Frizbo Fifty: July 2021

Ride Across Iowa, Mardi Gras on Wheels

[First Draft]

I heard my cousin Kathy and her husband Jerry were riding the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI). The RAGBRAI is a bike ride like no other. Thousands of bikers ride for a week from the Missouri River, along the Iowa's byways and small towns, to the Mississippi River. I'd always wanted to ride the RAGBRAI, but it usually conflicted with my annual service trip to Denali National Park the last week of July. This year I wasn't doing the service trip so I was free. I sent Kathy an email asking about the ride and secretly hoped she'd invite me to join them. She emailed me back the same morning with details on registration, shuttles and an invitation. "We have 5 friends from AZ we’re meeting. It would be great if you join us. We all camp together each night."

"Sounds good, I'll meet you in Clinton, IA," I responded. Easier said than done. Over the next 8 weeks, I had to buy a sold-out RAGBRAI registration on the secondary market, signup for a week-long parking spot, find a bus shuttle across Iowa, and, most importantly, log hundreds of training miles to toughen my butt for seven consecutive days of biking.

Weeks later, I arrived with my hard ass and bicycle along with 15,000 other bikers in Le Mars, IA.

15,000 bikes (where's mine?)

I was confident that I could ride the first day's distance, 84 miles and 2,816 feet of climb, but I worried about days 2-7. Would I be able to bike that far day after day? "I better take plenty of Vitamin I (Ibuprofen)," I thought. I started the first day riding with Jerry, Kathy and the group from Arizona. When the peloton of bikes crowded in on us, I got claustrophobic. Ditching my team, I rode ahead looking for some breathing space.

Jerry and Kathy

I arrived in the overnight town, Sac City, around 3pm, well ahead of my teammates and feeling pretty good about myself. I took a break in front of the courthouse. After twenty minutes or so, I got up to ride the last mile to the campground and, wham, I was hit with horrible leg cramps. I staggered up and down the sidewalk trying to walk off the cramps for about five minutes.

"Bike on!"

A young couple watched me with curiosity. "What's with this guy?" An older biker nodded knowingly. "You OK?" he asked.

"I think so," I replied as the cramps were subsiding. Soon I was able to walk fully upright and carefully I mounted my bike and rode to the campground -- an auspicious start ... NOT.

Camping wherever they can fit us

The first night's campground was a nice one along the Racoon River and just outside the county fairgrounds. That evening I walked over to the fair grounds for the free concert. Each overnight town would host a festival with beer tents and live music. Mostly cover bands, the quality was uneven. I did note that talent was inversely proportional to the number of costumes the band wore.

Live music every night

Dolly Parton, Little Bo Peep, Gene Simmons, Surfer Dude = not very good

Other than some single-serving electrolyte drink mix, I didn't bring any food. Rather, I was advised, bring plenty of cash in small denominations for the food vendors that greet you in every town and the various farms along the route. RAGBRAI is a huge fund raiser for these small Iowa towns. Many of the food stands are run by the locals with the proceeds going directly a church or 4H club.

Ribeye for breakfast!

And the food was fantastic. Some of my favorites were: porkchop-on-a-stick; toasted cheese with bacon and tomato; free corn-on-the-cob, pickle juice (prevents cramping) and my new favorite breakfast food: apple pie a la mode. Hey, it has all the vital food groups for breakfast -- grain, fruit, dairy, delicious!

RAGBRAI protein bar

100% Iowa Ingredients Breakfast Wrap (except salt and pepper)

Pancake breakfast only $5

Wood-fired pizza baked in a fire truck

Food wasn't the only thing you could buy on the side of the road. There were plenty of beer stands as well. Jerry assured me that you could work off a beer with 15 minutes of biking. Despite his advice, I avoided drinking until I was within 15 miles of the campground.

Tailwind, my new favorite beer

I did admire the younger generation that started drinking before 9am, aka "Drinkers with a Biking Problem."

Drinkers with a biking problem

Another surprise was how friendly everyone was. On more than one occasion, when I was tired and needed a distraction I would cruise up to another biker, start up a conversation and before I knew it, the hills were climbed, the miles were ridden, and I was turning into the campground entrance. The locals were very friendly too. One woman let us shower in her apartment.