Maah Daah Hey 100

For the last couple of years I have wanted to take up the challenge of doing the Maah Daah Hey 100 in a day. Ripping through the North Dakota badlands in the August sun definitely sounds like a challenge. This year I got it on the calendar early...like right after they opened registration. Since the race is in August, I would be rocking the single speed. The gears were taken off the day after the Royal 162 but the carbon niner fork remained. The decision was to ride it rigid but the gearing was still unknown. I got to asking around, did some research on the interwebs, and came up with a plan. Since i rock the 38 in the front, i did some math and decided a 22 in the back should work out well for the climbs and distance. 38x22 was a go and the last thing was tires. To aid in some suspension, i went with a 2.4 in the front. A little extra cushion to absorb some of the pushin' is a great help before too long.

So the bike is in order and we got up to the CCC campground on Thursday evening in time to set up the tent and crack a beer before gazing at the moon. On Friday, we got a taste of the trail. We met up with Chris Skogen and the Rochester posse. The singletrack started right from the campground and we were in it. The first couple miles are flowy and then the climbing begins. A series of switchbacks made for a good climb. Only one of them was a bit of trouble because of erosion but the gear was fine to make the climb. At the top, the trail provided an amazing view of the the badlands. Amazing was all i can say. The trail made for some great recovery and dodging the fresh cow pies made for even more excitement. We got about 5 miles in or so and turned around. A taste was had and the rest of the day was for prepping and relaxing.

Just before 7:00 am I was lined up in the campground with about 100 others who were either in for doing the 100 solo or part of a team. I got to talking with a few other single speeders and there was a 32x18 and a 32x20 represented. Having another with virtually the same gearing, 32x20, gave me some confidence that is was the right choice. When the gun went off, i got off to a leisurely pace. There were many miles to go and i always feel better when starting slow and get into the rhythm. During the first couple miles, i past a few people who were going at a bit slower pace than i wanted and when we got to the switchbacks, i was able to keep up or jump off and briefly jog since the pace was too slow for me to continue momentum in the climb. The guy behind me said i was doing fine so i didn't pull over and stayed with it. The top came quickly and i was feeling good and riding with Ben Oney and Alex Oenes. That was a pleasure. The trail was nice, the air was cool, the legs felt great and a good time was had. I kept in my comfort zone and was having a good ride. I held a few of the cow gates for some people and in turn, they held them for me as we continued to roll. The gates were along the trail at times to make it through the fencing. I was often hopping of my bike to open them to make sure they did not come crashing down on my back wheel. There were a number of climbs and arroyo crossings. Some of those crossings were forced dismounts since the entrance was really unrideable, for many reasons like steep or erosion. The sights were awesome though and the field was thinned out considerably.

I rolled into the first checkpoint at 25 miles and was happy to hear that i was second single speeder through. I was around the 20th person and the first single speed was 3rd...that blew me away and i was wondering how that would hold up as the sun got higher. It was already starting to bring some heat but it really wasn't too bad. I refilled my water, got the mix together for the bottles and changed out some snacks. For hydration i had on a Camelbak for water and two large bottles with drink mix. For food, i was eating on some Honey Stinger waffles and checkpoint banana provisions. I left the checkpoint with Ben and i was feeling good. We rode together for a while but at some point, i rode away. I didn't feel like i was hammering or anything but my pace was matching my enthusiasm. The legs felt good and i did too. More ups and downs and the Little Missouri was crossed. I was warned about little rocks and sand that will get in the shoe so after the river, I made the climb to the second checkpoint at the 50 mile mark where a pair of dry socks awaited.

The sun was getting to be unforgiving like Clint Eastwood so hydration was essential. I found my drop bag and realized that it was the bag i wanted at the 3rd checkpoint. There goes a bit of my food/caffeine/light carrying strategy. I got to mixing up the water bottles, ate some chips, changed socks and took off. After 300 yards, i realized i didn't refill my Camelbak so i turned around and got that water on. I know the second 50 was a bit more manageable than the first but I was already 5.5 hours in the race and this next stretch was full of more sun...there was on little bits of shade from a tree here or there along this trail. The sun is really the hardest element on this trail and the full afternoon was upon me. For the next couple hours, I could feel my core temp rising. Around the 65 mile mark, i started taking it real easy on the climbs and walking some to try to cool down. I would take a couple breaths in the bits of shade that would sparingly come by. My pace was grinding to nearly a halt but I really wanted to stave off heat exhaustion. Around mile 70 or so, a fellow single speeder caught me and we rode a bit together. On a climb, i scampered away which allowed me to arrive in checkpoint 3 first. We were there together and i drank a coke and was looking forward to the final push. I tried to eat a bag of chips but was not able to finish it...that should have been a sign, but i was beginning to feel a bit recovered so i took off.

This final section was predominantly a drop in elevation but there were plenty of little climbs to put some hurt on this guy with a heated core. I made it well for 6 or 7 miles but the going got tough. On what was unknown to me, I pulled up on the last of the longer climbs of the section. I found some shade to sit a spell and get rid of my dizziness and take in some electrolytes.

