My son (18 yo) and I (48 female) are vascillating whether we should attempt this. I feel as though I have biked enough to be able to complete it, although it won’t be pretty. I have biked about 60-100 miles a week (closer to 60-70, with only a few 100) for about 12 weeks. My longest ride is 60 miles. It was not a struggle. And I have biked five days in a row of 20 miles a day. My son has done significantly less, biking only 2-3 times a week, but easily completed a 50 mile bike, and he has youth on his side. Are all 10,000+ riders completely fit and training like crazy? Are there a significant number of riders who really are just recreational riders? What is the least amount of training you would attempt RAGBRAI on? Any input would be appreciated as we need to make a decision whether to do this or not.
July 20 - 27, 2024
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35 Replies
oh, yea, obviously it is my first RAGBRAI. I am doing it with my sister that lives in Iowa and is a veteran ragbrai rider. and oh yes….I have my butt’r packed!
I find the riding is not the hard part, the camping is. When at home it’s nice to come home to a shower and AC. But on RAGBRAI you are out in the elements 24-7 for the entire week. And there is so much to see and do in the over night towns, you don’t really get the rest you should. But you will survive and have a blast.
No worries, I am 48 and have done the last couple years with the same or less training than you have done. You will be fine. Just take your time enjoy the sites and keep plugging along. The miles go by quickly and before you know it you are almost done. You two enjoy yourself. I have done it with my teen kids and just make then wait for me at each town so we can kind of ride together and I carry the cash!!
Love all the comments. Thank you. I am feeling much better and we are really starting to get excited about this last hurrah before he heads off to college.
The best way to answer this is to relate the following story of the time I had met Ben Davidson. Please keep in mind that although this was approx 15 years ago, even then I was “built for comfort, not speed”, as someone so tactfully put it.
Anyhoo, it was one the years when RAGBRAI was going to past the Sutliff Bridge area. I had just pulled up to the roadside store/bar near the bridge and was on my way in; Ben Davidson was on his way out. Grasping me by the shoulder, he said, in his gravelly voice, “C’mon in here with me” (like I had a choice, right?). We went inside and he steered me through the crowd toward a couple of locals, in their seed-corn hats and bib overalls. Giving me a gentle — by his standards anyway — shove out into the open he then said, “See? You don’t have to be in shape to do this bike ride”.
And you know something? He was, and still is right!! This ain’t the TdF or a brevet ride, or even a Gran Fondo. It’s RAGBRAI, and it’s your vacation. Treat it as such.
-“BB”-
I am so looking forward to this as a first timer. I’ve been doing a decent amount of training as I feel the better prepared I am, the more fun it will be. Still, I don’t know that I’m prepared for the elements. I come home after a long ride and take a nap on the sofa in the AC. I won’t have that luxury at RAGBRAI. Still I look forward to the challenge and the opportunity to make new friends and meet new people…and eat delicious home-baked pies. :)
Ben was really something wasn’t he Beebs! You just could not miss him. My brush with fame was when he held a garden hose for me so that I could rinse off before getting on the bus to return home. Gravely voice describes him perfectly.
RIDE RIGHT
H.H. be careful you don’t get stepped on!!!
I’m glad to see this post getting so much warm attention as it’s our 1st RAG too. Wife and I did our first ever 75 mile (which, thanks to my map skills and road construction, turned into 83 miles) and ended the day hot, ready for a shower, but nowhere near dead.
We were talking to some nice police officers at a gas station along the route about BIX and Ragbrai and they made it sound like if we weren’t in by noon every day we’d be one of the last to arrive. I was pretty sure he was off, but I don’t make a habit to correct officers, even if it’s just polite conversation.
Nevertheless, still made me wonder if I was being a bit naive about the pace of Ragbrai. We’ll log 1,450 miles and we’re comfortable at a 12-14mph average pace. I’m chompin-at-the-bit excited for next-next week!
Graceland, he is way off!!!! Count on people being out on the road till sunset and sometimes beyond!!!!! Most riders will get into the overnight towns well after noon!!!!
don’t worry, if I’m 1/2 way by noon I might be ahead of schedule. Plenty of people out in the afternoon but it’s not white line to white line packed like it is early. I’m usually in around 6-7.
The register “Closes” the pass through towns based on a 10 mph average, so a town 20 miles from the overnight would “close” at 4:00. and by close, they shut down the beverage garden and a lot of the food stands start packing up. Some bars won’t let anyone enter for maybe a 1/2 hour, either because the highway patrol are trying to get people to leave or they are at capacity.
Rode my first RAGBRAI in 2003 when I was 47…this will be number 9 in a row for me, so if I can do it that many years you won’t have an issue. I’ve survived 1 crash, green hair and green toenails, being “powdered” by Team Gold Bond, 1 bad case of saddle sores, a leaky tent, a deflated air mattress, Bloody Marys at 8am, Pizza Ranch buffets, multiple GIANT Tenderloins, and of course an annual stop with Mr. Pork Chop. I will admit I am a high profile vehicle (6’4″, 225) so wind and hills are my enemy but I wouldn’t miss it for the world! I start counting down for the next RAGBRAI the Sunday after we’ve completed…Ride Hard, Party Harder!
Hey Stuck! This is my 9th RAG too!! We’ll have to celebrate our mutual anniversaries! And since Brewhaha and Gold Bond are teaming up this year, you can get powdered every day!! Something to look forward to.
I have done summer tours with a number of teenagers, some of whom only ride their bike one week a year. The biggest challenge with teenagers who lack experience is getting them to eat and drink properly. While water is good and cheap they will want Gatorade. Be sure the kid has a few bucks stuffed in his pocket each day to buy food and fluids.
Make a plan on how you will meet up in the pass through towns as the kid will want to ride ahead and not hang out with his slow poke mom (no offense). Your plan to meet up should not include the use of a cell phone as cell service can be spotty. Let him have some freedom and ride ahead, you will have plenty of time to get on each others nerves at the overnight camp.
As tempting and fun as pacelines and drafting look you both should absolutely avoid getting in one. This is not the place to learn how to ride in a paceline even if you are only following a couple of riders. Pacelines and drafting can be fun and safe but you need some practice and experience prior to joining the masses in Iowa. I will be riding in a paceline myself but I also have a few decades of riding experience too.