Ride & Wine Trilogy

Mary had Monday off so I asked for it off as well.  What to do, what to do?  It is mid August and summer is heating up yet winding down.  Where have we not ridden?  What have we not done on bicycles this year?  Then it hit me like a thunderbolt!  Why not hit a few wineries?

Iowa may not be Napa Valley or the Veneto region of Italy or Bordeaux but it has a thriving wine environment.  Her rich soil, plentiful rainfall and economic environment is well suited for vineyards and the production of wine.  Many of these are located near bicycle trails.

Doing a quick innerwebby search for locations and business hours we picked three.  Saturday would find us at Snus Hill Winery near Madrid, a mile off the High Trestle Trail.  Sunday took us to Summerset Winery a mile mile or so off the Summerset Trail between Carlisle and Indianola.  Our choice for Monday was  Madison County Winery of St Charles.

We took our road bikes since they are the fastest.  I threw a laptop bag over my shoulder to carry purchases home and to carry flat tire repair kit (tube, levers and pump).  It is hot with the highs in the low 90s.

Hit the North

 Snus Hill Winery

Despite some off route riding to an ATM we took our usual route to the HHT.  Neal Smith Trail north to the Ankeny turn off and then climbed to Oralabor Rd.  Continued on trail with a side trip to kyle's Bikes.  My chain was dry and noisey.  Needed Tri-Flow STAT.  Should have done this after last week's ride to baxter but I forgot.  Since we were there and done with our climbing we stopped next door at the Kum & Go for a slice of pizza and a beverage.  Fuel for the journey.  Lubed and fueled we back tracked to the Git n Go on Oralabor Rd then headed north on Irvindale Rd until it intersected the HTT west of Ankeny.  This trail would take us all the way to the Snus Hill Winery turn.

Said turn is well marked and says that the winery is 1.1 miles from the trail.  Do not let the gravel road deter you.  It's good gravel with only a few washboard ruts to worry about.  We both were riding on 700x23 racing tires and had no issues.  Before the next well marked turn to the winery appears the vineyard appears.  Some of the vines were covered with mesh netting to save the grapes from birds, namely robins, and deer.  We were told that there is a 10 day window to get this accomplished or the crop will be obliterated.  They experienced this first hand and there will be no more mistakes.  When the grapes approach maturation the animals know it is time.

Snus Hill is named after a cat who was named after a Swedish tobacco product called Snus.  Hence, the cat theme.  At the final turn we notice a sign with a pair of cats (not real) on it.  The winery appears to be a large farm house with several farm buildings.  We parked our bikes under a deck and walked up a handicap accessible ramp to the business door.  Chris was on duty today.  A chalkboards are affixed to the wall behind the counter with the wines listed by color.  We could sample four but because we rode bicycles we were given a choice between a glass of wine or a beer.  Nice incentive to ride off the beaten path!  Of course we chose a glass of wine.  But first things first, Chris refilled by water bottle something like three times!  I had to rehydrate before sampling wares.

We sampled both reds and sweet whites before making the decision on what to fill my glass with and which bottle to purchase.  For the reds I enjoyed the Snus Hill Red and the Ditchweed Red.  Whites our favorites were the Edelweiss, Catnip and Whisker White.  I chose the Ditchweed Red for my glass, Mary the Cat Nip, from a varietal related to Riesling.  Our bottle would be the former.   We sat outside on the deck in large rocking chairs and enjoyed the wine and the view.  Our glasses were stemless and etched with the Snus cat and we ended up purchasing a pair to take home.

Before leaving we talked once again with Chris.  He lives in Madrid and now commutes to work on a Brompton folding bike.  He showed us how it works and we discussed bicycles for a bit.  Not only does it fold up compactly it also has rear suspension and a Sturmey Archer 3 speed internal hub.  He purchased it from All Ability Bicycles in Jefferson.

Our trip home saw us break away from the High trestle Trail and ride the 2.5 miles of county road to Polk City.  Lunch at Subway and then the Neal Smith Trail home.  70 miles.

South For Summerset

Summerset Wine

Our Sunday ride took us out of Des Moines on a mixture of trail and county roads through Carlisle and onto the Summerset Trail for 6 miles to another county road to the Summerset Winery.  We have made this trip two other times.  Last year we did this on our fast tandem.  Like the previous day, we took our roadies.

Summerset is located about two miles from the trail.  To get there one must climb a long steep hill.  Not a game ender but I was thankful that my bike was equipped with a 30T granny gear.  Save the knees, save the heart.  I paid for it and this was the first time I needed it this year.  About half way up is a Baptist church with a sign that reads "sinners welcome."  On some HD I have a photo of it.  I failed to take one this time.  The way to the winery is well marked and there is a large sign that's hard to miss at the driveway.

Once again some of the vines were covered up but this time with a green mesh.  Deer and birds!  And we thought they just ate corn.  To keep humans out signs listing the pesticides were visible.  The same was true for Snus.  I wonder if the same techniques are needed in Europe, Argentina and Napa.

