PCL

The PCL calendar has been updated!

2012-01-22T10:34:00.000-08:00

Hey pirates! The PCL calendar had been updated! Check it out. Hope to see a lot of smiling faces at these events!

2012 Gravel Worlds!

2012-01-08T13:47:00.000-08:00

Saturday August 18, 2012
6 AM

Vote for Rider (Pirate) of the Year

2011-12-16T07:55:00.000-08:00

Ms. Grindcore is up for NE Rider of the Year. Two clicks is all it takes...

Vote

Yep. SHEnanigans.

The PCL is five years old!

2011-12-03T12:29:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the memories. More to come in 2012. Here's a few flashbacks.

Ponca Ride 2010 from Cornbread on Vimeo.

PCL hits Dirt Rag

2011-11-10T12:57:00.000-08:00

Check out this months Dirt Rag for a feature on Gravel Worlds written by Matt Gersib and photos by Jason Ortiz

Gravel Worlds 2012!

2011-11-09T09:26:00.000-08:00

The PCL is happy to announce that Gravel Worlds will happen again in 2012! Date is yet to be determined (most likely the end of August). The event will begin and end in Lincoln, Nebraska. New course for 2012! Stay tuned for intermittent details!

Friday

2011-09-20T08:15:00.000-07:00

Gravel Worlds Results!

2011-08-21T13:07:00.000-07:00

Here are the results listed by caterogy. Time reflects amount of ride time. Please let me know if you see any discrepancies. Thanks to all that participated. Lining up for a race on the edge of town before sunrise knowing the weather is threatening along with the reality of having to walk miles of muddy roads takes a lot of courage. Much respect from the PCL crew! We're already excited for next year!

Open Men

First name	Last name	Time	Place
Greg	Shimonek	10:38:30	1
Brady	Murphy	10:45:56	2
Dale	Pinkelman	11:08:30	3
Lucas	Marshall	11:18:00	4
Kevin	Burke	12:04:08	5
Trevor	Madden	12:18:22	6
Rich	Wince	12:21:34	7
Eric	Finks	12:25:33	8
Paul	Chapman	12:25:33	9
Michael	Dixon	12:25:33	9
James	Blake	12:36:17	11
Chris	Karpowicz	12:36:59	12
Kevin	Collings	12:40:38	13
John	Williams	12:46:28	14
Chris	Burger	12:48:49	15
Ted	Lechnowsky	12:55:25	16
Randy	Gibson	13:11:06	17
Ben	Swan	13:12:10	18
Steve	Cannon	13:12:36	19
Marcus	Mancini	13:28:08	20
Al	Brunner	13:39:32	21
Jeremy	Eisenhauer	13:40:25	22
Jason	Bakewell	13:42:00	23
Carlos	Monzon	13:42:47	24
Andrew	Keffer	14:01:56	25
Scott	Kiddoo	14:03:30	26
Scott	Noel	14:03:30	26
Tim	Mohn	14:28:50	28
Aaron	Schnee	14:30:00	29
Lane	Bergen	14:30:35	30
Rob	Livermore	14:48:43	31
Wesley	Trout	14:53:35	32
Eric	Benjamin	15:02:05	33
Scott	Bridges	15:14:50	34
Oak	Williams	15:16:05	35
Phillip	Clark	15:27:05	36
Tim	Kelsey	15:27:05	36
Devin	O'Brien	15:27:05	36
Chris	Goodall	15:35:20	39
Scott	Redd	15:35:20	39
Carl	Gauger	15:51:30	41
Scott	Ideen	16:46:30	42
Lucas	Orth	16:46:30	42
Brandon	Wachal	16:46:30	42
Andrew	Amen	DNF	DNF
Alfred	Berchtold	DNF	DNF
Matt	Bergen	DNF	DNF
Chris	Blackstock	DNF	DNF
Jordan	Brasch	DNF	DNF
Conrad	C.	DNF	DNF
Mark	Chapin	DNF	DNF
Brian	Drahota	DNF	DNF
Joe	Fox	DNF	DNF
Matt	Fuller	DNF	DNF
Matt	Gersib	DNF	DNF
Shane	Harders	DNF	DNF
Robert	Kay	DNF	DNF
Randy	Kinney	DNF	DNF
Corey	Knop	DNF	DNF
Daniel	Kroll	DNF	DNF
Zane	Languis	DNF	DNF
Delan	Lonowski	DNF	DNF
Brian	Luciani	DNF	DNF
Mike	Marsh	DNF	DNF
David	McLeod	DNF	DNF
Gus	Miller	DNF	DNF
Ian	Moore	DNF	DNF
Scott	O'Mara	DNF	DNF
Russell	Parde	DNF	DNF
Phillip	Rudebusch	DNF	DNF
Phil	Stake	DNF	DNF
Paul	White	DNF	DNF
Kevin	Wilkins	DNF	DNF
Jim	Winklepleck	DNF	DNF
Todd	Wixon	DNF	DNF
Dan	Zieg	DNF	DNF
Jake	Anderson	DNS	DNS
Bruce	Anderson	DNS	DNS
Ryan	Anzalone	DNS	DNS
Matt	Beck	DNS	DNS
Paul	Carroll	DNS	DNS
Jon	Chamberlain	DNS	DNS
Sean	Craig	DNS	DNS
Sean	Fontaine	DNS	DNS
Michael	Giese	DNS	DNS
Kevin	Gilinsky	DNS	DNS
Courtney	Hilton	DNS	DNS
David	Kosark	DNS	DNS
Ken	Lackey	DNS	DNS
Chris	Larkin	DNS	DNS
Scott	McDonough	DNS	DNS
David	Sheesley	DNS	DNS
Timothy	Songster	DNS	DNS
Matt	Vonderfecht	DNS	DNS
Keith	Walberg	DNS	DNS
Marc	Walter	DNS	DNS
Tim	Werts	DNS	DNS

Open Women

First name	Last name	Time	Place
Loren	Uscilowski	12:21:34	1
Elisabeth	Reinkordt	16:46:30	2
Kimberly	Brown	DNF	DNF
Chinda	David	DNF	DNF
Ashley	Frear Cooper	DNF	DNF
Emily	Harrenstein	DNF	DNF
Ryana	Swift	DNF	DNF
Liz	Tylander	DNF	DNF
Jen	Deep	DNF	DNF
Cindy	Arias	DNS	DNS
Amber	Hollmann	DNS	DNS
Sarah	Madsen	DNS	DNS
Barbie	Miller	DNS	DNS
Nora	Rolf	DNS	DNS

Master Men

First name	Last name	Time	Place
Mike	Shumway	12:21:34	1
John	Vondracek	12:52:10	2
Ron	Nelson	13:42:50	3
Bruce	Sandahl	14:37:50	4
Mark	Falloon	15:32:20	5
Patrick	Grewe	DNF	DNF
Steve	Hurless	DNF	DNF
Paul	Larsen	DNF	DNF
Don	Reed	DNF	DNF
David	Rowe	DNF	DNF
Brian	Todd	DNF	DNF
Robert	Tucker	DNF	DNF
Mike	Borland	DNS	DNS
Jim	Cummings	DNS	DNS
John	Mathias	DNS	DNS
Jim	Rank	DNS	DNS
Rick	Sanders	DNS	DNS
Lou	Waugaman	DNS	DNS

Master Women

First name	Last name	Time	Place
Kim	Carveth	16:45:30	1

Single Speed Men

First name	Last name	Time	Place
Eric	Brunt	10:45:55	1
Chris	Hansen	11:51:56	2
Rafal	Doloto	12:25:33	3
Cornbread		12:25:33	3
Aaron	Gammel	12:48:49	5
Jonathan	Neve	13:29:49	6
David	Randleman	14:23:05	7
Steven	Thompson	14:24:30	8
John	Welsh	14:31:05	9
Tod	Sehnert	15:32:20	10
Matt	Wills	15:51:30	11
Rhino	Albeez	DNF	DNF
Scott	Kielion	DNF	DNF
Clint	Robinson	DNF	DNF
Patrick	Sands	DNF	DNF
Joseph	Savoie	DNF	DNF
Warren	Wiebe	DNF	DNF
Bob	Barklage	DNS	DNS
Michael	Beck	DNS	DNS
Scott	Bristol	DNS	DNS
Kent	Carlson	DNS	DNS
Don	Daly	DNS	DNS
Joel	Dyke	DNS	DNS
Wade	Frerichs	DNS	DNS
Zack	Lamb	DNS	DNS
Steve	McGuire	DNS	DNS
Adam	Moskowitz	DNS	DNS
Billy	Schaaphok	DNS	DNS

Single Speed Women

First name	Last name	Time	Place
Janna	Vavra	12:48:28	1
Sydney	Brown	DNS	DNS

Tandem

First name	Last name	Time	Place
Lance/Malcolm	Andre/Tassi	14:30:00	1
Charle & Pat	Jenkins	DNS	DNS

Gravel Worlds! Full steam ahead!

2011-08-19T06:12:00.000-07:00

Who's ready?! Gravel Worlds is less than 24 hours away!

Thanks

First and foremost, the PCL crew would like to say thanks to all the folks who played a part in organizing and sponsoring the event. The list is lengthy, but please be sure to check out the links and support those who support us!

Cycle Works, Moose's Tooth, War Axe Bicycles, Twin Six, Routine Leg Works, Modern Monks, Empyrean Brewing Company, Monkey Wrench Cycles, Joyride Bicycles, Bike Rack, Trek Store of Omaha, TMCO, Screen Ink

Weather

Alright, now onto the topic that everyone is wondering about...the weather. Mother Nature did her best to throw a wrench in our plans, but we're forging ahead. The Lincoln area got a significant amount of rain last night. The gravel roads should handle the precipitation, but the MMR (dirt roads) could be a different story. The forecast for today is for mostly sunny skies and a modest wind out of the east. The sunshine and wind should help dry the dirt roads.

The forecast for the entire event is 30 to 40% chance of scattered thunderstorms. Of course all this could change. Please be aware that we are not modifying the course. This is a tongue in cheek World Championship. You gotta earn it! So some MMR roads may be a bit soft and muddy. There could be some sections that are not rideable. You may hafta do some hike a bike. It's not a big deal. Trust me. Several of the gravel grinders this year had significant amounts of hike a bike.

We will start in the rain, but not if there is lightning. If lightning is present we will have a delayed start.

Please use common sense while out on the course. If the weather takes a turn for the worse please seek shelter. We will not be out there to warn you of inclement weather. It is your responsibility to recognize and respond to severe and dangerous weather.

Gonna bail?

If you don't plan on making it to the event and have already sent in a postcard, please shot me an email and let me know that you will not be in attendance.

If you start the event and decide to not continue to the finish you MUST call (text message preferred) the number below (Troy's number) and let us know you are done and have a safe way home. AGAIN, YOU MUST CALL THE NUMBER (TEXT MESSAGE PREFERRED) AND LET US KNOW YOU ARE NO LONGER ON THE COURSE AND HAVE A SAFE WAY HOME. Write this number down or store it in your phone. Please text or leave a message with your name.

(402) 540-1256

Mmmmm....MMR!

Friday Night Optional Rider Check-in

Tonight at Cycle Works (located at 27th and Vine street) from 6 PM until 9 PM the PCL crew will be having an optional rider check-in. During the check-in we will verify rider information including collecting contact info (cell number), have riders sign a waiver, hand out cue sheets, and answer any questions pertaining to Gravel Worlds.

Riders will also have an opportunity to purchase items in the store at a discounted rate. Modern Monks has also generously supplied a keg of IPA and also some craft root beer. You don't wanna miss out!

Cycle Works PCL display!

Secret Checkpoint

There is a secret checkpoint for tomorrow along with the three Nebraska Powerball ticket checkpoints. It was noted on your cue sheet and is around mile 102. The checkpoint is up a driveway off the gravel road. Keep your eyes peeled for a sign. You shouldn't miss it. You must have proof of reaching this checkpoint after crossing the finish line.

PCL Swag

The good folks at Screen Ink have hooked us up again with a bunch of one of a kind PCL t-shirts, sweatshirts and even a tanktop and hoodie. Limited Edition individually numbered Gravel Worlds posters will also be available. If you want one you better show up at Cycle Works tonight. Prices to be determined.

Trophies

Thanks to the good folks at TMCO for the wicked trophies. Only the winner of each category will receive a gravel reliquary.

Yep, that's gravel in there!

Bottle Openers

There are a limited number of Gravel Worlds bottle openers that will be available at the final Oasis location. Schmidty will determine who gets one. You may hafta drink a beer or two supplied by Empryean Ales in order to get one.

Yep, that's a gravel maintainer on that bottle opener!

See everyone soon! Arrrrrrrgh!

Gravel Worlds course info update!

2011-08-16T08:26:00.001-07:00

Never too far from Lincoln

Cue Sheet update

Thanks to PCL mate, Rafal, we have a link to a MS Word document for the cue sheet. You can find it here. Please format as you see fit. If you decide not to make your own cue sheet we will have an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet for you to use, but you will need a way to protect it from moisture. A Ziplock freezer bag works great. We will not be supplying Ziplock bags.

