Enduro Freaks

It's been awhile since I've posted, and I thought I'd let you in on what's up in Ted's world. Thanks to Jeff, who has exposed me to this whole "enduro racer" thing, I now am getting schooled on just how many "freaks" there are out there. First, there is the whole 24 hour solo thing. Then you have the Trans Iowa thing, which is a whole different level. We, ( Jeff and I) still get some e-mails about people interested in that! Maybe that'll stop, once it's over? (Not likely!) Then there is the Alaskan Idita-sport madness, that Jeff referenced recently, and that is just way over the top!

So, now I get an e-mail about some other folks wanting to do a "Trans Iowa" type event in another state! We haven't even run the very first Trans Iowa, and we are getting "copy-catters"! I guess I just don't get it. I mean- how many of you are there? There must be WAY MORE than I ever imagined. It's cool, I am just surprised!

And NO! I am not revealing who is considering doing a "Trans Iowa" type event in another state! Just keep that one in the back of your mind, and let it go! It wouldn't happen THIS year, even IF, ( and that's a mighty big IF!) it EVER does happen. Just the mere fact that somebody is so taken by the idea, to want to imitate it, well....that's cool!

So, is cross country racing, as I remember it, on the skids? RE-ACT TO ME! ENDURO FREAK!!! Tell me what is up! My feeling is- YES, the XC race is going to have to change, or it will die way down. I didn't say it would die out. There will always be a roadie or two that wants to get dirty for awhile!

Bussiness at the shop is pickin' up, which is good! We all just need it to get warmer up here in Iowa. I'm gettin' tired of bein' cold, just like I do everytime about March 1st, or so. Anyway, thanks for reading, and good luck with your season! It's bustin' loose! ( or about too!)

Jeff Kerkove said at 2:44 PM :: ::

The Jeff, Jeff, and Sean Ride

Noth'n like a 5.5 hour epic to clear out the sinus's. I headed out his morning early to get in about 3 hour of alone time on the bike before I met up withthe rest of the crew at the CF Rec Center. I headed South to Reinbeck and to Hudson, and then over by Hawkeye C.C. . That gave me a chance to push the brunt of the wind by myself. Halfway through my early ride I thought I over dressed, but now I am glad I took the extra clothes. The temps were not too bad....about 38 degrees, but there were some times when I would start raining then stop....then rain...then stop....then rain....then stop. This went on pretty much all day till later in the afternoon when chunks of ice, then snow fell at a high rate of speed. I can remember yelling..."Ahhhh! My eyes!!!! I have been hit in my eyes!!!"

When I got back into town I went over to the CF Rec Center where the Roller Race was happen. I was to meet Sean from the Kona Enduro Team, and Jeff Yielding from Team 2 Bee. I was hoping for more, but I guess we are the only hardcore ones....or stupid ones. Yeah, we are both stupid and hardcore..



That is me in the back to the right of the guy in orange put'n out the vibe...chill'n. Whatz up?



Then Sean tried his hand at the roadie crack head event. Notice the Lance Armstrong like leg speed and the Jan Ulrich like gut. Dude threw down! Pulled off like a 5:35 for a 2 mile TT. Not bad for a mnt biker. Now on to the really fun stuff.



While the "other people" were racing indoors, we headed West out of town on 12th Street for the start of the 2 hour ride. At this time it is raining lightly. Note: I am not cold yet.



Still heading out of town on 12th Street. We are getting close to the Softball fields. Notice how I managed to squeeze my head into my Giro E2 helmet with a skull cap and balaclava on.....Ahhhh, Toasty. There were many picture opts here do to the fact that the skies hadn't opened up yet. Also to my surprise we never once got the "finger" from a crazed motorist.



We finally got back into town. We rode through rain....ice pellets....and then snow on our loop to Finchford and Janesville. Our bikes and gear are covered in sand and crap. Note: I am cold now due to water running down my leg warmers into my booties. Brrrrrrr. I am glad I had those 5 layers on also. The only body parts that got cold were my feet. My Craft lobster gloves kept my hand warm, and my 5 layers kept me dry.



This is the last picture. The conditions were not great enough to snap many pics. Thanks to Mr. Raleigh for the pictorial of this epic ride today. The 5 and change hours of saddle time today was a good time for me. The bad thing is that extensive cleaning will be needed on the Giant CFR Team. Todays ride was right on with my 24 hour pace. We were running like 21 mph on our little ride. The effort was just hard enough to carry on a conversation. My average HR for todays 5 + hours was right near 160ish.


Time to warm up, and wash my clothes from today. My luck I will break the washer here in the apt complex cause I will bind it up with the 3 lbs of sand stuck to my clothes. Oh well. Hope everyone had some type of epic ride this weekend. Just pray'n now that Trans-Iowa is nothing like today.



Thought this was funny.
George Hincapie wins a race today, and for his prize he gets a stuffed ass wearing a cape. Now that is my kind of race'n. Makes about as much sense as roller racing....right?

Also, a bunch of freaks are racing across Alaska. Trans-Iowa racer, Mike Curiak is there. Check it out HERE for live updates.

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 2:42 PM :: ::

A Ride and Saturday at the Shop

It's Sunday, and it's supposed to be raining, but nothing yet. As soon as I get done typing this and cutting weight in the mens room, I am heading out on the road for some alone road miles, and then meeting up with some guys to rage the road. I am hoping for 6-8 hours today. Of course the weather will be the deciding factor. I have my bottles filled with Sustained Energy and my flasked filled with Hammer Gel, so there will be no fuel problems. Now the weather just has to play it's role of Mr Nice Guy. Hope to have pictures from the ride today, so check back later.