It is Sunday and they were prepping for the band that was to play later that day.  We were early and were not planning to stay.  Every Sunday a band plays outside and people sit in shade and enjoy wine and music.  Inclimate weather they play inside.  Instead we headed to the tasting room.

The tasting room was abuzz with many tables full of people eating and drinking.  There was a side table with a number of wines for sampling.  The kind host/cashier gave us each a sheet a paper with the offerings and we partook.  Pencils were available for notes.  She commented on the fact that we rode our bikes there and noted that many people complain about "the hill."  I let  Mary pick the bottle and she chose the Vintage Red, a chillable, since she picked the white the day before.

On the way out of the tasting room and the nice "store" the owner, Brian talked to us about his family and the business and invited us to stay for the band.  He reminded me of Hemmingway and envied his life.  What a way to live!  Grow your own grapes, make and bottle your own wine and sell it for profit.  I really wished we were not in such a hurry or it was not so hot.  On a cooler day we plan to return, purchase a bottle and sit outside and drink it band or not.

brian also gave us a iowa Wine & Beer Guide.  It lists all the known wineries and breweries in the state.  Divided by region and also has maps.  Websites, phone numbers and other information as well.  This will come in handy.  I often considered doing a 5 to 7 day bicycle tour of such places instead of Ragbrai.

I hit 39.5 mph on the downhill without trying.  Mary 36.

Monday morning it was raining.  The radar was full of green and yellow blobs heading our way.  We could have chanced it but decided to stay within a quick dash to home.  Mary had a few errands to run with the children and later on bicycle.  We postponed the trip to Madison County Winery.  We we pick a weekend that we can also hit Two Saints Winery which is on the east side of St Charles.

Plan your escape!  Iowa Wine & Beer dot com

When Biking Alone Does not Work: Tinkering with the Ticker

"As they pull you out of the oxygen tent you ask for the latest party..."--Bowie, Diamond Dogs



As I lay there I was reading an article in the latest issue of Bicycle Times.  "From Couch Potater to 50 Stater" or something like that.  Some American decided to get off his overweight ass and ride a bicycle to save his life.  Lost a ton of weight, bought a better bike and has ridden in every State of these here United States of America.  Reminded of a book entitled Hurt City by Bob Voiland, another fat guy who purchased a bike and saved his life.  The BT article had a sidebar listing the accomplishments of Murray Fishnell, former couch potater.  In that list was surviving a heart attack because bicycling had him physically fit.  I stopped reading and laughed.  Thought to myself, "damn, for all intents and purposes I can now say the same thing."  I was in the ER hooked up to an automated blood pressure machine and an IV.  My heart attack never came.



Back in March and April I was strong.  In March I narrowly missed having a 1000 mile month by 250 miles.  Two good weekends and I could have added the 4th digit.  Joe Hildreth egged me on, "You gonna ride 1000 in April?"  Challenge excepted and met.  Record mileage year in the making but something was going wrong.



Allergy season was hitting early.  Timmy came down with bronchitis and pneumonia.  And then I got ill.  Felt like I was breathing sand,  Climbing hills or any sudden demand for extra air hurt.  All the possibilities were going through my head.  Exercise induced asthma or bronchitis were among the top.  My mileage began to dip.  Due to vacation request mix up at work our South Dakota tour was nixed.  Just as well.  By early June I was hacking up phlegm.  Time to visit the doctor.



Sure enough, I had bronchitis.  X-ray revealed that my lungs were good.  No pneumonia.  But to my great surprise my blood pressure was high, very high.  Every time they came back to the room it was higher.  This is why I need an anti-anxiety drug before every visit to the doctor.  For a while I thought they would not let me leave but eventually they did with prescriptions for antibiotics, steroids for my breathing tubes and a beta blocker for the blood pressure.



"These medications reduce the workload on your heart and open your blood vessels, causing your heart to beat slower and with less force."--Mayo Clinic Staff



People complain that they make them tired.  "Go visit your regular doctor" he told me.

Easier said than done.  My regular doctor was booked until after Ragbrai.  Another doctor that I used to see retired.  I waited and waited and made an appointment with another doctor in the same building.  I wanted to get the residual issues of the bronchitis cleared up before the big ride and I was running out of the beta blocker.



Of course I rode my bicycle there.  My Trek 2200 carbon roadie.  Needed a fast bike and one that could climb hills since I was still feeling weak.  I took the "quiet street' of SW 14th but missed the first turn and had to climb up Park Ave in effort to find the quiet street again.  The sign informing riders of the left turn was blue and obstructed by trees.  Green was the color of sign I was searching for.  This was apparent on my return.



When the nurse took my BP he was amazed.  "This is higher than the BP of a man who was having a heart attack when I checked him.  I laughed.  It was something like 204 over 130.  "I am taking medication for this," I retorted once my laughter subsided.  Further checks were lower but not by much.  Honestly, performance anxiety.  The doctor brought in a EKG machine for a look at the heart's output.

