In Which We Look Back at RAGBRAI 2019

Saturday  at Nile Restaurant--Team Joe celebrates before we remove the rider bands.

On ride home.

Day one was wet. Day seven was hot. In between, it was gorgeous.

And even when it was hot on the final day, it was normal summer hot, not the oppressive heat that hit Iowa the week before.

My bike computer was calibrated incorrectly, so I don’t have data, but I rode for 5 days and I think I rode about 300 miles in the week. I also rode rather slowly, and need to work on stepping up the speed so that I can finish a day of RAGBRAI in a reasonable time.

What will I remember most when looking back on RAGBRAI 2019? Here are some of my impressions.

First, teamwork is important. On Tuesday, I was the driver from Winterset to Indianola, and when I tried to gas up the support vehicle at a Casey’s in Des Moines, the gas cap on the small SUV broke. I called the Ford dealership in Indianola, who were no help whatsoever.

Fortunately, with a bottle opener, my sister Cate was able to finagle the broken gas cap out of the hole.

During the week, Cate had persistent shifting and chain problems with her new trike, and had several bike shops work on it. As we got ready to leave camp at 6 a.m. Saturday, the final day, Cate was unable to cycle because her chain was sticking.

Eldon, our team’s gadget guy, figured out that two of her links were coming apart and causing the sticking—and he had two emergency replacement links he could install. Cate got a later start than she wanted to that morning, but then again, she was able to start and Eldon fixed a problem two bike shops had not been able to fix.

I’m not sure I could point to anything of equal value I contributed to the team, but then again, I did suggest the peanut butter-filled pretzels which were a nice Friday afternoon snack.

Along the way, I met a Californian who was riding his first RAGBRAI with his family. He had been encouraged by my daughter-in-law, who he met at work. It was fun to communicate with him via WhatsAp before the ride, and to meet him during the ride. He messaged me after the event that he hopes to do it again.

Four scenes from the week--the wet one was Sunday, the rest of the rides were sunny.

I will also remember sunshine and hills. The beauty of the rolling Iowa countryside. How Centerville and Fairfield redeemed themselves. In Centerville, nobody rode in an ambulance. In Fairfield, gate guards welcomed the team to the campground rather than trying to enforce an odd set of rules.

Food was a thing—pie, naturally. And Methodists cooks who made great evening meals.

For two days, we were hosted by family or friends of team members, and our hosts were great. We depended on the kindness of both strangers and friends on this ride.

It did not seem like a crowded RAGBRAI. I think years when we go closer to Ames, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids or Iowa City draw more people. But it was a pretty RAGBRAI. Also, thank you, hosts, team drives and team members. It takes more than a village to stage a RAGBRAI, it takes an army of riders, volunteers and helpers. And, once again, we pulled it off.

I like the new mat that showed up at home.

Victory Team Joe image in Indianola after new gas cap is installed.

Lost glasses in a corn field--got new ones at this pharmacy. Nevertheless, he persisted.

Indianola Methodist church had great meal.

Was lucky enough to get NPR pin, which I then wore for the rest of the week.

Church pie stop early in the week.

Sister Cate meets a pony during farm breakfast stop.

Morning on RAGBRAI.

I did, and I hope you do, too.

In Which Final Rides Feature Heat

Rental bikes downtown July 18. Getting across downtown was a challenge today--the trail is diverted by construction and the Third Street bike lane was also closed. Almost all east-west routes were closed.

Hot, hot, hot! A bubble of hot air has settled on Iowa, a with high humidity and highs in the 90s, it has felt like triple digits.

Of course, long bike rides are over before RAGBRAI. I did ride Tuesday and Thursday, but shorter rides. I did some hills Thursday—going up the MMU hill three times, but not doing lots of miles.

And today I was home by early afternoon.

Am I ready for RAGBRAI? I feel ready. The packing is going OK, and it remains to be seen what I leave behind. I’m not sure how much I will blog during the ride—I had thought of bringing a laptop, but my wife is persuasively arguing against it, because in the past I have not had much time or opportunity to use the computer, and it’s bulky and inconvenient to carry.

