Everyday rhythms of life. Now that I’m back to working a normal job life has started to take on a more routine ebb and flow. I can feel myself settling into that easy pace of summer. As the days heat up, runs get moved to early hours. Bike commuting involves as few clothes as necessary. The green lushness in the garden explodes daily. Daydreams of lake floats and campfires capture my mind. I’m loving it!

*Guest Post by Jake Anderson. Photo Credit’s go to Les Heiserman “path les Traveled” unless otherwise noted. Thanks to Les and Perry for sharing his beautiful work as I was unable to actually witness the race and he captures it much more beautifully then I ever could!

Saturday June 8th, 2013 the 1st annual Gold Rush Gravel Grinder took place. But before we get to the story of the race let’s rewind to Friday night. I headed to Spearfish, South Dakota to pick-up my race packet. True to form, the night before all of Perry and Kristi Jewett’s events is a good time, catching-up with old friends and meeting new ones and this race was no different. We all knew deep in our hearts that the next morning, when we would lined up at the start, like so many of us had in past for Perry’s other race, the Dakota Five-O, there would be no time for catching up. The only kicker, this time it wasn’t a mountain bike race. This was a 110 mile gravel grinding race! 

That night, as we carb-loaded on spaghetti (and maybe a few brews for some of the gang) at the Crow Peak Brewery the sky became that dark, ominous black color. You know, the color that lets you know hell is about to be unleashed. To say it rained is an understatement. But it “rained” and I thought, “Oh this will make tomorrow’s race kinda tough.”  With the sky still puking water, Rochelle and I dashed home to Rapid City to get my bike ready. Earlier in the day I got the bad news that my rear hub was missing an O-ring and not rideable. I still needed to change out the wheel to my back-up set. After a NASCAR-worthy wheel change it was off to bed. And it was still raining.

5 AM came early, especially on race day. I awoke to the sound of a light drizzle and immediately wondered about the course conditions. If it had rained like this in Spearfish there was a mud-fest in store. As we drove north it appeared as though it had already started to dry out. Maybe the conditions wouldn’t be so bad. We pulled into Spearfish with partly cloudy skies and cool temperatures. It was starting to look like a great day to race. So I readied my body and mind for the next hour until General Custer fired his pistol signaling the neutral role out. After 4 miles the 120 rider field reached the point where the pavement turned to gravel. It was time to race; the game was on!

I was feeling good, the legs felt good, the body and mind felt good. As the field headed towards the Wyoming state line, a strong headwind kicked up. I thought, “If this wind does not let up, it’s going to be a long day.” I and a small group led the way into Wyoming as the wind worked against us. I eased my pace and started looking for my buddy Tim. We had planned to ride and work together. Let me interrupt this tale to tell you about Tim. Tim is a bit over 50 and I’m 33. Usually he is right in the mix with the top guys. He is fast and a great training partner. But this year we haven’t managed to get out together near as much as in past years and I could tell he was feeling it.

The miles to the first first aid station flew; I refilled my bottles and grabbed quick bite to eat. I was ready but still no Tim. I hung around and about 10 minutes later he rolled in. We were only 32 miles in and he already looked worked. We got him some water and food and away we went, headed to Trailshead Lodge and aid station #2. As we rode and the miles ticked away Tim finally started feeling good and I was still on my game. I pulled out my last que sheet, expecting the next aid station to be just around the corner only to discover that it was 10 miles further than I thought. A moment of panic set in. I had 10 miles to ride and no water left.

No water wouldn’t have been bad for the guy that used to be a camel and not need water but these days I drink a lot. As I chugged along the dehydration started to creep into my legs and I began to wonder if I was going to make it to Trailshead with enough left to finish this race? I rolled into Trailshead on fumes and quickly grabbed water and some potato chips. As I felt the water and salt entering my body things started to come around. This time Tim had waited for me and it was good to be back riding with friends.

