Take the year long challenge of completing a dozen or half a dozen dirty centuries or a dozen metric centuries and join the fun!
You want a 2012 New Year's resolution? The Cup O' Dirt could be just what the doctor ordered.
About Cup O' Dirt
The Cup O' Dirt started in 2007 by our our good friend Dave Mable, now editor of Momentum Magazine. He loves challenges and decided to open a 12 month challenge that would push everyone. Dave opened it up to folks and then posted their ride recaps on the blog.
In 2010 Nick Wethington of Skunk River Cycles in Ames took over as head master of the Cup and contiued the tradition.
Iowa is full of gravel roads. You can see some of the prettiest Iowa countryside riding gravel. You see old and new barns and houses, farm animals, tractors, deer, and cool old bridges. Every gravel trip has a story.
2007 - 12 chased the cup. 6 got the cup
2008 - 33 chased the cup. 13 got the cup
2009 - 20 chased the cup. 5 got the cup
2010 - 7 chased the cup. 1 got the cup
2011 - 12 chased the cup. 7 got the cup
2012 - 6 chasers so far... Are you next?
Look on the blogs, gravel rides are becoming quite popular.
How to Play
Everybody who completes this challenge will be rewarded with a custom
hand-made stoneware mug as well as be in a drawing for other prizes.
To join the fun, send an email outlining your ride, which must be 80% on
dirt of some kind (or snow), to Nick at iowacupodirt@gmail.com and
you're in the chase.
The chase is per calendar year - and your
ride can be a race or ride, your own or organized. It just has to be 100
miles or 100 kilometers. Cups are awarded for three different
categories: those who complete 6 full, 12 full, or 12 metrics within the
calendar year. You can earn multiple cups if, for example, you do 12
distinct full and 12 metrics in the same year.
Send us an email and join the chase!
Cup Rules
Pretty simple: ride 100 miles or kilometers in a day - 80 miles (k) of
it on dirt - and it counts - it can be a race or just a ride - the dirt
can be anything but concrete or asphalt.... grass, dirt, gravel, rocky
trail, wooded singletrack - whatever.
Centuries can be completed
in two days - but must be fairly continous - like a 24 hour race or
Trans-Iowa or Continental Divide like race. You be the judge.
Centuries can be completed back to back - like the Dirty Kanza or Trans - Iowa.
You can ride any bike you want.
Cup Site
Cup O' Dirt (2010--2012
The Archives (2007-2009)
Life is Good on Gravel.