Off Track Events

Itinerary for Crowning the Capitol

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Tue, 18 May 2010 14:26:00 +0000

Crowning the Capitol

6/1/2010 – 6/5/2010

150 miles from the Missouri State Capitol to the Hospital Hill Run at Crown Center in Kansas City

The itinerary: Tuesday 6/1 1:00 PM leave Jeff City go 62.9 miles in 25 hours Wednesday 6/2 3:00 PM arrive at Super 8 Thursday 6/3 5:00 AM go 28 miles in 10 hours.

3:00 PM arrive at Murdock Banner Financial Group, Warrensburg Friday 6/4 7:00 AM leave Warrensburg go 55 miles in 24 hours Saturday 6/5 7 AM arrive on Hospital Hill Run 1/2 marathon race course. 

The challenge - "Crowning the Capitol." The plan is to run from the State Capitol building along 50 highway to the finish line of the Hospital Hill Run at Crown Center. That is 150 miles. The run will be like two 100k's with a 50k in the middle.

The opportunity - “Vote for the dyeing.” I have grown a Hulk Hogan style set of whiskers and they are mostly white. I want you to help decide what color these whiskers will be as I run down the side of 50 highway between Jefferson City and Kansas City. Red - White - Blue. You choose.

The vote - for each one dollar donation to the Don Linville Memorial Fund you get one vote.

Picture it now, you see, I built the crown from a milk jug and painted it florescent yellow. I embellished it with UCM Mules and bling. I'll wear that crown and the color of whiskers that draw the most votes for four days up 50 highway to the Hospital Hill Run.

Vote today - Vote on ACTIVE.com here or Mail a check to Don Linville Event Fund, PO Box 30554, Columbia, MO 65205 - make a note of your vote, or write on the wall of my Facebook event page.

Please, vote early and often. You can vote as much as you want. I'll keep you posted how the vote is going.

You can still sign up to run the Hospital Hill Run on the Don Linville Memorial Fund team and get a discount. Just drop me a line or give me a call and I'll give you the discount code.

A great opportunity for fans of the Don Linville Scholarship to help a student athlete carry on Don's dream.

The Freak Wins All!

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:48:00 +0000

by Jim Linville

March 29, 2010

I thought it was suppose to be sunny. Yeah, isn't that always the plan. Ultra running is such a time consuming hobby that you really need to run whenever you get a chance. But still, I may end up putting the Saturday run off to until Sunday, if it is suppose to be sunny. Of course, you really can't afford to do that and still burn the candle at both ends. Some days you have to decide if you're a runner or a race director. A husband or a father. A man or a freak. The freak often wins all.

The 150 mile Crowing the Capitol adventure trek is not the craziest idea I've had. It is just the one I am currently trying to master. There are a couple of other treks that are the same distance I am planning on experiencing. This event should tell me that I can do that distance and open the door to the others. This last weekend I made 20 miles on my long run. It felt really good on the way out. I would like to be running twice that far by now. But it seems, at least for me, that half of battle of ultra distance adventure running is pain management. We solved the problem of my little toe next to the littlest toe. That was good. But the chafing,.. man,.. that's got to stop. I would hate to DNF for chafing.

I went to my favorite ultra running web site and I'm told to try a farm product called utter butter or bag balm. I did go to our local farm supply store and of course there was a girl I know there to help me. "Excuse me. Can you tell me where the utter balm is?" "You mean the bag balm? You just past it. Are you serious? What are you going to do with bag balm?"

Let's just hope it does the trick. The problem is the 10 pounds I put on every winter. You would think my body would know I'm going to be running that off. You would think that between my thighs is the last place my body would try to store 10 extra pounds of fat. But noOOoooo! "Let's put it right here where we can remember where we put it."

I never really get out of shape or in shape for that matter, it's all a matter of conditioning. I've got a picture here for you of a hill that is just four miles from my home. Going out it is a long slow hill. Not bad at all to climb. Coming back home it is tall and steep. I always think of that one song, this hill tells me "what condition my condition is in". If I can run all the way up that hill, I didn't go too far. If I have to walk up this hill, it is going to be a long four miles home.

I made a friend climbing that hill one time. She was conditioning for a trek in the Rockies. I see her most weekends. We are usually going opposite directions. "Hi Tina!" "Hi Jim" "going to rain?" "Looks like it." But sometimes we get a couple of miles to share. She has good stories.

I added two miles this week. They were miles I had not seen before on foot. The creek bottoms were pretty cool. After I got up the hill on the other side there was this sign, "dangerous hill". Don't you think they could of told me that before I climbed it?

What I learned from the Middle Of the Road: I know from the miles that I've seen that I can go as far as I can see. I know from the people I've met that I'll like the people I meet.

Blog Crown the Capitol

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:54:00 +0000

Thoughts about Ultra Running by Jim Linville

SuperBowl Sunday, I should be running. I'm not. Ultra running is such a time consuming hobby I get in a habit of putting stuff off so I can run or sleep, or eat, oh yeah,.. and work. With the holidays in December and the new year's launch of January, I have slipped out of shape and out of the routine drive to get out and get in the street. I gained 10 pounds!

Those of you that know me know that I have a goal of finishing the Bad Water. From that stand point Dean Karnazes is my hero, ww.ultramarathonman.com is one of my favorite sites and Kevin Sayers Ultra Running Resource www.ultrunr.com is where I go for advice. I am an ultra runner. For a 10 to 15 mile run to max me out is depressing. But, that is where I am. Can I get to a point in my conditioning to be able to complete a 150 mile run by June 5th? Yes, I can.

In this blog I'll try to relate to you some of the more minute details of this journey. I'll try to avoid some of the more routine. For instance; I've had an issue with the toe next to my littlest toe on my left foot. It seems as though my foot is rolling over on the toe pad and pinching a blister. I've tried several different things from wrapping the toe to different levels of control shoes. I've decided that the orthodics that I was prescribed 5 years ago are no longer what I need. Running in the standard inserts that came with the shoe is relieving the blistering with no obvious damage to my feet or ankles.

Valentine's Day weekend and between the temperature, the weather front moving in and my feet still adjusting to the absence of prescription orthodics, I turned back at 7 miles out. A 14 mile run in four and half hours, I'm okay with that.

LOL Marathon 2010 - In Other Words

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:32:00 +0000

Race report by Jim Linville

The third occasionally annual Laughing Out Loud Marathon went off without a hitch. Xavier Sublime was Master of Ceremonies at the home of Cody and Hayley Garnett. After taking turns at winning hands of chess and consuming some of the most fabulous hot chocolate, Xavier declared "it's time to jelly, ... Let's stone and bisquit!" (in other words, rock and roll).

The Laughing Out Loud Marathon is, in other words, a rare opportunity for good friends to get together and express support and unity. With temperatures stuck in the single digits for days on end, four degrees was almost normal for these guys. With the forcasters warning everyone to stay inside and threatening with the scare tactics of "your skin will freeze," these people seem to be dedicated enthusiests, in other words, insane.

Co-director Andy Emerson, Steve Kullman and Andy Starostka competed for prizes and their places in history. It was 4 degrees at 10:17 and "runners to your mark."

