Dave G Hits The Half-Way Mark - Paul Gets 2

Paul Jacobson insists I missed something at this years Trans-Iowa....I really enjoyed keeping the posting going on Cyclingupdate.com from the comfort of my own home while my wife and the pink ladies were ripping it up in Iowa City - but if you'd like to think so, Paul, you are welcome too! Read about Pauls Trans-Iowa experience here. Nice ride - nice ride. No matter what - that was a tough day!

Meanwhile, a little further south of Decorah, Dave Giegerich found some beautiful roads on which to spend a couple of days - seems as though it is easy to get lost in thought on a lonely gravel road - and based on the pictures - I don't blame him!


He was having so much fun, he nailed two this weekend - metric centuries, that is... get your mind out of the gutter!

Duffy Nails His First

Cussin' and grumblin', Duffy nails his first hundy of the year on Saturday. Honestly, while I am impressed that he ventured out alone on this cold, windy day after heavy rains soaked the region this week... I still had no sympathy - as I am writing Trans-Iowa V4 updates throughout the weekend on CyclingUpdate.com - and those kids are attempting to ride more than 3 times as far! So, Duffy - while I'm impressed that you nailed it - The kids riding the Trans-Iowa get the official Cup O' Dirt Tough-Guy points this weekend! ;) you know I love you! - Dave

A Big Week!

I'm a little late in this posting - You all can probly tell when I'm busy at work and home, as there was little updating on CyclingUpdate and it has taken me a week to get these 4 hundy's logged! Anyway - here we go -

Dave Giegerich nailed a couple of metric centuries to bring his total to 4 - a third of the way there! Keep rollin Dave!

Tom Anderson and Steve Fuller were the only ones brave (??) enough to tackle the muddy roads at last Sundays get together - They basically followed Toms route around Des Moines - with some creative adaptations - as it became very evident that the gravel was going to be un-ridable without breaking thier legs or equipment or both - they took to the pavement - but not the pavement - the shoulder! They rode about 45 miles of shoulder! That takes discipline!

I'll post pics and more detailed stories when I have more than 5 min to post - but for now - you should know that these kids are well on their way!

Also - as I type this, 100 (or so) crazy souls are in thier first 5 hours of the Trans- Iowa. Follow along on CyclingUpdate.com throughout the weekend.

Peace - Dave

2 Down.... 10 To Go!

Hi Dave,
Well, I did it again. Another 100K in the dirt between Dubuque and Dyersville. Took part of day off from work. Now I have to come up with a good escuse to tell my girlfriend why I should take 6 hours of "OUR" weekend off and ride and do another this weekend :-)
The Journey begins.

Was a very windy day, these things were down all over the place.

If bikes could talk this one would say. "What are you doing to me?" "I am a road bike, fatter tires and an elastomer seat post do not qualify me for this you imbecile."

-Dave Giegerich

100+ Mile Ride SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY!!!

OK - so we got the fact that there will be a group going for a hundy this Sunday - we just don't know where - One thing's fer sure - if ya wanna join the fun - show up at Hy-Vee on Grand and Railroad at 6:30 on Sunday for a little pre-ride feast. Then it's either off to a 100 miles of Center Trails (hoping they are dry) No complaining - it's only 8 laps. That ain't so bad! There'll probly be a lunch stop in Valley Junction or something - taco's anyone????

OR - if the trails are wet from the deluge that is forecast for Thursday - then we'll take to the gravel - and try and follow Toms route - described below.
Or - just pull a pickle and pick out some towns and try to get to em by dead-reckoning. (that is a nautical term)

"Here is the route that I created last night. It is currently 116 miles. I’d appreciate any input on route selection. As I stated before, I’m not familiar with these roads and am pretty much guessing that they are gravel. I also wouldn’t mind chopping some of that extra 16 miles off. I currently have it starting and stopping at the Hy-Vee on Jordan Creek and University and am thinking of on the bikes by 7:30 which gives some time for those that want to meet early for breakfast. -Tom

Click here for the route: Map My Ride"

Keep up the great rides - and keep logging the miles! Only a couple'a weeks till Trans-Iowa!!! Yahoo! I'm gunna try and do some 'Live" reports from the race throughout the weekend on CyclingUpdate.com - That's cool.

A Nice Note From A New Chaser - and some others logging miles!

Hi Dave,
I'm Dave, from Dubuque, 55 years old and always been a biker. However my typical milage was usually 15 miles a day 10 months out of the year UNTIL, I saw the "1/2 Liter O Dirt. Now I want one.
So today I went 62 miles on Heritage Trail. I think this counts as one, right?
I appreciate what your doing.

Here is the puddle I tipped over in, glad it was near the end of ride, because I got soaked. I thought I could ride through slowly, and my front wheel dropped about a 10 inches, and flipped me over the handle bars and into the muck.
Other picture is why Heritage Trail needs support.
Dave Giegerich

- Welcome to the chase Dave!

On some other notes - Norbert Koenigsfeld and Darcy Sanford knocked off a dirty 103 miles last weekend (April 5th) for Norberts 4th.

And this weekend - it was so cold and gross out that I didn't figure I'd get a note from anybody.... Duh. I should know better by now - Dennis Grelk did not just one - but 2 on his way to the 1/2 Liter O'Dirt. This puts him at 6 metric centuries - half way to his 1/2 Liter O'Dirt. Go Dennis, Go!

Dennis is proving that the sun does actually exist in this shot! MMMmmm warm! (right!)

Rumor has it that Tom Anderson is hosting a gravel hundy this Sunday - he's working on a route that heads south from West Des Moines. I'll post details as they are made available.

GRAID Final Report From Grelk

GRAID was grand. Nearly every sort of gravel was experienced, lightning fast hardpack, piles of 2" fresh boulders, loamy level B's, sandy roads from Dallas Center to Ames. There were some hills, and some flats, a fair tailwind and some headwinds to finish it out. Steve had enough by Dallas Center, and chose to fight the headwinds early. Matt Maxwell, Paul, and I forged on through the sandy gravel expanse to Ames and stocked up on pizza. By then Matt had enough, so Paul and I rolled on. However the call of warm beds sounded too good to pass up by the time we rolled into Paul's neighborhood, and it was decided that we had learned what we needed to learn, the extra 12 hours of sleep riding wasn't going to improve the experience. T'was a good ride with good freinds, doesn't get much better than that.

Motionbased report

Read the full report at www.happytraining.blogspot.com


This marks the occasion of the awarding of the first Cup of the year - as Grelk's ride to Ames counts as his 6th dirty century of 2008 - earning him the coveted Cup O' Mississippi Mud! Congratulations Dennis - I have the feeling that you will be drying out the water in said Cup - and earning the full Cup O' Dirt by the end of the year (or end of April!!!) Keep rocking and rolling! - Dave