July 27, 2023
My Personal RAGBRAI
My RAGBRAI, My Route
Leaving the gated community this morning at 5 am was a bit tough. The gate was closed, no one gave me a code, and I guess I was too small to flip the switch/electric eye. I tried to get the bike under the gate but my big ass Jones Bars would not fit. Luckily I was the last one out and our driver pulled up and the gate opened.
I plotted a route off the RAGBRAI route: 1) to avoid the crowd 2) to cut down on the planned 4300 feet of climbing 3) to keep cool in the tree tunnel of a bike trail 4) because I am tired of people saying I’m on your right and then passing me with six feet to spare between them and my giant Jones Bars. So I plotted a course of rail trails that started just a couple miles from the house and ended 50 miles away. It was flat, cool, and devoid of other souls. After that it was back on the road with its sun, wind, and hills…..and a little sprinkle. That rain chased me all the way into town then disappeared.
I ate well: a breakfast bowl, chocolate milk, strawberry bear claw, 12inch subway sub #16, 2 ice creams, a bag of licorice wild cherry, 2 Powerades, 4 bottles of water, 2DPs, 1 orange soda, a bag of chips, some pretzels…….oh, and a guy in a pick up stopped me on a hill and gave me a huge bottle of cold electrolyte drink.
I would love to plot a new off route route for tomorrow but I don’t have very good service. In fact I’ll have to download this tomorrow.
The scenery on the trail was typical rail trail tree tunnel. It goes through same nice little towns that are slowly growing local businesses that service trail riders and walkers. On the road the farms were mostly rolling fields of beans or corn, and quite a few cattle farms.
I was very upset when five miles to the overnight town my route joined the official route and within five minutes I heard “ON YOUR LEFT”.
| Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
Today's ride: 85 miles (137 km)
Total: 2,361 miles (3,800 km)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 1 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |