Gypsy Rose said: When I first rode RAGBRAI in 1980, my 14-month-old daughter rode shotgun behind me with Pooh Bear and her juice bottle attached by strings. Great fun, including the 114-mile day from Webster City to Waverly. We rode again in 1981 (ah, yes, through Soggy Monday). I still remember those days of Desiree kicking the backs of my legs urging, “Faster, Daddy, faster!”
I thought I’d be back on a regular basis, but it’s been 30 years since my last RAGBRAI. Well, it’s time to return and I’m very excited about riding RAGBRAI XXXIX. It’ll be interesting to see what’s changed in that time, particularly since the first three overnight towns for this year’s ride are the same as my first 1980 ride. Desiree won’t be with me this time, but my guess is that RAGBRAI hasn’t seen the last of her, either.
I’ll be hopping off an Amtrak train in Omaha on July 22nd and will dip my wheels in the Missouri en route to Glenwood on the 23rd. Looking forward to a wonderful week and the start of many new friendships in July!
Welcome aboard, Gypsy Rose!! I was on RAGBRAI back in 1980 — do you remember the little town of Cooper? — and 1981, although I bailed out of Soggy Monday at Schleswig. I tried to hole up and let it rain itself out (as you know, it didn’t) and wound up getting an offer I couldn’t refuse.
Don’t be a stranger on these boards; stop in and put in your two cents worth. And don’t worry if you’ve got nothing important to say; that never stops anybody else! By the time the end of July rolls around, you’ll have more new friends to watch out for than you could shake a stick at.
-“BB”-
