Our first, our only, our own Cup O'Dirt recipient Steve GPickle Goetzelman! His story here: Enjoy his tenacity, discipline, courage and determination. Congratulations!
The Pics
The report:
I rode my last century of the year yesterday. I promise. It was a nice bookend to the season of centuries. The first gravel century for me was at the Dirty Kanza where three of us kicked one out in six hours. We were flying. Yesterday I was alone and I was not flying. We had gotten six inches of snow the day before and the paved roads were sloppy. The gravel roads were not gravel , they were snow and ice. I bet I did not ride even five miles of dirt. Maybe not even one.
I left early in the morning and the temperature was twenty-something. I had no plan on where to ride and first turned north. The roads in town were in terrible shape and the cemetery I rode through had not been plowed at all. Slow going. Conditions improved on the edge of town and I was making good time. The first gravel road was hard pack snow and some ice. It was surprisingly fast. I took a nice loop up near Solon again and then went out East for some exploring.
I got off track and wound up on the pavement of one of our regular road training rides near the Cedar River. I followed the road a bit and found gravel again, about 30 miles into the ride now. This road was a mess. It looked as if it had only seen tractor traffic and it was soft and drifted. I had switched my gear on the Bridgestone to 34X17 anticipating some slow sections and was able to keep moving, but just barely at times. The first climb had my computer telling me 4.5 mph! I was happy that I was able to stay on the bike but I started to worry about being able to go the distance on this day.
Eventually the road improved and I rolled into West Branch for the usual break with just over 40 miles done. Some loud mouth asked me if I had wrecked much today. Nope, I said, lots of slipping and sliding but no carnage. He laughed and walked off to his warm truck. I rode away and just two miles later biffed it. Crud. I turned South and again the road was in bad shape. Better than the tractor road but soft snow and many drifts. Plodded along, had to clear the road to let a road grater by and in its wake I found decent road surface but still not fast.
I was trying to avoid all B roads, which led me to some silly route making between West Branch and Lone Tree. I tried to go to Hills but many roads only connect with a B section or (even worse) pavement so I weaved around and doubled back on myself and got no closer to any stores of convenience but I did finally get that dratted computer to tell me I had ridden 60 miles. I started to believe I could make it then. I was some miles Northeast of Lone Tree and decided to take one more trip over the tri-county bridge and then head for home.
The road to the bridge was sketchy, lots of parallel grooves in the hard pack snow and slick, too. It kept me paying attention and I almost crashed a couple of times but it was fast. I crossed the bridge and into another world, the worst road I had encountered so far. Deep snow and just a couple of truck tire tracks. This road has a few curves and it was really hard to keep the bike from sliding sideways. It kicked around a lot, my speed was slow and I had to stop a few times to switch tracks, get out of snow banks, pick myself up after crashing and such. I was thinking this section to Riverside might never get better and would take me an hour. Not to worry, the next turn found me on another road and it was in better shape.
The bank clock in Riverside told me it was a balmy 25 degrees. Took a short break and watched an old man in an old car miss his turn completely and ram his boat into a snowdrift with a telephone pole sticking out of the middle. Not to worry, he took a moment to think and then floored the accelerator. As I rolled out of town his tires were still spinning like mad on the wet pavement, going to push through that snow and mow down that telephone pole I suppose. Scary…
The roads between Riverside and Hills were in good shape and for once I did not need to wend around all over to get mileage so I bee lined it. Hit the pavement over to Sand Road and turned for home. I saw a group of three jolly men on mountain bikes roll out of a B road and we had a wave, they looked like they were having much more fun than me. I turned off on gravel and rode gravel into town. 104.97 miles covered! I have
ridden further in colder temps but always on pavement. That was a tough ride.
There you have it, twelve gravel centuries in 2007. I rode two in one day in May at the Dirty Kanza, one in August, three in September, one of them on my single speed townie, four in November and two in December on my Bridgestone single speed.
I am glad it is done and I am glad to have stuck it out. I look forward to taking that computer off my bike and putting it back in the box it usually lives in. I am looking forward to more “fluid” rides that don’t take all day. I am looking forward to getting my dirt cup. I hope it doesn’t really have dirt in it, I would really just like a cup of coffee.