"Do you have a headache?"  No
"Do you or have you felt dizzy or confused?"  No
"Do you have chest pains?" No
"ect, ect, ect" No No NO

"I ride 30 miles everyday Monday through Friday and haul home the lion share of groceries.  I feel fine.  The only reason I am here is because my bronchial tubes feel like sand is being forced into them whenever I climb a hill.  I need to determine if I still have bronchitis and get that treated an now obviously get a better blood pressure pill."



"Well you do have sinus drainage going down your throat right now but who does not in Iowa?  Your lungs sound good.  You do not need further treatment in that area."



She seemed very concerned when looking at the EKG results and showed me.

"Do you have someone that can take you to the ER?"



'No.  I will ride my bike there.  it is all downhill from here and I need to stop at home and tak care of something since I am free from work at the moment."



Another concerned look.

"Ambulance?"



"No I feel fine."



She then left the room.  Mercy South has notoriously thin walls.  On previous visits I have heard kids scream and cry.  This time I heard the doctor talking to someone else.  Getting a consult.  Something about "he is insisting"  and "it will not be your fault."  Finally she returned and told me that Mercy ER will be expecting me.  In retrospect this is what really pissed me off.


They did three things in the ER that could have been done by her and saved me and my medical insurance company money (not Barrycare).  First an x-ray of my heart.  Second, an IV with a few test tubes of blood drawn first then the "calm the F down" drug that lowers blood pressure quickly.  Third, a call to Iowa heart to set me up with an appointment there.



So I ride home and take care of what I needed to do there and then rode uphill to Mercy proper and check myself in.  Shirt off gown on, lay on bed and wait forever while connected to an automatic electric BP checker.  Finally a nurse comes in and sticks the IV needle and tubage in my right arm.  I think that is when she took blood for analysis.  Wait and wait.  



Two people walk in with a portable x-ray machine and take a photo of my heart.  Because I had the green "isolation" wrist band on, do to a staph infection I had in 2010, they ran out of the room and put their biohazard gear on.  I guess x-rays cause the penicillin resistant germ to escape me and attack them 5 years almost to the day it was removed in surgery.   The doctor said that I can still donate blood, however.



One Dr. Poole comes in and he is the first doctor I've seen lately that is calm about this matter.  "I'm going to lower your BP."  Another lengthy period of time passes before the nurse returns with the drugs.  "Not all at once, don't want to stop your heart."  Two doses and further checking before they let me go.  They did allow me to get up and use the restroom without assistance.  But they never allowed me to get a glass of water.  This may have been before the drug was loaded into my IV.

Finally they are satisfied that my BP is good and they let me go.  Dr Poole doubled the dosage of the beta blocker and told me that I should be getting a call within 72 hours from Iowa Heart Center.  He also said that the blood work revealed no damage or kidney problems.  A hearty handshake and I wander around the ER trying to figure my way out.  Nobody seemed concerned.



I drove to Iowa Heart because I had to go to work afterwards.  Met with the good doctor who prescribed another drug, an ACE inhibitor.  This drug acts against the hormone that increases BP.



"Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors help relax blood vessels. ACE inhibitors prevent an enzyme in your body from producing angiotensin II, a substance in your body that affects your cardiovascular system by narrowing your blood vessels and releasing hormones that can raise your blood pressure. This narrowing can cause high blood pressure and force your heart to work harder."--Mayo Clinic Staff



I was also told to start the Dash Diet--low sodium. low fat, more potassium and calcium.  More fiber.  Please burn my taste buds off now.  I told him that I have eaten more veggies and fiber in the past two years than in my entire life.  I also told him I bike 30 miles a day.  Did not mention that I was leaving for Ragbrai in 3 days.  "Good, you must have great tolerance."  Then the bad news.  I have an enlarged heart.  First thing to do is get the BP down.  Gave me a return visit date and I was gone.



Ragbrai was hot as hell.  Of course I turned down an offer to ride with the Road Pirates on their bus.  I could have taken a light road bike.  Of course I turned down Rocky's offer to take turns driving a Ford Excursion and riding a road bike.  Instead I loaded our touring tandem up and went self contained.  Of course I saved money and instead of a set of Connies that could hold 100 psi I settled for a set of Kenda Kwest tires that max air was a mere 65 psi.  Comfy, yes, fast, no.  Focus on staying hydrated and take breaks as needed.  Our bike tipped the scales at 480 lb with both of us on it.  I lived.  No heart attack.  Most likely did not do myself any favors except for losing a shitload of sodium through sweating.  I'm glad we cut it short and returned on the fifth day.  Sleeping on a Thermorest gets to wear one down.  A few days in a/c without sweating was paradise.



Time to get serious.  I hit every Hy Vee on the way home from work to use their BP checker.  Carefully record it for the nurse practitioner who is scheduled to meet with me.  When I do she sees that the BP is still a jet too high.  Tells me to continue laying off the sodium and sends me to the lab for more blood work.  Funny thing is that I ate a ham sandwich with two thick slices of ham that morning before the blood work.  Did not occur to me that ham is among the highest sodium laced meats.  Suddenly I am reading labels like a paranoid person.  Not that I did not do this before.  I made an effort to avoid the Big S.  Stopped eating bacon and sausage and other salt laden items.



