I rode my bicycle across Iowa! Ask me anything (with lots of photos)

[prolesunited]

Recently returned from RAGBRAI and got my photos organized and online. It was the experience of a lifetime! So what do you want to know?

Here's the links to the photo albums (Use slideshow button in top corner for best viewing):
Riders
http://homepage.mac.com/prolesunited/Through_My_Eyes/PhotoAlbum87.html

Scenery
http://homepage.mac.com/prolesunited/Through_My_Eyes/PhotoAlbum86.html

Towns and vendors
http://homepage.mac.com/prolesunited/Through_My_Eyes/PhotoAlbum88.html

Lots more photos at links than posted on the page.

[GOPisEvil]

1. I love the nuns!

"Bicycling Against Oil Wars" :thumbsup:

[prolesunited]

6. The nuns were so cool!

It was like a live version of "Sister Act," only they were real nuns. I talked to one of the locals and they have been around for about 20 years and are wildly successful in the area.

The woman who is bicycling against oil wars has a Web page devoted to cycling and her dog, which she takes everywhere.
Here's the link:
http://www.kangarooconnection.com/joeyspage.html

[prolesunited]

2. Some of my favorite scenery shots

[Wickerman]

3. Very cool!

I did it in er, 1976 - it was a blast. How many do you suppose went this time? Is it a ride or a party? Some serious cyclists I know say its more party than ride. I'm guessing they are too serious and its still a mix.

Congrats - trust me - that is a feeling of accomplisment that you will remember fondly.

What was the toughest day? Hilliest? Want to give it up most day?

Edit - excellent photos!

[prolesunited]

8. I think the ride is whatever you want to make it

There were serious cyclists that flew by in pace lines, drunk people dancing in the streets in stopover towns, families, older riders, overweight ones — a whole spectrum.

I didn't really party. It was enough to make it through every day. I was alone and by the time I tore down my campsite in the morning, rode all day, set up my tent at night, got a shower and some food, I was wiped.

They sold out on the 8,500 weeklong passes but were still selling day passes, so I'm guessing upward of 10,000 on any given day. It was amazing to see that many cyclist. No matter where or when you stopped, they just kept coming by.

The toughest day was also my most want to give up day. It was Wednesday and I had done the century loop the day before. We rode almost the entire day into 15-18 mph head winds and that was followed by several miles of loose, sandy gravel not fit for racing tires. I was cursing the last few miles of that day.

The hilliest was the first day, which was good since my legs were fresh. I had about 1,800 miles of training in but it was mostly flat. Some of the hill climbs were painfully grueling.

[BiggJawn]

11. SEVERAL miles of Gravel???

Ouch! That hurt, I'll bet. Gravel un-nerves me enough that by the time I clear a mile-long section, my hands are cramping from the death-grip I had on the bars.

How'd the "body-saddle interface" do on the trip?

[prolesunited]

17. It unnerves me as well

Imagine it going downhill. I didn't walk UP any hills, even though I crested a couple at a snail's pace. However, I did walk down the steepest gravel one after witnessing a wipe out and hearing word of others.

On the first day, I went by a severe accident at the bottom of a steep decline. There was an ambulance and people around pleading with the guy to hang on. I found out later that he died at the hospital. Apparently he was racing downhill and got his tire wedged in a crack and flew over his handlebars. He was wearing a helmet, but he had slammed into the ground very hard.

I was very cautious as a result. I did cruise down several hills at 30 mph when the pavement was good and there weren't many people around me.

Didn't have any saddle issues. I have a really nice Terry butterfly gel seat and used a thick coating of chamois butter every morning.

The only thing I had issues with was shoulder pain. I know I was gripping my handlebars a little too tightly at times, but between some of the descents and the two mornings of rain, it really did a number on me.

[prolesunited]

4. Rider highlights

[prolesunited]

5. Town and entertainment highlights

[3trievers]

7. thanks

Photos were great.Reminded me of Rockwell paintings.

[tigereye]

9. cool Proles!

sounds like you had a great time!

[prolesunited]

19. It was very cool

Truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

[prolesunited]

18. Thanks!

I shot 174 in all. Thank goodness for digital cameras. There was more I missed, but I couldn't keep stopping. I might frame a few.

[XNASA]

10. Wonderful Images of the Heartland

Really beautiful. I know it sounds corny, because there are many places that are more majestic and some that have the ocean working in their favor and all that. But I really love the subtle, ever-changing beauty of the Midwest, especially of the Upper Mississippi River Valley.

Lovely. Glad that you had such a great time. Looks like a lot of fun.

[prolesunited]

21. Sounds "corny"

;-)

It really was quite beautiful and serene and some of the architecture in the small towns was quite interesting.