Detailed map

We also have a link to the MapMyRIDE website courtesy of PCL mate, Paul L. You can find that here. I've heard varying estimates on the total elevation gain (climbing). Anywhere from 5,000 up to near 12,000. Who knows? Make no mistake, it's got a lot of rollers.

Don't get lost!

Alrighty, no one wants to travel to an event and get lost while riding. So please be very attentive to street signs. All of the turns on the course have street makers. The PCL crew rode the entire course last week to be certain.

Please note that some roads are very similar. N 40th off Branched Oak Road (mile 21.5) and NW 40th off Branched Oak Road (mile 27.5). If you take a right on N 40th you're gonna be off course. So look for NW 40th.

Gravel Worlds UPDATE!

2011-08-14T16:46:00.000-07:00

Gravel Worlds! SUPER IMPORTANT NEWS!

PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE POST!

The course

The Gravel Worlds course is ready for viewing! We release the course early so folks can make their own cue sheets/cards if they choose to do so. If you don't want to make a cue sheet/card, we will have a standard cue sheet at the optional Friday evening rider check-in at Cycle Works (6pm-9pm) The standard cue sheet will also be available on the morning of the ride. The standard cue sheet will be a basic 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. Nothing fancy folks. If you want something better, knock yourself out.

This is a challenging course! For those who participated in the 2010 Gravel Worlds you will note this is 99% the same. We have added a little extra to get the total mileage up to 153 and change. Rough estimates are around 8,000 to 9,000 feet of climbing. The climbs are short power climbs that seem never ending. The terrain will have all kinds of gravel and dirt road surfaces. Some areas will have large white rock sections that are pinch flat power sucking purgatories. Arrrgh!

Below is a jpeg of the cue sheet. It is your responsibility to know how to read the cue sheet and have a way to conveniently carry and access it during the ride. You must carry a cue sheet! Don't rely on your buddy or other folks to navigate you. Be familiar with which road you're on and the upcoming turn and mileage. A cyclometer is highly recommended. Note the cue sheet has mileage listed next to each turn. Your mileage should be approximately the mileage listed on the cue sheet when you get to the listed turn if you remain on course.

The cue sheet is broken up into four sections. Note there are only THREE pseudo-checkpoints. At each pseudo-checkpoint no one will be there to check you off. You will need to purchase a Nebraska Powerball Lottery ticket at the convenience store listed on the cue sheet as proof of reaching said checkpoint. Please note that you cannot buy Nebraska Powerball tickets with a credit or debit card. You must have cold hard cash! The Nebraska Powerball Lottery tickets will be collected at the end of the ride. If you don't have three tickets from each specified pseudo-checkpoint, you will be disqualified. I will be verifying date/time and location on the tickets upon each rider finish.

Please note that the pseudo-checkpoint in the town of Valpraiso has two gas stations/convenience stores and only one sells Nebraska Powerball Lottery tickets (Phillips 66).

I'm still working on a way to post the cue sheet via Microsoft Word. If you want a copy via Microsoft Word, send me an email and I'll shot you a copy. Aarrrgh!

Secret Checkpoint

It's a secret. Got it? Note on the cue sheet it's located somewhere on SW 2nd Street. You gotta find it and prove you made it there when you cross the finish line.

Course Markings?

Pfffft...yeah, right. The course will NOT be marked. Also this is not a closed course! Traffic will be common and frequent on many sections of the course. Exercise caution when crossing intersections!

Cue Sheet holders

Since the standard cue sheet is plain ole paper, please be aware that it will soak up sweat and eventually be rendered useless. You must have a way to store and carry the cue sheet during the ride in order to protect and conveniently access it. Think of it as a Pirate treasure map. You gotta preserve that map if you want to get to the booty! Arrrgh!

There are cue sheet holders out there for purchase, but a simple solution is to use a zip lock freezer bag. You can jimmy rig it to your handlebar for easy viewing pleasure.

Please, please, please be attentive to your surroundings while viewing the cue sheet. Don't be a dork and take other people out or blow through an intersection and get yourself killed while gawking at the cue sheet.

If you lose your cue sheet during the ride, wait for someone behind you and link up with them. Don't expect anyone to bring you another one! If you call me and ask me to do that I'll get a good laugh. Arrrgh!

Gravel Etiquette & Safety

This is common sense stuff, but needs to be mentioned. There are several things folks must do on a gravel ride that will keep themselves and others safe which will ensure a fun and rewarding experience.

Stay to the right and don't ride in the opposite lane especially up climbs/rollers! If I catch or even hear of anyone riding in the opposite lane up a climb, they will be disqualified. No questions asked. Why? If a vehicle comes blasting over the top, you and/or everyone behind you will most likely get hurt and/or killed. Not cool. Stay to the right. Stay to the right. Stay to the right.
Remain attentive to your surroundings! Please keep your head up and be sure to be on the look out for traffic, dogs/animals, loose gravel, wheel sucking ruts or cracks in bridges, soft sand, large white rock, or anything else that can potentially take you or someone else down. Look at your cue sheet when it is safe. If you need to stop to view the cue sheet, stop. There's no time limit on this bad daddy.
Call things out! If you see or go through something sketchy be sure warn your colleagues by calling it out and pointing to it if you can safely do so. Yes, you can say "car up" on a gravel ride. In fact, it's the courteous thing to do. Also when passing, please do so at a safe juncture and kindly and loudly proclaim "on your left". If you plan on slowing or stopping be sure the folks behind you are aware prior to taking action.
Stop if someone needs help! This is all about fun folks. So if you see someone stopped or in need of assistance, please ask if they need help and offer a helping hand if possible. The bike Gods will smile upon you if you do.
Let the dust settle if you get dusted! If you get dusted by a vehicle, and this is highly likely right now do to the lack of moisture recently, slow down and let the dust settle. First off this will prevent a potential collision from another vehicle traveling through the dust cloud who is unable to see you until it's too late. Secondly it's a lot better on your lungs, trust me.
Keep a straight line and call out/signal when changing position! If you find yourself in a group or even with another rider, please keep a straight line and avoid dramatic lines changes. Also signal with your hand or call out when you plan on making changes in your line. The crushing of gravel is louder than you think and you may not hear a rider behind or even beside you on occasions.
Don't be a dick! If I hear of any dickish behavior by any rider, they will not only be disqualified, but will also hafta walk the PCL plank. Aarrrgh!
Obey the traffic laws! Please obey all traffic laws. That includes stopping at stop signs, signaling when turning, obeying speed limits, wearing seat belts, and no texting while riding (we're cool with you blogging while riding though).
Come prepared! First off, be sure to have everything you need to ensure you can deal with a mechanical issue (broken chain, flat tire, etc.). Secondly, plan your food and fluid consumption needs prudently. The pseudo-checkpoints have been warned of your arrival and will have plenty of sustenance available for purchase. So bring some cash along! The minimal things you should have on you during the ride include: helmet, eye protection, front and rear lights (blinky and illumination), a minimum of two water bottles or a hydration pack, snacks, cyclocomputer, tools, tubes, cell phone, cue sheet holder, your wits and climbing legs! Arrrgh!

Staying on the right. Great job Lincoln Gravel Posse! You get a Gold Star!

This is the start location

The morning of the ride

Please plan on arriving early on Saturday August 20th. The ride begins at 6 AM sharp. So plan on being at the start/finish by 5:15 at the latest. You will need to check-in and sign a waiver if you haven't already done so at the optional Friday evening rider check-in at Cycle Works. At 5:45 we will hold a rider meeting to review ins and outs. Do not be late or you will miss the boat and not be permitted to start. Arrrgh!

Oasis Locations and Specifics

Some kindly locals have heard about our little ride and have offered to provide beverages and snacks to riders. These are optional stops for folks who need some extra sustenance. There will be signs on the course indicating the oasis locations. Also, please be sure to place some $ in the tip jar if you make a stop. These folks are spending their own money to help us out.

The first oasis location is about 77 miles into the ride and just off of the corner of 98th and W. Pioneers Blvd which is ten miles after Malcolm and 34 miles prior to Hickman. Big climb start shortly after this oasis. That's a fair warning!

The second oasis location is about 140 miles into the ride and on 176th street. You've only got a little over 12 miles to go after this oasis! Arrrgh!

Awards/Prizes

If you're the first person to finish in your category and don't act like a dick, you'll receive a Gravel World Championship Jersey and a custom made trophy courtesy of our good friends at TMCO. Second place and all other finishers will receive a high five and a "atta boy/girl"! Arrrgh!

Oh, there are no prizes except the rewarding experience of riding 153 challenging miles of Nebraska gravel goodness.

Can you still sign up?

Sure! Shot me an email with your name, age, hometown, email address, cell number, and category. Or just show up the morning of the ride and sign up. Be sure show up extra early if signing up the morning of. I'll be there around 5 AM. Ugh! I mean...Arrrgh!

Liability - You are 100% responsible for you!

Finally, I gotta mention the liability issue. If you choose to participate you are agreeing that you are taking on full responsibility for what happens to you out on the course. We are in no way responsible for anything that happens to you during the ride or any part of this adventure. YOU ARE COMPLETELY AND ABSOLUTELY RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU! By choosing to ride with us you, your family (estate), and insurance company agrees not to sue us if you get hurt and/or killed. Yeah, pretty damn morbid, eh?

Also, please have a bail out option. We will have limited availability for pick ups and will only do so in emergency situations. The beauty of this ride is you're never more than 40 miles from Lincoln. Aarrrgh!

Questions, comments or concerns?

If you got any, shot me an email. My addy is in my profile. See everyone soon!

PCL Swag

2011-08-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

Free PCL bottles will be handed out at Friday check in (6pm-9pm)

Gravel Worlds info! Please read!

2011-08-11T18:09:00.000-07:00

Gravel Worlds just around the corner!

The Gravel Worlds jerseys have arrived! Only winners of each category will have the honor of slipping this jersey on.

The 2011 Gravel World Championship aka The Good Life Gravel Adventure is one week away. Saturday August 20th at 6 AM the adventure begins!

Start/Finish Location:

The start/finish is located at the Lancaster Event Center in Lincoln, Nebraska which is located at 4100 N. 84th Street. We will be staging at the Northeast dirt parking lot. There is plenty of parking available at the event center. Please be sure to review info on how to get there prior to August 20th.

The route and rules:

The course has been finalized! The course will consist of 154 miles of gravel and dirt roads with plenty of rollers. The course is essentially the same as last year with a few additions. It will be released on Monday August 15th. Riders will follow a set of cue cards to navigate the course. The course will NOT BE MARKED!

Riders will be able to make their own cue cards/sheets or use the sheet supplied by the PCL. I will try to have a Garmin GPS file by Monday as well for those using Garmin devices (yes, GPS devices are permitted!).

Small town convenience stores will serve as checkpoints and aid stations. Riders will be required to purchase a Nebraska Powerball Lottery ticket at each small town convenience store as proof of reaching the checkpoint. Nebraska Powerball Lottery tickets cost $1 and there are three checkpoints. The lottery tickets will be turned in at the finish of the event and verified.

This is a self supported event. You are absolutely responsible for you! Come prepared and please have a bail out option! Again, this is a self supported event in which YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU!

Registration Info:

You can still register! If you would like to participate, please send a postcard with your name, age, hometown, category (see list below), email address, and cell phone number to:

Pirate Cycling League
1510 D Street
Lincoln, NE 68502

Categories:

Open men
Open women
Masters men (50 years of age+)
Masters women (50 years of age+)
Single speed men (includes fixed geared bicycles)
Single speed women (includes fixed geared bicycles)
Tandem

If you don't wanna send a postcard, just show up at rider check in on Friday night or the day of the event!

Friday Night Rider Check-in:

There will be an optional rider check-in on Friday August 19th from 6 to 9 PM at Cycle Works in Lincoln, Nebraska. Cycle Works has two locations in town. The optional rider check-in will be at the 27th and Vine location. Check it here. There will be discounts available to Gravel Worlds participants during the check-in.

So why have the optional rider check-in? We're doing it to make it easier on us. Riders will be required to sign a waiver (yeah, I know...), pick up the cue sheet, buy PCL T-shirts, get last minute supplies, and hang with fellow gravel warriors.

Note on being cool:

Please remember this event is all about having fun on a bicycle with like minded individuals. If you see someone in need of assistance, please stop and offer a helping hand. Also, be courteous to everyone you encounter on the ride including dogs who are chasing you. So basically, don't be a dick.

Prizes:

This ain't that kinda race. Sorry.

Oasis:

There will be two oasis locations strategically placed along the route to offer additional assistance to riders. There will be plenty of food and beverages at the oasis locations. These are optional stops. There will be one secret checkpoint/oasis which is a required stop. More info later.

Additional info:

As always, we reserve the right to change any and everything whenever we see fit. We're pirates after all.

Questions, comments, concerns? Post here or send me an email.

2011-08-08T03:45:00.001-07:00

Gravel Worlds 2011 from nocoastfilms on Vimeo.

g-dubs northern recon...

2011-08-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

All good my friends! Rode the Northern most reaches of the course yesterday. All roads are open, signs are still standing, & the gravel was primo.

If you haven't sent your card...get it sent! You don't want to miss out. If you're going to miss out...sucks for you.

