I leave tomorrow for Iowa for another shot at TransIowa. This year I am even less prepared than last year. Should be a good time. Confidence isn't so high this year, mainly due to the adverse conditions expected. The weather is supposed to be decent for most of the ride, no rain and sunny skies. Highs about mid-50s. That will make for cold night riding, for sure. It is supposed to rain on Sunday, but the rain is supposed to be "light rain", so I am not too worried about that. There are two primary x-factors I am concerned about: swampy roads and wind. It is supposed to rain for the 2-3 days leading up to the race which can make the roads difficult to pass.. especially the b-roads which are neither officially maintained nor frequently traveled. And if the wind decides to blow, then there is nothing out there to stop it. So it goes. I guess that's what we get when we sign up for a race 800 miles away in Iowa.

So while I say that confidence isn't high, that would probably be true even if I had ridden more than 150 miles in the last couple of months and if they were calling for perfect weather for the race and leading up to it. So I am going into this with an open mind and with excitement for an adventure and will see what happens. A steady pace and attentive, regular calorie consumption will be the name of the game. And a flask of Hot Damn for the obligatory mid-ride celebrations and pain management.

Maybe I'll tell about my adventure when I get back.

Cheers.