RAGBRAI

Oh girl, you know I'm in!

I did the whole week last year, and am coming back again. My team name is "I don't know, what do you think?" (I'm not responsible...I came on much later in the teams life). We have cool kelly green shirts that we will wear on probably the last day.  I have about 20 people on my team.

I don't think I will do the century loop since it is between two 80+ mile days. However, if weather is cooperating, I may reconsider. Heat, wind or rain will keep me on the most direct path to an overnight town.

I like "supporting the local economy" but I actually found that I could aquire free beer most days! We should totally meet up for a bevvie or for riding!

The Flamingo Coach..I love it.

Yes, we should meet up in the over night town at least one night.

Gee,  you two make me feel like a bit of a wimp for not doing the centruy. Damn.

11 days (and only rain in the forecast...guess I'll take my bike for a tune up).

Sarah

Thank you!  That was sweet.  I can say for sure, it is an experience unto itself.  I wonder how many other states have something like this....I think Wisconsin does.

That's OK Sarah, the first step out of wimpyness is accepting it......   Just giving you a hard time, girl.  I say I'm going to do it, I feel certain I am going to be able to do it, but hell - you just never know what a day on RAGBRAI will bring.  Remember, I'm going from two days last year to the whole week.  There's a very good chance, for all my big talk, that I will not be able to hack it!

Ok, ladies, as for meeting up, absolutely any day is fine with me, but I have a buddy riding with me the second, third and fourth day who is quite a bit slower than I am and likes to make more stops, so those are probably going to be my three slowest days (he's probably not doing the century, but if he does, that will be a REALLY long day). So it will be later in the day before I make my way to the beer tent.  After that, he is driving sag for another couple who's meeting us for the final three days, so I'll get done earlier those days.   Based on my riding times from last year, I figure it's  safe to say I'll be done riding between 3:30 and 5:00 each day.

I'm good any day really.  If we need to we could utilize the RAGBRAI camp message board...that's how I find my team camp every night. Last year, I got in around 4 or so most days (depending on stops and free beer opportunities).  I do usually have to bust my bust to the meeting point to meet my bus, but my afternoon is much more leisurely.

I think it'd be fun to organize a meet up before we get too far in the week so that way if we see each other along the route, we'd know it and can chit chat for awhile. So maybe Sunday night in Sheldon.... oh wait, I heard they weren't going to have a beer garden...off to find out. 

NO BEER GARDEN?  HOW THE HECK AM I SUPPOSED TO CARB LOAD IF THERE'S NO BEER GARDEN?!?

Actually I thought I saw somewhere on the boards that at least one overnight town was not going to have one.....bummer. Guess I better make sure the camper fridge is fully stocked.  I'll be interested to see what you find out.

I like your idea of an early meet up. 

10 days......18 hours.......20 minutes........HOLY YIKES!

Ok, Sheldon has a "beverage garden."  I don't know what that means.  This is the same town that is quite proud of their Protestant heritage (and there is NOTHING wrong with that).  They are showing Passion of the Christ and Jesus, and having the bevvie garden with a band. It would seem that people with all interests will be entertained.

Grodi Jo, how's Sunday for ya?

Jodi, you'll be totally fine!  Last year I rode a total of 550 miles between April and the end of July before RAGBRAI.  This year, I did more than that, but not all that much more.  You can do it.  Try to get on your bike a few time next week, but take it easy.  You are just giving yourself some extra rest before the ride! I however, have this new nutty idea to do a du this weekend. You know, just as a last horrah! 

Oh, and I have no desire to see the Passion.  Really, if I want to hear that story again, I'll read it. Ugh. So, I guess I'll be forced to go to the bevvie garden. darn.

Okay, all in favor of NOT meeting at Parkview Assembly Church, raise your hands.

I just printed off the map of the park in Sheldon that shows where all the vendors are going to be set up. I am yellow highlighting #5 - Beverage Garden - as the place I will be making a bee-line for when I am done riding.  That is a 65 mile day, and I'm riding alone, so I anticipate being done by.....oh, maybe 1:00 or 2:00 taking all the stops into consideration.   Since I am doing this on my own and not with a team, I am very flexible, so I will defer to you ladies about the scheduling.  Whether you want to try to hook up immediatly after riding, or would rather wait until later in the day, it's all cool by me. 

Should we exchange photos, or do something more obscure, like paste that picture of the Gear Goddess from last month's challenge on our helments and make people wonder? (although that would be tame compared to some of those freaks).

Don't be nervous, Jodi, you are totally ready after all the saddle time you got in June. You'll be out there whipping past people like there's a  yellow jersey on the line.

The Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa

Probably qualifies as one of the Top Ten cycling events in the world:

http://www.ragbrai.org/index.html

It does?  Wow, don't I feel special now!

You didn't feel special before?

You caught me, I did.  Maybe even more so now, if that's possible!  So what about you, bear? Ever done Iowa's big ride? 

Nope. It's on the list, though.