Spent all day at the shop yesterday. It was the first true taste of the "Spring Madness" that happens every year when the fair weather cyclist get a true taste of warm weather. We have a solid 4 days of repair work which ranges from beat-up Huffy's to Burley Tandems. Needless to say, Guitar Ted and myself will be busy.

Got rid of the Trek 5000 carbon road bike yesterday! Schweeeet. The guy that bought it will be happy. He takes good care of his stuff, so it was a good adoption. Had some BMXicans in yesterday and both had headset problems. They always put in new headsets, but forget to swap out races. That is a no-no!

Another gentlemen brought in a Trek 9.8, and I installed a red-white-blue Chris King headset on his bike which already looked like the 4th of July on 2 wheels. Oh, well. Just hope to see him ridng his fine jewelry come Spring. So many times people "bling" out bikes just to let them sit. This guy I think is different. So if you are the owner of that fine 9.8 and reading this. See ya on the trail. Say hi, and lets ride. I don't bite.

Time to go ride! Hoping for no 35 degree rain.

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:58 AM :: ::

RIDE SUNDAY!

There is going to be a ride on Sunday. Krispy Kreme's not allowed! Meet at the CF Rec Center between noon and noon:30. There are some roller heads that want to go, so when they are done roller racing we will rage. On the road if it's not raining. On gravel if the roads are wet. Maybe Look Out Park Hill. Or how about a derby in the parking lot? Will figure that out later. Bring whatever bike ya want. Questions? E-mail me or call the shop tomorrow at 319.277.0734

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:03 PM :: ::

New Bling!

Awesome news! The fine folks over at Giant ( THANKS STEVE!!!!!) just handed me a new Giant NRS composite frame to race on this year. Schweeeeeet! So for 2005 I will have 2 identical bikes, which is a "must" for successful endurance racing. The NRS line from Giant is "right-on" for the solo efforts. Light weight...bump sucking carbon...3 inches of rear travel...rides like a hard tail when it needs to...and is plush when it needs to. Now, if it only made the coffee in the morning and scratched your back.

Did the roller workout tonight. Felt really good! I was on top of the big gears and the leg speed was high. It's always a confidence builder when you can throw the 53T with high rpm. Here is the workout.
30 min warm up
5 min interval
2 min recov.
6 min interval
2 min recov.
7 min interval
2 min recov.
8 min interval
30 min cool down.

Tomorrow I hope to get in 4-6 hours on the road before work.

There is going to be a ride on Sunday! On the road if it's dry. On gravel if it's wet. So far it looks to be me and Mr. Raleigh. Carlos? Ed? You guys up for some fun?

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 8:00 PM :: ::

Busy, busy, busy.

It's good to finally be busy again. The design work is thick. I am finalizing the Rasmussen Kit, which happens to be blaze orange camo, working on some stuff for QCP Coaching, working on some direct mailers for Europa Cycle and Ski. I hope to get some blog design done for Nat. He has been very patient with me....so I owe him. Thanks Nat!

Yesterday the "Bible" showed up at work. The "bible" in the bike industry refers to the 1200 page QBP dealer catalog. This has every thing you could ever want in it. This year it's hardbacked. Kind of reminds me of my 5 lb Art History book from back in college. Except, I will have no problem opening this one up to read it.

Got some rock'n news from Cateye and Tifosi regarding Trans-Iowa. Catye is going to hook up all racers with a light of some sort. And Tifosi is going to giving each racer a set of their shades. How sweet is that!

Now I am off to the YMCA for some weight lifting, and then tonight it's off to the house of Pain for rollers. I am hoping the rollers are coming to and end soon. I want to get outside for some long road miles, but it's hard to ride for 3-7 hours when you have a 25 degree windchill. So far all of my outside miles have been very structured. No junk miles here! I hope to get out on Sunday with Mr Yielding and others for some sloppy gravel love.

Finally, as you all know, Sloane won the Old Pueblo 24 Hour race. He has his blog updated with the race recap. Sounds very epic. There are going to be some very good things coming from Cateye Enduro this year. LOOK OUT!

I am really looking at doing this race down in Missouri. Click here for the flyer. I might have room for one person if they want to meet me in Cedar Falls, and share cost of petrol. It's only a 3 or 6 hour race, so no support person is needed. E-mail me if you are interested. I am all about making it cheap! 'Cause I'm a cheap ass!

Off to the YMCA to sweat and grunt like a freak on 'roids.

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:41 AM :: ::

My Tuesday

Had a great training day. Got up at 7:00 AM drank some black-goodness. Slammed down a banana and then singlespeeded to the YMCA.

At the YMCA I started with a 45 min stairmaster warm up followed by my weight lifting routine for this time of year. Do forget. The next most important muscles to work, other than you legs, are your back and abs. For my abs I do 3 sets of 100 with a 35 lb plate stuck to my chest. For my back, I do back crunchs at 210 lbs on that one machine...don't remember the name of it. Maybe the back crunch machine?

After the YMCA it was back home to eat, line up some stuff for Trans-Iowa, then to Europa. After the long hours at Europa (yeah right!) I singlespeeded to the House of Pain for the roller work out. It was tough as always. Lots of sweating, heavy breathing, burning, and thoughts of Krispy Kremes. Mmmmmm, Doooooonuts. All in all it was 2 hours of very structured roller time.

