RAGBRAI 2012!

When I put this challenge on my list I did not quite know what I was signing up for! I knew it was more than just a casual bike ride on the country roads of Iowa, but now my bottom fully understands what RAGBRAI is!!!  It was a great experience and I have to say I might be hooked on riding!  I think next time I will just train a little harder.

 The race started this year in Sioux Center, IA and it was very fun for me to see the campus of my alma mater Dordt College taken over by riders from all over the country! It was a very festive environment, with tons of people and bikes walking/rolling the rows of vendors of bike equipment and local businesses! We enjoyed the expo Saturday afternoon and then 'carbbed' up on Pizza Ranch Pizza!  You can start the ride at anytime you choose, we chose along with many to start at early and try to beat some of the lovely, summer heat. I was very excited to share this experience with my while family, I think Mom got her Christmas card picture :)  We yelled 'biker on' (as that is what you do when you enter the sea of bikers) at about 6:30 am.  Learning the biking etiquette was part of the experience, basic communication was key as you are riding very close to lots of bikes!

The ride continued on to Orange City, Alton, Granville, Marcus then ending the 54 mile ride in Cherokee! We made it into Cherokee at about 1:00 pm, making our ride about 6.5 hours.  The time really went fast, the roadsides were filled with families waving in encouragement and businesses selling everything from watermelon to eggs on a stick!  We also enjoyed some relief from the heat on a homemade slip n slide!

While the distractions of slip n slides and eggs on a stick were effective the last 15 miles will brutal. The heat and the hills started to take the toll and Cherokee was a more than a welcomed sight!  While it may be a goal in the future to do the full 7 day ride, I am happy with my 1 day accomplishment and another check mark off my list.

Here is a link to some pictures from the RAGBRAI website if you're interested. It was a beautiful ride between the fields of corn and beans!!

 

DONE!!!

Suz, you are looking so skinny these days ;) Sorry this is the only family pick I have.

 

I was debating on riding this for the race, might have taken twice as long, but much less exhausting!