As i sat there, the fellow singlespeeder from checkpoint 3 passed. In time, a woman on a single passed me too. Then a guy muscling up with a fatbike. At this point, i was probly sitting there for 20-30 minutes. I got on the bike and made my way to a road crossing at mile 90 where i know folks would be. At the crossing, i doused myself with some water and sat a spell again in the shade. My 13 hour finishing goal was fading fast but i was confident i would finish...that was the true goal. After i took off from there, i saw no one until mile 101. It was another single speeded. Apparently the guy who was killing it in the beginning race faded and was trickling in. That invigorated me and the final downhill descent to the pavement and the ride to the finish line was all good. I rolled in with a time just under 13.5 hours and the 3rd single. The top male and female single speeds past me as i sat in the shade. Much respect to them for handling the heat better than i...fo sho! When looking at the results of the race, i saw that i was slated in the Open category and was 15th...I'll take it despite registering and riding single.

A lot of people thought i was crazy to ride the trail fully rigid. There were times when the cattle hoof prints made for some bumpy terrain, especially on the descents. My wrists were fine after the race and the next day driving back, they were AOK. Come Monday when i started typing on the computer though, that they got to hurting. Typing is rough on the wrists and i think i am gonna strike it rich by inventing some suspension for keyboard usage. I'll include the quickstarter campaign when i get the prototype up and running. All in all though, the gearing was right on. No hills were too steep to climb, i could set a good pace and stick to it, but the failure was salt intake. Next time i do something like this, i am bringing chicken stock and not messing around anymore. The end was at a campground where the needed shower was so good. The only issue though was the lack of eating choices. They were all a few blocks away in town and missing the shuttle back to the campground did not sound like a pleasant way to spend the evening. I do recommend putting this race on the to do list. It is amazing terrain and very well organized. The volunteers were so friendly and helpful. Kudos to Nick for the event and would consider doing it again...but i hope to have a little better heat management skills by then. Below is the fine stats provided by Garmin

The Royal 162

The Royal 162 is the big brother of the Almanzo 100 gravel road race created and organized by Chris Skogan. The Royal starts and ends in Spring Valley, MN. Along the mostly, and i mean nearly entirely, gravel roads, one can really take in the beauty of spring in southern Minnesota/northern Iowa. The gravel roads take you in and out of the valleys, along creeks and streams, thru Amish communities, and by many-a-barn. A great way to spend the day is about all I can say.

The day started with a welcomed wake up after an in-and-out of sleep night. The sandwich and other snacks previously packed started the morning off right and the sun ensured a good mood for the bike ride to the 7:00 am start. Folks started approaching from all directions and it looked as if there would be more than 100 starters. Shortly after Chris' question, "Are you sure you know what you are getting yourself into?" he started the lead out through the town and onto the gravel. The flat start low pace allowed for the legs to stretch and get a bit warmed up. Some How-Do's were made to folks I didn't see at the start and after a few miles, the pace started to gain a bit and some thinning of the herd happened. I was chasing on with the lead pack for at most a mile and decided that was not gonna work out for my grand scheme of finishing. I eased up and rode with a few riders in a very unorganized way for the next 15 miles or so. Along the way, I was amazed that there were folks already out and cheering the cyclists! We passed a family with a number of kids cheering in chairs and ready for the long haul for when the large throng of Almanzo 100 riders makes their way through 2 hours later.

So after twenty miles into it, i started to get into the rhythm. The climbing was finding it's pace and the day was feeling good. I ended up rolling solo through the Preston turn around mile 40. Flashing back on a number of the previous times I had made this turn, I was liking how I was feeling. I was thinking the 60 degrees and sun was what a guy needed to hammer out these miles. The wind at this time was picking up a little bit but it was not too bad...that always brings out the fear that it has been at the back the whole time. About this time, the Royal left the familiar roads of the Almanzo and embarked on its turn to Iowa. I was looking at the cue cards trying to pinpoint it based on memory but first of all, my memory has more holes than a prairie dog town. Second of all, I remembered some of the sights from doing the Alexander last year.

There was some amazing scenery and things were rolling real well until about mile 70 when I flatted.



It was a real nice place to get to tube replacing...next to a nice stream and shady. About 6 or 7 people by rode mostly in groups of two while i was working and each one asked if i needed help. Some quality camaraderie, am I wrong?? I got everything all wrapped up and caught up to 4 of them and we rode into Iowa and that was where the wind was hiding. Bam! That wind was an instant factor. There were a few initial breaks where the cues turned us out of the wind only to turn us right back against with the quickness. There was then a 7 mile slog against the wind. I was riding with 4 where only one other was willing to take pulls...as Q-Bert says, "!#@%#$!" I was getting faded from all that running against the wind like Bob Seger. There was then some quicker turns in and out of the wind which was like a false flat because a 5+ mile headwind stretch hit like Mike Tyson. Each of these stretches allowed for riders to be caught and also allowed for riders to drop. A few got away but a few did not. I finished that stretch well worked and riding solo. At the turn north, i fumbled with my cue cards to switch pages, and i came to a full stop on the gravel. My front wheel must have hit some funky spot or i just got funky and the Iowa countryside wasn't having none of it. I was fortunate though to have my arm warmers still on so my elbow got all scratched up but protected from the gravel bits. The hip to the brunt of the fall and it felt like it. Oof! The only thing to do when that happens is get up, gather the cue cards before they blow all over the place, and get to moving before everything tightens up like the Black Keys!

