My Ragbrai experience ended at 11:40pm last night when I pulled into my driveway after one of the most challenging days of my life. My day began a couple of hours before sunrise in Tama. I camped outside a house of worship next to my Ford Escape. Sleeping was challenging due to all the trains nearby that blasted their horns throughout the night. Not wanting to miss the cool weather, I hustled to throw my gear into my vehicle. I gulped down large quantities of electrolytes. Departure was 5:45AM.
Sunrise was magnificent. I found the perfect place to eat my can of sardines and load up on more water in preparation for the high heat that exceeded the weatherman's predictions. I don't think anyone expected the heat index to reach 111º or that a storm would strike near the end of the day destroying tents scattered throughout the community of Coralville, a stopover point during the weeklong bike ride across the state.
I thought I was doing okay with all the conditions until I left Oxford, the last town on the trail. "This is Oxford's parting gift," one of the riders shouted, referring to the steep incline we confronted immediately after departed the town. It foreshadowed something that just about got the best of me, miles and miles of steep hills. I pushed myself trying to make it to my destination in time for a church service led by my friend, the bishop of our diocese. Bishop Zinkula is the one who led us on a ten day pilgrimage to Ireland last year. He was accompanied by other friends, Steve and Barb, who put the pilgrimage together. Barb snapped photos for her newspaper while taking notes. The conversation was incredible. The bishop's brother, Jerry, sat across from me and he told stories about what is was like during their childhood growing up on a farm in Iowa. The bishop joked that he is often called the "Ragbrai bishop" because it's something that he loves doing, engaging with his flock in places outside traditional worship centers. I told the bishop that my plans centered around his service at 6:15pm the next day. Sadly, I missed the service due to what happened along the way.
My mind started playing tricks on me. I was calculating the number of miles to go and the time it would take to get to Coralville for the service. I didn't account for the extreme heat or the massive hills at the end of the ride. Mother Nature threw me a curve ball when she delivered a massive storm with 80mph winds. Fortunately, I was in a bike tunnel directly beneath interstate 80 when the storm struck. Other RAGBRAI riders huddled in the tunnel, checking their phones to see when it would be safe to get to their campsite. My campsite was three miles away and it was getting dark fast.
I mounted a headlight on my bike that hadn't been used since the last Ragbrai event a year ago. Fortunately, the charge was okay and I had enough light to get to my Escape that my family dropped off earlier in the day. It was still raining but the winds died down. I found my vehicle and loaded my bike. My RAGBRAI adventure was about to come to a conclusion when I drove home to cuddle with my wife.
I stepped on the scale this morning and discovered my body weight dropped five pounds despite loading up on sardines, ribeye, and barbecued pork throughout the ride. A friend urged me to "load up on carbs," but that lifestyle is no longer a part of my lifestyle. Part of my motivation for participating in RAGBRAI was to test my food theories I will be sharing in "Live Long and Prosper." My new lifestyle is focused on fatty foods and protein. My body is completely detoxed from processed foods and all things containing sugar. In my opinion, I survived one of the most grueling days of my life by sticking to natural foods my body thrives on. My total bike miles came in at 93, five more than the other riders because my overnight location was another five miles away from the finish line.
I would like to thank my friends and family for all the encouragement during my ride. Special thanks to my adult kids who gave me my jersey shown in today's picture. Numerous riders commented on the jersey, "Good Vibes." Every time I wear it I will be reminded of the 50th anniversary of RAGBRAI. If you are seeking adventure, put this ride on your bucket list. Hopefully, Mother Nature will be more cooperative. Have a great day.
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