South out of Ames and skirts I-35 for a brief stretch. I had just enough time to get this one in and still leave myself available to help Mitchell glue the door handle back onto his car, and grab some drive thru too! There are no photos of the ride, but it is a very picturesque stretch. One moment stands out, I was cresting a very minor hill and a farm dog ran smack into me! Like, off the top rope, "BAMM!" Body checked me and the bike! I laughed out loud and expressed an audible WTF! He gave no warning bark at all, so I figure he was just seeing what he could get away with? Must have been raised by a hockey player. The are many more routes that could be linked to this one. Perhaps some photos will appear at a later date? There are 2 private water skiing ponds on the ride, and a private woodland preserve. The best part is that a minor amount of grid miles give way to a supple section of curves!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9I040shzvxo/YAEMrrnuUwI/AAAAAAAABfQ/tcbTMZAd0PAYdVN58AQehQ0t1ZZxxPQ2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1944/Screenshot_20210113-234414-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9I040shzvxo/YAEMrrnuUwI/AAAAAAAABfQ/tcbTMZAd0PAYdVN58AQehQ0t1ZZxxPQ2ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20210113-234414-01.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-43971596187210394622020-12-09T21:26:00.004-06:002020-12-11T21:21:37.863-06:00Flat spot<p> In an all too common situation, it was unseasonably warm for December. So I took a nice long ride to relax away my cares. Cares? Like too many thieves at work, a nice random $2100 bill for my sewer lines being repaired, or ongoing delays in wrapping up my parents' last details, no big deal. Nothing a few miles won't erase, for a bit anyway. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M07tU3gQPrM/X9GZMmTTo0I/AAAAAAAABeQ/yYqHSujSWL4lR7fH23xIWuyPxBhFc-GlQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1581/Screenshot_20201209-210654_kindlephoto-1759766.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1581" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M07tU3gQPrM/X9GZMmTTo0I/AAAAAAAABeQ/yYqHSujSWL4lR7fH23xIWuyPxBhFc-GlQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20201209-210654_kindlephoto-1759766.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is what the flat spot on the top tube is for!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YUX86vtPyHw/X9Q3BmTkLYI/AAAAAAAABeo/fz3vmCgEtV0WDJUJUhHm5pOfauOXS5nvACLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Screenshot_20201211-212015.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YUX86vtPyHw/X9Q3BmTkLYI/AAAAAAAABeo/fz3vmCgEtV0WDJUJUhHm5pOfauOXS5nvACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20201211-212015.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Speaking of flat spots, can you see where I entered and exited the canyon at Ledges?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ng0rNJzpJls/X9GThfv6n_I/AAAAAAAABdw/UaHFitPAwh4p_u7Bvdnl_XHQR8LnLFrSACLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Screenshot_20201209-210538.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ng0rNJzpJls/X9GThfv6n_I/AAAAAAAABdw/UaHFitPAwh4p_u7Bvdnl_XHQR8LnLFrSACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20201209-210538.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">La Ruta</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xj1SaFwfDRE/X9GThANWFcI/AAAAAAAABds/iYD8FT6-v_4BSF5AEFOuRz80y-9vvw2TACLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Screenshot_20201209-210632_1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xj1SaFwfDRE/X9GThANWFcI/AAAAAAAABds/iYD8FT6-v_4BSF5AEFOuRz80y-9vvw2TACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20201209-210632_1.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Deal with it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Need to do a better job of editing my pics🙂!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-67327000096127370552020-11-23T20:57:00.011-06:002020-11-27T21:41:19.615-06:00Fraser Calling<p> Took a little spin down to the town of Fraser on Sunday, just to see the sights. This is a true river town if there ever was one. I can barely imagine how it would have been to show up in Fraser back in its hay day. A skinny guy on a bike? Amid the river folks, the coal miners, the hillbillys and valley dwellers? At one time this was a very busy place. There were more black people here, per capita, then anywhere else west of the Mississippi. Mostly a coal mining town, but paddlewheel river boats did travel the river between Des Moines and Ft. Dodge, and so the crew and passengers would be varied and wild I'm sure. Not sure it's the best calling card ever, but a B Level road that is also a dead end, as one of the ways into town, is probably a good indicator? that trouble can be found. The natural spring at the edge of town has saved me several times on some hot summer rides. People come from miles around to fill containers with this water. There is nothing left to indicate that it ever existed, but there was also a huge, coal fired power plant down there too. The smoke stack was probably 200 feet tall! Lots of history down in that neck of the woods! Do yourself a favor and go to YouTube, search "Dwindling Giant Fraser Iowa" and watch the whole thing. Fascinating to say the least.