My C&V Day on RAGBRAI
07-31-11, 08:18 PM
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My C&V Day on RAGBRAI
Since we had RAGBRAI overnight guests on Friday night, and that my wife had ridden on Thursday and Friday, I decided my summer vacation would be riding the last day of RAGBRAI from our house to Davenport on my 72 Humber sports.
The route out of Iowa City, my home town, went up the Rochester Ave hill. The very first RAGBRAI went this same route in August of 1973. I was in 8th grade and we brought cookies and lemonade to give away because we couldn't believe that 300 people were riding their bikes across Iowa. It obviously made a lasting impression. The Quad City Times this morning estimated that nearly 15,000 people rode the final day.
The first town was West Branch which was after a nice ride on the rolling hills of the historic Herbert Hoover Highway. Here I am out on Main St.
After riding through Springdale and chatting up numerous people along the way I was ready for a stop in Moscow, and found the only vehicle on the ride older than my 3 speed:
The truck was a 1958, the frozen lemonade was delicious. When I was ready to leave we were blocked by a freight train so I had an extra 20 minute break, while waiting for it to pass. After riding another 3 miles we were stopped by the same train a second time:
At Wilton I stopped for lunch and ran into old childhood friends, a brother and sister who I rode with for the rest of the day. We also met two retired Oregonians who are riding from Medford, OR, to Washington D.C. They ended up staying last night at my friend's place in Davenport. They had found RAGBRAI totally by chance!
At Walcott, the last town before Davenport, I finally got a chance to take a picture of the vehicle I'd seen going with traffic and against it all day. I figure this guy rode double the official 65 mile route with all his backtracking. With temps in the mid 90's and humidity at about 75% I'm pretty sure the faring conceals an electric motor or fan or both:
All in all it was great day, I had lots of questions about riding a three speed, and had a blast.
The route out of Iowa City, my home town, went up the Rochester Ave hill. The very first RAGBRAI went this same route in August of 1973. I was in 8th grade and we brought cookies and lemonade to give away because we couldn't believe that 300 people were riding their bikes across Iowa. It obviously made a lasting impression. The Quad City Times this morning estimated that nearly 15,000 people rode the final day.
The first town was West Branch which was after a nice ride on the rolling hills of the historic Herbert Hoover Highway. Here I am out on Main St.
After riding through Springdale and chatting up numerous people along the way I was ready for a stop in Moscow, and found the only vehicle on the ride older than my 3 speed:
The truck was a 1958, the frozen lemonade was delicious. When I was ready to leave we were blocked by a freight train so I had an extra 20 minute break, while waiting for it to pass. After riding another 3 miles we were stopped by the same train a second time:
At Wilton I stopped for lunch and ran into old childhood friends, a brother and sister who I rode with for the rest of the day. We also met two retired Oregonians who are riding from Medford, OR, to Washington D.C. They ended up staying last night at my friend's place in Davenport. They had found RAGBRAI totally by chance!
At Walcott, the last town before Davenport, I finally got a chance to take a picture of the vehicle I'd seen going with traffic and against it all day. I figure this guy rode double the official 65 mile route with all his backtracking. With temps in the mid 90's and humidity at about 75% I'm pretty sure the faring conceals an electric motor or fan or both:
All in all it was great day, I had lots of questions about riding a three speed, and had a blast.
07-31-11, 09:10 PM
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15,000 riders ?!
I Googled RAGBRAI ... That's pretty incredible.
I don't suppose they had a lot of hills to contend with though- At least I hope not, given the hot weather.
PS - Looks like a really nice Humber.
I Googled RAGBRAI ... That's pretty incredible.
I don't suppose they had a lot of hills to contend with though- At least I hope not, given the hot weather.
PS - Looks like a really nice Humber.
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07-31-11, 09:34 PM
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There was 2,000 ft of climb on our 65 miles on Saturday. Here is a nice site with daily maps and elevations:
https://ragbrai.com/routemaps/2011-route-maps/
It is possible to do a relatively grueling route due to the fact that there are food and water stands everywhere along the route including in the rural areas with people letting people get water at their farm yards. I had: gatorade, hardboiled egg on a stick, and fresh fruit for breakfast in West Branch. A banana in Springdale, frozen lemondade in Moscow, red beans and rice with sausage, and gatorade for lunch in Wilton, watermelon in Durant, one beer, a fruit smoothie, and chips and salsa in Walcott. Plus constant water...
It was a somewhat southern Iowa route year, generally rolling hills all week long. When it is a northerly route you usually get 3 flat days in the middle of the week.
The first day is always climbing out of the Missouri River Valley the last day is always climbing into the Mississippi River Valley. There was one big long hill into Davenport and and nerve wracking steep descent on very mushy asphalt shortly after that.
The Des Moines Register only issues 9,000 week long rider bands as well as more daily passes. Then there are scabs like I was yesterday who just show up and ride.
https://ragbrai.com/routemaps/2011-route-maps/
It is possible to do a relatively grueling route due to the fact that there are food and water stands everywhere along the route including in the rural areas with people letting people get water at their farm yards. I had: gatorade, hardboiled egg on a stick, and fresh fruit for breakfast in West Branch. A banana in Springdale, frozen lemondade in Moscow, red beans and rice with sausage, and gatorade for lunch in Wilton, watermelon in Durant, one beer, a fruit smoothie, and chips and salsa in Walcott. Plus constant water...
It was a somewhat southern Iowa route year, generally rolling hills all week long. When it is a northerly route you usually get 3 flat days in the middle of the week.
The first day is always climbing out of the Missouri River Valley the last day is always climbing into the Mississippi River Valley. There was one big long hill into Davenport and and nerve wracking steep descent on very mushy asphalt shortly after that.
The Des Moines Register only issues 9,000 week long rider bands as well as more daily passes. Then there are scabs like I was yesterday who just show up and ride.
07-31-11, 10:04 PM
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Yes, people are under the misconception that Iowa and Eastern Nebraska are flat. Instead, it is primarily rollers -- a mile up, a mile down, etc.
07-31-11, 11:36 PM
#5
Vain, But Lacking Talent
That's definitely been on my to do list since I first read about it a couple of years ago. I'm getting more into the touring/camping thing, so that would be a blast to do ride and camp with that many folks. Hopefully by the time I can make it there, it will be a cooler summer.