Now I am sitting here typing this while eating a plate of pasta and chicken breast drizzled in olive oil and lightly covered in that white cheese that starts with a "P" and ends in an "N".

After I get done shoveling this food into my grill I am going to read the 2005 Velonews Buyers Guide which came snail mail today. Nothing like looking at bling-bling bikes that I will never ever afford.

I wonder how Sloane's legs feel?

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 7:22 PM :: ::

BREAKING NEWS!

My teammate Sloane Anderson pulled out the win in the solo category at the 24 Hours of Old Pueblo. Way to go man! Chalk one up for Cateye Enduro for 2005. Check out his blog for more on the event.

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:42 PM :: ::

Maybe some day.

SIGN
Originally uploaded by kerkovej.

Jeff Kerkove said at 8:51 PM :: ::

Goodies from QBP Frsotbike (dealer only show)

Today was the day. Myself and Guitar Ted headed up to QBP for their annual dealer open house. The drive up was a bit sketchy at times, but we made it. Saw a lot of cool new stuff. If you like carbon, then this is the year for you. Below is a list of things that caught my eye on this trip up North. In no particular order.


The new Hayes ElCamino disc brake with power adjust lever.


2005 Salsa El Santo. Can you say Scandium FS bike?


Ergon Grip. Melts into my hand like butter. Hope to get a few pairs to race on. Stay tuned for product test review. Yes, it looks funny. But trust me. It feels awesome!

Jeff Kerkove said at 4:57 PM :: ::

I am in!

It's official. I just got registered for the 2005 24 Hours of Adrenaline Solo World Championships in Whistler, BC. I can't wait! If you can get to this race by all means do it!






Photos © by Paul Tidwell Photography

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:33 PM :: ::

Another blogging Jeff

Just found this site. It's for local roadie...and sometime mnt biker... Jeff Y. Check it out here! He has a digital camera, so you can see pictures of the famed Lookout Park Hill, Europa Cycle and Ski, and other great Cedar Falls locations.

You are so sly Mr Yielding. How dare you not tell us about your killer blog.

Jeff Kerkove said at 4:35 PM :: ::

Stay'n busy.

Wahoo! Friday has come and gone. It was an alright day. This morning I got up and put the finishing touches on the Trans-Iowa Cue sheets. There looks to be about 17 sheets total. 7 for the first half of the course and 10 for the second half. They are very easy to read, so NO Trans-Iowa racer should get lost. Unless they get stuck behind Squirrel and his fro and miss a corner. That would suck.

On the way to work today, I did a brief hill workout. I swung by Lookout Park Hill and did 5 hill repeats on the Surly 1x1 with 32x16 gearing. It burned. My legs the last few days have been a bit tired. I skip'd the roller ride on Thursday due to the stiffness. Looks like I might need to take that 1 week transitional off week earlier than scheduled.

Sunday is the QBP Frostbike dealer show. I am planning on going, but it looks like we might get 6 inches of snow.....sigh. That would suck. If that happens, I am not driving 3 hours up to Minneapolis and 3 hours back. Bummer.

Guitar Ted said that Dirt Rag magazine had a link to this site on their e-news letter that they send out. It said that I was racing Old Pueblo this weekend. But nope, I am here in Iowa. But my teammate Sloane Anderson is there. So if you have click over here via the Dirt-Rag e-letter, leave a comment yo!

NASCAR starts this weekend. Hicks, beer, Jim Beam, varoooooom. [Insert fart and sucking sound here.]

NBA All Star Game is this weekend. Who cares!

NHL season got cancelled. Who cares! Well, I do care...somewhat. I was hope'n to see the Redwing kick the living crap out of everybody again. Up with Squid! Down with miss'n teeth!

Get to work at the shop all day tomorrow. The marketing gal from Red Bull is stopping in so we can discuss sponsorship for Trans-Iowa and myself. I love the Red Bull. It's a good kick in the junk at 3:00 AM in a 24 hour solo event.

Some stupid RAGBRAI team is selling sponsorship space on E-Bay. What the hell!? Here is what they are requesting:

Advertising and sponsorship is available in a variety of forms
(suggested price in brackets):
-team name [$5,000]
-front jersey logo & company name (main title across chest) w/ company colors [$5,000]
-back jersey logos & company names [$1,000-$3,000 depending on size]
-sleeve jersey logos & company names [$1,000]
-t-shirt / sweat shirt's with logos & company names [$1,000-$5,000 depending on size]
-option for any additional materials supplies by company to be prominently displayed on riders, bicycles, travelling gear, tents, and around camping site when feasible.

DAMN! With that kind of money you could sponsor your own team for the Pro-Tour. What the heck would they do with all that money? Buy a bus? Get each team member their own personal keg for each day of the ride? Use the money to wipe their butts in the corn fields? Who knows.

I think I found a new race...24 Hours of Steamboat (June 11-12). It's a better deal than the Breckenridge 100 (July 16). Lets see, 100 miles or 24 hours. Hmmmm. That's a tough one. I say 24. Who wants to go?

Guitar Ted did a phone interview for Silent Sports Magazine on Thursday. Looks like this crazy death march of ours is gaining some press....which is a great thing for our sponsors. Look for the Trans-Iowa story in either the March or April issue.

If you are an endurance athlete, and have not download'd and read THIS, then you are miss'n out.

