For a lot people RAGBRAI is a culmination of months of training. It is an event that people daydream about at work all winter long, imagining themselves on their bicycles sweating and drinking PBR in the hot Iowa sun. For the rest of us, the uncommitted, it is a casual day trip filled with great friends and opportunities to explore the limitless possibilities that riding with 10,000 other people can offer.
I tried to avoid the heat for as long as possible Tuesday evening, by leaving Iowa Falls around 7 PM. The temperature was tolerable by this hour and the steady stream of semis that I normally experience seemed to have taken the night off. The sun began to set as I rolled into Webster City on D25.
A strong sense of excitement and anticipation took over my mind as I rolled into the crowded downtown of Webster City. Hundreds of people lined the road side vendors and music could be heard echoing off the buildings darkening facades. I laid my bicycle down on a patch of grass in central location and took a much needed break.
After enjoying the music of Three Dog Night, I joined few locals I had met back at their tent site. It wasn't until around 2 AM that I was able to contact a group of riders from Iowa Falls to finally find sound place to sleep.
The next morning after a breakfast we rode east with a group of about 10 riders. The first stop was the tiny hamlet of Kamrar. On a typical day there is not much to Kamrar. But on RAGBRAI the town was filled with revelers playing drinking games in the park and eating breakfast pizza in any shade that was available. Our group took our time with our super spicy Hair-of-the-Dogs outside Pickles Pub, one of the few businesses operating in the small town.
After filling our water bottle, we were back on the road headed south into a strong head wind. After struggling for what seemed like forever, we finally turned East just outside of Jewel. The relief was indescribable as we left the wind behind and cruised effortlessly into town.
After exploring the towns main thoroughfare, we got word that a member of our group had run into an old friend in town. The friend, Erik Roys, had a pool in his backyard and we were all invited. It was a RAGBRAI miracle! Our troop packed the pool and imbibed in the generous offerings of Roys, who supplied us with beverages and all the pork and potatoes we could eat. Roys had ridden RAGBRAI in the past and mentioned that he had been treated with such hospitality along the route that he thought it best to pay it forward to our group. This is the quintessential RAGBRAI experience. The hospitality you receive in every town and among fellow riders is almost indescribable. Everyone wants to join in the revelry. It is contagious.
Somewhere during our time in the pool, the idea to SAG to the next town was approached. It quickly became unanimous amongst our group that we should hitch a motorized ride to a town downstream from out current location. I struggled with this idea only momentarily. I thought that I should try to do the full day since I am technically on the clock and I would have to write a story about my experiences. But then it occurred to me what I had heard a million times before about RAGBRAI. Which is that you have to experience it for yourself. There are no set responsibilities on the ride and each individual rider is able to interpret the experience for themselves. My RAGBRAI experience did not include tuffing out every single mile along the route. It was experiencing the hospitality of the locals and the camaraderie of new and old friends. It was sipping beers on a floaty chair while pork loin cooked on the grill.
We arrived in St. Anthony via truck, after spending close to half the day in the pool. The rest of the group immediately took over a local bar. But my goal was to at least finish the last 20 miles of the route. It wasn't an easy start due to the massive amount of food and beer in my stomach, but once I got rolling again I could feel the excitement build. The rolling hills proved a challenge as I approached Marshall town from the West, but the sun had gone behind building clouds and I felt satisfied about my decision to enjoy the afternoon the way I chose.
The rain began to fall just as I reached Marshalltown. I met up with the rest of the group who had decided to Sag the rest of the way from St. Anthony. After the thunder and lightening subsided, we walked to Zeno's Pizza in downtown Marshalltown. Half of the crew nearly fell asleep as we finished our slices and shuffled out of Zeno's having been the last group in the storied establishment.
Sleep was easier to come by this time around and I found my self smiling as I remembered another exceptional RAGBRAI experience. It would have been impossible to predict how my trip had turned out, but I suppose that is the point. The lack of structure is the appeal of RAGBRAI for me. The freedom to interpret the ride as you wish is an opportunity not afforded in daily life and it feels like a gift when you are out there on the road.
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