As Dave the cup creator would say, Peace!
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Steve?
We're all waiting and wondering?
The rest of you? It's not too late to log a last minute century - or tell me about your quiet quest for the Cup O' Dirt - you've got until midnight, December 31 to nail that hundy!
The rest of you? It's not too late to log a last minute century - or tell me about your quiet quest for the Cup O' Dirt - you've got until midnight, December 31 to nail that hundy!
Friday, December 28, 2007
GPickle Nears The Dozen Mark!
Left the house Wednesday morning, Dec 26th, at 7:15. Two more gravel centuries required for the and just a week left to get them. It has been snowing a lot and in general just being cold and wintry. The skiing is great. And warm. I like it. As I was backing my bike off the porch I biffed it on a sheet of ice that used to be our front step. Swore, threw my bike, etc. Wondered why I was doing this and so on.
I rolled out and headed North. It was about 20 or 25 degrees. Hit the gravel and rode up Solon way before turning East. It was cold and the roads were actually in fairly good shape as long as you avoided the glare ice sections. After 18 miles or so I rode onto such a section while traveling down a hill and attempting to stop. I crashed.
Continued on and enjoyed the beautiful morning, moon still hanging in the sky to the West and a beautiful sunrise to the East. Turned South and went to West Branch for a quick Casey’s stop. I continued South towards Lone Tree with my usual swerve through Downey. Lots of aggressive doggies today, one bit my rear fender and I had to kick another one in the face to get it to back off. I feel bad about that. Many dogs that gave chase crashed when they left their snowy yards and hit the icy roads. Tee-hee. There was much beautiful snow! Pretty drifts and in some places it was piled up higher than me on both sides of the road. Stopped in Lone Tree for a water refill and bag of chips.
The sun was working hard now and my previously frozen and fast roads were thawing out and getting quite sloppy and slow. I had installed full fenders the day before so I was well protected but I had put them on my single speeder which was now feeling over geared at 34X16. Went down to the tri-county bridge and headed to Riverside. The B roads I passed were either completely untouched or had seen only snowmobile traffic so I chose to avoid them as the mission for today was mileage. Arrived in Riverside after 70 miles and took my last break. The bank clock told me it was 35 degrees.
Back on the road I went West again and North almost to Iowa City before looping back down to Hills. Saw Jean Gilpin of Team Skin fame there and she asked if I was getting my last gravel century, sadly I had to answer no. Always nice to see a friendly face!
I was pretty tired but kept it moving pretty well for the last miles. Had to ride a bit out of my way to avoid B roads and still be sure of getting the 80 miles on dirt, which I did.
Got home with 103.91 miles ridden, just over 80 on gravel, snow, ice, slush, muck, etc. Some of it got stuck on my feet and lower legs. To all who poo-poo fenders I can say that otherwise I was clean and dry and warm. Fenders work. A front mud flap should improve things, I hope to attach one before my next (and last!) ride.
Hundred, hundred, hundred more miles to go, I want to feel elated.
Photos: Click Here
GO STEVE, GO!!!!
I rolled out and headed North. It was about 20 or 25 degrees. Hit the gravel and rode up Solon way before turning East. It was cold and the roads were actually in fairly good shape as long as you avoided the glare ice sections. After 18 miles or so I rode onto such a section while traveling down a hill and attempting to stop. I crashed.
Continued on and enjoyed the beautiful morning, moon still hanging in the sky to the West and a beautiful sunrise to the East. Turned South and went to West Branch for a quick Casey’s stop. I continued South towards Lone Tree with my usual swerve through Downey. Lots of aggressive doggies today, one bit my rear fender and I had to kick another one in the face to get it to back off. I feel bad about that. Many dogs that gave chase crashed when they left their snowy yards and hit the icy roads. Tee-hee. There was much beautiful snow! Pretty drifts and in some places it was piled up higher than me on both sides of the road. Stopped in Lone Tree for a water refill and bag of chips.
