Tomrv 28

[grizzly adam]

I know it's still winter - sort of - but I'm starting to plan out my larger rides for this summer, so I can get the necessary time off from work and get the dates nailed down in an attempt to be a little more organized.

Last summer I managed to con Tyson into joining me for a two day ride in Iowa and Illinois which combined for almost 200 miles. You can read about last year's ride here (http://www.morcmtb.org/forums/showthread.php?t=10185&highlight=TOMRV):

I plan on doing this ride again, as it's kind of a family tradition for me (I did my first TOMRV when I was 10) and it's just sooo much fun.

Last year I waited to register and the accomodations were....well...let's just say it was sticky and there was no AC. So hopefully I'll register early and get a better room.

Anyway - not too much changes with this ride, except maybe the course, but it's always hilly and almost always hot. As I mentioned before, this is where I get my tan for the whole summer/winter - still have tan lines from TOMRV 27. :p

It would be really cool if some of you guys would be interested in doing this and we could drive down together. Then if we have enough people willing to go, we could get a 3 room suite with AC! But they fill up fast.

Here's (http://www.qcbc.org/tomrv/) the link to this year's ride info. Registration doesn't open until February 28th.

If you have questions or are intersted in going, let me know! I'd love to have some company this year.

Oh - I should mention that it's also the same weekend as the Afton race - June 11 and 12.

[funky-funky-chicken]

Adam... I might be interested. My own summer tradition is RAGBRAI (route announced this weekend.) This will be my 21st year of going. I like the area around the Quad Cities, there is some incredible riding. As one might expect from having spent so much of my time riding Iowa, I have talked to a number of people who have done TOMRV. It's been on my "list" of rides to do someday.

What kind of arrangements for accomodations are you making? For the Friday night before? The Saturday night at Clarke College? Do you usually do the camp, dorm, or roll out ye-ol sleeping bag on the floor inside somewhere next to some crotchety person who complains about any noise after 8pm yet makes all kind of noise when they wake at 4:30am?

[grizzly adam]

Ooooh RAGBRAI - I have yet to do that!

As far as accomodations go, we usually head down Friday afternoon and stay literally minutes from the start. I've always had a personal sag along the way. It's usually my dad's shop van, but last year was my wife with the MINI. Tyson threw some stuff in and she would drive ahead and wait for us, or meet us at a rest stop. That works great in case of weather changes or nasty headwinds or if you're just not feeling up to the mile long climb.

Saturday night we get a dorm room. I don't mind camping or shacking in a sleeping bag, but after being on the bike all day, it's nice to sleep on a mattress. There are several dorms that they use and the later you register, the farther away from the food you stay. There are also 3 bedroom suites which are available at a higher cost, but there's more room, a kitchen and air conditioning....:cool: They sleep up to 6 people I think, but they do go fast.

I don't care to get up too early Sunday morning, but I'm not going to sleep in 'till 9 either. We eat the breakfast buffet and load up the MINI and head off into the cool weather and wrestle with that first sit-down on the saddle after 100 miles.

We're usually back home-home late Sunday night, 11pm or so. Depending on weather and how fast we ride/drive.

Last year Tyson and I set a blistering pace! I'm banking on more people this year, so we don't have to repeat the pace.

[tmac]

Beer Garden. I beleive that Adam forgot to mention the beer garden that awaits you with cheap draft beer after the 2-mile long hill at mile 104.

[grizzly adam]

It's time! Another year has flown by! The 2005 TOMRV Tour of the
Mississippi River Valley is now open for online registration. The event is
scheduled for Saturday, June 11th through Sunday, June 12th, so mark
your calendar and register today at:

http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1188881

**Cut and paste the above links into your browser to register**

Of note: If you are registering and would like an air conditioned room
to crash in afterwards...let me know. I got a 4 room suite this year. I
would only ask to help cover the cost of all who stay - and maybe a beer.
:crazy2:

Think ABOUT it, MAN!!

Oh yeah....the longer you wait, the more expensive it is. The all-you-can-eat dinner buffet is uncluded, along with a t-shirt. The breakfast buffet and extra dinner tickets can be purchased after the ride Saturday.

[grizzly adam]

I have a couple responses to this already and the rooms are all taken. However, if you still want to ride it, the dorm rooms are still available.

And don't forget that we'll have the MINI as support along the way, so if you need rain clothes, food, tools, or just want to ride in the MINI for awhile, you can do so whenever you like.