The Other (Dirty Wooden) Shoe Drops

8/23/2019

"Dirty Wooden Shoe is a great event and has something for everyone," said Vanessa Curtis of Iowa City Cycling Club. "There are some challenging technical elements including the Dutch Letters and some long uphill segments that tax the cardiovascular system, which make it a great tune-up for Jingle Cross."

"Dirty Wooden Shoe is always a favorite as it’s my hometown course," added Trevor Roose (Iowa City Cycling Club). "I mean, who wouldn’t want a chance to win a hand carved wooden shoe?"

"Dirty Wooden Shoe is similar to Cannonball in that it’s primarily a grass course," he explained, "also with plenty of good straight-aways for putting down some power. DWS does have a couple tighter cornering sections, as well as the crowd favorite 'Dutch Letters,' a tight 'S' curve section up and down a hillside. The course is built on that hillside, with multiple trips up and down, so it all stacks up to a decent amount of climbing!"

"It is also an unintimidating course for a beginner cyclocross rider," said Curtis, "with friendly people, flowing sections to practice cornering, and multiple barriers to work on mounts and dismounts."

Most years Dirty Wooden Shoe includes a set of standard wood barriers, a couple 4x4s on a hillside climb, a whole drain pipe, and a set of two half pipes. Unless you're good at bunny hopping that can add up to four dismounts each lap. Even more if you mistime the "Dutch Letters."

"Finally," said Curtis, "Dirty Wooden Shoe is a fantastic excuse to visit the Pella area, get some of the real (edible) Dutch Letters and drink some Peace Tree brews." With Jaarsma Bakery just down the road in Pella and race sponsor Peace Tree nearby in Knoxville, it's hard to argue with that!