Cups O' The Day - Joe Meiser

This is a pic of Matt Gersib - who blogged about Joe once and rides a bike. Plus, he's sportin' a sweet pair of Oakleys.

Dirty ol' Joe - what's this I hear of you nailing the Cup O' Dirt in 21 days, 10 hours and 34 minutes? Oh, not just the Cup O' Dirt, but the Cup O' Mississippi Mud as well, as you've finished the 2300 mile Tour Divide Race on your #1 rated Salsa Fargo? Impressive! And for that, you've earned yourself a Cup O' Dirt! Congrats and thanks for playing! - Dave

"The GDMBR is the world's longest off-pavement cycling route. It's highlighted by long dirt roads and jeep trails that wend their way through forgotten passes of the Continental Divide. The Route travels through Canadian Provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and the United States of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. By Route's end a thru-rider will climb nearly 200,000 feet of vertical (equivalent to summiting Mount Everest from sea-level 7 times)." Visithttp://tourdivide.org/ if you're so inclined.

Cup O' The Day: David Giegerich

Hi Dave,
Hmmm How would I summarize the year? Let's see. "Lots and lots of bicycling and enjoyed every minute of it."

I have to blame some my craziness on Dave Mable. Yeap. Fall of 2007 I stumbled on the Cup O'Dirt blog. Spring of 2008 arrived and I modified my old road bike to ride dirt trails. After 12 metrics and realizing my addiction I purchased a Trek XO2, and banged out another 6 for 2008. After some snow riding I was chomping at the bit in 09to get started again. So 48 metric centuries and 6 full ones later, I wrap up 2009. I love it.

So now I ride year round, bought a Trek 6700 with Nokian studs, and as a matter of fact I rode 40 miles today (12/30/09)on snow mobile trails and I am entered in Triple D. Good grief.

It's been a good and/or crazy year. Maybe next year I can get one in once a month too. The snow is a killa.

March 22nd 1st Metric Century
March 30th 2nd Metric Century
April 3rd 3rd Metric Century
April 8th 4th Metric Century
April 11th 5th Metric Century
April 16th 6th Metric Century
April 22nd 7th Metric Century
April 29th 8th Metric Century
May 3rd 9th Metric Century
May 8th 10th Metric Century
May 10th 11th Metric Century
May 14th 12th Metric Century
May 28th 1st 100 Miler
May 31st 13th Metric Century
June 3rd 14th Metric Century
June 11th 2nd 100 Miler
Knee goes out one me
July 5th 15th Metric Century
July 11th 16th Metric Century
July 12th 17th Metric Century
July 14th 18th Metric Century
July 18th 3rd 100 Miler
July 24th 19th Metric Century
July 26th 20th Metric Century
July 31st 21st Metric Century
Aug 2nd 2nd Metric Century
Aug 6th 23rd Metric Century
Aug 9th 24th Metric Century
Aug 12th 25th Metric Century
Aug 23rd 4th 100 Miler
Aug 30th 26th Metric Century
Sept 2nd 5th 100 Miler
Sept 23rd 6th 100 Miler
Sept 6th 27th Metric Century
Sept 13th 28th Metric Century
Sept 19th 29th Metric Century
Sept 30th 30th Metric Century
APPENDECOMY
Oct 19th 31st Metric Century
Oct 20th 32nd Metric Century
Oct 21st 33rd Metric Century
Oct 31st 34th Metric Century
Nov 1st 35th Metric Century
Nov 7th 36th Metric Century
Nov 8th 37th Metric Century
Nov 14th 38th Metric Century
Nov 15th 39th Metric Century
Nov 16th 40th Metric Century
Nov 21st 41st Metric Century
Nov 22nd 42nd Metric Century
Nov 27th 43rd Metric Century
Nov 28th 44th Metric Century
Nov 29th 45th Metric Century
Dec 2nd 46th Metric Century
Dec 5th 47th Metric Century
Dec 26th 48th Metric Century


Way to go Dave! You've come a long way in a short time - You are motivation for the rest of us! Keep ridin'!

Cup O' The Day - Tim Riekena's Chase

Dave,

While my North Missouri riding weather is usually milder than Iowa's (and I should know since I grew up in Iowa Indianola HS-1977), getting in all 12 metrics has been a journey in itself. I have a lot of respect for you guys/gals up north.