OK, that is enough from me. Anything exciting happen to anyone this week? I do know that the Salsa Queen threw down at the local dodge-ball game. IN COMING!!!!!

I wonder what organic goodness Dirtram is consuming? Veggie Sausage? Boca Bugger? Tofu?

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 7:32 PM :: ::

Six Hours Next to the Saddle

Whilst you racin' types are out logging in your early season "saddle time", I've been puttin' in some of my own. Now some of you that know me know that I haven't raced in about 9 years now. But, that doesn't mean I'm not training! I have to get on top of my game now, because my season is about to start!

That's why I put in six hours "beside" the saddle, doing tune ups on customers bikes! I've gotten a little rusty over the winter time, I'll say. No work to do in the winter months. Well, at least not in the volume that we will be getting in, oh say....ANY DAY NOW! Once the temps get to around 50 degrees, we'll be slammed with wall to wall repairs. All of those bikes hanging dormantly, like bats, from spider web strewn garage walls. They will come down in droves at the first grass cutting. Stuffed precariously into trunks, hatches, and van cargo areas, only to recieve more damage than the previous 15 miles last summer could ever inflict upon them. They will be wheeled into bicycle shops all over the country, into the waiting hands of slumbering bicycle mechanics.

Whoa! What is this! Back to work, gotta get off the Velo News, and the new QBP catalog, and start crackin'! Riding time diminishes, just as it starts to get really nice out. Oh well, at least I'll get more money in the envelope at the end of the week! Pay's been a bit thin lately. Hours got cut, and then cut again! So, I'm lookin' forward to more work. I even got some good "training" time in today.

Yep! Six hours! Three complete tune-ups. Slow, I know, but I'm perfecting my form! I'll be ready, at the line, when the season starts! Just you wait an' see.

Jeff Kerkove said at 2:08 PM :: ::

This is Squirrel!

Ok kids, you have seen his posts. You have seen his muddy Trans-Iowa bikes. Now you get to see the man himself. Introducing Trans-Iowa racer #6....SQUIRREL!

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:25 AM :: ::

24 Hours Old Peublo

Here is the low down. A few fellow bloggers are getting ready to tackle their first 24 hour of the season down in Arizona. Check out their blogs for the latest on the course, how they are feeling, when the hell the UPS man is going to deliver the bikes, and how funny-feel'n sand in the shorts is .

Sloane "look'n for the podium Yo!" Anderson
(my Cateye Enduro teammate)

Chuck "thank God I am in Arizona and not in freez'n Minnesota" Jacobs
(local MN enduro racer)

Steve "I'm from Canada, Eh." Perkins
(Gears Racing team member)

I hope that is everybody.

For me, I am still in training. Looks like first endurance event might be in late March. Or...I might just wait till Trans-Iowa. Afterall, the season does go until late October.

Jeff Kerkove said at 12:40 PM :: ::

So many choices

So, I am walking through Wal-Mart the other day, when I came to that so important decision. Which one? They are so similar? I am confused! Ahhhhhhhh!



or

Hmmmmmmm.

Jeff Kerkove said at 12:23 PM :: ::

Flashback!

I see this picture everyday, since it is sitting right above my computer. I just thought that I would share it with the rest of the world. This is me at the start of the AMBC Breckenridge Firecracker 50 from July 4, 2003. This race rocks! 2 big 25 mile laps. A little over 4 hours on the bike. The racers are lined up on main street...as you can see in the picture....and they leave town while kicking of the local 4th of July Parade. Cool! I am not sure if they are having the race this year, but I do know that there is going to be a Breckenridge 100 in July which is really wetting my whistle. Who wants to go?

Jeff Kerkove said at 11:31 AM :: ::

It buuuuuuurns!

Just a few brief updates.

It appears that Tifosi's new Q2 is a single lense set of shades. I am not 100% sure, but read this write-up and check out some pictures.....CLICK HERE

Last nights roller work out was tough! It burn'd. We did the following workout...
30 min warm-up
10 min on
4 min off
7 min on
4 min off
5 min on
4 min off
3 min on
2 min off
1 min on
30 min cool down
Done!
It kicked my butt! My average HR durin the interval sessions was sitting right at about 180 BPM.
OUCH!

This AM, I am heading to the YMCA to spin the legs out on the spin bike.

I applied for a graphic design job at Giant Bicycles. Schweet! Maybe they will fly me out? All I know is that is would be the mother of all jobs, since I eat, sleep, and breathe Giant. Check it out here....CLICK IT YO!

Also, if you are in the need of a job in the action sports industry, CLICK HERE FOOL!

Out!

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:20 AM :: ::

Check it out yo!

Here is the 2005 IORCA Schedule including SnowBike, IMBCS, Cross Mafia Cyclocross, and all other IORCA sanctioned events.