They called two days later.  Kidneys good.  Thyroid good.  Potassium good.  Sodium low.  "Cut back on beverages so you do not suffer the consequences of low sodium."  Why not add bacon?  No mention of fats and cholesterol ever since the beginning of this other than low fat foods only.  "Take a second dose of the ACE inhibitor.  We're not going to increase the beta blocker because you are tired enough."



I laughed after the phone call.  Then I got mad.  They have no fucking clue what is wrong with me.   They need to understand that exercise during summer significantly lowers sodium levels.  It's called sweat.  I told them that I rarely drive and how much I ride.  I told them I rode 10,000 miles last year.


"Now that I realize how it's all gone wrong, gotta find some therapy, this treatment takes too long."--Joy Division, 24 Hours



I did that immediately, take the second hit of the ACE inhibitor.  I felt stoned after work Friday but my BP was 3 points within normal.  AMEN.  At the end of the month I have another round of testing.  Echocardiogram to look at the heart.  A stress test and a sleep study.  Yeah, I may have sleep apnea and they may recommend me sleeping with one of those Darth Vader machines.  I will refuse.  My family has said that my snoring has dropped dramatically since I have been taking pills.  The people I did Ragbrai with said that my snoring was much better and that Mary was louder than me!



So here I am.  Still riding the bike to work.  Today on my day off I rode 77 miles.  My legs are a bit sore which is a good feeling.  Was I the fastest?  No.  Was I a dog on hills?  No.  Did I have a heart attack? No but I took it easy when I felt tired.  Kinda funny but I felt the worst during the downhill from Baxter to Ira.  Felt great on the climb out of the Skunk River Valley to the trailhead (Chichaqua Trail).  Then again I was on a light weight roadie.  My weight will start dropping.  I've lost a few pounds already.  If I have reduced horsepower then a lighter body I need.  Terrible motivation.



"Crawling down the alley on your hands and knees.  I'm sure you're not protected as it's plain to see.  The Diamond Dogs are poachers and hide behind trees.  Kill you to the ground they will.  Manniquins with kill appeal"--Bowie, Diamond Dogs

A Better Way to the Chichaqua Trail

Griffs Valley View RV Park

Alternative Title:  Eating Our Way Eastward and Back

Last Sunday Joe Hildreth and I met on the Bill Riley Trail and then rode to orlando's for a beer.  It was a hot 93F that day.  "Let's go for a long ride next Saturday," Joe suggested.  It is August and I am bored with most route options but there is one that I have been desiring to do but have not had the chance.  "Yes.  Let's ride to the Chichaqua Trail and turn around in Baxter."  It was agreed.

Everyone seemed so excited for the new trail connections to this trail but for those living south of downtown Des Moines or in Norwalk like Joe does or Cumming like his brother Donnie, it is still a pain in the rear to get there.  For decades i have either drove to the trailhead in Bondurant or took Scott Avenue, the industrial heartland of the South East Bottoms to the Gay Lea Wilson Trailhead in Pleasant Hill.  Sure it's only 5 miles on lightly traveled roads but the road surface is rough and some day I always fear I will get stuck in the middle of rush hour.

With the opening of the connection from the Four Mile Creek Trail to the Chichaqua little progress was made for us.  It is longer and out of the way than our traditional route that takes up the Gay Lea to Altoona and then a county road or two to Bondurant.  If we take the Neal Smith Trail to Ankeny to catch the connection there it is further out of our way.  Then Joe and Donnie discovered Cornell St.

Cornell heads straight up to NE 54th which intersects the new trail connection near Berwick.  Cornell is accessible from the NST at Birdland Marina.  Just get on the road at Birdland and head north.  Eventually a 4 way stop appears and Cornell starts.  Hit the north!  Remember that Cornell changes names somewhere north of there and is NE #rd at NE54th  Important when returning home.

The road was empty on Saturday morning.  The only issue is getting past Court Avenue--Farmer's Market in the morning and Ben Carson speech on our return.  Even on our homebound trip the street was empty.  NE 54th was not busy either.  However, I have a feeling that rush hour on these roads would be a dangerous place to ride.

Finding the trail was not difficult.  A yellow bike crossing sign is visible marking the way on to the trail.  Also, before the sign but at the last stop sign/light (I forgot which it is) the trail appears on the right.  This is at SE Four Mile Dr (NE 29th).

The trail is nice.  Wide and concrete.  Be sure to turn on the proper trail segment.  The blue pole trail sign will be on the one you need to take otherwise you end up on the Four Mile Creek trail heading back to Des Moines.

16 miles or so to Bondurant from Mullets.  Since I overslept we did not stop at Founder's Irish Pub until our homebound trip.  Our friends were waiting for us at the original trailhead.  Just opened this year is a paved trail from Bondurant, in back of Founder's, to the trailhead.  Nice!  Here we joined Joe and Donnie, Tom Riggs and our friend Alan.  Two recumbents and 4 road bikes.  10 miles to Mingo and the Greencastle Tavern.

