School Me on Ragbrai

[JohnHemlock]

Growing up in the midwest, I always thought RAGBRAI was just a bunch of drunken rednecks dragging kegs on trailers or Burleys full of nacho cheese and bratwursts. But as someone who likes when cycling intersects with culture (even lowbrow culture,_ am I missing out on something good?

[Birddog]

Ragbrai is a parade, food fair and street carnival rolled into one. At any given time you can be in the parade, watch the parade, or participate in the carnival or food fairs. You can get drunk or not. Waking up to the sound of a thousand slamming porta potty doors is not something you'll ever forget. You'll likely not forget the pork chop sandwiches, turkey legs, pancakes, and roasted corn either. Take some time and meet people, it's a hoot.

[gone]

My standard RAGBRAI joke is: if you see a group of riders wearing the same jerseys

If they're at the front, they race on the same team
If they're in the middle, they belong to the same club
If they're at the back, they drink at the same bar

I've done RAGBRAI 3 times and am doing it again this year. My friends and I do a century each day and we hit it fairly hard. Nevertheless here are some things I've enjoyed in the past:

rolling across Iowa
riding through the small towns
hitting a town and having the high school cheerleaders welcoming you to the town
seeing people sitting on lawn chairs waving and clapping as you ride by
talking to the locals. I got into a conversation with a guy in a small town who was in his 80's, lived in the town all his life except for when he was a pilot in WWII, owned a grocery story "right on that corner". Just cool to talk to him and hear the abridged story of his life.
seeing a bunch of old tractors lined up on main street
talking to the mayor of a town that had been hit by a tornado and was using the money they'd make from RAGBRAI (everybody in the town baked homemade pies) to rebuild the community center.
Talking with people from around the country and world who are doing RAGBRAI for the 1st, 5th, 10th, 25th time.
Beakmans homemade ice cream.
PORK CHOP. OK, at 9 AM, not so much.
it goes on.

It's like a slice of Americana on a bicycle. Fun stuff.

[woolly]

I love RAGBRAI. This will be my twelfth time. I grew up in Iowa, so it's nice to take this extra trip "home" every year, even if the schedule is tight & I don't get to see family. But, it's turned into a centrally located reunion for many of my friends that have scattered themselves across the country & globe over the years.

I usually tell people that if they're looking to be serious about riding, they should look elsewhere. Sure, there are good riders, but they tend to be way outnumbered by the novices & outright beginners. If you're expecting anything that resembles proper group-ride etiquette, you're going to be disappointed.

But it's a wonderful experience, one that I highly recommend to most anyone. Traveling & camping for a whole week with this swarm of bike gypsies, feeling pretty insulated from the real world (just try to get a good cell signal - those extra 15,000 people flood the cell network). You can get as drunk as you want, as often as you want, or stay completely sober the whole time - either way you can have a great time. But either way, I would encourage you to take a leisurely pace getting from one overnight town to the next. If you're done riding by noon, well, you're really missing out on a lot (and possibly missing the whole point of this spectacle on wheels). RAGBRAI's not about ridin', it's about stoppin' - atmo. And if you're not having fun, well, then lower your standards. ;)

[csm]

It is definitely a "do at least once" kinda ride. My dad is on his 5th or 6th? I've ridden the whole thing once and plan on doing it again. actually hoping to do it next year.
it really is an experience.

[Birddog]

RAGBRAI's not about ridin', it's about stoppin' - atmo. And if you're not having fun, well, then lower your standards.
Couldn't have said it better, that's it in a nutshell.

[RABikes2]

My neighbors leave in the a.m. to drive to Iowa. They get there this weekend, visit family, then leave on Monday to ride backwards (they call this IARBGAR) across Iowa to the start of RAGBRAI. Then they'll do the ride back across the state with other family members, close friends, and thousands of new friends. They love these two weeks every year. It's their 30th RAGBRAI.

[John M]

I grew up in Iowa and rode RAGBRAI XII as a 15 y/o in 1984 with my Dad. It was one of the best experiences of my life. That week is probably one of the reasons that we are still close many years later. I haven't lived in Iowa in 25 years, but hope to get back one July to ride it again.

[Elefantino]

I don't understand the people who ride fast and finish early.

I also don't understand the people who start drinking before sunrise and stagger in after sundown.

I also also don't understand the people who go to the trouble of turning coolers into sound studios on wheels and then play nothing but Hall & Oates.

Somewhere, in between, it's perfect. Ride, stop, socialize, eat, rest, repeat.

Will be eagerly returning for our second try next year after a three-year hiatus. Republican presidential candidates will be crawling all over the state and, I'm told, the route will be such that you can see Russia from there.

[rugbysecondrow]

Growing up in the midwest, I always thought RAGBRAI was just a bunch of drunken rednecks dragging kegs on trailers or Burleys full of nacho cheese and bratwursts. But as someone who likes when cycling intersects with culture (even lowbrow culture,_ am I missing out on something good?

You had me at drunken, but nacho cheese and bratwursts really was laying it on thick.

Being somebody with questionable standards, a penchant for excessivness, and lover of lowbrow culture, I am in for next year. I think I need to talk to a few friends, start investing in Pabst and Old Style, and make plans for next year.

Cheers!