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E53oGgBJgZY/X7x8QSZ_R1I/AAAAAAAABc4/KuWWVUGqcTwZi0pDpvjqtXHc7JNfy6HYgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1245/Screenshot_20201123-202855_kindlephoto-97291979.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1245" data-original-width="1099" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E53oGgBJgZY/X7x8QSZ_R1I/AAAAAAAABc4/KuWWVUGqcTwZi0pDpvjqtXHc7JNfy6HYgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20201123-202855_kindlephoto-97291979.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This road was formerly a rail road line, leaving a little village called Incline.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xWJKhGKogvM/X7x8IurNT5I/AAAAAAAABc0/se9XunSURaM6FjQqdsKF7_fFFdzxZJ50wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1238/Screenshot_20201123-202845_kindlephoto-97617460.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="1093" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xWJKhGKogvM/X7x8IurNT5I/AAAAAAAABc0/se9XunSURaM6FjQqdsKF7_fFFdzxZJ50wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20201123-202845_kindlephoto-97617460.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This stretch of blacktop was featured in the 1996 movie "Twister" A tanker truck drops out of the tornado here. There is a farm right behind this spot that was also featured, and not to mention "TWISTER HILL!"</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eSwfjjMkVFc/X7x71MyKuFI/AAAAAAAABco/IuZxtl1tmsQiak6w5gbAtwP-3MdRccRpQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1208/Screenshot_20201123-202834_kindlephoto-97799391.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="704" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eSwfjjMkVFc/X7x71MyKuFI/AAAAAAAABco/IuZxtl1tmsQiak6w5gbAtwP-3MdRccRpQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20201123-202834_kindlephoto-97799391.png" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-udpYHlWV03g/X7x7sXZMhoI/AAAAAAAABck/MhYjTN8iBg0p1gYztoj_3xB-W9qjDp95gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1391/Screenshot_20201123-202909_kindlephoto-97658928.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1391" data-original-width="1126" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-udpYHlWV03g/X7x7sXZMhoI/AAAAAAAABck/MhYjTN8iBg0p1gYztoj_3xB-W9qjDp95gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20201123-202909_kindlephoto-97658928.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It says, "Freshness never expires"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AymikiwZG-o/X7x8aCnE-mI/AAAAAAAABdA/SvBaXqjVLjEpbTTgNB9WpAFfKbvBQgLKACLcBGAsYHQ/s1201/Screenshot_20201123-202757_kindlephoto-97913755.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1095" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AymikiwZG-o/X7x8aCnE-mI/AAAAAAAABdA/SvBaXqjVLjEpbTTgNB9WpAFfKbvBQgLKACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20201123-202757_kindlephoto-97913755.png" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-liZz-bZcWLY/X7x8b6_Pw2I/AAAAAAAABdE/04PblGGF1mgSLitnBv3iXiBESkbQ21X5ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1099/Screenshot_20201123-202742_kindlephoto-97882977.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="1099" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-liZz-bZcWLY/X7x8b6_Pw2I/AAAAAAAABdE/04PblGGF1mgSLitnBv3iXiBESkbQ21X5ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20201123-202742_kindlephoto-97882977.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mbzGg-igXLo/X7x_P2h5PBI/AAAAAAAABdY/AONovg67Bn4s08fmn8UNWO8KfdI01ddKACLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Screenshot_20201123-212531.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mbzGg-igXLo/X7x_P2h5PBI/AAAAAAAABdY/AONovg67Bn4s08fmn8UNWO8KfdI01ddKACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20201123-212531.png" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-83851892266429170822020-11-16T09:32:00.005-06:002020-11-20T20:37:49.517-06:00Why Fight It?