From icy gravel to eating hot July dust, this challenge has been a blast. It's taken me all over North Missouri, and then some.

I never got in a true century which was disappointing, but I guess that's why we make goals.

Last July, I got in two metrics, which ended up being a good thing. During my cross
country season (I coach) I was diagnosed with a hernia. The doctor said he would do the procedure after the season was over. So, in November, two days after I rode my 12th metric, I had the procedure. Recovery was stupid slow, still is. I had my 12 metrics, but I was hoping to get in one every month (December). Time was running out.

I've had a few days off during Christmas Break and started thinking about trying to get the December one in. Local riders have told nothing but horror stories about our icy gravel we currently have. One buddy actually went to the doctor concerning injuries he sustained while riding our gravel. I didn't think trying to ride 62 miles on local icy gravel was a good idea. The last thing I wanted to do was crash and re-injure the hernia thingy.

Yesterday, I loaded up the bike and drove south. I went to the KATY trail down by the Missouri River. The KATY is a flat, 220+ mile crushed limestone trail. They had less snow there, but enough to make me to pull the plug.

The first 10 miles took me well over an hour... plus a lot of effort. I couldn't believe what was happening. Where I wasn't plowing through 2 inches of crusty snow, I would be on soft sandy-type gravel. The freeze/thaw cycle had already hit the surface making it like riding through sand. There was nothing easy about it. Surface conditions, plus the fact that I hadn't ridden in 7 weeks, took its toll. I got in another 8 miles and realized I wasn't' going to make it back to the truck if I kept going.

So I turned around. I think my total was around 36 miles. I'm glad I had the 12 metrics in, but I really wanted to get in that December one.

Since I've been riding MTBs, I've had a few DNF's due to equipment failure, or not making a cutoff time, but never have I had to DNF myself. Still, it was strangely one of my best rides. I saw awesome scenery, a bunch of bald eagles, zero cars, truck or tractors, and only a handful of people. When I rode up to the truck, I was much more tired than any other metric I've done.

Like they say, even a bad day on the bike is better than not riding.

Thanks again for putting on this challenge. I hope to get up to your CIRREM event...surly my hernia thingy will be totally mended.

Tim Riekena
Chillicothe, MO


"None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm."
Henry David Thoreau

Cup O'the Day - Nick Wethington's Pursuit.

Dave,

Well, I set out at the beginning of this year with a dream of finishing all three of the available cups. My first ride for the cup was a long, single-speed slog out in hills of the Des Moines River valley, and the last one was at the Tuscobia Ultra, a 75-mile haul on nice loose snowmobile trail. I rolled over that last qualifying mile in the dark somewhere near Park Falls, Wisconsin, and it was quite a moment to realize that I had just finished my dream. So, yeah, that makes 12 metrics and 18 full dirty rides!

For posterity (and to remember how many I'd done), I kept a record of all the qualifying rides and their dates. Here's that for you:

January 18th - 62 miles
February 2nd - 135 miles
February 15th - 62 miles
February 22nd - 100 miles
March 8th - 62 miles
March 15th - 100 miles
March 29th - 115 miles
May 31st - 100 miles
June 11th - 62 miles
July 9th - 65 miles
July 13th - 110 miles - 6 Full
July 20th - 105 miles
July 27th - 100 miles
August 3rd - 165 miles - 6 Metric
August 9th - 100 miles
August 16th - 115 miles
September 17th - 65 miles
September 27th - 104 miles - 12 Full!
October 4th - 62 miles
October 17th - 210 miles
October 25th - 100 miles
November 1st - 65 miles
November 14th - 103miles
November 15th - 103 miles
November 29th - 63 miles
December 6th - 100 miles - 18 full centuries!
December 12th - 65 miles
December 19th - 78 miles - 12 Metrics!

I'd really like to receive all three cups, but I know that you're doing this all out of your own pocket and the kindness of your own heart, so let me know how much those cups cost and I will gladly tip you a few bucks to cover the cost of my three.

Thanks for putting this on - it really pushed me to add a lot more miles to my rides than I would have, and travel to some places that I normally wouldn't see. Plus, it was great training for my winter bike racing season.

