RAGBRAI XXXVI

The dis-oriented author rode his first RAGBRAI in 1977.  RAGBRAI stands for Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. Ragbrai is a bicycle ride across the state of Iowa. It lasts seven days and averages just over 400 miles. My first ride was RAGBRAI IV and this was RAGBRAI XXXVI. I have ridden about 12 complete rides and parts of another 15 or so.

Bicycling is one of those sports that I had put aside in order to raise my family. Now my youngest children are old enough to ride with me so I am on my bike again. The real joy of riding now is spending time with my 12 year old son. Like every other twelve year old, he has his moments but when we are together on our bikes he is nothing but smiles.

We are going to keep riding together.

As my picture shows, I am obviously an overweight middle-aged cyclist. But, as country singer Toby Keith says: There was a time, back in my prime ...

My son is getting to be a better and better cyclist. He still leaves me behind on hills (he has less mass after all!) But by the end of a day he begins to drag a little. We chose Tuesday, the ride from Jefferson to Ames. It was a mainly flat day with great weather. There was only one big hill. We rode about 56 miles. Next year we will ride more of the week, perhaps the whole thing.

I love the riding but there is nothing to compare to the experience of sharing it with my son.