Steve Kullman came in at 1 hour and 38 minutes and took the most unique short cut prize of a $5 chess game. Andy Emerson came in second at 2:02 claiming to have ran a half marathon, (there is no prize for that). Andy Starostka took the covetted Dead Ass Last prize of his own Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker coming in with a 2:03 time on what he claimed to be a half marathon. Mike Denehy owner of Off Track Events the sponsor of the LOL Marathon donated some great door prizes and Off Track memorabilia.

Andy Emerson shared some of his experience in his own words: "The cold weather did not deter us since the 3 of us mentioned before 2 miles we were quite warm. We lost Steve on Paris Rd and the two Andy's ran together from this point. The snow covered part of the course on the Bear Creek Trail was tough to run. We were glad to hit the road again and thankful we were only planning to run 3 more miles. We rounded off to 13.1 to make a half marathon. I beat Andy Starostka up the stairs to race headquarters and our official timer so I officially beat him. After, we enjoyed the hot chocolate provided by the marathon hosts out of their home and collected some great door prizes. Even though I did not finish the entire marathon, I plan to run the rest of the course at a later date and award myself a medal at that time."

That's the spirit of the Laughing Out Loud, everyone is a winner.

Andy Starostka ran the LOL for the first time this year and had this to say, "Maybe next year I will do the entire distance, but the first loop was plenty for me this time. As mentioned, the Bear Creek Trail was snow covered and did a good job of kicking my butt. By the time I made it back to the house, I had more than enough. The ice crem maker was a great "pink elephant" gift and my 6 YO asked about 20 times both Saturday and Sunday when we were going to make some ice cream. I ended up hiding it for reasons of domestic tranquility. I am rather new to the Columbia scene, but have enjoyed the relaxed and friendly atmospere of this group."

Thanks Andy, we'll take that as a compliment. We'll also take Andy's advice of setting "a goal of increasing enteries by 100% for 2011." We'll try talk Mike Denehy into putting the race on next year. What a job that man does of putting on a race. Mike suggested, "Nice, work everyone. Three LOLs in the bag. This was definitely the wackiest of them yet. The days before the event hoovered in the artic sub zero temps. No one in their right minds would ever show up for such madness. The snow and the streets were covered in a nasty black soot."

The One Eyed Purple People Eater reflects on the Rolling Ramble

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:41:00 +0000

All photos by Kevin Dingman

I love people. They are delicious.

Wednesday night started out pretty much an average night. I was dragging down Park Avenue. It was about 7:00 PM and good golly there was a whole covey of cyclists. There must of been 20 or more. I mosied up a little closer to see just exactly what they were up to. Blind Pilot? Now that sounds dangerous. That is exactly one of the reasons I run. There are simply too many machines in the world today. Noah Earle, very interesting mis-spelling. E-A-R-L-E. Everyone knows you spell it I-R-L.

That Skeleton, the Master of Mayhem, lived up to his reputation tonight. Across town some of the normal cyclists had corralled all of the cyle haters at an information forum. Meanwhile, all the freaks were taking complete controll of the downtown streets. EYE LOVED IT!!

If humans were really concerned about harassment, I was the victim of harassment. So many young men are turned on to that pink dress I scored off of one of my recent diners. I know. I was intrigued by it, too. I can't blame them for all of the wolf whistles and flattering comments. Quite frankly, I was a little turned on by me myself.

I'm going to have to try one of the little tubbie creatures sometime. They really look like they would be an excelent meal. Perhaps with a white wine. It's just a little too late for the Master of Mayham . I think maybe he used to be just skin and bones. Now, just bones.

First Person insanity!

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:47:00 +0000

Do you have a story to tell? - Are you a survivor of Off Track Events? Would you like to share your story? The Off Track Events Blog is interested in posting your experience. Participants, volunteers and the shocked public should send an email to offtrackevents@gmail.com to have their story heard!

XCX 2008 - Through the Eye of the Purple People Eater

I love humans. They're delicious.

This looks like a very clever plan. I can get them to run down this hill and into that coral. Once I have them bottled up I can sort out them by texture.

I don't understand why there are so many in one place on such a cold and snowy day. Wait a minute. What are those colorful creatures invading my woods. That blue creature escorted by a large yellow bird and a funny looking human.

Quiet!! Stop shooting off all of those fireworks!! You'll scare away all of the humans!! Dog gone it who are those guys with the chain saws? Now wait a minute. Maybe I can get them to help me load some of the humans the back of my car. Yeah that seems to be working. The bright colored creatures seem to drawing the humans into the woods. they seem to be attracted to noise. Now if I can just keep them running this way... Fantastic! They are running straight into the coral maze. Woops. There are a lot of them getting through the chainsaws and running on into the woods. They will surely not make it out of here. What the cold and undergrowth doesn't get, the mud and the water will.

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The Mayor's Cup 2008 - The Champion Team reflects

We figured out that our next stop was at the corner of 9th and Cherry, and the clue we received was “Answer a Question and Ask a Question”—right away we spotted a man and woman with a microphone and camera set up outside Kaldi’s, and so we knew we were in the right place… we walked up and when they asked “Can we ask you a few questions?” we were ready! To our surprise, they began to ask us all about global warming, the carbon cycle, and greenhouse gases. This event is really extreme! we thought, but we were good sports and put our knowledge to the test. As the “interview” ended, we said, “Now do we get to ask you a question?” They looked at each other hesitantly, but said “Sure.” “What’s our next clue????” we shouted. They looked at each other again, even more puzzled. “What do you mean?” they asked us. Apparently, they were just there to film a segment for the local public TV station, and knew nothing about the Mayor’s Cup. I can’t imagine what they thought when two women in bicycle gear, costumes, and race numbers showed up enthusiastically wanting to be interviewed!!!! - Debi & Ella

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The Mayor's Cup 2008 - French Fry & Milk Shake Speak Up

I'll admit jumping on a bike early in the morning in a french fry costume is not how I usually spend my Saturdays, but after the Mayor's Cup race, who knows, it could happen again! My french fried self, as well as my milkshake partner Greg had no idea what to expect, but to say we were pleasantly surprised would be an understatement- what other race can you go on where you actually stop and eat ice cream or cookies, let alone wear costumes?

The race consisted of stops full of clues and treats. But also pictures. We weren't sure how pictures factored in to the point gathering (the most points wins) so we snapped photos every chance we got- bridal parties, swing sets, water balloon tossing and one broken window.

Take it from me, a first-timer, if you like to have fun, or if you are looking for something new to do, I definitely recommend the Mayor's Cup! And dress up in costume, there's nothing better than seeing the confused faces of people on the street! - Monica

LOL WTF!

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:17:00 +0000

Now that the LOL Run is over, we can finally all laugh out loud about it. It was definitely an event to remember. A little over a year ago Off Track Events launched the 2007 Inaugural year with the LOL Marathon. In support of the Columbia smoking ban the event debuted on a mid-January Wednesday at noon. Entry fee was $1. A dozen hearty souls showed up to run the 26.2 mile event. It was amazing.

Jim Linville and I decided to work together as race directors in 2008 and hoped to bring the LOL Run to a much larger audience. Our additions to this year was to add multiple distances for athletes of all abilities, move the event to the end of April, omit traditional road race rules and of course add a costume competition. Our goal was to create the ultimate fun non-competitive road race for Mid-Missouri.

