Friday, September 30, 2011

Global weirding

So the big day is a week from tomorrow and the long-range forecast is still calling for freakishly temperate weather.  That could either mean that it will be 65 degrees and sunny or it will be sleeting.  Keep your weather eyes open.

Another postcard came today from Brookings so as of right now it looks like there will be at least 9 of us.  I'd love to have a nice round number like 20, but I'll take anything more than just myself as a success.  I'd also like to get at least a couple of folks from Yankton out there, but as I've said elsewhere this isn't a huge biking town.

I'm planning to ride the route this Sunday to verify that my cue sheets are in order and that there aren't any packs of feral dogs out there with a taste for lycra.  If I don't check in anytime between now and next Saturday you'll know that there are.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Gearing up!

my desk with the impeccable Almanzo cue sheets

We're about 10 days away from zero hour and I'm in the process of editing the cue sheets.  Fortunately about 95% of the course goes either N,S,E or W  (Thanks Thomas Jefferson!) so it's almost impossible to get horribly lost.  Also, the roads are numbered sequentially so if you go south of 888th or east of 565th you know you've gone too far.  I've made up a nifty navigator's desk using 1/4" plywood and zip ties - works like a charm plus I can do the crossword if things get slow.


Got a couple of postcards yesterday (a shout out to Pierre, SD and Sioux City, IA!) from folks I don't know personally.  At least now I'm pretty sure it won't just be me and a few of my friends out there on the course.   I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the current weather trend will hold until Oct. 9, even if it means lots of dust.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Gentlemens Ride 2.0




Forestville - thanks Chris Skogen
 I'm back from SE Minnesota where I had my backside handed to me courtesy of the Gentlemen's Ride.  If it hadn't been for the perfect weather, flawless mechanicals and the Thai iced coffee at the Forestville refreshment stop I don't think I could have done it.
The Start

Having 3 other folks to help me along didn't hurt either ( including Chris who can kick my butt while biking uphill and smoking...a cigarette).    I look at the Steeplechase as an Almanzo Light and I'm pretty sure that while I will in all likelihood finish I will not be first back.  And that's OK.  If there's a next year for the Steeplechase I may want to make it a 100k/100 mile affair.  That could be fun.
Don't try this at home...or anywhere.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

I saw the light.

So during my numerous rides through Cedar County I've noticed what to me is a surprising number of light (or is it 'lite'?) beer cans littering the shoulders.  There seem to be nearly equal numbers of Bud & Busch, hardly ever a Miller, with an occasional soda can here and there.  After I get out on the road I always think I should have thrown on a pannier and picked up some cans to help finance my cycling habit.
If you want to defray your Steeplechase travel costs and earn extra brownie points you are welcome to bring your pick n' grab stick and a sack or pannier.  One word of warning - you'll find yourself stopping every 50 yards to help keep America beautiful.
After the ride you can exorcise the memories of abandoned beer cans with a trip to Ben's Brewing at 222 W. 3rd St. in Yankton.  He's got some good stuff that you don't want to throw out of a pickup window.

hmmmm...light beer.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

deadline, schmeadline.

So awhile back I had designated Sept. 24 as the deadline for registering for this ride but now I'm rethinking that.  This little blog has been seeing some pretty good traffic (if blogspot is to be believed) but I have yet to see any registrations from anyone outside my immediate circle of riding chums.  If you're out there reading this and interested in riding, drop me a postcard (include your email, please) via the USPS by October 4th.  It's not that I'm desperate or anyting, but I'd like to know who's coming.
That address again:
Gregg Homstad
500 Mulberry St.
Yankton, SD  57078


Monday, September 12, 2011

Bonk!

I've got the Gentlemen's Ride facing me in two weeks so yesterday was my day to log some miles and further scope out the Steeplechase route.  I rode what I think will be the final iteration and mileage should come out almost exactly at 50.  There are 5 steeples on the route, about 6 miles of MMR and about 9 of asphalt.  I may develop another route in case of exceedingly muddy conditions.




I was more concerned with taking notes and photos than I was with eating and by the end of the ride I was feeling the effects.  It doesn't help that I'm not in top form, either.  I was starting to see messages in the passing grain bins:
St. Boniface - Menominee, NE
Beautiful Bow Valley, NE




Friday, September 9, 2011

30 days to go

The steeplechase is a month away and so far I have 2 registered riders - both friends from the Twin Cities.  I'd really like to get some local folks in on this, or even riders from the Siouxs, Omaha or Lincoln.  I'm trying to get the local paper to give this event a blurb in their 'Coming Attractions' section and I've got flyers up at the local bike shop and the municipal fitness center.

Even if you haven't ridden gravel since you were a kid growing up on the farm (like me) I would encourage you to give this a try.  Riding without cars/trucks blowing by you at 70 mph is a beautiful thing.

Friday, September 2, 2011

September!

Glad to start the long slide into Fall.  Temps are down 20° from yesterday and the living is good.  The average temps for October 8?  Low: 45°F, High: 68°F.  I'm more concerned about wet v. dry.

The Almanzo Gentlemen's Ride is in 3 weeks and I still need a lot more saddle time.  If you haven't experienced an Almanzo event I strongly encourage you to check out their site.  It looks as though they're planning metric half and full century rides in addition to their English century.  A marathon may also be in the works.

An article in the local paper stated that the old Meridian bridge may be open in October.  There were no hard dates, but I'm still hopeful we can use it to get to Nebraska and back.

Speaking of Nebraska...I don't follow the college football all that much.  OK, I don't follow it at all.  But I know that the Huskers have made the move to the Big 10 which they tell me has 12 teams.  WTF?  In any case, if you want to get in good with the local folks on either side of the river wear your big red 'N' loud and proud.  They play Ohio State in an evening game on the 8th so there's no excuse for not riding some gravel.