Sunday, December 16, 2018

The Entries so Far

UPDATED as of 12/28 - now in alphabetical order of your first names.... (no one ever said that I was good at this!)

Amanda Jorgenson
Andrew Nepsund
Andrew Novak
Andy Weinzierl
Benjamin Cox
Benjamin Roshko
Benjamin Tallin
Bill Callas
Bob Stoltz
Brent Bovitz
Brent Kvittem
Brett Sloma
Brian Bernard
Brian Dukek
Bryce Rasussen
Carl Bakker
Carmen Aiken
Chad Myhre
Chap Achen
Char Psihos
Charles Parsons
Charles Wolf
Chis Van Ert
Chris Matthews
Christopher Tallin
Craig Braun
Dan Funke
Dan Naef
Daniel Ayala
Danny Whipple
Darryl Shoemaker
Dave Bucholtz
Dave Katzmann
David Pollitt
David Pramann
David Strachan
David Weeks
Dennis Grelk
Dustin Gaffke
Eddie Karow
Eric Applen
Erin Ayala
Gabe Masiulis
Garry McFarlane
Grant Braasch
Gregory Ivey
Ian Hoogendam
Isaac Weeks
Jacob Jungers
James Kauth
Jared Lewis
Jason Sheldrake
Jay Schneider
Jeff Bushendorf
Jeff Haye
Jeff Henkemeyer
Jeff O'Neill
Jeff Pettes
Jeff Shupe
Jere Mohr
Jerry Wright
Jim Garrett
Joe Black
Joe Clark
Johanna Ficatier
John Hammje
John Hoch
Jon Loye
Jonas Nygard
Josh Gamble
Judy Olstad
Justin Kremer
Justin Schuetz
Kai Schutte
Keith Bianchi
Ken Zylstra
Kent McDaniel
Kevin Greimel
Kurtis Wilson
Leah Gruhn
Lindsay Wentz
Lukas Eklund
Luke Brager
Luke Wood
Maggie Fournier
Marcos Montano
Martha Flynn
Matt Lawrence
Matt Webb
Matthew Kurke
Meredith Rambow
Michael Landreville
Michael Nohr
Michelle Carter
Mike Campbell
Mike Johnson
Nate Brennaman
Nathan Wentz
Nicholas Quinn
Nick Lemke
Nick McCulloch
Patrick Sheedy
Paul Carroll
Paul Fickle
Randy Brendal
Ray Nickles
Rick Curtis
Rob Belz
Rob Mossimann
Ron Moore Jr.
Ryan Stringfield
Sam Berkland
Sam Tobias
Scott Ehlers
Scott Klein
Scott Stroeing
Scott Swenson
Shawn Cotter
Steven Deckert
Steven Yore
Ted Clausen
Ted Loosen
Thomas Erickson
Thomas Woods
Tim Lupfer
Timothy Hoffard
Tina Olson
Todd Foster
Todd Watchwaker
Trenton Raygor
Trisha Groth

Friday, November 30, 2018

Postcards are rolling in

A few handfuls of postcards have started to trickle in. I'll get them entered in hopefully by Sunday night and post up here so if you sent in a card you'll know that I got it. So far so good on people following the rules! Thanks!

The roads are riding nice and fast at the moment! Some spots where studs are nice to have, lots of spots where they are not needed (though if you hit a spot where they are needed and you don't have them... hold on!). Last weekend one particular MMR climb (that isn't on the standard route, but has been included at least once) was ditch to ditch glare ice on the last 1/3... once it got kicked up the only option was riding in the ditch. So just be aware that the conditions change fast out there nowadays. Snow in the forecast for tomorrow/Sunday so it'll be even more variable after that!

Get out and enjoy fresh air and gravel!

Thursday, November 8, 2018

It is almost that time again!

Postcard lottery entry window opens up on Black Friday. So this year it is November 23. I'll need them POSTMARKED by Dec. 31. No exceptions.

For a properly submitted entry....:

1) I need LEGIBLY WRITTEN:


  • Your Name
  • Your email address
  • "I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MYSELF" (need not be in all caps, people miss this somehow and it frustrates me)
2) On a standard postcard! I'm not so picky that a square postcard gets thrown out, but I don't want to see a bunch of hacked up beer cases or cereal boxes. I like that you want to save planet earth, but just drop it off in recycling and spend $0.50 on a darn card.

