RAGBRAI 2005

The fifth flattest RAGBRAI? The "Northern Route"? When I heard that, I asked Susie if she wanted to ride the tandem again. Since this year I turned 60, we have been very active. I figured I should go for what I could while I could. So, we went to New Zealand to trek, then I went to Moab to do the Kokopelli Trail. Then I went for a week self-contained to Wisconsin. The point being, I thought I was tough enough to just pull her around on the tandem...if she wanted to go. First she said "no" flat out. Then the Curves for Women crowd she goes with got to talking with her, and she said she wanted to go. No, I didn't talk her into it. This time she knew what she was getting into.

It was my 19th consecutive RAGBRAI. The tandem hasn't been out since 2002 on RAGBRAI. Susie was strong and did the ride well. But she didn't want to do the century, so that is only the second time in all those years I didn't do it. The other time the lawmen closed the loop road, and I couldn't go..."do you want to get arrested?" I had brake problems and got to the loop a few minutes late in the afternoon.

We left from LeMars with a crosswind, but almost 100 degrees hot and high humidity on Sunday. Sunday night in Sheldon severe weather and wind took out a bunch of tents, 12 went home from our club; and one unfortunate soul elsewhere was killed when a tree fell on his tent. The next day was similar, but that night a cold front came through with hard rain, giving cool, dry and fair weather. Perfect cycling weather with mild headwinds at times. The nights were downright cold. That lasted until Saturday's high of about 85 at Guttenberg. The hills, were mostly the last day going from West Union to Guttenberg, with one good one before West Union.

The tandem ran well, but we broke one rear spoke. Cotta trued the wheel and we kept going short one (got 48). The run to Milford was through a good rain, but after that we were dry.

Here are the pictures and captions. Click on the thumbnails for a bigger picture. The blowups are about 500K or so. If you want to see more, the virtual directory link is at the bottom of the page . The originals are over 1 meg each. I have them elsewhere on disk, so if you want a higher resolution picture, I can give it to you.

Tour de Farms.

Susie and Merita at Merita's Shirt Factory...the best.

The Dynamic Duo start out.

Susie and Mr. Pork Chop.

Sidi Buckles suck.

The black buckles on Susie's Sidi Road shoes fracture at the eyelet, screwed to the shoe. She has broken 2, I have broken 3. What do you want for $200...give me Velcro.

Carol & Jerry before the big storm.

Carol & Jerry after the big storm.

Minus a tent. Carol went home, Jerry returned to finish the ride after regrouping supplies.

Susie by the snowman.

The overnight town theme was snow in July. By morning I thought it might snow.

The serious Canada cold front approaches.

Home sweet tent.

After the rain ride, it got cold.

Big Rain.

When the front went through, it poured. We were in a nice tent. Some rode for an hour in heavy downpour.

A tough old biker.

Her doggy friend was nice, too.

Typical line.

Waiting for a pork chop at a town stop.

Life must go on.

I think he was pulling him in a trailer.

Kybo Line.

The perennial problem...not enough porta pots. A pet peeve of mine. On RAGBRAI you double your output. The Register should have that figured out by now in the campgrounds.