This was the 90 mile point and the bottom of this cue card held the statement that at mile 104, the merge back to the Almanzo course would happen and that meant more folk to come across. Having company is a nice carrot so I pressed on like the full court. Entering the course was invigorating. That didn't last too long though, the wind was going on and each stretch was no joke but the goal was to get to Forestville at mile 120 and refill the water. I was hoping to see a few people and step off the bike briefly. I wasn't disappointed! There was a grip of folks out BBQing and having a good old time. I rolled up to the Tam Radish tent and it was going on. I got to say, "Hey!" and shake some hands. Lots of positive vibes going on there so that was a boost. I took a minute to fill up on some water and was there long enough to get offered a Hamm's and hot dogs. That Hamm's lived up to its name of the beer refreshing and the salty, meat bits broke the sugary energy blasts that had been downed for the last 120 miles.



Good times but the urge to finish was strong so i got back on the whip and embarked on the climb up Maple Road...ugh. I always remember that one.

After that, I whipped into the river crossing. It is amazing how refreshing that water is. I gotta say though, it was harder to navigate all the people taking their shoes off than it was to make it through the stream without tripping on rocks. With a refreshing feeling in the legs and much water in the shoes, the 10 miles to the wall of Oriole Road went by quickly. At the turn onto Oriole at the base of the hill, a quick assessment was necessary. There were people scattered all over the place and it looked as if parts of the hill were eroded and other parts were storing inches of gravel to be used to repair the damaged bits. Not much for a good line to be seen so i gots to climbing. Pedaling slowly passed folks walking there was a lot of look up ahead, look down on the line chosen, look up ahead as someone waking in the line, pass, look down at the line, look up ahead at a criss-crosser making his way to my line, look down and say on the left and pass. I made it to the top and took on the longest 10 miles of the whole ride and the final hill. Much wind was fought and all i was thinking was last climb...last climb. That came and had many more lines to choose from so making my way through the walkers was easier. With the last hill crushed, the wind tried to break me but none of it was had. The approach to Chris' outstretched hand was welcomed after 11 hours and 20 minutes. Looking at the Garmin details, I was on less than an 11 hour pace when moving, but then I would not have enjoyed that beer as much.

Heck of the North 2013

So it has been a bit since my last post and the other things in life took precedence. I co-organized the Westside Dirty Benjamin, went to Panama, got bronchitis, thought I beat that until I got diagnosed with pneumonia. Seven weeks later, I'm looking at the changing leaves and riding in the beautiful the Heck of the North, 103 miles of gravel, snowmobile trails and some pave. I chose to ride my rigid 29er with 32 mm Vittoria CX tires single speed set at 38x17. I figured my legs would like that after the extended time off the bike. The last time I did the Heck was 4 years ago and I rode it fixed. That was the first and last gravel century I have done fixed.

The adventure really began a couple weeks before the Heck when I secured a ride and with it, a cabin to stay in with a large group of folks. I was stoked on not driving, hanging with the fellow gravel junkies and meeting new ones. The weather of late has been pleasant and so the forecast for rain on the day of the Heck was received with a bit of trepidation. Will it be a cold rain? Will it turn every road to peanut butter? Will the rain not be so bad until after a few hours of riding in it? How will the snowmobile trails be in the rain? The answer to all those is prepare and come what may!

Waking up for the Heck after a late night of socializing was a bit hazy but it was warm out. My belly was giving me troubles from either pre-race jitters or eating some cheese on the pizza feast the night before...I knew it wasn't the beer because that was still in my head. Everything was gathered, prepped and we made it to the start with about 30 minutes to spare. I checked in and talked with some fellow graveliers including Dana Hendrickson with whom I went to high school many years ago in the prior century.

I lined up at the start with a cranky belly and hoped to ride it off. The start sent us off on rail grade/snowmobile trails and folks were flatting left and right. The trail got to some soft, muddy sections and I saw a few over the bar incidents. I loved the section! Except for the parts where the people in front of me forced me to stop, most of the sections were very ridable and enables those mountain bike skills to shine. I really like it when these long endurance races mix it up and throw some challenging off-road, off-gravel miles at me.

After 18 miles, the trails and gravel lead us to a four mile stretch of pavement. My goal for the ride was to keep an average of 15 mph and not worry about placing. What this means to me is that I would start at my pace, latch onto a group, ease back when the hammering got too long, ride solo until the next group caught up and do it again. I was with a group of 3 or 4 on the gravel and onto the pave. I kept up with them for the next 10 miles and then eased back and kicked at my own pace. Then the trickiest turn of the whole race appeared at mile 32, a right turn onto the North Shore State Trail which looked like a little path. I passed it and went about 100 yards up before I turned around and notices some folks stopping there who were behind me. They seemed hesitant so i jumped in before I could get stuck behind them. This trail started with a number of soft mossy spots that killed all momentum. After that short stretch, the riding got fun and included a number of mud pits. After a little climb, the trail dried out and was a blast.