[srice]

hitting a town and having the high school cheerleaders welcoming you to the town



OK Greg, I'll see what I can do about getting some cheerleaders lined up for you on TOKYO!!! Not sure if I can get the high school ones, but I might be able to get the ones from the retirement home across the street from the cemetery in Owingsville.

[gone]

OK Greg, I'll see what I can do about getting some cheerleaders lined up for you on TOKYO!!! Not sure if I can get the high school ones, but I might be able to get the ones from the retirement home across the street from the cemetery in Owingsville.
I'll need all the help I can get!

[SEABREEZE]

Sounds like a Iowa thing...

[MattTuck]

hitting a town and having the high school cheerleaders welcoming you to the town


I think this could be a great lead in for so many jokes.

Needless to say, I think it deserves to be worked into one of those Dos Equis beer "most interesting man in the world" commercials.


That said, no matter how many towns welcome me with their cheer leaders, it never gets old. :rolleyes: :beer: :beer:

[woolly]

One other tip - if you're at all interested in entertainment of the barstool variety, do you yourself a favor & score a copy of the Team Brewhaha bar guide (the 2010 version claimed to be published very soon). You really don't need any other route maps for the week besides this. They list every pass-through town on the route, even if they're tagged with "Warning - no bar". :D

[Plum Hill]

If you wish to partake, I have a wristband listed in the classifieds.

PT is forcing me off the bike for a while.

[scrooge]

If you wish to partake, I have a wristband listed in the classifieds.

PT is forcing me off the bike for a while.

What do these run now days? When I did the ride back in highschool (about thirteen years ago), or local club would sell them for $120--which included our own sag wagon and a bus ride back across the state. Pretty amazing considering the cost of rides in CO these days--you're selling your band for a one week ride for about the same price registration for Triple Bypass goes for).

I have torn feelings on the ride itself. As a native Iowan (I grew up in the Northwest corner of the state and had the ride start in my hometown several times when I was a kid) there's appeal. Iowa really is a beautiful state (especially when you get off I-80 and I love rolling through small towns. That said, riding with huge crowds--many of whom are intoxicated or simply inexperienced on the bike--freaks me out a little bit. There are a lot of crashes, from what I recall. Also, I think my personality is such that, if I had a week to ride, I'd prefer to roll out the tandem with my wife and go on our own self-supported tour. But that's just me.

[rugbysecondrow]

What do these run now days? When I did the ride back in highschool (about thirteen years ago), or local club would sell them for $120--which included our own sag wagon and a bus ride back across the state. Pretty amazing considering the cost of rides in CO these days--you're selling your band for a one week ride for about the same price registration for Triple Bypass goes for).

I have torn feelings on the ride itself. As a native Iowan (I grew up in the Northwest corner of the state and had the ride start in my hometown several times when I was a kid) there's appeal. Iowa really is a beautiful state (especially when you get off I-80 and I love rolling through small towns. That said, riding with huge crowds--many of whom are intoxicated or simply inexperienced on the bike--freaks me out a little bit. There are a lot of crashes, from what I recall. Also, I think my personality is such that, if I had a week to ride, I'd prefer to roll out the tandem with my wife and go on our own self-supported tour. But that's just me.

That is because you are a SCROOGE. :)

[John M]

...As a native Iowan (I grew up in the Northwest corner of the state and had the ride start in my hometown several times when I was a kid) there's appeal.

What town? I grew up in Iowa and lived in Sioux City from 1979-1985, which incidentally is the start of this year's RAGBRAI.

[Birddog]

I grew up in Iowa and lived in Sioux City from 1979-1985
Did you know Sue? Good looking redhead, large blue eyes. Men chased after her like dogs.

[scrooge]

What town? I grew up in Iowa and lived in Sioux City from 1979-1985, which incidentally is the start of this year's RAGBRAI.


Sioux Center/Sheldon..about 45 minutes north on Highway 75.

[scrooge]

That is because you are a SCROOGE. :)

You're probably on to something there.

(but actually, the moniker is only there because my last name sounds surprisingly close...I've actually wanted to change it for quite a while. Any one know if that's possible without losing my join date?)

[1happygirl]

Definitelhy on my TODO list!!

Had a invite to join a team at the LAST minute and couldn't go several years ago.

Question: Didn't it used to be as many peeps as could go, went and just showed up? Is it by lottery now?


Anyway, gotta do it and enjoy before it's too late. Now if I could only get away from work for a week.....

[gone]

Question: Didn't it used to be as many peeps as could go, went and just showed up? Is it by lottery now?


It is by lottery. Having said that, this is one lottery I've never failed to win. Wish I were that lucky with the other kind :D

[KeithS]

You had me at drunken, but nacho cheese and bratwursts really was laying it on thick.

Being somebody with questionable standards, a penchant for excessivness, and lover of lowbrow culture, I am in for next year. I think I need to talk to a few friends, start investing in Pabst and Old Style, and make plans for next year.

Cheers!

Ruby, you and John are close, Pabst, Old Style, Brats, Cheese? That's Wisconsin.

Scrooge and JohnM, my wife'a hometown is the second stop town in this years event. Kingsley IA. I wish I could go for a couple of days this year, taking two weeks off in August for a family vacation in Yellowstone/Tetons/Black Hills. My sister in-law, another IA native and a 10+ year vet said it was just another excuse to drink during the day.

Gotta do it once. It's a ton of fun.