<p> I was desperately wanting to go ride a little bit Sunday, but the wind was really obnoxious and daylight was fading. So I had this great idea to go out and ride all of the gravel roads in our city park, McHose Park. I had never thought of doing this before. This would be the perfect quick ride, easy cruising, sheltered from the wind, and a chance to look at some of the old cross country trails that we built way back in the days! We had about4½ miles of pretty nice trail built out there at one point, until some college kid from Ames broke his collar bone and the city forbid the rest of us from riding them! The first races were promoted by my friend Steve Steward and were raced under the moniker of "Mud Sweat And Gears" My roles are dual, build trail and design shirts (remember the days of collecting shirts from EVERY RACE you entered?) This handful of 3 or 4 races, coupled with the city not wanting to get sued, lead to the trail development at 7 Oaks, which was actually better by far. We tried to convince Jim Hallihan (the head honch at Iowa Games) that mountain bike racing was a real thing, and that we had a good system in place to host a "first ever" event, but he would hear none of it and laughed it off, saying it was "a fringe sport, nobody else does it." He ate some crow for that attitude, as the year following 7 Oaks did indeed host the inaugural Iowa Games Mountain Bike Race. It was subsequently moved to Petersons Pits for better proximity to Ames and the rest of their Iowa Games festivities (and because 7 Oaks was a tough trail and was seen as un-rideable to most casual cyclists) Fun times back then.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-84Taf8f5_vE/X7KbceffneI/AAAAAAAABbg/dS38ziYpQd8_8Opwdoiu9Z8v-JI2dA2PwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1420/Screenshot_20201115-194505-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1420" data-original-width="1072" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-84Taf8f5_vE/X7KbceffneI/AAAAAAAABbg/dS38ziYpQd8_8Opwdoiu9Z8v-JI2dA2PwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20201115-194505-01.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VaHabFq3WJ4/X7KbaJytacI/AAAAAAAABbc/uvYgH9oNBJoJGJcpHNSX6V1FQjX8Obu4wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1960/Screenshot_20201115-194338-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VaHabFq3WJ4/X7KbaJytacI/AAAAAAAABbc/uvYgH9oNBJoJGJcpHNSX6V1FQjX8Obu4wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20201115-194338-01.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-43009227167422431972020-11-07T23:06:00.002-06:002020-11-07T23:06:55.195-06:00Back In The Saddle Again!<p> It has been too long since I even felt like posting on this blog, but even longer since I knew how! I got locked out due to a weird crossover between Blogger accounts (thanks to Guitar Ted for helping me figure that one out!) </p><p>So, as my first post back, I'm going to put up some images from my "Birthday Ride" from this year. Annually, for the last decade, I have ridden the amount of miles that correspond to my age for the year. This year, like most, I padded it with a few bonus miles. This was a perfect day for a good long ride. Many factors contributed to this being such a good time. Firstly, it is always fun to explore new gravel and this was about 50% new. I have always, and I mean always, been curious about the road that became my turn around point. It terminates at Highway 17 where the bridge over Saylorville Lake is. I have looked at this road on maps, looked at it on satellite images, can't even drive by there without looking over at it! So, that curiosity is all satisfied now and was well worth it. Secondly, the weather was ideal. Warm but not hot, windy but it was a straight headwind out, perfect tailwind back, and the dust was awesomely dusty! "In Dust We Trust" "Dusty=Trusty" Even the sunlight in this later part of the year has a nice quality.</p><p>I am shocked at the total amount of climbing. 13000+ feet! That is a lot I think? For flat old Iowa anyway. I love having a watch that will record it all and will display so much information. Mine is an Amazfit T-rex. It is very easy to navigate the screens while riding, and uploads all of the data to my phone without hesitation. It tracks sleep quality while off the bike, steps during a day (which I'm not sure why this is such a big deal? I walk10000+ every day at work with ease.) </p><p>So, here are a few images from the day. Have to say, at 55 I feel great, and am thankful to be able to go out on a whim and put down a 63 mile ride. What a blessing to have the desire to pursue healthy habits. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iEWnkqTb-gQ/X6d8BB8bgsI/AAAAAAAABbI/4JCAxXvmEy4JeYEd3D3vlUkANNLOF52kQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2160/Screenshot_20201107-115136.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iEWnkqTb-gQ/X6d8BB8bgsI/AAAAAAAABbI/4JCAxXvmEy4JeYEd3D3vlUkANNLOF52kQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20201107-115136.png" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eSLN2xNL6tQ/X6d75CJDu3I/AAAAAAAABbA/uaGAcvlThFMZcJGZhC0olRm3dnXq6pZRACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201103_150213-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eSLN2xNL6tQ/X6d75CJDu3I/AAAAAAAABbA/uaGAcvlThFMZcJGZhC0olRm3dnXq6pZRACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20201103_150213-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nT4Z2YHMwrw/X6d7ywpZhSI/AAAAAAAABa4/PzZS1ZcJQy4q0h1HJFE5xGhJ6Su7umO2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201103_121759-02.