“The bicycle is a curious vehicle. Its passenger is its engine.” — John Howard, US cyclist
- Date: Saturday, July 16, 2022
- Weather: The clouds hid the hot sun but I couldn’t hide from the strong and gusty headwinds!
- Starting Point: Malcolm, IA
- Departure Time: 0637 CST
- Miles: 66
- Moving Time: 3:17
- Total time: 3:32
- Overnight Location: Beyonder Getaway at Sleepy Hollow, Oxford, IA
It was grey with not too much to say, so I’ll leave it for another day. The ride was uneventful. Our overnight destination, however, was a family-oriented free for all with children of all ages running every which way. Beyonder was not far enough to get for the day. We secured our site, freshened up, and were off to Iowa City to square a few things away.
My cleats had taken a beatin’, and after slipping out a few too many times, I knew it was time. Kevin at Geoff’s Bike & Ski in Iowa City took the time to take care of it! Thank you for that and for pointing us towards a few local interests.
Kevin’s suggestion took us to the Downtown Iowa City Ped Mall and the place to go for a post-ride brunch. The college-town vibe was evident on this lazy Saturday morning, a portent of the party potential on Hawkeye Football game days. The subdued student buzz was energizing, engaging, and fun.
I immediately knew when we made our way to the front of the line. The Dandy Lion was a special place. Sure, telling by the group of twenty-somethings hovering around the door for early afternoon breakfast, the food had to be good. There was something else. So I asked.
“Are those Rapha pants you’re wearing?” The host was also wearing a tribute to climbers on top, it was clear. He was one of us.
We shared stories of our cycling journeys as he checked back between table runs—his of more far-off and exotic African and European locales.
The food was excellent, and the experience was another memorable highlight. Thank you to Tommy and The Dandy Lion!
Iowa City was a silver lining to our grey and uneventful day!
About the DIRT Dad Fundo Pledge for Day Thirty-Eight—Pete Butler
There are few people I respect and admire more than Pete Butler. He is a loyal friend and confidant who is selfless with his time, youthful energy, and empathy. He is always there to ground me with his sage wisdom and push the right buttons when I need a little push. Pete is honest with his advice and sincere in his love of all things cycling and good people. Thank you for always being there for me, friend!
Here is what Pete had to say—”Ride on, Chris!!! Love you brother!!!”
Amount Raised to Date—$8,369
Thank you, Pete!
Now off to Wilton, IA!
To support Chris in his effort to raise awareness of The DIRT Dad Fund, the non-profit he created to assist members of the worldwide cycling community, check out this link to learn more.
Find out where you can pledge a donation and subscribe to The ZOMs newsletter to follow along on the journey.
Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.
Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.
His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the Virtual Sports Research Network and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts The Virtual Velo Podcast, too.