The weather on the day of the event was perfect. The sky was clear and the temperature was on the brink of warm/cool. Ideal conditions! Around 70 participants showed up for the LOL Run. Before the event began we announced the winners. Glory was rewarded to those who came most creative. Top costume prizes were awarded. Everyone who came in costume was given a prize! After a few words of encouragement and direction from Spiderman and the dude in the pink dress the participants were on their way down the MKT, maps in hands looking for the directional arrows to lead them in the right direction.

The course was ambitious, hilly and never straight. Jim and I were the most challenged by the complexity of the ever twisting maze of directional arrows. We were up all night before the event placing 50 directional signs throughout Columbia. Some signs shared multiple directional arrows pointing in all directions. Organized chaos indeed. With only a handful of volunteers throughout the course, I hoped that each and every directional sign would remain standing come the moment the runners started passing by. Please nobody mess with the LOL signs!

Highlights from the course(s) include: 5 Columbia parks explored, dozens of insane hills (some of you may never forgive), awesome volunteers at aid stations, the Chicken and Gorilla along with their new friend Pumpkin G and a few amazing families along the course that set up stations in their front yards and encouraged runners as they ran past. Some of you may have had a chance to see the Unicycle rider tackle the 10k course with a child in a wagon and a dog running along side. Wow.

My alter ego for the day was Spiderman and I was the traveling aid station. Since I personally can't fire webbing from my wrists I covered the course in my (un)trusty '84 Honda Passport Scooter. A milk crate full of water, gels, and emergency gear. The weight of a gallon of water was more than the bike could handle and I found myself immediately stalled on the bottom of Rollins hill. After a half dozen unsuccessful kicks on the throttle I was finally back on the course, passing out gels and hydration to those in need! One of the highlights of the day for me was seeing the kids yell and wave for Spiderman as he zipped by on the little red scooter. I had the sensation of being an actual superhero and not just a weirdo riding around town in Spiderman pajamas.

Jim remained at the start/finish area welcoming the participants back. The finishing times ranged from under a half hour to under five and a half hours. Amazingly enough every sign throughout the course remained standing and every participant somehow was able to find their way back to the finish. To my dismay I did receive reports of many of the 10k runners who in the last 10th of a mile were misdirected down the trail and ended up running up to 4 extra miles before they realized that they were out for round 2! Upon investigating the situation, I noticed the final sign ("this way to finish") was cockeyed and pointing in a very wrong direction. My mind immediately coughed up a sleep deprived memory of placing these final signs about 4 in the morning. I remember sending Jim staggering out on the trail eyes rolled back in his head on the brink of falling asleep standing up. Minor technical error! So, the 10k had a bonus extended loop at the end... so the half marathon turned out to be over 14 miles... so the course ended up being on of the hilliest and challenging ones around. "Sure... but did you have fun?!"

We sure did. From working with awesome sponsors such as Tryathletics, to doing a road trip to Kansas City to promote the event (did anybody from K.C. even have the nerve to show?), completing the Chicken vs. Gorilla road race series, to a non-stop all nighter setup, it was always a great time. We are still laughing about it.

CHICKEN VS. GORILLA - AIR GUITAR COMPETITION

"Good afternnon ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We're preparing to take off shortly, but first could you please turn your attention to the gorilla at the front of the cabin for a few instructions.

Today's flight is non-smoking, featuring non-stop service to the halls of Valhalla. The on-board entertainment this afternoon is the Chicken vs. Gorilla Air Guitar Championship, Live!

Today's competition features many feats of insane airness, and anyone with metaphysical sensitivities is advised to avert their 3rd eye, or else view the competition through a pinhole camera. If you're an expecting mother, please keep as close to the performers as possible, as the supernatural vibration eminating from their air instruments are said to improve prenatal cognitive development.

In case one of the performers accidentally catches an air guitar on fire from friction, please panic, as we've lost our only air-fire extinguisher and invisible fire is extremely difficult to contain. In case of actual fire, please calmly proceed to the nearest exit. Thank you for flying Air Guitar."

- Chris Williams aka Air Guitar Gorilla God

Awesome, awesome performances at the Chicken vs Gorilla showdown! You had to be there to believe it! Every performer got a prize with the top rockers leaving with the booty. Killer performances from: Your Mom, Pumpkin G, Lori Brown - aka Carol of destruction of chaos, Glube-lube, Burn, Aunt Bitch'n, Uncle Rico, Runs in the Family, Dynamic Duo, Think'n bout it, Peter Parker, Albino Bear and many more. Keep rock'n!

Chicken vs Gorilla Road Race Madness

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:14:00 +0000

You may have seen the Chicken and Gorilla battle it out in different road races this month. The head to head battle started April 1st with the ASS run. After the smoking fast CIGS 4 miler the duo put in some serious miles in the Kansas City blockbuster run "Brew to Brew". Displaying skills of speed and rockability were the goals of the Jay Dix Run. Kirksville's Glow Stick it to Cancer was the last stop in the tour. Look for the pair at Saturday's LOL Run and battle for their respect at Mojo's in the "Chicken vs Gorilla - Air Guitar Competition"!

The Polar Bear Plunge 2008!

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:36:00 +0000

The XCX Xperience -2007

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 15:44:00 +0000

"I am Captain Crazy Fun. I see a whole army of adventure seekers here in defiance of boredom! You have come for the xtreme, and the xtreme you shall get! I commend you for your courage in joining me in this adventure. Run fun...run safe... RUN FREE!"

250 crazed runners screamed and sprinted as gravity pulled them down the hill from the starting line of the XCX cross country extreme. Hurdling tents and dashing through a sandpit, they began their four + mile running adventure behind the Midway Expo Center in Columbia, MO. Video camera in hand, I was prepared to capture the experience on the course and the wonder of the spectators around me. Doubling in size from the year before, the event had become a visual feast of the bizarre. There were more costumed participants than I could count.

Photo by Sait Serkan Gurbuz

A wrestling match between a oversized Chicken and a foul mouthed gorilla was the first sign of the insanity about to come. Less than a half mile into the course, I was funneled into junk yard cage maze of lumber where I and the large group of runners around me were surrounded by walls of plywood and forced to climb over or under large wooden spools. The congested traffic made us easy prey for the hidden attackers that coated our ankles with silly string through holes in the plywood.

After escaping the junk yard, I arrived at row of a dozen horse jump hurdles. It definitely wasn't the height but the quantity that hurt the most. As I hurdled my way across, I could hear the loud crash of the runner behind me misjudging the height of the barrier and knocking the obstacle to the ground as he fell. "He is a goner, save yourself," I thought, knowing that if I glanced back for even a second the next hurdle would clip me to the ground. I could see from the corner of my eye billows of smoke and the sounds of explosions and screaming. The next obstacle was waiting.

Photo by Alex Grisgby

The military crawl was another debut at this year's event. Twine was weaved knee high over a 100 foot rectangular stretch of grass. Wooden blocks created an unpredictable maze to the finish. Nine Inch Nails music was playing, and military clad volunteers were screaming at runners as firecrackers exploded and smoke bombs clouded visibility. It was survival mode, and it was wildly entertaining!

Photo by Truth Leem

After outlasting the military crawl, I was able to escape to the dark forest. Almost immediately, I was attacked by chainsaw wielding zombies and forced to climb ropes up muddy banks, jump into mud pits, and race through creek beds. A bonus loop on this year's course was the pirate pond where decapitated heads hung from trees and One Eyed Willy looked on from his ship-wrecked inflatable kayak.

Photo by Truth Leem

Back in October, participants in the Mayor's Cup were instructed to bring an ugly doll for unspecified reasons. They later learned in the rainstorm of the day that their doll must be sacrificed to the one eyed troll that lived in the tunnel under Taco Bell. Around 40 dolls were sacrificed that October day. Now, here at the XCX the dolls were back. Hung from the trees in a deep creek bed runners were surrounded by them! Suddenly a fart detector alarm came to life screaming, "Fart Detected! Fart Detected!" in a warning cry to the one eyed monster that waited ahead. Crawling through roots and the curtain of dolls, participants found themselves face to face with the One Eyed Purple People Eater! Singing and dancing to the tune of a decapitated cheerleader doll, he happily greeted us. The only way to escape was to climb the mud wall of the creek bed to higher ground.

Photos by Truth Leem

The opening at the end of the dark forest revealed the long and painful "Saw Dust Hill." A long line of runners could be seen running/jogging/walking/crawling their way to the top. If the hill wasn't hard enough, there were photographers and zombies waiting at the top, as well as a long line of hay bales that needed to be climbed and jumped. At that point, runners were instructed to "DO ANOTHER LAP THROUGH THE WOODS!"

Photo by Truth Leem

After four miles of so of this insanity, we were directed to the finish line. A bonfire, music, coffee from Kaldi's and bagels from B&B awaited. There was no prize for first place finisher in the race. Instead, finishers were awarded trophies for different age groups. These trophies were seven-pound cast-iron window weights, painted black and stenciled with the XCX initials. One of a kind indeed.

Special emphasis was placed on the costume contest with sponsor prizes given to the top ten. The first place costume won a pair of Spokiz glasses and a legacy of glory. This year's champion was Mike Tripp whose Zombie make up was frighteningly realistic. Close behind was Sam Dutrow with the amazing Zebra body paint and the ever-rocking band KISS!

Photo by Alex Grisgby

Soon the party ended and participants began their voyage home. Muddy, wet and somewhat traumatized, they had traveled to this event for a common purpose: to have fun. Judging from people's expressions on the course, it was a grand adventure. I can only imagine the scene a year from now!

View the Missourian video by Alex Sutherland

The Eve of the XCX

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 04:00:00 +0000

XCX Cross Country Xtreme
November 17, 2007
9 am - Midway Sandbar

The XCX is one rough, tough and outrageous cross country race. Unlike typical road races that take runners along city streets and trails, the XCX follows the true cross country spirit of taking runners through fields, up and down hills, and through forest trails. However, the XCX takes cross country running to a new level by incorporating obstacle courses, creek crossings, rope climbs and other challenges with the ultimate goal of creating the most extreme and fun cross country race in Missouri.

Now in its 4th event, the XCX has become a successful fundraiser for Columbia Second Chance. Course highlights at the 2006 XCX included running through the woods, crawling through wet creek beds, climbing steep, muddy hills, and jumping a row of hay bales. Competitive high school and college cross country runners raced the course with amazing speed, while runners and joggers of all ages and abilities shared the experience. Many participants even raced in costume. The Incredibles battled the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as Sponge Bob Squarepants and the One Eyed Purple People Eater ran on. After completing the 4 mile course, participants were treated to a bonfire. At the awards' ceremony, speed and creativity were rewarded. Awards were given for fastest in each age group, and top ten prizes were given to the participants with the best costumes. With 130 participants, last year's XCX was a great success.

Here we are one year later. Months of preparation have gone into making this year's event an even bigger success. The stakes have been raised. The course will feature obstacles, props, mud holes, music, and to top it off, a haunted forest. Hopefully, with time the number of participants will skyrocket, propelling the XCX into cult status as the most ridiculous and difficult cross country race (mile per mile) in the Midwest. Those who complete the course will have bragging rights until the next XCX event. Those who win the costume contest will have cult status for life. This event is going beyond crazy fun. It will be in a league of its own. I am challenging runners and hearty walkers alike to participate in this fun event. Spectators are encouraged to come observe!

For all the details visit: www.xcxtreme.com

See you on the course!

Mike Denehy
XCX Race Director

The Mayor's Cup 2007 - Director's Report

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 13:33:00 +0000

I awoke early the morning of October 13th. The preparation and excitement of the day ahead had kept me from more than a couple hours of sleep. The sky was partly cloudy and the forecast called for a 50% chance of rain. A little rain wouldn't hurt.

The Mayor's Cup, Columbia's Urban Adventure Race, was about to begin. Participants gathered at Boone Tavern, and as the starting time arrived, the sprinkle of rain began to get worse. The phone rang. It was the band. They had to cancel. The outdoor show at the park was not going to happen. Time to get a back-up plan in action quick; the participants were waiting. The show must go on.

Around 80 participants were ready to begin an adventure that they knew nothing about. They knew they needed a bike. They knew they needed an ugly doll. Did they have any idea what I had in store for them?

After a couple initiation activities, the participants were off. Eight checkpoints awaited in the downtown "District," all to be completed on foot. Each team received a passport, and at each station clues were given to the upcoming station. Some of the highlights included ringing the courthouse bell, performing a one minute air guitar performance for style points at the Blue Note, a intimate television interview, and a visit with the friendly but doll-obsessed troll that lives under Flat Branch Park. Participants were required to photograph their experiences at each checkpoint. Videographers were stationed throughout the course.

Following the District, teams were sent on a photo hunt on the University of Missouri campus. Team photos show participants hanging out with Thomas Jefferson and Beetle Bailey. Stankowski field became a speedway for bikers as the campus was empty. Before participants finished they were required to sing the Ole Mizzou song in the Stadium tunnel.

I arrived at Grindstone park at 10:30. I knew that participants were cruising through the downtown and were probably making their way through the campus. The heavy rain became an intense thunderstorm and I cursed myself for being stupid enough to wear blue jeans on such a day. The volunteers were huddled wet and cold under the shelter at Grindstone. A biker on a tour from St. Louis was taking refuge with them. I wondered how many participants would be able to tough it out this far. The temperature was dropping fast and the shallow creek beds were beginning to rise. This event was turning into a very intense adventure fast.

Grindstone park was the final section of the course. Eight final checkpoints awaited the bravest souls from the Mayor's Cup. Five check points were in the Enchanted Forest. These included the Farmer (participants had to walk and talk like farm animals for the points), the tongue twister station, the Grindstone School of History, The Red Bull aid station, and my favorite, the Musical Albino Bear (which was filling in for the band). Those who made it this far were to be rewarded. Those up for an extra challenge were encouraged to forge through the knee deep creek, survive the FearFest "Pit O Despair," complete a physical challenge at the "Cliffs of Insanity," and complete the "Battle of the Wits" on the creek shore. Then it was back to Shakespeare's for the pizza party.

The first few teams were through before we were even able to get set up! Another dozen were close behind. Many of the teams were shivering and a few were a little blue. It was wildly entertaining to watch them forge through the creeks and the mud only to be rewarded with Monty Python skits, ridiculous challenges, and a dancing bear playing a xylophone. The rain kept coming. At 1:30 the conditions became so bad for the volunteers that I knew I had to close the course. A few had already fled for their lives as the creeks were at the verge of being impassible. A handful of participants were still on the course and I directed them to the remaining stations as I ran through the park alerting the remaining volunteers to go directly to Shakespeare's and eat pizza. I didn't know how things had held together as long as they had. Only moments before, my cell phone short circuited and I was without contact with the volunteers and participants. Murphy's law was kicking my butt.