We picked up our last set of que cards and headed towards the last climbs of the day. Off we rode and the miles ticked down. Soon we arrived at the last big climb of the day, a steep, twisty road that leads up to Cement Ridge Lookout Tower. Tim started climbing and soon he pulled away from me. I thought to myself, “I am just going to sit and grind out this climb.” So sit and spin I did. I rounded a corner there was Tim…walking. He had given up riding as the climb had become extremely steep. I continued to sit in the saddle and spin away. After a few more moments of pain, I reached the summit and knew that soon the ride would be over.

Photo Credit: Perry Jewett

We descended a long, technical ATV trail from the lookout tower and as we neared the bottom my front tire felt really soft. A flat! Tim and I did a tube change and soon we were back rolling. Fatigue was starting to really get to Tim again but I hung with him to motivate him. After a while we reached the final, much appreciated descent. A few more miles of gravel and then pavement. Tim and I arrived at Roughlock Road and Tim told me to ride on.

Knowing that when the roads tip flat or slightly down hill I excel and excel I did. I flew down the 15 mile sprint to the end. But this ride wasn’t over yet. As I round the last corners I felt that pesky front wheel going flat…again. I turned right and nearly lost the bike to the ditch. The tire had gone really flat. 500 yards to go, there would be no NASCAR tire changes this time. I rode it in on the rim. Finally, it was done,110 miles and 8000 ft of climbing.

A huge thanks and kudos goes out to Perry and Kristie Jewett for hosting another awesome race. These two sure know how to put a guy through hell and back and still leave him with a smile, begging for more. I’m looking forward to the Dakota Five-O this fall and will definitely be back for another serving of gravel at the Gold Rush Gravel Grinder next spring.

My adventure into creating cue card or cue sheet holders, or mass producing them be more exact, all began with the Burleigh County Gravel Grinder. As we were prepping our gear for the ride I stumbled across something on the web that mentioned having a way to hold your cue cards was a pretty good idea. There seems to be a general consensus on three options, a alligator clip, ziplock baggie and zip ties, a commercially produced version of this set-up and a Cordura and vinyl cue sheet holder created by Banjo Brothers.

Knowing what the North and South Dakota weather can throw at you I figured I better come up with the most sturdy option out there. No way did I want be left stranded in nowhere land North Dakota watching my cue cards being carried into Minnesota on the 30 mile an hour winds. Nor did I want to take a left turn instead of right when the ink smeared from a torrential downpour. I wanted the best guarantee that I was making it back to where I started. Unfortunately, our local bike shops were out and I was told that Banjo Brother’s cases were on a slow boat from China, slow as in maybe they’d arrive in time for my race next year.

Because my hidden super-hero talent is sewing, I figured I’d just whip together a couple.  And they turned out pretty sweet. So sweet that a couple friends and a local bike shop said if I made a few they’d be interested in selling them, so I figured why not! By the time the ball got rolling, I got lucky enough to get to sell them at the Gold Rush Gravel Grinder this past weekend in Spearfish, SD. Since I didn’t get to race, it was pretty cool knowing that at least some of my work was out there and hopefully it made someone’s day better.

Since it seems like there are few options for purchasing Cue Card Holders in the U.S. I decided to throw a few of mine up on my Etsy shop. I figured there have to be a few more people out there that could use them and have no desire to take up sewing. They are sized to a quarter of a standard sheet of paper (5.5 x 4.25). Product testing resulted in the creation of two different styles. One with the velcro for wrapping around the handlebars already sewn on and one with various attachment points and individual velcro wraps for alternative options.

I ride with mine on my stem with my Garmin GPS underneath my cue cards (I hate seeing how far I have left to go!) and the GPS still works fine. Other folks put the cue card holder on their top tube, or off to the side on their handlebars. And yes, they are perfect for fleches, randonees, breves and any other time you just don’t want your map getting wet, muddy or blown away! So be creative, do what works for you, and go grind some gravel! And yes, they are perfect for fleches, randonees, breves and any other time you just don’t want your map getting wet, muddy or blown away!