Up until this point, my belly was not cooperating but I pressed on like a set of fake fingernails. The trail was fun and I didn't want to sour that with the egg beater twisting up my guts. After the trail I was out on the road again like Willie Nelson and got into my own rhythm. This is around the time the rain started....somewhere after mile 40. I was rolling with folks but hanging on wheels led to sand in the teeth and on pave, a complete dousing. I let a few guys go who I was rolling with on the pave to save my legs for later in the race. As I was riding solo, a group of about 10 pace lined by me and I jumped on. I was stoked to see 3 women in the group and everyone was going at a good pace. With that many folks, I decided to stay near the front to eat less sand and drink less spray. Around mile 52 we were passed in the oncoming direction by the leaders of the race. The race course had recycled parts so that was cool to see them rolling and hammering away. We then started on the descent into Duluth. The belly was screaming so a pit stop was made and I put an end to that issue.

The climb up Seven Bridges Road went well and the next stop was the checkpoint at about mile 60. I snacked on some jerky and got on my way. I didn't have a drop bag...I think I did that once on my first gravel century but I like the challenge of carrying all I need so those stops are a quick in and out. I lost my larger group due to the pit stop but i was rolling at a good pace. I ended up latching on with 3 other guys and rolled with them as we passed folks heading to the checkpoint. I was feeling good 70 miles in despite the rain and deteriating gravel conditions. I was getting completely covered with grit on the gravel. At mile 76, a four mile stretch of pave in the rain cleaned me off, relatively, and I was looking forward to mile 80 to give shouts out to the rouge support group. I didn't want to stop because I would have started freezing my ass off in the rain but it was so good to see Alex, Paul and Lucy!

The next stretch of gravel was soft and took some energy to pedal through. I ended up feeling good enough to ride away from the 3 guys with whom I was riding. I was aiming for the finish and wanted to try to get there within 7 hours. I ended up catching up to Charlie Farrow at this time who was also riding single. I was stoked to see him. We got to talkin about our kids and the high school mountain biking that is kicking up in MN. He is a real class act and we hit the trail section together beginning on mile 93. He was worried since his chain was often falling off and as I got to concentrating on struggling through some muddy pits, I stopped hearing him behind me. I looked back and only saw trail. I hoped all was well but I was beginning to fade fast so I needed to get to the finish. The going was slowing and I knew I was not gonna make the 7 hour mark. I started to get dizzy with about 5 miles to go and 3 miles out, I just kept telling myself that is was only the same distance around Lake Calhoun away. I drooled myself in at the 103 mile mark in a time of 7 hours 10 minutes. I turned around from the check in table and saw the car and started putting my bike on when Jessica and Loretta jumped out and gave a shout. As much as I really enjoyed the ride, that felt real good to see them and knew I was that much closer to the cabin for food and a shower.

The Kona Raijin really feels good as a gravel beast and the Vittoria Cross XG Pro tires felt good as they have all year. I rode them at 40 psi which is a bit lower than usual and I liked it. As usual, I carried too much food. I ended up eating about 6 Gu Chomps, an Enervitine cheer pack, 2 Honey Stinger Waffles, some beef jerkey, two tall water bottles filled with carb/water mix, and my camelback of water. I would have felt better taking a bit more food in or grabbing a Coke at mile 80 but whatever. Big shouts to Alex, Mike, Bjorn, Jessica, Lucy, Murray, Ashley, etc. who all took time to cook or prep at the cabin. Shouts to Garrick and Paul for making fire. Great time with Tam Radish.

The Alexander 400

I learned a few things over the course of the weekend. Coming into a 400 mile gravel road race a little green about what to expect is both a blessing and a curse. So my plan was outlined in my previous blog post. I kept my ear to the weather and possible rain on day 1 was expected, next day would be all good, then storms on the third day. OK, roll the dice and roll the hills.

I arrived Thursday night in Spring Valley and ran into Chris Skogen, organizer extraordinaire, Ian, Pat, Phillip, Andy, and a number of other racers. When talking with Chris, I got the feeling that he thought we were all a bit crazy for taking this on...I have to agree with him on that assessment, if that was the case. So waking up later in the night to a pretty steady rain, the "aw, man, this is gonna be rough" statements started rolling through the head. The start was at 5:00 am and it was raining...not a light rain at all. There were 12 of us lined up. The rest decided to wait out the rain. I didn't even consider that, not a bad idea though.

Skogen biked with us until the gravel started and when he broke off, I was in the virtual lead!! This trail blazer was over taken within maybe 20-30 seconds at the most but I really enjoyed my time at the front. My goal was to hit my pace and ride and so i watch two guys go at a higher pace than mine and another yo-yoing off the back of their pace. The first climb was at mile 10 and it is a portent of what to expect. At the top I was surprised to see someone pull up next to me. The last I looked back, i didn't see anyone really close. I had the pleasure of meeting and riding with Lisa Thompson for the next 20-25 miles. It was nice to have her company but at one point, I looked around and she was not there. Poof! Wasn't sure what happened but I hoped that she was all good and that we would meet back up in Preston (40 miles in) which was only a few miles away. I had some hot coffee and got some food on but didn't see her. The rain was finally subsiding but the wind was still steady but not too extreme.

