transiowa...TiV5...transiowa

I finished my second TransIowa this weekend. This was the fifth running of the 300+mile, all gravel and dirt road, unsupported event and it was my fourth attempt. The race began at 4am on Saturday. We left from a cemetery in Williamsburg. I rode with two friends most of the way. The group I was with varied from 2 to 7 during the event. We left the first check point, near mile 42, about one hour ahead of the 8am cut off. I had some coffee and fresh bread off the town square at CP1 in Washington. The second leg was 110miles of headwind, tall roller type hills and soft dirt road sections with water in the ruts. We left the second check point, near mile 152, about one and a half hours ahead of the 7pm cut off. During the third leg, it got to be night time, and that gets hard to pay attention to anything, let alone, where the heck you are. We left the third check point about 2 hours ahead of the 2am cut off. And I finally arrived at the finish, a total of 320 miles later, at 11:30am, Sunday morning. One big loop ride. The final cut off was 2pm. 51 starters and 19 finishers.

Great event - thanks Guitar Ted and his host of volunteers. Great challenge - glad to have finished 2 of 4 times starting. Great route - there were no easy miles, hill after hill. Great bike – my drop bar dream come true was a companion with no complaints. Thanks to Cornbread for the pics.