February 13 ~ SnowBike #1 – The Valentines Blast @ Kendall Young Park in Webster City, IA

February 26 ~ SnowBike #2 – The Frozen Challenge @ Loomis Park in fort Dodge, IA

March 13 ~ SnowBike #3 – The Spring Fling @ Kendall Young Park in Webster City, IA

April 17 ~ IMBCS #1 – Seven Oaks Recreation Area near Boone, IA

May 1 ~ IMBCS #2 – Camp Ingawanis near Waverly, IA

June 5 ~ IORCA MTB Race @ Seven Oaks Recreation Area near Boone, IA

June 26 ~ IMBCS #3 – Fathers Day Frenzy @ Loomis Park in Fort Dodge, IA

July 3 ~ IMBCS #4 - @ Sockum Ridge Park near Washington, IA

July 16 ~ IORCA/Iowa Games MTB Race @ Peterson Park near Ames, IA

August 14 ~ IORCA State Championship MTB Race @ Oleson Park in Fort Dodge, IA

August 20 ~ IMBCS #5 – Sugar Bottom Scramble @ Sugar Bottom Recreation Area near North Liberty, IA

August 28 ~ IORCA MTB Race @ Camp Ingawanis near Waverly, IA

September 3/4 ~ IORCA 24 Hour MTB State Championship @ Seven Oaks Recreation Area near Boone, IA

September 11 ~ IMBCS #6 – The Sycamore Time Trial @ the Sycamore Trail in Des Moines, IA

September 18 ~ IMBCS #7 – The Kendall Young Classic @ Kendall Young Park in Webster City, IA

September 24 ~ IORCA "Applefest Fat Tire Criterium" in the streets of Woodbine, IA

September 25 ~ IMBCS #8 – The Applefest Challenge near Woodbine, IA

October 1/2 ~ Cross Mafia Cyclocross Series/Midwest Cyclocross Series in Des Moines, IA.

October 8/9 ~ IMBCS #9 – Season Championship Stage Race @ Seven Oaks near Boone, IA

The complete cyclocross schedule will be added late in the spring. For the latest info on these races and racing in general in Iowa click here.

Jeff Kerkove said at 7:02 PM :: ::

Tifosi Optics 2005

Fellow blogger, solo racer, Trans-Iowa racer, and sponsored Tifosi Optic
sponsored racer Solo Goat sent me the 411 on the new 2005 Tifosi Optics.
Below is what he has to say so far... and don't forget to swing by Solo Goats' place of employment....CLICK HERE. Thanks Ernesto!




TIFOSI UPDATE

After a weekend of testing the Q2's, I came up with this - Tifosi rocks.
The Q2 is new the line-up of Tifosi – here’s the details:

1. Assortment of colors - go crazy and get the crystal colors. They are
super bright and stand out really well.

2. Distortion free lens. Long story short - glass thinner at the sides, so
your peripheral version does not distort.

3. This frame does not use their new nosepiece, but is basically similar to
the old Quam's of last year. Frame is sturdy and strong.

Lenses tested - clear and green. As expected, clear is pretty much a no
brainer and performed as expected. And the green - wow. I was pretty
impressed - very similar to the effect of the Tifosi orange lenses of last
year, but not quite as bright. Nice option for me - I usually like to go
with a non-typical lens color. I have to stand out, yo.

Bottom line, great glass at a great price. Folks, I use what works. I race
and ride endless hours and I don’t need a glass that is cheaply made and
that doesn’t hold up during endless 24-hour races that I will endure this
year.

That’s why I will be using the Q2’s.

check them out -
www.tifosioptics.com

And, just for the hell of it, here is the music that I am raging to while lifting, riding, and cooking. Well, not cooking, but you get the idea. Enjoy.

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:17 AM :: ::

Trans-Training

Did some Trans-Iowa specific training this AM before work. I took the Surly 1x1 with 32 x 16 gearing out for a bitch of a ride. I lowered the tire pressure to 25 PSI to get more resistance. So, with 25 PSI in the tires....way soft gravel....and a 15 mph head wind. I set off to suffer. Did I mention the gravel was soft? I bet I sank in atleast 1/4 inch. That made the legs burn. Anyway, I rode over to the New Hartford hills, did a few loops on the hills, and rode home. All in all, it was 3 hours of riding....which felt like 6. My legs were cooked, and the whole way home I thought to mayself......"God, I hope the gravel is dry for Trans-Iowa." So if you are doing Trans-Iowa, pray for dry weather, and light winds. But, once again, that is unheard of in Iowa in late April.

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:07 PM :: ::

Can't wait for Sunday.

I can't wait for Sunday. Why you ask? Cause I am going to head up to QBP's Frostbike Dealer Show. QBP is the largest distributor of bike parts in the USA. Chances are, when you go into your local shop and pick up a part, it has come from this huge warehouse located in Minneapolis.

Anyway, Frostbike is like a mini Interbike. All the companies that are represented in the dealer catalog show up and pimp their goods. This is a great chance to get to see, touch, lick, and caress all the new goods for 2005. Also, they give away a ton of door prizes, and have an awesome Italian buffet. This show is normally where I stock up on parts that I can not get from my great sponsors.

So, if you work at a shop located in the Midwest, I highly suggest you head to the show. It's a good time, with good people, good food, and good industry reps.

Off to get muddy!

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:06 AM :: ::

Damn rain!

It's Sunday....my day off from work...and it's freak'n raining [insert sucking sound here.] I was supposed to get in 6 hrs of high quality saddle time in today, but with the rain and the near freezing temps, I opted for the YMCA. So like a freak of nature I ripped off 2 hours of Stair master bliss. Went pretty hard. I averaged just above 170 on the HR factor. And when it was all said and done, I felt pretty good. Tomorrow, I am going to take the Surly 1x1 with 32x16 gearing out for some over saturated gravel grind'n goodness. Looking to get over to the New Hartford hills and back before noon o'clock so I can go to work.

Got a new blog for ya all....Solo Goat. Dude is head'n out for Trans-Iowa. Can't wait to share all this lovely Iowa gravel with everybody. I am sure Squirrel had a good solid helping today, based on the pictures posted in the previous post. Ernesto...I mean Solo Goat...how ya like'n the new Tifosi's? Can't wait for mine to show. Tifosi makes a rock'n product at a rock'n price.