Above the Skunk River.  Here we made contact with Alan on the return trip.  Donnie, Riggs and Joe in the photo.

The bartender remembered some of us that were part of Mel Allison's campout last year.  We had the special, italian sausage sandwich with Busch Light for $6.50.  Ask for a fork.  Delicious!  Keep in mind that the Greencastle is not open on Sundays.

Soon we hit the trail and the notorious "rough stretch" between mingo and Ira, 5 miles.  The pavement was badly cracked and the powers that be fixed it by adding gravel and sealing it in.  A lot of people, especially the locals are rightfully upset about this.  The trail needed to be repaved instead.  All came down to funding.  This section is blamed for low rider counts on the trail.  but honestly, I have never seen very many people at one time on this trail.  that's why I love it.  Hidden gem!  As for the surface, I have ridden skinny tire road bikes over it many times.  I also have ridden tandems with wider tires on it.  No worse than the streets of Des Moines!  Don't let it stop you.  However, the trail from mingo to Baxter needs to be resurfaced.

Caddilac Jack's in Baxter.

In Baxter we stopped at Cadillac Jacks for a beer before heading to Kountry Korner for a slice of pizza.  Do yourself a flavor and order a small pizza and share it with your friends.  It is very good.

 An apparent lack of communication happened here.  Riggs and Alan failed to turn up for pizza.  Phone calls revealed that Alan was on the trail.  Riggs stopped at the corner to wait for him or us.  we hauled booty to the trail and to Mingo.  No sign of Alan.  He beat us to the trailhead.  "First one to Founder's buys for all!"  He waited for us and we rolled to Founder's together and made pigs of ourselves.  Two orders of nachos and beer.  It started to rain, just a quick hitter, but we stayed inside and continued the feast.

the nachos at Founder's, Bondurant.  Topping so thick I almost thought they forgot the chips!

Time to part ways.  Donnie sagged home with Riggs who strategically placed his van in front of Founder's.  72 miles for him on an uncomfortable saddle was good enough.  He lives south of Cumming.  Alan and Joe took off together.  Mary and I soon headed home the way we came.  The only difference was that we got on the trail at Birdland.  The outbound trip, we took 6th all the way to Penn.

77 miles.  No hits, no flats few errors!  Great ride with great people.  Good food and beer, too!  Now, if we can man up and take this to Melbourne????

Longest ride since The Ragbrai

A Little Rain on the Jordan Creek Trail

My view from work at the incoming storm.

From now until October I will be taking the Jordan Creek Trail on my commute home.  Clive is resurfacing the Greenbelt.  I hope it will be a dry period of time.  Today it rained 1.5" during the first storm.

I was on the trail when the second squall hit.  Fortunately, the 50 mph winds did not accompany this cloud.  I was close to my turn onto the JCT and I thought I could duck underneath the underpass and wait it out.  I had to settle for a tree.  The underpass was flooded.  WTF?  Every other river and creek in the metro had settled down.  We have not had much rain lately until today.  I continued on when the rain calmed.

One of many flooded underpasses on the Jordan Creek Trail

The next underpass, 50th St, is located further away from Jordan Creek and thus was not flooded.  The one after that was reaching river width but a service road appeared and I climbed up that to the street.

I really do not understand what is going on with Jordan and Walnut creeks or the Raccoon river lately.  All I can think of is that water has nowhere to go so it runs off into the waterways asap.  Is this because the ground is saturated or because there is too much development?  Or both?

Much later on the trail I saw a WDM Parks truck so I stopped and talked to the driver.  He said that Jordan Creek rises and falls very quickly and that the underpasses do tend to fill up during the rise cycle.  He said the first storm was only an inch and a half.

Looking at the trail from above.  The creek is angry.

So if it rains while I am at work, prepare for detouring.  With the JCT I can always get on the sidewalk and avoid the underpasses.

Boulder to Chicago Riders

During our epic escape from The Ragbrai, Mary and I bumped into a man and woman riding from Boulder, CO, to Chicago, IL.  He was on a 90s vintage Trek 1220, the purple and green roadie with triple and down tube shifter.  She was on a dark purple Trek 970 MTB of similar vintage.  Both had front and rear racks although he was the only one with bags, two up front.


Looking at our loaded tandem and overstuffed panniers, four of them, he initiated the conversation at a stop light on the sidepath trail on Hickman Rd in the urban hell of Waukee, Iowa.  I was a bit shocked by their lack of provisions, maybe the heat and humidity and traffic was getting to my brain.  He said that they sent their camping gear back home because they did not need it as it was too hot.  Of course they may have had places to stay for their journey.  But we agreed, July is not tent weather in the Midwest.


Our tent never left the front left pannier.  Too hot.  We did use the Thermorest pads and LaFuma sleeping bags set on top of the tarp we brought to cover the bike.  We were lucky and either had a house to sleep in or a covered park shelter.  Had to have a/c or a decent breeze to sleep in Iowa during the last full week of July.


