mcpartla
- Active 2 weeks ago
mcpartla replied to the topic Postpone RAGBRAI XLVIII to 2021?? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 2 weeks ago
Best to bike solo this year. And it can be fun. My first solo trip was in 1982 when
I did the Bi-Centenniel. I was fairly new to it, 35 years old, wore Sears sneakers and had no business being out there biking … but I made it to Missoula, Montana in 5 weeks starting from Natural Bridge, Virginia. Nothing like it and I saw the real America…[Read more]
mcpartla replied to the topic Postpone RAGBRAI XLVIII to 2021?? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 2 weeks ago
If an organized ride offers sag support the worst that can happen is you tried to ride it and failed … this time. You don’t try something because it’s too far and you’ll always regret not trying. Go for it! But wear a mask and keep a social distance.
mcpartla replied to the topic Things Not to Miss on RAGBRAI 2020 in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 3 weeks, 4 days ago
Donnellson and Primrose … I stumbled across this when looking for something else but 16 trips to Iowa and three to Alaska and I never heard of Richard Proenneke who built a log cabin with primitive tools in the wilderness (now Lake Clark National Park, Alaska) in 1968 and lived there the next 28 years. Richard is originally from Primrose and…[Read more]
mcpartla replied to the topic Postpone RAGBRAI XLVIII to 2021?? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Here’s more ‘food for thought’ on bicycling, running and walking with or near other people … even in the ‘slipstream’ with what we think is a safe distance …
mcpartla replied to the topic I'm almost 100 percent sure RAGBRAI will get cancelled in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 3 months ago
UPMC Pittsburgh announced a vaccine to cure the Corona virus and as soon as the testing is complete they can provide the massive doses needed. Say this happens within two months and not the usual 12-18 months to roll this out everywhere would you still want to ride Ragbrai in July and roll the dice that everyone you come in contact with is also…[Read more]
mcpartla replied to the topic RAGBRAI & How Does Warm Weather Kill Off the Coronavirus? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 3 months, 1 week ago
Let’s say it will be over, hope for the best and pretend we made our very greatest effort and surely it will be so for us.
mcpartla replied to the topic RAGBRAI & How Does Warm Weather Kill Off the Coronavirus? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 3 months, 1 week ago
Ride on but solo.
mcpartla replied to the topic RAGBRAI & How Does Warm Weather Kill Off the Coronavirus? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 3 months, 1 week ago
Think about it … a virus that is infecting and killing people that can be stopped in its tracks if we only stop meeting other people. Germany announced no more than two people should get together meeting. Two people … are we in the Twilight Zone? No cure in sight. Spring Breakers ignoring the guidelines and seniors on Ragbrai so tough…[Read more]
mcpartla replied to the topic RAGBRAI & How Does Warm Weather Kill Off the Coronavirus? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 3 months, 1 week ago
I disagree … politics belongs in our conversation and letting this fool off the hook until the crisis blows over is just wrong because it’s been a crisis since he got into the office. Guy’s a crook and serial liar who didn’t know how to run a business much less lead a country.
mcpartla replied to the topic RAGBRAI & How Does Warm Weather Kill Off the Coronavirus? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 3 months, 1 week ago
I agree and under ordinary circumstances I’d count on Ragbrai officials and my own good health and precautions to stay healthy but seeing what is happening first hand as The Florida Keyes shuts down and the little testing our government is capable of we simply have no way to measure the scope of the infection or know who has the virus. Telling u…[Read more]
mcpartla replied to the topic Refunds of Registration Fees if RAGBRAI is Cancelled in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 3 months, 2 weeks ago
It’s not just “us” taking the risk but everyone we come in contact with because we might not show symptoms but still be infected and spread the disease. How big is the risk? Listen to the real authorities … doctors and scientists … and avoid large gatherings of people in the coming days, weeks, months. Take the lead in this fight by stayi…[Read more]
mcpartla replied to the topic Refunds of Registration Fees if RAGBRAI is Cancelled in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Given the current crisis and the fact that a potential cure is a minimum of 18 months away and the extreme measures most Governor’s and local authorities are taking to protect us it would be irresponsible to hold an event in July attended by thousands of people from all over the world. We participants who already registered should email…[Read more]
mcpartla replied to the topic RAGBRAI & How Does Warm Weather Kill Off the Coronavirus? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 3 months, 2 weeks ago
I agree … Ragbrai needs to get the word out on how they will protect thousands of people … better education for all the vendors … maybe they wear plastic gloves and hand us the cold beverages rather than each of us sticking our hands in and contaminating the product. Lots more hand wash stations and cleansers. I’ll be carrying my own g…[Read more]
mcpartla replied to the topic RAGBRAI & How Does Warm Weather Kill Off the Coronavirus? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 3 months, 2 weeks ago
This is a serious question and like most people I’ve been listening to the experts in the news and heat, humidity and sunlight does kill viruses. The 1918 Spanish virus killed millions but most between September and December and then it subsided. But viruses are also devious and quickly mutate.
Personally, I’m probably going to be at Rag…[Read more]
mcpartla replied to the topic Things Not to Miss on RAGBRAI 2020 in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 5 months ago
Ragbrai is limited to 7500 week long riders and 2500 who buy daily tickets but the last couple of years charters report the registered riders exceed this number by far and then there are the many who do not bother to register since the roads are free.
And I’ve heard some of the pass through towns attempted to count the total number and it was m…[Read more]
mcpartla started the topic Things Not to Miss on RAGBRAI 2020 in the forum RAGBRAI XLVIII – 2020 5 months, 1 week ago
I’m looking for additional ideas on places to be sure not to miss on our 2020 route. I jotted down highlights at each over night town to get this started … Le Mars, Storm Lake, Fort Dodge, Iowa Falls, Waterloo, Anamosa, Maquoketa and Clinton and pulled what I could from the web. Suggestions can be historical, scenic, interesting or whatever…[Read more]
mcpartla replied to the topic Ride the Rockies 2020 in the forum Gatherings & Meetings 5 months, 1 week ago
I did Ride the Rockies in 2005 and 2006 … spectacular scenery but you had to really look out because there were plenty of fast, experienced riders and pace lines 50-60 mph downhills were the norm. I also saw the results of some serious crashes. One rider was taken out in the dead of night by an ambulance crew and no one knew who he was or what…[Read more]
mcpartla replied to the topic E-Bikers, A Few Etiquette Improvements in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Your suggestion for a “Guide on RAGBRAI’s website would help”. By this I assume you mean something for e-bicycle participants? What would you suggest putting here … e-bikers are expected to bike safely and give the usual “On Your Left” when passing? Or how about “E-bicyclists are expected to follow all the standard traffic laws and rules as…[Read more]
mcpartla replied to the topic How many counties have you visited? in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Interesting … 2004 to 2018 I must have hit all 99 counties in Iowa and now I’m wondering how many towns and cities are in Iowa and how many have I biked? Must be a bunch. Last year I put together a list by city/town of highlights from my past Ragbrais and the highlight of interesting things to see in each which I used as a guide to travel to v…[Read more]
mcpartla replied to the topic E-Bikers, A Few Etiquette Improvements in the forum RAGBRAI XLVII – 2019 5 months, 2 weeks ago
Trek … “A Little More” …