Later,

TK

Gravel Worlds Accommodations

2011-08-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

Gravel Worlds in just around the corner! Saturday August 20th at 6 AM the ride begins!

For those traveling from out of town and don't have lodging accommodations yet, here are two hotels that are close to the start/finish. The start/finish line will be the north parking lot at the Lancaster Event Center.

Hotels

Star City Inn
5600 Cornhusker Highway
Lincoln, NE 68507
(402) 464-5971

Double room = $50.34 plus tax

Please use the code words "Gravel Worlds" for the discount rate

Guesthouse Inn/Suites
5250 Cornhusker Highway
Lincoln, NE 68504
1-800-214-8378

Please contact Guesthouse Inn for room and rate details. No discount for riders currently.

Camping?

There really aren't a bounty of camping spots near the start/finish. The closest one that I can think of is Wagon Train State Recreation Area.

Wanna host a rider?

If you wanna host a rider/riders for the weekend of fun please contact me via email through my profile. Riders, if you need a place to crash please contact me and I'll try to get you hooked up with some good folks.

Gravel Worlds...less than a month away!

2011-07-24T20:12:00.000-07:00

XXC Mag recently had a Gravel Worlds preview on their blog. Check it out here! Thanks XXC! Be sure to check out that mag. It's available electronically or in print. Great stuff! Inspiring.

Registration for the 2011 Gravel World Championship/The Good Life Gravel Adventure is still open! Get a postcard into the address below if you want in on some of the action.

Send a postcard with your name, hometown, email address, age, sex and category (see below) for the event to:

Pirate Cycling League
1510 D Street
Lincoln, NE 68502

The categories for the event are:

Open men
Open women
Masters men (50 years of age+)
Masters women (50 years of age+)
Single speed men (includes fixed geared bicycles)
Single speed women (includes fixed geared bicycles)
Tandem

We will be accepting postcards until we see fit. Field limit? Maybe...

As a reminder, the adventure is set for Saturday August 20, 2011. Start time will be 6 AM. The event will start and finish in Lincoln, Nebraska.

A few quick details:

This is a self supported event - Yes, you are responsible for you! If you gotta pull the plug on the side of the gravel road, be sure you have someone available to pick you up!
The course will NOT be marked. A cue sheet will be distributed prior to the event.
All riders are required to have a cyclo computer that can track mileage - Yes, we will verify that you completed the entire distance at the end.
Riders will be required to purchase a Nebraska Powerball Lottery ticket at each "checkpoint" as proof of reaching the checkpoint.
The checkpoints will be small town gas station convenience stores. If you need fluids and sustenance, buy it there!
The distance will be roughly 150 miles with around 8,000 to 11,000 feet of vertical elevation gain.
This is a free event (except the four to five lottery tickets you gotta buy for a buck).
The Golden Rule applies to this event. If someone needs help, stop and help out.

As always, we reserve the right to change any and everything whenever we see fit. We're pirates after all.

Questions, comments, concerns? Post here or send me an email.

PCL kits are in,

2011-07-15T20:53:00.000-07:00

get ahold of Schmiddy. he's got the goods. it is AWESOME.

Do you want a Gravel Worlds jersey?

2011-07-01T05:43:00.000-07:00

If you wanna jersey, you gotta sign up and finish first in your category. The jerseys aren't for sale.

There's still time to sign up for Gravel Worlds. See the post below for more details. If you sent a postcard in already, don't worry. We got it. We'll be sending out email confirmations soon.

2011 Gravel Worlds registration has extended the deadline!

2011-05-19T05:04:00.000-07:00

Registration for the 2011 Gravel World Championship/The Good Life Gravel Adventure has been extended. How long? Who knows. We'll close registration whenever we want. So you better get a postcard in soon in you want in.

Send a postcard with your name, hometown, email address, age, sex and category (see below) for the event to:

Pirate Cycling League
1510 D Street
Lincoln, NE 68502

The categories for the event are:

Open men
Open women
Masters men (50 years of age+)
Masters women (50 years of age+)
Single speed men (includes fixed geared bicycles)
Single speed women (includes fixed geared bicycles)
Tandem

This is a self supported event - Yes, you are responsible for you! If you gotta pull the plug on the side of the gravel road, be sure you have someone available to pick you up!
The course will NOT be marked. A cue sheet will be distributed prior to the event.
All riders are required to have a cyclo computer that can track mileage - Yes, we will verify that you completed the entire distance at the end.
Riders will be required to purchase a Nebraska Powerball Lottery ticket at each "checkpoint" as proof of reaching the checkpoint.
The checkpoints will be small town gas station convenience stores. If you need fluids and sustenance, buy it there!
The distance will be roughly 150 miles with around 8,000 to 11,000 feet of vertical elevation gain.
This is a free event (except the four to five lottery tickets you gotta buy for a buck).
The Golden Rule applies to this event. If someone needs help, stop and help out.

As always, we reserve the right to change any and everything whenever we see fit. We're pirates after all.

Questions, comments, concerns? Post here or send me an email.

EXTENDED: Last chance for PCL kits!

2011-05-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

You now have until May 20th (week from this Friday) to order your PCL kit from the Voler website <link>. We only need 15 more jerseys and shorts to be ordered otherwise the price will be increased for everyone.

Tour of Dirt Roads IV has been POSTPONED!!!

2011-04-15T07:08:00.000-07:00

Due to the copius volume of precipitation Lancaster county has received in the past 24 hours, the PCL Executive Committee has decided to postpone the Tour of Dirt Roads IV. It's really hard to sail in the mud! The new date is Saturday April 30, 2011. More details to follow later.

On another note, please order a PCL kit! We haven't hit our minimums yet!

Also, as a reminder, registration for Gravel Worlds is still open. Send in a postcard to register. It's that easy. See post below for specifics. Aaarrgh!

Tour of Dirt Roads IV - UPDATED!!!!

2011-03-28T17:44:00.000-07:00

Saturday April 16, 2011 the fourth annual Tour of Dirt Roads will go down. Below is the cue sheet that Schmidty cooked up. Print it off for your viewing pleasure. Ya know, just in case you get separated or lost.

The ride will begin in Havelock at 9 AM (see the cue sheet for exact details). For the that want some coffee before the ride, I will be at Cultiva Cafe on 11th and G in Lincoln at 8 AM. I'll take off around 8:25 to be in Havelock for the start by 9 AM.

After the ride we'll be heading to Pepe's Veggie Mex Bistro for some fine dining. Pepe has specials for all the PCL Tour of Dirt Roads riders. Bike parking on the back deck.

Cross your fingers for dry weather! If it's wet, it probably ain't gonna happen. We'll postpone till a later date.

Don't forget about the PCL Tour of Dirt Roads IV magnets! We'll have a bunch to hand out before and after the ride. Mainly before cuz I don't wanna haul these around.

See ya soon!

2011 Gravel Worlds /The Good Life Gravel Adventure - Registration info

2011-03-13T12:41:00.000-07:00

Registration for the 2011 Gravel World Championship/The Good Life Gravel Adventure has officially opened. Here are the details.

Starting today, send a postcard with your name, hometown, email address, age, sex and category (see below) for the event to:

Pirate Cycling League
1510 D Street
Lincoln, NE 68502

The categories for the event are:

Open men
Open women
Masters men (50 years of age+)
Masters women (50 years of age+)
Single speed men (includes fixed geared bicycles)
Single speed women (includes fixed geared bicycles)
Tandem

We will be accepting postcards throughout the remainder of March and all of April. Field limit? Maybe...so don't dilly dally.

As a reminder, the adventure is set for Saturday August 20, 2011. Start time will be 6 AM. The event will start and finish in Lincoln, Nebraska.

A few quick details:

This is a self supported event - Yes, you are responsible for you! If you gotta pull the plug on the side of the gravel road, be sure you have someone available to pick you up!
The course will NOT be marked. A cue sheet will be distributed prior to the event.
All riders are required to have a cyclo computer that can track mileage - Yes, we will verify that you completed the entire distance at the end.
Riders will be required to purchase a Nebraska Powerball Lottery ticket at each "checkpoint" as proof of reaching the checkpoint.
The checkpoints will be small town gas station convenience stores. If you need fluids and sustenance, buy it there!
The distance will be roughly 150 miles with around 8,000 to 11,000 feet of vertical elevation gain.
This is a free event (except the four to five lottery tickets you gotta buy for a buck).
The Golden Rule applies to this event. If someone needs help, stop and help out.

As always, we reserve the right to change any and everything whenever we see fit. We're pirates after all.

Questions, comments, concerns? Post here or send me an email.

2011 PCL Kits are available for order now!

2011-03-06T14:46:00.001-08:00

Here's the low down on the PCL kits. Anyone can place an order. The deadline for ordering is April 29, 2011. After the deadline the kits will be made by Voler and shipped around the end of June 2011. Your order will be shipped from Voler to PCL headquarters in Lincoln, NE where they can be picked up or shipped to the owners.

Please be aware we are not responsible for exchanging items that don't fit. Read the size guide on the Voler website for details.

To order:

1. Go to the Voler PCL order page here.
2. Create an account
3. Select items and place order
4. Wait for items to be shipped at the end of June

The prices below are contingent on us meeting the minimums. We set a 50 piece minimum for the short sleeve jerseys and bottoms and a 15 piece minimum for the long sleeve stuff. Please note that there are nicer bottoms for a little bit more money.

$62.00 for s/s Jersey

$87.00 for l/s Jersey

$61.00 for shorts

$65.00 for bibs

Other items:

You can also order wind jackets, knickers, skinsuits, thermal jackets, or vests. Also male OR female Pirates cut items are available as well as Race cut OR Club cut.

Coming soon:

PCL tech caps

Green Sprints at Bricktop this Thursday!

2011-01-30T11:58:00.001-08:00

Sheclismo presents: KC Sprints at Duffy's January 15th

2011-01-03T18:45:00.000-08:00

Sheclismo presents: KC Sprints at Duffy's January 15th - 6 PM start

Puking optional. Fun mandatory. Make a pirate puke and win a high five!

Gravel Worlds 2011!

2010-12-23T04:25:00.000-08:00

Mark your calendars...Saturday August 20, 2011 6 AM.

150ish miles of rolling Nebraska gravel await!

PCL ornaments!

2010-11-19T12:02:00.000-08:00

We'll be handing these out randomly this weekend at the Lincoln cross races. Show your support for the PCL during the Holidays! Big thanks to Scott!

Are you ready for Lincoln Cross weekend? The PCL is ready!

2010-11-17T12:40:00.000-08:00

PCL endorsed event - North O! Rock Road Jackrabbit Hundy

2010-09-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

Check out the North O! Rock Road Jackrabbit Hundy blog for complete details. There are some wicked hills in North Omaha. Great end of the year gravel grinder!

Gravel Worlds - Nebraska Powerball Tickets super important update!

2010-08-31T17:14:00.000-07:00

PCL crew members reviewing the 150+ tickets at Yia Yia's

WE WON!.................$9.

Gravel Worlds Powerball tickets!

2010-08-28T14:55:00.000-07:00

First off, thanks again to everyone that either participated in or provided support/aid for the event. It couldn't have happened without ya.

Secondly, we're already looking forward to next year and would love to hear suggestions on how we can make things better. So if you got a suggestion either post it here or send me an email.

Finally, I have not gone through the Nebraska Powerball Lottery tickets as of yet. My assistant, Ruka, insists on playing around in the tickets for a couple of weeks first. Whatever. Hopefully this upcoming week some of the PCL crew members will get together and check the tickets. If you don't hear from us go ahead and assume we won nothing or we didn't win enough to be split 100 ways (all that participated will get a cut if we hit the big one). Aarrrgh!

Gravel Worlds results - updated!

2010-08-21T23:38:00.001-07:00

Women Open, Women SS and Women Master

Kelly Kostman (Women Open) and Janna Vavra (Women SS and first overall women) both of Lincoln, NE

Kim Carveth (Master Women) of Lincoln, NE

Men Open, SS and Master

Mike Marchand (Men Open and overall winner) of Kearney, NE

Chris Hansen (SS Men) of Lincoln, NE

Jon Vondracek (Master Men) of Lincoln, NE

Tandem

Gunnar Rush and Wes Gregg (Tandem) of Decorah, IA

Worst pre-race mechanical, latest start and most beers drank while riding

Malcolm Tassi (Worst pre-race mechanical, latest start and most beers drank whiling riding) of Lincoln, NE

Gravel Worlds! And they're off!

2010-08-21T05:48:00.000-07:00

Final headcount has yet to be tallied, but rough estimates are around 80ish

Gravel Worlds! This Saturday!

2010-08-19T16:07:00.000-07:00

Limited Edition Gravel Worlds bottle opener courtesy of Scott Showen!

Well folks, it's almost here! We're kicking off the Inaugural Gravel Worlds this Saturday at 6 AM. Are you ready? Well, if not it's too damn late! Aarrrgh!

Want in? Need out?

If you want in and didn't send in a postcard be sure to show up the morning of the event by 5:15 AM. We'll let ya participate cuz we're nice Midwestern pirates. If you sent a postcard in and don't plan on attending, please shot me an email and let me know asap.

