Ragbrai 2008

Good heavens where to start? Ragbrai this year was as amazing an experience as last year. So it didn't fail to deliver. It was really great to reconnect with people I'd met last year. Good to meet new people that joined the weary band.  As much as I enjoy my bike riding... Ragbrai is about people. People you meet, you see, you hear. People that raise your spirit, inspire and confirm that we are alive and well.

Along the way I saw so many struggle and succeed, as I struggle, uplifted as I am uplifted and  reminded that we are human and magnificent. I can't imagine you can spend your week as I have and be ambivalent. It is such a unique experience it would certainly get a reaction out of anyone I would think.

I'll include in this entry some picture that I am sure will not help you understand what ragbrai is like.  I have no idea how to describe it so that anyone will understand it. You really do have to see if and ride it for yourself to understand it. the closest I can say is it's like woodstock-stugis-mardi-gras on bike. Your there to live in a wholly separate society from your regular life.

There really isn't much to ragbrai. Everyday you pack up your tent put on your bike clothes and ride about 70 miles or so through rural Iowa.. so what.  How could that possibly be interesting let alone inspiring? 

For me the inspiration comes from two sources. One,  as I have mentioned in this blog on many occasions I am interested in confronting assumptions. And so the physical challenge of riding 491 miles in 7 days provide many opportunities to challenge the assumptions we hold for ourselves. How strong am I? how weak? stronger than last year? And Two, knowing how physically challenging it is. You see thousands challenging themselves too... amazing!

As for how I feel I did this year. I am very pleased with how much stronger I was this year compared to last. I rode very very well. As an example, On friday I had to pace another rider up to meet with the main group that had left a half an hour or so before. So i soloed the first 20 miles and about 21 mph through rolling hills. Then after meeting up with the main group the peloton moved along at about 25 mph for the next 40 miles the finished the last 5 or 10 miles off at 27-30 mph! I did not get dropped! the guys on the front are obviously on another planet from me as far as fitness. I could have never hung on to that last year, no way. So I am feeling really encouraged about my progress. I rode 4 days with the fast squad and didn't get dropped once.

Well obviously I can go on and on about it but you have other things to do so i'll leave it there for now. Enjoy the pictures.

Next stop Dillon Colorado for a week. I am hoping to ride to vail pass a few times while I'm there. 

Keep your heals down

J

Hopkins Crit

This last weekend was the hopkins crit.  five of my team mates raced. I didn't race because I'm leaving for ragbrai on saturday and I didn't want to risk getting in a wreck and not having a bike for ragbrai.  

I really enjoyed watching the race though. A lot of people from the team came to cheer and I made myself nearly horse yelling at them as they whizzed by.  The race started really fast the first 3 laps (.7 miles)  were about 28 mph then is settled down a bit for the majority of the race then picked back up for the last couple of laps. 

Out of the 5 starters we had had 4 get dropped and one came in dead last. we really are the bad news bears. but you know for three of the guys it was there very first race. So i think we are all such beginners that the results show it.  But huge credit to the guys for going for it. As i have learned taking the risk of racing takes courage and a willingness to accept getting trampled the first few times. I am so glad some more of the guys are starting to race being out there alone was really hard. I think I may have helped some others muster the courage. If joel can do it... shit anyone can. haha. 

We had a couple of very hard group rides in the last week. I'm still toward the back of the pack but I'm hanging on ... not getting dropped,  this is a good thing.  I have so far to go to reach a place where I'm satisfied with my capacity but i continue to make painstakingly slow progress. As alway patience is so very important. there are defiantly time where I am pounding my head against a wall and seemingly getting nowhere. Then all of the sudden a dreaded hill is not so dreadful. 

courage and patience

I am tapering my training in preparation for ragbrai. So I only rode 20 yesterday and today. I will probably stop riding on friday and rest friday and saturday. Then get up sunday morning and it's day one of Ragbrai. WooHooo!

I may try to sneak into libraries or something to file some updates but realistically probably won't be able to say much until I get back.

a few things and items

Thing or item 1: I decided not to race today. I was concerned about crashing and making my bike unridable for ragbrai. so no race for tonight. I'll be racing in august after I get back. More of the team will be ready to race next month.

Thing or item 2:  I was at gooseberry falls over the fourth holiday. It's a great national pask on the north shore of superior and get a full endorsement. The camping was great and the trails and falls were really spectacular. 

Thing or item 3: A little while ago I posted  you tube video of a guy who stacks rocks in these precarious piles. While on the north shore this weekend there was tons of lakeshore stone so I thought I'd give it a try. And what do you know it's really not that hard to do. I'll include a pictures of my attempts at stone stacking. Once again no glue no wires. 

Next Race

I am considering racing next tuesday in a crit series here in town. I am a little gun shy after the debacle in Marty Minnesota. I have been feeling stronger since coming back from bran and have kept my miles up pretty well. I think it may be time to go test myself again see how I am progressing.  The crit is almost entirely flat and in an open coarse. So may be a good one for a newby like me. I am hoping more of the team will be interested in racing. Being alone at these races adds a level of stress to them, like it needs more! But I've been riding well lately and hanging on to the team rides relatively well. Something that was not true only a few months ago. 

Here is a link to the race series and the results from the last two iterations  http://www.spbrc.org/

I need to get me bike insured before I race again if I wreck it I will have a hard time replacing it.

Insuring it will be a bit expensive but worth it to ensure I'm covered if I wreck.

The new bike is riding really well tho I am a bit self conscious on it. It's a little conspicuous and it makes me sort of embarrassed. But I'm trying to take this seriously and do my best. So I put myself on the best bike I could afford. 

I am looking forward to racing again. I have no idea how it will go but as always courage is important.