After leaving Preston, it was not far to the first water crossing. All sorts of carnage was going on there and with the rain, it was muddy but fun to wade across. After kickin the mud off the cleats, the miles were ticking away. Shortly before Harmony, 60 miles in or so, WCCO were camped out by an intersection and I took a few minutes to get interviewed...a guy gotta get his 15 minutes whenever he can, right? I hit the Kwik Stop or whatever it was in town and got some warm fishwich and fries into the belly. One thing I learned on this ride was that though these convenience stores have much of the same things to feed on, some are definitely better than others. This one was not one of the better ones...for the record. The roads were now all new to me and they were part of the Royal 162 course. They dipped down into Iowa and they were relatively flat, which means rollers and not a bunch of crazy climbs. There was some extended time on Stateline Road which I ended up hating. It was against the wind and the rain made the gravel extra soft so more work was needed to slog through it...it got old.

80 miles in

About 125 miles in I was getting real nervous. My GPS was flashing low battery and I wanted to supply up with water get some food before nightfall. I pulled into Lansing and right away notice a BP. I was stoked! I hit it up and was happy to see a food counter. I asked for something hot and the hot subs were pointed out. I scanned the list and Bam! the hot taco sub hit me upside the head. I was so excited, I ordered a 12 inch. I got the GPS plugged in and washed up a bit, trucker style in the sink. I loitered around for a while but I couldn't finish the sandwich. It was just too much, but it was good.

With my belly full and supplies replenished, it was time to cross from Iowa to Wisconsin. It was getting close to dusk so there were a few swarms of gnats that I rode thru crossing the bridge but it was pretty nonetheless. I was debating on stopping for a little bit to try to catch some zzz's and after some gravel in a state forest, I figured that would be a good place to camp. Now I was sans tent so it was just a light sleep sack and a sleeping pad. I found a spot and got myself set up and got inside the sack but the mosquitos were unforgivable. They were just a dive bombing my ears, not one but both at the same time. I got sick of that real quick and decided that was not the place to be and got back on the bike. The darkness just hit so this was the first time using the Planet Bike lights. I put them on high and except for using caution on the descents, I could see just fine! I have never ridden much outside the city at night so this was somewhat of a new experience. The terrain was a lot of up and down...it was all about climbing to go downhill again, just to get to climbing again. For the record, I think the hardest hill was topped at this time. It was Chellevold Road, mile 144, and I think I heard it laughing when I was grunting up that beast. After a couple plus hours of that, which also included a decent through the Peoples Republic of Turkey Run, I decided to find a place to lay my head in the next town. Mt. Sterling was the town and behind some business next to a stack of palettes was the place. There was a bit of a breeze that kicked up and with the damp clothes, it was cold. I was a shivering like a Chihuahua in the winter. I set up a palette to try and block it but I was as cold as ice like a song from Foreigner. I must have spent about 3 plus hours there trying to sleep. I may have nodded off for an hour or two but it got to the point where I just got up to get on the bike and be warm again.

Back to riding in the dark, which may have been a blessing for some of the hills that were being climbed. After a bit, I started to hear the birds singing so I knew light was coming. When dawn finally broke, the beauty of the Wisconsin countryside was really overwhelming. Riding the farms on the ridges was a site to see, and the unleashed dogs were kind of invigorating and added some get up and go to the morning. The course was brutal though...Ridge Road to Creek Road to Hill Road to River Road...Up, down, up, down...minimal recovery time. After 40 tiring miles, I rolled into Prairie du Chein feeling mighty low. I had one thing on my mind and that was French Toast. I stopped at the joint named Huckleberry's and enjoyed the apple cinnamon French toast on special...it was my destiny. Had another needed GPS charge there so a bit of loitering was done. After a sufficient charge, I restocked on supplies and crossed the river into Iowa.

At this point I was considering on getting a room in Decorah, which was 70 miles away, for the night and making the final push on Sunday. I was also wondering if that was a good idea considering the possibility of a storm on Sunday. What to do? Well, as I was in the town of McGregor when I entered Iowa, I notice a couple bikers in front of me. I was thinking they were on the same adventure as I was and ended catching them at the top of the climb out of there. I was happy to see that they were Philip Carlton and Andy Tetmeyer. It was nice to have a conversation with fellow bikers after riding a day solo. These guys also ride fast and efficiently so it was good to get into the rhythm of the rollers...down the hill, get to hammering and make it up the next with momentum. My bike is set up with a 1x10. There is a 32 tooth chainring in the front so my top speed was not as top as theirs so I was forced to do some chasing at times. I was really enjoying what Skogen was throwing our way at this point. There was a Minimum Maintenance Road (MMR) and it was much fun bombing down and climbing up. I was just wondering how he finds these roads...he is like the Route Wizard or something. If there is a steep hill next to another steep hill or MMR, he will find it.

After a getting dropped a few times after some long descents, I told Andy and Philip that I was getting worked and that they didn't have to wait for me. I was starting to get the nods and I was in dire need of changing my chamois so after watching them ride away a third time, I pulled over, changed and lied down for a cat nap. After about 15 minutes, I got back going and made my way the final 25 miles or so to Decorah. I was feeling pretty shelled once I got there. I stopped at some place and got a burger and zucchini. Time was needed to charge the GPS so the usual loitering was going on. Talked to a few people and enjoyed the food. I took off with the decision made to nap in a park and then hit the road for a final push. There were 130 miles to go and I wanted to get there before any storming. I was at the store getting supplied up when Andy and Philip rolled up. They just finished getting their food on and doing some bike repair. They said they were hitting the road so I was happy to join them.