Ok, enough rambling from me. I am going to stretch out a bit then hit the sack. I might head out early in the AM to watch the sunrise on my ride. And to Solo Goat....the moon at World's was unlike anything I have ever seen.

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:52 PM :: ::

Trans-Iowa racer get'n on it!

Trans-Iowa registered racer, Squirrel, sent me these pictures from his 3.5 hour gravel training ride the other day. Enjoy!

Jeff Kerkove said at 8:15 AM :: ::

Just stuff to fill the void.

Well, today is my scheduled day off from the bike, so that means I will be spending all day selling comfort and hybrid bikes....sigh. Maybe if I am lucky, that one dude will come back in and special order that C-Dale Cyclocross disc bike.





I figured out which head light I am going to run for Trans-Iowa. It's pictured above. It's the Cateye EL-500. It's only 1 LED, but it's hell-a bright. There is plenty of light to get where you're going. The other added bonus is it's way light...the weight of 4 AA batteries. It also runs for 30 hours non-stop....WHOA! Plus, it does not take up much room on the handlebar. These lights will set you back around $50 or so, but if you dig around you might find it cheaper. Click on the picture for the 411 on the light. If you are doing Trans-Iowa what lights are you running? Sound off!

Don't have a whole lot to do today (Saturday)? Head west of Cedar Falls, and check out the Regional Ice Climbing Championships. This event, sponsored by Red Bull, has people flying up the side of silos on large masses of ice. Pretty cool if ya ask me! Check it out HERE.

For you local nut bags. There is a road ride to Dysart leaving at noon o'clock on Sunday from the Fareway parking lot behind the AT & T Tower in Ghetto-loo. Losts of fast people showing. I'll be on the NRS Air. Suffer at will!

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:27 AM :: ::

Do you like?

Well, since I figure all the other domestic pro cyclists are getting full face tattoos, I would do the same. I would really like to thank my sponsor, Cateye, for all the work they have put in to get me hooked up to race. So to show may thanks, I went out and got their logo stuck to my grill. I think they will appreciate it.

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:01 AM :: ::

Breaking News

All kinds of fun news to share with you all.



First of all, the Trans-Iowa death march has been designated a qualifier event for the 24 Hours of Adrenalin World Solo Championships. The top 3 men and top 2 women will automatically earn a spot in the race if they choose to compete. How cool is that?

Also, our very own Salsa Queen....a.k.a Megan Donahue...has been chosen as one of the top 5 Cedar Valley’s Most Eligible Bachelor / Bachelorette. The cool thing is that if we click on the link below and vote for her, she will score some sweet prizes. So click on the link, and vote. By the way, she rides a Salsa Campeon road bike, so that is one good reason to vote for her. As far as voting for the guys...give your vote to Justin Rathjen. He has crazy hair, plus he used to be one of Europa's finest.

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:47 PM :: ::

Tattoo You

Well, well! Welcome to the freak show! If you haven't seen the news about David Clingers facial tat, ( a rendition of Maori tribal markings) then you will really be blown away by this...




The Rolling Stones had an album cover with the faces of the band members done up Maori style, and I thought that NO ONE in our culture would be silly enough to actually do something like this. But, like I once was told, and must always remember, never underestimate the stupidity of mankind.

The upshot of the whole thing is the sub sponsor on the jersey. Look below the Ford logo. That is, if you can take your eyes off of that face for a second. I'll admit that it is interesting.....for a couple minutes. But I'm not sure this is a good decision. No!Wait, I KNOW it's not a good decision! Wait until the sun, and the years get a hold of that tat. Not to mention the social trauma it will cause.

Hey, maybe I'm weak. Maybe I'm selling her short. Maybe I'm closed minded. Whatever! I say, life is hard enough without playing to the weaknesses of those around you. To offer others a reason to be stupid towards you. It's like saying "hey! Kick me in the jimmy! It's okay! Really!".
It de-humanizes her. I feel sorry for her! Well, enough of what I think! Sound off! Respond!

Jeff Kerkove said at 3:25 PM :: ::

What ya think?

Jeff Kerkove said at 7:00 PM :: ::

Epic ride today.

I had an awesome ride today. And, yes, it hurt like hell. The ride was only 3 hours, but it was all on the trail system in and around Cedar Falls. There was about 4 inches of new powder on top of either old hard packed snow or gravel. The entire ride was like one big climb. The power output was huge. My average HR was near 165.

I took the Surly out along with the PolarPak 2.0 and did a bit of Trans-Iowa training. The start of the ride was great down to Hudson, but coming back on some of the trail contained with-in the trees had really deep snow, that kept me from pedaling cause I would sink in. So I had about a 1 mile hike-a-bike...or jog... with the Surly on my back. I think I am going to do this workout a few more times before the snow melts. It's a great simulation for soft gravel or nasty headwinds, which will be present at Trans-Iowa.

Just got word of the Penn Cycle 10 Hour Challenge. Rumor has it that Buck Hill will be no more after they sell the land for housing development....damn urban sprawl. Check out the link for this first and last ultra race to be held at Buck Hill in Minneapolis.....CLICK HERE

Time to elevate the legs.

Jeff Kerkove said at 12:22 PM :: ::

Just stuff.