I packed all the soggy props and gear into the car and quickly made my way back to Shakespeare's. The plan was to have participants turn in their passports to have their location stamps tallied. Unfortunately, almost all the books were soaking wet mush balls. I wondered how many digital cameras had met their fate that day. Looking around Shakespeare's I noticed that many people had made it for the pizza party. Even more amazing was that everyone was somehow still smiling! Maybe they actually even had a good time! Nobody wanted to punch me! I made sure that everybody left with a door prize or two. The actual winners of the event would have to be determined at a later date. After months of planning and promotion, the event was finally over. What just happened? It was a blur. Totally insane.

As I left Shakespeare's Pizza, the rain came to a stop. The next day was sunny and perfect. But really, where is the adventure in that?

LCD 4 - Rolling out...

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:21:00 +0000

September crept into October. I was successful again in commuting for a month of my of life car free. The commuter mileage was near 350. I imagine that if I had been driving I would have traveled twice that much. Traveling without a car has helped me reevaluate the amount and frequency that I need to travel every day. Instead of hastily running one errand at a time, I now wait until I have a number of tasks and complete them with as few trips as possible.

Nothing like a nap in the sun.

I wish that I could tell you that I will be leaving my car in the driveway with a flat tire, and dead battery. I wish that I could tell you that I could sustain a productive and happy lifestyle without my car. Unfortunately, that would be a lie. I have already taken my bike floor pump and with great effort inflated the flat. I have also gotten the jumper cables ready for the next available opportunity. Chances are, I will be behind the wheel today.

The main photo subject of a solo biker.

However, by being a regular bike commuter I have somewhere down the line completely altered my train of thought. If I need to travel within the city limits I immediately consider my bike as my main source of transportation. On occasion I weigh the options on traveling by car versus bike (weather, cargo, distance, time limitations), and if I am not restricted by outside factors, I choose to travel by bike. Why? The bottom line is because I enjoy it.

The last two days of the Low Car Challenge I spent with bikers of a different breed. Roctoberfest, the motorcycle rally that I have been helping promote this year was big and bad at the Midway Expo Center. I was lucky enough to check out cage fighting/dancing, biker games and some great live music. Plus the people watching was fantastic. I camped out a couple days and designed the course for the XCX Cross Country Xtreme race in November. It was a great way to end the month.

Roctoberfest 2007! Bikers, babes, and chicken wings!

Thanks for reading my thoughts and experiences on the 2007 Low Car Diet.

This is the first chapter in a three month adventure. I will be documenting the experience of being an event director for the three large Off Track Events right around the corner. The Mayor's Cup, the MidMo BRR and the XCX. Its about to get really interesting...

Check out the Blog here: http://offtrackevents.blogspot.com/

LCD 3 - The Power of Pedals!

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 20:44:00 +0000

Three weeks on the saddle. The regular daily routine of bike commuting, has once again given me an outsiders view of the American love affair with the automobile. I am often cut off at intersections by impatient drivers. Would waiting an extra three seconds really cause such distress in their lives? Are they driving to the hospital with an extreme emergency or in an urgent rush to save the world? Do they realize that bikes have the same rights as cars on the road? Chances are the answer to all of these questions is "no". Even in a bike friendly community like Columbia, bike commuters are so uncommon that drivers don't know how to react. Cars line the city streets, burning natural resources, polluting the air and causing havok upon the landscape they travel. If only a tiny fraction of able bodied drivers commuted by bicycle even once a week (even if was to the store or a nearby location), the biking community would grow, safety features would improve on roads and driver awareness of bikers rights could be increased. Unfortunately, those who choose to commute regularly by bike are often seen as extreme and their numbers are small. If Americans want to save some money at the pumps, they may want to consider getting on some pedals.

Continuing my Low Car Marketing Challenge for Off Track Events, I recruited my friend Nate Smith for some classic gorilla marketing at the Summerfest street show featuring the band Wilco. I fluffed the feathers of the Chickman costume and along with the monkey we hit the mega event. Wearing front and backside posters for the Mayor's Cup we danced through a crowd of thousands, distributing hundreds of event brochures. Dozen of people gave us high fives, danced with us and took photos. I recommend that everybody goes incognito in costume at some point of their life. Find that alter ego and set it free.

The end of the week brought the first event in the Off Track Events fall series. The Paws in the Park 5k. I was unsure how directing a cross country race would work without the use of a vehicle. I soon realized that as an event director I could have other people pick up the dozen boxes of t-shirt, race packets and heavy 5k course equipment and deliver them to the event location. Honestly, I could not have driven my station wagon if I had wanted to. It rests in my driveway, a dead battery under the hood, and a flat tire in the back. Foresaken and forgotten.

Once all the course equipment was delivered to the race location, I discovered the ease and benefit that a bike with a trailer offered. The distribution of cones, flags, signs, and water jugs across the 3.1 mile course was expedited by the bike trailer. The bicycle was never restricted by the terrain of the park and it's trail system. The 5k run went off without a hitch. It was a rewarding feeling seeing the Paws in the Park 5k and other activities become a success. I can't wait to do it again.

LCD 2 - A week to end all weeks!

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 20:27:00 +0000

I have been looking forward to this week in Columbia all year long. Three huge events occurred in only a one week period which entertained thousands of people. The Roots N Blues N BBQ, the MS150, and the Tour of Missouri. I was lucky enough to experience each of them. Friday night was the opening night of the Roots N Blues N BBQ. A great lineup of artists including Chris Thomas King, North Mississippi, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Sierra Loene's Refugee All Stars and more were set to entertain thousands of people on three stages in downtown Columbia.

A moment from the Roots N Blues N BBQ -
Photo from www.rootsnbluesnbbq.com

I loaded up the bike trailer once again with a fully loaded cooler and biked downtown on the Off Track Events promotional mobile. I strategically parked in a busy area of the festival where masses of people would walk by the bike seeing the promotional posters on the back. Draping the cover of the kid trailer over the cooler, I had a convenient secret full sized cooler in the middle of this huge festival available for all the friends that I saw over the two day weekend.

During the experience I was reminded how great it is to live in a community that showcases the arts and brings such great entertainment to the masses for free. Seeing the downtown streets closed to traffic made me think about how great it would be if Columbia would ever make its main downtown street (9th St. for example) into a pedestrian mall that only walkers and bikers would be allowed to use (think Madison, Iowa City, and Boulder). The University campus has successfully converted a couple of its busy streets into pedestrian only streets, and it is great resource for the many students who commute by foot or bicycle. Would Columbia, its citizens, and businesses be able to benefit from this as well?

Commuting against bike traffic at the MS150

Saturday morning, I got on my bike and commuted to the Midway Expo Center for the MS150. The MS150 is a bike ride that occurs in cities across the United States on the same day raising money for Multiple Sclerosis. My plan was not to ride in the event. I was there to shamelessly advertise the Off Track Event series. My goal was to place brochures for the 3 events on 1,000 cars (yes, I am the one to thank or to blame). Luckily, I had friends who met me there to help out. Within an hour, we were done and I was on my way. I have commuted by bicycle to the Expo Center many times before. Usually, it's a quiet and lonely 45 minute ride on county roads. The commute today was very different. The sense of solitude was gone, as I got to bike against the flow of 2,000 plus riders on the event. It is a great experience to see a solid, steady line of bikers for miles on a road. It's amazing how many smiles and waves are returned from fellow riders!

