Thoughts after mile 303
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Oh, boy, is RAGBRAI fun. Pain, grief, .....
WAIT: I'm resisting my 'inner Eeyore', no more of the death-&-gloom stuff I'm thinking about. Instead, here's my training history in 2009:
Miles 285-303: Highlight - attack by red-winged blackbird. Four times over two turns around a hilly spot (Dows Road to someplace to Hwy 13 to Mt. Vernon Road; a 3.75 mile slightly hilly terrain). Reliving Hitchcock, the 2nd time around, I took out my small tire pump and waived it at the bird. Do I look like an egg stealing varmit to you?
Miles 1-285: a blur. Some with Brian Farrell, some with Lonnie Zingula; I have a faint notion I did a 45 mile ride with Tina Turner - but that may have been while I was on 'Proud Marys' or some such. I know it was fun, involving Sutliffe Cider, rides past Toddville, and limited amounts of ice cream and pork. (not together.) (yet.)
Anyways, it comes whether one is adequately trained or not. I'll try to take it like a man, or perhaps a small male mouse. Looking forward to seeing all the good people, and the capitalist robber-barons of the COEBRAI team soon!
Posted by Bobu85 1:02 PM 1 comments
Team CoeBRAI on Twitter
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Utilizing every tool imaginable to spread the word about Team CoeBRAI, we now have a Twitter presence. If you're a Twitter user, follow us at CoeBRAI. This will allow me to easily post photos and updates throughout the day, while still updating the blog at night. Tell your family and friends.
Posted by Lonnie 7:40 PM 0 comments
13 days and counting down quick
Sunday, July 5, 2009
After surpassing 600 training miles today on a wonderful 35-mile ride to Solon and back with Bob Untiedt, it dawned on me that we are less than two weeks from departure and I have a lot of work to do. Consequently, I’m taking my bike in for a tune-up tomorrow and may not ride again until we get to Council Bluffs.
A reminder to everyone that the second installment was due July 1. This is $175 for most full-time riders. If you ordered stuff from RAGBRAI and didn’t include it in your first payment, add it to the second payment. Part-time riders should contact me about how much is due. In all cases, checks should be made out to Coe College and sent to my attention at 1220 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402.
Hosts have been secured in five of seven overnight towns. At this point, it seems certain that we’ll be fending for ourselves in the RAGBRAI campgrounds at Red Oak and Chariton. Rest assured I will do my best to make this as painless as possible.
Here’s a quick rundown of the itinerary:
Friday, July 17 – 6 p.m. spaghetti dinner at Coe followed by loading of as many bikes as are ready to go. The dinner is free for CoeBRAI participants and $7 for guests. If you haven’t already, please let me know whether or not you will be attending and if you’ll be bringing guests. I need to get a somewhat accurate head count to food services.
Saturday, July 18 – Loading begins at 8 a.m. at Eby Fieldhouse on the Coe campus with a planned departure of 10 a.m. Lunch stop in Des Moines, where we will pick up driver Abby Masters. Late afternoon arrival in Council Bluffs, where we will be staying with Wyatt Yates, a 2006 Coe graduate. Wyatt has generously agreed to provide us with a barbeque dinner, complete with fresh vegetables from his grandpa’s farm. We will make arrangements to shuttle riders to RAGBRAI central to pick up bikes and/or attend the Barenaked Ladies concert.
Sunday, July 19 – 52.6 miles to Red Oak. We don’t have a host and I’m still trying to nail down a camping area. Trust me, there’s nothing I dislike more than biking all day and then having to ride around town looking for my team. If there’s any way possible, you will know your final destination before you leave Council Bluffs.
Monday, July 20 – 72.6 miles to Greenfield, where we will be hosted by Ralph and Erma Mitchell. We hooked up with the Mitchells after rider Judy Floy led them on a tour of Washington, D.C. They will also be hosting 14 riders in their house, but have ample shower facilities for us all. Dinner is on our own, but their land abuts the fairgrounds and is 3/4 –mile from downtown.
Tuesday, July 21 – 77.1 miles to Indianola, where we will be hosted by Bill and Sherrie Engel, parents of 2006 Coe graduate Chris Engel Fitzpatrick. The Engels are providing us with dinner and showers. They are located close to downtown as well. I’ve been looking forward to this stop since the route was announced.
Wednesday, July 22 – 44.4 miles to Chariton. Most likely we’ll be camping around the old armory (off 16th St. between Illion Ave. and Lucas Ave. It is close to showers, on the shuttle run, has porto-potties and some food options. There are no hook-ups for campers, but that only effects me.
