When this year started, I'd get an e-mail now and again, describing someone's dirty century - so I'd quickly log onto my blog and cut and paste, chalk one up on the chaser list - and done.
Seems as though better weather and some folks closing in on specific events that they are training for... and maybe the quest for a Cup... has gotten folks on their bikes and logging some dirty centuries! I shall summarize the weeks events:
From David Geig
"Hi Dave,
Went out and did another 100K today. Was beautiful out, had to grind a bit a.k.a. (too many beers last night) Now I got tomorrow off, and my girlfriend works a double, so decisions, decisions, ride or work on the house.
A choice has been made, RIDE!!!!!!!, Gonna go for #11"
Next Day:
"Hey Dave,
Well number 11 completed today 100K. Was a bit chilly to start, had to shed jacket and gloves half way through. Turned out nice. Here's a couple of pics. Tomorrows hamburgers, and trees are taking over. Not sure where I will go after #12. Maybe a Mile Century. That would be a big addition for me, but these metric Centuries are getting me in better shape. I thank you.
Good biking to you.
Dave"
So the man who started in March with his first 100k - is one away from the 1/2 Liter of Dirt - and he will be the first recipient of said Cup! I'm anxious to see what he comes up with for his 12th!
The Cedar Falls Crew:
LT 100 - READY OR NOT
With 120 days before the start of the Leadville Trail 100 ( really 104) Mt Bike Race I thought - man, there's still 4 month before the big race. My good friend and many time leadville participant, Mike Johnson has one of those countdown things to Leadville on his blog and when we broke 100 days I thought maybe it is time to dig out the Mt Bike for the season. Last week when the damn thing said less than 90 days - we said it was time to get serious about Leadville training. So Mike put out the word that the adaptation was going to begin this week end.
Four Bike Tech Racers - Kathleen Porter (first time Leadviller and my fine training partner), Pete Berendzen, Mike Johnson and I answered the call.We headed west out of Cedar Falls with a goal of riding 4 to 5 hours and earning some Dirty Cup points. The weather was fantastic, the riding was great and the convenient stores were aah convenient.
While we were riding several things occurred to me.
1. There's a reason why we like to ride our X Bikes.
2. How is this gravel grinding going to help with our preparation for the Memorial Day Races.
3. No matter what kind of training/racing you've done you are never really prepared for leadville - except, maybe in Dec and Jan.
4. But what really occurred to me is that there is no better way to spend a Saturday morning than riding a lot of gravel with your friends on your 62 birthday.
We met our goals and immediately started making plans for for the Memorial Day Races.
John"
Dennis Grelk - Dennis politely reminded me of his hundy that I missed at the end of April - and an epic it was - read all about his Trans-Iowa V4 experience here.
In addition - he went out and nailed his 8th full hundy.
"A nice day for a ride today, so I rolled out a gravel hundy. Had to ride some shoulders and rode in circles a few times as it was point and shoot route mapping(aka aimless wandering). Stopped for breakfast/lunch at mile four and had one gut-bomb cheeseburger too many at mile 80, otherwise a decent paced ride."
Squirrel and Blackford went on up to play in southern Minnesota in the Almanzo 100 - a gravel road race in Rochester Minnesota. Read Squirrels account - A) sounds like a great race - a hundy in the spirit of Trans-Iowa, and B)Squirrel is tenacious. - however you spell that.
And finally - Booksbikesbeerbrian nailed a hundy - and went quickly form the high of his ride to the low of his cycling year - The "Fight or Flight" reaction is strong in our cycling brother. Read up.
And, lest I forget, Fullur nailed one as you can see in the comments!! Way to go!
Thanks all, for making this a great year of chasing - With Memorial Weekend looming - I'm expecting a busy busy next week logging all the hundies!
For now - Peace