If you’re a cyclist, riding the Mickelson Rail-toTrail should be on your to-do list. Although the trail is 109 miles long (or 113 miles depending on who you talk to), the numerous trailheads provide lots of options for rides of various length and vertical gain for riders of every level. With it’s crushed gravel surface it’s incredibly popular with families with small children. And, by Black Hills standards, you can consider this trail flat. (This translates into a gentle grade that continues for what might feel like forever but it doesn’t kill you right off the bat.) The ride we decided to do was from Rochford to Mystic, for a 16 mile round trip. Both are historic mining towns and the area around them is still actively being mined. It makes a for a great look into history and gives you lots of stuff to stop and checkout.

The last time we rode this stretch was last spring while pre-riding the Tatanka 100 race. By the time we reached this section of our ride I was super low on water and bonking. Needless to say, it isn’t one of my most favorite memories. Since my focus the last time was on keeping the bike moving, I didn’t take the time to really enjoy the trail. This time, properly fueled and hydrated, we took our time explore and take in the scenery.

One of our side jaunts took us into the townsite of Mystic to the old church. The church has been made famous by artist John Crane so getting to explore it first hand was exceptionally cool. We also stopped to check out an active pit mine and dilapidated cabin. The craftsmanship from that era is beautiful! By the time we made it back to the Rochford trailhead our stomaches were ready for some chow. Since the Moonshine Gulch Saloon is right there we figured it was worth a shot to see if they were open.

We were in luck! And to make it even better, a group of local musician were jamming outside. We didn’t hang around long as our stomachs soon reminded us why we were there. Stepping through the screen door, the smell of wood smoke from winters past and bacon fill the air. Our footsteps fell on ancient timbers as we made our way though the dimly lit saloon. Behind the bar, the owner, bartender and legend in her own right, Betsy, greeted us. She is as much a part of the legend as the saloon is and although she’s nowhere near as old as it is, I wonder if one can survive without the other.

We ordered bacon cheese burgers, found a couple of comfy wooden bar stools and settled into a game of cribbage. I could definitely envision myself hunkering down next to the double-barrel wood burning stove with a hot cup of coffee and the old-timer’s tales for entertainment for hours in this saloon come winter. Sitting there, counting our cards, you could almost feel past came alive around you. When our food arrived I was doubly impressed. That bacon cheese burger might very well be the best in the whole Black Hills and I’m positive the french fries are. It might not be a five-star restaurant and locals are a bit wary of outsiders but this place is legendary for a reason!

It wasn’t the Sunday we had anticipated but at the end of the day, it was a perfect weekend adventure anyway. Don’t ya love it when things just fall into place?! What sort of adventures did you find yourself on this weekend?

The idea of running another distance race has been percolating in the back of my brain for a while. 5k’s and 10k’s are fun but I’m not a sprinter and it takes me most of the run just to really feel good. It’s been a few years since I’ve really had time to properly train for anything over 10 miles and I know how awful they can be if you’re not ready so I’ve held off. Wednesday, one of my friends and I had a particularly awesome run. It was National Running Day and seemed fitting that after a month of gently rehabbing the IT band (again!) I’m back on track. We’ve been tossing around different races but nothing had clicked. Earlier in the day I had seen a National Running Day special in my Twitter-feed about $20 off any of the Rock’n Roll Marathons and paid it no attention. As I finished my last strides into my driveway I decided maybe I should just check it out.

Ten minutes later, a $20 discount off the entry fee and BAM! October 20, 2013 I’ll be running 26.2 miles. The next morning I woke up just as stoked as I had been when I signed up and the same goes for today. No buyers remorse yet! I haven’t done a large running race in quite a while but there’s something magical about being surrounded by all those people just running. The sound of 3000+ pairs of feet running on the pavement is amazing! If this is anything near as cool as the Seattle Marathon, I’ll be loving it for years to come.

So, along with all my cycling, my running has now been elevated to another level. It’s not just running for the love of it, which I do anyway, but now I have a reason to do even cooler long runs. Yipee!

Are you training for any distance events? Do you go in spurts where you do them for a while and then take a break? Any chance you’re running the Denver Rock’n Roll Marathon? Fill me in!