RAGBRAI List

Since I'm such a fan of bulleted lists, here are my thoughts, observations and likes of a week across Iowa on bikes with friends:

• Who'd guessed that Credit Island in Davenport would be so dramatic? High heat, humidity and bug factor. Then awakened from our tents to police telling us that a severe storm with 60 MPH winds is coming and we could evacuate to a shelter in town. We didn't. We moved under a picnic shelter.
  
• Next night, in Glenwood, we were evacuated into the high school to hide from another severe storm.
• No more storms the rest of the week (I consider that lucky-- I hate riding in rain).
  
• Oldest Rider: 80s. Youngest: still in diapers being pulled by mom in a trailer.
• Number of dogs doing ride: at least 2 that I saw.
• Never knew how many different bikes there were: recumbents, trikes, tandems, three seaters, trailers being pulled, unicycles, penny farthings, roller blader, skaterboarder, hand trikes, elliptical bike, beach cruisers, mountain bikes, 30 year old bikes, new bikes and everything in between.
  
• People would just lean $6,000 bikes against a building or tree without locking them and sleep or go inside. I thought that was cool.
  
• I liked the guys who had good music playing from their bikes or trailers.
  
• Things you had to find in every town: a place to lean bike, shade, what kind of pie being served and a bathroom for the girls.
• If you like pie, do RAGBRAI. I count at least 10 different pies I tried.
  
• If you like food on a stick, do RAGBRAI. Examples- I had eggs, beef, chicken, ice cream, corn and probably some other stuff-- all on a stick.
  
• Elk Horn, Iowa on Day 2 was a fun town. Kimballton too.
  
• I liked seeing all the people in their yards watching, waving, spraying you with water.
• Towns were so creative and welcoming--- pep bands, cheerleaders, dancers, mermaids and such as you entered towns.
• There were lots of homes that if the owners weren't outside, they left chairs and shade for you to enjoy.
• Great meal at the Church of Christ in Carroll. Nice service too.
  
• One of the best part of my day: coffee at Benji's, sitting on the mats and watching the riders go by. It was a good reflective time.
  
• Some people took the ride (and themselves) too seriously. No one in my group though, we would have booted them.
  
• Enjoyed passing people who were on their expensive carbon racing bikes.
• Enjoyed even more some of the WTF looks I got from those same guys as I passed on my steel touring bike with rack, pannier and monkey attached.
  
• Did not like not being able to keep up with some of the fast pacelines.
  
• Liked sharing the paceline with the two girls from the Hawks Triathlon Club. Took all I had to stay with them.
  
• Liked that Steve told the boys to raise the price on their 50 cent Gatorade.
• Did not like the number of times I saw the spelling "Gaterade".
• Twister Hill was a fun challenge-- I also liked hitting 43 MPH on the downhill.
• Free Chocolate Milk!
• The best Busch Lite ever.
• Wine-arita!
• Bloody Mary at 9:00 AM.
  
• The kid selling water in camp in Carroll is going to be a good businessman.
  
• Sleeping in air conditioning on the hottest night (Altoona). Meeting Steve was cool too.
  
• Leo, our tour guide on the Boone train was the highlight of the train ride.
  
• Kate is a great tour guide.
• Amy always finds a spot to camp.
  
• I could always recognize Jessie's biking cadence.
  
• We almost taught Kate to ride standing.
  
• Another great part of my day: getting my face dirty eating watermelon.
• Ice Cream was always fabulous, even the half melted one I bought from the cross country team in West Amana.
• I miss peeing in corn fields.
  
• I am over heat rash.
  
• I enjoyed practicing my slow riding and track stands as I tried to maneuver through towns.
  
• I hope to never see Loin Cloth man again.
  
• Iowa is much dewier than North Carolina.
  
• Iowa grows more hogs than North Carolina.
• High Fives and free shirt coming into Boone was nice.
• The closest I've ever felt to an Olympic champion was the faux arch, painted field on the road and bleachers filled with people yelling for you as you finished in Coralville.
  
• The guys who wrenched on broken bikes all week were saints to put up with some of the ungrateful riders.
  
• Iowa Highway patrol did a wonderful job controlling traffic in the heat. And they played music for us too! Amy liked Lady Gaga.
  
• I cannot imagine all the planning that goes into putting this event on. I've hosted wrestling and track meets at the regional level so I know a bit about putting on large events. This scares me.

I'll probably think of more. As you can see, there were few negatives for me. I had a great ride, great friends, no injuries or bike issues so other than the heat rash I can't really complain.