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nT4Z2YHMwrw/X6d7ywpZhSI/AAAAAAAABa4/PzZS1ZcJQy4q0h1HJFE5xGhJ6Su7umO2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20201103_121759-02.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZK0Cm-gHtOU/X6d7tOyK1SI/AAAAAAAABa0/Go8ihFVlbA40t0rsosXyL9hxnL-_O7A6gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201103_104356-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZK0Cm-gHtOU/X6d7tOyK1SI/AAAAAAAABa0/Go8ihFVlbA40t0rsosXyL9hxnL-_O7A6gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20201103_104356-01.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xbNdqwYRlyQ/X6d7jj4YiLI/AAAAAAAABaw/g0mZ2nZrQTUU5bZB2YfGOK1XjO1p_zQ6wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20201103_104641-01-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xbNdqwYRlyQ/X6d7jj4YiLI/AAAAAAAABaw/g0mZ2nZrQTUU5bZB2YfGOK1XjO1p_zQ6wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/20201103_104641-01-01.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-10923174289242353572020-04-21T11:24:00.002-05:002020-11-06T23:13:17.590-06:00What The What! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Is this working again? Looks like it. More to come. I have actually been riding and recording routes now, so at least there will be visual evidence. I have a GPS watch that I'm in love with. Never thought of myself as someone who likes to look at data and graphs, but it is very interesting. Did a63 miler on Tuesday this week, I guess I'll put that one up as soon as I get some images shared between devices. Until then...</div>
Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-76984451237892110042017-11-19T21:52:00.002-06:002017-11-20T15:26:02.179-06:00Be Kind Whenever Possible,<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
And it is always possible. Today was the first ride of this year's Fat Bike Series. I rode my Mongoose "Ralph" for this one. The weather was great! Cool enough to keep the sweat down, but certainly not warm. I was riding along on the High Trestle Trail when a smell wafted out of the timber and caught my attention. It smelled like a Ginko tree, but it didn't make sense that there would be a Ginko tree out in the woods, so I looked closer. When I discovered what was producing the smell I was shocked. There was a young deer, probably from last Spring's generation, that had caught it's hoof in a fence. It was hanging by it's leg, and had probably been there most of the day judging from the blood and the freshness of the dirt it had scraped in it's attempt to get out of the snare. I think that the smell was actually a distress scent.<br />
I jumped off of my bike to find a non threatening way to approach the fence. Then I grabbed my Leatherman out of my Camelback and took a look at the fence to see which stands to snip. The poor little guy was squawking a little from the pain and fear, which made it hard to concentrate, so I just cut a strand of fencing. That seemed to help a lot, so I cut the other side of the same strand and he was free. Sadly, I think the hip was dislocated. The deer ran away on three legs and found a spot in some tall grass to lay down. I hopped back on my bike and rode the rest of the way to Slater to get my entry registered in the Fat Series. I checked to see if he was still laying there when I was on my return trip, and he had moved to some other location, which I took as a good sign. I hope he'll be ok and live as happy of a life as a deer can. Beats dying of thirst or exposure in most people's book I guess.<br />
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Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-90355414616531013592017-11-19T21:03:00.001-06:002017-11-19T21:03:00.161-06:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-70005468271441977012017-11-11T00:11:00.002-06:002017-11-14T20:59:07.105-06:00Duluth, the Whole Duluth, and Nothing But Duluth...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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So my fascination with the town of Duluth, Minnesota, started back in 2003. I had really never heard of it before , not that I remembered anyway. I didn't know then that it was once the busiest harbor in America, bigger even than New York Harbor. I didn't know that at the turn of the twentieth century there were more millionaires per capita here than any other City in America. Did you know that American music icon Bob Dylan was born here? Sure was, he grew up in a second floor apartment in a row house. The Monacco of the Midwest, The Zenith City.<br />
