In Iowa, there are roads you take your most trustworthy friends or worst enemies down, but you don't route a race down them. I have done my best to route this race down roads that are in reasonable shape for bike traffic. If I have not taken my bike or my truck through it, it's [...]
Course recon ride today on the 150 route. After 2 inches of rain, the worst mud we found was on the pavement coming in to Murray. Go figure. For more photos and updates, follow us on Instagram!
Course recon drive with two of my kids through Adair, Union, Clark, Decatur, and Ringold ‘does anyone live here?’ Counties. The roads are rough in spots, but generally in great shape. Only saw a few cars in over four hours of driving. The one water crossing we saw was down to a trickle. Only one [...]
Here is the elevation profile for the 150. Approximately 7600 feet of climbing by Ride with GPS. It rides like more. This is the route that is most subject to change at this point, but you get the idea. It's not flat. You can switch to either distance at mile 84; from the 150 to [...]
The route is as finalized as it can be at this point. Final GPX and cues will be released the week of the race. This is the elevation profile for the full dirt version of the 200 mile, with 10.5K to 15.5K feet of climbing (depending on which program I view it in). It's not [...]
Since Sarah's been on the disabled list, Scott Newbury has been out checking out the course and helping with the 150 route. Things are looking good! Thanks Newbs!
Course ride photos from the weekend. Here is a sample of some of the roads you are likely to see. Two potential water crossings, and one of them will likely be after dark for most of you. The B roads are in exceptionally good shape right now.
I pre-rode a big section of the course last weekend and drove the second half of the rain route yesterday. The Des Moines area had a few inches of rain fall Monday, but despite that, things are looking pretty good. The dirt roads in this area are generally sandy and dry out quickly. There would have [...]
I drove the entire course over two days this past weekend. It is dry, dusty, and fast. A lot can happen to these roads in a week, and many are showing damage from the tractors and heavy truck traffic during the recent harvest. Remember, you are responsible for you, and you must pay attention and [...]
Here is a selection of my favorite course photos taken over the last year. The entire route was put together during my wanderings while training for Race Across the West. I have ridden it forward and backwards, in good weather and in bad. I've fallen off a few times, walked many miles, broken one derailleur, [...]
OCTOBER 21, 2023 | St. Charles, Iowa 