Gus Riley

Okay here we go again!!! July 25 - 31 2004!! We can sign up on Nov 15! That's one week from today!

We've put a small team of Air Force retired riders together this year. All of us (eight so far) will hopefully make the RAGBRAI lottery playoffs. We're planning to join up with the Out-Of-Staters this year for support.

Should be fun fun fun again!! Who's planning to ride?!

Count down... 259 days, 19 hours and 2 mins!!!!!!!

IowaParamedic

Great to see that you will be joining us this year, Gus!

I have a little change in my RAGBRAI Plans for the upcoming year. TANDEM!
We bought a tandem and she wants to go! My wife figured out, that we can rock on the tandem, and it's just 20 miles and then you get to take a break. As long as there are plenty of breaks, no problem.

She is a great rider and we have logged over 400 miles on then tandem. We can do a 50 mile ride without problems at the end of this season.

I just added a brooks saddle, and I am ready to go!

Gus Riley

Iowa, my better-half and I have done RAGBRAI three times (two south and one central) on our tandem. It's a good run to be sure. She wants to ride this year but it's my singles turn this time.

We'll most likely be out there on the tandem in 2005..should be the northern course then and will be just perfect for the tandem. Incidentally, the northern route is the only one we haven't done it on the tandem, so I'm looking forward to it. Five days of relatively flat is great on a tandem to be sure!

cycletourist

What is the route this year?

Gus Riley

The specific route isn't out yet, but it should be a central route, since last year was south and the year before was north.

You signin up for it this year CT?

BruceBrown

Welcome to the world of doing RAGBRAI on a tandem, IP. Great to hear your wife is off to a good start and enjoying her time with you on the tandem. We found that there are always plenty of fun stops to make and take a break during RAGBRAI (many of which involve refueling).

I think I am going to be able to talk my family into doing it again in 2004. We will have some changes to the way we do it this year which would include forming our own team of family and friends as well as taking turns driving a SAG vehicle for such a team (unless we get a family member to volunteer to be the wagon master).

I would like to hope for the same weather and temperatures we had this year for next year, but I think expecting such tepid tempertatures might be wishful thinking for two years in a row.

BB

IowaParamedic

Anybody checked out the new RAGBRAI.org web site and the online registration proceedure? Sounds pretty new, but should be a great step for the RAGBRAI folks.

I can't imagine having to do data entry on 10,000 registration forms.

Gus Riley

Yeah, checked it out Saturday morning. I downloaded the application form and the liability release form, filled them all out, signed them, wrote a check and sent it off in the mail already.

Gus Riley

The route will be announced on 31 Jan 2004!

IowaParamedic

Anybody care to guess the route? Ragbrai.com has a guess the route contest. Here are my predications:
1. Rock Valley
2. Estherville
3. Clarion
4. Cedar Falls
5. North Liberty
6. Monticello
7. Bellevue

Gus Riley

IP, do you think it's going to be a northern course this year? Or are you just hoping really hard? I think it will be a central route this year, because it was a southern last year and a northern route the year before that.

My guess for a start town might be Little Sioux or River Sioux with a finish town at Clinton, maybe. I have no clue for those towns in between.

Gus Riley

Calling Nebill, Outashape,TreeTrunk, Cycle Tourist, Hotrod, Steel Bike and anyone else, are you'all signed up for the ride this year?

cycletourist

Not yet but I will be very soon.

outashape

Well, first I was going, then I was wasn't. Then I thought about doing a ride in New York finger lake area - BonTon Roulet. But, there is a God in heaven, my husband has decided to go on 2 rides with me this year. Since he is a drummer and music is his thing, we will be doing RAGBRAI and Cycle North Carolina this year because both rides are laid back and have music at night. RAGBRAI even has music during the day. I haven't registered yet, since they have accepted everyone for at least the last 5 years. I was invited (you have to be sponsored) to join the Whiners group, but with my husband going, we will be going with OOS. I usually leave right after dawn, but things will be very different with hubby. I can't get him moving too soon, so this year the ride will be a "stop and smell the roses" type of ride. See you all there.

Gus Riley

Outstanding!!!!! Our little group of AFOFWDB (Air Force Old Farts Who Drink Beer) is also riding with OOS. Currently we have 7 riders with our little group! See you there Outashape!

P.S. We don't drink that much

Tree Trunk

Gus just reminded me that I haven't been to this forum to say "Hey!". I didn't realize it was back in operation until yesterday. I am going to RAGBRAI this year after missing last year. I am riding with Huck's "Silver Streaks", as usual. Gus, look me up for the bus ride with the Out-of-Staters as that is usually who I hook up with for the ride to the start.

I have my RAGRAI anniversary poster hanging in my garage and I face it as I ride my stationary trainer. See y'all in July!

Steve "Tree Trunk" Henrikson

Gus Riley

Welcome back to the forums TT! Yeah, I'll be looking for ya at the bus stop. Glad to hear your on the trainer too, I hate it but the weather has forced me to it. I watch the Boob tube while riding, the football games make pretty good riding mates.

cycletourist

Since you like trainers and football...

Sprint like mad from the snap to the whistle. Recover between plays and during commercials. See if you can last till half-time :-)

Gus Riley

Oh yeah baby, that already happens. I'm a Rams fan and I'll tell you they had me boiling! The pedals were windmills and the language was (ah hum) innovative!

nebill

Greetings all!! YES!! I will be there! The first day for submitting vacation requests was 010204, and when the secretary who handles such things arrived at work, I was waiting at her desk with papers in hand!!
I'll once again be riding with Team Cycle Sport, or Psycho Sport, or whatever we'll be calling ourselves this year!!
Looking forward to a great year of cycling!! Hope to see some of you there!!

Tree Trunk

You guys are getting me pumped for RAGBRAI!!! Yeah, I'm riding the trainer but I would rather brave the cold weather than ride the trainer. I rode 2 hours in the snow last Saturday -- that was a great resistance workout. When the NCAA basketball tournament starts, I am on the trainer every day. I prefer that to football -- I'm a Bears and Cowboys fan.

I am buying rollers soon. From what I hear I will not be watching TV while riding the rollers!

Get ready for RAGBRAI (or TOMRV or Mt. Mitchell).

IowaParamedic

I registered myself & my wife. Very nice system that they have put together.

Gus, I am not hoping for a north route, but I have a hunch that it will be north this year. My only reason is this: Greenie is going to retire and ride next year, therefore it will pass as close to his home turf of Des Moines as possible - so a central route, but not until next year. Last year we went south, so that leaves north for ragride 32!

I also anticipate that Greenie will go out in style - giving us a route to remember!

I've been known to be wrong, too.

Gus Riley

The overnight towns are posted!

Onawa
Lake View
Fort Dodge
Iowa Falls
Marshalltown
Hiawatha
Maquoketa
Clinton

Cool!

Tree Trunk

This year's route reminds me of the tough route (a little) from a couple of years ago. There's more motivation for me to train hard.

I announced to the guys on my softball team that I am not playing this year in order to concentrate on cycling. Now I have no excuse for not getting a good ride in on Saturdays -- except this year both kids are playing in either softball or baseball leagues on Saturday!

IowaParamedic

This route was not as north as I anticipated, but it is perfect for me. Lake View is just 10 miles from my in-laws house. WooHoo! A hot shower!