So, Kelli had decided that the boys were old enough to keep up with a vacation by this time and told me that she had found this place in Minnesota that looked really cool online. Marshall was 7 and Mitchell has just turned 3. They were both so full of adventure from our times spent it in the "Wilds" of Boone County that I knew they could handle it. She's the planner between us (I just drive and help ride herd on the kids) so I asked her what there was to do there. The response checked every box that a kid could have; trains✓, boats✓, ships✓, sea birds✓, lighthouses✓, more rocks than you could throw in a lifetime✓✓. Hard to believe that such beauty exists just 6 easy hours from my doorstep. We had an absolute blast there and I will never lose those memories. We went again in 2015 and would you believe we had even more fun. Two teen age boys still being mischievous, and Kelli and I looking at each other and laughing along with them. When the chance arose for me to go on a solo trip (Kelli had gone to Vegas with a friend earlier in the year, so I got a pass to go somewhere too) it was a no brainer to go North!<br />
I sketched out some ideas of the things that I for sure wanted to do. Build a bike trailer and tow my gear along the famous North Shore, explore Duluth by bike, kayak le Lac Superieur, play some disc golf, fill and drain a beer growler with locally brewed beer, see an Aurora event from an area with a low kp number (Google it) look out over Palisade Head, and use pieces of my collection of camping gear that have otherwise sat in waiting. You have to leave the front porch if you want to see the world!<br />
Now I knew that I would be challenged by some of my normal baggage, like leaving my family behind to go and " play" in a place that they all love so much too. Guilt tripped myself before I even left the house. Also, towing all of my gear has stopped me before (failed ragbrai attempt from around '08?) and the now perpetual questions and worries of my Mom's advancing Dementia, Dad's blindness, and my sons seemingly having grown too old to need me anymore. But it all moves on as life does. Nobody gets the answers ahead of time. One of my favorite sayings says, roughly, that life is a cruel teacher. First you take the test, and then you learn the lesson. It was funny, I welcomed the knowledge that it would all come to a boil on this trip. That tears would flow and the questions that all Dad's must ask of themselves would dog my every mile. "Have I done enough?" "Did I put enough in the boys for them to draw from it when they need to?" "Can I still be a teacher to them without giving tests first?"<br />
My plan, loosely, was to explore for the remainder of the first day, and then to be cheap and add some adversity to the whole thing, sleep in my car instead of getting a motel room. Well, that was sure an adverse situation. I parked my car in a municipal ramp for$15.00 for the three days I was to be there. During the day the car was shaded well and I thought sleeping in it would be an ok way to get bye. I couldn't have been more wrong. It was pretty hot, so I thought about putting the windows down to get some breeze. Then it was too noisy and felt insecure with no barrier between me and the rest of Duluth. I thought for certain that I would be questioned at some point by ramp security or the police, but I didn't see a single soul in the time I was in my car. I estimate that I only had about two hours sleep that first night. When I woke up at around 5:30 I felt fine. It seems that I need far less sleep as I have aged, is that normal? As I began to assemble the components of my trailer and bike I soon realized that I had too much junk! I loaded and balanced everything and went down the ramp to see how it felt. I turned right around and took almost everything out. No food preparation (mini stove, pots, utensils) no dry food (rice and beans, Raman) no machete, fixed blade knife, hammock, golf discs, or binoculars. All I left in the trailer and Apidura bags was my growler, tent, sleeping bag, a few salted nut rolls, a canteen of extra water, a towel, off-bike shorts and shirt, and camp shoes. Pretty much meant that I would have to scavenge and eat at any opportunity. Why does this theme of poor nutrition seem to dog my every ride lately? I'm a little better than that I I think.<br />
The pictures to follow will tell some of the story of how pleasant the ride up was. Pure joy. I have seldom felt so free on the bike. The "bike path" was seldom more than the shoulder of the road, which varied from six feet to a slim 18" our less. The polite Minnesotans gave me plenty of room though. Even the huge logging trucks get over a good five feet for bikes. That's nice.<br />
