The Trans Iowa Recap Version Five, May 2009

Pizza Dan arriving @ mile 40

Giggles arriving at 1st Checkpoint

Me and my trusty Gunnar Crosshairs.

During last years Trans Iowa I swore I would never have the crazy idea of riding like that. In my old days I had dedicated myself to become a mile junkie on the road bike. With increase in traffic and one too many close calls I started to retreat to the dirt tracks and off road scene. I became interested in endurance riding and I looked it up on the world wide web and Jeff Kerkove popped up.

A spark lit up in me. I then learned of the epic rides of a young man called Ira Ryan. An then Guitar Ted showed up. And after that I started to communicate with these people and my visits to cycling news became more and more spotty.

I dreamt of riding the famous Trans Iowa since I loved riding on Gravel. With much excitement I made it to the line up in Decorah and participated in the windiest ride of my life. Never made it to the first checkpoint on time put met some true friends and fell in love with the race. It would haunt me all year long and it would keep me busy in the winter. And then all of a sudden I would again be lined up at 4 am on Saturday to do it all over again. Last year after riding like a madman for 109 miles I failed the time limit by 20 minutes.

My silly cell phone had no reception and I started the long 60 mile trek back to Decorah with Travis and Matt Braun and Dennis Grelk. That was unforgettable.

This year my trusty riding partner Giggles drove in from Syracuse New York and then Pizza Dan met us and we packed the Mules and headed for Williamsburg.

We were all prepared better and felt a lot more confident with preparation and logistics. The weather was perfect and the gravel was bone dry for the most part. We met with Charlie Farrow, Ben Shockey, Guitar Ted, David and all the other friends. I was sooo excited and so pumped.

We started the race and the jitters started to go away and I felt relaxed on the bike. My Gunnar Crosshairs is God sent. It worked perfect even when I started to get tired and mistreat it. None of us had any punctures or mechanicals. Pizza rode another gunnar Crosshairs and Giggles was pimping a really cool Salsa Fargo.

We all made it to the first checkpoint at mile 40 and then we continued. The second leg was a leg breaker with incessant hills and long, long streches of B roads (no maintenance roads). I ended up riding solo to make the second checkpoint. My legs failed, and failed again. I cramped on the calves, hamstring, thigh, groin, back of arm, stomach. Everything but my brain was cramping.

I would lean over my trusty mule and scream in pain as the cramps curled and ran up and down my body.

I took loads of Endurolytes, water, gatorade, Hammer nutrition Perpetuem and would try to massage the beast out. My mind said to keep going and I explored regions of pain that I had never visited. My mp3 player kept me pumped and the dogs would chase and keep me on my toes.

My second checkpoint was at 7 pm and I had been riding hard since 4 am . At 6:40 p.m I had 6 miles to go and realized it was all over. I slowed down and felt great. I was all alone in the middle of nowhere and my body felt destroyed. I was so happy, I was so overwhelmed. At 46 I had pushed myself beyond any level I had ever before. I savoured the last 6 miles with an intense heat in my ears. I peeled more layers off and I drank all my fluids. My legs felt like rocks. My hands were swollen, My beard prickled me.

I wanted to talk to somebody but I don't think any words would have come out. With 3 miles to go I started to wish that Guitar Ted would give us another chance. I started to make mental notes. I arrived at checkpoint 2 and met up with Aris and Constantine Peters. They looked tired but happy. I met Michael from Michigan. And the rider that gave me a beef Jerky to rid my cramps.

Now I am back home and all this is still going through my head. Sometimes I can't sleep and want to ride all night. I am excited to be alive and have such good friends. I thank all of you for this opportunity. I especially thank my beautiful wife for letting me wonder on my bike at night in the winter.

Congratulations to the finishers and to all the riders that lined up. To the organizers Guitar Ted and David Pals we owe you one.

This weekend starts another season of training and frankly I can't wait. Helmut will be my new training partner and the cool thing is that he has a cell phone. That puts the wife at ease.

I have a lot more to say but will quit for now.

best to all,

Ari

Thanks to K.S from team Pegasus for the images taken