I just noticed that my title to the last post mirrored the one before--oops! The last entry talked about days 5 and 6--our drive to Bellevue State Park, the end of the bike route. Saturday Bill drove me back to La Motte, the last pass through town before Bellevue about 15 miles away from the end. It was the easiest place to drop in without Bill having to cross the bike route during his drive. I waited and watched the early risers ride through town (one said he left at 4 am), before I began my last leg. I passed one rider worth noting--a man sporting a T-shirt saying he was a "1939 man on a 1941 Schwinn." Sure enough, his bike was an old beach cruiser with fenders. He proved that you don't need the latest in technology to participate in RAGBRAI.
Bill was waiting with camera in hand at the finish line to record the final part of the journey. It is a tradition to dip your front tire in the Mississippi at the end of the ride (having previously dipped the back tire in the Rock river at the start). Bill walked with me down the boat ramp and snapped pictures before we loaded the bike back on the Jeep and headed back to the state park. My mind was shifting gears already--find the hiking trails and start walking in the afternoon to get the body ready for the backpacking trip! The bike mileage total for RAGBRAI was 341 of the 477 possible miles, not bad for a first timer. First time riders are called RAGBRAI virgins and only now do I understand that no matter what you read or someone tells you about the event, until you experience it firsthand do you begin to comprehend it. I equate it to a hiker thinking they know how to backpack--cycling is not the same as bike touring. I have a lot to learn...but I am definitely going to do it again with a little more knowledge under my belt.
This morning we are in Guymon, Oklahoma--an overnight stop I can not recommend to anyone. It is flat, windy, hot and humid--but it is closer to our home in Mesa, where I hope to have a few days to unwind and hike before the next trip. We plan to zoom out of Oklahoma and pass through Texas today into New Mexico. Using Hwy 54, this is possible as we are crossing the panhandles of both states. We encountered a strong thunderstorm yesterday in SW Kansas and the forecast is for more rain ahead. Bill and I were stunned by the devastation in Greensburg, Kansas, the town which had been hit by a tornado in May or June of this year. It looks as if a bomb exploded and took away most of the town right along the highway. Debris is still piled up, but it looked as if some rebuilding was beginning to take place. After we passed through town only then did I realize I should have taken pictures so others could see this surreal site--sorry, I didn't think of that until too late...and we aren't planning on revisiting anytime soon.
