Cool things on RAGBRAI:

You baggers. You guys rock.  Thanks for the water, whoever that bagger who had the house that was on Old Highway 92. I'm bad with names and insecure at times.  I was off the course and out of water and was worrying I was going to have to go to a muddy stream, when your little oasis popped up. 

Those so utterly physically conditioned baggers hauling rigs that had to be much heavier than what I was carrying, and passing me effortlessly.   The smiles and nods, that I got from you baggers on the days I rode.  

You definitely give me something to look up and aspire to. 

New Years Resolutions...

PIGEONWOBBLE.GIF

And then the sun came out and melted all the snow away, long enough to turn the trails into a muddy morass,  before the temperatures dropped back down into the single digits, freezing ruts, footprints, and what snow-ice remained into hard ugly stuff.  But dry ugly stuff, and that's conditions enough for the Pigeon to come out of  hibernation and get me to work.  Single speed still feels achingly more efficient and connected than any of  my hub gear bikes.

I was gifted a Garmin Edge 200 GPS bike computer for the holidays, and I love it. No wires or anything, just turn it on, and it picks up the satellites in 10 seconds, and provides climb, average speed, speed, odometer, all of that stuff. It came with two mounts, so I can just stick it on whichever bike, or even just keep it in my pocket, as I ride, so the miles add up.  I really just care about the odometer...

So my resolution is try and do 1000 miles before RAGBRAI.  And hopefully if conditions permit, to attend that ride, and bike across the merry land of Iowa, self supported. (excepting water and food of course)  This shouldn't be too hard.

Last year, my resolution was to do 500 miles.  I picked 500 because it seemed big and impressive but not unobtainable. I honestly had no idea just how much riding I would be doing, I had only gotten a simple wired cateye computer on the Felt, and had put 124 miles on it before January 2012.   I rode 2012 with the Cateye only on the Felt, and missed counting any of my Flying Pigeon or Kruisframe miles.  I made 624 miles on the Felt alone by August or so.  On the Pigeon and Kruisframe, I made five or six 50+ mile trips, and lots more regular commuting.  So I'm thinking I probably ended up towards 1500 miles, casually.

I just want to make sure I can string 80 mile days back to back and enjoy myself.  Pack light and just go.