Cyclists get "M*A*S*H'D in Milo"

Milo, Ia. — Visiting cyclists in this town of 820 agreed that most everything — the food, the fun, the friends — is better on RAGBRAI.

Karaoke is apparently the exception.

“The middle part was a little disturbing, but good job,” announcer Willie Farrell chided one rider’s rendition of “Puttin’ on the Ritz.”

Cyclists and spectators gathered in the center of town to hear hits from Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond and others.

Greg Lechtenberg, 35, of Brooklyn, N.Y., gave a spirited and in-tune performance of “Jack and Diane” by John Mellencamp.

Lechtenberg is riding his fourth RAGBRAI since 2000. He’s a Bettendorf native who has so far been unsuccessful in convincing any of his east coast friends to come along for the ride.

Here’s his sales pitch: “Imagine that you don’t have to worry about a single thing all week. All you have to do is get on your bike and enjoy life.”

“Why wouldn’t anybody want to do that?” he said.

This town’s RAGBRAI theme is “M*A*S*H’D in Milo,” a spinoff of a popular ’70s television show about a team of doctors who served in the Korean War.

Volunteers dressed like some of the show’s characters — Hot Lips, Radar, and Klinger.

The riders “have taken hundreds of photos with them,” said Jeff Griggs, one of the event’s organizers. “It’s been a big hit.”

Cyclists arrived later than expected because of foggy conditions near Indianola early this morning, “but once the fog started to lift, it just broke loose here,” Griggs said.

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