Four Straight Years of RAGBRAI

Hi Everyone! Dissident daughter Anne writing. We wanted to do something special this week. Remember Amy's post on Monday about riding RAGBRAI? Well, our own father actually rode in RAGBRAI this year as well! I'm really proud of him- our dad is in his 60's, and this is the 4th year in a row that he has ridden all of RAGBRAI. We wanted to ask him to write a guest post to fit with our RAGBRAI theme this week. He will actually be the first male posting on our blog, as well as our 3rd guest poster ever since we launched the blog.

Now, I do have to add one more detail. Our dad wrote the highlights of his trip, but he failed to mention the day that he didn't drink any water ALL DAY in 100 degree temperatures while riding a ridiculous number of miles. All of us daughters about had a heart attack when we heard that he did that, so you can bet that we gave him a strongly worded lecture. That stupidity- to not drink water while exercising in the heat- is what our family calls a "BBTD move." (It stands for "Big Baller Turned Douche.") It's when someone starts something feeling cocky, and it comes around and bites him or her in the ass. Other than that debacle, I think my dad had a pretty good RAGBRAI trip. :-)

Tom Alesch
Let me begin by saying that I am very privileged and so honored to write on my daughters' blog. I don't consider myself to be in their league of writing, but I will do my best to live up to not only their expectations, but also their readers' expectations. I am very proud of each and every one of them.
Here are my thoughts and my experiences on that bicycle ride across Iowa.

This was my fourth complete RAGBRAI, so I am not a stranger to it, but I learn something from it each time I ride in it. RAGBRAI begins for me in January as the Register makes a big "to do" about the naming of the overnight towns that we will be staying in. One can get an idea of the route that e will be taking in July at this January exposition. As soon as the snow melts and temperatures warm I begin practicing for the bike ride. Not so much as being able to peddle, but to get my butt used to the long hours spent in the saddle. Ask any biker, and they will tell you that the long hours they spend practicing is to get their butt in shape.

RAGBRAI, or any bike ride, for me has always been about the ride and the challenge of the ride. I love to bike on trails and be out in the countryside. Biking is therapeutic to me as I believe any physical activity should be. There is no other way to see the beautiful countryside than on a bike. I love the landscape especially when everything is lush and green. I love the smells of Iowa be it the fragrant or the not so fragrant. I was born and raised in the country so all the smells are good. Iowa is a beautiful state and we take this state for granted. I supposed one could say that the "for grantedness" is taken wherever anyone lives. 

The secondary part of RAGBRAI are the people that you encounter along the ride. I will mention bu four of them. I was especially thankful for Kirk from Oklahoma City this year as he latched onto me for some unknown reason and helped me get through the century ride. He must have thought that I was hurting, and I was, as I tweaked something around my knee on the first day from Sioux City to Storm Lake. Not only did he provide me with companionship, but he also provided me with ibuprofen to alleviate the pain I was having each time I pushed down my right foot. He rode with me for 30 miles until we arrived into the overnight town. He was just awesome to have with me that day. 

I also make a habit of stopping at the same vendors throughout the ride and two of them set up side by side. One is Fair Shot Coffee, and the other is K & K Bagels and Muffins. I have a cup of coffee and a bagel. One morning a Philadelphian stopped and we chatted. He proceeded to tell me about his grandmother who fled Nazi Germany and came to Creston, Iowa and married a farmer there. Her husband was kicked in the head by a horse and died, and she consequently moved back to Philadelphia to be with her sister. He said that is why he is a Pennsylvanian and not an Iowan. 

I also met a writer from Missoula, Montana while riding one day. We chatted for awhile because I had gone to college at the University of Montana for two years, and I had just read Krakauer's book "Missoula" which is about the college rapes in that college town.

The last person that I will write about is Suzanne. I lost my phone at a conservation place which gave out free bananas and free postcards. I took my phone out to get an address and left it lying on the table. When I got to the next town I noticed that it was missing. To make a long story short, I dialed my number, and a guy answered from the conservation place. I asked if he had my phone, and he said that he did have my phone after I left it there. I asked him if there were any riders there, and he proceeded to give the phone to Suzanne and we made arrangements that she would bring my phone to Coralville. At no time was I worried about getting my phone back. RAGBRAI people are good and honest. Suzanne and I met up at the aquatic center in Coralville and she gave me my phone. A really feel good moment.

RAGBRAI takes its told on my old body, and the Monday after RAGBRAI I was exhausted and spent a lot of time lying in bed and sleeping. However, I remember waking before evening and wondering if it was January yet. BBTD.