Starting Location Reminder

The start/finish and parking area is located off of Havelock Avenue just east of the Lancaster Event Center. There's a dirt road off the pavement prior to the road turning to gravel. We've got permission to use this area for our event. Please use caution while parking as there are numerous metal stakes littering the lot. You've been warned!

I'll be at the start/finish area early on Saturday morning getting things set up. Look for the lights and event tent!

Waiver and rider check-in

Riders are required to complete a waiver and check-in by penning their initials on the rider list prior to the start. Please note that you will also be marked with a race number on the back of your calf with a Sharpie marker. If you got a problem with that we could brand you instead. Your choice! Also, ridiculously hairy legged folks that cannot be marked (cough...Malcolm, cough) will be marked on their forehead.

You can also sign the waiver at the optional Friday afternoon check-in at the downtown Oso Burrito from 3 to 6 PM.

PCL Merchandise

PCL posters, T-shirts and stickers will be available the morning of the event at the start/finish location (and maybe the Friday afternoon check-in). Bring some cash cuz we don't take checks or plastic. Price of the T-shirts and posters has yet to be determined. That's up to Schmidty.

Weather

The weather forecast has been in a constant state of flux over the week, but as of right now it's looking like it'll be a warm one. The temps are forecast for the low 90's. Be sure to put some sunblock on and drink plenty of fluids. Also hit up those Gravel Worlds Oasis locations if you need a break in the shade!

Gravel Worlds Oasis

There are two Oasis locations. There will be signs indicating the location of both oasis locations.

CVO workin' on the signs....thanks buddy!

Look for these near the Oasis locations

The first Oasis is around ten miles after the Malcolm checkpoint at about mile 75. You hafta deviate from the route for a couple hundred yards to reach this Oasis. There will be Coca Cola, Gatorade, water, some snacks (veggies!), and some really cool people. The second Oasis is located about ten miles from the finish on 176th. There will be snacks (homemade cookies!), beverages, cool cats and Limited Edition Gravel Worlds bottle openers (thanks again Scott)! Thanks to our good buddy Chad and our friends at Budweiser there will also be some Beach Bum Blonde Ale to enjoy at the second Oasis. Hey, you can use your new bottle opener! FYI, if you want a bottle opener you better be one of the first 35 riders to reach the second oasis cuz that's all we got! Aarrrgh!

Chad has also graciously scored some Monster Energy drinks for the start and finish. Pregnant, nursing or folks with heart conditions should limit to two per day. The PCL are not responsible for heart palpitations, the jitters or polyuria.

Post Race Par-tay!?!

I'm expecting folks to be finishing from anywhere around 3 PM to midnight. So this makes having an post race party kinda difficult. So I recommend we set a tentative gathering at Yia Yia's in downtown Lincoln (right next to Oso Burrito) at 9 PM on Saturday night. If you finish before 9 PM and wanna strut around in your new Gravel World Champion jersey, come on down to Yia Yia's. There will be other PCL members there to share some stories with. I plan on sticking around at the finish line until everyone is finished. Then I'll head down to Yia Yia's for a beer.

Questions?

Shot me an email. See you landlubbers soon! Aarrrgh!

Your daily Gravel Worlds post!

2010-08-18T20:18:00.000-07:00

Gravel Worlds limited edition decals, T-shirt and screen print poster

The good folks at Screen Ink and Icon Graphics (both Lincoln based!) collaborated with one of the PCL founders, Schmidty, to come up with a new PCL sticker/decal, 10 PCL T-shirts in limited edition color (silver - same color as the poster), and 50 individually numbered Gravel Worlds screen printed posters. These items will be available for purchase at the start of the race. Price is yet to be determined. One thing is for sure, they're badass.

More Gravel Worlds news tomorrow!

Your daily Gravel Worlds update!

2010-08-17T17:15:00.001-07:00

Friday Afternoon Rider Check-in

The optional Friday afternoon check-in will take place from 3 to 6 PM at Oso Burrito in downtown Lincoln (1451 O Street). Riders will sign a waiver and pick up cue sheets at that time. This will save us a lot of time the morning of the event. So if you're in town and can make it down there please do so. Also be sure to enjoy a burrito and a beer!
Cycle Works Gravel Worlds Special

The good folks at Cycle Works are getting behind the Gravel Worlds and offering a 15% discount on select merchandise to anyone participating in the ride. Just mention that you're participating in the Gravel Worlds on Saturday and you'll get 15% off merchandise that you can use for the ride such as: tubes, tools, patch kits, lube, clothing, and nutrition products. Please speak to a Cycle Works staff member to regarding this discount for full details. Cycle Works has two locations in Lincoln. Directions can be found here.

Gravel Worlds! - Cue sheet and other misc. info

2010-08-16T17:42:00.001-07:00

I've got more info for you landlubbers to digest! Here is a link to pdf file of the cue sheet (thanks again Rafal!). If you want a Microsoft Word copy, send me an email and I'll get ya a copy.

Also, if you need to drop out during the ride or need assistance (in case of an emergency), please call my cell number (402) 730-0912. Take that number with you during the ride and keep it safe. We don't want to wait around all night for you to finish so please give us a courtesy call if you pull the plug early.

An optional Friday afternoon check-in will be from 3 PM to 6 PM at a yet to be determined location. It will most likely be somewhere in downtown Lincoln. Riders will sign a waiver, pick up cue sheets (if needed) at the check in, and get their questions answered.

The start/finish area will not have lighting and will be rather dark at 5:15 AM. Please be extra careful getting into the parking area as there are numerous metal poles staked into the ground and littering the parking lot. I'm not exactly sure why those metal poles are there, but suspect they help mark parking stalls.

We will have an event tent near the entrance of the parking lot for final housekeeping issues. All riders must sign a waiver and also sign in by initially next to their name on the official list prior to the start. You can only sign in the morning of the event!

Topo info of the route thanks to Chris! 11,400 feet! Yikes!

The weather forecast is looking really amazing for Saturday. As of tonight the forecast is for a high of 86 degrees. We're getting rain tonight which will greatly improve the gravel conditions. It has been very dry here recently!

More info to follow later this week.

We'll be taking off around sunrise on Saturday and it should be a beautiful morning!

Gravel Worlds! SUPER IMPORTANT NEWS!

2010-08-15T14:24:00.000-07:00

PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE POST!

The course

The Gravel Worlds course is ready for viewing! Below is the Bikely.com map. We release the course early so folks can make their own cue sheets/cards if they choose to do so. If you don't want to make a cue sheet/card, we will have a standard cue sheet at the optional Friday afternoon rider check-in (more details to follow later in the week on this optional check-in). The standard cue sheet will also be available on the morning of the ride. The standard cue sheet will be a basic 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper. Nothing fancy folks. If you want something better, knock yourself out.

This is a challenging course! You can thank Troy for that! Don't blame me! Rough estimates are around 8,000 to 9,000 feet of climbing. The climbs are short power climbs that seem never ending. The terrain will have all kinds of gravel and dirt road surfaces. Some areas will have large white rock sections that are pinch flat power sucking purgatories. Aarrrgh!

2010 GLGA Gravel Worlds

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

The Cue Sheet

Below is a jpeg of the cue sheet. It is your responsibility to know how to read the cue sheet and have a way to conveniently carry and access it during the ride. You must carry a cue sheet! Don't rely on your buddy or other folks to navigate you. Be familiar with which road you're on and the upcoming turn and mileage. A cyclometer is highly recommended. Note the cue sheet has mileage listed next to each turn. Your mileage should be approximately the mileage listed on the cue sheet when you get to the listed turn if you remain on course.

The cue sheet is broken up into four sections. Note there are only THREE pseudo-checkpoints. At each pseudo-checkpoint no one will be there to check you off. You will need to purchase a Nebraska Powerball Lottery ticket at the convenience store listed on the cue sheet as proof of reaching said checkpoint. Please note that you cannot buy Nebraska Powerball tickets with a credit or debit card. You must have cold hard cash! The Nebraska Powerball Lottery tickets will be collected at the end of the ride. If you don't have three tickets from each specified pseudo-checkpoint, you will be disqualified. I will be verifying date/time and location on the tickets upon each rider finish.

Please note that the pseudo-checkpoint in the town of Valpraiso has two gas stations/convenience stores and only one sells Nebraska Powerball Lottery tickets (Phillips 66).

The course will not be marked. Also this is not a closed course! Traffic will be common and frequent on many sections of the course. Exercise caution!

I'm still working on a way to post the cue sheet via Microsoft Word. If you want a copy via Microsoft Word, send me an email and I'll shot you a copy. Aarrrgh!

Cue Sheet holders

Since the standard cue sheet is plain ole paper, please be aware that it will soak up sweat and eventually be rendered useless. You must have a way to store and carry the cue sheet during the ride in order to protect and conveniently access it. Think of it as a Pirate treasure map. You gotta preserve that map if you want to get to the booty! Aarrrgh!

There are cue sheet holders out there for purchase, but a simple solution is to use a zip lock freezer bag. You can jimmy rig it to your handlebar for easy viewing pleasure.

Please, please, please be attentive to your surroundings while viewing the cue sheet. Don't be a dork and take other people out or blow through an intersection and get yourself killed while gawking at the cue sheet.

If you lose your cue sheet during the ride, wait for someone behind you and link up with them. Don't expect anyone to bring you another one! If you call me and ask me to do that I'll get a good laugh. Aarrrgh!

Stay to the right and don't ride in the opposite lane especially up climbs/rollers! If I catch or even hear of anyone riding in the opposite lane up a climb, they will be disqualified. No questions asked. Why? If a vehicle comes blasting over the top, you and/or everyone behind you will most likely get hurt and/or killed. Not cool. Stay to the right. Stay to the right. Stay to the right.
Remain attentive to your surroundings! Please keep your head up and be sure to be on the look out for traffic, dogs/animals, loose gravel, wheel sucking ruts or cracks in bridges, soft sand, large white rock, or anything else that can potentially take you or someone else down. Look at your cue sheet when it is safe. If you need to stop to view the cue sheet, stop. There's no time limit on this bad daddy.
Call things out! If you see or go through something sketchy be sure warn your colleagues by calling it out and pointing to it if you can safely do so. Yes, you can say "car up" on a gravel ride. In fact, it's the courteous thing to do. Also when passing, please do so at a safe juncture and kindly and loudly proclaim "on your left". If you plan on slowing or stopping be sure the folks behind you are aware prior to taking action.
Stop if someone needs help! This is all about fun folks. So if you see someone stopped or in need of assistance, please ask if they need help and offer a helping hand if possible. The bike Gods will smile upon you if you do.
Let the dust settle if you get dusted! If you get dusted by a vehicle, and this is highly likely right now do to the lack of moisture recently, slow down and let the dust settle. First off this will prevent a potential collision from another vehicle traveling through the dust cloud who is unable to see you until it's too late. Secondly it's a lot better on your lungs, trust me.
Keep a straight line and call out/signal when changing position! If you find yourself in a group or even with another rider, please keep a straight line and avoid dramatic lines changes. Also signal with your hand or call out when you plan on making changes in your line. The crushing of gravel is louder than you think and you may not hear a rider behind or even beside you on occasions.
Don't be a dick! If I hear of any dickish behavior by any rider, they will not only be disqualified, but will also hafta walk the PCL plank. Aarrrgh!
Obey the traffic laws! Please obey all traffic laws. That includes stopping at stop signs, signaling when turning, obeying speed limits, wearing seat belts, and no texting while riding (we're cool with you blogging while riding though).
Come prepared! First off, be sure to have everything you need to ensure you can deal with a mechanical issue (broken chain, flat tire, etc.). Secondly, plan your food and fluid consumption needs prudently. The pseudo-checkpoints have been warned of your arrival and will have plenty of sustenance available for purchase. So bring some cash along! The minimal things you should have on you during the ride include: helmet, eye protection, front and rear lights (blinky and illumination), a minimum of two water bottles or a hydration pack, snacks, cyclocomputer, tools, tubes, cell phone, cue sheet holder, your wits and climbing legs! Aarrrgh!

Staying on the right. Great job Lincoln Gravel Posse! You get a Gold Star!

The Start/Finish Location

The start/finish will be located at the Lancaster Event Center far east overflow parking lot (just off of Havelock Ave). This is a grass field with a dirt road running down the middle. It doesn't look like much folks, but it's where we're call home for the day! Parking will be available for the entire day free of charge. Since there isn't an indoor plumbed restroom facility at our disposal we will have porta-potty available to use. Please try to get that potty break out of the way prior to arriving at the start. Aarrrgh!

The morning of the ride

Please plan on arriving early on Saturday August 21st. The ride begins at 6 AM sharp. So plan on being at the start/finish by 5:15 at the latest. You will need to check-in and sign a waiver if you haven't already done so at the optional Friday afternoon rider check-in (more details to follow on this check-in). At 5:45 we will hold a rider meeting to review ins and outs. Do not be late or you will miss the boat and not be permitted to start. Aarrrgh!

Oasis Locations and Specifics

Some kindly locals have heard about our little ride and have offered to provide beverages and snacks to riders. These are optional stops for folks who need some extra sustenance. There will be signs on the course indicating the oasis locations. Also, please be sure to place some $ in the tip jar if you make a stop. These folks are spending their own money to help us out.