The sun was working hard now and my previously frozen and fast roads were thawing out and getting quite sloppy and slow. I had installed full fenders the day before so I was well protected but I had put them on my single speeder which was now feeling over geared at 34X16. Went down to the tri-county bridge and headed to Riverside. The B roads I passed were either completely untouched or had seen only snowmobile traffic so I chose to avoid them as the mission for today was mileage. Arrived in Riverside after 70 miles and took my last break. The bank clock told me it was 35 degrees.
Back on the road I went West again and North almost to Iowa City before looping back down to Hills. Saw Jean Gilpin of Team Skin fame there and she asked if I was getting my last gravel century, sadly I had to answer no. Always nice to see a friendly face!
I was pretty tired but kept it moving pretty well for the last miles. Had to ride a bit out of my way to avoid B roads and still be sure of getting the 80 miles on dirt, which I did.
Got home with 103.91 miles ridden, just over 80 on gravel, snow, ice, slush, muck, etc. Some of it got stuck on my feet and lower legs. To all who poo-poo fenders I can say that otherwise I was clean and dry and warm. Fenders work. A front mud flap should improve things, I hope to attach one before my next (and last!) ride.
Hundred, hundred, hundred more miles to go, I want to feel elated.
Photos: Click Here
GO STEVE, GO!!!!
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Mad Maxwell Quietly Earns His Cup!
Matt Maxwell, a wrench from Ames, has been steadfastly working all year towards something he didn't even know existed! Alas! He has quietly earned his own Cup O' Mississippi Mud! 7. Count em -7! Just like Lance! 7!
Matt is a glutton for long distance pain - I mean challenges. He is one of the only finishers of the cold and gruelling Arrowhead Ultra (www.arrowheadultra.com). 135 mile bike, ski or running (?) race through waaayyyyy northern Minnesota in the middle of the freakn' winter. Yep. winter. February. Groundhogs day to be exact. 2007? 10 finishers out of 46 starters. He did it in 2006. Finished 7th out of 16 finishers. Crazy. I checked. He signed up again. geez!
This year, Matt earned his miles in the Trans-Iowa race and in the training leading up to it. He didn't finish the TI-V3, but had 4 dirty centuries to his name by the time he went home from Decorah in late April. He added 3 more, most of em gravel hundys, over the summer for a total of 7.
Matt, welcome, unwittingly, to the cup chase!
Now, reguarding slugs like me. Seems that I've but one chance... and that is the week between Christmas and New Years. Work? What's that? I still need 2, and could throw a "Hail Mary". Such a throw would most likely be an overnight trip as far south as possible, nail a dirty one, sleep, nail a 'nuther, then head home. Beyond that - a couple of 55 degree days after Christmas would be a gift... maybe an excuse to break in the new X bike!
Stay tuned! Remember - we all have until midnight on December 31 to log that last mile.... So, Cully - GPickle - Let's go!
Peace - Dave
Matt is a glutton for long distance pain - I mean challenges. He is one of the only finishers of the cold and gruelling Arrowhead Ultra (www.arrowheadultra.com). 135 mile bike, ski or running (?) race through waaayyyyy northern Minnesota in the middle of the freakn' winter. Yep. winter. February. Groundhogs day to be exact. 2007? 10 finishers out of 46 starters. He did it in 2006. Finished 7th out of 16 finishers. Crazy. I checked. He signed up again. geez!
This year, Matt earned his miles in the Trans-Iowa race and in the training leading up to it. He didn't finish the TI-V3, but had 4 dirty centuries to his name by the time he went home from Decorah in late April. He added 3 more, most of em gravel hundys, over the summer for a total of 7.
Matt, welcome, unwittingly, to the cup chase!
Now, reguarding slugs like me. Seems that I've but one chance... and that is the week between Christmas and New Years. Work? What's that? I still need 2, and could throw a "Hail Mary". Such a throw would most likely be an overnight trip as far south as possible, nail a dirty one, sleep, nail a 'nuther, then head home. Beyond that - a couple of 55 degree days after Christmas would be a gift... maybe an excuse to break in the new X bike!
Stay tuned! Remember - we all have until midnight on December 31 to log that last mile.... So, Cully - GPickle - Let's go!
Peace - Dave
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