The roadtrip know as RAGBRAI 2008 spread across 10 days and many thousands of miles. From the time I left Houston at 9am on Thursday July 17th, I entered another world known as the RAGBRAI zone. Away from work, away from family and the burden of reality, I was free to enjoy a car ride north to Iowa and then 500 miles of biking followed by a mad 16 hour dash back to Texas where I rejoined the real world late in the evening of Sunday July 27th. I witnessed and experience many cool things and I will try to document many of them below for your reading enjoyment.

Preamble

The day started off with a short drive from Marcus's house to Bob's. Then it got interesting as Bob and I got stuck in a gridlock of traffic - was this an omen of things to come? We end up going south instead of north and navigating the downtown Houston streets but eventually get up to Kent and Marcias' where we are pleased to find out after a little struggle that yes 4 bikes do indeed fit on the 4 bike carrier. It was getting a little iffy at first but we would have figured something out if it didnt - maybe we could have strapped one to the front fender like a hunting trophy!

 

After 8 hours and several movies, we are at Hal's house where we are graciously hosted by our old college bud and his crazy son (both thespians and full of dramatic flair).  Of course we also did the traditional stop at Sam's restaurant in Fairfield Texas to consume vast quantities of barbecue at their buffet.

  

The next day we hit the road again and spend the day eating at various Braums restaurants and measuring the hills with our handheld GPS to see just what kind of hills we are in for once we switch to the 2 wheeled transportation mode. They dont seem too bad in the car and we falsely enter a comfort zone that the ride will be a piece of cake.

Mid afternoon on Friday we get to the La Quinta (meeting place for Pork Belly) and head out to explore Omaha where we find a great little pub called Mr Toads where we consume several beers and Bob gets accosted by his first bar wenches of the trip. We escape their clutches and get back to the hotel since we have to be up at the crack of dawn the next day.

Saturday we get up way to early for the 30 minute drive to Missouri Valley so that we can be at the campground at 10 am. There we wait in our first lines of RAGBRAI as we pick up a Pork Belly wristband and beer mug (they say if you lose one. no more beer but Jennifer proves this wrong later in the week as they give her a replacement mug). But the line moves fast as we are one of the first buses and we meet lots of people so it is not too bad.

We find our tents in tent city, shop at the bike expo, walk into town to eat and try to stay out of the sun as the temperatures are in the mid-90s and worry about riding 500 miles in this kind of heat. But we get a good dinner at the local high school and head off to bed, excited and ready to hit the road in the morning.

Day 1 – 58 – Missouri Valley è Harlan

 

 

Team ready to ramble!!!

 

Hot – sunny; temperatures up to 94

 

Dip bikes in kiddy pool with Missouri River water (as far as we know)

 

 

3500 feet of climbing

 

Bob starts out happy to ride but later does suffer leg cramps

First massage (stiff neck)

All you can eat burrito breakfast

Pastafarian

Kent starts off strong breaking a spoke, losing his bike computer and breaking his rear light as it also tried to escape. And all this fun before the first rest stop of the ride.

What a cute couple!

 

 

 

Stuart starts partying early along the ride as we celebrate in the first party town

 

 

 As we ride into town, we see our tent city on a hill and gladly come into camp to get showered, eat and rest. The church ladies who have known how to cook their entire life feed us a nice Turkey sandwich dinner with salads and of course pie. Then we go out to the hill to drink beer and listen to our very own blues band entertainment.

On this evening we slept next to the big church. Many campers paid to sleep in the church and the church bathrooms were being shut down every 15-30 minutes as they were overwhelmed by 500 people trying to use them. At 2am I woke up to use the bathroom and while in the porta potty, I heard a voice warning about severe weather. When I came out I watched the massage therapist tents blow down. As I walked back to our tents, heads were popping out of tents like gophers wondering what was going on. We were herded into the church where we all sat along the walls side by side for around an hour wondering what was going on. Later we found that the storm had missed our area but had done plenty of damage with hail and 80mph winds. The next day we rode past a metal silo that had been flattened and torn into pieces by the winds. Good thing its not Kansas or we could have have all sorts of bicyclists riding their bikes and flying through the air like in the Wizard of Oz. I remember wondering what we will do if a storm hits during the day while we are out in the middle of nowhere. But it never comes to be.

