Steamer

No, delirious from a lack of sleep. Pretty much the same thing.

GhostRider62

What I found is you have to be very selective with roads in Pennsylvania whereas in the midwest, there are tons of great farm roads. There's great riding in PA, but you really have to be careful and selective. I was going to do crush the commonwealth on my recumbent but after looking carefully at the roads, I chickened out. I was very fit and probably could have done a fast time riding it nonstop

unterhausen

Yeah, PA bike route S is really horrible in a lot of places, but especially eastbound after Morgantown. I was dot watching someone I ride with occasionally through there and they kept stopping on that stretch, which stressed me out because it wouldn't surprise me if someone were killed on that stretch. And there is also a really big hill. I'm not familiar with it further west, but I think it's bad there too. PA bike routes are almost all bad for riding.

Sorry for taking the OP's thread so far off topic, but Ragbrai isn't really long distance as defined in this subforum.

Steamer

I keep threatening to crush this: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/6762091

Or this: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37181472

Most of both has been scouted and vetted. I am pretty damn selective.

Non-skinny tires would be advised.

GhostRider62

Is it best to mount the pony keg to the decaler or would it be best on the rear rack?

I would be afraid of refilling while riding with it on the back. Maybe a camelback hose jerryrigged would be best.

ThermionicScott 

Probably on the rear for most bikes. There's a RAGBRAI team whose shtick is to carry obnoxiously big and heavy loads wherever they go.

ThermionicScott 

Yeah, but where should -- hey, I have a brilliant idea for a new subforum! Call it "Party Cycling" and we can talk about SPD sandals, RAGBRAI, club rides from one bar to the next bar in sight, decrepit old school buses, wearing kilts while riding, hangover remedies, and all the other stupid things that annoy the serious folks in the Touring forum.

GhostRider62

I can relate. I was dotwatching a TABR racer at sunrise in Kansas on a stretch that I knew was risky. His dot stopped. He had already slept. I was freaking out until it started again. I would press a standard message to my loved ones that I was just resting. I wonder if a Garmin inreach would have a way to just text all your followers and friends....no worries, I am fine sort of message.

unterhausen

I was a bit worried about you in Kentucky, but I knew the trackers are not great in there. The Bikecentennial riders back in the '70s would complain bitterly about that part of the course because of the steady stream of close passes by coal trucks. But I heard it's not like that any more.

The buttons on the SPOT are nice. I just used the "I need help" button and it works really well. Probably should have used the SOS button, but you never realize how bad things are when they slowly deteriorate.
That episode did make me think that an inreach might be nice. I was out of cellphone reach, and I don't know how well the local emergency response would respond to Spot calling them up. In some places they really don't.

GhostRider62

I remember a dog taking me down in Ky and it hurt. And the smell of whiskey in the air. Then, there were some very hard climbs. At that point your body hurts. The climbs required almost threshold levels. It is surprising what your body can do if there is no choice. I was not walking.

Thanks for watching. I was confident to do 300km per day and get lots of sleep but I underestimated how many things can go wrong. I never gave up and in a strange way, it made me more determined to at least finish. Maybe I will get a new neck and do it again in the old age division. LOL

Bulette

If RAGBRAI isn't really an endurance event, I suppose a measly Century-a-Month isn't really either. Careful, you're already talking to a small crowd here...

For most folks, RAGBRAI isn't really touring either -- but even with no concerns about equipment or gear, just the mentality of riding your bike every day for a week is enough to deter most.

unterhausen

Please don't take offense, there has to be some cutoff. Ragbrai doesn't meet the one we set, which is a century in one day. But it's not like I moved the thread to General Cycling or anything. Even though it might have gotten the OP more useful information.
Five miles is a long distance endurance ride for a lot of people. I know, I have been there. But that's not what this particular forum is about.

ThermionicScott 

I heard a rumor once that there was an underground endurance race that followed the RAGBRAI route within 48 hours or something like that. But I haven't been able to find anything to substantiate it -- might have just been a myth or someone trying to wish it into existence.

unterhausen

I bet it has been done. CtC is just a website, basically. And that wasn't kept up for a couple of years, just word of mouth.

There was an Iowa gravel race that was a lot more like CtC. TransIowa. Hasn't been held since 2018 and isn't going to be held any more.

Bulette

I would be disappointed if we, as a sub-forum, thought we had nothing of value to offer RAGBRAI participants. While the 'official' training guides only encourage folks to build up to 70-80 mile rides, I'd say most participants are comfortable on (and have completed) one or more 100-mile rides. As for, "How does one do the Ragbrai?", I'd encourage anyone to read through and keep up-to-date with the general advice floating around here for long-rides -- bike fit, equipment choices, nutrition, and training.

(Add to that, the original John Karras envisioned at least one century ride during the week -- hence the optional Karras Loop century day. While I can't say it's required, there is a certain appreciation among and respect for those who tackle it.)

unterhausen

The reason I mentioned other forums is that I'm guessing that both General and Road have more people with RAGBRAI experience than this forum. But you'll note that I still haven't moved the thread and don't intend to. OTOH, if someone who thinks five miles is a long ride shows up in this forum it's going to General in a heartbeat.

I think people that can ride 20 miles regularly probably will have no trouble finishing RAGBRAI. So it's not like strict training and preparation is fully necessary. But I like to obsess and over plan with the best of them, so I can't complain.

abbikes

Hi. I'm also from NY - Hudson area and am planning on driving to the 2023 Ragbrai. I've already registered. Looking for people to potentially carpool with. I haven't been able to find a team from the area to go with and at this point am doing my first Ragbrai solo. Any interest in carpooling?

Road Fan

Wow, just a little study break!