For those of you about to get Dirty...
 

The DK starts in about a week and a half.

1) Which distance are you going?
2) What is your reason for doing it?

My answers:
1) 100
2) I've driven past the Flint Hills too many times to count, and always wanted to explore them. Went to college at KU and for various reasons never had the time as a student to get out there. So it's a little bit delayed gratification, and a desire to see a place I've barely been able to spend time in, plus I figured if I'm going to do a century, it might as well be a really hard century. In other words, no way I'll place, but it should be a pretty fulfilling experience.

Good luck to everyone.

1. 100
2. I did the 100 last year...I live about an hour away and enjoy doing smaller gravel events/rides, so I thought why not. I was pretty exhausted last year, but approaching the finish line to the cheering crowd and ringing cowbells was rewarding and made the whole thing worth it. It probably helped that I finished the 100 shortly before the winner of the 200 arrived :) This year I'm hoping for decent weather, maybe a little stronger of a finish, and just to have fun.

1) 200
2) Because it's there.

1. 200
2. As a kid we'd travel through The Flint Hills and I always thought about riding them. I started triathlons and found it impossible to train outside in the road due to crazy drivers so a friend convinced me to get a gravel bike. After an ACL reconstruction in each knee over a two year span I mostly had to ditch running and soccer. Through rehab I fell in love with gravel grinding as a means to build strength. Been riding local races since. Planning for a finish anything between midnight and 1am would be amazing.

Good luck

1. 0
2. I'm missing it this year (and last) due to shoulder and knee injuries picked up during the 2015 DK200. My knee surgeon still hasn't released me to do "serious" gravel (which most of the DK200 certainly is). Maybe he never will. But if he does, I will be back. There is nothing anywhere else like Dirty Kanza.

Good luck!

Best directions on the 100 cue sheet: mile 24.1 "through cattle pens. exit pens left." This is going to rule.

Less than 24 hours until the DK200 -- but the fun in Emporia has already begun! Have a great weekend, riders! Wish I could be there!

For those stuck at home, there's a live rider telemetry page for a few dozen racers here:

https://www.quarqrace.com/race/779?

That was amazing! I finished the 100 in just under 8 hrs. Was fortunate to have good conditions and slight overcast. The first half of the ride takes you through some breathtakingly beautiful country. The second half is full of gnarly hills and has a six mile section of tractor ruts and feels significantly harder than the first half. I stopped for about 40 minutes at Madison to stretch and eat. No flats or mechanical issues. The 200 riders were incredible. Some finished in under 11 hours.

I finished the 100 in under 9 hours, which is over two hours faster than last year and felt much better. The weather was basically perfect: fairly cool, overcast, no wind and no mud!

I had one mechanical issue early in the race which required some time to address. An awkward shift under power bent my front derailer cage, but I was able to make some adjustments and get the chain rolling again. End result was I was mostly limited to one chainring the rest of the race, but as it turns out 39x11-36 wasn't so bad!

Great day in the saddle. I finished the 100 miles in 7:57 which is significantly better than previous years. The weather was outstanding.

Sadly a rider on the 50 mile course collapsed and later died at a local hospital.

Dirty Kanza endurance racer collapses on the course, dies | The Wichita Eagle

FYI - I used the Support Crew for hire this year and it worked out perfectly, I would highly recommend it.

It was a perfect day. I stuck to my strategy on the 200 and clocked a blistering (for me) 16.56 mph avg for the first segment and 14.12 for the second. I knew the first two segments would be the toughest for me as they covered the bulk of the climbing. No flats, nutrition was dialed... All was looking good on paper. Unfortunately I had knee pain from the start which only got worse and abandoned when I wasn't able to pedal when I tried to leave the second checkpoint.

With all the talk of Texaco Hill I expected more. However, the Be-Yotch and Brick Hill climbs where just evil.

The Never Let Go crew for hire teams were great.

Sorry to hear about the loss. I saw the results of several falls and heard of others. I hope everyone else is okay.

If you are thinking of doing this ride...do it. Training for next year begins now.

You must have been in spitting distance of me - I'm pretty sure my time was in the 7:57's. I was on my Masi and had a fluorescent yellow Oktoberfest t-shirt.

Congrats to all!

I kind of remember the Masi but, I can't place the jersey. Did you get passed while you in the chute. My buddy said he passed somebody he felt bad about doing it but, was wanting to sprint finish.

I was the guy in a long sleeve t shirt. I don't think I got passed in the chute but I just wanted to keep the pedals turning at that point so maybe I did? What were you wearing / riding?

The DK starts in about a week and a half.

1) Which distance are you going?
2) What is your reason for doing it

I finished the DK50 in 4:14.
When I first heard about the DK I was intrigued in a way that the ideas of, say, running a marathon or climbing a mountain never did for me. Riding the DK had the right mix of adventure, danger and fun for me. I was not disappointed! I used my yellow Salsa Fargo. I lost some food and gear on the bumps and had four short mechanical stops. I got dirty and felt like stopping but pushed myself. During the ride, I had great conversations with someone from Wisconsin whose son was riding the DK200, and with someone from Sidney Australia. My sprint finish down the shoot in Emporia with the crowds cheering and ringing cowbells is something I will remember for the rest of my life. I'm hoping to get into the DK200 next year. It's hard to get into--sells out in minutes.

Somewhere around mile 140: (Photo credit Kim Morris)
Attachment 566480

At the end: (photo credit my wife)
Attachment 566481

You made it ksryder! Congratulations! Must feel good.

Hey, I know that guy ;)

ETA: ksryder didn't mention that he absolutely crushed the DK200

Five seconds from the win.
 

Tears are part of the sport.

I finished the half-pint 100 in 7:20, of which 6:31 was moving time. It was a pretty easy ride, as my Strava suffer score was only 202. As I was riding at my friend's pace, I didn't really put forth too much effort until mile 85. Then I was ready for it to be over and have my post-race beer.

My only mechanical was my left crank-arm was slipping off, causing too much pressure on the left side of the BB. I didn't realize what was happening until we got onto the Emporia St. campus. I also got 2 huge paint chips - one on the BB and one on the left chainstay. Not exactly a durable paint job on what's supposed to be an all-road bike.

It was a good time. I think I might try the 200 next year.

Thanks. It felt good to finally get off the bike :)

Thanks pal, hope your legs are better now. Two words: Pony Express. :thumb: