RAGBRAI 2024: Training and Travel to Iowa
Training and Travel to Iowa
Friends of Scouting and all of my friends,
This is going to be about my training for RAGBRAI and traveling to Iowa to get started on this year’s ride — my 39th ride across Iowa. We start on July 20, 2024, in Glenwood, Iowa and end on July 27, 2024, in Burlington, Iowa – 424 miles later. The overnight towns this year are Glenwood, Red Oak, Atlantic, Winterset, Knoxville, Ottumwa, Mt. Pleasant, and Burlington. Winterset is the home of the Delicious Apple and John Wayne. Ottumwa is the home of Radar O’Riley from M*A*S*H. Mt. Pleasant holds the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion and is the home of the Threshers Heritage Museum — they have barns full of threshing machines from the early 1900s.
My training rides started regularly in January, 2024. The first thing I did was gather some long sleeve jerseys, and then I bought a pair of insulated shorts so that I could ride with reasonable comfort this year. I changed from my original plan to ride an almost car-free street ride along the Scottsdale greenbelt and Indian Bend Wash, which is 11 miles from top to bottom. I rode along the Salt River Trail from Dobson to 15th Avenue, which is 12 1/2 miles and has absolutely no cars. From there, South Mountain has very few cars, and the ride to Lookout Point has no cars at all. The decision for a car-free ride was made since I have had two friends die in bicycle/car collisions over the last three years, and I do not want to be hit.
By starting my rides early, I not only avoid traffic, but I’ve had the opportunity to see the wonderful wildlife along the way. Just this past week. I saw coyotes, roadrunners, a barn owl, quail, hawks, ducks, and geese.
Another change was I bought a new bike, which is a nice Trek that rides on wider and softer tires. This gives me more confidence on cracks, concrete, and rough roads.
I am also losing weight! I am down to 175 pounds, still shooting for 160 pounds. I am thrilled with this weight loss, as not too long ago, I was 215 pounds. I think most of my weight loss is because of my high activity level — not because I’m on any extreme diet. I try to consume 100 calories an hour as recommended by my trainer.
I have been training in hot weather (above 88 degrees) and cool weather (below 62 degrees). Between 62 degrees and 88 degrees, my rides are the most pleasant. Before the 4th of July, all of my rides were in cool weather, and all of my riding since July 7, 2024 has been in hot weather. From June 27, 2024 to July 7, 2024, I rode in Colorado around the Durango area. Actually, my first Colorado ride of 2024 was a 20-mile round loop from Ignacio, CO to Bayfield, CO and back. Along with my family, I then focused on the 4th of July and attended the Bayfield parade and fireworks in the evening.
After the 4th of July, I rode 8 1/2 miles through the center of Durango along the Animas River and back, a total of 17 mile round trip. Along the river, there are plenty of rafters. I rode aside the railroad track and took several photos of the train show. Home Depot was on the south end, and Oxbow Park is on the north trail. The ride was mostly on concrete, 12 feet wide, and I viewed the spectacular hanging bridges.
The first time I rode this route, I did one round-trip — the second time, I rode one and a half round-trips. The next time, I rode a round trip again, and the last time I rode two round trips — 33 miles total. On each of these occasions, I saw the Train Narrow Gauge Railroad Show. On the round trip, I saw two types of trains at the exact same place – the first of which was pulled by a diesel engine. The second train was pulled by a coal fire engine.
When I returned home to Phoenix, I moved my schedule up to 4 am due to the heat. Some days it is too hot to ride at 6 am, but other days, I stay cool enough to ride until 8 am or 9 am.
Before I left for Iowa, I believe I had enough mileage in to ride the 424 mile route at RAGBRAI, but I am not at all sure I have enough elevation gain in for the 18,300 feet I will need to climb during the ride.
We have a campsite night in Glenwood, Iowa, and take off early on Sunday morning to Red Oak (41.9 miles; 2,435 feet of climb). The temperature forecast is in the low 80s, and if we take off on time, we should be done right before the heat of the day. The plan is to send you another e-mail update on Monday afternoon to tell you about Glenwood and Red Oak and what I saw along the ride.
Please don’t forget Minden, Iowa, as the need is so great for Minden to recover after it was hit by a devastating tornado on April 26, 2024. My follow bike riders have donated about $27,000 toward the cleanup and rebuilding after the tornado.
Make your donation by sending a check payable to Midstates Bank, Minden Relief Fund, and mail it to Pete Phillips, care of Pork Belly Ventures, 412 Forest Glen Drive, Council Bluffs, IA 51503.
Of course, please keep the Boy Scouts Grand Canyon Council in mind when making your donations.
https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/donor-form/?svcid=renxt&formId=0d090855-8e68-42eb-a3fd-42bc706dc005&envid=p-HRoRmMi1N0adpkmIGOR8eg&zone=usa
Thanks for your support!
Sam Kelsall