Someday

One mile up, 115 miles across

Enjoyed another great weekend on the bike. Hit the CX training ground Saturday AM with Paul and Brady. This week was a bit tougher on account that they had mowed the park which left grass clippings everywhere. So many that the fork and deraileur pulleys where well clogged after 3 laps. We still managed to get our work in and then some. Upon our return I set about on the clean up process.

Pulled that large clump of grass from my cogset. It was pretty bad.

Sunday, Rafal, Anne and I headed out for some sweet PRSP bacon. Met up with MG and Chris at Platte for grub then headed our separate ways. A few miles later Anne flicked her bars and headed north while Rafal and I continued east to Plattesmouth.

What came next was some of the best gravel I've ever ridden. We hit a sweet section of MMR on Ashland road and found some awesome rollers and steep climbs south of Glenwood. Most of the miles were put in on the Loess Hills Waubonsie loop, gorgeous terrain, definitely my new playground.

We ended the day with 115 miles and 5k of climbing, and that was after cutting the ride short. Next weekend is the Centurion Gran Fondo in Wisco with even more climbing, should be pretty cool.

Heading out

Checking the iPhone map reader, yep, Ashland Rd.

Plattesmouth toll bridge

Killer climb at mile 60, 10-12% for about 3/4 mile.

Waubonsie loop rollers

Glenwood refuel, Snickers, Coke, Jerky

The Mighty Mo' is about 10 feet above normal

Loess Hills Love

Great ride today on some of my favorite loess hills gravel. Waffle Gelato, Douglas and I met up at Wohlners and then hooked up with Bruntasaurus Rex at the ped bridge. Temps got a little warmer than forecasted so it wasn't long before the gravel was a bit soupy. By the time we hit our furthest north point, Honey Creek, it was time to stay on pavement. MD and I burned it back to Crescent for a quick stop before the final push back across the river. Post ride warmer upperer at the DT Blue Line, before a snow flurry ride home. Fifty Five for the day, pretty good.

The Giro goes L'Eroica

The thing I like most about the Giro is it's often use of gravel roads over the high mountain passes. The rumor mill says next year it will be taking it to lower elevations. Read more.

Loess Hills L'Eroica v1.0

L'Eroica, "The Heroic", a 200km gravel grind on the strada bianchi of Tuscany. The literal translation of the strada bianchi is "white road". We've got our fair share of the white roads in Iowa and Nebraska, so much of it that it'd be foolish to not partake. We also have this unique geological formation called loess. Only found here and in China, loess is wind blown silt that over the ages has formed bluffs above the Missouri river valley.

After a bit of recon on the bike, in the car and on the laptop, I mapped out a 90 mile route that was sure to please. Next it was recruitment time. My buddies in Lincoln just finished up a Rapha Continental ride so the invite list was short and sweet. Partner in crime and head floor sweeper at Monkey Wrench Cycles, Nate Woodman. Journalist extrodinare and editor of The Skateboard Mag, Kevin Wilkins. Multi Trans-Iowa finisher and long haul specialist, Matt Wills. And graphic designer layout king, Jesse Peterson.

The equipment chosen for the outing was as broad as the course. Matt on his 1994 Slim Chance, Nate aboard his race ready Moots CX, Kevin atop his Salsa Podio, and Jesse with his spank me new Ibis Hakalugi. I'd hoped to be throwing a leg over a new Fisher Cronus, but seeing as they're still on a boat I opted for my Madone. The tire of choice was either 25 or 28c rubber, 85-100 the psi. I must admit that I was a bit nervous only running 25's but the Bonty RXL Hardcases did there job well.

I awoke to damp roads and after a quick jaunt to the shop for some last minute supplies I focused on one last route check while I waited for the Lincoln crew to arrive. Matt rolled in first. He made the three quarter hour spin up from Bellevue. It wasn't long before the remainder of the group pulled up. With coffee brewing the group chit chat turned to Jesse's lack of waterbottle cages and of course, the weather. Jesse opted for the backpack route, aka. Camelbak as the rest of us neatly folded and rolled the rain capes, just incase the 70% chance of early thunderstorms became 100%.

The damp roads were more annoyance than anything else and as we worked our way south towards the Bellevue toll bridge the pavement began drying out. Three dollars at the toll booth and we were over the river and into Iowa. As we all made the obligatory strip club joke passing the Playhouse, Matt decided to up the tempo and we turned south along the base of the bluffs.

With 20 miles under us it was time as we turned left into the first section of our own strada bianchi. Sector 1 starts with your typical loess hills climb, a steady grade of about a mile with a kick up pitch over the last 200 yards. From here on out we would climb and descend thoroughly enjoying each undulation and winding road, be it on a ridge or a valley.

Our first break of the day came when we spied a giant sized lawn chair above the Wabash trail. This enormous piece of furniture built for Andre the giant accomodated the 5 of us as we basked in the increasing intensity of the emerging sunlight. The white road kept calling as we swerved through Council Bluffs and up to the north loop. The unridden new sectors did not disappoint as the miles ticked by easily with the changing scenery, never approaching in a straight line. Our first unscheduled stop would come in the form of a flat tire. While blazing a descent at close to 40mph, Nate got caught in some industrial grade gravel and punctured his front tire. I quick fix, a few hot tamales and we were on our way.

Offical stop two in Crescent found us reaching for hot dogs and pizza slices as we took one step closer to becoming convience store connoisseurs. As the white gravel from sector 7 ran out behind us we were only left with the last traverse of the Missouri and the climb up to the reward of the day, a 750ml bottle of St.Bernardus Abt 12 courtesy of Beertopia. There are few finer things in life than a good ride with good friends, today was one of those days, a fitting way to say goodbye to summer, and hello to the fall riding season.