RAGBRAI Days 0 and 1

Welcome to the posting of the adventures of the OWBNID (Often Wrong But Never In Doubt) team traveling across Iowa for RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa). There are 13 of us, 10 riders and 3 cooks experiencing this extraordinary event that has occurred every year for the past 37 years. Most of the group is from Greenville, but we have a few from other places (Georgia and Nebraska) and over the next 7 days we will share many experiences and meet some wonderful people.

Every day's ride is between 50 and 80 miles and goes from one small town to another. There are about 20,000 riders and thousands of support vehicles. The riders take one route and the caravan of vehicles takes another. The towns welcoming us range from about 6,000 to 25,000 in population. Most of the riders camp in the towns - every square foot of grass and parking lot is covered with tents. But some families offer to host groups of riders, and our group has those accomodations every night. We are apparently a pretty popular group because we cook dinner for the host family, too.

We gathered at Bob Colovik's house in Gretna, NB, on Friday evening. Bob is Kathy Rutherford's cousin and has a lovely motor home that is the main support vehicle of the trip. Bob also helps with the cooking. Elk burgers were on the menu. (By the way, Bob and his friend Cliff started a company that I for one could not have gotten through college without - Cliff's Notes.)

Although the ride officially begins on Sunday, the riders begin to assemble at Council Bluffs, Iowa on Saturday. There's a big expo, concert and lots more going on. But the most important thing here is the tradition of dipping the bike's rear tire in the water of the Missouri river (the front tire will be dipped in the Mississippi at the end of the ride). Getting access to the Missiouri river for thousands of bikers is not easy, so the organizers did something very clever. This is the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge over the river. Everyone rode to the first span, where they were pumping water from the river onto the bridge. All the riders could then dip their tires into the water over the river. Here is Tahressa Ramos, the only woman among the riders performing the ceremonial dip. Our group rode from the host home down to the river - a distance of about 10 miles each way, and then visited the expo at the base camp. Bicycles, bicycle gear, clothes, helmets, souvenirs - anything you can imagine having to do with bicycles is sold there. Vendors come in from all over the country to sell to the riders. While they were on their ride, the cooks visited the bridge and then headed to stock up for dinner.

After dipping the tires, everyone headed back to the home of Joni and Terry Elliff, who were our hosts for the evening. We could not believe our eyes when we saw this lovely home and met our host family. They were amazing, as was their home. A breathtaking back yard featured a pool, 3 waterfalls a gas fire pit, a large deck and 6 lovely seating areas. If that wasn't enough, the workshop next door had a stocked refrigerator and keg waiting for everyone, and the kitchen was a dream. The Elliffs, had 2 other groups stay with them, but we were the only ones providing food. Among the riders in another group was a man who had done 34 of the 37 rides. He was fascinating to visit with, and had so many interesting tales to tell.

While the riders checked over their bikes, dinner was prepared. Lots of beer and wine make the tasks easier to handle. A bunch tested the pool, too. Dinner was Kathy's famous sour cream chicken enchiladas, mexican salad and homemade cinnamon rolls. Good eating! No wonder Bill said this is the only bike ride where you can ride over 300 miles and still gain weight!

Following dinner, the official induction ceremony took place. "Captain" Bill Rutherford and his lieutenants, Jerry Grady and Dan Reinboldt, welcomed everyone and gave each person their own title and rank. I brought something new to the group when I served "Little Beers" which is a shot of Licor 43 with a layer of cream on top. Everyone loved them. Here I am enjoying a second one with Gerry Morris and Kathy Rutherford. Everyone slept well.

Sleeping arrangements in the host homes is interesting. We get whatever beds are available in the host homes. Others bring inflatable mattresses or sleeping bags and use any open space. Bob Mudie put his mattress on top of the pool table and slept there.

Morning comes early. The riders like to be off by about 6:30 to avoid the heat, although so far the weather has been unbelievable. Cool nights and highs in the low 80's. At that time of day, the crowds aren't so big - the main pack hits the road between 8:00 and 10:00. The routes are clearly marked and blocked off from any car traffic. Our group was ready to ride on schedule, but posed for a group portrait before departing.

Left to right: Ed Ramos, his daughter Tahressa, Scott Wright (a friend from Georgia they met on another ride), Brian Lewis (from Dallas and also met on another ride), Bill Rutherford, Bob Mudie, Gerry Morris, Curt Brancheau, Dan Reinboldt and Jerry Grady.

And off they went! Gerry Morris shared a few photos from the route for this posting:

The route goes through small towns, where bikers stop and rest and visit with each other. Every church and service club has some sort of refreshment booth where they sell things. Pie is the overwhelming favorite and that's what all the riders remember at ride's end.

Other vendors set up along the route and sell their food. Many come back year after year, so the riders know to look for them. These folks were selling turkey legs and homemade ice cream. And they are set up next to a corn field. There's miles and miles of those to go.

Not everyone rides a traditional bike either! Yes, he made the 50 miles of the first day on this unicycle. The wheel is a larger diameter, which he said made the task easier.

Finally, at day's end, this picturesque place awaited us. Our second host home is a farm about 5 miles outside of Red Oak, Iowa - the first official overnight stop. Leo and Sarah Smith made us welcome to their lovely home and farm with produce from the garden and freshly baked bread from the Menonite colony. What came to mind was the famous line from the movie "Field of Dreams."

Is this heaven? No, it's Iowa.