It was late afternoon and our goal was to make it to the bar that was 60 miles from the finish and have a beer. At this point, 60 miles did not sound very far at all. We had 130 miles till the finish, a slight wind at our back and the sun was out. We were all working good together. I think that burger was just what I needed because I was able to keep up with them at this point. The terrain was the flattest yet, just rollers so we made good time. We did make it to the bar by 11:00 pm and gladly had a beer which was partnered with another beer. I needed time to charge the GPS. I decided on a Busch Light. All along the course, that was the beer of choice for the road trippers. That beer made up 95% of the cans sitting in the ditches beside the road. I had to see what all the fuss was about...I assume folks were just trying it and throwing the full cans out the window. The beer did not take me to Flavor Country. Anyway, we hit the road and Philip's knee was giving him troubles and it finally rebelled with somewhere around 45 miles to go in the race. He wrapped himself up in a ditch for some shut eye and Andy and I pressed on. About 15 miles later, Andy decided to take a quick break and I couldn't. I was afraid that if I stopped, I would have a hellofa time starting up again.

We were back on the Almanzo route so it was familiar again. I then made my way down and up and up and up Maple road in the dark. Not long after that I arrived at the water crossing. I heard over the social interwebs that the crossing was treacherous and that a rope was set up to help. When I got down there in the dark, I saw no rope and saw a lot of water. I have crossed that water in waist deep once before for the Gentlemen's ride but that was with people, in the day and without a loaded bike. I was fretting until I saw a sign with a statement about the re-route. I was a bit crushed that I had to climb out of there when I just wanted to bike forward but safety first. At every subsequent intersection, I stopped and looked for the guiding tape and eventually found my way. It was then a get to Oriole hill and climb and then one more final climb until the home stretch. It was starting to get light and with that, I noticed some real dark clouds coming along with flashes of lightning. I put down the hammer as best as I could to get to the finish line before the rain. When I arrived, nobody was there until the awesome Eddie K pops out of his car. Then a few other folks appeared from out of nowhere and the Poof! Skogen appeared. The dude is a magician. He shook my hand and let me know I got third place. I was really surprised. It was a good thing to hear at 6:00 am, 49 hours after the start! I was not sure how it all worked out but 155 miles the first day, and 230 the second. I have no clue where that was buried but I was sure happy it showed up. Here is the final tally:



For everything that I brought, the Enervitine and the Honey Stinger waffles always packed a boost. I didn't eat any of the bars. The boiled eggs I brought were delicious and the tortilla wrapped bacon hit the spot each day (recommended)! I didn't dip into the flask so that was not needed but everything else was used or fortunately not needed. A warmer sleeping bag would have been nice that first night but so would have making it to Prairie du Chien instead. I was glad for the weight savings. I cleared every hill which I was not sure whether that was going to happen but having gears really made that possible...that doesn't mean that I am not excited to switch the bike back into a single for the Chequamegon 100!

There are a few of my favorite things that I gotta give a shout out to which I looked at for much of the race. My Banjo Brothers cue sheet holder and bento box. They keep me on track and give me easy access to snacks. I have logged so many miles with these for many years and I look forward to more. The two Blaze Micros that I was rocking from Planet Bike gave me the sasquatch vision I needed to make it through the night miles. That was a style of riding that was new to me. My Garmin was essential but raised my blood pressure when the low battery sign showed...somehow it would show for hours though. Whew. Most of all, shouts out to Skogen, for creating a masterpiece and Lisa, Andy and Philip for being great riding partners!

Alexander 400 Preparation

Riding into new territory here. The Alexander 400 is a 380 mile gravel road race that starts in southeastern Minnesota then loops up and down the roads less travelled through Wisconsin and Iowa. It starts tomorrow, May 17 at 5:00 am and after casting lines out and about, I came up with a plan.

To prepare for this race, I worked on the mental state first. I figure the centuries logged the last few years, in all sorts of weather on gravel and in mountain bike, has prepped me for those dark times that will surely come and come again over the course. The fitness part has been a bit more difficult. A long winter left snow until two weeks ago did not lend itself to numerous training opportunities but getting out there in the cold builds character, right? So since the beginning of March, I have tried to get out there and log at least a 50 mile ride on the weekend. Some were 60, a couple were 80 and even logged 107 for the Ragnarok in April. Some good procession but 380 miles...in as steady of a pace as I can...not sure about that.

My angle initially was to bring a tent and take the ride in with some down time but talking to folks and considering my own sleep issues, I decided to ditch the tent and just bring a thin sleep sack and pad. If it is not raining, I can pull over for a few hours of sleep at night and when my body wakes, it is time to ride on. The longer the stop is, I figure the harder it will be to get back on the bike. With that consideration, I hope to make it at least 200 miles the first day. That would put me on the border of Iowa where there are hotels. This is where the decision will be depending on the weather. The next motel opportunity is 70 miles away so it will be late and if it is raining, a stop may be warranted. If not, the goal is to get as far out into the Iowa countryside as possible. Some downtime in some woods would be good then and onward from there. With that angle, I anticipate finishing late Saturday night. TBD...

