RAGBRAI 40

This is the time of year that folks flock to Iowa to start the great bikeride across Iowa and it has been a tradition here for 40 years now.  This is not the first time that RAGBRAI has come across this area, I think it was here back in the late 90s but this year the bike path goes through the heart of Crabbland, after last night in Cedar Rapids and today going to Anamosa for the 40 mile trip that takes one through most of the driving place I get to.  Mount Vernon, Springville, Viole, Fairview.  It may be a while before RAGBRAI returns to this area but it is a marvel to see all these bike riders passing though this town.

Nothing much ever happens up here, last time this town made the news was when the house across the street caught fire.  And that was about 6 years ago.  The banjo barons then moved into it after it was rebuilt and stayed for a couple years but now moved a couple blocks away and so there's these rebuilders putting some cheap appliances to get somebody to buy the place which I hope stays empty a while.  And it might will if anybody who buys the place doesn't know that the septic tank needs to be brought up to code and everytime we get heavy rain the place across the streets floods in the basement anyway.

Viola has been selected as a watering hole for the bike rider, which means free water for the tiring biker who is about 3/4th of a way through this state.  Some bikers even get up at 4 AM and start making their way through the predawn light to get to Anamosa and then the journey ends when they arrive at Clinton.  But RAGBRAI 40 went through some of the towns I grew up in years ago.  Webster City was where we lived from 68 to 69.  I haven't been to Webster City since we left there and it would be cool to go up there just to see how things have changed in the 40 plus years that I lived there.  Marshalltown, on the way to Nevada, another town along the way.  I'm surprised on how this route has intertwined with this life and never thought much of it till now.

I always wanted to take part in this bike ride across the great state but got lazy in the process.  I know my folk said hell no on the first time back when this started up about doing this but then again I was 11 years old.  It's come a long way since the early years of wearing the same clothes and see who can outstink one another after 7 days of traveling in hot weather, monsoons and everything in between.  Today is perfect for a bike ride, 75 degrees, NW winds blowing at 15 to 20 miles per hour.   I did my bike riding last weekend in Madison, and almost wiped out somebody coming across a blind curve too.  Thus ending another bike riding career for another 10 years it seems.

But it is fun to sit back and watch the riders pass on through town on their destination to the host city.  But I'm sure I'm not going anywhere near Anamosa for today, maybe tomorrow too.  It was kinda hard to get around Cedar Rapids yesterday and the host town is considerably smaller and more cramped too.  But that won't stop the riders from getting there, hitting the bars and then watch some band crank out the overplayed classic rock stuff tonight before setting off their final journey to Clinton and the end of RAGBRAI 40.  It's a safe bet that RAGBRAI 41 won't be in the area and that's okay.  It will be easier to drive on the highway.

For now Crabbland is busy with all these bicyclists but it does make me wonder when the they finally dip their wheels in the Mississippi if they either bikeride all the way back to where they came from.  Or just get in the minivan and return the same way most of us do?

It boggles the mind sometimes.

PS:  My brother's best friend Chris Lent stopped by and we chatted for a spell.  He was only riding part of the trip, not the whole statewide thing.

The place was hopping with the Scary Old Men Blues Band featuring Tom Giblin on keyboards and Bryce Janey playing guitar and I forgot the harmonica player although he has a new blues CD coming out as well as the bass player.  I had a bicyclist commenting to me that for a couple folks both in the Iowa rock HOF and Blues HOF that their type of blues was very boring to hear.  Craig Erickson would later join up to jam on Barefootin' and he may have started the second set of the Blues at Viola Schoolgrounds but by then I had to get on the road and off to work.  Later on, Billy Lee Janey joined his son at Anamosa for more blues and then some.

Last time Ragbrai came through town we weren't a watering hole or playing music or serving up eggrolls and steamed seafood stuff (Yuck) so by the time I headed to work they were down the road.  This time out around 3, the bike traffic coming from Mount Vernon on the backway to Springville was still going strong and thankfully I was the last car movin on before they stopped traffic to let the bicyclists to cross the infamous 151/Springville Road turnoff.  Some of them did venture to the west to Whittier to stop at the market there and some hardy souls moved down to Waukee to F n B for beer and other things.  No word if The Blue Band was playing there (I doubt it).

Tomorrow it all ends at Clinton as the bicyclist moved on down the road from Anamosa to Lost Nation, Hale,Oxford Junction and down 136.  I'm guessing they'll be going past the 61 Drive In. And then the long trek to Clinton where it will end another ride across the state.   Watching the bike riders ride past this afternoon made me kinda wish I can join them on the trek across the state next year.  But knowing myself, I'll probably blow it off.  Anyway, it won't be in this neck of the woods.  But for weather you couldn't ask for perfect riding today.