Once I arrived at the state park at Split Rock Lighthouse I was lucky to grab a tent camping spot that another person had reserved, but lost, due to their failure to check in. I set up my tent, grabbed a shower (yes, a shower with warm water) and decided to have a nap before the highlight of the trip was to commence. You see, there are exactly and only two days in each year that the beacon of the lighthouse is illuminated, and as a royal bonus, my trip lined up with one of those two days. The two and a half hours that would follow my nap were Pure Grace. Only in God's infinite simplicity could the imagery and metaphor that opened to me have been so perfectly delivered...<br />
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Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-61457838114767873222017-10-26T00:17:00.002-05:002017-10-26T00:17:12.570-05:00Teaser Pic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Duluth, Minnesota, July of 2017. God's little slice of Heaven on Earth.<br />
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Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-217020222001279052017-10-19T00:01:00.000-05:002017-10-20T15:22:59.470-05:00You Know All The Answers Must Come From Within<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I just realized that I have been delinquent in blogging about my riding. I assure you, the lone reader, that I have not given up riding, building bikes, discovering new trails and roads, or even poured myself into new hobbies. I'm a biker, can't quit if I had to.<br />
The images here are from yesterday. I rode my age in miles, 52 this year. It's my own annual physical of sorts. Much like last year the weather was ideal, and my nutrition was dismal. I neglected to pack any food, only one water bottle, no tools, and no sun glasses. I paid the nutritional price for it too. I was walking hills toward the end that I would normally laugh at. I'm sure that I had a goofy look on my face. The vacant stare of a third world starving fool perhaps? Yep. Oh well, I survived. Seriously, these are some massive river valley hills that I rode, along with a Class C road that simply petered out into nothing.<br />
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I'll go back on a proper gravel bike some day and show those miles who's the boss. My 40 pound Mongoose Malus was not the ideal weapon for these roads, but the tires just sound so good on that White Rock gravel that it's worth every aching mile. Still funny to me that one county (Boone) will have brown gravel and the next (Webster and Hamilton) will have tiny sized white rock. I much prefer the white as it puts a better coat of dust on your bike, but maybe that's just me? Badge of Honor kind of thing.<br />
So here are some pics, and I'll do a write up on the trip I took to Duluth back in July and August. Solo ride to Split Rock Light House up in my absolute favorite place ever. That was a soul cleansing experience and I'm better off for having done it. Bikes can solve a lot of problems. Or, at least, they can empower you to solve them yourself. Later!<br />
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I have ridden many a gravel mile and never have I seen a feature like this. The county boys poured a concrete culvert right across the road. Must really be a rager when the rain is heavy. This area is known as Deception Hollow, on Maguire's Bend. You look at the river and it defies logic by flowing in what seems like the wrong direction. Super cool.</div>
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They put signs like this out there to tempt simple minded idiots like me. Speaking of, October 17th is the birthday of America's Greatest Showman, Evel Knievel! Alright, bye now.</div>
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Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-69583476740863758872017-03-28T21:11:00.000-05:002017-03-28T21:35:30.203-05:00It's Just a Phase<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I completed another phase of my renegade bench project today. I bolted two wood planks onto the original cast cement structures, using the original nuts and bolts no less. I had taken some measurements on a previous ride so that I would be carrying fewer tools during the installation. I used a 16" Crescent Wrench to tighten things up. I was sure that my dad had a socket set with a big enough socket, but to my amazement he did not. The nuts are fairly well recessed into the sleepers.<br />
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I had spotted a nice old timber in Slater during the final Fat Bike Series ride, so my final task today was to retrieve it from the pile of discarded railroad refuse that it was buried in and haul it, by bike/shoulder, back to the bench. A distance of about a mile and a half. I couldn't wait to drop that thing off! Very heavy, and awkward to balance 70 pounds while riding. Here is a photo that brings the scale of the bench into perspective.<br />
