Drew mentioned how still the air was. And indeed, not a whisper of a breeze. Looking to the sky, it was crystal clear behind us but dark clouds were forming in front of us. And then the sirens began. I remember that sound from 2014 when I was in Dallas visiting my sister. We were out on a morning run at 5:30 am and the sirens began. I asked “What are those for?” She told me they were tornado warning sirens. “What does that mean?” She replied ” Run faster!”. It was frightening.
Sadly, We are seeing more and more emergency vehicles.
The sun is beating down. There is very little shade and no cloud cover. By midday, I decide to put the water bladder filled with ice into my string bag and on my back. I’m riding in zone 2-3 knowing that the byproduct of metabolism is water, CO2 and HEAT.
And what better day than today to enjoy another tradition-Beekman’s ice cream!! Cold and lots of calories!
Woohoo!! A short day!
Today was quite crowded. At RAGBRAI, you can sign up to ride all day or one or more days. We hear that the organization is trying to break a record for the most riders ever recorded. It does seem a little more crowded today. Our first stop, we met a young man who is riding a unicycle the entire route. Talk about an inspiration. You can see him on YouTube at WorldofUnicycles.
We had fun riding through Polk City…named after my wonderful neighbors! Well, not really but they share the same last name! lol!!
We finished riding just after 1 and searched for camp. All the charters are located at Waterworks Park. OMG! People, people and more people!!
Today is a ride day, not a tour day.
On ride days, the focus is different. While you see really cool things along the way, stopping for photos is not practical. The time to decelerate, get the phone, take the photo, get back going, especially in a large group where you have to strategically find a safe spot to stop and start…well…it’s just not very practical.
Today will be Zachary’s longest ride yet. He’s doing amazing and is embracing the eat/drink regime.
The beauty of the sun rising over the water is breathtaking. A promise of a new day…a day to explore and experience…a day to meet new people and to feel alive!!
Riders were up early and setting out to beat the heat. By 7 am, the Pork Belly Camp was nearly empty.
Saturday, July 22, 2023Day 50Shuttle from Carter Lake to Sioux City, IowaAnd so it begins! Breakfast downstairs in the hotel. Fuel up. And enjoy an extra cup of coffee. Life won’t be like this over the next week!We chack out and say goodbye to the amazing staff at Best Western Carter Lake. They’ve made our stay…
The morning was spent cleaning and tuning bikes, sorting kits and preparing for our week ahead in the corn.
Zachary would arrive this afternoon around 3 and we’re so excited to share his first RAGBRAI with him.
We walked to the airport hoping to both surprise and help Zachary with his gear.
It was so great to see him walk up the concourse.
Each year I’ve traveled to Omaha, I’m told the zoo is one of the world’s best. Being a weekday, we decide to try it. Last Saturday, it was so crowded, we skipped it.
We were happy to get tickets for half price since we are annual pass holders for the Living Desert.
It was a beautiful day to spend outside, walking four hours to visit all the exhibits. Our favorite area was the rainforest where there were monkeys, birds and bats. The setting was awesome.
We decided to try the Spaghetti Works. Fresh salad bar and gluten free pasta available. And the cheesecake! Drew could only eat half so we got a to-go box.
On the way home, we saw a billboard saying Chris Stapleton was playing tomorrow night. On a whim, we checked to see if any tickets were available at a reasonable price. The last concert we looked into was at the Acrisure Event center in Palm Desert. The tickets were really expensive. And to our surprise, we were able to get two seats. So excited. We love his voice and down to earth demeanor. Now that’s living life unScripted.
What another amazing day!!
While driving to return the Uhaul this morning, we saw emergency vehicles on the opposite side of the road. There were about 4 bikes laying on the greenway and someone being loaded into the paramedic vehicle on a stretcher. We were reminded how fragile life is and how quickly things can change while on the bike. It doesn’t take much…a rock, an uneven surface, a wet painted line or a change of position in the cyclist in front of you to cause you to fall. You’re up. You’re down. And this feat of physics-speed, angle, weight- cares not who you are, how many miles you’ve ridden in your life or how expensive your bike is-it is just the law of physics.
Holy Moly!! With blackout curtains drawn, we woke up at 8:12 am! I can’t remember the last time I slept this late!! I have a belief that your body will determine the rest it needs. Perhaps we’ve become a little sleep deprived…a bit fatigued. Maybe that’s the root of Drew’s ‘allergies’.