I am home now, but want to pretend I am posting daily dispatches from Iowa. Here goes! (My couch is very comforatable and there is no internet time limit here at home - bonus!)
I woke to find a massive red grandaddy long-leg spider on my helmet. Eeeuuuwww!!! I have had a repeated series of run-ins with spiders on this RAGBRAI trip. The day before I had a huge black one IN my tent. I have a policy of not killing spiders (except the ones with red dots on their bellies). I carefully and cautiously "escorted" the spider right out of my tent, feeling all non-violent and good about myself. Until I felt the little fiend crawling up my thigh. I shrieked and screamed and somehow flung it out - not caring whether it lived or died. So much for my state of spiritual evolution in regards to harming innocent creatures...
As the route began to flatten out, we finally started to see more pacelines. Here on Day 6 (Ottumwa to Mount Pleasant), we had 75.5 miles with only 2,841 feet of climbing. When there is too much climbing, the paceline has a hard time regulating its speed. Weaker members fall off the back, etc. So on a nice flat terrain, a paceline rocks. I love both watching them go by and being in them! I had a hard time with that on this trip due to my obnoxiously loud creaking vehicle. One wants to be sneaky when they "grab a wheel" at the back of a paceline.
We were once again traveling through Amish country today. Here's a quick snap of a horse and buggy. I was riding downhill and didn't want to risk getting any closer. Did you know most of these photos were taken by me while riding my bike? Not recommended for new cyclists...
A couple of years ago I saw a bike made for 5 people. This triple was about as fancy as it got for me this year. Don't they look cute???
While we didn't have too many "killer hills" today, we did have winds. Lots of headwind and sidewinds. On this stretch we had a killer sidewind as you can see from the flag. That's MAD's helmet in the right corner.
By the way, after Day 1, MAD kicked my cycling butt throughout most of RAGBRAI. I thought I could pretty much keep up with her due to my better speed up the hills, but after a couple of days, she was faster than me whether we were flat or climbing. I'm very proud of her. Finally by Day 6.5, she started to wear out and I was slowing down for her - finally! We will be glad to bring our strong climbing legs back to Sacramento to ride with our friends there (and leave them in the dust!).
We camped tonight at a country club golf course. Right off the green for the 3rd hole! Out of the blue a very friendly (and slobbery) dog came joyously to greet us! Turns out she belongs to one of the country club staff.
Here's our XC08 friend and official favorite "Dog" - Bill. Also known to us as Porn Star Bill, he is featured in a short video on You Tube called "XC08 Gone Wild" (it is better when you mute it).
Don't really remember the guy on the left, but here's a snap of "Eman" - my main Dog organizer and contact. He is wonderful (and very dashingly handsome we all thought). In the middle is his wife, "Ewoman." No, I don't remember her name either!
It is Friday evening and we are at the Dogs annual awards banquet. The theme is hula... Here's MAD with her new Doggy friends Cheryl and Larry. (At least I retained some names.) Yes, Larry is wearing a bra made of flowers. I helped tie him up in the back. Strange things we do with these Dogs...
Raffle prizes were given out. Janie won a hand-made cribbage board! One of the main organizer Dogs, Lee (Lee Dog) makes these from ancient recycled wood. Very cool.
And then I won one! I was thrilled. My dad taught me to play (and cheat) cribbage. Can't wait to teach MAD. (I'll skip the cheating part. My little secret!)
MAD with her 2nd margie... Happiness reigns. Would you believe she also won a cribbage board??? We gave it to JJ. We are trying to pair down our possessions!
Shortly after the prizes and our dinner, we were told there was a massive thunder/lighting storm moving in. We all headed back to our tents to batten down the hatches. From our vantage point at the 3rd hole, we could see all sorts of crazy colored lights going off in the distance. MAD told me it was "heat lightning" (I think) and to not worry. So I didn't. I popped in my wonderful ear plugs and went out like a light (aided by a margarita at the banquet), only to wake up an hour later with Mary Ann staring me in the face, telling me that the lightning strikes were getting closer and we should move indoors for safety! I think I muttered that I wasn't worried and crashed back into sleep. Last year I was evacuated at RAGBRAI. I figured if the storms were bad enough, we'd get the official evac... Maybe I was just too tired to care!
As it turned out, the storm veered and we were saved. Although we once again had to pack up soggy tents into our duffle bags. I cannot tell you how bad things are smelling in there. Too much moisture. MAD said she had a full-blown science project growing in her stuff. A couple of days ago, one of the Dogs said he didn't like going into his tent because "It smells like ass." We laughed hysterically. Unfortunately now our tents smell like ass... I hope all this nastiness will wash out. Thank goodness RAGBRAI is only 7 days of camping!
Tomorrow is Saturday - the last day! We will reach the far size of Iowa = the great Mississippi River.
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