March Cup'dates

News from the dirty world of Cup O' Dirt Chasers!

Dave,

After a month layoff, I finally hit the gravel for my fifth metric.

Since my last one, I've been sick, spent a couple weekends doing trail work,(earn your dirt) and even raced in Kansas one Saturday. This past month has really flown by.

I went out yesterday (March 21) and headed straight south into the wind for 31 miles and then turned around with the wind at my back. I went south of Chillicothe, MO and eventually made the Bogard area. Very hilly most of the way. I'm hoping the hills will prepare me better for the Lumberjack 100. I just missed the 75mile cutoff last year by a few minutes.

My speed was right at 10 MPH.

This friendly Cup O Dirt of yours is making me explore new parts of the area I've lived in for nearly 30 years. Every time I go out for a gravel road ride, I find more interesting things. Yesterday, I saw a bald eagle flying low toward me. Very awesome. The gravel roads often turn to dirt/mud. I rarely get passed by a vehicle in these remote areas.

Still looking to get in a true century.

Thanks again,

Tim Riekena

Dave G. is in the chase for 2009!

Hello Dave,
Dirty Metric Century #3. Beautiful day, happy to be out there. I hope for many more. Enjoy the pictures in my blog.
Thanks for the challenge.
Dave
Blog http://mrdaveygie.blogspot.com/

And from the Ames crew:

I believe it was March 14th Stephen Carney and I took off on a beautiful day to accomplish a metric century. We left Ames and headed over to Colo and back hitting up some pretty decent size hills around Indian Creek. It was a great trip and Stephen and I were pushing each other pretty good. This was the first metric I have ever average over 14 mph on the gravel.

Then on March 29th Nick Wethington, Matt Maxwell and I took off for a full century ride going from Ames to Eldora and back. While the sun was out the wind continued to pick up and we had a pretty tough day. The gravel was in good shape other than the frost boils coming out so that helped. I believe I completed the century in just under 10 hours so not blazing, but considering the wind I was very happy to get my first full century in this year.

Thanks again for the opportunity to shoot for the cup!

Paul Jacobson

And on March 29th

Hi Dave, I got in another metric today. I went out late this morning and had planned on heading south. Once I got out riding, I decided a better idea would be to head out west. I always like a nice tailwind blowing me home. I took some little side trips to add in some extra miles and turned around at the Casey's in De Soto. On the way home, I had something happen that has never happened to me on a gravel ride. I ran into some other bikers! I was going to join them for a while, but then it became apparent that we were heading in opposite directions. Not wanted to head back into the wind, I continued on home. My total for the day ended up at 105 km.

(This is in addition to another couple o' metrics that Tim got in earlier in March! Keep rolling Tim! - ed)

Tim

And Shocking news: Shockey had Trans-Iowa on the brain.

hey dave,

not sure if this one counts with all the pavement...your call.

took off yesterday and rode up to rochester to pick up the vue with her newly replaced tranny. it was a good day/excuse for doing some gear testing for transiowa. cold, rain, wind and a good mix of all kinds of gravel conditions. 92 miles total with somewhere around 50-55 of it on gravel.

longer story and pics here.

thanks,

shockey


And finally, I'm hoping to pick up the Cups at Easter when I see my sis next weekend! Stay tuned!

Would you guys buy a sweet Cup O'Dirt t-shirt if I made em? Thinking like, $15 plus a couple bucks for shipping? whadaya think? I'm thinking a pink t-shirt with the cup logo in purple - you know, to match your tights and leg warmers. I'd consider some other color scheme, if you insisted. Like maybe browns. maybe.