3) If any card is delivered with postage due, the person that sends said card will never be allowed into the race again. Seriously... find some change under the car seat and get it right.

4) My address:

Ragnarok 105 c/o
Isaac Giesen
5595 Cannondale Court
Red Wing, MN  55066

Race details:

1) April 6th. Starting and ending at Mississippi National Golf Course. Red Wing, MN
2) Unless we have a blizzard the week of the event that dumps feet of snow on the course, it will be back to it's normal MMR filled goodness. I loved starting late and ending early due to the shortened course last year, but it ultimately wasn't the same (not that it wasn't good).
3) It is my every intention to change up the course slightly from the "standard" course. I am very old fashioned and dislike people just using their GPS to tell them where to go. There will be new cue sheets.
4) As of right now, I'm intending to cap the roster at 150 people. If we receive more than 150 cards, we will draw postcards and fill out the roster in that way. It's always a pain in the rear end, but for cards that are received by the cut off time (not a day later) and not pulled in the lottery, we will have a waiting list. Historically gobs of people drop out for various reasons, so usually people can ride if they want to.
5) We're still a free event. I may get insurance (haven't yet, and luckily haven't needed it) but regardless 2019 will be free free free.

There are probably a bunch of things I'm missing... but those are the pertinent details. Feel free to shoot me a question/concern/etc. at isaac.m.giesen@gmail.com if you have one.

Monday, April 9, 2018

Official Results - 2018

Place Number Name Finished Time
1 333 Ian Hoogendam 12:48 4:18
2 351 Dustin Gaffke 12:50 4:20
3 331 Ted Loosen 12:50 4:20
4 374 Drew Wilson 12:51 4:21
5 370 Nathan Wentz 12:54 4:24
6 324 Steve Marshall 12:55 4:25
7 332 Brian Delaney 13:07 4:37
8 389 Sam Berkland 13:07 4:37
9 362 Rick Curtis 13:14 4:44
10 377 Derek Van De Velde 13:16 4:46
11 328 Scott Ehlers 13:16 4:46
12 349 Todd Foster 13:16 4:46
13 388 Franz Rinkleff 13:34 5:04
14 342 Ryan Stringfield 13:36 5:06
15 335 Matt Kurke 13:36 5:06
16 334 Kyle Sobota 13:36 5:06
17 314 Lee Zettler 13:37 5:07
18 348 Aaron Johnson 13:38 5:08
19 308 Aaron Halfaker 13:42 5:12
20 387 Scott Hippen 13:52 5:22
21 322 Steven Soltis 13:52 5:22
22 358 Lukas Eklund 13:56 5:26
23 350 Nathan Kremer 13:56 5:26
24 361 Luke Wood 13:56 5:26
25 378 Paul Carroll 14:02 5:32
26 381 Todd Shanafelt 14:04 5:34
27 343 Shane Maxwell 14:11 5:41
28 357 Ben Mullin 14:22 5:52
29 372 Lindsay Wentz 14:22 5:52
30 382 Randy Brendal 14:23 5:53
31 316 Ted Clausen 14:24 5:54
32 393 Andrew Haala 14:29 5:59
33 363 Jonah William Hudson-Erdman 14:30 6:00
34 315 Zach Guse 14:30 6:00
35 317 Isaac Weeks 14:30 6:00
36 330 David Weeks 14:30 6:00
37 341 Kurtis Wilson 14:34 6:04
38 344 Darryl Shoemaker 14:34 6:04
39 310 David Bell 14:41 6:11
40 326 Eric Hathaway 14:42 6:12
41 327 Mike Watercott 14:42 6:12
42 345 Rob Chose 14:42 6:12
43 352 Rob Mosiman 14:47 6:17
44 390 James Kauth 14:50 6:20
45 379 Matt O'Laughlin 14:51 6:21
46 355 David Strachan 14:57 6:27
47 366 Michael Landreville 15:02 6:32
48 364 Charles Parsons 15:04 6:34
49 313 Eddie Karow 15:04 6:34
50 353 Brian Simon 15:06 6:36
51 391 Robert Green 15:08 6:38
52 367 Jim Garrett 15:08 6:38
53 339 Luke Brager 15:08 6:38
54 306 Ray Nickles 15:11 6:41
55 392 Jeremie Van Ryswyk 15:11 6:41
56 303 Cody Condon 15:11 6:41
57 318 Jennifer Youngwerth 15:11 6:41
58 360 Michael Groskruetz 15:11 6:41
59 301 Joel Benton 15:11 6:41
60 369 Dan Funke 15:13 6:43
61 336 Jay Schneider 15:13 6:43
62 340 Patrick Sheedy 15:13 6:43
63 321 Madalyn Gibson 15:14 6:44
64 368 Jeff Bushendorf 15:14 6:44
65 319 Daniel Ayala 15:23 6:53
66 320 Erin Ayala 15:23 6:53
67 354 Alan Eastlund 15:24 6:54
68 356 Chad Millner 15:24 6:54
69 359 Grant Braasch 15:24 6:54
70 376 Ken Zylstra 15:24 6:54
71 312 Gregory Ivey 15:24 6:54
72 304 Jon Anderson 15:40 7:10
73 375 Nick McCulloch 15:44 7:14
74 307 Matt Webb 15:44 7:14
75 383 Neil Cary 15:45 7:15
76 305 Andy Weinzierl 15:47 7:17
77 380 Chris Gauron 15:48 7:18
78 365 Nicholas Quinn 15:48 7:18
79 325 Leah Gruhn 15:53 7:23
80 347 Amanda Jorgenson 16:01 7:31
81 346 Jeff Shupe 16:01 7:31
82 309 Gary Lindberg 16:02 7:32
83 338 Chris Symons 16:14 7:44
84 337 Nate Eide 16:14 7:44
85 302 David Sundheim 17:19 8:49
86 385 Max Dingemans 17:27 8:57
T-87 323 Nathan Good DNF
T-87 329 Justin Canup DNF
T-87 371 Meredith Rambow DNF
T-87 373 Joe Black DNF
T-87 384 Dave Knox DNF
T-87 386 Ben Cox DNF

