Steele-Bike

Does anyone here ride RAGBRAI? I have lived in Iowa for 12 years and have never been on the ride. I now have a job in which I have summers off (and still get paid), so I am becoming more interested in RAGBRAI. I am primarily a mt biker/commuter, but would like to do some long tour rides. Any stories/advice?

www.ragbrai.org

fubar5

Geez, what job do you have Steele?

Steele-Bike

I work for a standardized test scoring company. You know, all those annoying bubble test you had to take in school. Well, since no test are administered in the summer there is no work at my company, so they lay about half the people off for three months. The job is not that good, but pays decent, benefits are good, and I get summers off paid. Great for biking! :thumbup:

fubar5

Oooh, you work for the dudes who make the ACT and stuff. I am actually taking the ACT in June. The practice book I have is a pain. It has been my experience that the books are harder than the test.
Sounds like a great job though..for biking that is :thumbup:

Steele-Bike

I actually work for NCS Pearson. ACT is across the street. We score K-12 tests, not college. Maybe I will stop by ACT today after work and see if I can steal a test for you...

fubar5

Well steele, I aprieciate your kindness, but a) stealing a test is probably impossible and b) I don't think that would be fair for the rest of the test takers. I mean, first I'm a biker, and second I get to see the answers ahead of time? sheesh, I'd hate to be one of the test takers besides me.

Carl Jacksen

RAGBRAI is simply amazing. It is like a complete week of the county fair, a college beer party, and bicycling and camping rolled into one.

Their sign up has probably passed for this year, but be sure to take advantage of it when you can.

Carl

fubar5

Has anyone that has ridden in the RAGBRAI seen the Air Force cycling team? I ride with a guy who rode with the team for a couple years. From what he says RAGBRAI is really cool.

Steele-Bike

I have known several people who have rode RABRAI many times, and it sounds like a blast. It is by no means a race, much more laid back and festive. I believe they ride about 50 miles a day. As far as the number of riders, I am not sure, but I know it is in the thousands.

Next year I hope to do the ride. Now I just need to get a touring bike. Maybe I will get my recumbent with BOB trailer.

nebill

Hey, Steele-Bike, I am doing the first two days of RAGBRAI for the first time myself! I don't know if there are any one day passes left or not. If they have some, hope to see you there!! I will be the slightly overweight, bearded guy on a black and white Fuji Roubaix wearing a pink and orange and white jersey and black biker shorts.....shouldn't be hard to find amoung the 10,000 riders that they expect!! Would be a blast to see you!

fubar5

I wish I could ride in the RAGBRAI. It sounds like a blast.

Steele-Bike

I quite possibly am going to do the last day. The last night they will be spending in Iowa City and then on to the Mississippi River. It shouldn't be more than 45 miles, so it should be a great ride. Sorry, Nebill, I don't think I will be around on the first couple of days....Maybe I will see you there next year.

nebill

Okay, Steele, probably see you next year! I have not even been to one yet, and I am already starting to plan for the full week next year! Have fun!

Steele-Bike

Hey Nebill,

You will have to let me know how the first 2 days are...I am definitely riding the last day. My brother just backed out the other day...his wifes B-day is that day (sounds like an excuse to me). So, it looks like I will be going solo...but it is only 49 miles and I will have my girlfriend waiting for me in Muscatine.

nebill

Hmmm, what a nice thing to have waiting for you at the end of a ride! My sweetheart won't be there, and the wife is staying home, too!
I am so pumped about the ride, it isn't even funny! This is supposed to be the second hilliest RAGBRAI in history, so I have been working out like crazy! I always have so much fun on my bike anyway, I can't wait to share it with a few thousand other crazies!
I will let you know how it goes...hopefully I will still be able to write after two days, so I should be able to post something before you do the last day!
Who knows, maybe next year I will do the whole week, so I might finally get to meet someone from the BF family in person!

Gus Riley

[QUOTE]Originally posted by fubar5
[B]Has anyone that has ridden in the RAGBRAI seen the Air Force cycling team? I ride with a guy who rode with the team for a couple years. From what he says RAGBRAI is really cool.

