Day 2: Atlantic to Carroll

What a day. We started out with overcast skies, which was a good thing. Temperatures this morning were actually reasonable. Then around noon the clouds broke up and the mean sun came out and temperatures rose back in to the 90's. Some of the RAGBRAI veterans that I have talked to have told me that this is one if the hottest rides they can remember. It has certainly been pretty wicked so far.

In the early part of the day we heard something that we all dread: someone yelling "rider down". We all moved to the left side of the road and slowed to a stop to make room for the ambulance. Still not sure what happened but at least two riders were involved. I heard a rumor later that one was taken to the hospital with a broken leg.

With the accident behind us we rolled on to Elk Horn, where I had a breakfast pizza: scrambled egg, sausage, and cheese. It was surprisingly good. I also saw a rather unusual RAGBRAI rider: a schnauzer that was rescued from a shelter in Chicago. On the way through Elk Horn we passed by a nursing home, and the large windows were completely lined with its residents, watching and waving at us. The next town, Kimbalton, has a replica of The Little Mermaid statue in its central park. There was also a real live mermaid and merman posing for pictures along the main road.

In Wikey, the final passthrough town, as I was resting in the shade two nuns walked up to me carrying a cooler and selling freezy pops for $2. I bought one and it was delicious. It is fun to roll through these small towns and see all the effort that the local community puts in to welcoming us.

Day 1: Glenwood to Atlantic

63 miles and it was supposed to be 60. It was also hot and humid. Very sunny with few clouds. Lots of folks I talked to had difficulty dealing with the heat. And we get to do it all over again tomorrow.

It is impossible to comprehend 10,000 bicycle riders on the road until you actually see it. It is a non-stop stream of bikes covering both sides of the road. I would stop at a food stand for an hour and the stream of bikes didn't change. Then when it was time to get back on the road I had to wait for a break in bike traffic, sometimes several minutes. Every town we passed through was throwing a festival for the riders. A beer garden and a dj and lots of food and drink. Things got so packed in the towns that it was impossible to ride through. I had to get off the bike and walk it.

The biggest problem I am having is eating. There are so many good things to eat that I find I am trying to eat even when I am not hungry. Then I can't finish the food.

I stopped at the Pancake Man, got three large pancakes, and could barely manage a few bites. I saw the Pork Chop Man but wasn't hungry and saw that the line was crazy long anyway. I saw the Banana Bike, but couldn't get a picture. It is a recmbent tandem with a cloth cover that looks like a huge banana. I saw a couple riding a tandem with a sign on the back that said "just married". I saw a guy on a unicycle and a guy on a pennyfarthing. If I see them again I must try to get a picture. I stopped in a town that boasts the largest bicycle in the world. And yes it looks huge.

I have met so many interesting people on this ride, its hard to remember them all. I have seen quite a few children, probably 10 and up. One girl looked particularly unhappy about the ride. I hope she has a better day tomorrow.

The last 5 miles was flat with a headwind, so no coasting. Then I arrived in Atlantic, very ready to be done for the day. But getting to Atlantic wasn't the end. I had to ride another 3 miles up more hills to find the campsite. Fortunately the high school where we are camped held a spaghetti dinner tonight. It was close, convenient, delicious, in the air conditioning, and (the best part) we sat down and they served us. Awesome way to end the day. Now I am relaxing in the shade with a nice breeze. I should sleep well tonight.

Day 0: Update

We have arrived in Glenwood after a bit of a delay on I-80 near a town called Menlo. Seems that a few tractor trailers ended up on their sides this morning, blown over by high winds. Even at 2 pm one lane was still closed in each direction as they were working to clear away the carnage.

When we arrived at the campsite we stepped off the bus to the feel of ..... opressive humidity. I felt like I was walking in a sauna. When the weather gets this bad in Atlanta we all go hide indoors. But there was no hiding from it here. Tent located, luggage moved, a quick change in to shorts, bike fetched off the truck, and I was ready to explore the RAGBRAI Expo. It was only a mile walk away from the campsite. But believe me after being cooped up in a car and a bus for two days, the walk felt good.

Five minutes down the road as I was talking to my wife on the phone, the tornado sirens started sounding. Really? Now in some parts of the country they use those for severe weather too. And a look to the southwest showed that there indeed was some unpleasant weather headed our way. But the closest shelter was actually the high school where I was headed, so I kept walking. And I got there before the downpour. I haven't even started riding yet and this is already an unforgettable adventure.

I have also discovered that my phone has no data service in Glenwood. No data service mean I can't update the blog from my phone. So I am sending this update from the Windstream Internet trailer. This also means that my live tracker will probably not be working tomorrow morning. I believe that once I reach Atlantic I will have data service and the updates will start working. Sorry about that.

The storm seems to have passed so now I must go in search of some food.

Day 0: Niles to Glenwood

I spent the night in a hotel near O'Hare airport. The organizers were adamant that the bus would leave Niles at 6 am and not wait for latecomers. I set two alarms just to make sure I woke up on time, and went to bed at a reasonable hour.

At 12:30 I awoke to the sound of thunder and stayed that way as the entire region was pummeled with storms for over 2 hours. I finally got back to sleep but the alarm still woke me before 5. I got ready and called the front desk for a cab. But when I got to the front they told me the cab was not there yet due to flooding. I waited 20 minutes before one was finally able to get through. My cabbie was an interesting fellow with some very colorful language, but he got me to the bus with 5 minutes to spare. As it turned out, the organizers did wait for latecomers as some folks were having difficulty getting there. Some roads were completely flooded out.

We are on our way now, somewhere in western Illinois. I see another thunderstorm in front of us and I sincerely hope they all stay away from Iowa. I am sitting next to a sheet metal worker who retired in May and has ridden 2000 miles since. He is ready for RAGBRAI. With my 600 miles I feel inadequate.

Live Tracking for RAGBRAI

I will be leaving home soon to head to Iowa for the Great Ride. The bike is ready and most everything is packed. I've spent the last few weeks putting together a website that will track my progress. I have an app on my phone that uploads my position at regular intervals, and the website updates its map from that. It will show my route each day during the ride. The success of this tracking will depend on the availability of cell data service along the route, so there may be stretches where the updates won't succeed. I've used this before for rides and had great success, but never in the midst of 10,000 other riders and never in the middle of Iowa. According to my service provider's maps, Sunday may have spotty coverage but the other days look pretty good. Keeping my fingers crossed.

The website is http://www.followbill.org.

6 Days and Counting

In less than 6 days I will begin my big adventure. I will join 10,000 other bicyclists in a 1-week ride across Iowa called RAGBRAI. Right now I am making a list and checking it twice, writing down all the things I think I will need for a week in the cornfields, and getting everything ready to pack in my duffel bag.

Beautiful Ride in the Country

I have three weeks left to get ready for RAGBRAI, and I feel woefully unprepared. I am far away from my goal and don't feel as if I have built up the strength and stamina that I wanted. Nonetheless, I am moving ahead with plans and am prepared to tackle whatever I may face.