Twitter posts offer daily diary of ride

Mon, Aug 2, 2010 | by Michael Morain

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Dubuque, Ia. — Hundreds of RAGBRAI riders used Twitter this year to post updates throughout the week.

Some were practical notes to communicate with team members (“Stop for water at the next town”). Others were jokes (“What do you call your first beer on RAGBRAI? Breakfast.”). And a few were the kind of Zen-like observations that come to mind only when pedaling through miles of corn and beans.

If you read them all at once — by searching for the hashtag #RAGBRAI at twitter.com — the combined effect reads like a journal of the whole week, all told in notes of fewer than 140 characters.

Here’s a sampling, in chronological order:

kv324: Dippin’ our tires in the Missouri River! Mississippi here we come!

QueenSavet: Tent that failed to be waterproof plus big Midwest thunderstorm plus biking equals giant curly-haired mess.

SimpsonRagbrai: Love the new addition to #RAGBRAI 2010: wisecracking state troopers on megaphones keeping riders safe at intersections.

dletsche: Time for a date with Aloe Vera.

TeamKatz: I’m having the time of my life in Iowa. Who knew?

lafpatrick: I’m at the point where a shower is merely a nicety of modern living and not a necessity.

whatsnextdave: Day 2 highlights: grotto in west bend, ham balls in plover, huge parties in whittemore.

Bacon_FTW: bacon and cheese hot dog @ 9:30 in the morning. already a good day.

mgnstr: Welcome to Britt, IA: home of the national hobo convention. Just met a former king of the hoboes!

carpe_dm8: Ragbrai Lesson #115: When you’re in doubt and have lost a friend … call the county jail.

JoshuaWeiland: Anyone see the blind woman riding #RAGBRAI? Seriously. She’s with others helping her. It’s amazing.

johannotate: Lots of wind farms and roadkill in these parts. Windmills entrancing.

naturalcyborgho: I have never seen so many middle-aged white people listening to rap music!!

kv324: Watching a crazy lightning show over Clear Lake. Not panicking yet because it’s far away but eek!

trishtaylor: Naked guy just emerged from the water from clear lake after fireworks.

mjesse: Nothing like answering email facing a corn field with 1,000s of bikers whizzing by on #ragbrai. Grab the connectivity when you can!

Cleats_N_Eats: Rockford wins today’s prize for best through-town. They put out mats over the train tracks for us! Thank you Rockford!

rjwalinga: OK, so I didn’t wimp out and sag in. Who needs a stinkin’ toenail to ride #RAGBRAI?

lafpatrick: Sammy wrapped my handlebars w/ new tape. It’s like shaking hands with God.

colinwallis: Crazy day today in Iowa. Ended up in Charles City after getting my bike stolen (and then recovered) while I was eating 6 pancakes.

MichaelMorain: Sudden revelation: The #RAGBRAI ride is like a giant mullet: business in the front, party in the back.

millsforsenate: Fun event tonight in #Chucktown with special #RAGBRAI guests from Italy. Now I can say my campaign has international support!

NathanPralle: Good Moaning. 82 mile ride today, first leg is 20. Send bananas.

RAGBRAIChef: 3.3 gallons of polenta with sun dried tomato and goat cheese for Team Cuisine.

SiNKER: My butt broke.

TheBeerRunner: I can’t even imagine how bad I smell right now.

MichaelMorain: For sale on #RAGBRAI: “Breakfast Freedom Wraps.” Is that code for “crepes”?

abecedary: Biking in pouring rain and lightning. Team Stop-A-Lot pulls stereo into a roadside barn for impromptu dance party and saves the day.

ckimm: I have never seen so many people in spandex at one location.

lacleaver: There’s no crying on #ragbrai. Rain can’t stop us. More cowbell!

mattephraim: Thunderstorms, strong headwinds and never-ending hills. But even the worst day on #ragbrai is better than the best day working.

fishnette: Love the Catholic church where they’re selling beer with the spaghetti!

kitchen: After #ragbrai I think I will have had my fair share of Sweet Home Alabama for a year.

Lukanen: #RAGBRAI, end of day 6. It’s been an amazing ride full of stories I can’t post publicly.

TheBeerRunner: If you build it…cyclists will come.

Khasse: Take that, Potter Hill! Climbed the whole 1.5 mile hill! Boo-yah!

johannotate: MISSISSIPPI.

- Michael Morain

• 2010 RAGBRAI, Twitter