The first oasis location is about 77 miles into the ride and just off of the corner of 98th and W. Pioneers Blvd which is ten miles after Malcolm and 34 miles prior to Hickman. Big climb start shortly after this oasis. That's a fair warning!

The second oasis location is about 135 miles into the ride and on 176th street. You've only got a little over 12 miles to go after this oasis! Aarrrgh!

Awards/Prizes

If you're the first person to finish in your category and don't act like a dick, you'll receive a Gravel World Championship Jersey (see previous posts and thanks to Jay at the Trek Stores of Omaha!) and a custom made trophy courtesy of our good buddy Scott (see below). Second place and all other finishers will receive a high five and a "good job buddy"! Aarrrgh!

Oh, there are no prizes except the rewarding experience of riding 150 challenging miles of Nebraska gravel goodness.

Trophies!

Can you still sign up?

Sure! Shot me an email with your name, age, hometown, email address, cell number, and category. Or just show up the morning of the ride and sign up. Be sure show up extra early if signing up the morning of. I'll be there around 5 AM. Ugh! I mean...Aarrrgh!

Liability - You are 100% responsible for you!

Finally, I gotta mention the liability issue. If you choose to participate you are agreeing that you are taking on full responsibility for what happens to you out on the course. We are in no way responsible for anything that happens to you during the ride or any part of this adventure. YOU ARE COMPLETELY AND ABSOLUTELY RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU! By choosing to ride with us you, your family (estate), and insurance company agrees not to sue us if you get hurt and/or killed. Yeah, pretty damn morbid, eh?

Also, please have a bail out option. We will have limited availability for pick ups and will only do so in emergency situations. The beauty of this ride is you're never more than 40 miles from Lincoln. Aarrrgh!

Questions, comments or concerns?

If you got any, shot me an email. My addy is in my profile. See everyone soon! Meow!

Gravel Worlds!

2010-08-10T17:37:00.001-07:00

GRAVEL WORLDS 2010 from nocoastfilms on Vimeo.

Gravel Worlds just around the corner!

2010-08-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

The Gravel Worlds jerseys have arrived! Only winners of each category will have the honor of slipping this jersey on. Will you win one?!

The Inaugural Gravel World Championship aka The Good Life Gravel Adventure is less than two weeks away. Saturday August 21st at 6 AM the event will begin!

Start/Finish Location:

The start/finish is located at the Lancaster Event Center in Lincoln, Nebraska which is located at 4100 N. 84th Street. We will be staging at the Northeast dirt parking lot. There is plenty of parking available at the event center. Please be sure to review info on how to get there prior to August 21st.

The route and rules:

The course has been finalized! Troy has been working hard to get it dialed. Be sure to check out his teaser pics below. The course will consist of 150 miles of gravel and dirt roads with plenty of rollers. This will be a challenging course!

Small town convenience stores will serve as checkpoints and aid stations. Riders will be required to purchase a Nebraska Powerball Lottery ticket at each small town convenience store as proof of reaching the checkpoint. Nebraska Powerball Lottery tickets cost $1 and there are four checkpoints. The lottery tickets will be turned in at the finish of the event and verified. Riders will follow a set of cue cards to navigate the course.

The course will be released soon! You can make your own cue cards or use our cue sheets that will be provided at the start (most likely 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper in a tri-fold fashion).

This is a self supported event. You are absolutely responsible for you! Come prepared and please have a bail out option! Again, this is a self supported event in which YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU!

Registration Info:

You can still register! If you would like to participate, please send a postcard with your name, age, hometown, category (see list below), email address, and cell phone number to:

Pirate Cycling League
1510 D Street
Lincoln, NE 68502

Categories:

Open men
Open women
Masters men (50 years of age+)
Masters women (50 years of age+)
Single speed men (includes fixed geared bicycles)
Single speed women (includes fixed geared bicycles)
Tandem
Unicycle (seriously - will be a shortened version)

If you don't wanna send a postcard, just show up the day of the event!

Note on being cool:

Please remember this event is all about having fun on a bicycle with like minded individuals. If you see someone in need of assistance, please stop and offer a helping hand. Also, be courteous to everyone you encounter on the ride including dogs who are chasing you. So basically, don't be a dick.

Prizes:

This ain't that kinda race. Sorry.

Oasis:

There will be two oasis locations strategically placed along the route to offer additional assistance to riders. There will be plenty of food and beverages at the oasis locations. These are optional stops. More info to come soon.

Post race fun?:

That's still up in the air. Since the route is very challenging, folks will be finishing later in the day. More info to come soon.

Additional info:

As always, we reserve the right to change any and everything whenever we see fit. We're pirates after all.

Questions, comments, concerns? Post here or send me an email.

worlds by the numbers, part 1...

2010-08-07T16:09:00.000-07:00

preliminary stats:

start to checkpoint 1 = 38.1 miles

cp 1 to cp 2 = 29.2 miles

cp 2 to cp 3 = approx. 44.7 miles

cp 3 to the finish = approx. 38.6 miles

climbing...from the start to mile 77 (just past the 1/2 way point) is approx. 4740 ft.

today was hot, humid, & wind blowin' outta the south...oh mama!

2 weeks to go!

GLGA Gravel Worlds 2010, more teasers...

2010-07-31T15:43:00.001-07:00

Maybe on August 21st it won't be hot, humid, or windy...or maybe monkey's will fly out of my butt.

GLGA Gravel Worlds 2010!!! Are you ready?

2010-07-26T02:56:00.000-07:00

Gravel Worlds is less than a month away. Are you ready? Probably not. Why? This course is bigger, nastier, & more beautiful than last year's edition. Expect approximately 150 miles of amazing Nebraska gravel. Here are a few recon pictures to wet the appetite...

the countdown has begun...

Alright, time for Ponca Ride roll call...

2010-07-14T15:14:00.000-07:00

If you plan on going, sound off like you got a pair!

Lodging information for Gravel Worlds

2010-07-11T07:06:00.000-07:00

West Denton Wall

The Inaugural Gravel Worlds in just around the corner! Saturday August 21st at 6 AM the ride begins!

For those traveling from out of town and don't have lodging accommodations yet, here are two hotels that are close to the start/finish. The start/finish line will be the north parking lot at the Lancaster Event Center.

Hotels

Star City Inn
5600 Cornhusker Highway
Lincoln, NE 68507
(402) 464-5971

1 Single = $47.49 plus tax
2 Bed = $53.19 plus tax
Add $6.00 for each additional person (please do not sneak folks into rooms or overcrowd)

Please use the code words "Pirate Cycling" for the discount rate

Guesthouse Inn/Suites
5250 Cornhusker Highway
Lincoln, NE 68504
1-800-214-8378

Please contact Guesthouse Inn for room and rate details. No discount for riders currently.

Camping?

There really aren't a bounty of camping spots near the start/finish. The closest one that I can think of is Wagon Train State Recreation Area.

Ponca Ride!

2010-07-08T17:26:00.001-07:00

2007 Ponca Ride two track goodness

SATURDAY JULY 17th

Ride is leaving D Street at 4 AM sharp. 155 miles of gravel, dirt and minimal pavement up to Ponca State Park. We will stop in North Bend (~65 miles) at the Corner Cafe for brunch. A few other stops will be made along the way to refuel. Bring cash!

We will be camping Saturday night. Showers are available at the park. Things to bring for camping include a tent, sleeping bag, pillow, your blanky, change of clothes, bug spray, illumination device, food and a camp chair.

Ride back to Lincoln for those that choose to do so on Sunday. You must find someone to sag your gear and take you back to Lincoln if you decide to go. Please make arrangements accordingly.

Questions? Post a comment or shot me an email.

Ponca Ride date change

2010-06-18T09:32:00.001-07:00

there's been some talk about changing the ponca ride date. july 17 ride up...july 18 down. does that work for everyone?

PCL endorsed event - Farmhouse Classic

2010-06-12T14:38:00.000-07:00

Wicked B road action from 2009

The Farmhouse Classic is just around the corner. Joe Fox of Cycle City is cookin' up another great gravel grinder for Saturday July 24th at 9 AM. Mileage will be around 85 to 90 miles of challenging gravel rollers. This is a great event for folks who haven't done a gravel grinder to get their feet wet.

Last year was a challenging route with a stop about halfway for a refuel. And there was plenty of white rock to keep it interesting!

White rock purgatory

Address: 5872 SE 248th St. Lathrop, MO 64465

Breakfast will be served between 7:30 and 8:00 (eggs, biscuits, jams, juice). Race will start at 9:00 AM (the same time we fire up the smoker). Pulled pork will be served at about 3:00 PM (you don't want to miss this!). Vegetarians, bring some veggie patties, you weenies!

There will be camping available on site for Friday evening. If you are interested in racing/riding in the event please send Joe an email with your name, hometown, class (open or single) to joe@cyclecitykc.com or cyclecitykc@yahoo.com.

Gravel Worlds Update!

2010-06-11T15:17:00.000-07:00

The Inaugural Gravel World Championship aka The Good Life Gravel Adventure is fast approaching. Saturday August 21st at 6 AM the event will begin!

The starting point and mileage will be posted within the next month. Expect approximately 135 to 150 miles of gravel and dirt roads with plenty of rollers. Small town convenience stores will serve as checkpoints and aid stations. Riders will be required to purchase a Nebraska Powerball Lottery ticket at each small town convenience store as proof of reaching the checkpoint. The lottery tickets will be turned in at the finish of the event and verified. Riders will follow a set of cue cards to navigate the course.

This is a self supported event. You are absolutely responsible for you! Come prepared and please have a bail out option! Again, this is a self supported event in which YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU!

I apologize for the annoying caps, but the above point is very important.

Registration Info:

The registration has re-opened! If you would like to participate, please send a postcard with your name, age, hometown, category (see list below), email address, and cell phone number to:

Pirate Cycling League
1510 D Street
Lincoln, NE 68502

Categories:

Open men
Open women
Masters men (50 years of age+)
Masters women (50 years of age+)
Single speed men (includes fixed geared bicycles)
Single speed women (includes fixed geared bicycles)
Tandem
Unicycle (seriously - will be a shortened version)

Gravel World Champion Jersey:

Winners of each above category will receive a Gravel Worlds Champion Jersey (courtesy of the Trek Bicycle Stores of Omaha, Kansas City and St. Louis). Only the winner of each category will be able to proudly slip this jersey on. Custom made trophies will also be given to winners of each category.

Note on being cool:

Please remember this event is all about having fun on a bicycle with like minded individuals. If you see someone in need of assistance, please stop and offer a helping hand. Also, be courteous to everyone you encounter on the ride including dogs who are chasing you. So basically, don't be a dick.

Prizes:

Prizes? Pffffttt...yeah, right. Well, maybe. Depends how motivated we are in the next couple months.

Additional info:

As always, we reserve the right to change any and everything whenever we see fit. We're pirates after all.

Questions, comments, concerns? Post here or send me an email.

who's blood?

2010-06-08T06:58:00.004-07:00

PCL Endorsed - Ladies and Gentlemen Agreement : Platte

2010-05-28T17:58:00.000-07:00

Homeboy and new Nebraskan, Joshua Stamper has cooked up some fun for Memorial Day. The Ladies and Gentlemen Agreement : Platte event will take place on Monday at Platte River State Park. More details can be found here. Should be a great time! I hear the trails out at Platte are in great shape right now!

Also, the first Bacon Ride of the year will be this Sunday! More details can be found at the FolksfromLincoln blog here!

Come check out some of the best singletrack Nebraska has to offer!

Too legit to quit

2010-05-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

PCL kits

ToDR recap - thanks everyone!

2010-04-18T14:27:00.000-07:00

MMR...mmmmm.

Thanks to all that went on the tour today. Headcount nineteen? We had perfect weather conditions and plenty of good ole dirt. The route ended up being around 85 miles.

Good Karma payback

We had three flats on the day due to pinch flats on the white rock, but we also had free all you can eat home cookin' at the tavern in Sprague. That was a pleasant PCL surprise (thanks for the text message Nathan). Schmidty really out did himself on this ToDR!

Thanks again folks. We're cookin' up some more fun this summer!

Tour of Dirt Roads MILEAGE UPDATE...

2010-04-14T03:10:00.000-07:00

here ya go...

Stage 1 - Meadowlark to Cortland is approximately 45 miles, from there you have multiple options. You could continue with the ride or pick a route back to Lincoln. I'd estimate a straight shot back to town would add 20 miles so you'd get 65ish for the day.

Stage 2 - the Cortland bonus loop adds more dirt & another 13 miles. Add this loop & the eventual destination of the bar/cafe in Sprague you would now be at approximately 67 miles. Sprague has drinks (beer/cocktails/soda) & food.

Stage 3 - (well that's just the route back to Lincoln) retraces a couple sections you will see at the beginning of the ride & if you actually rode back to the coffee shop you would have approximately 83 miles for the day.

All sections of the route are in great shape as of Sunday.

See the below post for all the other ride details...

Tour of Dirt Roads III

2010-04-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

The first 75 folks will receive a limited edition PCL ToDR III magnet (ToDR II magnet pictured above)

The PCL Tour of Dirt Roads III is only a few weeks away. The dirt has been drying up nicely and should be good to go as long as the weather cooperates.

