it does appear, at least to me, like the ride is becoming more wimp-ified as time goes on.
It’s just that this is RAGBRAI, the ride runs for seven days, and unlike baseball, they will not call the game because of rain.Go into this with your eyes open and take it as it comes.Recognize that it will probably rain at least one day out of the seven, and plan accordingly.
Also remember the words of Robert Burns: “the best-laid plans of mice and men go oft awry”.Be ready to roll with the punches and make adjustments.Persevere, and someday you’ll have your own set of war stories to tell.
BB, My Dad has told me all his “war stories” and in the 11 years, 10 times on the ride, I’ve done it, I have come up with several of my own. Having said that, even I have noticed that. My first ride was RAGBRAI XXIX in 2001. The ride was diffent then. Even then, the ride had less busses and everything. My Dad, who hadn’t ridden the ride since 1994 at that point, was in for a culture shock. We wandered around Storm Lake, the first town, looking for the “main campground”, we naturally did the Register’s Truck. It was the only thing my Dad had known to that point, even when he rode with groups. Everything was so spread out, so much different than when he left. The ride is bigger now, people complain now, and well, there are more A h o l e s on RAGBRAI now. The ride has changed. More people think they can jusat hop on their bike and party their way acrross Iowa without training, or knowing basic bike repair skills. (An essential thing for any cyclist.) More people are rude on the road, and they think it is their God given right to be there and that the people of Iowa will just bow down to them. Well, sorry that’s not always the case. I imagine that there was a time when you could ride offensivly on RAGBRAI, but you have to be kind and courteous on the road and ride defensivly. Unfortunately, so many people are worried about where they will get their air conditioning from, or nice bed that they’ve forgotten how to camp, or to sleep in a sleeping bag. We all love the comforts of home, but its only one week, and we go on RAGBRAI to get away from normal civilization. To sleep in a tent for a week, and to ride accross Iowa. So many people think RAGBRAI should be easy, but it is HARD! IT SHOULD BE HARD!!!!! You are riding a bike a long way in unpredictable conditions! Just accept that and stop complaining!
It’s a sick world and I’m a happy man!!!!!