Ragnarok 2018 - Quick Talking Points

Some talking points:

1) Lack of MMRs - While these roads have become synonymous with the race itself, the complete lack of ridability meant that they were always going to be a problem. I don't mind making folks trudge through 6-10" of snow if it's warm enough to not cause hypothermia or frostbite/etc. I did not think it prudent to force what could have been 200+ riders through that.

2) Shorter race - I personally dug getting up an hour later and being done 1.5 hours earlier. BUT this is still the Ragnarok... so unless we hit the trifecta of cold, snow, and lack of any real spring again don't get used to it (unless there is a groundswell that says otherwise)

3) Cue sheets ahead of time -  This is where I'll be the angry old person yelling get off my lawn. Never again. I am also going to attempt to change the race every year. No more blasting through checkpoints. We have them for a reason. I could go on a huge rant, but i'll just leave it at that.

I'll try and crunch numbers this evening. All in all it was an enjoyable day and I am grateful for all of the riders who came out. The weather didn't prove to be too horrible, and the roads outside of a few later in the day, have never been faster.

Friday, April 6, 2018

This Year's Tulips

I'm attempting to put up this year's tulip notes. We won't always do this, but if people want to do their technological thing and see where you are going, I'm ok with it when temps will be about freezing in the middle of the day.

Hopefully this works!

Google Drive with Tulip Notes - YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU

If you aren't in the event, please respect our wishes to not have everyone just "poaching" the course. Obviously they are open roads, but if it is rampant there will be less chance for a Rok 2019.

Thanks. Let me know if this works or not....

One day to go

Here is a quick synopsis of where we are at:

- Jake is out driving the course and making sure the hot off the presses tulips are spot on. The one MMR just might be passable by car (we made it up before we got 5 inches of snow with a Jetta wagon). We'll update you with road conditions.

Night before checkin at Red Wing Brewery. We'll set up around 7:30.

The start is now 8:30! We'll try and be set up no later than 7:15.

Where is the start? Mississippi National Golf Links in Red Wing, MN... head south on Highway 61 through Red Wing (there is a new light after downtown to access the bridge to WI, don't be alarmed... keep going straight). There is a huge sign for the golf club so it is really hard to miss... take a right off of 61 and you'll see us set up near the lower parking lot. I have a feeling that the clubhouse will even be open nearer to the start since we're an hour later, but don't count on it. There should be a few port-a-potties down there for the event for #1 and #2.

Where are the checkpoints?

Zumbro Falls - There is a park in "downtown" Zumbro Falls. It's hard to miss... off of water street. Sort of behind the BP gas station. Note that there are convenience stores easily accessible from the route. One pretty much right before the checkpoint, one right after. They aren't huge, but have bathrooms and coffee/snacks/etc. Typically there hasn't been a port-a-pottie at this checkpoint. You CAN have support folks meet you here and give you a change of clothes, food, water, etc.