So I think I may try a few, short phone posts—we’ll see. Anyway, my back is half packed, I have a spare tube on the bike, a new bottle of chain lube and a readiness to go. RAGBRAI, here I come!

Hot rides this week featured some pretty sights along the trails:

Duck on Cedar Lake July 16.

July 18--Pond on C Avenue in the morning.

Lowe Park flower July 16.

Milkweed at Lowe Park July 16.

July 18 at Lowe Park, dragonfly.

July 16, young bunny by Cedar River Trail.

Monarch on trail July 16.

In Which Buggy Iowa Looks Beautiful

The mystery goose from my Thursday ride. What honker is this? It was with Canada geese (below). (After I posted an image to Facebook, Dr. Bryan Cross from MMU commented, and I think he found the goose.

How has your summer been? I managed to miss three soggy weeks with a well-timed trip to the UK, and since I’ve been back in Iowa this July, it’s sometimes been hot and muggy but often been gorgeous.

Buggy, because it’s Iowa in the summer, so I’ve dipped myself in Bug Soother and had that familiar summer smell, a combination of sweat, old man, sunscreen and lemon pie.

My most recent bicycle rides, especially Wednesday’s, featured some pretty sights. On that day, because I was going to campus and using my good camera bag as a man purse, I decided my secondary goal was to find a Monarch Butterfly and take its picture.

Along Cedar Lake, the quest ends well.

As you see, the quest ended well.

Thursday’s ride, on the hybrid due to where I was going, was a slightly more ill-fated trip down the Sac and Fox Trail. I rode to the Prairie Park Fishery and entered the south end of the trail. As I rode on the Sac and Fox, it was unusually sandy in spots, which was treacherous because the sand was the same color as the harder surface and not easy to see. I was thinking that where the trail bends at the junction of the creek and the river, it might be muddy and impassible.

It wasn’t. But it did get very muddy later one. Overall, the trail was often either sandy and treacherous, or rocky and treacherous. It occurred to me to turn back and not ride it, but by then I was far enough in it felt like I should just finish.

Sac and Fox Trail, more treacherous than a muddy UK trail.

At the north end of the trail, there was a barrier, pushed aside, that said “trail closed for repairs.” I believe it, but if there had been such a sign at the south end, someone removed it before I got there.

Still, I found the rides this week to be pleasant, as Iowa is showing its pretty side. The weather will warm up and it will show its hot side, in time for RAGBRAI. Stay hydrated, biking friends!

Here are lots and lots of pretty pictures from the rides:

New park at Lowe Park looks almost done.

On Boyson Trail near Hanna Park.

Cedar Lake looking pretty.

Egret at Cedar Lake.

On the way to Otis Road, on stub of trail near future Sleeping Giant bridge.

Otis Road.

Bunny at Prairie Park Fishery.

Wildflower meadow near start of Sac and Fox.

North end of Sac and Fox. Now you tell me.

Bee near Milkweed, Cedar Lake.

Blackbird claims Cedar River Trail.

Bee on flower in meadow north of 42nd Street on trial.

More from the meadow.

Milkweed in bloom.

I guess I spent a few minutes there.

Coneflower.

Had not seen a Monarch before I got to Cedar Lake, but I saw this pretty butterfly.

Taking off.

Looking at Cedar Lake from trail bridge at north end, duck makes wake.

Milkweed in bloom a long Cedar Lake.

I find my Monarch at the lake. And below.

Bee approaches Milkweed.

Geese near Cedar Lake act like they own the place.

In Which We Top 75 Miles

The morning sun shines over Argent, locked to the bike rack at Brewhemia.

Well, that was a nice ride.

My first significant bicycle ride in the U.S. after my UK adventures was very pleasant. The weather was perfect—sunny skies, high in the 80s, not too humid.

The ride was Sunday. On Saturday, My wife, daughter, grandson and I went to the CR Pride Fest, and walked to lunch at Lucky’s in Czech Village.