I've been on the Air Force Team now for three RAGBRAIs. 97, 00 and 01.

In 97 I rode my single the past two years my wife and I have ridden our tandem. She has been on the team the past two years.

It's a great team to be part of. This year we had 150 riders! A sight to see the last three miles of the last day. We all finish in a two line pace line (at a very slow and careful speed).

Attached is a picture we took while in the pace line looking back. We were about eight from the front. The two lines went back for 75 links of two abreast.

nebill

Here is a quick page I did about my first RAGBRAI. I am already making plans to go next year!
RAGBRAI

Gus Riley

Great article Bill! Next year when you do the whole ride, you'll really have some fun! I believe next year should be the northern route and should be much flatter for the first five days.

With cooler weather and tail winds, that route will be a super great ride!!!! :thumbup:

Steele-Bike

It was nice to read about your adventure, Nebill.

Only 10 1/2 months until next years ride!!!

nebill

I hear you, Steele! I am pumped about going on the next one!

Gus, I really didn't mind the hills that much, they just make you stronger (although while I was doing them, I wasn't all that sure!) Seeing new country will be nice, though. And, if the folks of Iowa support the next ride like they did this one (and I have no reason to think that they won't!) it will be a blast!

Stromen8

Hi Gus.
I Read your post and I think you might be able to help me. I did RAGBRAI for 2 years befor I joined the AF and am now stationed in Germany. I am looking to ride in 06 again if I can. I was hoping you might know if the team is only for those in Iowa area and who I could get in contact with for some information?
Any information would help.

coconut in IA

Hey all, I been on 4 RAGBRAI's so far and no sign of stopping.... As for doing them there are a couple ways to attack this. First off would be to find a team to join and pay them instead of going through the personal gear hell that is being a registered rider. Or you can be a registered rider, it might be a good idea if you have no team or don't know anyone. But there are many draw backs to it. But I am also speaking from a skewed view. The last way "and I think the best" is to go self contained. Take all your gear on yer bike and enjoy the specticle that ragbrai is on your own time/schedual. Also I don't know anyone of team Airforce but here is there link AIR FORCE To be honest I don't think it works anymore, but it was the last I saw of it. Another good resource for bike riding in iowa is Bikeiowa.com. You usualy can get a lot of good info and also get pointed into the right direction. Also there is a ton of pictures and stories you can read on there about Ragbrai. I do caution you if you post in the team smack board there are a lot of smart asses "like me". They can be a ton of help but also unforgiving on picking on people to. There are many other places to post besides that one board to get information. Also there is a giant list of on going rides around the state. Going on a couple party ride is always a good warm up for Ragbrai plus watching people like me making an ass out of myself is always entertaining. I hope this information has pointed you and who ever else in the right direction. If you need any more information please don't hesitate to drop me a line.


Cheers,


Coco

P.S My spelling Sucks....

Sigurdd50

if you like riding with 7 thousand riders, I rekon RAGBRAI would be cool
I never rode it, but I lived in Iowa City for years and would often drop by the bivouacs when they were nearby (Mt. Vernon, Iowa City, etc)
Crazy

I prefer some space and fewer lines and less Beer Barrel Polka

Gus Riley

Stromen8, I haven't been with the team since 2002, but have ridden RAGBRAI ever since on our Retired Air Force Team called the Afterburners.

As far as your question, no, you do not have to be from the Iowa area. There are team members who come from all over the world. It works like this: There are regional teams all over CONUS. You must contact one of the team leaders. Someone on the board here provided the site address, but it is down, I don't know if it will ever come back up. When accepted on a team, you must apply for Permissive TDY...the team will provide you with the directions and forms to do this. In your case I think you will have to make your own way to where ever your team will begin their trip to RAGBRAI or work it out with them to pick you up at another mutually agreed upon location in the states. You pay your own way for the most part, but you use no personal leave while at RAGBRAI or traveling to and from.

Unfortunately their site is down. I only know one active team member's email address, he may be able to provide you with some regional team leaders addresses. I will PM you his email address.

Stromen8

Hey, thanks again Gus. I haven't heard anything back yet but the information you gave helped a lot. I will keep look for a team. Either way I hope to ride this year.