RAGBRAI, or you've got to be kidding

So you’re wondering what the heck this RAGBRAI thing is. Is it real or imagined? Something I dreamt up while, uh, contemplating the universe? Well, it’s real, so just read on.
RAGBRAI stands for The Registers Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. OK, let it sink in for a couple of seconds. Take another look if necessary. Yes, it does say a bicycle ride across Iowa. All four hundred plus miles. From Sioux City on the Missouri River to Dubuque on the Mississippi. It’s the oldest and largest event of its kind.
So let me give you some details, answer some of those questions that are undoubtedly rattling around in your head. First, no, I’m not kidding. Yes, I am crazy. The ride is held on the last full week of July every year and lasts for one week. See and you thought it was one all day ride. Relax. It’s not a race, but more like a big party on bikes. It’s a fun filled ride with stops along the way in lots of small towns. They take advantage of the big influx of people and have food and drink and who knows what for sale. Fund raising opportunities for plenty of organizations. So I’m actually doing some good while pedaling my um, heart out.
But all that charity aside, it is basically a bicycle ride. For riders, there are two main components of any ride. Distance and elevation gain. A fifty mile ride that is relatively level is much easier than a 20 mile ride with big gains in elevation. Think of how your car works harder going uphill compared to being on a level road. That’s how riders can feel. Hence the importance of the uphill climbs on any given ride. This year’s RAGBRAI has an overall elevation gain of 14,527 feet. That’s not a typo. Here it is again: 14,527 feet of climbing. And you thought Iowa was flat. Well so did I.
So if you ever wonder what I’m up to, well, I’m on my bike a lot. The organizers strongly suggest that you ride at least 1000 miles in training prior to the event. Good advice. Last year I rode 62 miles to celebrate my 62nd birthday. So, I know doing 62 miles in one day is possible for me. But getting up and doing it again and again and so on for one week is another matter. And then there’s that pesky climbing.
I know what you’re thinking and pretty sure of the look on your face. You’re wondering why. I follow Sir Edmund Hillary’s philosophy: because it’s there. Because it’s a challenge and because it’s something I’ve wanted to do. But puhleeze, don’t say it’s on my bucket list. That’s a silly phrase and the concept is too confining. I just remember old things to do like running with the bulls in Pamplona or find new ones like RAGBRAI. I don’t need no stinking list.
Hope this answers your questions. So now that you know, I ask one thing. One simple thing. Send some good vibes my way during my training and especially on the last week of July. I’ll return the favor anytime you want. Maybe you’ll want to do RAGBRAI next year. Come on, we’ll do it together.