We had briefly seen my sister Cate at the event, and as we were walking back to the car from Czech Village, she met us again. She was cycling south on the Cedar River Trail.

“I’m thinking about a long ride tomorrow. You want to join me?” she asked.

We didn’t have plans, so I said “yes,” so on Sunday, I got my bicycle out and rode to Brewhemia, a coffee shop in the New Bo neighborhood. We set 8 a.m. as a meet time there, and I arrived just a few minutes before my sister.

I had not done breakfast at that coffee shop before, and it was nice. I had the Aesop Bowl, which is scrambled eggs mixed with feta cheese, hummus and some sprouts. And, of course, I drank coffee.

We didn’t really have a specific route in mind for the ride, it was just that we wanted to ride enough to accumulate miles, so we headed to the south end of the trail, which is beyond Ely, just short of Solon.

On the Hoover Trail south of Ely. Sunshine--the kind of open, mostly blue sky seen in Iowa in the summer. Unless the sky is all dark with storm clouds.

We turned around and took a break at the city park in Ely. There were some geese at the pond there, and we heard an odd, low rumbling sound. At first, we thought it might be the geese, but I noticed none seemed to be vocalizing during the sound, and, in fact, a group of them turned towards the sound. Geese don’t have expressive faces, but to me they seemed to be thinking, like Cate and I: “What was that?”

I didn’t see it, but I think it was a frog, croaking its heart out very loudly.

Heading back towards Ely, bikers passing by Cate on trike.

When we got back to town, we took the stub of a trail to the future site of the Sleeping Giant bridge, and then went up the street to got to Otis Road and head for the Prairie Park Fishery. Cate noted that she doesn’t often do that because she avoids street riding as much as possible on her trike. It’s mostly a matter of her being seen—she says bikers and drivers don’t seem to look down much and often overlook her even with the tall flag on the trike. But on Sunday, I rode behind her, and I think I’m pretty easy for drivers to notice.

Riding along Otis Road, being passed by a car.

After that side trip, we returned to the Cedar River Trail and continued north. The city paving project at the bathrooms along Cedar Lake has been completed, and it was nice to be able to water up in mid Cedar Rapids again.

Cate said I could pick the lunch spot, and I decided I was hungry when we got past the railroad overpass, so we stopped at a spaghetti eatery and carbed up. We both ordered dinner, and I think we both felt a bit over stuffed. The ride after that was a bit hazy for me—I had not slept all that well the night before and am still adjusting to Iowa time.

When we got to Center Point, Cate went into the little museum there, while I dozed on a picnic table for 15 minutes or so. I think that accounts for her nickname for me on the ride. She posted this note on Facebook: “I asked Joe if he wanted to go for a long ride today. He said sure. One of my devices says we rode 75 miles, the other says 79.5. I'd say we had a good long ride. Thanks, jet lag Joe!”

Map My Ride map.

My mileage would vary from hers a little, since I started and ended at my house, not hers, and rode streets down to the breakfast meet rather than taking the trail. Map My Ride recorded 79.24 miles for me.

The total miles aren’t even what impressed me most. There was 2,185 feet of climb, which was way more than I would have estimated—rail grades on the trail are deceptive, I guess. Mostly what surprised me was our speed. We averaged 11.4 mph and had one mile where we averaged 15.6 mph. Those are probably not very impressive numbers to fast bikers, but I’m a slow, old biker. It was much faster than the rides I took in the UK, although the main difference was the bicycle. My road bike is clearly meant for a faster pace, and that I’m sure wearing the bike shoes have power throughout the whole leg movement helps, too.

Even if the ride include any Iowa river valley for a hill climb, it was a good RAGBRAI training ride. It seems proof of concept that we can both handle the distance for a RAGBRAI day. Of course, RAGBRAI is a week.

I did have a bit of trike envy on the ride—I’m sure my sister finished the ride without the pains in the back or bottom that I suffered. An almost 80-mile ride translates into a long time to sit on a bicycle seat.

Still, I’m quite pleased. RAGBRAI, we’ll see what the weather brings, but I’m feeling ready for you.