RAGBRAI 5

I rode 75 miles (actually maybe a bit more) today in around 8 hours. It was hilly for some of the route but not too awful. We had a head wind for the middle part.

I learned to draft today (ride my bike close enough behind another rider to be in the pocket of air they are pulling along). It was fun and not nearly as dangerous as it sounds. I was usually 2 to 3 feet behind the rider in front so it wasn’t that different from normal riding when the road is full. It made riding into the head wind WAY easier. This is because instead of riding into a head wind you are actually being pulled along a little by the pocket of low pressure behind the rider in front.

I talked to various people while on the road. It was fun. Overall the day went as follows (very roughly):

• Bagel and peanut butter and cream cheese.
• Ride 10 miles.
• French toast.
• Ride a few miles.
• Trail mix.
• Ride 15 miles.
• Burrito.
• Ride 5 miles.
• Ice cream.
• Ride 10 miles.
• Key-lime Pie.
• Ride 10 miles.
• Lime-aid.
• Ride 20 miles.

So you can see why RAGBRAI can be though of as “eating you way across Iowa”.

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