Date: Sunday April 18th
Start time: 8 AM
Start location: Meadowlark Coffee

The ride will leave at 8 AM sharp. Please try to arrive by 7:45. If you want coffee I suggest 7:30 AM.

The route was pre-rode today and it is currently in flux. We will post the route soon.

This is a ride, not a race, but expect some folks to ride fast.

Tour of Dirt Roads III

2010-03-22T15:41:00.000-07:00

Dirt rocks!

The next PCL event of the year is only about a month away! The third running of the Tour of Dirt Roads (ToDR III) will take place on Sunday April 18th. Start time and location has yet to be determined.

We're crossing our fingers and hoping for dry conditions. As of last week, the dirt is drying up nicely and we expect to be able to hit the dirt by April 18th.

The PCL crew will be out scouting the route over the next month to find the best dirt around. The route will take us out on the local rural gravel and dirt roads surrounding Lincoln. This will not be a race, but more of a tour. Expect a stop in Cortland for a refuel.

More details to follow soon.

Mmmmm....MMR

Allure Libre

2010-03-13T17:09:00.001-08:00

Today was awesome. Thanks for being such great people and riding bikes today. I am tired.

Lincoln-Seward-Wahoo-Lincoln!

2010-03-12T11:24:00.000-08:00

Dos Margaritas in Wahoo, NE - damn fine Mexican fare

There's the announcement, but the big news is that pavement will be allowed to complete this ride. The gravel roads are in craptastic condition, so pavement is not only allowed, it is highly encouraged.

Coffee House at 7:00 am for coffee. Depart at 7:30 am.

Ride to Seward and return to Lincoln, or continue to Wahoo for some extra fun.
Return to Lincoln with a Nebraska Power Ball ticket from each town, and finish at Yia Yias.

Lincoln-?-Lincoln Update!!!

2010-03-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

The destination towns for the 2010 versions of the PCL "Lincoln-?-Lincoln" ride will be announced by 5 PM on Friday. Check this blog on Friday to get the info you need.

This will give you at least 14 hours to consider your gravel options and pick the best route for you. In fact, that's enough time to pre-ride your route, just to make sure...

What else are you going to do on a Friday night?

Lincoln - ? - Lincoln, this Saturday!

2010-03-08T19:44:00.000-08:00

The Lincoln-?-Lincoln event will take place Saturday March 13th at 7 AM. Meet at 7 AM for a cup of coffee with the ride starting at 7:30 AM! Starting point is The Coffee House (13th and P in downtown Lincoln) and finish is tentatively at Yia Yia's (14th and O Street). The half way destination will be announced on Saturday.

Come prepared for approximately either a 50 or an 80 mile ride. You can do either the 50 or 80 miler - the longer route will be for those who want more of a challenge. The half way point will be a small town convenience store so you can refresh your bottles and get some snacks.

There aren't a lot of rules for this event, except one....you gotta ride to the destination via dirt or gravel and then ride back to Lincoln via dirt or gravel. Pavement must be avoided once out of the city limits! You can choose any route you like, but it's gotta be on dirt or gravel.

Gravel Worlds is FULL...for now anyways

2010-03-08T15:09:00.000-08:00

The "registration" for Gravel Worlds/The Good Life Gravel Adventure is tentatively full. For now anyways...

There is a chance we'll open it up to more at a later date, but no guarantees. I will say this, I can't stop anyone from going for a bike ride. So if someone were to show up at the start of the event and wanted to ride their bike in the same direction as everyone else, well....I can't stop that, now can I.

Oh, and yes, I know there are 101 folks on the list. I got three cards today, so I added them all.

Gravel Worlds/The Good Life Gravel Adventure update!

2010-03-06T15:50:00.000-08:00

A paceline of riders during the 2009 GLGA

The list of riders for the Inaugural Gravel World Championship is getting close to 100. The PCL Executive Committee has decided to keep the registration open until 100 spots are filled. So if you want in, you better send a card in ASAP! Please send postcards with your name, age, hometown, category and email address to"

Pirate Cycling League
1510 D Street
Lincoln, NE 68502

As a reminder, the Gravel Worlds will be on Saturday August 21, 2010. Expect 135 to 150 miles of challenging gravel and MMR (minimum maintenance roads) with a dash of pavement.

MMR in the 2009 GLGA

The checkpoints will be small town convenience stores. Riders are required to purchase a Nebraska Powerball Lottery ticket at each specified convenience store. Each ticket costs a whopping 1 dollar. Lottery tickets will be collected at the finish line and verified with the time/date stamp. The convenience stores will also allow you to replenish supplies/beverages at intervals of 30 to 40 miles. So you will never be too far from sustenance. Be sure to bring some cash!

Nebraska Lottery tickets sold here! Valparaiso, Nebraska

Please note, that a link to the list of riders for the Gravel Worlds/The Good Life Gravel Adventur has been added as a side bar to the right.

More details on the Gravel Worlds to follow.

The list of riders thus far...UPDATED!

2010-02-15T17:39:00.000-08:00

Guitar Ted's bad ass handmade postcard

Hey folks! Here is the list of riders that have successfully sent in a postcard (in no particular order). If you don't see your name on the list, I didn't get a postcard. Maybe it got lost in the mail or maybe your handwriting is terrible. So give it another shot! Details regarding the postcards can be found here.

Men Open

Oliver Banta - Lincoln, NE
Mike Johnson - Cedar Falls, IA
Steve Fuller - Johnston, IA
Jesse Petersen - Lincoln, NE
Joel Dyke - Kansas City, KS
Sean Licari - Omaha, NE
Rich Hendricks - Duluth, MN
Craig Schmidt - Lincoln, NE
Brian Drahota - Lincoln, NE
James Stamper - Manhattan, KS
Shane Harders - Lincoln, NE
Matthew Anderson - Lincoln, NE
Nate Woodman - Lincoln, NE
Scott Kiddoo - Lincoln, NE
James Peters - Omaha, NE
CVO - Tatooine
Joe Erwin - Topeka, KS
James Grooms - Shawnee, KS
Kevin Burke - Lincoln, NE
Tyrol Ehlers - Lincoln, NE
Al Brunner - West Allis, WI
Trevor Madden - Lincoln, NE
Keith Clark - Bartlesville, OK
Kevin Doggert - Bartlesville, OK
John Williams - Kansas City, MO
Mark Trousdale - Indianapolis, IN
John Satory - Cleveland, OH
Chris Karpowicz - Broadview Heights, OH
Matt Gersib - Lincoln, NE
Loren Rye - Lincoln, NE
Mike Baggio - Huntley, IL
Aaron Holder - Kansas City, MO
Mark Savery - Omaha, NE
Andres Torres - Omaha, NE
Troy Krause - Lincoln, NE
Dennis Grelk - Lincoln, NE
David Hegberg - Lincoln, NE
Jeff Leaf - Lincoln, NE
Mike Douglas - Omaha, NE
Chris Burger - Lawrence, KS
Dave McLeod - Lawrence, KS
Kirk Hutson - Lawrence, KS
Paul White - Broadview Heights, OH
Kevin Wilkens - Lincoln, NE
Scott Satory - Atlanta, GA
S.C. Ideen - Lincoln, NE
Steve Hurless - Lincoln, NE
Jeremy Fry - Waterloo, IA
Phantom Joel Lamson - Lincoln, NE
John Fairbanks - Bellevue, NE
Carter Jones - Kansas City, MO
John Theget - Hutchinson, MN
Kevin Jargo - Minneapolis, MN
Chris Burchell - Lincoln, NE
Aaron Schnee - Omaha, NE
Jay Thomas - Lincoln, NE
James Blake - Lincoln, NE
Kip L'Heureux - Lincoln, NE
David Kosark - Lincoln, NE
Gus Miller - Seward, NE
Marcus Mancini - Cleveland, OH
Rhino Albeez - Lincoln, NE
Chris Skogen - Rochester, MN
Shawn Hansen - Lincoln, NE

Open Women

Elisabeth Reinkordt - Lincoln, NE
Jennifer Hoffman - Seward, NE
Alicia Stansbury - Lincoln, NE
Anne Savery - Omaha, NE
Emily Harrenstein - Lincoln, NE

SS Men

Nathan Swanson - Lincoln, NE
Rafal Doloto - Omaha, NE
David Pals - Marengo, IA
Ben Shockey - Decorah, IA
Matt Setzer - Lincoln, NE
Guitar Ted - Waterloo, IA
Jeff Bonsall - Lincoln, NE
Rob Hiatt - Lincoln, NE
Warren Wiebe - Lawrence, KS
Malcolm Tassi - Loveland, CO
Eric Brunt - Omaha, NE
Nick Oswald - Minneapolis, MN
Hurl Everstone - Minneapolis, MN
Adam Blake - Iowa City, IA
Chris Hansen - Lincoln, NE
Clint Robinson - Lincoln, NE

SS Women

Janna Vavra - Lincoln, NE

Master Men

Mark Fallon - Lincoln, NE
Scott Bulfinch - Lincoln, NE
Jim Palmer - Oronoco, MN
David Rowe - Lincoln, NE
Pete Lira - Jacksonville, IL
Nick Nicholson - Olathe, KS
Monsignor Tucker - Lincoln, NE
Dan Perry - Wichita, KS
Bruce Currin - Lincoln, NE
Fred Gardy - Lincoln, NE
John Flynn - Lawrence, KS
John Mathias - Olathe, KS
Steve McGuire - Coralville, IA

Master Women

Kim Carveth - Lincoln, NE

Tandem

Michael Beck - Lakewood, CO

If you happen to be the first to finish the route in each respective category, you'll earn a Gravel World Champion jersey (see above). Only the first rider to finish the entire route in each category will have the honor to wear this Bad Daddy!

Cards!

2010-02-02T19:27:00.000-08:00

Is your card in the pile? A list of riders to be added soon.

Gravel Worlds update

2010-01-29T07:39:00.000-08:00

The postcards are steadily coming in and the list of participants will be posted soon. As a reminder, if you wanna be part of the adventure, send a postcard with your name, hometown, age, category, and email address to:

Pirate Cycling League
1510 D Street
Lincoln, NE 68502

The PCL will be accepting postcards through the month of February.

Disclaimer regarding the Gravel Worlds/GLGA:

The folks at the PCL would like to remind everyone that this adventure is just a bike ride. There is no entry fee or prize money. Racing licenses are not required. Folks who complete the entire route first in each respective category (Open Men, Open Women, SS Men, SS Women, Masters Men, Masters Women, and Tandem) will be crowned the Officially unofficial, tongue in cheek, "we're callin' it the Worlds because it hasn't been done yet" Gravel World Champion.

This ride is 100% self-supported. That means you are responsible for you. Once you leave the start/finish area, you are completely responsible for yourself. No one from the PCL will come bail you out if you have problems. You are responsible for a bail out option if you need one. Please be aware of this prior to participating. Also, please be aware we will be riding on rural gravel roads that will have occasional automobile traffic. This is not a closed course. So you must obey all rules of the road including signaling when turning, stopping at stop lights and stop signs, and staying to the right on the road. Please don't do anything stupid to get yourself hurt and/or killed. That would be a major bummer.

Finally, please remember this event is all about having fun on a bicycle with like minded individuals. If you see someone in need of assistance, please stop and offer a helping hand. Also, be courteous to everyone you encounter on the ride including dogs who are chasing you. So basically, don't be a dick.

Gravel Worlds - The Good Life Gravel Adventure - Registration info

2010-01-25T05:59:00.001-08:00

Well folks, after a bit of discussion with the rest of the PCL crew, we have decided to open up registration for the Inaugural Gravel World Championship/The Good Life Gravel Adventure via the postcard route. Here are the details.

Starting today, send a postcard with your name, hometown, email address, age, sex and category (see below) for the event to:

Pirate Cycling League
1510 D Street
Lincoln, NE 68502

The categories for the event are:

Open men
Open women
Masters men (50 years of age+)
Masters women (50 years of age+)
Single speed men (includes fixed geared bicycles)
Single speed women (includes fixed geared bicycles)
Tandem
Tallbike
Unicycle

The last two categories are a joke...or are they?

We will be accepting postcards through the month of February. The field limit will be set at 10,000, so you better hurry! As a special incentive for folks to send in a card, we will be giving away a PCL prize packet (T-shirt and stickers) to randomly assigned entrants (for example registrant number 4, 33, 55 and 75). The prize packet will be given out at the event on August 21, 2010.

As always, we reserve the right to change any and everything whenever we see fit. We're pirates after all.

Questions, comments, concerns? Post here or send me an email.

Inaugural Gravel World Championship - The Good Life Gravel Adventure

2010-01-10T13:06:00.001-08:00

Minimum Maintenance Road of Lancaster County

The date is set! The Inaugural Gravel World Championship - The Good Life Gravel Adventure will take place on Saturday August 21, 2010. Start time will be 6 AM. The event will start and finish in Lincoln, Nebraska.

