Hi Everyone! Well I seemed to have gotten myself talked into helping my friend check something off of his bucket list, so it looks like I’m riding the RAGBRAI! It actually sounds like a lot of fun, but with something new comes a lot of questions. So I’m hoping someone could help me with some of these.
1. We thought about taking an RV, but it seemed like the logistics of getting the RV from point A to B each day isn’t going to work UNLESS someone has an idea.
2. There is no way I can possibly sleep on the hard ground for a week and still be able to complete the ride. Has anyone brought an air mattress or something like it with them and is there a place to blow it up? Are there any other ideas or recommenations other than an air mattress?
3. What do most people carry with them on their bikes other than the normal maintenace stuff? Do people carry a change or clothes or rain gear in a backpack?
I apologize in advance for all of the questions, but I want to make sure I’m prepared since I’m a newbie. I’m looking forward to helping my friend to meet his goal, and meeting you all out on the route.
43 Replies
Well somehow I’m going to need to find an RV driver or one of the other guys who was going to do the ride is going to back out on us. He has major neck issues and sleeping on the ground will really mess him up. He doesn’t seem up to the air mattress idea either. :o(
That being said are there people out there that could be trusted to drive an RV for you so we, as riders, don’t need to take a riding day off. That was one of the suggestions, but I honestly didn’t like it. The other was to drive to the next stop point, jump on the bike and ride back to the group and then turn around and ride with them back to the end point. YUCK!
So on one hand I would like to experience this event and have all of my riding friends come too.
spouse or significant other?
and the driving ahead to the end town, parking, and then riding the course out to meet up? well, if your ready to hear “hey, your going the wrong way” about 500 times…and you probably won’t have the time to make it as far as you want.
Very true with the going the wrong way comment.
First of all I wouldn’t trust my wife to drive the RV, plus she needs to stay back in Indiana with the kids. My son is only 11 and doesn’t quite have the legs in him to do these distances yet, but he did do a 35 mile ride last year. I just need to get the kids older and the wife into riding and we will be in good shape….of course I will still have driver issues then! :o) Argh!
ScottStoef,
Why bring sand to the beach?
cheers,
just dave
I also find this to be extremely annoying because I regard it as unsafe. The two lane roads are often filled gutter to gutter with riders all going in one direction. So when you are traveling upstream, against the flow you eat up some of the space used to accomodate thousands of riders of varying abilities and speeds. Basically you are going the wrong way on a one way street.
Salmon swim upstream to have sex and then die!
When you ride against the flow of RAGBRAI the only ones that are a problem are the “pace lines” which are over in your space and most of the time are not looking for a biker coming at them. You are always yelling “biker up”.
I also find this to be extremely annoying because I regard it as unsafe. The two lane roads are often filled gutter to gutter with riders all going in one direction. So when you are traveling upstream, against the flow you eat up some of the space used to accomodate thousands of riders of varying abilities and speeds. Basically you are going the wrong way on a one way street.
Salmon swim upstream to have sex and then die!
I’d hate to be traveling “upstream” and have one of those pacelines filled with 20 somethings come flying towards me!!! H.H. why don’t you volunteer to drive their RV, you had so much fun last year!!!!!
I’ll save a Budweiser for you, on MY CURB!!!!!
Personally, I would be leery of someone who wants to ride 470 miles (give or take), but isn’t “up” to sleeping on an air mattress. I think you’re in for a week of complaints from this guy no matter how you go.
maybe get him one of those 4-5 inch think Colman air bed/matresses and have him try it out on the floor at home. it may not be as bad as he thinks it will be. Then maybe the RV thingand finding a driver will pass.
Well we had our bi-weekly training meeting and the guy said he is not intersted in sleeping in a tent. We even tried to sell the “experience” and the advantages, albeit minimal, of going the tent route. So it sounds like no RV no ride. ARGH!!!!