DAY ONE -- Dave Rothgeb, Lynn Morrow, Terrie and I went up to the RANS 2012 Rally in Hays, KS…  Thursday, we met at Dave’s to load the bikes – we put the Seavo tandem inside the van, running down the center, with luggage in back on one side and wheels and seats on the other.  It actually fit, with about a foot to spare!  We put Dave’s SXP and Lynn’s Corsa on the back on Dave’s rack, bungeeing a bit for stability, and left at 3PM.  We didn’t really have a plan to stay overnight somewhere, even though it’s a 550 mile drive – as we continued north at 80mph, and stopped for dinner north of OKC, we finally just decided to go all the way to Hays, and made reservations online. We arrived about 12:45AM, and the hotel didn’t have our reservations – but after a few phone calls, they found them and we settled in.
 
We woke up a bit before 8, texted Randy, and he suggested we meet him at IHOP – so we hustled out and did so!  After having breakfast with he and Michelle, we went to Randy’s house, changed into riding clothes, went over to the factory for a while, then went out ourselves for a 31 mile ride over to the DQ in Ellis and back – this was nice and relatively flat, and the limeades at DQ were nicely frozen.
 

 

 
By then it was 2:00, and people had started coming in for the afternoon Ice Cream ride.  I “snuck” back into the back to talk to Randy about the new designs, and they had all the 2013 models set up around the tabled back area, including the new Xstream and the “Rifle” hiracer in a white/orange color scheme.  They have also finally come out with a 3” longer Hoagie seat, which fits my torso perfectly!!!  Then Michelle caught me back there with Randy and teasingly gave me hell about it… so I scooted back out front.
 
The Ice Cream ride was fun, with reasonable temperatures – 30+ riders invaded the downtown Soda Shoppe for an hour or so, then toured about Hays afterwards, cruising the Ft Hays State campus and going over to see the original factory location for RANS Sailtrikes.  
 

 

 
 
Riding back to the factory gave us about 13 miles total, and everybody went out for their own for dinner – Dave, Lynn, Terrie and I went to Gella’s for food and that excellent Lemon Ale – we hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast!  After dinner we went back to Randy’s to hang out for a while before knocking out for the night – we had only gotten about 5 hours sleep the night before…
 

 

DAY THREE -- The next morning’s Wilson ride started at 8, so Terrie and I packed up early, and the four of us went to IHOP for a pre-dawn breakfast before driving out to Wilson.  We started at the Railroad Hotel, and there were a couple options for this ride, because it was hilly – an out/back 15 miler or 22 miler, or a circle 24 or 32 miler.  We went for the full banana – not realizing what we were about to find…  but I knew there was at least one 8% and one 10% climb out there.
 
After a nice long downhill a few miles in, the first big climb was definitely tough and long, up past the point where you had the option to turn around or turn left.  We made the climb successfully, though!  This was followed by another excellent long downhill down to the dam on the north end (which we were obviously going to have to climb back up!).  Once we got there, there was another 8% optional climb up to the lookout point, which we passed on, although most others climbed up there.  I was already glad that I had put Accelerade in my drink bottles – I was gonna need it!
 

 

 

 

 
After a break, we started the climb back south – another tough one, about 9% and long, but again, we made it up, definitely in the lowest gear we had!  By this time, the wind was kicking up from the south, adding a headwind to the climb.  After this climb, there was an option to head back south to Wilson, or turn west, down a big downhill to a bridge.  We turned west, as most people did.  Then commenced a really tough 8 miles, with big downhills and 6-10% uphills – MUCH tougher than I had expected!  However, Terrie was amazing – she kept those pedals turning on those climbs, and didn’t freak out when I let the tandem coast downhill at 30+, even hitting 40 at one point (without telling her)…  
 

 

 

 

 

 
We made it up climb after climb, although it got to a point where I almost called a stop on two straight before reaching the top, but we completed them.  Then at Mile 21, I could see a real monster in front of us, and I just said “We’re not climbing this one…”  We went partially up it, then I stopped the bike, both of us getting off.  We started walking the bike up the hill, and Michelle appeared in her SAG truck – so I told Terrie to get in the truck, and I’d see her at the top!  I walked a bit further, then got on the bike and pedaled it up the rest of the climb, passing another tandem couple who had lower gearing, and were moving about 3 mph.  It was truly brutal…
 

 

 
At the top, Terrie got back on, and we continued on through the last few smaller hills, including powering through a short 8%er right at the end.  We paused for a break, and I let out a loud belch from drinking the Accelerade – and Terrie started laughing and couldn’t stop…  that’s when I knew she was truly OK…  and I am still amazed that we were able to climb all but one of those hills!!!!!  Tell you what, if you rode out there a couple times a week, the TTTT would be NOTHING!!!!
 
The rest of the ride south and east back to Wilson was uneventful, although into a stiff south wind.  We took a bathroom break at a local city park, and finally made it back to Wilson, not QUITE being the last ones to finish – and Dave and Lynn had ridden out a couple hundred yards to meet us.
 
 

 
Lunch was a buffet at the Railroad Hotel, with fried chicken and waffles…  mmmmmm…..   but we were all so sweaty and tired that Dave actually rented a room so we could shower and clean up before making the drive home!  VERY nice…    
 

 

 
And the 8-hour drive back from Wilson went smoothly, and listening to a book-on-CD espionage thriller helped keep the drivers awake on the way.  We dropped Lynn off at her place, said our goodbyes, then got back to Dave’s at 10:30PM, exhausted but happy.
 
It was an excellent trip with good friends and good riding.  There’s a possibility they will combine next years bike rally with their airplane fly-in, which would make it even MORE unique!  And Terrie can still walk, and is still smiling!  I’m very proud….  My wife rode 120 miles in three days, including some VERY tough climbing on the third day...   I'm amazed...   Tandems are a GOOD thing....
 
 
 

2013 X-Stream frameset + light wheels and 23 mm folding tires + carbon compact crankset + X9 trigger shifters + Rival derailleurs + 10-speed hollow pin chain + Rival 11-32 cassette + light brakes = one sweet WRL racer/cruiser.

Quote from JimFPU on Sep 4^th, 2012, 8:31pm:

 
You buy the frameset and I'll furnish the other components. We can keep it in my garage, so there will be no chance of a surrey top being installed on it. You can come down and ride it at WRL every now and then (Not on Tuesdays and Thursdays, though, because I'll be riding it on the Clown Ride).  

Quote from jayg on Sep 4^th, 2012, 7:48pm:

 
Ran out some figures on how much it would cost a shade tree mechanic to build the above bike, using mostly E-Bay components. Components' cost - $1,117. Components' weight ~ 12 lbs. Frameset cost - $1,895. Total Cost - $3,012. Frame set includes fork, headset, stem, handlebar, idler, and Hoagie seat assembly.
 
According to a BROL article (http://bentrideronline.com/?p=7641) the bike will be available from RANS only as a frame set. A LBS build-up, using retail-priced components, might cost in excess of $3, 500. Hopefully, RANS will offer complete bikes in the future.  

Quote from JimFPU on Sep 5^th, 2012, 3:15pm:

 
Sounds like a really good deal. Those American Classic wheelsets are not cheap.