Lake City - There are some soccer fields off of 10th street where we sit. We are generally at the far "entrance" to the lot. In the past this checkpoint has had water and bathroom services, but it cannot be counted on. My guess is that it is still off until it stops being so darned cold. There is a nice Kwik Trip at the corner of 10th and 63 that you pass on the route a bit before the checkpoint. Assume that the checkpoint is without water and plan accordingly (we generally have people backtracking for stuff).

Mississippi National does have food and drink available after the ride (hot food might be nice!). I'm not sure about hot chocolate...

Thursday, April 5, 2018

Updated Start Time and other tidbits

Thanks to some intelligent comments on Facebook (it's not a complete waste of time after all!) we've decided that we'll move the start time back until 8:30 am. What does that mean?

- We'll be setting up between 6:30 and 7:00 in the golf course parking lot ready to get people checked in.
- We'll try and start at 8:30, so please be checked in by 8:15-8:20.

The course is also changing. We've decided that trudging up frozen (at best, slushy wet snow at worst) MMRs probably wouldn't be an enjoyable thing for anyone so we've concocted a revised course. It's short on MMR flavor, so we apologize for that, but it still has enough climbs and small roads to get the real "taste" of the Rok.

We may tweak our cut-off times a bit too. Usually we try and set the cutoff at 9 mph average maybe giving folks a bit more leeway do to conditions, that would put as at:

- Zumbro Falls checkpoint - 32.5 miles in - 12:15 am CUTOFF
- Lake City checkpoint - 58.1 miles in - 3:30 pm CUTOFF
- Red Wing Finish - 80.0 miles total - 6:00 pm

As always... YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF! I believe that the roads will be pretty decent to ride on actually (we'll no for sure when the full course is driven tomorrow morning), so if you are ready and prepared and dressed to ride in 30 degree weather for 6-9 hours it should be a fun challenge. If you are not ready for that either please don't show up. Most likely there will be a v12 next year and I doubt the weather will be colder. OR have someone ready to pick you up at Zumbro Falls or Lake City and have a fun morning on your bike. We will not be able to ferry tons of people from all over the course back to the start. The compressed timing of the checkpoints is going to cause us to be "racing" around to make sure we are where we need to be, when we need to be there as it is.

Thanks!

I may try and post a GPX of the course... or whatever format people use.... I'm such a technological luddite. If I can figure it out I will this year only. Probably. Or I'll find out that it doesn't hurt anyone and we'll just do it for ever and always... who knows.

Sunday, January 14, 2018

Official Roster for 2018

We talked with some folks at Mississippi National and they were excited about hosting again and encouraged us to open it up to a few more people. I sort of can't believe that I'm doing it, but we're going to expand to 200+ riders so everyone gets in. NOTE... there is no waitlist. BUT!!! Every rider is an expense (which I am fine with) so if you know that you will not be there on the 7th. Let me know ASAP!

