RAGBRAI - part I

I haven't been able to take much vacation over the past several months, so I strategically placed a two-week stretch of time off in my schedule. The last leg of this two weeks involved two days riding through county roads of Iowa on RAGBRAI 2010. I have always wanted to experience RAGBRAI from the saddle, but since my affinity for all things bicycle was mostly latent until moving to Minnesota, I still had never ridden a single mile of a RAGBRAI route until this summer. My dad and I (and his friend) planned to meet up in Clear Lake for a two day stretch. Thus begins a two part blog post on my first RAGBRAI experience.

Before embarking on an extended ride, I thought it only proper to ensure the Drifter was hitting on all cylinders, figuratively speaking. I removed the rack and fenders to allow for a thorough washing and re-lubing session, and replaced the rear brake pads which were well worn. I re-installed the rack, but kept the fenders off since I wanted to wash them, too, but wouldn't have the time to do so before leaving for RAGBRAI.

I had some other errands to run, plus I wanted to eat dinner with Pati so I set the bike aside until my scheduled 7 p.m. departure. After packing the car with all my necessities, I grabbed the Drifter, only to be shocked with the realization that the rear tire was completely flat. Not only was it flat, but a small shard of metal had tucked itself into the tire, and a three inch gash laced the tube. I scramble to think of an open bike shop (my normal shop is closed) and am irritated to be leaving 40 minutes late.

My first overnight was on my friend's couch in Nora Springs, but before retiring for the evening we enjoyed a few malted beverages while I installed the new tire and tube. This is the kind of friend that is willing to wake up at 5:45 a.m. and drive you to Clear Lake to meet up with the RAGBRAI crowd(plus lend you a sleeping bag). Since it had been a busy summer for both of us and even our electronic paths rarely crossed, I didn't mind trading sleep time to catch up.

The 5:45 alarm blurted out as soon as I shut my eyes, and the first thing I heard was my benevolent host commenting on how wet it was outside. All I could think is that I picked the perfect time to not re-install my fenders the night before. Visualizing the splotch of road grease streaking down my back sent me immediately into MacGyver mode.

"Do you have any zip ties?"

- Nope.

"How about bread ties? They'll have to due."

- Got 'em.

I scanned the kitchen, trying to come up with a material that was flexible, somewhat durable, and could resist water. An empty 24 pack caught my eye. The same waxy exterior that keeps these from being recycled (at least in Minneapolis) turned out to be my saving grace. I considered a few design aspects in my head, but ultimately was successfully able to visualize make-shift fenders fashioned from this empty beverage carton. Diet Coke will get a free advertisement today. We had a schedule to keep, so I grabbed a pair of scissors and bungee cords on the way out the door and we hit the road at 6:00 a.m.

As we pulled off of Highway 18 into Clear Lake, I noticed that my fears were unfounded. The ditches were still relatively wet, but the pavement was remarkably dry. I breathed a sigh of relief. Although it would have made for an interesting start to my RAGBRAI experience, I was happy to start the day without any complications.

This experience wasn't completely wasted though. My curiosity got me wondering how these fenders would have worked, so when I returned home I actually gave the construction a try. Look for a future blog post titled, "If I Had Done It, Here's How" (I was completely serious, here it is).

The morning did prove to have one obstacle to overcome though. We had procured the assistance of a support vehicle to carry our bags and tent, but it wasn't easy to locate the vehicle among the throng of bikers and campers. I unloaded my gear and strapped it all to my bike, converting it to a pack mule. I navigated the maze of people yet was not successful in finding the truck. Instead of risking more frustration, I waited until my dad and his friend arrived to consolidate our gear, checking out the riders, bikes, and accessories as they all embarked on their day's journey.

By the time they arrived and we dropped our gear off at the support vehicle, I had been in Clear Lake for over an hour and a half. When we finally rolled out of town on our bikes, it was close to 8:00 a.m., but looking at the open road before me, I forgot about my earlier frustrations.

(See part II of my RAGBRAI experience)