Ragbrai - Day #2

My return home --Doug and the kids were very excited for me, but Kate was the only one that wanted to be photographed (-:
Really, another hill???? Then another, then another, I did not think they were ever going to end!

I cannot think of a more beautiful way to start the morning, this does not even do the sunrise justice......

I began day #2 with just a little stiffness in my knees (especially the left one, and a bit of a sore hiney) but I was just so excited to embark on the day....."let it ride" literally could have been my slogan! I left home around 0545, making it to my bike around 0615 and taking off. The sunrise was beautiful Thursday morning, it was much warmer, and more humid than the day before, but I was still looking forward to the challenge of tackling another day on the bike. You would have thought I started out on a bit of a wrong foot, since I left my water bottle at home in the frig.....but I grabbed one at the convenience store and just filled that all day long! Within the first 10 miles or so, we experienced a few hills, then they just kept getting bigger and bigger!

The storm clouds rolled in, it kept getting darker in the Northwest, the head winds picked up a bit, raindrops felt like little pellets against my face and body...but I continued on. Around mile 15, I witnessed a bit of a crash in front of me. A guy went OTB straight down on his left shoulder, then rolled into the ditch. LUCKILY we were going slightly up hill at the time, so his speed was not excessive, but WOW, did that startle me! I stopped to see if he was OK along with 3 other guys and he had plenty of help, so I moved on.....all the while, thanking/praising God for my safety for the day prior and currently and also knowing that "I can do all things thru him who gives me strength".....Phil. 4:13.

The hills did not quit....it was CRAZY!!! As hard as it was to climb to the top, flying down the hill at speeds of 23-27 mph should be more fun - but I think that at age 38 instead of 8, I just focus on keeping my tires straight, clear of others and pray for safety! It is a little fun though (-:

With the rain, heat, & humidity, everything was compiling into a true trifecta. The "perfect Ragbrai" day for me......I mean really, as long as I still considered this to be the most fun torture that I could ever put myself though, I was good, and I was still having fun, believe it or not!

I traveled onto the last stop, a few miles from Grinnell, with the end in sight and I could not help but grin a bit.....I had MADE IT -- Two days!!! I know that there are people all over the nation completing the entire week...6/7 nights in a tent, pedaling close to 500 miles some years, not sleeping well, eating irregular meals all week, etc.,. and I commend them all for what they have accomplished. Complete amazing! As for me, I choose to just approach this one with "baby steps" adding a day each year as long as my knees hold out!!

The perfect ending of the day was seeing Doug, Kate and Ben at the finish grinning, cheering and ready to give me the biggest HUGS ever! My trip for day #2 was complete........