Team Ska representing at the Tour of Missouri

To top off the amazing week, the Tour of Missouri ended its stage 4 race in downtown Columbia. World class bikers, competing for large prize money, raced 133 miles from Lebanon, MO, to Columbia, MO. The Columbia streets were lined for miles with fans eagerly anticipating the opportunity to even catch a glimpse of these amazing athletes. I worked my way into the crowd near the finish line and felt the extreme excitement as the 100+ racers sprinted the last 50M to the finish line. It lasted only a few seconds. It was amazing. A world class biking event right here in Columbia. It was a dream come to true. Unfortunately, looking around, I noticed that not many people had commutted to the event with their bikes. Traffic must have been a nightmare. Fortunately, my group of friends and I realize the advantage that bikes give us for quickly arriving to large events, getting right in the action (yes the cooler was once again hydrating the masses), and getting to park where we like every time!

Am I seeing double Elvis?

The Columbia finish of Stage 4 of the Tour of Missouri

Arial view of Columbia and the Tour of Missouri
Photo from www.tourofmissouri.com

The rest of the week involved the usual commuting back and forth from home to town. At one point, I needed to mail a large number of promotions for Off Track Events: 225 packages to be exact. On a normal month, I would simply put the packages in the back of the car and drive to the post office. This month I strategically stacked the small packages to all fit into the promotional trailer. Biking the few miles to town felt like I was hauling people on the Shakespeare's pedicab at times. But, once I arrived at the post-office, I felt satisfied with my accomplishment. Off to the post office. Spending extra time bike commuting has helped me appreciate the senses that are often lost when traveling in a vehicle: the change of temperature in the middle of October, the aroma of fried chicken as I pass by the nearby grocery store, spotting lost treasures on the side of the street as I commute from place to place. These quick and personal moments are another reason why bike commutting is a grand adventure to me.

My four wheeled transportation

Low Car Diet (LCD) Week 1 - Promotional Pedestrian Power

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 20:11:00 +0000

It's back again. The Low Car Challenge. Last year, it was a fun but challenging adventure through the month of October with a long commute from St. Charles and steady bike transportation around Columbia. With confidence high and excitement to create new experiences, I eagerly signed on for another round. What surprises will September bring this year?

Gearing up for the Heart of America.

With the experience of last year I know that one of the hardest challenges of not using a car is accommodating to the demands of the busy world. Being certain places at certain times, transporting people and materials, and being able to schedule extra time in the day to get to where you need to be at the appropriate time. I volunteer for Columbia Second Chance and I know that there are animal rescue and foster issues that I will not be able to handle successfully on a bicycle. If an important situation arises, I know that I will have to forfeit my oath to leave my car where it is parked.

Masked men on the course!

One of the hardest challenges for me this month will be the promotion and course setup for Off Track Events a series of social events (sometimes known as "races") that will begin late September and run through the middle of November. With thousands of brochures, posters and promotional material I know that I will need to think outside the box this month. To help in the success of the promotions I borrowed a friends trailer and with it built a three poster long billboard that faces the traffic behind me. A traveling advertisement that every car and pedestrian behind me will see. I once again feel the excitement creating a new daily routine without the comfort and ease of a automobile. Let the games begin.

Matt running a section of the marathon.

The Heart of America Marathon was labor day - and I was ready to return to the course the second year in a row. However, I would not be running in the event. I would be entertaining. With the help of Matt Drier and Alex Grigsby's party tandem bike, runner's were treated to a traveling aid station trailer with a cooler of water, backpack stereo and as many twizzlers as they eat. The expressions on the runner's faces were priceless as they saw two masked men on a tandem bike offering them refreshment's and encouragement. Powergels were distributed, nutty bars were eaten and even an adult magazine was brought out to inspire. What a blast!

Although, I only biked the marathon, I still felt a level of extreme fatigue for a couple days. Luckily, I work from home and was able to hide out and avoid much commuting for a couple days. Rest and recovery for the days ahead. Plenty of commuting miles to come. Thursday night I headed to my part time job as a pedicab driver (I like to tell people that I am a professional cyclist) for Shakespeare's Pizza. I have been working as a pedicab driver for a couple weeks and was a little nervous on how my first night pedicabbing a twilight festival would go. I imagined it would be a stressful night of hauling endless rowdy teenagers around the downtown area with heavy traffic cutting me off at every corner. I was wrong!

"Anybody want a free ride on the pedicab?"

Photo by: Serkan Gurbuz

A couple downtown blocks were closed down and only open for pedestrians. Bands were playing around every corner and people were everywhere. A woman asked if I could give her daughters a ride around the block. I told them to jump in! I biked up to the top of the elevated block than did a roller coaster switchback to the bottom throwing in a couple curly cues along the way. By the time I got to the bottom, there were kids lining up to take the next ride. Everybody was waving as the kids laughed and screamed (maybe from fun maybe from terror). I did rollercoaster rides for another ten minutes before the street became to busy and then returned to my loop around the downtown District. After three plus hours of a full night of pedicabbing, I was exhausted. Sleep never felt so good. Let's see what week 2 brings...

Best job ever.
Photo by: Serkan Gurbuz

TRANSIOWA III

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Tue, 01 May 2007 21:21:00 +0000

Here is the race report for the TransIowa III (http://transiowa.blogspot.com)- Thru the miles of MikeD - photos courtesy of other riders (besides the self portraits)

At 4 am Saturday morning, my friend Grazhopper and 80 other sleepy eyed but adrenaline fueled riders began the TranIowa Ride. The TransIowa Mountain Bike Race is a non-stop, self-supported, solo competition along the gravel roads of rural Iowa. Starting and finishing in Decorah the 325 mile route was broken down into about two dozen cue sheets. Riders were give the first set of cue sheets (for the first 130 miles) at the beginning of the race and after finishing that distance are given the second set of cue sheets with the rest of miles. Riders had 34 hours to reach the finish line or face disqualification.

The front pack quickly surged up the steep hill at the starting line and that was the last we would see of them. Bike blinkers could be seen scattered for miles on the dusty roads before dawn broke. The first few hours of navigation was as easy as following the bike lights in front of us. In my opinion the hills of Decorah are the best that Iowa has to offer, in the start of the ride we climbed up long steep hills and then roared down them like a bumpy out of control rollercoaster. Soon the lights on the bike were replaced by daylight and we were able to view the beautiful rural area that we were traveling thru. Grazhopper and I held a steady 16 mph for the first couple hours - We knew the the first hundred miles would be the easiest. The 2nd hundred would probably kind of suck. And the third? We didnt know, we had never gone that far before.

After 45 miles I noticed that Graz wasnt smiling and wasn't laughing at my jokes so much.

