I biked around as a kid, like the rest of you. When I was in grad school, the bike shop in town had a moving sale, and I got a good Raliegh Super Course Mk II. I enjoyed it, but my back and rear would kill me after about an hour. The town where I was living was an overnight town for RAGBRAI in 2002, and I hosted a friend and a couple of his buddies. I made lasagna and opened up a bottle of Robert Mondavi merlot, and we had a great time. In the morning, I got up with the late risers, and rode along the RAGBRAI route for the next 8 miles. It was great bike riding weather. The later risers tend to have the goofiest attire. They strap beanie babies and ears of corn to their helmets, wear Mardi Gras beads and feather boas. One team wears ballet tutus over their bike shorts. I really enjoyed the nuttiness of the late risers. At the point where I was going to turn around, there was a church fundraiser serving breakfast in a farmyard. The smell of bacon and coffee was in the air. I sat at a picnic table and envied the riders who were actually doing RAGBRAI. I pretended for a few minutes that I wasn't going to turn around and go home.

At that point I was 51 years old. I knew that I'd never be able to begin to do the kind of distances that are a part of RAGBRAI on that bike, but I'd heard that recumbents are more comfortable. I did some internet research, test rode some, and bought one a few weeks after that. Around Thanksgiving some people in the office did a group weight-loss incentive, and I decided to join them. I started being more careful about what I ate. Over Christmas vacation I started lifting weights, and I started walking like I was the one who invented walking. I talked to somebody who runs a charter service during RAGBRAI and signed up with that group. By the time RAGBRAI started, I had lost 35 pounds. I had 3 goals for myself. First, to actually last the whole week and not have to be rescued by my husband if the whole thing turned out to be a terrible experience. Second, to make it across Iowa under my own steam and not ride the sag wagon. Third, to ride up as many hills as possible, and not walk up the hills. It was a hilly route that year, but I managed to ride the whole route, and only walked up one hill, so I met 2 goals and nearly met the third. RAGBRAI is a little adventure. By the end of the week, I was thinking, darn, only one more day to go.

I've traded up in recumbents twice. I'm 58, and my 7th RAGBRAI starts next Sunday. It's another hilly route, but I've decided that there are no hills that I can't walk up if I have to.