A few quick details:

This is a self supported event - Yes, you are responsible for you! If you gotta pull the plug on the side of the gravel road, be sure you have someone available to pick you up!
The course will NOT be marked. A cue sheet will be distributed prior to the event.
All riders are required to have a cyclo computer that can track mileage - Yes, we will verify that you completed the entire distance at the end.
Riders will be required to purchase a Nebraska Powerball Lottery ticket at each "checkpoint" as proof of reaching the checkpoint.
The checkpoints will be small town gas station convenience stores. If you need fluids and sustenance, buy it there!
The distance will be roughly 150 miles with around 5,000 to 8,000 feet of vertical elevation gain.
This is a free event (except the four to five lottery tickets you gotta buy for a buck).
The Golden Rule applies to this event. If someone needs help, stop and help out.

More details regarding registration, etc. will be announced soon!

Also, note the 2010 PCL calendar of events to the right on the side bar!

The Good Life Gravel Adventure - Gravel Worlds - Date to be announced soon!

2010-01-03T13:50:00.000-08:00

Ah yeah...

The PCL Executive Committee will be meeting sometime within the next week to discuss the 2010 The Good Life Gravel Adventure/Inaugural Gravel World Championship. Check back soon for more details.

Come on out to the Lincoln Cross Race tomorrow for some PCL swag!

2009-11-20T17:00:00.000-08:00

PCL T-shirt available for 10 bucks

PCL koozies - only available for folks that are racing

Gravel Worlds!

2009-09-28T19:09:00.000-07:00

Well, this is the official announcement that Lincoln will be hosting the Inaugural Gravel World Championship. The Good Life Gravel Adventure will be the 2010 Gravel Worlds. Stay tuned for more info.

PCL Tuesday Night ride announcement

2009-09-21T09:52:00.000-07:00

The Tuesday night PCL Crit is done for the year. Thanks to all the riders who came out to The Bridges near Denton again this year to make the Tuesday Night Crit a success. The Crit will continue on next year.

Now it's time to transition over to cyclocross!

Lottery Ticket update from the GLGA

2009-09-03T20:16:00.000-07:00

The PCL crew met tonight and went through all the 171 Nebraska Powerball Lottery tickets. Unfortunately, we didn't hit the big one and didn't come away with anything worth splitting amongst all the participants (unless you want some jingle - as in change). So if you were counting on retiring with our winnings, hopefully you didn't tell your boss to "Take this job and shove it!"

Thanks again to Nebraska Lottery for the scratch off tickets! BTW, did anyone get anything off those scratch offs?

Troy thanking our Nebraska Lottery sponsor at the first checkpoint in Valparaiso, Nebraska.

Scott Bulfinch's wife took a couple of pics that he has graciously shared with us (see below). The first is of the start and the second is of Scott finishing the event. The GLGA was Scott's personal record for longest ride. Very impressive!

The roll out from the Mopac Trailhead at 6 AM

Congrats Scott!

The Good Life Gravel Adventure - pics!

2009-09-01T19:57:00.000-07:00

Thanks again everyone for the kind words and praise. We're just happy that you folks traveled to Lincoln to spend a beautiful late summer day riding bikes with us. We love the gravel roads surrounding Lincoln and also love to share those roads with folks such as yourselves. That's what keeps us motivated to keep putting on PCL events.

Here are some pics of the finishers. Unfortunately, I didn't get everyone at the finish. Also check out pics from John Mathias' wife in her Flickr set. If anyone else has pics that they want to share, send me an email and I'll put up a link.

Overall winner Troy Krause - Lincolnite

Second place - Jim Winklepleck - Lincolnite

"Honey, can you come pick me up?"

Third place - Jeremy Fry - Waterloo, IA

Fifth - John Vondracek, Fourth - Mike Marsh and Sixth - Trevor Madden - All Lincolnites

Since they all came in at the same time we had them draw straws with the medals to determine the order.

Seventh - Dave McLeod - Lawrence, KS and Eighth - John Mathias - Olathe, KS

Ninth - Joe Fox - Parkville, MO

That big smile says it all!

First place SS - Chris Hansen - Lincolnite

Chris laid down and didn't move much for about an hour after finishing. I was beginning to get worried. Great race Chris!

Tenth - Joel Dyke - Kansas City, KS

First place wicked sideburns award

Second SS - Jeff Bonsall - Lincolnite and 11th Mike Miles - Omaha

12th - Kevin Burke - Lincolnite and 13th - James Blake - Lincolnite

Longest ride of the year for both of these guys. Kevin rode his road bike to boot!

Third SS - Rafal Doloto - Omaha and 14th Scott Bigelow - Lincolnite

15th - Steve Fuller - Johnston, IA (no photo!)

(pictured above) 16th - David Rowe - Lincolnite, 4th SS - Warren Wiebe - Lawrence, KS, 17th - John Flynn - Lawrence, KS and 18th - Kirk Hutson - Lawrence, KS

Warren's poor front wheel with the Kevlar spoke fix. It was enough to get him to the finish. Note the front brake is disengaged.

Missing a pic of 19th - James Peters - Omaha, NE and 20th - Scott Bulfinch - Lincolnite

21st - Aaron Gammel - Lincolnite

Party!

First place Female - Janna Vavra - Lincolnite

The best finishing photo pose of the event

Fifth place SS - Nathan Swanson - Lincolnite!

SS 26 inch wheels!

Missing a pic of 2nd place Female Kelly Kostman - Lincolnite

Pictured above is 22nd - Kip L'Heureux - Lincolnite

I believe they both set personal distance records as well.

23rd - Gus Miller - Seward, NE and 24th - Steve Hurless - Lincolnite

26th - Steve McGuire - Iowa City, IA and 25th - Don Reed - Malvern, IA

6th place SS - Mike Beck - Lakewood, CO and 7th place SS - David Pals - Marengo, IA

27th - Pete Lira - Jacksonville, IL

28th - Oliver Banta - Lincolnite

Oly rekindled his love of gravel on Saturday!

Final finishers! 8th place SS - Matt Wills and 9th place SS - Jim Fobben - Lincolnites!

Hey! There's Steve!

The Good Life Gravel Adventure - Results & Recap

2009-08-30T18:31:00.001-07:00

Congrats and thanks to all the folks who toed the line this year for the second annual The Good Life Gravel Adventure. Grassroots events such as the GLGA are possible because folks like yourself step up to the challenge. We had a very talented and diverse group of riders this year from all over the Midwest. Smiles were abundant throughout the day, no one got lost or hurt, and the weather couldn't have been better. Mission accomplished.

Above are the official results. Take a look and let me know if I have anything listed incorrectly. If you wanna protest...sorry! The results are official. :)

50 riders started the event and 39 finished. The official start time was 6:10 AM so all finish times have been adjusted to reflect ride time. I have received vary reports on total elevation gain from riders who completed the GLGA. The range of elevation gain based on GPS cycling computers is 8100 to 9500 feet. Anyone who completed in the event can attest to hilliness of the course. That's Nebraska!

Thanks again to all the sponsors, riders, volunteers, friends and family members who made this event possible. It's always fun to see folks excited about riding their bike all day. That was definitely the case this past Saturday. Until next year!

The Good Life Gravel Adventure - Final reminders

2009-08-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

Hey folks! The Second Annual The Good Life Gravel Adventure is here! Saturday August 29, 2009 at 6 AM from the Mopac Trailhead the adventure begins. Here are some final reminders and miscellaneous info.

Lincolnites, please ride to the Mopac Trailhead or have someone drop you off. I'd like to conserve parking spaces for out of towners.
All riders, please try to be at the Mopac Trailhead by 5:40 AM. This will allow for enough time to conduct a pre-ride meeting prior to the start. The ride will start at 6 AM sharp.
There will be a sign-in sheet for you to complete prior to the start. Nothing major, just sign your name, jot down your age and a cell number that I can reach you at during the ride (cell phone number in case of an emergency).
Please bring a white light for the front of your bike and a red tail light. Blinky lights are the minimum.
Please come prepared with tubes, tools, water, food, cue sheet, cell phone, etc.
Please bring enough money to purchase four Nebraska Powerball Lottery tickets (four dollars) in Valparaiso, Malcolm, Denton and Cortland. Those tickets will be collected at the finish. Any winnings will be split amongst all participants.
Also bring some cash for beverages and food at the convenience stores (checkpoints).
Please obey all traffic laws and stay to the right on the gravel roads. Especially when approaching the crest of a gravel climb! Automobiles have been known to travel very fast on the gravel roads.
Some dogs will give chase. Do not throw anything at the dogs! Treat them with respect as if they were your dog.
Come prepared to have a good time and most importantly, enjoy yourself!

See you Saturday morning bright and early!

GLGA after party

2009-08-26T14:48:00.001-07:00

Yia Yia's

1423 O Street

Lincoln, NE

9pm

Come down after the GLGA for a slice of pizza, the largest beer selection in town, and some post gravel adventure relaxation.

The Good Life Gravel Adventure - Cue Sheet

2009-08-23T17:45:00.001-07:00

Adobe pdf file of the cue sheet available here thanks to Rafal!

Alright folks, here it is. The cue sheet for the 2009 The Good Life Gravel Adventure. This is only a jpeg image. I don't have capabilities to post this as a Microsoft Word document on blogger. If you would like a copy of the Word document to set up a cue sheet for yourself, send me an email (coreycycle@hotmail.com) with the subject line of "GLGA". I encourage folks to make their own cue sheets, but I will have some available at the start if you choose not to do so. The cue sheets that I will have available will be on 8 1/2 x 11 standard letter paper in a landscape format. You can fold the cue sheet into a tri fold and place in a plastic bag for the event. I will try to make a simple map for the backside of the cue sheet as well.

A tip on reading the cue sheet....if the cue sheet indicates L on 112th St, that means once you reach the intersection with 112th St, you turn left. Continue on that road until the next turn.

As you can see on the map, the longest stretch before an aid station (convenience store) is the first leg at 43 miles to Valparaiso. The next section to Malcolm is only 23 miles. After Malcolm, Denton is only 15 miles away. Cortland is 24 miles away from Denton and the finish is 34 miles from Cortland. The mileages listed are approximate! Bikely estimates the mileage and we noted during our pre-ride that they are very close, but slightly low. A cyclocomputer would be a very useful tool for this event. For example, on Branched Oak Rd you have a 14+ mile stretch. The next turn after getting onto Branched Oak Rd is NW 40th St. Not, I repeat, not N 40th St which you ride by on Branched Oak Rd around mile 8 of the 14 miles prior to reaching NW 40th. Please be attentive at all intersections and look for street signs. There are two intersections on the route that do not have street signs. We have hopefully clearly explained where to turn at those intersections.

Please plan accordingly for water and food. And remember, you must purchase a Nebraska Powerball at the listed convenience store.

Below is a Bikely tool for you to check out the route as well. You can look at a bigger version of the Bikely map if you register for a Bikely account (bikely.com) and look up "GLGA". Now you will notice that the total mileage is 140 which is slightly longer than we had originally intended. The first and last stretches of the event are relatively flat with the bulk of the rollers in the middle. There is a great mix of gravel, Minimum Maintenance Road dirt, a couple very small white rock sections, and minimal pavement. That's all I'm gonna say about the route. You'll have to find out the rest on Saturday!

The Good Life Gravel Adventure - Bikely Map

2009-08-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

GLGA Final Dry

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

The Good Life Gravel Adventure - Next Saturday!

2009-08-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

It's only a week away! The PCL crew is wrapping up the bits of prep work and are test riding the route today. Wish us luck!

I'll have some pics of the checkpoints up on the blog as well as the Bikely.com route and the cue sheet by the end of the evening Sunday. You can format the cue sheets anyway you like. If you don't make your own cue sheet, I'll have some at the start. If you got a GPS unit, go for it!

Some friendly reminders:

Please try to be at the Mopac Trailhead by 5:40 for necessary pre-event info
Every rider MUST at the bare minimum have a front white blinky and a rear red blinky light
Things to bring nclude: cell phone, cash money (bring enough $ for four lottery tickets and also enough to feed yourself throughout the day), food (if you don't wanna eat convenience store food all day), tube(s), multitool, pump, water bottles/hydration pack, ziplock baggie for lottery tickets, compass (hopefully you won't need this)

If it looks like the weather is gonna be bad the day of or leading up to the event, I will post a wet route which bypasses the dirt roads. Trust me, it's for the best if it's wet out.

Look for more updates soon!

Disclaimer: All riders are own their own after leaving the start/finish area. This is a self-supported event. You are responsible for you. Please train accordingly and bring all the necessary gear and equipment.

The Good Life Gravel Adventure - Only two weeks away!

2009-08-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

Are you ready to ride some sweet Nebraska gravel and dirt roads?

The second annual The Good Life Gravel Adventure is less than two weeks away! The PCL crew has finalized the course. The cue sheets will be posted the week prior to the event. All participants are encouraged to make their own cue sheets (allows you to format to your liking), but I will have cue sheets available at the start if you don't make your own.

As a reminder, we will begin and finish the event at the Mopac Trail Head (84th Street) in Lincoln, Nebraska (same spot as last year). The Mopac Trailhead is located at 600 S 84th Street in Lincoln, Nebraska (use Google Maps to find it!). The Mopac Trailhead has parking and restrooms available. I encourage all locals to ride to the Trailhead as to allow more parking for out of towners. If you have any questions about the start/finish area, please contact me.

The adventure begins on Saturday August 29, 2009 at 6 AM! Please be there at least 15 minutes early so I can get a head count. A neutral roll out will take place down the Mopac Trail.