Well I have been 27 years old now for about a day and a half. In all honesty, I don't feel any different than I did when I turned 12....or 15.....or 20....or 26. I thought when you turned 27, cool stuff was supposed to happen? Comments Salsa Queen?

Anyway...
I carnaged HARD on the way to work yesterday. For some reason they graded the roads down to a nice shinny ice surface. The bike went out from under me, and I landed on the bike, then slid away from it. I had to walk about 10 steps back to my bike. I have a nice bump on my right shin from the pedal, and a swollen knee from rail'n the pavement. It was a bit stiff this morning, but it did not effect my training. I wonder if anyone saw it happen?




Only a cyclist can get excited at X-Mas when they receive a balaclava and lobster mits for presents. Thanks to Grandma for sending these pictures in my b-day card yesterday.

On the way home from the YMCA this AM, I found the Holy Grail for Trans-Iowa training. It's a secret (Cedar Valley racers can contact me via e-mail for the low-down), and I hope to do a couple hours there tomorrow....if I survive.

Tonight is roller mania at the House of Pain.

Time to work on the team kits for the Rasmussen Team out of Des Moines. All I can say is blaze....orange....camo.

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 9:33 AM :: ::

Trans Iowa Thoughts

Hmmm.....somewhere I lost a post on here about mailboxes! Ah! Oh well, onwards and forward. Trans Iowa looks to be one epic of an event! I know that "epic" gets tossed around rather loosely, but this event will represent! Even if the conditions are "perfect", it will be very, very, tough. Let me break this down for you all.

1. Mental& Physical Toughness. You'd better be stocked up on both of these, believe me. Obviously, riding 305 miles will be tough all at one time. Physically, this will demand a HUGE toll from all the riders. However; mental toughness may be even MORE important! There are a few places where I can easily see competitors getting demoralized. If the elements come into play, ( and they WILL!) you have a very mentally demanding situation. Top it off with really technical, fast downhill action at the end- right when you're the weakest, and it gets really interesting!

2. Strategy. He/ she who strategizes best, is the best organized, best diciplined rider, will have the greatest chance at not only fnishing this event- but WINNING it. Having a very specific plan, and sticking to it will be a key for Trans Iowa. Equipment testing, and nutritional planning will be vital! Keeping an eye on the weather forcasts beforehand will be a very smart move. Of course, all good plans may go awry, so being mentally diciplined, and resourceful could be a benefit.

3. Weather Conditions. The wildcard of this event. It could be a non-factor, but probably not. I look for wind to definitely play a big role in this event. Of course, late April in Iowa can be kind, or downright nasty! We shall see. But, definitely, weather will be a huge factor!

Final thoughts. I agree with what Jeff has said about the course. I would add that a couple of the decents north of Decorah are wild! One looks like you are about to come down a rollercoaster descent. You know, that first really high, steep descent? I can't believe school buses go down that one! "B level" roads are sprinkled throughout the course. Some are dirt roads, some are sandy, pea-gravel affairs. These will only really become a factor if it is wet. If it is- LOOK OUT! Some one lane bridges dot the course. One even has a wood plank deck! We had the good fortune to see what a really wet day will do to the course, as it poured rain most of Sunday. I'm glad to report that it would really suck to have to ride this stuff in the rain! But, it is do-able! Lastly; any singlespeeders that finish this course in the time limit are HARD MEN/ WOMEN!!! I am NOT worthy!!!!

Overall, I'm really pleased with the results so far, and I can't wait to see what happens at Trans Iowa! OUT!

Jeff Kerkove said at 1:58 PM :: ::

Happy B-Day To Me

B-DAY
Originally uploaded by kerkovej.

Happy Birthday blah, blah, blah
Happy Birthday blah, blah, blah

I am off to the YMCA.

Jeff Kerkove said at 5:56 AM :: ::

Trans-Iowa Recon...complete.

We are finished. Guitar Ted and Myself spent Saturday and Sunday driving across the state of Iowa putting the finishing touches on the Trans-Iowa course. My car is now a nice shade of shit brown, and the inside of the car has a film of gravel on it. If you are reading this, you are about to get a heads-up on the course. I am not going to disclose any course info on the Trans-Iowa site accept for the pass through towns. But right here, right now I am going to give some course specifics.

The start of the course in non stop rolling hills for about thr first 35 miles or so. This will spread out the field very fast. The gravel is also deep and loose....mnt bike friendly only! After that, it is a mixture of "Class B" dirt roads, or I should say mud, and regular gravel to Primghar. After Primghar, you reach a huge stretch of flat gravel with no trees, no farms, no towns. If it is windy, it will SUCK! We called this the 'Death Flats' while driving it. This goes on...and on....and on....and on all the way to Emmetsburg. After Emmetsburg, it's traditional gravel with rolling and flat terrain to Algona. From Algona, it's off to Forest City. The gravel is good, but there are many stretches of nothing. Within about 7 miles of Forest City, you start to get in to some bastard climbs....short and steep. After Forest City, it's off to Osage. Just outside of Forest City you will come to Pilot Knob State Park, where you will ride on about 2 miles of singletrack....sweet! Beyond the singletrack it's more short steep climbs till it flattens off to Osage. After Osage you will have time to fuel up and get your legs ready for the hardest part of the race. Once you get to Cresco from Osage, the course is not stop up and down for the final 40 miles to Decorah. The roads are steep! I had to down shift the car to get up some of the climbs. Some climbs are 30 seconds. Some are 3-5 minutes. It will hurt. Coming down the hills in this 40 miles stretch it will be easy to hit about 40 mph!

