dalebob
- Active 1 hour, 9 minutes ago
dalebob replied to the topic Baggers What's it like? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 5 hours, 3 minutes ago
I have heard rumors for years of a stealth ride made up of baggers who generally follow the route but ride one day later. Stories of free food, beer and camping as they cruise into the overnight towns after the horde has left. Can anyone confirm any of this, or if not, can anyone add details to the rumor? I kind of like the idea of this happening,…[Read more]
dalebob replied to the topic Thanks T.J. and crew for another fun year. in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 1 year, 5 months ago
Another example of plans not always going how you think: one of the back pocket stops was at a farm with almost no shade. Sat down with a fellow from Boston in the partial shade of a machine shed and overheard him mention the poor choice of location etc. I told him this farm was probably beautifully shaded when it was scouted out, but…[Read more]
dalebob replied to the topic Observations about the ride in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 1 year, 5 months ago
Definitely an uptick in electric assist bikes this year. Mostly older riders with knee issues (at least the ones I spoke with) but also several younger e-bikers.
dalebob replied to the topic Lost Black iPhone in the forum Lost and Found 1 year, 5 months ago
Found a phone at the Amish pie stand, left it with the farmer who said if no-one came back for it he would take to RAGBRAI lost and found. It had fingerprint lock.
dalebob replied to the topic What to pack that you cant live without in the forum Miscellaneous 1 year, 6 months ago
Dental floss for cleaning up after eating sweet corn.
dalebob replied to the topic Heat concerns in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 1 year, 6 months ago
2012 was my first RAGBRAI, after years of “It is so much fun, you will love it!” I finally gave in and rode the whole week. It was like riding into an open convection oven during the day and sleeping on hot nylon at night. But you know, it WAS fun and I did love it. It was a difficult week no doubt, but I saw people time and again helping those…[Read more]
dalebob replied to the topic How's the training? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 1 year, 7 months ago
I have several hundred indoor trainer miles so far, but outside a pathetic 200 or so. We just returned from a trip out east (Kevin, we were in East Hardwick for a few days) and am wondering if I can count the time in the car as “saddle time”? With this weather it has been tricky, not so much the cold and rain but the mud. Slippery and dangerous,…[Read more]
dalebob replied to the topic Electric assist bikes? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 1 year, 10 months ago
In what turned out to be our last correspondence, Jason and I chatted about people being grumpy on the forum and how he just takes everything in stride. I ended with ‘see you on the ride.’I hope everyone who is riding, whatever you are riding, will think about those we have lost and hold close the ones we still have. Peace all.
dalebob replied to the topic Food Question in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 1 year, 11 months ago
I always stop at Chris Cakes in the morning. Is that the one you were thinking of Mike Howe? The line is always long but it provides ample opportunity to meet and chat if that is your thing. Not sure what the coffee situation is with them as I don’t drink it, but there is usually a coffee place set up along the route in the morning also.
As far…[Read more]
dalebob replied to the topic Yes, I'm the jerk that will remove posts that are ridiculous in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 1 year, 11 months ago
Yes, thank you TJ for tending so thoughtfully to the forum. With all your other responsibilities you shouldn’t have to also babysit here, so giving the deleted poster the benefit of the doubt, here are a few alternative versions of their question.
“I have never left my car parked for a week in a town I am unfamiliar with, and I am concerned. What…[Read more]
dalebob replied to the topic A Group of Virgins with Questions/Concerns/Thoughts from the Group in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 1 year, 11 months ago
There is a rumor that there is a group of self-contained riders that actually do the opposite of your idea. They hold back and ride a day behind the crowd. I have heard stories of free food, unlimited free beer and great camping spots. Haven’t been able to confirm this, but it is an intriguing idea. Same issues with no support. I for one love the…[Read more]
dalebob replied to the topic Recumbent Riders in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 1 year, 11 months ago
Greg, welcome to the small but mighty sub-group of Recumbent Ragbrai. Hard to improve on the list from Jboz, but I would add that it is a real good idea to get in some practice riding in a group. The bigger the better. There is nothing in your post about your other riding experience so forgive me if this is old news to you. Even tho folks warned…[Read more]
dalebob replied to the topic Electric assist bikes? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 2 years ago
This has been really interesting. I sure do hope I get to meet all of you somewhere along the ride this summer. I will be easy to spot (look for the red white and blue top hat) so if you see me please say hi. Our team gets up and on the road early depending on heat and mileage. We often can be found dancing and grooving to the music in the pass…[Read more]
dalebob replied to the topic to helmet or not to helmet??? in the forum RAGBRAI XLV – 2017 2 years ago
My father rode RAGBRAI more than a dozen times and also completed the Iowa 150 cross-country ride. He never went anywhere without his helmet. Except for that one time, just a short coast to the farmers market with my mom, down the little used side street at the southern California snowbird spa they called home every winter. For whatever reason we…[Read more]
dalebob replied to the topic Electric assist bikes? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 2 years, 1 month ago
Mike,
I honestly do not know what troll bait is or how to make it, I was genuinely curious what the RAGBRAI community, at least the forum community, thought about e-bikes participating in the ride. I used the words ‘perk up the forum’ because this is usually a pretty slow time for the forum and I thought it sounded good. I have followed the e-bike…[Read more]
dalebob replied to the topic Electric assist bikes? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 2 years, 1 month ago
A few years ago I rode the Big Bam, Missouri’s first organized cross state week long bike ride. It was set up using the RAGBRAI model and was by most accounts a success. I wanted to experience a ride that hearkened back to the early RAGBRAI years, namely smaller crowds and riding through towns that had never seen a bunch of crazy bicyclists riding…[Read more]
dalebob replied to the topic Electric assist bikes? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 2 years, 1 month ago
Yes, we are team Decorah Wheelers. Two babies, Bling and Uncle Sam. I will look for you on the ride!
dalebob replied to the topic Electric assist bikes? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 2 years, 1 month ago
For me, the issue is very much one of compatibility. Using some of the previously mentioned examples: Segway on the bike trail? Not really my thing but pretty compatible. Fat bike on the ski trail? No, not compatible. One runner on Ragbrai? Not that bad. 20,000 runners on Ragbrai? Um, no. People riding ‘too fast’ on a group ride? What is too fast?…[Read more]