GO PHYSIO - BIKE FIT

DAMn FOOLS - SEASON 2

You signed up for a 240 (or 480) mile gravel road race. Aside, from "what was I thinking?", you probably have a few questions.

DAMn Fools is a short video series aimed at answering those questions. Erik & Trenton co-host, occasionally make fools of themselves, and sometimes bringing in real experts to address real issues. Stay tuned and if you have a DAMn question that you need a damn answer to, let us know via email or in the comments below.

Season 1 is available via our youtube channel and addresses topics like navigation, support, racing unsupported, lights, tire choice, and a myriad of other FAQs. We suggest checking out the archive if you're interested in those topics.

In our first episode of Season 2, we spin some Thin Lizzy and wish we had used cat filters on our faces like that internet famous lawyer did. This episode gives our racers a heads up on current pandemic related plans, addresses the 480 mile elephant in the room, and reminds our racers to check the official roster at the-damn.com. 

Please email us at [email protected] with questions. We can’t wait to hear from y’all and get you ready to do this DAMn thing!

IT’S ABOUT DAMN TIME!

Racers, check your email inboxes, promotions folders, spam filters, etc. The DAMn 2020 (Virtual) Opening Ceremony has been sent your way. Please take 17 minutes to watch it with your support crews between now and Friday August 14th. Until then, we will see y’all in Gary, SD!

THE PANARACER GRAVELKING

We love hearing from everyone who is getting out there, riding, and preparing themselves for The DAMn in August! Rookies and veterans alike have been reaching out to us, inquiring about this year’s course (”Will there be single track? Will there be water crossings?”) and requesting guidance on tire choice. That’s all TBD, but given those inquiries, Erik and I have something we've dreamt up for y’all that’s gonna drop in the next week or so, but for now, we’ll leave you with this.

The Panaracer GravelKing is the official tire of The Day Across Minnesota, a tire that we firmly believe will serve our racers well as they traverse the varying Minnesota gravel from Yellow Medicine to Goodhue county. We look to the GravelKing SK for its ride everything tread and extra puncture protection. We also love that Panaracer offers these tires in sizes ranging from 700x32c to 700x50c. There are 650b and 26″ options as well. Ask us “What width of a tire should I run for the DAMn?” and we will ask you back “How wide can you go?”

Our friends at Panaracer have done something extra special and donated a heap of tires to give away at our opening ceremonies!!! However, before you get to Gary, we highly recommend that you install some new rubber to minimize chances of flats. You may also want to consider running tubeless...Panaracer has a tubeless sealant offering called Seal Smart. Check it out. Thank you Panaracer for making the official tire of The DAMn!

CHECKPOINT 4 - SHIMANO 

During these uncertain times, we are hoping that you all are choosing to continue to ride forward. As a reminder, rural gravel roads are a great place to practice social distancing, get fresh air, and to work on building your mental and physical strength. You’re gonna need it! Today, we are optimistically continuing to plan for The DAMn to take place on August 15th, 2020. Right now, registration is still open and nearing 400 racers! Erik and I are more stoked than ever to see you all in Gary!!! 

On that note, we have another amazing announcement to make!!! Shimano is our newest sponsor and stoked to run the final checkpoint, the finish line in Hager City, WI at mile 240 of your DAMn journey. Never fear, Erik and I plan to be there to greet you, as sleep deprived as ever, but Shimano will definitely be upping our finish line game! DAMn racers who make it to The Harbor at mile 240 will likely be experiencing feelings of exhaustion and elation. At the finish, racers will be required to stop for a final check-in. Race support crews will be there to cheer and congratulate their racers. 

IMPORTANT: Racers will need to average at least 10mph in order to make it to the finish before the finish is closed down. Racers who do not make it across our finish line by midnight will be marked as a DNF. No exceptions. There will be restrooms (and possibly showers) at the finish line. Support crews and riders should take advantage of the restrooms at the start, the finish and in each of the towns that they pass through during their DAMn journey. There will be opportunities. We suggest that you take them. 

