dirty kanza hangover...

I'm lost. No lie, depression has set in. Now what? I'm being ripped apart by what I'm supposed to be doing & what I'd rather be doing. I guess I'm supposed to be hopping on the road bike, racing crits, & meeting up for group road rides. What I want to do is hop on my CX bike & explore back roads.

I remember a March 1st, 2008 ride with Coach & Cornbread...C-bread was talking to us about Dirty Kanza. I distinctly remember thinking an event of that length was basically stupidity. Fast forward to January of '09, I see a post from C-bread saying DK registration is open. I didn't even hesitate & signed up. I'm so glad I did. The Flint Hills are simply...fantastic (to pick one of a hundred adjectives).

I'll be ready for CX in a few months but right now I'm struggling with my path.

I may or may not be in Norfolk this weekend, I don't know. I'm mentally unprepared.

Warning: this may not be my last DK post, or maybe it will be. I need to move on some how.

Below: this is the only picture I took out on course. Somewhere around mile 170-175 on Gun Barrel Road. It was 6:52 pm, I was by myself, surrounded by nothing, with around 30 miles to the finish. The scenery was mind-blowing. That smile is for real, I was in awe of my surroundings & barring any disaster I was going to finish this event!

Later,

TK

DK double hundee, plus...

I don't even know where to begin...

Hot, humid, & a new course from hell. Oh yeah it was awesome!

All Nebraska podium:

1st - guy from Kearney, we're still trying to figure out who this guy was. A machine.

2nd - me

3rd - Corey, went deep in to the well, I'll let him elaborate. Epic.

Endurosnob & Aaron G. fought hard but racing in the KS oven was there undoing, warriors.

FOB crossed the line @ 2:06 am, perseverance!

Apparantly there were 85 starters & only 13 finishers (or something like that). That's how gnarly it was.

There's a lot of variables that contribute to finishing an event like this, you can't count out good luck as one of them. No flats! The roads we were racing on are indescribable. I've never seen roads like these, I didn't even know they existed let alone ridable on a cross bike. Rocks, rocks, & more rocks.

I was out on course for approximately 14 hours & 52 minutes, rode somewhere around 205 miles, with about an hour of that being at checkpoints trying to maintain fluid levels & rally to survive. Finished just before 9:00 pm, barely before dark.

The promoter's Jim, Joel, & staff put on a sick event. I'll be back.

Unsung hero awards: RockD's wife & grandson were at the 100 mile checkpoint to aid us in our assault. Ice cold water, Pepsi Throwbacks, & super-positive vibe. Thank You!

There's a dozen more subplots, stories, & experiences that transpired yesterday. I couldn't even begin to relate them all.

I'm not going to lie...I feel like I accomplished something big, real big.

Later,

TK

a favorable portent...?

I'm going to interpret it as a good sign, at least it missed me...

TK

Dirty Kanza set-up...

For anyone that cares or for those that don't...here's my set-up for Kanza this Saturday.  Tested this all out at the Gravel Conspiracy a couple weeks ago, all good.

Serotta Legend Ti 

Alpha Q CX fork

Fizik Gobi saddle

Thompson Elite seatpost

Bontrager Race X-lite stem

Bontrager Race lite bars

Ultegra ST 6600 shifter (rear only, 1x10 set-up)

Ultegra rear der

Ultegra CS 6600 12-27 cassette

DA cranks

Shimano M970 pedals

FSA 42T chain ring

Spot chain guard

Bontrager Race X-lite wheelset ('09)

Kenda Kommando tires, 35c

TRP EuroX Mag brakes, set-up moto

Pedro's Blowout seat bag

Epic Research Mountain feedbag

BTW - its raining right now, I couldn't walk the dogs so I was bored...

Signing off until probably Sunday.

Later,

TK

visiting our neighbor hundee...

Clue...

