RAGBRAI Day 1
Today was the official start of the mileage. The day started promptly at 12:04am with a mad dash to the porto potty. Apparently I'm hydrating well. Next came the 4:00am frieght train that rumbled by a couple blocks away. If trains have theft alarms, this one was stolen, as the horn went off the whole way through the neighborhood. Or maybe the conductor had a bad experience with bikes growing up...
So the day actually started at 5:00am, packing up the tent and gear, filing water bottles, etc. Christine sent me off with some oatmeal cookies, so I had oatmeal for breakfast. A thick cloud cover first early miles was lit up by distance lightening at 6:00am. The roads stayed cool (high 70's) as the clouds continued over us until we passed through a Dutch town selling wooden cycling shoes and all you can eat pancakes.
As the mileage count and temperature continued to increase I was consistently amazed by the number of people we passed who were riding significantly slower than us. I saw a true dedication to the ride in their goofey bike helmet ornaments, hawaiian shirts and creaky gears. These people must have been on the bike by 5:00am and passed each rest stop to make it through the miles so quickly. I am impressed!
With the afternoon and evening still left, there is plenty of sweat, water and breeze to be had. We'll hit the Expo (all the vendors, bike companies and food carts) for dinner and settle into our tents around 9:00pm to rest for another 5:00am started, with an expected high of 108 degrees.
Chris, from the road.
Today was the official start of the mileage. The day started promptly at 12:04am with a mad dash to the porto potty. Apparently I'm hydrating well. Next came the 4:00am frieght train that rumbled by a couple blocks away. If trains have theft alarms, this one was stolen, as the horn went off the whole way through the neighborhood. Or maybe the conductor had a bad experience with bikes growing up...
So the day actually started at 5:00am, packing up the tent and gear, filing water bottles, etc. Christine sent me off with some oatmeal cookies, so I had oatmeal for breakfast. A thick cloud cover first early miles was lit up by distance lightening at 6:00am. The roads stayed cool (high 70's) as the clouds continued over us until we passed through a Dutch town selling wooden cycling shoes and all you can eat pancakes.
As the mileage count and temperature continued to increase I was consistently amazed by the number of people we passed who were riding significantly slower than us. I saw a true dedication to the ride in their goofey bike helmet ornaments, hawaiian shirts and creaky gears. These people must have been on the bike by 5:00am and passed each rest stop to make it through the miles so quickly. I am impressed!
With the afternoon and evening still left, there is plenty of sweat, water and breeze to be had. We'll hit the Expo (all the vendors, bike companies and food carts) for dinner and settle into our tents around 9:00pm to rest for another 5:00am started, with an expected high of 108 degrees.
Chris, from the road.
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