NOW I'm nervous

[deena]

I need some positive TE energy for this one:

I registered to ride the second day of RAGBRAI, and now I'm wondering what I was thinking.

I have family in the area who will transport me to/from the ride, and I am sure they will hook me up with other riders, but I still have no idea what to really expect.

The more I read on the RAGBRAI message board, the more unprepared I feel. My longest ride so far was 50 miles (once... supported... with friends). It all seems so intimidating now. I have 3 weeks to get mentally squared away (and figure out what to pack).

Any advice would be really helpful....

[pll]

I was not familiar with RAGBRAI. It sounds like a lot of fun. What is the longest day in terms of mileage? The average is 68 miles per day and you have 12 hours to do it, so I am sure you can do it. Eating and stretching must be key in a multiday ride...

Please post your ride report and pictures. Best of luck!

[singletrackmind]

RAGBRAI is fun! And the pace can be relaxed or fast or anything in between. Lots of opportunities to stop for food, so just the regular fixit things (like on the what's in your saddlebag thread) and some money. It's just one giant group ride. We ended up riding with people sometimes, I guess it's that natural group together thing, so don't be surprised if you end up in a group of like speeded peoples.

It's a 71.1 mile day. If you can do 50 you can prep yourself for this just fine, both knowing how to fix a flat if you don't already and getting some ride time in. If you have group rides in your town it's a good supported way to get used to riding with groups of people. Basically it's like motor traffic, slow traffic to the right, obey traffic laws. Mostly, have a great time and if it's freaking you out, stop reading that message board!

[divingbiker]

Well, you are in for an experience! I did two days of RAGBRAI in 2005, and it was great fun. Even though there are thousands of people riding, they spread out so it's like taking a ride by yourself, except you're never out of sight of other riders.

Every town (usually 10-15 miles apart, sometimes even closer) rolls out the red carpet for RAGBRAI, and expects you to stop. It kind of drove me nuts, since I'd get warmed up and we'd ride for 45 minutes or an hour and then spend 30 minutes looking at a museum, drinking a slushy, eating pasta or a pork chop or pie, etc. There are some folks who stop in a bar in every town they ride through. Others take naps in the parks along the way. Lots of characters with hats, outfits, music, etc. Every town has porta potties and water stations set up to refill your water bottle. As far as the length of the ride goes, just think of it as a bunch of mini-rides strung together on the same day.

As far as what to bring, you don't need much. Just your usual bike stuff you'd take on any ride, and some money and sunscreen and maybe some powdered Gatorade if that's what you drink. Unless you have any special dietary needs, you really don't need to bring any food since you can buy food in any town, or at the food vendors set up on the side of the road. The friends I rode with didn't bring anything with them except money and a water bottle. (I brought a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches the first day since I'm a vegan and was worried there wouldn't be food, but I forgot to pack them on the second day and had some delicious pasta from the Pastafarian vendor instead. I also brought a couple of luna bars each day.)

You'll have a great time, and will be much more refreshed than all those folks who are sleeping in tents!

[SJCzar]

As someone who has ridden a 50 miler with you, I can say that you are totally ready.

As others have said, you'll have plenty of chances to get off the bike and eat and rest up a bit. I have spoken with many people who have done RAGBRAI and all have had a great time. Most of them were recreational riders who didn't regularly do that many miles in a day but were so busy having fun that the miles flew by.

Of course a few "Betties" group rides before couldn't hurt your training any.

[MomOnBike]

The thing you really must do is look for me and DH and slow down and say hi as you are passing us. We'll be fairly easy to spot, a couple on matching blue recumbents. Other than that, I have no advice, as this year is my first.

I have no idea what to expect on RAGBRAI, but I'm taking along my senses of humor and adventure. I'll be looking for you.

[deena]

Thanks for the boost!

I think I just had a brief panic - once my vacation was approved at work and the registration was sent in, it seemed really big.

I never thought of it as being several "mini-rides". And I have heard that no one rides alone. Thanks for all the support. MomOnBike - I will look for you!

[Ann G]

If you can ride 50 miles, you can do this. I'll be there too. This is my fifth RAGBRAI. That's absolutely true about a series of rides. The route goes through lots of little towns that day, and it's a pretty flat day. So you ride for a few miles, then take a break and get some food, ride for a few more miles, take another break, etc. It's not a race, and nobody cares how long it takes. However, if you start earlier, it will be a cooler ride. One of the neat things about RAGBRAI is the welcome you get. People set up lawn chairs in front of their house, welcome you to their town, ask where you're from. Kids hold their hands out to high-five you as you ride by. It's like taking a slow trip through Iowa, only timing it so that every town is having it's biggest event just as you arrive. Muscians and DJ's perform in the parks. On hots days, usually a few lovely people aim their water sprinklers out onto the street so you can ride underneath and cool off. Team Road Kill decorates squished squirrels, etc. with Mardi Gras beads. Some riders wear beanie babies on their helmets, and Team Tutu wear ballerina-type cosutmes over their bike shorts. If the town is known for some kind of ethnic heritage, there may be a few people dressed in traditional costumes. It's been my experience that most riders leave the beer for the end of the day. Look for me too! I'm in a green Bacchetta Giro recumbent.

[Zen]

Interesting Wiki article about RAGBRAI.

Go Team Half Fast!

[cosc]

I plan on riding the first and mabe 2nd day of Ragbrai. This year the ride starts closer than usual to where we live so I want to get in on the fun. My family did this ride 25 years ago so it is time to go back. Hope to see some of you TE gals there.

[RoadRaven]

Sending you loads of positive energy for this, Deena.

Heck, you signed up for this (I have only read about RAGBRAI here) and anyone who signs up has a big heart.
You can do it girl... have fun and be proud!

[deena]

Thank you all for your encouragement! RAGBRAI was a blast!

I rode Day 2 from Spencer to Humbolt. 77 miles, 1494 feet of climb. 90 degrees and a bit windy. My sister dropped me off at the start in the morning. My DH and kids waited for me at the second-last town, 7 miles from the end, and my 9 year old rode the last 7 miles with me (rolling hills, into the wind, with knobby little mountain bike tires - what a trooper).

I didn't see Lance (my daughter joked that he was probably out there in a white t-shirt on a hybrid schwinn trying to be anonymous), but I met so many great people. I met Ann from Algona in one of the first towns in the port-a-potty line. A girl she was riding with suggested the cornfields - much cleaner and no line. One guy must have noticed me wilting during a longer stretch near the end, because he stayed and chatted about his clock repair business until we got close to town. A couple we met gave my daughter and I some of the tips they learned while riding with their children for years. I met another man who had surgery for a torn ACL 8 weeks before the ride. He got his doc's blessing to ride half of each day (about 35 miles each day) and rode in a full knee brace!

The pass-through towns were great. They ranged in population from 100-700 residents, but put out hospitality times ten!

If you haven't done this before - put it on the calendar now, even just one or two days - you have to try it once.

[SJCzar]

Glad to hear you had a great time. I had no doubts that you could go the distance, no matter the hills or wind.

I think we should keep this on our schedule for a group "Bettie" outing for next time around. With a whole year to plan and arrange our schedules we should be able to round up a few of the gals and have our own team.

[cosc]

Deena, congrats on your ragbrai ride. Great your daughter could ride the last miles with you. We ended up riding around home since my dh couldn't leave the farm work for a couple of days.