Thursday, July 23 – 76.9 miles to Ottumwa, where we will be hosted by Mike and Janet Vinyard. Mike and Janet are Cornell graduates, but their son, Tim, graduated from Coe in 2002 and was a stellar quarterback for the Kohawk football team. They are providing showers and a grilled chicken dinner, but asked that we help with cooking and cleanup. The CoeBRAI standard is that when we leave a town, it looks like we were never there. I know this group will be no different.
Friday, July 24 – 75.5 miles to Mount Pleasant, where we will be hosted by Bitrus and Olabisi Gwamna, parents of Coe senior-to-be Duroje. The Gwamnas are accustomed to hosting large groups and will be providing dinner and showers. They are also located within walking distance of the town square.
Saturday, July 25 – 43.2 miles to Burlington. I will identify a spot for us all – you too, John Bowlin – to gather on the edge of town before making our descent, as a group, to the Mississippi. As we individually and collectively celebrate the accomplishment of biking across Iowa, this is the CoeBRAI moment that keeps me coming back for more. Don’t miss it.
We’ll then load up and high tail it back to Cedar Rapids for a mid-afternoon arrival.
Lastly, a handful of you still haven’t sent me the number of the cell phone you will have with you and also the name and number of your emergency contact. I will be handing out contact information to everyone so we can communicate on the road. If I don’t have your number, you will be left off the list.
A note about showers: our hosts have generously agreed to open their facilities to us. Let’s not abuse it. With 35 full-time riders, it would take six hours if everyone took a 10-minute shower. Please incorporate the five-minute shower into your training routine the next two weeks. I shave in the shower, and I’m still in and out in under five minutes, so I know it’s possible. (This does not apply in Red Oak and Chariton, where you’re welcome to linger in the cold shower as long as you like.)
Posted by Lonnie 7:26 PM 0 comments
Wear Your Helmet
Monday, June 29, 2009
A Cautionary Tale
Saturday morning I went out for a ride, looking to get in some quality miles before the heat and traffic built up later in the day. Time is getting short before Ragbrai and I don't know if it's anxiety or a competitive spirit that's starting to kick in, but I sure don't want to embarrass myself on the ride. I had a good training ride and was just turning into my driveway when I hit a wet spot and as a result of wet pavement, algae and mud the bike went out from under me. I've taken a spill from my bike before, but what was shocking about this tumble was how fast it happened. I wasn't even going that fast, as I was turning into my driveway, but one minute I was on the bike and the next I was on the ground. No time for recovery. No time to try and protect myself. Just Boom! and you're wondering how you wound up on the ground. Fortunately, I'm fine. My helmet tapped the ground, I've got some road rash and I'll be sore for a few days, but it certainly reminded me of why we wear helmets. Don't ever ride without yours.
Posted by John Palizza 1:26 PM 1 comments
Worst. Vacation. Ever.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
But enough about me.
Several things.
I received word that our jerseys are en route.
I've received word of a week-long cancellation, if you know of anyone.
I remind everyone that second installments are due July 1.
And, lastly, I haven't gotten nearly enough miles in this week but need to ride like never before.
I'd also like a place to stay in Red Oak and Chariton. How about you?
Posted by Lonnie 12:06 AM 2 comments
Mt Vernon Heritage Days Ride
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
If you are looking for a group ride with a bunch of RAGBRAIers then the Mt Vernon Heritage Days Ride on July 11th is your cup of tea. It's a 35 mile ride with beautiful scenery. Taken from the ride description:
Riders will meet at 9 AM in downtown Mount Vernon. This ride will go from Mount Vernon through Lisbon and south on the Sutliff Road toward Sutliff and on to Solon. Riders are welcome to stop at Sutliff on the way to and/or from Solon if they wish. From Solon, the ride returns on the same route. Sutliff Cider opens at 11 AM, is biker-friendly and is a great place to stop on the way back. The ride will end back in uptown Mount Vernon. Riders are encouraged to stay and enjoy the Heritage Days' music, beer garden, and food vendors.
I will probably be working at Sutliff Cider that day and would love to see a few CoeBRAI jerseys stop by. You can find more rides and information here:
http://www.bikeiowa.com/asp/calendar/calendar.asp?s=y&m=&date=7/11/2009
Posted by Tom Hicks 9:19 AM 1 comments
Heat Training
Monday, June 22, 2009
Training report from Houston
Down here in Houston we are heavily into the heat training part of our schedule. The past two weeks have seen average afternoon temperatures at 95 degrees or hotter every day. If anyone wants lessons on how to sweat while on a bike, I am fully qualified. I am switching when I can to morning rides when it's only 85 (of course the humidity is 70 percent so I still sweat, but what can you do?) The only consolation is that when you get on a scale at the end of a ride, you register as a couple of pounds lighter than your real weight.
Posted by John Palizza 12:58 PM 1 comments
