Many people were commenting that this year's edition of The Ragbrai was a bit short on daily mileage.  So in an effort to understand their complaints I looked back through my bicycle log to compare previous years that I participated in The Ragbrai.  Please remember that I have not "officially" ridden since perhaps 2000.  I have not officially been totally on route since perhaps 2005.  For me and many of my friends "The Ragbrai" is mainly riding self contained (bagging/touring) in Iowa for several days in a succession away from home and during the or near the last full week of July. 
Unfortunately, I do not have mileage history for 1991 through 1995, 1997-1999 (possibly the last year I had a wrist band), 2001, 2003 through 2006.  Of those missing years I know that only in 1993 did I not do any of the ride.  1991 was my first.  1992 was Mary's first.  I have photos of many of the missing years.
YEAR MILES DAYS PER DAY AVE
1996     453.8    7 days   64.82
2000     386.1    6 days   64.35
2002     398.7    6 days   66.45
2007     325.7    5 days   65.14
2008     427.1    7 days   61.01
2009 did not ride
2010     444.5    7 days   63.5
2011     414.8    7 days   59.25
2012     301.6    5 days   60.32
2013     269.5    6 days   44.91
2014     348.9    4 days   87.22
Please note that in 2014 Mary and rode toward the northeast on our own and unsupported except for an 8 hour layover in Cedar Falls and totally avoided The Ragbrai. 
An interesting comparison is with my ventures into South Dakota.  In 2012 we rode Tour de Kota.  However, TdK folded after that and veterans of the ride created RASDak, Ride Across South Dakota, for their pleasure.  TdK was a 6 day loop in 2012 not a border to border tour.
YEAR MILES DAYS PER DAY AVE
2012    439.2    6 days   73.2
2013    446.5    6 days   74.41
2014    515.1    7 days   73.58
Dropping lows and highs for The Ragbrai, I average 63.1 miles per day.
 
 
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