RAGBRAI update, Day 5
After a late night in Ames with music from Styx, Wednesday morning came especially early for some riders. The cool air and flat miles from Ames to Nevada were welcome.
It was hump day, where riders marked the halfway point in the ride and passed over Interstate Highway 35. Actually, some stopped for photos as drivers honked their horns from what were surely comfortable seats in cars and trucks below.
The seats are not so comfortable out here on the bikes after four days.
That was a tough beginning for what turned out to be a very long 78 miles to Toledo/Tama. If the wind isn't at your back, it's against you. Combined with 2,900 feet of climb, it sure felt against us in the afternoon sun.
But people who haven't had enough bike riding by the end of the week can mark their calendars for Aug. 9. It's Glenn Chamberlin's birthday. The retired federal worker from Oklahoma City said he was sedentary until he retired at age 55. Then he took up biking. Now he's turning 70, and his friends and family are celebrating it. That's RAGBRAI spirit.
A "crazy" on a Unicycle riding across Iowa!
Today's Ride: Mileage: 76 miles Climb: 3,123 feet
The ride from Tama-Toledo to North Liberty covers 76 miles and about 3,300 feet of climb. The route is a real mix of terrain, from hills in all their various forms to good stretches of flats, and plenty of towns along the way in which to rest and fuel up. One of the towns is Luzerne, as in Switzerland; fortunately there are no Alps, just one big hill near town. The route will also wind through three of the Amana Colonies: West Amana, South Amana and Homestead.
GO NICK!