Riders will ride to the following towns which will serve as checkpoints: Valparaiso, Malcolm, Denton and Cortland. You will be required to purchase Nebraska Powerball Lottery tickets at each of those towns as proof of reaching the checkpoint. All Nebraska Powerball tickets will be collected and verified at the finish line. The tickets will then be pooled and any winnings split amongst the race participants.

This is a FREE event (actually you will need to spend about 4 bucks on Nebraska Lottery tickets). There will be prizes and medals, but most importantly, there will be Gravel Glory.

Please shoot me an email if you are interested in coming to the Adventure. Please use The Good Life Gravel Adventure as the subject line and include your name, age, hometown and category (Open or Single Speed/Fixed). Email me at: coreycycle@hotmail.com

PCL T-shirts!

2009-08-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

We've got a few PCL T-shirts available (medium and large sizes) for 10 bucks. 100% cotton with screen printing by Screen Ink. If you want one, you better get one now before they're all gone. Since Lance was seen wearing one, I'm sure the remaining stock will be depleted rather quickly.

The Good Life Gravel Adventure - Updates!

2009-08-05T09:09:00.001-07:00

The second annual The Good Life Gravel Adventure is less than a month away! The PCL crew recently completed some recon and we're happy to announce that the course has being finalized! I am currently working on the cue sheet for the event.

NEW IMPORTANT INFO: I will be posting the cue sheet the week prior to the event. All participants are encouraged to make their own cue sheets (allows you to format to your liking). I will have cue sheets available at the start if you don't make your own.

We will begin and finish the event at the Mopac Trail Head (84th Street) in Lincoln, Nebraska (same spot as last year). The Mopac Trailhead is located at 600 S 84th Street in Lincoln, Nebraska (use Google Maps to find it!). The Mopac Trailhead has parking and restrooms available. I encourage all locals to ride to the Trailhead as to allow more parking for out of towners. If you have any questions about the start/finish area, please contact me.

The adventure begins on Saturday August 29, 2009 at 6 AM! Yes, 6 AM!

As a friendly reminder.....riders will be required to purchase Nebraska Powerball Lottery tickets as proof of reaching a checkpoint. All Nebraska Powerball tickets will be collected and verified at the finish line. The tickets will then be pooled and any winnings split amongst the race participants.

Tuesday night PCL Crit at the Bridges!

2009-07-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

Every Tuesday night 6 PM at the Bridges. Great for cyclocross training!

PCL Endorsed events - Farmhouse Classic and the Guitar Ted Death Ride Invitational

2009-07-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

Gravel Brethen Joe Fox from down south is cookin' up a sweet gravel grinder for July 18th. Another great grassroots event! Here are the details from the Farmhouse Classic blog.

What: Farmhouse Classic Gravel Century

When: Saturday July 18th

Where: Our farmhouse in Lathrop, MO

Who: Any and all are welcome

Why: Because there is way too much pavement in the world

Troy and I are in. How about you?

Also on July 17 th & 18th Guitar Ted, Trans Iowa race promoter and big wheel bike Guru, will be hosting his annual Death Ride Invitational. Details are up on the GTDRI blog.

I really wanted to make it to this event, but have already committed to the Farmhouse Classic. Both are great events with plenty of gravel. Both are FREE!

So are Wills, Bonsall and MG going to the GTDRI again this year?

Ponca Ride!

2009-06-14T20:08:00.001-07:00

Alrighty folks, here are the plans for the Ponca Ride which is Friday June 19th.

Meet at D Street on Friday morning, early. Real early. Take off time from D Street is 4 AM. Please try to be here ready to go by 4.

Matt Wills has the route. We'll follow him 155 miles to Ponca State Park and camp on Friday evening. Psycowpath race is Saturday. Camp Saturday evening.

Sag support will be Steph in my Land Rover as well as a couple of spouses of riders. I have limited space in my vehicle. If you want anything brought up to Ponca, please contact me ahead of time. Please drop off all items to D Street sometime during the week. Suggested items to bring include: tent, sleeping bag, thermarest (or comparable sleeping mattress), pillow, shower supplies, extra clothing, bug spray, headlamp, etc.

I will have a large cooler for food. If you want to put something in the cooler, let me know. I'd like to have food available for us once we arrive at Ponca State Park.

The weather forecast is looking good for Friday, but it's still several days away. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't plan on riding in the rain all day. If the weather is crappy, I'll drive up to the race on Saturday and ride back on Sunday weather permitting.

Riding back? I'm not sure who is planning on riding back. Doesn't sound like anyone has committed yet, but who knows. Maybe, that's all I can say.

Please come prepared for the long ride ahead and have plenty of cash, sun block, spare tubes, water/water bottles, and front/rear blinky lights. It's gonna be a great day!

Aaron Gammel is riding up on Saturday. If you'd like to join him post a reply or get ahold of me.

I'm looking forward to a great ride on Friday. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

The Good Life Gravel Adventure

2009-06-11T20:01:00.000-07:00

Things are coming together for the second annual The Good Life Gravel Adventure. The course is being finalized, local sponsors are offering support/prizes, and medals are being fabricated.

As a reminder, the GLGA will be approximately 135 miles of challenging gravel and dirt roads (with minimal tarmac) surrounding the great city of Lincoln, Nebraska. Small town convenience stores will serve as checkpoints and aid stations. Start and finish will be in Lincoln, Nebraska! The adventure begins on Saturday August 29, 2009. Exact start time will either be 6 or 7 AM.

Riders will be required to purchase Nebraska Powerball Lottery tickets as proof of reaching a checkpoint. All Nebraska Powerball tickets will be collected and verified at the finish line. The tickets will then be pooled and any winnings split amongst the race participants.

PCL Criterium Practice - Tuesday nights 6 PM

2009-05-28T15:14:00.000-07:00

PCL Criterium Practice starting next Tuesday June 2nd 6 PM at the Bridges which is located off of South West 27th street (just South of Denton road)…Look for the big Covered Bridge.

The Good Life Grave Adventure - Update

2009-05-23T15:49:00.000-07:00

The emails are coming in with folks wanting to sign up for the GLGA. Thanks to those who have sent emails thus far expressing interest in the Adventure. Check out the updated roster to the right.

We're doing a lot of reconing of the gravel and dirt roads surrounding Lincoln and are finding a lot of potential routes. The gravel and dirt roads around Lincoln are endless. Northern Lancaster County has a lot of large rollers and is often referred to as The Bohemian Alps due to the large Czech population in the area. The PCL crew is going to include several miles of those rollers during the GLGA. Sure, it's a lot of climbing, but you know what they say, what goes up...

The Good Life Gravel Adventure Roster

2009-05-07T20:15:00.000-07:00

The Good Life Gravel Adventure roster will be posted on the right side of the blog. If you are interested in riding the GLGA, please send me an email with your name, age, hometown and category (Open or SS/Fixed). My email address is in my profile.

Act fast, we're only allowing 500 participants.

The Good Life Gravel Adventure

2009-05-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

The Good Life Gravel Adventure has been moved to Saturday August 29, 2009. Please mark your calendars accordingly. The GLGA has been moved to accommodate the event promoters (The Ponca Ride is the weekend before the previously set date of June 27th).

Speaking of The Ponca Ride, all are welcome to join the Lincoln crew for a no drop ride up to Ponca State Park on Friday June 19th. We'll take off early on Friday (4 AM) and ride the 155 miles up to Ponca State Park and camp Friday and Saturday. The Psycowpath XC race is Saturday June 20th at Ponca State Park. On Sunday June 21st, the brave will ride back to Lincoln.

The GLGA will be approximately 135 miles of challenging gravel and dirt roads (with minimal tarmac) surrounding the great city of Lincoln, Nebraska. Small town convenience stores will serve as checkpoints and aid stations. Start and finish will be in Lincoln, Nebraska!

Riders will be required to purchase Nebraska Powerball Lottery tickets as proof of reaching a checkpoint. All Nebraska Powerball tickets will be collected and verified at the finish line. The tickets will then be pooled and any winnings split amongst the race participants.

All riders are own their own after leaving the start/finish area. This is a self-supported event. You are responsible for you. Please train accordingly and bring all the necessary gear and equipment. Fortunately, most checkpoints will be less than 30 to 40 miles apart. The checkpoints (small town convenience stores) will have ample refreshments for thirsty and hungry riders. Bring some cash along!

This is a FREE event (actually you will need to spend about 4 bucks on Nebraska Lottery tickets). There will be prizes and medals, but most importantly, there will be Gravel Glory.

Please shoot me an email if you are interested in coming to the Adventure. Please use The Good Life Gravel Adventure as the subject line and include your name, age, hometown and category (Open or Single Speed/Fixed). Email me at: coreycycle@hotmail.com

More details to follow soon!

PCL Tour of Dirt Roads - Recap

2009-04-11T18:30:00.000-07:00

We had a beautiful day for the Tour of Dirt Roads. Rain on Thursday created ideal dirt road conditions for the ride. No dust or mud, just sweet, sweet dirt.

The group rolled out of D Street around 9:20. The official headcount was 29. Usual suspects and a few faces we haven't seen in a while. Always great to see new faces.

Took awhile to get of out of town due to numerous pee breaks and one flat. Eventually the group found the first section of dirt just south of Saltillo road. I wasn't there, but I heard the pace picked up mightly a few times.

Road closed ahead.

Oh, that won't stop the PCL train.

Dirt roads rule!

Spilker Ales rules! Thanks for the Hopluia, Sam.

The crew rode most of the dirt roads on the course that was mapped out. A few sections were skipped for sake of saving time and getting to Cortland at a decent hour. The route was a bit longer than we had originally planned. Oops. Never trust my mileage estimates.

A few folks (Dave, Jim and Sam) rolled back in around 4:30ish to pick out a prize from the PCL prize vault. Not many made it back to D Street after the event. I'm sure most folks were over extended on time.

We've got plenty of PCL Tour of Dirt Roads (Second Edition) magnets courtesy of Dan Moore, Sam and Showen. Thanks again fellas! There are a few stickers left as well. Stop on by D Street to pick some up if you didn't get one today.

There are also some PCL Tour of Dirt Roads posters and maps available for FREE courtesy of Craig. Thanks dude!

PCL cotton T-shirts are available for 10 bucks. We've got medium and large sizes. Stop on by if you want one. Shot me an email and I'll be sure to be around the house.

The next Tour of Dirt Roads will take place sometime next year. We'll plan on hitting all the dirt roads on the route except the ones near Kramer for the next ToDR. That'll keep the route a little closer to 60 miles.

Thanks again to all that made the ToDR possible. Also thanks to all those who came by for the ride. Another great grassroots bicycle event based right here in Lincoln.

Dirt roads are dry!

2009-04-10T16:10:00.001-07:00

ToDR UPDATE

The PCL Tour of Dirt Roads is on for tomorrow morning. The dirt roads are dry. In fact, the recent rain should keep the dust down.

See you tomorrow morning.

PCL Tour of Dirt Roads!

2009-04-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

The second annual PCL Tour of Dirt Roads is almost upon us! Saturday April 11th at 9 AM the PCL Tour of Dirt Roads will begin from D Street (15th and D Street) in Lincoln and head southwest of town to find as many dirt roads as possible. We'll head out the Jamaica Trail and hit some gravel on our way out of town before hitting the beautiful dirt. The route has been mapped out and will hit:

approximately 22 dirt roads!
7 rural cemeteries along the route
8 rural lakes
Cortland, Nebraska

The ride will be approximately 50 to 70 miles. This is a no drop ride, but please come prepared and know your way back to town if you fall too far off the back (get dropped! HA!) or get lost. For those of you who want to go a little faster there will be a fast group which will ride the course at a brisker pace. If you wanna get a good workout on Saturday, join the fast group which will be lead by highly caffeinated masochistic PCL crew members.

The current plan is to stop into Cortland for lunch around noon or 1 PM and hit Leanne's Restaurant if it's open for business (if not, we'll hit the convenience store). Leanne's is currently undergoing remodeling, but will open if we get enough folks to show up for the event. They'll have cold beer on tap and plenty of bar food to satisfy your hunger.

We'll wrap up the ride after lunch with a few more dirt roads before heading back to Lincoln for a white elephant prize drawing. Remember to bring a white elephant prize for the PCL Prize Vault to drop off before we leave on the ride. The white elephant prize can be anything and doesn't need to be bike related. Previous prizes include: 3 bars of Caress soap, various calibers of firearm bore snakes, a bottle of Crown Royale, a Q-tip CD, books, and the infamous Larry the Cable Guy DVD. Just please keep the white elephant prize rated PG.

If the dirt roads are wet, we will ride gravel. One of the PCL crew members will recon the dirt tomorrow (Friday). Stay tuned for updates.

Tour of Dirt Roads photo teaser #17

2009-04-08T20:06:00.000-07:00

Tour of Dirt Roads photo teaser #16

2009-04-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

Tour of Dirt Roads photo teaser #15

2009-04-06T20:03:00.000-07:00

Tour of Dirt Roads photo teaser #14

2009-04-05T20:02:00.000-07:00

Tour of Dirt Roads photo teaser #13

2009-04-04T20:01:00.000-07:00