In my personal opinion, a mnt bike is needed! Maybe even a full-suspension, cause the roads are very rough and wash'd out in spots. There is a need for larger tires due to the deepness of the gravel. Anything skinny like a 1.5 or something on a cyclocross bike will just sink in and get squirrely.

Want to see a course profile? CLICK HERE. Thanks to Rich at Oneota Cycles in Decorah for the map and for letting us run Trans-Iowa with the T.T.

Hope I got you thinking about your gear choices for the race if you are racing. If not, you better get on it.

I wonder what Guitar Ted has to say about the course?

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:48 PM :: ::

Heck of a ride.

Didn't have to wear gloves.

50 + degrees.

108 miles total.

Almost 22 mph average speed.

I am tired.

This is really funny...CLICK HERE

This is the last post till Sunday night.

Yawn.

Out.

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:28 PM :: ::

A Great Day!

Warmth!
Originally uploaded by kerkovej.

Check it out! It's a near 50 degree day in Ghetto-Loo....I mean Waterloo. These days only come around every once and a while, so I am going for some long hours...and then to work.

Off to suffer.

Jeff Kerkove said at 8:06 AM :: ::

Good Rides....Bad Air.

With the warm temps the last few days the rides have been long and consistent. With almost 10 hours of saddle time in the last 2 days, I feel really good. Today is another near 50 degree day. I really want to go out and log some long hours, but I need to stay on my set training schedule. Today I stay'd on track and did my weight lifting this AM, and tonight will be an interval session at the House of Pain. Tomorrow is supposed to be almost 55 degrees. So I will be out on the road bike putting in more saddle time before work. With all this warm weather, the snow is finally starting to disappear.....an added bonus.

This weekend will be a recovery weekend with no working out of any kind. Guitar Ted and Myself are going to drive, map, and do further recon on the Trans-Iowa course. After this weekend, we will know 100% where the route will be going.

What's up with this bad air? You can see it when you are outside. There is a haze in the air. I can't really tell if it's effecting me or not, so I am not really going to make a big deal about it. I guess this is the price to pay when everyone owns a car, and everyone has to drive seperate. People around here don't know what carpooling or mass-transit are.

That's all.

Jeff Kerkove said at 9:35 AM :: ::

Bad Air!

For those of you who are already training outdoors in Iowa, the following may be of concern to you.

The National Weather Service has issued an Air Quality Index for Iowa of "Orange", meaning that; amongst other sensitive groups, that "active adults" refrain from "extended physical activity" for the advisory period. Small particulate matter can penetrate to the deepest part of the lungs.

So, kiddies, if you value your lung capacity, you may want to nix any outdoor training sessions until Thursday. That's when the Weather Service says we can all "breathe easier"! They expect a "cleaner" air mass to move in by then.

Pollution sucks! We are in an "inversion" situation, where particulate matter gets concentrated to higher than normal amounts. Don't think that it's just in the cities, either. The Weather service measured an "orange" level of particulates at one of our more remote State Parks in southeast Iowa! So, take care. We don't often get these situations in Iowa, so I thought you all would like to know.

Maybe this is why I've had a dull headache for awhile!

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:43 AM :: ::

Log'n the miles.

Yesterday was great. Today will also be great. The weather has been pretty warm here in Iowa for early Feb. The normal high is 28 degrees, but we have been well above that by about 15 degrees. This is great for getting outside for some longer hour rides.

Yesterday, I hit up the YMCA at 6:00 AM for my weight lifting session. After that I rode home and hop'd on the mnt bike for a 4 hour base ride on the county blacktop road. After the ride I got home I refueled and went to work. After work I hit up the indoor group roller ride at The House of Pain, where I did the structured workout, but kept my HR where it needed to be.

Today, I am hoping to get in a 4-6 hour road ride. I am going to try out these new Maxxis Re-Fuse tires that Maxxis sent me about a month ago. The Re-Fuse is their heavy duty training tire designed for log'n the huge miles.....The Health-Net team trains on it, so it can't be that bad. I also need to install a new chain on the road bike before I head out. Todays ride is just going to be base riding at a specific HR.

Off to install the tires and chain....and then ride.

Jeff Kerkove said at 6:35 AM :: ::

My Top Recovery Foods.

Ok, here is a list of my favorite recovery foods/drink. As we all know, everybody reacts to foods differently, so these might not be as benificial to you as they are to me. But after 8 years of racing now (starting as a Beginner and now a Pro), I have come up with this list.

Green Tea. I am a big fan of Salada. You can pick it up at Wal-Mart in assorted flavors.

Whey Protein Powder. Hands down the best is Optimum Nutrition, and it's dirt cheap at Jesup Gym

Tuna. Yep, those 50¢ cans of fish can make you fast! Always reach for Chicken of the Sea. And yes, its fish, and not chicken.

Emer'gen-C. Everything you need. Nothing you don't! It's simple...just mix it with water or juice. As an added bonus, it comes in many flavors. Check it out here.

Well, there you have it. Those are the "tops" in my book. What is everyone else stick'n in their pie hole after a hard effort?

Jeff Kerkove said at 12:22 PM :: ::

The latest design project.

CLICK HERE to see the latest blog I help'd design.

Off to the YMCA to lift....then ride base miles...then work at Europa...then hit up the indoor roller workout.

Jeff Kerkove said at 4:51 AM :: ::