This was my 16th RAGBRAI. Susie informed me that after watching me, and
then Brad leave for RAGBRAI for 15 years, that she now wanted to go, too.
I don't know what prompted this, but the route was the northern one, which is
usually flatter than most of the yearly rides. We also went on the tandem,
which hasn't seen a RAGBRAI (pronounced rag brEYE, not brEE) since Brad
quit me on it in 1995. (He wanted to chase "chicks" on his own bicycle.
I don't think he ever "scored" on RAGBRAI.)
But go Susie did, and she rode with me the whole way on the tandem, including
the century (100 mile loop) for 113 miles that day. She rode every day and
every mile. (Just like I always do. That's why you go on
RAGBRAI...to do the WHOLE ride, remember?)
We left from Sioux Center with a tailwind, but over 101 degrees hot and
high humidity on Sunday. That night a cold front came through, giving
relatively dry and fair weather, crescendoing up to the last day of the week,
Saturday; which again returned into the 90's with humidity, after a morning
torrential rain. The hills, 2800+ feet of climb in 56 miles, were the last
day going from Anamosa to Bellevue.
Here are the pictures and captions. I'll spread them over a few pages
for the dial up modem folks.
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Loading the sag across from the bike shop. |
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These fellows are the "sag" drivers. The sag hauls your stuff for each night's camp. All you take, is what you need for the day's ride. Everything else goes to the end of the day. |
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Bike Alley at Sioux Center. |
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The open market store moves to each host town. Stuff you need for the ride and keepsakes. All you need is money on RAGBRAI, everything you need for the ride is available. |
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Tour de Farms. |
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Air brushed shirts. Best in bike alley. |
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Merita. |
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She's been on RAGBRAI longer than I. I have a custom air brushed shirt for each year of RAGBRAI. I may have an art showing of them one day. |
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Merita's other half, plus. |
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Dwight and daughter round out the group. |
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Joey. |
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Joey rode in his seat for RAGBRAI. I think he did the whole thing. |
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John, Di, Al, Susie. |
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At bike alley in Sioux Center. |
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Leaving Sioux Center. |
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Brad and Emma drop us off Sunday in Sioux Center for the start of the ride. |
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Pork Choppppp! |
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Susie and Pork Chop man. An icon on RAGBRAI, and the best grilled Iowa Pork Chop you will ever eat! |
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Cherokee. |
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Barb, my sister in law lives in Cherokee. Reason enough for a mini family reunion. Downtown Cherokee. |
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Typical town scene. |
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Piles of bikes, some stacked, some fallen over are typical in town centers along the day's route. |
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