Tuesday, July 29, 2008
RAGBRAI Day minus 1
After a hot bus ride from Le Claire
(near the Mississippi River) across Iowa to Missouri Valley on the Missouri River, I was pleased to be off the buss. Original plans where to arrive early on Saturday afternoon, setup camp (in the yard of a local church) and ride 12 miles down to the Missouri River and back to dip our rear tire in the Miss. in order to fulfill tradition (like this guy from CO below). We forget tradition instantly. The guy to the left (that is not me) was on a cushy bus... and arrived early, unlike us. Our bus ride crushed us: it was hot cramped and it arrived around 5pm. Although we tried to sweat as little as possible setting up camp, we were drenched by the time we were done. The temps were mid 90's and sauna-humid and although pulling a tent from a bag, erecting it, and blowing up an air mattress (from a battery powered pump) should not cause perspiration, it really did. We basically ditched the 22 mile round trip to dip our tire for a Fat Tire Ale made on cool Fort Collins, CO.
After setting up camp and a beer, we walked down town for some BBQ and a beer or two, then hung out on the back deck of the bus and just watch the oddities of RAGBRAI pass us by.
Funny, there were a lot of people just tipping over on bikes in the street, I remember my first day in clip less pedals too., but I was sober when i tried them. Quote of the day (George Keller): setting: a guy just falls over, still clipped in. George asks with concern: "are you OK?". Rider replies: "yes". George retorts: "Are you embarrassed?"
Later that night, Missouri Valley serenaded us with sounds of freight trains passing by and fellows across the street with an affinity for late night drunken f-bomb. Well, we didn't really need any sleep tonight... Day 1 is an easy ride.
(near the Mississippi River) across Iowa to Missouri Valley on the Missouri River, I was pleased to be off the buss. Original plans where to arrive early on Saturday afternoon, setup camp (in the yard of a local church) and ride 12 miles down to the Missouri River and back to dip our rear tire in the Miss. in order to fulfill tradition (like this guy from CO below). We forget tradition instantly. The guy to the left (that is not me) was on a cushy bus... and arrived early, unlike us. Our bus ride crushed us: it was hot cramped and it arrived around 5pm. Although we tried to sweat as little as possible setting up camp, we were drenched by the time we were done. The temps were mid 90's and sauna-humid and although pulling a tent from a bag, erecting it, and blowing up an air mattress (from a battery powered pump) should not cause perspiration, it really did. We basically ditched the 22 mile round trip to dip our tire for a Fat Tire Ale made on cool Fort Collins, CO. 
After setting up camp and a beer, we walked down town for some BBQ and a beer or two, then hung out on the back deck of the bus and just watch the oddities of RAGBRAI pass us by. Funny, there were a lot of people just tipping over on bikes in the street, I remember my first day in clip less pedals too., but I was sober when i tried them. Quote of the day (George Keller): setting: a guy just falls over, still clipped in. George asks with concern: "are you OK?". Rider replies: "yes". George retorts: "Are you embarrassed?"
Later that night, Missouri Valley serenaded us with sounds of freight trains passing by and fellows across the street with an affinity for late night drunken f-bomb. Well, we didn't really need any sleep tonight... Day 1 is an easy ride.