 

Day 2 – 83 – Harlan à Jefferson

Cooler temperatures after the storm – high in the low to mid 80s

Bob spins up hills to avoid cramps and survive

Mr Pork Chop and the handy cornfield restrooms

We go into town for beer garden

Statue of Abe Lincoln with a bike helmet

Trains all night

Marcus gets the last pale ale - Bob is slow in the shower and by the time he gets out, Marcus has received the very last glass of pale ale. The beer folks still havent figured out that it is the Pork Belly people's favorite beer and upped the number of kegs.

Stuart has our team's first bike accident – Of course it happens after midnight walking home from the beer garden with bob's bike where he trips and falls over the bike. He has made the good decision to walk instead of ride the four blocks after noting that he is too drunk to ride. He has the true RAGBRAI spirit. The rest of us are in bed by 10. Yawn.

Stuart does the extra miles to compelte the century! Bravo Stuart! This extra 18 miles is early enough in the day that people still have energy and are optimistic. Many seem to regret the decision as the day wears on.

5500 feet of climbs

Great views – keep reminding people of the great views as they are trying to survive the 2^nd most climbiest day in ragbrai history. Many of them thank me for reminding them to enjoy the ride instead of just staring at the pavement in front of them for 80 miles.

Day 3 – 56 – Jefferson -> Ames

Recovery day after hilly day yesterday

Short ride

Nice temperatures in the 80s

Bob races ahead to get to the pale ale before it runs out – but alas they can server keg beer on campus so he must drink canned bud

Bob and Marcus get massage

Bob, Marcus, Stuart, Jennifer go into town for deli

Styx concert - Bob vomits at the mere thought...

 

Great spontaneous paceline into town

Bob pulls Jennifer up until paceline forms

Day 4 – 75 – Ames è Tama Toledo

RAGBRAI jersey day

Stuart shows up from all night partying just in time to wave goodbye as we roll out – Marcus had packed his suitcase and got out his cycling outfit

Lots of tired people

Pull Jennifer from first big town to end so she can survive

I wonder if this would be an easier way to see Iowa?

Gash tire in last town

Apple pie ala mode (asked ladies to warm up in kitchen)

Stuart has long day (3 hours drinking in first town, volleyball along the way in a beer garden but finally stumbles into camp having gone 75 miles on a couple hours sleep – decides to get 8 hours sleep for the next day

Saw center of state sign – took picture by little hand painted sign – then saw big garish sign a few feet away – climbed up fire engine for picture

 

 

Tractor show

 

Sugar Rush – cookies on a stick, red bull, pie etc

Day 5 – 82 – Tama-Toledo à North Liberty

Bob takes off early

Marcus and Stuart ride together all day

Go through more typical towns where the populace has thrown a street festival

Vining post office

Rain and cold – have to wear jacket

Kents quote of the day "It was Remarkably Unpleasant" seems to sum up his and Jennifer's feelings after a long cold wet ride.

Pirate Day

Second Elvis Sighting - Is he really alive but just on an endless RAGBRAI?

 

Day 6 – 62 – North Liberty – Tipton

Marcus gets up earlier and rides with Bob – feel great – keeps leaving Bob/Stuart behind

Bob becomes the new super hero "Monitor Man" for failing to notice that he sleeps with his heart monitor strap on.

 

32 mph to catch paceline

Fieldhouse in town of 88

Party town is Mechanicsville where we posed with fire engines and some guy from New Orleans drove up 3500 lbs of shrimp for the party.

 

Lots of Pale Ale at the Pork Belly Fashion Show

Too many Beef Sundaes (bowlful of mashed potatoes covered in beef and gravy and topped with a grape tomato)

 Fall asleep in field listening to band

 

Day 7 – 55 – Tipton to LeClaire

Bob and Marcus start off way to fast – pacelines doing 32 and 27 – Marcus trying to catch up whole time

Switch to touring mode and end up meeting Kent and Marcia at lunch

Have 3 breakfasts – too stuffed to ride

First sighting of the Mississippi - the end is near!!!

Big line to dip tire in Mississippi – happen to run into Kent, Marcia and Stuart so we can get group picture dipping tires

 

 

Trip Home

 

Back to Mr Toads for more beer and to compare our wristband collections

 

 

 Lots of movies

Everyone drives

16 hours straight through to Houston

   

Sams again (of course)