Ragbrai Review

Well, my first Ragbrai was quite a bit of fun. I need to work on my riding technique, pedaling with a more consistent force. I would push up the hills then take it easy down the hills, and it took it's toll, my legs were far more tired by the end of things than they would have been if I had rode with a more consistent effort. The week of riding got my legs almost (but not quite) as tired as they were after I had ran the St Louis marathon. The week of rest will feel very good. The ol' Schwinn Le Tour held up, and I didn't get a flat along the way. I'll need to look about getting different bike shoes or some padded inserts, the bottom of my foot got very sore as I rode. Camping was all right, I packed too much stuff, will need to make a list of things I needed and things I didn't need. The food was great. We got lucky and the weather wasn't *too* hot, but I think if it is hotter, you'd just need to get up eariler and ride more in the morning, resting more in the afternoon. It would have been nice to ride with a bigger group because the three of us rarely rode together, meeting up in the next town or such. Cell Phone coverage was quite spotty, so a better plan about meeting up would have been a good idea. I'll do it again some day, but probably not next year. For the week, 497.77 miles in 33:35:36 of riding, 14.8mph, 28662 calories burned biking. 3 pork chops from Mr Pork Chop, 3 Farm Boys breakfast burritos, 10 Chris Cakes pancakes one morning, a couple dozen Clif Bars, two bottles of crown (between Marc and I), several pieces of apple pie, and gobs of other food.