~Nick Wethington

Ed: ROCK IT OUT NICK! Glad you enjoyed the chase - congratulations!

3 cups will be ordered (and delivered randomly throughout the year, right Grelk? #2 is here....) - or handed out at CIRREM?!?

And to the rest of you - watch for a new Cup O' The Day daily (or mostly, I hope!)

It may be quiet... but I am watching!

So, send my your stuff - Cups will be ordered by mid Jan - and presented in the snow and rain at CIRREM!

dave@bikeworldiowa.com

Peace! - Dave

18?! At one time?!? Are You CRAZY?

Yep.

Here's a little note from Joe Meiser - Trans-Iowa veteran... and now Trans United-freakin-States-via-the-freakin-Continental-Divide veteran - congrats Joe! Dave,

Completed the Tour Divide Race on July 3rd. It's hard to say how many
centuries were in there for the 21.5 days that I rode. I know there
were at least three days under 100 miles, somewhere in the 50-85 mile
range. So I'll call it 18 centuries for the whole event, most of them
120+ mile days with some in the 140+ and three 170+ days. I guess I've
hit the goal...

Photos and info here: www.eojmeiser.blogspot.com

Feel free to use/post any of the Flickr photos that can be accesed via
the sidebar on my blog.

Thanks for putting this good fun on!

Joe

And this is from Nick in Ames:


Dave,

I saw you updated the site. It's good to know that there are other
crazy people out there trying for the cup! I did a sweet 165 miles on
Sunday last, riding up to Mallard, Iowa to see some family, then back
down to Humboldt along part of the Three Rivers trail. My girlfriend
thankfully picked me up in Humboldt so I didn't have to camp, but it
was a gorgeous day for such a long ride. That puts me at 9 full and 6
metric, exactly halfway for my projected three cup goal. I'm hoping
to get a full at the 24-hour race this year. Are you gonna be there
again for the fun? (maybe!-ed)

~Nick

July Cup' Dates

I've been lurking - reading your email entries - and waiting for a little computer time to update the site - and as that little ride across Iowa came and went - I decided to do a cumulative update for July -there's been alot of riding going on!

Nick Wethington is A) enjoying his Cup (read on)and B) enjoying his bike. He's now racked up 8 full and 5 metric centuries - and only has a little road rash to show for it! He's been riding with Matt Maxwell and the two are exploring every dirty little nook and cranny of Story and Boone counties!

Dave,

Well, I just got my 2008 cup, and let me tell you, coffee tastes much
better from a mug earned than one bought. It's also inspired me to
continue my quest for at least two but hopefully three cups in 2009.
I got another century in three weeks ago. I rode out to Seven Oaks
from Ames, met up with some friends there and did a lap, then rode
back, switched to my gravel bike and rode down to Big Creek. I took a
short nap at Big Creek by the lake, then rode back to Ames to get
about 102 miles. It seemed more like a series of shorter rides than a
century, and the nap in the middle made it feel like little work at
all! I've also done two metrics since I last wrote, so that puts me
at 5 full and 5 metric. Now that summer is in full swing I expect to
get a few more under my belt before the weather turns cold again.
Thanks, as always, for inspiring to ride just a little bit more.

~Nick Wethington

From our friend in Mizzou: (this is an early entry - but I liked the story!)

Dave,

Put me down for another metric.

Last Saturday I raced in the Lumberjack 100, except for me it ended up the Lumberjack 50. I broke not one, but two spokes on my second 25-mile lap. I decided to DNF the race, but was still able to get in a total of 62 miles by riding service roads in the park. Plus I had five hours to kill waiting for by buddies to finish.

This wasn't the century I was looking for, but it was the most fun so far.

Have a great day,

Tim Riekena
Chillicothe, MO

And from Colorado, as Drew prepares to battle a 'race ready' Lance Armstrong:

Did my third metric of the year last Friday....a pre-ride on the Leadville 100 course from Leadville to Twin Lakes Dam and back. Eighty miles total, but 10-15 on pavement. A legit 62 or more on the dirt though...will try to post to my blog soon!?

Did it solo in about 7.5 hours....too bad those fast guys do the whole hundred in that time or less! Rain threatened most of the day but never materialized in any major way. Should be stacking them up with a bit more regularity through the rest of the year between events and training.

