RAGBRAI Days 3 & 4

My journey has deviated the last two days from the scheduled bike route as I was not feeling well Thursday leaving Cedar Falls. I don't know if I should blame the Philly cheesesteak sandwich bought from one of the vendors on Wednesday, or if the cumulative miles have taken a toll, but I needed help from my support team to get to Independence yesterday. I started out before 6 am as I had on the previous days toward Denver, Iowa, our first pass-through town eighteen miles away. I am cycling slow to allow the muscles and body a chance to warm up for the day's activity, and also because I don't seem to have a lot of energy. On previous days I would stop in the towns to stretch and have a snack to fuel up for the next segment of the ride. Usually a shot of GU or part of my PB & J will give me the kick needed to get up and go, but Thursday I never felt any surge of energy--just the opposite as I felt my energy waning as I pedaled to the halfway point of the day's ride--Dunkerton, Iowa. As I debated about calling Bill and asking for a pick up he was calling me to let me know our campsite location for the night. I let him know I had to stop after 34 miles and asked him to pick me up. Poor Bill, thinking I would only ask for help if I were seriously injured or dying, broke nearly every speed limit to get there. Rural Iowa cell phone connectivity can be very poor and our attempts to communicate via phone were going nowhere. I thought the reception would be better if I climbed to the top of the hill--ironically exactly where Bill was parked. We connected and he whisked me away via Hwy 20 to Independence. Bill kept offering to buy me ice cream at the DQ next door to help cheer me up--it did not sound good to me at all...even the cappucino Heath bar blizzard. That proved to me that I definitely wasn't myself!

Last night the emergency vehicles came around on their speakers and talked about severe weather coming and letting us know where the evacuation area was. Bill and I worked up numerous scenarios for today if I rode, but needed support team help; if I rode all the way to Dyersville; and if I did not ride at all. Our plan for the evening was to camp at the end of the line--Bellevue, as we had a site reserved for Friday and Saturday night (Iowa rule, both Friday and Saturday must be booked during the peak season.) We welcomed the thought of having electrical hook-up and escaping the large crowd for at least one night.

We awakened to threatening skies; I woke up as if I would be on the road before six, but in my heart of hearts I knew that not riding was the best option for the day. As we drove east and encountered rain, I was even happier with my decision--I must admit that I am a fair weather biker, riding in the rain when not feeling 100% was not something I wanted to do. So I helped Bill navigate our way here to Bellevue, possibly the best part of Iowa we have seen. The town and state park are located on the banks of the Mississippi with high bluffs allowing for marvelous scenic views of the river and valleys. I am looking at tomorrow's bike route and trying to figure out a way to join the ride without Bill having to drive 100 miles out of his way. It may just be a few ceremonial miles through town to the river, or I could go to the "meeting town" 40 miles out--either option is okay by me as I have learned that RAGBRAI is not about riding the entire route; each rider is here for different reasons. I came here to see Iowa; get in better shape; stretch myself; go on a multiple day bike tour; and at the end see if I wanted to do it all over again. And the answer is--yes, I would. Anyone out there care to join me?

More after the official end of RAGBRAI tomorrow. Bill and I are excited to head back to Phoenix and rest for a few days before heading out to California.