So here is a list of what I am bringing...likely too much but I am a rookie at this so the post-race write up will contain the analysis:
Revelate Seat Bag
Revalate Frame Bag
Sleep Pad
Sleep Sack
2x Inner Tubes
Patch Kit
DZ Nuts
Knog Rear Light
2x Planet Bike Blaze 2W Micro head lights
Planet Bike Superflash Turbo
Garmin 705 with charger
Kershaw Knife
5x Honey Stinger Vanilla Waffles
2x Packs of Beef Jerky
2x Water Bottles
Some Heed for those bottles
Camelbak with tire irons, Planet Bike Air Smith mini-pump, spoke wrench, allen wrenches, chain bits
3x Packs of Gu Chomps
2x Enervitine
2x Honey Stinger Energy Bars
Coco Hydro electrolyte powder
BB phone and charger
Headlamp
Banjo Bros cue sheet holder
Banjo Brothers Bento Box
Rain Jacket and Pants
Headband
Hat
Extra pair of shorts
Extra pair of socks
Fleece long sleeve jersey
Behind Bars/LGR kit
Extra batteries (AA and AAA)

I loaded the GPS file to my Garmin and downloaded the cue sheets. I got all hoopty and busted out the packing tape to laminate the cue sheets. An ounce of prevention...
I will be riding my Kona Raijin set up with CX tires. Here is the whip all decked out:



and a shot of the cockpit:

Ragnarök 105 and Ramblings

Since November I've done a few CX races, alley cat races and gravel road races. I haven't had much desire to take the time to write out thoughts and impressions of how the day/night went until now. I want to preface the following rant with what has been going on in the membrane. After all the racing last year, I lost a lot of drive to compete and with that, the feeling of "I want to beat that person." Not meaning someone specific but the person who is in leading the way. Maybe it is age, maybe it is stage but my goals are evolving. I have goals for each event that I try to stick to and if I succeed in reaching them, the sense of accomplishment at the end of the races is all the more better. One of my goals is to enjoy the ride and specifically, enjoy the other riders. Taking time to work with someone makes all who are cooperating, that much better. That is true at the front of the race and at the back. Riding the race to win is not the goal for all. Trying to exceed one's perceived ability is a goal for many but overall, the achievement is why most may be pushing themselves to the limit. That is some World According to Martin shit.

Ok, go that out. I decided on thinnig out the bike arsonal and one bike that is going is the CX bike which was also used for gravel racing. I decided to put CX tires on the XC bike and roll with that. The comfort on the XC and my confidence in the disc brakes trump the speed and lightweight of the Raleigh. My gravel riding season started with the Lakeville-Milltown-Lakeville at the end of March. It was a cold morning and I was in the chase group riding over frozen, gravel roads that nearly tacoed my new rear wheel. The spokes came loose and wobbley about 5 miles before the midpoint at Milltown Cycles. I busted out the spoke wrench on the side of the road and got to tightening. I got it so the disc brake was not rubbing and limped into Milltown where i put it on the truing stand and properly gave it a wrenching. After leaving the checkpoint, the roads softened up and at points were downright soupy...mud soup that is. There were some trying times around the 60 mile mark but the 80 miles in the early season passed and the race was a great time over great roads with great people. Thanks Larry!

Now the Ragnarök - On Saturday, I took part in my fourth Ragnarök. In each of the previous three, I have ridden a single speed and was the top single each time. In fact, I wrote a race report about the one a couple years back. Last year, I found the perfect gearing for the numerous, soul crushing, long ascents in and out of the river valleys for 105 miles around Red Wing. I cleared them all then so what do I do this year? I ride with gears, which I am not so good at and trying to learn. I had to be shown how to use the thumb shifters when I got them set up a few months back. I plan on riding the Alexander 400 and I don't want to ride that single...no explaination needed I assume.

Much trepidation about the Rok was had the last couple weeks. Minnesota has been stuck in the latest ice age and it was apparent with snowfall at the 7:00 am start. Frickin April frickin snow...I took off the CX tires and put on the 2.0 XC tires because of snow, rain and sleet the week leading to the race. I knew the time on the bike would be longer but I also felt that safety is number one. Seeing folks showing up for the start was the best warm up. Got to give shouts to Megan, Eddie, and a couple Rockit couriers! In prepping for the supposed sunny day ahead, I opted for the snow boots for warmth along with Endura pants and jacket to keep me dry. I had a couple layers on top and just shorts under the pants. I had long fingered cx gloves thinking that the sun and miles would keep the fingers warm.

At go time, we were all off and after a mile or so, the first climb began. Those going for the king of the mountain and those that like to be in the lead group were off. I found myself watching them ride away which was fine. I was on thick tires and practicing not embarassing myself with an attempt to pedal my ass off for a few miles before watching them ride away from me anyway. Energy saved is energy earned, right? So you could say I was rolling at my own pace and got in with a group of five folks. There was some shit talking going on between Eddie and I and I got questions as to whether I was Martin Rudnick. Who dat? Born and raised, I tell ya. It happens that this kid who's asking is friends with my wife's cousins and lives near the in-laws in Wisco so Bam! I got a line on a riding partner when I am not fishing while visiting. Shout out to Robert, the Blue Hills Biker! We all rode together for a bit but my pace was not up to some and they road away from me eventually and from others, I rode away.