Anderson, Jon
Ayala, Daniel
Ayala, Erin
Baker, Brett
Bakker, Carl
Barr, Megan
Baskakov, Alexey
Bell, David
Belz, Rob
Benton, Joel
Berkland, Sam
Birkemeier, Ryan
Black, Joe
Boehnlein, Michael
Braasch, Grant
Brager, Luke
Braun, Henry
Breen, Luke
Brendal, Randy
Brown, Gary
Brown, Robert
Bruns, Micah
Busacker, Brett
Bushendorf, Jeff
Bushinski, Mark
Callas, Bill
Carline, John
Carlson, Derek
Carroll, Paul
Cary, Neil
Casey, Mike
Chose, Rob
Christiansen, Matt
Clausen, Ted
Condon, Cody
Cotter, Shawn
Cox, Benjamin
Curtis, Rick
Davis, Kyle
Deckert, Steven
Delaney, Brian
DeMars, Joe
Denis, Charles
Dingemans, Max
Donovan, Jack
Doom, Ben
Earley, Ken
Eastlund, Alan
Egbers, John
Ehlers, Scott
Eide, Nate
Eklund, Lukas
Emerson-Kramer, Jon
Erickson, Thomas
Evans, Greg
Fandel, Chris
Flynn, Martha
Foster, Todd
Fournier, Maggie
Frane, Jeffrey
Funke, Dan
Gaffke, Dustin
Gamble, Josh
Garrett, Jim
Gauron, Chris
Gibson, Madalyn
Good, Nathan
Green, Robert
Greenwaldt, Tyler
Greimel, Kevin
Groskreutz, Michael
Gruhn, Leah
Haala, Andrew
Hackensack, Gnate
Halfaker, Aaron
Halstrom, Mark
Hathaway, Eric
Haye, Jeff
Helfers, Larry
Hedin, Cory
Henkemeyer, Jeff
Hennig, Kristopher
Hest, Robert
Hey, Ben
Hippen, Scott
Hoch, John
Hoffard, Timothy
Hoogenakker, Kirsten
Hoogendam, Ian
Hoover, Rachael
Houser, Emily
Hudson-Erdman, Jonah William
Hustad, Risa
Ivey, Gregory
Johnson, Aaron
Jorgenson, Amanda
Jungers, Jacob
Karow, Eddie
Kauth, James
Kelly, Chad
Kelly, Justin
Kern, Jon
Kies, Scott
Knox, Dave
Koeneman, Brian
Kremer, Nathan
Krizek, Elliott
Kunshier, Jason AND Bohan, Patricia (Tandem)
Kurke, Matt
Landreville, Michael
Lane, Jon
Larson, Ryan
Lee, Mike
Lemke, Nick
Lewis, Jared
Lewis, Tim
Lindberg, Gary
Loosen, Ted
Loye, Jon
Marshall, Sandy
Marshall, Steve
Maxwell, Shane
McCormick, Michael
McCulloch, Nick
McDaniel, Kent
Mealhouse, Greg
Millner, Chad
Mohr, Jere
Molnar, Josh
Moore, Cameron
Moore, Matt
Morrow, Andrew
Mosiman, Rob
Nickles, Ray
Nickleski, Todd
Nohr, Michael
Nygård, Jonas
O'Laughlin, Matt
Olson, Tina
Olzer, Rachel
O'Neill, Jeff
Parsons, Charles
Petersen, Andrew
Peterson, Paul
Pettes, Jeff
Pletka, Bruce
Pramann, David
Quinn, Nicholas
Rambow, Meredith
Raygor, Trenton
Riley, Matt
Ringold, Tom
Ringuette, Jim
Rinkleff, Franz
Roeser, Josh "Pork Chop"
Rumley, Justin
Rupnow, Jason
Sauber, Lawrence E.
Schad, Charlie
Schneider, Jay
Schuetz, Justin
Schulz, Thad
Shanafelt, Todd
Sheedy, Patrick
Shoemaker, Darryl
Shouse, Corey
Shupe, Jeff
Simon, Brian
Smith, Harlan
Sobota, Kyle
Soltis, Steven
Sportel, Ryan
St. Pierre, Sam
Stephens, Joe
Stinson, Ren
Strachan, David
Strate, Chelsea
Stringfield, Ryan
Stroeing, Scott
Stuckman, Chris
Stunek, Kurt
Sundheim, David
Suurmeyer, Jill
Swenson, Scott
Symons, Chris
Tiede, Travis
Tobias, Sam
Tri, Charly
Van De Velde, Derek
Van Ryswyk, Jeremie
Van Santan, Luke
Ver Steegh, Jonathan
Vold, Sveta
Voltzke, Brandon
Ward-Packard, Ezra
Watchmaker, Todd
Watercott, Mike
Weaver, Ben
Webb, Matt
Weeks, David
Weeks, Isaac
Weinzierl, Andy
Weisbrod, Heath
Welch, Brian
Wentz, Lindsay
Wentz, Nathan
Werst, Kim
Whipple, Danny
Williams, Robert
Wilson, Drew
Wilson, Kurtis
Windschitl, Holly
Winfield, Dee Dee
Wolf, Charles
Woll, Dan
Wood, Luke
Woods, Brian
Woods, Thomas F.
Yore, Steven
Zeigle, Paul
Zettler, Lee
Zylstra, Ken

I'll figure out one or two additional ways to get checked in the day before or something similar to try and make the morning of manageable for us. NOTE: If the extra riders overwhelm, we're reserving the right to pull back. If people aren't on the list and "poach" the course. The same applies. If people are dorks through checkpoints.... the same applies. If people don't come prepared to be responsible for themselves... the same applies... etc. etc.