Gravel Ride Across Iowa in a Day (or two!) -- October 17

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