At the 25 mile mark, I was on a pace to finish in 8 hours which surprised me. I thought that things were going pretty good. I could have put some more air in the rear tire but I just figured on using it as resistance training...code word for lethargy, stupidity or both. The first minimum maintenance road (MMR) we tackled was not passable by any means except hike-a-bike up an unfriendly, slushy, snowy, muddy hill. No problem, I like the element of having to hop off the bike and dragging/carrying it like in those old school cross country biking videos. The first checkpoint was 40 miles in and I was feeling the legs but doing pretty good. After snacking and grabbing the new cue sheets, I set off solo and made it up the next MMR. There were bike tracks to follow from those who went before me and the XC made it through the snow real good. The subsequent miles of hills were being beat but they were taking their toll. Though the sun never came out, we were treated with a rising wind speed and a few snow flurries. At the 50 mile mark, I was still on an 8 hour finishing pace. Word! The sweating done while climbing was not working for me at all since I got stupid and didn't put on a wool base layer...big dummy. Between mile 60 and 80, there was a lot of time spent battling the wind and I was hurting. There were times where I was nodding off. Just dribbling down the road, the eyes starting to close, the snap of head to clear the cobwebs, the look at the cue sheets to determine where the turn will be to get a break from the cold ass headwind. No good.

At about mile 75, I came across a couple of bikers trying to repair a flat. I got asked if I had a pump so I stopped. They had gone through two pump failures on the the tundra but mine worked for them. I fed a bit while that was going on and figured that would get me to the next checkpoint at about the 80 mile marker. It was a struggle but I made it to the checkpoint and knew there was Kwik Stop there so I decided that was the place I needed to spend some time in to get my core warm again. I was fearing a loss to the passout game on the road so that was the light and I was going to it. As soon as I walked into that place, the world had color again. It was a weird feeling of warmth that washed over me in there. Never had that feeling at a Kwik Stop before. I strolled around looking for the soup but missed it and bought some hot and nasty tacos. Something warm in the belly was so good. As I was warming, Megan and Parker rolled in and we conspired to finish the rest of the race together so after a decaf, we hit the road again.

The next MMR was Heath's Hill and it is the longest, a 20+ minute hike up, up and up. Thing is, once that is done, there are only a couple more really tough hills and then it is downhill into the finish. The final hill is the Lehrbach and I wanted a bit of extra energy to make it up there so I grabbed a couple shot blocks. Not a good idea. Them viscous little beasts pulled off one of my crowns. My old teef suck. Well, I stuck that in the pocket for later and proceeded on climbing up and over. The final downhill into the finish is so good. Seeing other finishers and riders, having beer flavored recover drinks, good times and great oldies.

Much respect to all those who took up the challenge of putting in themselves out there for the whipping that those Red Wing SPC'ers like to dish out every spring. the Rok is a crap shoot when it comes to the weather. My real pleasure comes from testing my limits and riding with like minded MFs. Kudos who logged some miles! I ended up finishing the race in just over 10 hours...2.5 hours longer than last year. Despite going through some really trying times, the body feels much better than when I started the race. Oddly enough, that is the usual case for these endurance races.

Track or Treat

The 6th annual Track or Treat alleycat went on over the weekend and it always feels good to get back to my street racing roots! Plus, I had to defend my win last year!

This race is put on by Jeff Frane and up until this year, was only for fixed gear bikes. He decided to up the ante and allow gears this year with a time penalty. There was also a penalty for lack of costumes. Each was 30 sec but seeing that the 50 racers looked dressed up and most fixed, I assume that everyone took off at the same time. Rules are grey when it comes to alleycats and there is nothing wrong with that. Like the Circle Jerks preach, Question Authority



The race started and ended at Peacock Groove, the birthing room for Eric Noren's amazing creations. At go time, I got pointed in the right direction and hit it with a mass of youngsters.I was rolling three deep until the first stop at a bar called Merlin's Rest. I got out of the place a bit slow and was about a block behind five speed demons. I got to chasing through some neighborhoods and onto the bike path into downtown. I was pulling some dude and I got to the point where I asked the little brother to take a turn. We traded a bit and made it to the next stop. I walked into Hubert's as the first were walking out. I asked them to stay and wait to see if any suckers were among the crew but they took off. I got out and I was a block and a half back. I hit my own route and made it to Elsie's Northeast. I rolled in and out and continued on my solo ride to the 19 Bar and then off to Bryant Lake Bowl. Each stop I always like to play it a bit calm and cool to the volunteers. No need to stress them out, plus i like to flash them a smile and thanks for taking the time. After BLB, it was a dash down the bike path back to Peacock Groove. Not a long race but it was a sprint. The winning route, which was on a fixie, is here which is similar but he hit the BLB second and rode the rest of the race opposite of me...for the most part. I think the dude I was initially pulling made it in third and I was somewhere around 8-10. Good times, great oldies.

Some photos are on the All City site including a shot of me skidding in my lame RuPaul Bunyan outfit...just couldn't find the right wig but channeled Babe the Blue Ox with the blue weave.