"Why don't you bike ahead of me for a while - I need to throw up" - He said in a calm tone - I biked ahead and noticed from over my shoulder him throwing up for the next 5 miles. Now Graz is one bad ass dude and if he even hints that he is feeling uncomfortable, I imagine that he is on the brink of death. About a quarter mile from the first town he actually got off his bike and sat down for a few seconds. Yes, it didnt look good. We reached the convenience store and it was evident that in his condition there was no way that he would reach the first 130 mile check point in the time limit, or finish the rest of the route. It was tragic seeing his stomach get the best of him (we think that it may be because of the 3:30 am salami sandwich *see photo) - He had driven all the way to portland to be here and now he had to throw in the towel. I bought him a gatorade, scavenged his bike for parts and continued on.

The weather was perfect that day. Mid-70's, Sunny and a good wind. The next80 miles I kept a steady social pace and conversed with riders as we passed each other. About half the riders rode single speed bikes, one of the finishers even road a fixed gear entire way. Humbling to say the least. On a distance rides of this nature, I have learned that there is so much importance of staying well hydrated and eating as often as possible. Every gas station or deli the route traveled by (not very many) I made sure to eat plenty.

I reached the 1st and only check point around 4 pm - I was given my second sheet of navigational directions. After a nice stretch on the Cedar Valley nature trail it was back to the Iowa hills and some awesome level B roads. Although that first checkpoint was only 130 miles into the ride, it would be the last time that I would see another biker rider (besides a half dozen that were in the process of dropping out) for the rest of the entire race. 200 miles solo ahead.

I stopped at a Traer at sunset for my last meal before the Sunday dawn. Talked to one of the leader riders who had blown out his knee and had to call itquits. Really cool guy. He had been waiting 2 and half hours for a ride. I sent some text messages to friends and checked the ones received. (besides this stop it was the only interaction that I had with anyone besides gas station attendants and myself until the end of the race). The night was back. It was a long time until dawn.

2 am I encountered my personal obstacle course. On a 5 miles stretch of road I got my first flat tire - After replacing the tube with the spare - I noticed the the spare tube had a faulty valve and didnt hold air. I realized that I forgot my patch kit and was on my last spare tube. Better hold. Then I couldn't find my turn off of the road that I was on. My odometer was miscalculated to the distances on the cue sheets and I couldnt find the road that I was to turn onto. I hammered back a 3-4 miles back up the road without luck - Actually very bad luck. Because after hearing a pop I realized that my chain was lying broken in the road behind me. Crap. Now, I was getting frustrated. I dropped a link in the chain and put it back on the bike. Wait...I realized that I forgot to loop the chain through the derailer. Thats not going to work. I popped out another pin and took off the chain again. For the next 5-10 minutes (felt like forever) I struggled to remember how to loop the chain through the derailer and reconnect it to the bike. I have done this plenty of times successfully in the past. But I could not remember or figure it out as I sat on that gravel road that morning. Finally, it came to me. The chain was reconnected and the bike was rolling down the hill. I finally was able to get on the right road. It was 3:15 am. The cut off as 2 pm - Would I have time to complete the remaining 130 miles? At that I decided to reset my distance odometer after every cue point. And focus on the ride one turn at a time (1-8 mile stretches). I knew that I had to ride hard to make it in time. I set my mind that I would make it in time.

In the next couple hours there were two closed roads were flooded with some really deep water. I actually feel off the bike and into the water on one of them. It was so much fun. Morning came...miles and miles past... hours past...just kept on staying focused on the goal. I was making some great time. The roads became rolling hills, there was a great tail wind. My legs and body were feeling great. Things were really going my way. Fantastic!

I knew that I had plenty of time to complete the 185 miles that were on the second set of cue sheets - Just one more page of cue sheets before the finish - Time was 12:45 pm on Sunday - I finally turned the page for my last page of mileage - Now I remembered the the second set of cue sheets from my initial glance coming in at 185 miles which was only 10 miles to go. Ten miles in 1 hour 15 minutes. No problem. Even if there were some killer hills at the end I would be fine. I turned the page for the final sheet - 195 miles was the total distance. Holy crap, I had another 10 miles ontop of the 10 miles I thought. Double the distance in the same amount of time. Even though the legs were turning to putty, I was able to hold 20 miles an hour for the last hour. The last half mile was a steep hill that I dismounted and walked 3/4 up. When I saw the finish line, I jumped back on the bike to give the the illusion that I had actually biked up. 15 minutes to cut off, I received a great welcome from the volunteers as they cheered my in. 325 miles - 33 hour 45 minutes.

I have never been so happy to be the last place finisher at a race. 21 finishers total. I even won two six packs of microbrew beer for my efforts. It made it all worthwhile.

LCD 4 - Haunting Halloween Bike Commuting

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 15:06:00 +0000

The month of October counts down to a end. Soon this Halloween night will break into a November dawn. The Low Car Diet Challenge will be over.

I will be able to leave town for distant locations! I will be able to buy more than a saddlebag full of groceries, and take the dogs to the park without running them thru neighborhoods and forests! The freedom! The speed! The convenience!

Honestly, things won't change much when the clock turns to midnight tonight. I have long had a fondness of self powered commuting, and it is lifestyle choice that I enjoy experiencing. Sure, there will be many occasions that I will choose to take a car for practical reasons, but given the choice and opportunity I would much rather bike or run almost anywhere. It has been a rewarding month of bicycling, a really great time.

The final week Haunting Halloween Bike Commuting!

Thursday night my friend Alex and I biked out to Midway (amazingly enough my fourth trip out there in October) to visit the FearFest Haunted House. I do promotions for the event, and we had set up a after hours photo shoot of the haunted house. In true halloween style the fog was thick and it rained on us the entire way there and back. Alex even took a side slide across the road, smashing off one of his headlights (his second whipe out of the week!) It was great fun, and a little disturbing getting to photograph the haunted houses and their twisted staff of monsters and victims. I imagine that we were one of the few who had biked from Columbia to the event.

Saturday night was really one of the greatest bike events ever to happen in the world! The Bike Halloween Party! Bike in Movie, Bike Costume Parade around town and other goulish mayhem! A large group of costumed friends and I cruised the loop around downtown Columbia after dark. In true halloween parade fashion we threw candy to the unexpecting public and did whatever we could to get as much attention as possible! After the home football game there were many bar patrons that seemed to really enjoy our ridiculous antics! Who wouldn't enjoy seeing a legion of costumed night riders cruising down the street infront of you! After returning to the party we gathered around the bonfire and watched classic horror films (Halloween, and Evil Dead 2) on the outdoor movie theater area.

This Saturday is the MidMo Brr ride. The next big costume bike ride for many riders of the event. Based off the Iowa BRR ride (which is another long legacy in itself) this ride goes from Flatbranch Park to Rocheport. There will be a few hundred people on the ride. I encourage all of you to come and enjoy a great social bike ride down the katy trail. Hope to see you there.

Thanks for following the adventures of the Low-Car Diet. I hope that I have helped encourage/inspire some of you to commute by bike when the opportunity presents itself.

As we say on RAGBRAI -

Bottoms up and rubbersides down!

Cheers-

MikeD

LCD 3 - Rockbridge Revenge

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 14:03:00 +0000

3 weeks into the low-car diet. The temperature has dropped and there have been many rainy days. Times I have asked myself if should I pass up the opportunity to travel somewhere due to the time and physical discomfort involved. Being a self employed stay at home kind of guy, I was able to escape from the heavy rain, cold days in the early week. Only having to sport the rain jacket a couple of times. Cold weather and rain can really change the mood of a ride.

