Deena's "RAG-Brag"

RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa)

What a blast! I rode Day 2 from Spencer to Humbolt. It was 77 miles, 1494 feet of climb, 90 degrees and a bit windy. My sister dropped me off at the start in the morning. Jim and kids waited for me at the second-last town, 7 miles from the end. Lizzie, my 9 year old, rode the last 7 miles with me through rolling hills, into the wind, with knobby little mountain bike tires - she's a trooper.

I didn't see Lance (my oldest daughter joked that he was probably out there in a white t-shirt on a hybrid schwinn trying to be anonymous), but I met so many great people. I met a girl in one of the first towns in the port-a-potty line. A girl she was riding with suggested the cornfields - much cleaner and no line. One guy must have noticed me wilting during a longer stretch near the end, because he stayed and chatted about his clock repair business until we got close to town. I met another man who had surgery for a torn ACL 8 weeks before the ride. He got his doc's ok to ride half the route each day - 35 miles - in a full knee brace!

The pass-through towns were great. They ranged in population from 100-700 residents, but put out hospitality times ten! They had bike racks down the center of town and food at every turn. A farmer set up a giant slip and slide that riders were stopping for- it was hilarious! This is a ride to remember!