RAGBRAI

Checked it out yesterday, Twist. Looks like you have to enter a lottery. Is that what you did last year? Have you ridden other years as well?

I have done about 13 RAGBRAIs. Depending on my financial situation I apply for wristbands. Never been turned down. However, never been kicked out for not paying for wristbands.

We are to the point where we really do not use the services provided by the ride. We either ride self contained or use our team school bus, Team Mystery Machine. But wristbands have their advantages--sag service, hauling your gear from overnight to overnight, insurance and to have snobs not look down upon you because you are a "bandit."

Just saying that IF you apply BUT get rejected there IS no reason not to do the ride IF you have support or go self contained.

You and any NOOLer is more than welcome to ride with Team Mystery Machine on RAGBRAI. Be aware that most of us are hippies, smell like hippies and smoke like hippies. Just help out with gas for the bus.

Website forthcoming.

Now I understand.

Well, this year is probably not a good year for me, due to being busy, not having trained, etc, but next year may be a go. I'd really like to get my Motobecane back on the road for this, but that's not gong to happen soon. However, I just scored big-- picked up a Bianchi Project 7 for $200. 16 years old, but practically new condition. Graphics are, well, as gay as the Bronski Beat, and will have to go, but a great price for that bike. The sad thing is, the seller tried to sell it at a garage sale for $20, but no takers. I couldn't say "sold" fast enough when she said $200.

So, if I can, I'd like to ride the Motobecane, AFTER I restore it, but there's a sweet Project 7 standing by as backup...

Training starts next month for me. Weather in Iowa shitty right now. I ride with guys ten years my senior because they have a fear of death and thus ride for fitness rather than fun like my peers do. Thus, hard riding with 50 year olds is better training than drinking, smoking and staying out to 2 am with 30 year olds.

Basic rule of thumb for Ragbrai training is to have at least 500 miles under your ass before the begining of the ride. Start slow and easy. Build distance gradually. Average Ragbrai day is between 65 and 85 miles. Be able to ride a 60 and you should be able to do 100. I do mile hill work in June.

Cash is the other issue. $50 for food and booze per day is a nice figure. You can do it for much less. We always have coolers stocked before the ride. I always get a few cases of water including gallon jugs before the ride IF we use the bus. That helps to save $$.

This year looks to be very good. Midweek we overnight in Waukee which is a suburb of Des Moines. Skipping Coralville for Lone Tree (party) and the ride ends in the home town of The River Rats our sister team.

This is an adventure that you should not pass up. Very easy to say that you are out of shape and broke. Funny how this excuse haunts people year after year after year. If you get tired, take a day off and ride in the bus or even drive the bus. Colin loves company.

Figure $300 to fly out and back and $250 to spend all week. You will not have a better week anywhere on Earth this year. Give it serious consideration.

Team Mystery Machine

No one really has kepted this website up. We mainly use it for the email list function. In fact I had to rejoin just to view the photos. Most of the photos quite old, maybe 7 years old. Rocky added the naked ones because he is that way.

Colin is greeting the viewer. Todd Wolfe is sitting down. He worked for Dean and now is with Sem Boswell in DC.

Sounds great. Serious considration underway, but probably not this year (need to work, need to pass bar, etc.). What's the weather like in July?

July in Iowa. Hot and humid with possibility of cool temps and rain. Last year it was 107 F and about 100% humidity when the bus rolled into the starting town. The first day was a bitch heat wise but that evening the clouds rolled in and the rain fell as did the temps. We had to purchase long sleeve shirts during the week. Forgot to pack them as well as jackets. Iowa is like that. Don't like the weather, wait five minutes.

Wifey and I use a sleeping bag for the bottom layer and a linen sheet for cover at night in our tent. Sometimes the night temps drop into the low 60s or 50s. Average day temp maybe 80 to 85 F.

twist wrote: July in Iowa. Hot and humid with possibility of cool temps and rain. Last year it was 107 F and about 100% humidity when the bus rolled into the starting town.

But we had an airconditioned house to sleep in that night. They grilled us steaks and gave us beer!!!

Looks like Bicycle Gruppen Twist will be riding out to the beginning of Ragbrai and meet the bus and Team Mystery Machine at the official start. Wifey needs to be at work on Thursday, no way out. (Please take a moment and curse the Urbandale School System) Given the location of the ride we will take three of our children, two tandems, Burley trailer and a single for this adventure. OF COURSE we will prestage supplies on the bus. I need to rig up a stereo.

I think it will take us three days to get there. Much of it covers existing bicycle trails including one that begins a mere mile from our house. Thus flat and safe for much of the journey.

So three days self contained biking and three days with Ragbrai proper (Sunday through Tuesday). Once we hook up with the mothership the trailer and all unnecessary shit stays on the bus so we can focus on speed instead of survival. My last ride on the tandem was a screamer and I look forward to divebombing the Loes Hills. 52 mph is my record on tandem. Not bad considering I have never ridden it out of state. Iowa lacks mountains.

twist wrote: Iowa lacks mountains.

some hills surely. looks to be good fun. and salty sweaty times. http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/9126/topclouds112qw.jpg" class="max-w-full" alt="" loading="lazy" />close.

Yes many hills but no multi mile descents. New Virginia is where I set my records. Pilot Mound outside Boone has a very steep hill but nasty turn at the bottom and an ugly climb immediately afterwards. Guttenburg has a potential record breaking hill but by the time I got there I was too cautious--saw a boom box fall off a tandem right in front of me with Duracells whizzing by my head and later saw four bikes in a draftline crosswheel and go down. Vivid memory of one of their heads bouncing off the pavement. The cop on the bottom of the Guttenburg hill was the deciding factor. I doubt he would have pulled us over but the ride was almost over and I just wanted to get home in one piece.