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The next phase should involve cutting the timber down to make a pair of sleepers to go across the cement castings, then drilling them out and attaching them with lag bolts. Once that's done all I need to do is cut some decking boards and screw them in. I may just do this as a final push, in one trip. Sounds like a good excuse to load up the Burley and ride all the way down. There's actually some nice winding gravel between Boone and this spot. Below is a cement culvert that I have probably ridden over more than 30 times without knowing it was even there! Another case of the bleakness of winter revealing the otherwise overgrown and hidden. ( like the beaver pond that I found on the Heart of Iowa Trail last year) It is about 9 feet tall at the crown of the arch, and about 50 or 60 feet long. Hard for me to imagine the sheer willpower it must have taken back in 1912 just to form the footings, let alone mix and pour all of those cubic yards of cement!</div>
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Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-1578715735038584362017-03-08T00:20:00.000-06:002017-03-09T00:18:42.332-06:00Renegade Made In The Shade<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I used a narrow time window today to get in a short ride on the High Trestle Trail. The only thing I really wanted to do was get some measurements for the bench that I'm going to "contribute" to the trail. I saw this old trio of dilapidated, forgotten rail road apparatus during one of the Fat Bike Series rides and the idea to build a bench on part of it was immediate. I'm curious about what was built on these castings originally, but I'm quite sure that it wasn't a free shade bench.<br />
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The bright skies gave way to rapidly approaching clouds, which dumped huge globs of slush on me during the drive back to Boone. The slushy snowflakes were the diameter of a quarter. Yesterday we had temps in the 70s with tornadic winds, today was sun then snow then sun again, and the weekend looks like measurable snow. Only in Iowa.<br />
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Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-87428636849148451192017-02-27T21:34:00.001-06:002017-02-27T21:44:25.567-06:00Marsh Madness<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Sunday was another ride in the Fat Bike Series, another gorgeous day for a ride. I was hoping that we could ride in some snow during one of these, but it has been such a mild winter that there has been no snow to crush! Riding along solo got so boring that I decided to turn off of the "polite" route and grab a few miles of good old gridded out Iowa gravel. Am I ever glad that I did too. I found a previously unknown (to me) example of a Marsh Arch Bridge. Marsh bridges are commonly called "rainbow" bridges because of the distinctive arches at the sides. These bridges were created by architect James Marsh. He was a graduate of Iowa State University, in nearby Ames. The bridge design was patented in 1910 and built by the hundreds throughout the entire country through the late 30s. There are at least 5 in Boone County, one down in Dallas County, and one that serves as the logo for the city of Des Moines with a series of arches (Court Avenue Bridge) The one that I discovered is over Big Creek. The Wikipedia page has a complete listing of the design examples. Fitting that so many of them are within a stone's throw of ISU, where the idea for their design took root. I had a dream to try to ride to each of the Boone County examples this summer. Could be good for some blog fodder if nothing else.<br />
I also had an idea to build a bench along the trail using a long forsaken pair of cement castings from the days of railroading. This will be a renegade build, no permission asked for, or given. It just needs to be done. More on this later. In the mean time...<br />
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Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509759217325035053.post-18602219538093224552017-02-14T22:31:00.002-06:002017-02-14T22:31:54.353-06:00Sunday Putt Putt Ride<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I did the Fat Bike Series ride again last weekend. It was a great day, just a little windy. Warm, so warm in fact that I saw a caterpillar on the concrete, making his way across a bit at a time. I don't care what the science or other quackery says about climate change, winter anymore is no longer a test of endurance. It's a short bit of cold weather, a bit of snow here or there, and some gloomy days strung in between some nice days. There, that should jinx next year pretty solidly.<br />
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Travel Gravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13897307308445760329noreply@blogger.com4