Can't get enough of those flint hills...
Got an email from MT early in the week, he was planning a point-to-point to his relatives outside of Clifton, KS.  I was still wounded from last weekend when I got the email but by midweek I was starting to look forward to an adventure.  We met up 6:00 am & headed south on 77.  This route was to be exactly the state line journey we made 2 years ago, difference...that trip it was crazy hot!  Today not so bad except a persistent straight east wind that never altered its trajectory all day.  So I had the wind beating against my left side all the way down & against my right all the way back.  My plan was to ride him down to the state line & then say our goodbyes & return north.  Below: refuel in Beatrice...
So we head south from Beatrice, past Odell & shortly there after the state line.  I'm pretty sure there's nothing open in Odell on a Sunday for my return trip so we push on into KS, destination Hanover to refuel.  Hanover ended up being 7 miles into KS, at this point I'm 70+ into this journey.  MT's got a little under 60 to complete his journey.  Below:  checking out our matching Gary Fisher Arc Pro's.  Both of us were rockin' the CK 32 wheelset's, lots of bees buzzin'. 
This is the, "man I've got a lot of riding left to do" look...
We said our farewells & both continued our journey's.  When I reached Odell I continued straight north on SW 61st all the way up to 136 & then back in to Beatrice.  Some of you may remember SW 61st from a couple years ago when we did a TT down there.  Hit the hundee rolling into the Casey's in West Beatrice.  Quote of the day came from the lady behind the counter..."where you coming from", Lincoln, but I'm coming up from Hanover, almost home..."almost home...but its all uphill!"  Thanks lady, she smiled.  Below: jumped on the Homestead up to Pickrell...
Couldn't go to KS without buying a powerball...I'll be down there next weekend, my plan is come home with the 222 million stuffed in my pockets.
Anyway, good time today.  Thanks MT!

140.6

Later,

TK

day off...

well...not really, day off of gravel that is, well...not exactly

Decided to go out on the road bike, what the hell...meeting the skinny tire crew at 8:00 at the usual spot.  On the way over the sun was shining & it was pouring rain.  Stopped under a couple trees to stay dry, used the time to try & figure out the Trek Incite 9i computer I had slapped on ten minutes before.

Coach, myself, MA, Jon V, Dave Rowe, & Monsignor Tucker headed out Hwy 2 towards Bennet & then turned south headed for Adams.  Monsignor peeled off at Roca road, but not before I realized I had dropped a big f-bomb right behind him.  Probably nothing he hasn't heard before but...whooops.  Kind of like dropping an accidental swear when there are kids around...whooops. Sorry dude.  

Must of been a wang dang doodle in Adams last night! 
The store in Adams has added a patio section, pretty sweet.  We had 3 different people stop & say hello while we were out front.  One lady welcomed us to Adams & an old guy stopped by to tell us he had owned the old Lincoln Schwinn store where The Bike Rack is curently in Lincoln.
Coach, MA, & Dave decided to push on to Pickrell.  Jon V. & myself opted to return to Lincoln. Due to the stout westerly wind that was supposed to have switched to the south Jon & I did our best stair-step back to Lincoln.  The legs were not liking the pit stop in Adams & it was tough getting them going again, as  a matter of fact they never really felt that good all the way back to Lincoln. The lure of gravel put us on S. 38th looking for the Homestead Trail.  Below: first attempt to capture Jon on the camera phone...
There he is.  Good riding with you, its been awhile.
61.2

Adventure planned for tomorrow...stay tuned.

TK

in no particualr order...

Random camera phone from the last week or so. Below: I'm usually the only ride in the rack at work, receptionist has joined the movement...

Homestead just North of Princeton...
Sunrise on the way to work, that's a KS gazeteer on my back...
Test driving the owner's new Mercury Milan Hybrid, this car is wicked.  Nav system, satellite radio, back up camera, side radar, unbelievable mpg, 6 cylinder (plenty-o-power), comfortable as hell, & looks cool...
Chillaxin...
hello...
goodbye...

TK