When the light turned green we went forward and our new fellow travels wet to a gas station.  They were planning to catch up with The Ragbrai on Saturday.  I wished we had more time to talk.  I hope their journey ended safely.

That Rush

Been riding the 1994 Trek 2200 since I have returned from Ragbrai.  Fast, efficient, has lights and a computer.  An old friend that can take abuse.  Among today's journeys was one to the Fleur Cinema to see Amy.  Mary rode with me as this was our first time riding to that theater.  We took the newly established "quiet street" route.  This route has a steep hill, Casady Drive.  So steep that I knew I'd unleash myself down it.

The bars on the 2200 are Scott's Drop-Ins which after Greg LeMond used them way back when were banned from racing.  Considered a bit dangerous or something since the drops turn inward allowing the ride to scoot even further back on the seat and get lower thus more aerodynamic.  Old school geometry and stem lowers the front anyway, these bars highlight it.  The brakes are out front so riding on the hoods alone pushed weight front and lowers the profile of the rider.  Today, most road bikes sit up high for rider comfort.

As we rounded the curve I moved into position.  Placed my hands on the drops and let it rip.  The only obstacle was the woman walking a dog but they were on the other side of the road but there was a chance they'd come over to my side.  They did not.  Just pedal a bit and let it coast.

The roar in my ears was refreshing.  Kinda WHOARAH WHOARAH covering up the tinnitus that normally occupies silence.  It felt great.  My heart rate never increased despite the pure thrill of this knowing that one mistake or unseen object or front tire blow out ect could result in serious intense pain.  The fact that I was helmetless should have raise my blood pressure and anxiety.  It did not.  I was in my pure element enjoying a few seconds of bliss before I applied the calipers and scrubbed the momentum and speed to nil and suffocated in the summer heat.  But for a brief moment I had the cool rush of air cooling me off filling my ears along with the zing of a Campy freehub.

36.5 mph

Ragbrai 2015: Penetrating the Herd and Returning Home

We met Joe Hildreth at this watering hole.

Another successful bicycle migration across the great State of Iowa.  Despite numerous offers for ride options and SAG service Mary and I chose to load the touring tandem and set out from home.  We rode 319 miles in 4.5 days and made it home alive and sun burnt but more importantly, we still have vacation time left.

On the Trestle

The Devil Bike  Day One 43 miles

We left at 3 pm on Friday.  I had to work that day.  Joe Hildreth, worked that day, too.  He would be riding with Mary and I.  We were to meet his brother Donnie and Craig Lein in Storm Lake where Donnie had scored a house for us to use.  It was hot and sunny, the thermometer clocking in at 94*F.  Our steed was the 1991 Fisher Gemini tandem.  Originally at MTB but now a touring bike.  This bike has seen us through many a Ragbrai and touring adventure.  This year the Fisher received new wheels, cassette, chain, brake pads and panniers.  Unfortunately, due to my procrastination a proper test ride, shakedown cruise was not performed.  This became very apparent when we reached Oralabor Rd in Ankeny when the chain started skipping bad and coming off the chainring.  The middle chainring is worn down too much for the new chain.  I removed a few links to prevent the chain from coming off and rode mostly in big ring until we learned how to soft pedal it in the middle.  Fortunately, our trip was mostly flat but I did miss the middle ring.

Joe H and Mary my wife.

At the Night Hawk.  Judging by the photos, the spy camera has a dirty lenses or has had it.

Our destination Friday was the home of Heather (Peaches) and Big Jim of Joe's Ragbrai team, the Tall Dogs in Madrid.  Originally we planned to stay at the Trestle Hotel so we could not only see the bridge at night but also at sunrise.  But that idea was nixed when a/c and a shower would be needed because of the heat and humidity.  Lee, another Tall Dog was sleeping in the basement.  He said that he had been up since 130 am and needed to sleep until Jim was to drive him to Slater at 7 am.  We never saw him until 6 am.  We brought Heather and Jim a case of beer and a pizza and later we rode to the Trestle with our hosts and her young son.   On the Trestle were Randy Kramer, Matt and Meagan Riggs and Austin Gill.  Good company.  We stayed until lights out.

Matt Riggs and Randy Kramer.  Sorry for your loss, Randy, I've lost my father, too.

On the way back there was a group of people walking to the parking lot.  Of them, there was a young teenage girl in what I could only make out to be a long white formal dress.  She turned and smiled and for a moment I was thinking she was an apparition or a ghost.  At that moment i heard a young boy say "that's a devil bike."  Well, that is what it sounded like.  I am pretty sure he said "double bike."  We ended up staying up until 3 am drinking beer and listening to Heather's ghost stories about someone "crossing over."  Not a smart thing to do before an ambitious ride in the morning.

Seemed like a cool photo idea at the time.  The debris of the night.  Lee is photobombing.