Shimano has been supporting the growth of the gravel cycling scene and creating innovative lines of components and apparel designed for tackling long gravel races like The DAMn. We recommend checking out their GRX group set as well as their RX8 gravel shoes if you're in the market. A huge thanks to Shimano for being an official sponsor of The Day Across Minnesota!

CHECKPOINT 2 - HED CYCLING

HAVE MERCY! Today, HED Cycling dropped an insane new wheel made just for you! There’s no doubt about it, the HED Eroica Carbon is a purebred carbon gravel bike wheel. At just 1340 grams for the pair, the Eroica Carbon features an unprecedented strength & lightness, upholding HED’s legacy of proven speed. The HED Eroica has The Day Across Minnesota in its cross hairs! Check em out!

DAMn racers will be somewhere between 120 and 130 miles into the race, and likely staring down a Minnesota sunrise when they spot the HED SuperVan on the horizon. At this checkpoint, racers will once again be required to stop and pick up their next set of cue sheets. Race support crews will also be there providing support for their racers in the designated zone. After the racers are taken care of, signed out of the checkpoint, they will press on to CP3. IMPORTANT: Racers will need to average at least 10mph in order to make it to each checkpoint to get their next set of cue sheets before the checkpoint cut-off hits and the checkpoint is closed down. Racers who do not make it to a checkpoint prior to the cutoff time will not be given the next set of cue sheets or the opportunity to continue. No exceptions. It is also important to note that DAMn Checkpoints 1 through 3 will be in the middle of nowhere. There will be no restrooms provided (unless you count wooded areas, ditches and cornfields as restrooms). Support crews and riders should take advantage of the restrooms at the start, the finish and in each of the towns that they pass through during their DAMn journey. There will be opportunities. We suggest that you take them. We are incredibly fortunate to have #HEDCycling joining us again and making Checkpoint 2 something for our racers to look forward to. Hats off to HED for a fourth year of being the official wheel sponsor of The DAMn! 

Kind Regards, Trenton

CHECKPOINT 1 - BANJO BROTHERS

It’s official! Our dear friends over at Banjo Brothers are back with us for a fourth year of operating Checkpoint 1! Banjo Brothers hail from Minneapolis Minnesota where they are core to the cycling community and specialize in making tough, practical, affordable bike bags. DAMn racers will be roughly 60 miles into the course when they spy the Banjo Brothers’ beacon piercing through the seemingly infinite darkness. At this checkpoint, racers will be required to check-in and prepare their cue sheets to help them find checkpoint 2. Race support crews will be there in the designated support zone waiting for their racers if the racer should choose to utilize their support at this time.

CHECKPOINT 0 - BUFFALO RIDGE

Within the town of Gary, South Dakota (population 224) sits a hidden gem. Buffalo Ridge Resort & Campground was once a school for the blind, and before that, the Deuel County seat. This beautiful and historic site is The Day Across Minnesota’s Checkpoint 0. Historically, this has been one of the most difficult checkpoints for our racers to get to. There’s always pre-race attrition.

Here our racers will get checked in, collect their cue sheets for navigation, and will attend one of our mandatory 30 minute pre-race meetings. There will be a 10 minute orientation for their support crews as well. Light refreshments will be provided, but we recommend hitting up The Rock Room next door, or The Alibi on the main drag for a proper pre-race meal. If you’ve raced The DAMn before, take a few minutes to visit The Alibi and check out their new “DAMn Room”. This is new this year. You never know what interesting artifacts you might find.

Like all DAMn checkpoints, Checkpoint 0 also has a cut-off. All racers must be checked in by Friday, August 14th at 11pm. At 11pm, check-in closes, the final pre-race meeting begins, and no more racers are permitted. There will be more communications to our official roster regarding this requirement. All racers should plan accordingly.  

Given that Buffalo Ridge is a first class resort and campground, they have rooms and campsites available for rent. We encourage our racers to utilize these features if they or their support crews require accommodations. A huge thanks to our friends at Buffalo Ridge, to our friend Jodie at The Alibi, and to Mayor Jeff Engesser and the town of Gary for being so DAMn welcoming!

Kind Regards, Trenton

ps. Registration is still open for a spell. Get some!