RAGBRAI I Did It! The Question Is...

RAGBRAI 2017

Would I do it again?

I am working on getting my photos together and writing more about RAGBRAI the Registers Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. There are so many stories to tell and things I was surprised by it will take me a while. It is hard to describe. It is so much more than over 10,000 bicycle riders spending a week on bicycles going across Iowa.

Part of my RAGBRAI experience was doing daily phone reports to our morning show Good Morning Bob on 99.3 The Vine in Napa.

Would I do it again? I want to. This was the 3rd shortest route and 3rd least climbing (no Iowa isn't flat) and every day kicked my butt. The weather wasn't as hot as usual they all said.

I could barely get to camp to have dinner then was so tired I just about collapsed and was asleep by 9 or 10 every night.

I missed all the night time concerts and fun stuff in the overnight towns because I was too tired. By mid week 45 miles in to a 60 mile day I was struggling.

Don't get me wrong it was really fun. The daytime towns we visited were really cool and interesting and super fun!

But I couldn't have done it if it was longer, had more climbs, or hotter.

All my friends that ride would love RAGBRAI and they are all in much better shape to enjoy it all. I highly recommend they do it next year no matter the course route (it changes every year)

So the answer is yes I would do it again, but I have to keep at it to get in better shape. I want to have even more fun and not finish every day so whooped.

It was the toughest thing I have ever done and I am really glad I did it. A benefit many RAGBRAI riders talk about is "the decision to do RAGBRAI changed my eating and exercise choices for the year before the ride."

That's true for me for sure. I'm probably in the best condition I have been in for a long time and I don't think it is that far to go to be able to comfortably do the ride again if I stay at it.

I remember the hand crank lay down paraplegic trike bicycle rider I talked with, the 90 year old RAGBRAI veterans, the big guys and gals that I saw riding, and I will think of them all as I train.

During the week I thought about the 1st time I did a nonstop 5 mile bicycle ride in the Oakland Hills. I was so flippin happy! It was so tough to get that milestone. That wasn't so long ago!

More photos and some incredible video coming soon