Hell's Anvil Day Two 96 miles

I wanted to ride to Lake View and camp at Black Hawk Lake State Park so we would have showers and electrical hook ups.  Our route was pretty basic and one we have done many times.  Ride to the Trestle then Woodward and to Perry from Bouton.  Instead of taking the gravel road, we took highway 141 on the advice of Lee who said that there was a wide shoulder and that is the way he and his friends always take.  There was no wide shoulder and and I think he was joking us.  But we made it safely since the road was lightly traveled that early Saturday morning.  I was greatly relieved to get off of it.

Get to Jefferson and then take county roads to Glidden and roll on to Carroll and catch the Sauk Rail Trail.  Everything was fine until we left Scranton, our one and only rest stop between Jefferson and Gliddon.  It got hot.  There was zero shade and nowhere to stop and rest.  Once in Gliddon we stopped for two beers and a/c in the Rush In.  The Russian woman was not there.  Other baggers were there, too, as well as at the uptown Lounge up the street.  Of course we stopped there as Joe's nephew, Mark Hildreth, was there.  Another round or two before departing for Carroll.

First beer cooler on the right.  Carroll, Iowa.

We took highway 30.  A new asphalt shoulder was added and it was a nice, smooth and safe ride into the city.  Unfortunately, the Sauk Trail was not as nice.  We hit it at sunset.  The sun was at the perfect level to blind us for many miles.  Mary passed my baseball cap up so I could exchange it for my helmet.  I could not see Joe and his bike only a matter of yards in front of me.  I could not see anything in front of me until I switched lids.  Then the beauty of the trail revealed itself.  I liked the covered/sheltered tables and the landscape although it could use more trees.  Rumor had it that Lake View was celebrating LakeFest so we decided to camp in the park in Breda.  To our great displeasure the swimming pool was closed.  No showers!  We washed up the best we could and slept underneath the stars.  Laid the tarp down, placed the Thermorests and sleeping bags on to of that and called it a day.  Too hot for a tent.  Joe slept in the dugout of the baseball diamond wrapped up in a piece of Tivek.

Clubbed in the Head at the Man Cave Day Three 53.5 Miles

We rose early and got out of Breda quickly.  Just before Lake View, we rolled past someone sleeping on the trail.  Guess he got as far as he could.  Took us forever to find the convenience store then longer to get on the wrong road out of town.  But that road led us north which was the way we wanted to roll.  Somewhere in this trip up north I discovered a broke spoke on the front wheel but since the wheel was not very out of true nor rubbing against the brakes I decided to deal with it later like at a bike shop in Storm Lake.  Absolutely nothing in Nemaha but there is a new Casey's General Store in Early, our last stop before Storm Lake.  Here we scored free ice for our coolers before mounting up and heading north on highway 71.

Barely 20 pedal strokes into to the final push to our overnight town we came to a halt.  Highway 71 was the "vehicle route" for Ragbrai.  Unless we wanted to share the road with dozens of RVs, old school bus converted to makeshift bicycle team bus and other assorted vehicles we were hosed.  Had to turn back and retrace our route until we found the next northbound road that crossed highway 20.

Donnie was sitting on a golf cart outside his new friend Todd's house.  Craig left that morning for home having enough fun and needing to get things done.  Todd and his wife were fun hogs.  They had every manner of motorized recreational vehicle.  A 4 door ATV, motorcycles, snowmobiles ect.  But he also had a huge garage converted into a man cave.  A bar, couches, chairs, restroom, huge TVs and a well stocked liquor supply.  We stayed too long.  The ride from there to our house was miserable but showers and more beer were there.  Laundry, too, as we now had 3 days of dirty ride clothing.  Dinner was at a Mexican restaurant, the Plaza, Donnie generously picked up the tab.  Back to our host's house and another night underneath the stars.

Dropping Out and the Off Route Party

Originally was planning to lay the bike down but then I realized that the cooler would leak water out.  I ingeniously leaned it on the culvert instead.  The bike held!

We woke up to rain so we covered up the bike and went inside to finish sleeping.  Even after officially waking up and getting dressed we waited a bit for the rain to subside before leaving.  Time to join the herd.  Not exactly ditch to ditch bicycles but there were plenty to around us to put me on complete alert.  The first thing I noticed was all the debris that fell off peoples bikes.  Bungee cords, a complete tire repair kit in a baggie, several red cups with green lids, a computer, bandannas, food, water bottles ect.  One woman dropped her sun glasses and stopped her bike in the middle of the route without warning and even turned her bike perpendicular to the traffic to pick them up!  By the time we got to Fonda I had had enough.  We were heading to Pomeroy anyway so we took an empty county road and relaxed.  23 miles of the route was enough.

This is not to say I did not enjoy myself.  On the contrary, I really like looking at other peoples bikes and talking with others.  One person said that his 81 year old father was somewhere up ahead and that his son was there as well.  I hope to be riding Ragbrai when I am 81.  We also talked to Scott Bends who builds frames in Des Moines.

Passed many fields of these.  3 for every 25 would be turning.  Seemed like a waste.

