RAGBRAI ‘Dorkmobile’ to retire on Saturday
Fri, Jul 30, 2010 | by Grant Schulte
The now-famous RAGBRAI “Dorkmobile” will end its first – and last – cross-state adventure Saturday when rider Tom Baker dips his front tire in the Mississippi River.
Baker said Friday that if he rides RAGBRAI again, he’ll use a conventional two-wheel bicycle.
The RAGBRAI virgin said he was touched by the attention, warmth and encouragement he received from other bicyclists. But the “Dorkmobile” – an easy-to-spot recumbent with a Hawkeye flag and a rainbow-colored spinner – was too cumbersome, he said.
The “Dorkmobile” got its name from two boys who spotted Baker out for a ride in Waverly, and shouted, “Look, it’s a Dorkmobile.”
The support “has been unbelievable,” Baker said. “Absolutely fabulous. The other riders adopted me. They embraced me. When I think about all that support, I actually get a little choked up.”
Not everything this week went smoothly. Baker got a flat tire outside of Charles City, which took time to fix. He left the overnight towns early every morning, and arrived at the next deestinations in the evening. His knees were often sore, and once he considered quitting the ride.
But Baker said he toughed it out because of the attention from other riders. Several cyclists asked for photographs. Others shouted, “Hey! It’s the Dorkmobile!”
“I just really wanted to thank everyone,” he said. “It’s been amazing.”
- Grant Schulte
Picture link?
The ONLY known pic I can find of it:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/pic/?o=RrzKj&pic_id=725477&v=0&size=large
I expect he’ll do one ride on a diamond frame, and he’ll be back on his tadpole sans cover… that sun cover looks interesting… but it’s gotta act like an air brake! wow… i just bought a tadpole and rode it this year for the first time… I may never climb back on my custom d-frame tourer!
I still love the trike, and Roger H may be right that I should try it without all the “stuff” hanging all over it. There were some awesome trikes/riders out there who flew by me, so, no, it wasn’t the trike’s fault I struggled a bit. the bottom line is that I loved the back and forth with other riders on the road and at stops. Just a remarkable week I will never forget.
FWIW, a link to more Dorkmobile pix: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2072549&id=1142263860&l=268a932bad
Ohhhh come on! Yours was a lot faster then my trike was and I did it with two prosthetic legs. The Dorkmobile and my Red Turtle played leapfrog for most of RAGBRAI. The Turtle will be back and its rider will be a lot thinner and stronger.
Okay, Robert, you got me! No excuses. I am weakening as far as whether or not the Dorkmobile will return. If so, I will make sure it’s not quite so heavy next time…and, like you, maybe the rider will be thinner and stronger. Cograts on making it. Quite an accomplishment.
And Tom… Since I didn’t see you… you were undoubtedly a LOT faster than I was on MY trike! ‘course I was self-supporting with a trailer, but still…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roger_h/4847104938/in/set-72157624498492369/