The Date:
The GRAID will be on the weekend of October 16 and 17th, 2009.
The Start/Finish:
We will plan on starting just outside of Northwood, Iowa at the Country Inn and Suites off exit number 214. We will take off at approximately 7:00 AM on the morning of Saturday, October 17 and finishing just south of Corydon, Iowa sometime in the morning of Sunday the 19.
We will plan on staying over night at the Country Inn and Suites and then the morning of the 17th we will get a ride north about 3 miles to the Minnesota border.
Will there be support?
Yes and No. This is meant to be a self supported ride (not a race!). We will go through Garner (mile 35), Belmond (mile 55), Jewell (mile 100), Ames (mile 127), Dallas Center (175), Adel (180), Winterset (205), Lamoni (277). You will need to arrange transportation from Lamoni unless we go with the van rental (see above).
What is the route?
Here is the north "half" of the route. We will have a pit stop at Welch Ave Station in Ames for pizza and beverages. This will be around the 120-127 mile mark. We may get to this point by 3 in the afternoon or it may be 9 at night. Who knows!??!
This is the second "half" of the route. We will likely make a small detour off of this route for an additional two miles or so to stop in Adel.
What about the wind?
Okay, I will admit it, I hate the wind. The plan is to ride with the wind if possible. Normally the wind is from the northwest, but you never know. There certainly are those beautiful 70 degree days in March when the wind is from the south. If that happens we will run the course in reverse! If you would rather ride the whole 275 miles against the wind feel free. I want to finish.
What will the conditions be like?
Well, it will likely be pretty cold at the start, likely in the 30's. We could top out at 40 for the whole ride, or we could hit the 70's and 80's by the end. I can promise there will be wind. Lot's of it. The gravel will likely be soft for at least the first half of the ride.
More info to come. If you have any questions email me: thejacobsons@q.com
Paul Jacobson
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10 comments:
Hummmmmm
Gonna have to mull this one over =)
I'll let you know for sure by the end of feb...
Let's hope it warms up! These below zero temps suck big time. It has to warm up soon!
I hope you can make it. This should be a great ride!
Looking forward to this too. Glad to see other people share my illness. :)
GREAT idea!! but... what's wrong with.. like October???
Anyone? anyone?
Absolutely nothing! I am certainly up for having this be a fall ride that is for sure! I just wanted to try to get in a LONG ride in before TI.
This may work for me Paul- I will be working a checkpoint at TI(not riding) so this would be perfect. Just have to wait up for me- ;)
ride! ride! ride! ride! ride!
Wait up for you. Yeah right!
Honestly guys, I am pretty sore at the moment with achilles troubles. If you guys are game, even if I don't ride all of it, I can certainly provide transportation! I will be working on the cue sheets this weekend.
Yup - still hip on October!
Dave-
I am very serious about doing this in the fall! It would be an awesome ride for sure. I would like to kick this thing out in March going into Trans Iowa. But, riding the gravel in October is super sweet so I very well may be interested!
Watch for the GRAID 2!
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