The people were all really nice as well. Many came out to wave as we went by. It was like being in a parade. They seemed quite eager to meet and talk with the cyclists.

[Bowline]

12. Why? n/t

[prolesunited]

22. Because it was there

Because I could

:shrug:

[denverbill]

13. Hey, you stopped in my hometown.

Iowa Falls. My Dad had some shots of the riders camped out near his house.

You all tripled the size of the town by riding through:).

[prolesunited]

25. Small world, huh?

People were camped out all over the place in every overnight town and it was just easiest to hop on a shuttle bus. I did have this fear that I would forget which campground I was at or where my tent was because by the end of the week it was a blur because it changed every night.

The people were all so amazingly friendly and helpful. If I had known, I would have said hi to your dad.

[pmbryant]

14. You've really outdone yourself this time

Those pictures really seem to capture the flavor and spirit of the event and its setting, even more so than your usual pictures, which are generally excellent anyway. Amazing!

Thanks for sharing them with us.

:bounce:

EDIT: Oops. Forgot to ask a question! I keep hearing that there's actually some tough hills on this ride. But come on, this is Iowa we're talking about, right? What were the hills really like? :-)

Peter

[prolesunited]

26. Thanks!

I'm really happy with the way some of these came out. What was funny is that sometimes I would pull over to take a shot and the people riding by would call out that it was a really good shot.

No one I asked to pose for me declined either. I have a lot more, but the ones I posted best captured things I thought. Perhaps one day I'll actually do something with my photos, maybe calendars or something.

Iowa is NOT flat. There was more than 12,000 feet of climb, with nearly 2,700 coming on the first day. The smaller rollers weren't too bad because you could use the momentum from the previous hill to propel you up the next. However, some were just killers that you had to grind out and suffer the pain.

[pmbryant]

27. That's a lot of climbing

2700 feet in one day. Yow.

So do you have a granny gear on your road bike?

Have I said 'Congratulations!' yet? If not, I'll say it now.

:bounce:

Peter

[SarahB]

15. Very nice pictures!

What an accomplishment too!
:yourock:

[prolesunited]

29. Thank you!

I would say it was one of the hardest things I ever did. In all, 520 miles in a week.

[Susang]

16. You voluntarily rode through Iowa?

Michael's family has to drag us there kicking and screaming. I keep expecting the "Children of the corn" to drag me away. }(

Glad you had fun. :-)

[prolesunited]

30. I didn't stay in any one place too long

And they had big parties in every town. I'm sure it's MUCH different most other times. The people were all quite friendly and hospitable.

[Susang]

37. That's a good strategy

They might getcha if you don't. I always try to keep moving when I'm there (usually as fast as I can). ;-)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

20. Is that you in the nun costume?

You said to ask you anything :evilgrin:

[prolesunited]

31. Me, a nun?!?!?

What have YOU been smokin'? ;-)

[Wapsie B]

23. Cool photos.

There's more to Iowa's architecture than hog houses and cow barns. I loved the pics of the courthouses.

[prolesunited]

33. There were some really cool old buildings

The downtowns were so crowded, though, it was hard to shoot. I really don't know much about architecture but the ornate style of older buildings really fascinates me.

I'm not one for religion, either, but I love old churches and have a collection of steeple shots.

[Wapsie B]

38. Iowa has some really nice looking

older courthouses. Marshalltown, Newton, Winterset, Osage are just a few off the top of my head that are quite nice.

[Wapsie B]

24. Cool photos.

There's more to Iowa's architecture than hog houses and cow barns. I loved the pics of the courthouses.

[TrogL]

28. You spelled "Niagara Falls" wrong

http://homepage.mac.com/prolesunited/Through_My_Eyes/PhotoAlbum29.html

[prolesunited]

34. D'oh

And that's been up there for awhile. Sorry, my Canadian is a little rusty. :P

Thanks for pointing it out. I'll fix it.

[lumpy]

32. The pics are a delight.

But thank heavens for those old barns and ghostly buildings in the scenery segment.

[prolesunited]

35. Thanks! I shoot a lot of old barns

I did a bunch last summer when I road the Katy Trail in Missouri. I really need to pull the collections together and do something with them. I have a lot of butterflies and flowers as well.

[flamingyouth]

36. I remember you talking about this a few weeks ago

I'm so proud of you - what a huge accomplishment! Great pictures too! :bounce:

[KamaAina]

39. Is it pronounced "Rag-Bray" or "Rag-Bry"?

Inquiring minds want to know...

I read about it years and years ago (Nat'l Geo?) and thought it sounded really cool. It appears that it still is.