The biggest obstacle of the low-car diet actually has been organizing with the schedules and responsibilities of those who interact with me on a regular basis. From telling my wife that I will meet her at a restaurant in 20 minutes (I tell her to give me a 10 minute head start), or telling friends that I will meet them at FearFest at the Midway exit (give me a 30 minute head start please) it takes proper planning to meet on time. Last minute commuting by bike, can be a solitary endeavor. Rewarding, but not always social.

The Rockbridge Revenge Trail run was this last Saturday. The event is a 10k and 20k race through the wooded, hilly, muddy and rocky park. Really, one of my favorite events all year! I bundled up early in the morning and rode to the park. After chatting with some good friends and watching the start of the 20k, I decided that I had better visit the restroom before beginning the 10k event. Apparently, I was in there to long, because when I came out the race had already started and many of the runners were already way up into the single track in the woods. Yikes! I threw all my warm weather clothes in the direction of my bike and ran towards the pack. After plowing through trees and zig zaging through the groups of runners I finally caught the front group of runners. I am going to give credit to the month of hard bike riding that my legs never gave out and my lungs didn't explode by the end of the race. I finished a strong second place (first in age group). I am really happy about that!

With daylight savings time less than a week away, its time to get those bike light batteries replaced and ready. Time to bundle up the layers of clothing and prepare for the cold weather ahead. One exhilarating week to go!�

The race begins!

Everybody runs into the woods!

"Hey, wait for me! I was in the bathroom!" - Photo courtesy of Alison Hodgson

Post race rest - Photo courtesy of Alison Hodgson

Alright!! - Photo courtesy of Alison Hodgson

Portrait - Photo courtesy of Alison Hodgson

Fellow low Car Dieter Alison Hodgson

LCD 2 - Low Car Challenge? High Bike Opportunity!

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 13:57:00 +0000

I feel lucky to have a month full of excuses to get back on my bike. Everytime, I need to go anywhere its another opportunity for fresh air, exercise and a feeling of relaxation. I will take advantage of this situation any time that I can!

Commuting by bicycle is a great way to get in great physical shape. Biking your daily routes and special trips can be a tremendous kick start to a new level of fitness. Simply heading downtown to drop a package off at the post office, carrying groceries and cargo up steep hills home, and racing to catch the green light before it turns to red creates a strong level of biker strength. The Bike, Walk and Wheel week in Columbia is a great example of how healthy and social people in the community can be when they take the extra time to physically transport themselves around the town. My amazing wife Katie bikes to work most days of the week, and we also often travel to events in town by bicycle. It is a great chance for us to spend time together and we love not having to worry about finding a parking space (we are always able to park the bikes directly at our final location). Riley the super dog even got into the commuting spirit this week as we did a long run to the dog park. I really believe that she had more fun on the fast run to the dog park than she did when she was actually there!

This week, my friend Nate Smith and I began the process of promoting by bicycle the upcoming cross country race (XCX cross country extreme) that we are co-race directors for. It is amazing how much faster it is dropping of brochures around the city of Columbia when you are able to get around quickly by bike. 5,000 brochures distributed by the end of next week. That is our challenge! I can honestly say that I can get anywhere in town in twice the time by bike than if I was in a car (although sometimes that can be quite a challenge). I do take extreme caution when I commutethroughout the city. I really focus on getting eye contact from drivers at intersections before I make the decision to cross. I was transporting some Electric 6 concert posters for Mojos early this week in a kid trailer. Riding down some busier streets I noticed that I was given much more caution by the cars around me. Cars politely passed me widely and slowly and politely waved me ahead at intersections. The interaction between car drivers and bikers varies tremendously. There are times bikers are almost (and in some occasions actually are) run off the road and other situations where a honking car sports a passenger with a thumbs up of encouragement. The rule to remember is cars do much more damage to bikes than bikes do to them. Respect the same rules of the road as they do and do take caution.

No epic Katy trail rides this week. No road races and long commutes. Simply multiple commutes daily. Normal life traveling by bike. What a great work out!

Back on the Katy Trail

One of the many Historic Bridges on the trail

Back from the grocery store

Kid Trailer - "No Baby on Board"

XCX Promoter

Riley - Super dog

The Low Car Diet 2006

noreply@blogger.com (Off Track Events) — Sat, 07 Oct 2006 13:48:00 +0000

The Challenge: To accomplish all travel in October without using an automobile.

Upon first hearing of this low-car diet, I thought: "I would love to--sounds like a great, fun challenge, but it is impossible. The first day of October I will be driving home from a wedding in St. Louis. I am already out of the game. Wait, doesn't the Katy trail start near St. Louis?..." Upon looking at a map I realized that the St. Charles trailhead was only 7 miles away from my hotel in St. Peters. A window of opportunity opened and I realized that it was possible to make the commute back to Columbia by bicycle. Bring it on. On October 1st my wife left the hotel in St. Peters for Columbia with the car, as I began the trek back home on the trail. My original plan was to make a point of stopping at wineries and bars along the way. After further consideration, I realized that the 150 miles of trail wouldn't leave much time for sightseeing. I would allow myself a beer break in Augusta. I would not pass that opportunity.

Keeping a steady pace around 16 miles an hour, I wasn't able to converse with other patrons on the trail besides a quick "hello" and "on your left". At my tuna and cracker stop in Tebbets, I met a self contained rider from Kansas, who was on a two week solo trip into Illinois. He gladly gave me some of his extra water (as there are so very few drinking fountains on the trail between St. Charles and N. Jefferson) and we exchanged stories and were on our way. It was a beautiful warm sunny day with a challenging headwind and the start of fall colors. Riding on the Katy Trail can be like running on a treadmill, there are times you don't feel like you are going anywhere at all.

11 hours after leaving St. Charles, I met a friend of at Cooper's landing and we rode the final stretch home to Columbia. An exciting start to a full month of biking. The rest of the week involved back and forth biking into town, and occasional stops at the grocery store. I can't forget the fabulous downtown Columbia Pub crawl, the fastest I have ever visited 10 different bars in Columbia.

Friday night was the opening night of Roctoberfest, the motorcycle rally at the Midway Expo center. I had been helping with promotions for the event for months and was very excited for the weekend's festivities. My friend Alison (who is also involved in the Low Car Diet) and her husband Daniel joined me for the dusk/night ride to the Expo Center. By taking back roads we were able to avoid the interstate route that the rest of the attendees traveled. Amazing sunset, followed by a rising full moon. Incredible. After watching the opening event of cage fighting/cage dancing activities, we set up camp in the field. The sounds of passing motorcycles kept us up for hours. The next morning we left early to make it back to Columbia. Daniel was running in the Run for Life Relay, and I promised my dog Riley that I would take her on the Dog Jog 5K. Both started at 9 am. We bid each other farewell and I met my wife Katie with Riley at the race right before the start. In her first 5k, Riley kept a great pace and we finished with a time of 19:36 - 3rd place, winning a gift certificate at Walt's and Tequila. Good dog! After a little recovery time, it was back to Roctoberfest to mingle with bikers of a different breed. After a night of wild entertainment, it was back to trying to sleep in a tent circled by motorcycles. Now that I am back at home on Sunday, I am glad to be off the bike and lounging on the couch for a little while, recouping for a new week of bike commuting about to begin...