Hope everyone is well in Dirty Cup land. Would love the opportunity to hook up at Cheq if the schedules permit!

Drew Miller
Buena Vista, CO


And Pete Lira is knocking off centuries left and right down in the heat and hills of Kansas:

Hey Dave,

Had some great fun this weekend in Madison Kansas. The Flint hills Deathride was 81 mile this year. What is great about this ride is that it is different each year. This was my 6th trip down and I still found myself on new gravel.

Pete Lira

Up in NE Iowa - David G is cranking out mile after mile - and kilometer after kilometer - he's up to 20 metrics this year - I'm so proud of that boy!!!!

Ben Shocky isn't asleep either - as he's taking advantage of a broken frame and getting a full hundy in. (what? His race bike broke - so he decided to ride a long gravel ride since he couldn't race... - We're sorry to hear about your bike!)

And a whole group from Des Moines had fun on the chase:

Dave,

Congrats on the tri yesterday! Still, you missed out on a pretty fun ride. Sedore, Oakley Rob, Kurt Benson, Fuller, Joe from BW West, and myself took off from Legends on 60th and Ashworth and the crack of dark Saturday night which equates to roughly 10:20 PM after some food and liquid fueling. Heading west on EP True we went baja style riding through the dead end past Jordan Creek and eventually worked our way down to Booneville road and over to Booneville proper by 11. We briefly debated the first beer stop of the evening, but eventually bypassed the Waveland in favor of heading to the Cumming Tap for our first round of the evening. We hit the tap somewhere need midnight and split a pitcher between us while Kurt also thought it was necessary to bolster our spirits with a round of Red Bulls as well. Most everyone chugged theirs down, but I wisely packed away that gem for a later pick me up.

From Cumming we decided to try for last call in Martensdale. A mile or so out of town we had our first flat of the evening on Joe’s trusty La Cruz. Now here’s how you can tell you’re in Iowa. Here we were at 1ish in the morning, a group of 6 guys standing around working on a bike and 2 separate cars happened to roll by, both checking to make sure we were good to go and offering to shine their headlights on the situation to help. We got the flat repaired in time to make last call. After another pitched split, we headed back from whence we came. Somewhere about halfway back to Cumming we decided to stop and break out some food. I think we were all feeling a bit punchy at the time as the stop also included a rousing game of duck-duck goose played in the midst of the gravel road in the wee hours of Sunday morning. We wound our way back through the Booneville loop and made our final break at the Waveland west where we enjoyed their great hospitality. Of course they weren’t actually open at 4 in the morning (who knew?), but we did find the patio furniture to be quite inviting. After a bit more snacking on processed meat sticks aka Slim Jim’s, we headed back towards town only to stop for the 2nd flat of the evening.

Rather than run through the bigger rollers on Booneville road, we opted to head back out to Grand and roll it double file paceline style clear down to Raccoon River Park to let the heckling and shananigans begin for the Hy-Vee Tri. All told, I showed 68 miles and change with 3000’ of climbing for our overnighter along with more laughing, fun, and folly than I can remember having for a long time. One punctuation to the evening was experiencing flying down the various hills at 25+ mph in the pitch of night which was thrilling and terrifying at the same time. I finally rolled back home and to bed around 10:30 after having eclipsed the 26th hour of awake time before dropping like a ton of bricks for a few hours nap.

Thanks,

Rick

Adding to that - Fuller wandered around with some friends for dirty hundy with some friends while the rest of the state was gathering in Council Bluffs for RAGBRAI -

Went on a little Death Ride with Guitar Ted, David Pals, Jeremy Fry,
Craig and Doug on Saturday morning. Left West Union around 7:00 AM.
Got back quite a while later. Camped out, drank some beers, rode some
flats, climbed a few hills, enjoyed the conversation and scenery, and
had damn good time. 118 miles, 9994 feet of climb. Route link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/9148382

Steve Fuller

Finally - one thing I suck at is mailing stuff - I've got Cups headed to Cedar Falls via the State Road Race, Dubuque via the mail and to Mr. Never Rest via the mail - sorry it takes so danged long - but the Cups are like a fine wine - better aged!

Peace all and safe riding! - Dave