Great loop, similar but different to the Queen of Gravel (Ragnarok). More pavement to connect the gravel dots. 2 very worthy minimum maintenance roads. 1 DH worthy of suspension and knobbies. Some public land visits, keep your head up or miss the sights. The data proclaimed 5,200' of climbing in 81 mi, that's more than the Queen had in 107 miles... Nice job connecting the dots Silence.
My race- same excuse as Ragnarok, legs soaked with acid for the first half. I'm not a fan of the cat/ mouse roadie tactics. So when it came to pulling the chase group back to the front I did the bulk of the work with a red jersey'd Hollywood guy and Fullton Isaac. Johnsen again all grins as he pulled back in on my wheel on a gravel road dh into the check point.
Second half, after a regroup session at check point and a good climb out of the hole, legs finally shed the acid and was firing, reeling in targets. The downside, data. I found you can only follow the Garmin line in chase mode so long before you error. I made a few, one put me out about half a mile before my brain registered 'dummy your off the line'. That bonehead move was close enough to the finishline which kept me from sights of a top 10. Still drilled to the finish, which makes the day more than pleasing.
Thanks to Drew Wilson (aka Silence) for putting a worthy loop and event together. Was certainly worth the drive to the southern edge of north iowa to partake in his version of a legit grind fest.
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NOTE- Good work Johnsen, on the fat non fat none the less... Some know him has 'Herman Cluse', but Rule X, you can't name yourself.
Up next- Nothing in my target, MTB season is coming, just fill the legs with more acid.
