In Which A Final Warm RAGBRAI Training Week Flies By

Team shirts for RAGBRAI--thank you, Amanda and Eldon!

I’m writing this blog post on a borrowed tiny Paraguayan laptop computer, courtesy of my oldest son. He left the computer here after returning from the Peace Corp, and we haven’t used it, primarily because we didn’t have the password.

Now he is back in Iowa for RAGBRAI, and I should be going to bed soon, but I’m writing this last pre-RAGBRAI post.

I’m pretty excited.

The last week of training has not been perfect, but had its highlights. Last Sunday, we went to Big Creek State Park north of Des Moines and met our youngest son and his girlfriend for kayaking and biking. It was a summer hot afternoon, so the biking was pretty sweaty and short, but that also made it an almost perfect day to be out on a lake in a kayak.

Bikes in rack at park ready to ride.

Getting ready to kayak.

We just rode 3 miles, and have to turn back to ride 3 more. Hot day.

Wife and I on lake at Big Creek State Park.

Monday was again super hot, so I only did limited miles—but rode about 12 in the heat of the afternoon, when the heat index was over 100. I’m not crazy, I don’t think—I just wanted to get some heat practice in. I rode carefully and slowly, and all was well.

Tuesday was the long ride. My aim was 60 miles, but I rode with my sister and she had an afternoon commitment, so I only made 50, but that was not a bad total. Then, I deliberately slacked off. I rode 10 miles on Francis Wednesday, only because my lock was on Argent and I forgot it on the way to the gym, so I rode for exercise. Thursday it rained in the morning, but the grandkids came over in the afternoon and my son was in town, so one of my daughters, my son and I did a couple of bike rides carrying kids on toddler seats.

Herons on Cedar Lake Tuesday.

It is really muggy and hot today, but the weather forecast for the week ahead is not too bad. I’m pretty much all packed and ready to roll. I have avoided reading most of the important RAGBRAI documents, such as the instructions for entering Sioux City. I’m just assuming RAGBRAI will be there when we get there.

I guess I’m ready. We’ll see. I hope to update you several times during the week, if I am lucky, get internet access and also continue to figure out the instructions en español on this Paraguayan computer!

Got my RABRAI haircut on Wednesday, and noticed this milkweed in parking lot near hair place. Saw in the paper that a local group will give out milkweed seed bombs for riders to toss in ditches. Well, good.

Driving schedule. We are so organized.