But we had been on the road for four days and really desired to go home.  Despite the promise of an epic day in Cedar Falls and a great off route ride down the Cedar Valley Nature Trail the two days necessary to ride back to Des Moines was not appealing.  Nor were the two days to get to Cedar Falls.  Departing Ragbrai from here would give us a flat trip home and a few extra vacation days before returning to work.  If we went to Cedar Falls and ultimately Sutliff where a lot of our friends were gathering then we would not get home until Sunday with only hours to recover before resuming our jobs.

Pomeroy was only accessible via gravel route unless one chose to go off route on a lovely stretch of county road.  I did not know this at the time until I mentioned how few people were actually here.  Most stayed on the route and avoided the gravel loop.  Riders with wrist bands were given official Ragbrai patches for their effort.  The bagger community overnighted in Pomeroy and were still there when we arrived.  The city was selling brats on a stick sans buns and the band Brother Trucker was playing live.  Cortez the Killer was the the first song I recognized.  we ran into many of our friends including Tim Fairchild, one of our RASDak friends.  He was riding a fat bike.

Fellow RASDakian Tim Fairchild on his fatbike in Pomeroy.  great to see him here since we missed RASDak this year.  Later that day we saw other Dakota veterans, Dr Fun, and Pam and Rick at the off route party.

About 4 or 5 Ragbrai teams were celebrating 20 or 25 years of existence so they organized an off route party at the country club at Twin Lakes.  For entertainment there was a DJ who sounded like every DJ in the beer garden of the last town out on every Ragbrai I have ever been on.  the music was the same two and that Strokin' song was played two or 3 times.  A large water/beer slide was set up as well and people may have taken their clothes off before sliding down.  One person may have or may not have had a black two headed dildo when sliding down.  Beer was available if you had tickets and a $3 ticket could yield a you 2 Coronas with lime.  Yes, $1.50 beers.  $6 meal ticket got you a steak sandwich and chips.  Needless to say, the crowd ate all the food and drank all the beer.  Hamburger meals were sold for $5 when the steaks ran out.  My last two Corona runs were sans lime.  Eventually all that was left was Miller Light and Mary overheard someone in charge say "here is $500, get more beer quickly!"  We departed about that time with just enough wherewithal to make it to Rockwell City.

The first thing we did in Rockwell City was eat at Pizza Ranch.  Because it was Monday no bufffet.  That probably was a good thing.  then we set up camp in the city park and showered for free at the swimming pool.  No one bothered us and even the cops left us alone.  The campgrounds are located on the other side of the park but we were content underneath the large shelter with two rows of 5 picnic tables each.  joe was the first one asleep.

The Long Ride Home 113 miles

Jefferson was 40 miles from Rockwell City.  We knew if we reached the Raccoon River Valley Trail we would be able to make it home.  It was going to be a century.  To cut some miles off we opted for the north loop to get to Waukee.  we had two lunches, the first in Churdan at the Sinclair station.  Excellent gas station food btw.  the other was in Jamaica at Tojo's.  Tojo's was just as smelly as ever, the mens room still had non-flushing toilets and the solar shower was still hanging in there.  The hoods need to be cleaned and grease was dripping onto the sidewalk.  But the food was good.  there soda system must have broke down since Mary got a can of Diet Mnt Dew.  I had ice tea hoping that the tea brewing system was clean and remembering that the last fountain soda I had from there tasted bad.  Joe and Donnie got there first.  They took off before we did because they had an extra 15 miles or so to go.  Joe had to work on the next day.  as for me, I was feeling like shit from miles 25 to 85, slow but steady.  I could not get any speed from Jefferson to Jamaica.  Jamaica was mile 60.

Minburn, Iowa, at the restored depot.  Sam Adams never tasted so good!

Just a slow ride on the trail with stops in every town.  In Perry we stopped at the Kum&Go and phones  started going off like a space probe waking up.  We had service again and thus communicated with our children.  After a 44oz of Life Water I started feeling better and speed picked up.  Minburn was the next stop.  I enjoyed a Sam Adams at the depot.  Dallas center was a kybo stop.  In Waukee we weighed the bike at the Multch Mart.  134 lb once we subtracted the weight of our bodies.  No wonder the spoke broke!

Clive started resurfacing the Greenbelt which forced us to take Urbandale's Douglas trail system.  Many short hills on a sidepath but we were about to safely cross over I-80/35.  Should have taken the road but by the time we reached the gas stations it was safer to be on the sidepath since there was much more traffic.  The trail goes under the ramps and over the freeway.  When we hit 100th St we headed south and got on the open section of the Greenbelt.  It felt like being home.  Just had to watch out for people without lights which became an issue the closer we got to Mullets.  I had to yell at a woman who lacked lights and dangerously went around us without warning.  "I ALMOST CLOCKED YOU, MISSY!!"  The last thing I wanted or needed was a collision with another bicycle so close to home.

113 miles.  Joe and Donnie had 110 since they had their wives pick them up at Orlando's.  I don't blame them.  Donnie would have had 119 and Joe maybe 125.  110 is great and enough for someone riding a loaded touring bicycle.

Subtracting rider weight the tandem weighed 134 pounds.  42 lb of that was bike sans racks.  No wonder the spoke broke!