Come one, come all

I vowed to do some RAGBRAI planning over Christmas break, so here goes.

Are you in?

Sure it’s 207 days away. But will you really have anything better to do, really? Over the past four years, I’ve come to see RAGBRAI as a less of a chore and more of a ritual. It’s also a pretty darn effective carrot for encouraging year-round physical fitness.

That’s why this is exactly the perfect time of year to plan for RAGBRAI 2009. With the repeated snow and ice storms accompanied by arctic temperatures, it warms my soul to think of reflective heat coming off the pavement in July. I’m not a pie guy, but I can’t imagine any served this holiday season can rival those found on RAGBRAI (which is why pie is incorporated in this year’s design). And, I’m sorry, but the stationary bike does not compare.

Besides, with the Packers out of the playoffs, what am I supposed to do? Watch the NBA? No thanks.

I sincerely hope you'll join us this year. Fees have been held at $350. Of this, $175 is due to Coe by March 1 along with a signed waiver from the RAGBRAI Web site. The remaining $175 will be due July 1.

The fee includes the official $125 RAGBRAI entry fee, a Team CoeBRAI jersey and license plate, bus transportation to and from Cedar Rapids and the starting/ending towns, and snacks and non-alcoholic beverages at each overnight stop. This does not include meals, unfortunately, though we hope to negotiate with our hosts at each overnight stop to make some accommodation for dinner and showers.

Additionally, participants should plan to spend $20-$30 per day on food and beverages, bike repairs, showers, etc.

RAGBRAI begins somewhere near Iowa’s western border and ends along the eastern border at the Mississippi River. Overnight towns will be announced soon in the Des Moines Register and at www.ragbrai.org. Again this year, we will seek hosts from among the Coe community at each of the overnight towns.

Students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends are all welcome to join Team CoeBRAI. If you are interested, please complete the interest form at http://cobrai.coe.edu. To date, a handful of folks have completed the interest form. I know of dozens more who are at least considering it. If you have half a mind to do RAGBRAI – and, really, that’s what it takes – fill out the form or shoot me an e-mail.

Ride on!

A sight for sore eyes

Bob Untiedt's entrance into the Paul Engle Center for Neighborhood Arts on Wednesday should have had musical accompaniment. Talk about your Kodak moment!

Let me try to paint the scene since Bob has neglected to (though I bet this post will generate something hilarious).

With the season's first Alberta Clipper sending cold Canadian air our way, Bob was bound-and-determined to hit his "revised" goal of 1,200 miles. (He's an amazing stickler for details despite not having an odometer on his bike.)

So, as we gathered for a meeting of the non-profit board of directors for which we both are honored to serve, in walks Bob and his bike. Mind you, it's pitch black out, but he has lights.

Those of you who know and love Bob, and to know him is to love him, appreciate his keen eye for fashion. Without a single item of biking gear, Bob pulled off his 22 (I think) mile effort in multiple layers topped by a Coe College sweatshirt. A stocking cap protected him from helmet-hair (though not really, since both were worn). Bob's thinking of wearing his winter gloves on RAGBRAI 2009.

If only I had my camera.

Thinking of Summer

After a mini-CoeBRAI reunion with Bob and Lonnie on election night, my thoughts have frequently been turning to the open road and summer in Iowa. Unfortunately, with winter looming it looks like it's time to transfer my bike from the garage to the basement, still about 53 miles shy of the 1,500-mile mark for the season. The good news is that we are now within 250 days of RAGBRAI '09, so start counting the days!