looks nice! bit too far from me to participate.
Are there any cyclist in the group?
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I know a few people who have ridden it before and make it sound like a lot of fun. I don't really feel a burning desire to ride the whole thing, but for the past couple years (maybe since everyone got comfortable traveling again after a few rounds of Covid?) I've been looking at stuff like this and instead of asking whether I would enjoy it enough to balance out the frustrations, I wonder whether it would be good for me to try it out. I decided that if this year's RAGBRAI route went through a certain town that I would go visit people I know there and start riding from there.
What's keeping you from checking it out? Just the usual difficulty and expense of training, taking off work, booking a flight, finding a way to haul your bike, finding some lodging for before and after your flights where you wouldn't be riding RAGBRAI?
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I will gladly participate...in spirit.
mostly that it's on the other side of the world, it would cost a lot of money to even get there 
mostly that it's on the other side of the world, it would cost a lot of money to even get there
Well, airplanes exist.
It is 7 days across flat Iowa
Thats only 58 miles/day avg if you take all week....
If it was across a State not so boring, I would consider
I'm not an Ultracyclist, but seriously even for a 65 year old man (me) that is not difficult
Try this - RAAM - https://www.raamrace.org/
This is across all of USA, winners usually in 9-10 days! 3,100 miles about
Thats only 58 miles/day avg if you take all week....
If it was across a State not so boring, I would consider
I'm not an Ultracyclist, but seriously even for a 65 year old man (me) that is not difficult
Try this - RAAM - https://www.raamrace.org/
This is across all of USA, winners usually in 9-10 days! 3,100 miles about
![Craft A Brew - Safale BE-256 Yeast - Fermentis - Belgian Ale Dry Yeast - For Belgian & Strong Ales - Ingredients for Home Brewing - Beer Making Supplies - [3 Pack]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bcKEwQmWL._SL500_.jpg)
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Yeeeeeeeaaaaaaaahhhh, I'm at the age/shape where 58 miles is two trips, on separate days, with beers/burgers in between.
NOW, Beers, You're talking MY Recovery after a Ride!
It isn't all flat. Look up the "Driftless Area" of Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota.
Also, so what? From what I can tell one of the goals of this event is to be approachable to people who aren't hardcore cyclists.
Well, convince an entity in state you deem less boring that they should sponsor a bike ride across their state.
Good. Bicycling is a great way to stay in shape. We all have what we're comfortable riding. I personally don't expect the distance to be an issue for me, the longest day I'm riding will be below 75mi, which I haven't done in a day yet, but I think I can and I'm training to be more comfortable with it. I expect my challenges to be the Iowa July heat, the hills when I get to the Driftless, and riding hard on consecutive days.
So, RAGBRAI is an acronym for the Register's Annual Grand Bike Ride Across Iowa. Bike Ride. Not Bike Race. If racing is your thing, that's pretty cool. I wish I could do races and be remotely competitive. But I don't see that happening. From what I've heard from people I know who have participated, and various YouTube videos of people participating in RAGBRAI, it's more of a weeklong party on bikes.
Maybe it's more like a tame, moving Sturgis for bicyclists. Sure, I personally think Sturgis and the Black Hills are fun to explore, but I bet a lot of motorcyclists go just to hang out with friends, drink beer, and stay in town.
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I'm not trying to tell anyone what they should get out of RAGBRAI if they decide to attend. I didn't even want to say that it isn't a race. I put some real thought into that, because I don't want to yuck bloombrew's yum if he likes to race, but from all the discussions I've had about this event, and all the content I've watched, nobody seems to be racing. I'm sure there are some people who still do have a friendly race within their own group, but I would be surprised if RAGBRAI had any official cycling long distance race during the week.
"A weeklong, moving party on bicycles" has come up several times, so I believe that's a valid way to look at it, but I don't know what you might want to get out of it if you show up.
"A weeklong, moving party on bicycles" has come up several times, so I believe that's a valid way to look at it, but I don't know what you might want to get out of it if you show up.
@Kent88 , I am relatively new to the sport. I was told by a Veteran Cyclist -" It's NOT how many miles, how fast, or what watts, you did on a ride. It Is -
" Did You get anything out of it?" How true!
Strava seems to be the place where you are "worried" that you did not ride like a Pro, but in Your know, You, your body and mind, got a wealth of positive out of the ride. Some rides I purposely go slow, take lots of pictures, and recover with my favorite Home Brews. And that ride puts a big smile on me.
Sorry, if I twisted the intent of riding across any State, into a competition as the goal.
@balrog is 100% correct - Beers and Burgers Ride, is AWESOME!
My recent favorite Recovery Beer is a Best Bitter with Fermentis S-04 yeast...
" Did You get anything out of it?" How true!
Strava seems to be the place where you are "worried" that you did not ride like a Pro, but in Your know, You, your body and mind, got a wealth of positive out of the ride. Some rides I purposely go slow, take lots of pictures, and recover with my favorite Home Brews. And that ride puts a big smile on me.
Sorry, if I twisted the intent of riding across any State, into a competition as the goal.
@balrog is 100% correct - Beers and Burgers Ride, is AWESOME!
My recent favorite Recovery Beer is a Best Bitter with Fermentis S-04 yeast...
No worries dude. I won't even tell the folks in Iowa that you think they're boring
Here's a PBS documentary about it if you're interested
https://www.pbs.org/video/shift-the-ragbrai-documentary-uqooh0/
Had a pretty good May, but haven't ridden much in June. I had a big community ride towards the end of May, took a few days off, then we had air quality issues, then I tweaked my back, and now my bike is at the shop for a tune-up.
Still planning on going to RAGBRAI for a couple days, but it's been tough getting back in the saddle.
Still planning on going to RAGBRAI for a couple days, but it's been tough getting back in the saddle.
How did I not see this thread before? My dad and I are avid road cyclists. We have been doing Bikes and Beers rides since they started in Philadelphia, if anyone is familiar with them. Here is the Dogfish Head event we just did together a couple weeks ago!
https://www.strava.com/activities/14797690484
https://www.strava.com/activities/14797690484
Just finished my two days of RAGBRAI yesterday.
40 miles on Friday, flat, too much sunshine, humid, heat index around 100°F. It was a short day but too hot.
63 miles on Saturday. Cloudy, a not insignificant amount of rain, and two big hills in the last 15 miles (or so).
First time for me riding two long (for me) rides on consecutive days.
40 miles on Friday, flat, too much sunshine, humid, heat index around 100°F. It was a short day but too hot.
63 miles on Saturday. Cloudy, a not insignificant amount of rain, and two big hills in the last 15 miles (or so).
First time for me riding two long (for me) rides on consecutive days.
