Livestrong for Jake

ANAMOSA, IOWA

I had wanted to ride with Scott Scudamore and his friends although they constantly stroked my ego by telling me how much stronger and faster I was. Today would be the day. I would stay with them no matter what.

We stayed together nine miles.

We camped on the outskirts of Cedar Rapids and rode to the downtown area. When we came to Czech Village they had "Breakfast on the Bridge" which was very nice. But it also meant confusion in walking across the long bridge over the Cedar River. I found two riders of Scott's group on a tandem, Nancy DeVore and Coroleen Bean and stayed with them for a couple of blocks as they tried to get the front wheel of their recumbent fixed. And did.

On the bridge crossing the Cedar River

After the repair I slipped into the Chrome Horse Saloon for an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet ($8) and never saw anyone from the group the rest of the day. I honestly tried to stay with them. No matter what.

Chrome Horse Saloon, Cedar Rapids

There were a couple of climbs coming out of Cedar Rapids which slowed many riders. I passed a rider from LIVESTRONG but kept going. At the top of the climb I decided to wait. After a few minutes and thinking I had missed her, I jumped on the bike then more LIVESTRONG riders passed including this one.

One of my favorite team buses - self-deprecating humor

This time I did not miss my opportunity. She was riding in Honor of "Normal" so I asked Eliza Hanson what Normal was. Then I told her I wanted to write on her back. I wanted her to ride for Jake. And she let me. I wrote "Jake The Hero Grecco" on her back and then left.

Eliza Hanson, Livestrong
Riding for Jake

I was surprised with the ease and my interest in riding with the cycling cancer community at RAGBRAI. Four years ago I wouldn't have wanted to ride with them and now I found myself seeking them out.

On the ride it was college spirit day. Riders were asked to wear their alma mater or favorite college jersey. With the NCAA sanctions against Penn State coming down, it wasn't a good time to be a Nittany Lion. I wore the sweater of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Arriving Mt. Vernon I suspect that every college in Iowa had a booth on the side of the streets and this was one you absolutely had to walk through. Slowly.

Mount Vernon is a beautiful town and home to Cornell College.

Camping at the Funeral Home

I arrived in Anamosa, pitched my tent next to the swimming pool -- a bad idea -- and then -- went for a ride. I had promised myself to rest some and not do a fifth straight century ride. I had a feeling that might not be good for my body. Today's ride was listed at 42 miles although we seemed to be six miles from the start point so we were at 48 by the end.

The Penitentiary

I set out to explore Anamosa. I found a penitentiary, then Riverside Cemetery, burial place of the painter, Grant Wood. 

And I found people camping in the cemetery of the burial place of Grant Wood. With RAGBRAI, anything's acceptable. And I assume this was a RAGBRAI camp site.

RAGBRAI Camping at Riverside Cemetery

Although I wasn't tired, or overly tired, I had promised myself that I would not turn a 42 mile ride into my fifth straight century ride. But my mileage of 75 gave me 500 for five days. Not too bad.

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Even Stronger Winds

MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA

I didn't wear any cancer apparel which would have come in handy today. Riding solo I came to Story City and saw the Spokes of Hope banner on the left. I hit the brakes then went over and introduced myself. 

I met Cindi and Ken Hart, "Cindi from Indy" as she says. Cindi and another rider left without me but I pulled over down the road when she had flatted so I could watch him fix her flat. (I really did offer to help but three people on a flat are two too many.)

Cindi Hart

It was another hot day (100+ degrees) day on our way to Marshalltown. Other than the brief encounter with Cindi, I met no one and just kept riding to the city. And looking to keep cool.

Cute kids selling water in McCallsburg, Iowa

Many groups or people sold water. Some gave away free ice water. The Air Force reserve had tanker trucks on the route at one location per day for free water. Residents had sprinklers next to the road and some had garden hoses and were more than willing to hose down riders who wanted drenched.

But my favorite stop was in Clemons where a sprinkler hose was stretched across the street. I removed my cell phone from my pocket then enjoyed the water.

Sprinkler hose stretched over the street in Clemons, Iowa

Arriving Marshalltown, I stopped at a convenience store and talked to the manager. I asked him where the locals ride and he told me of a river path on the levee that goes 10 miles out of town. Once set up I went for a quiet 10-mile ride and found a delightful nature center at Grimes Farm. I even climbed a steep hill, on a grass path, to an observation tower.

In Marshalltown I met Michelle Haalman, a fellow cancer survivor and friend of my sister, Brenda. She is working for Bubba's Pampered Pedalers and often buys Steelers tickets from me. It was nice to say hello.

Highest point in town
Maybe in Iowa*

After a catered dinner ($9) at the site, I went swimming in the Iowa River. The water seemed bath water warm and wasn't real refreshing. Plus there were small fish nibbling at me.

Art work on the bike trail underpass

At sunset a storm moved in. Not just any storm but a wicked storm. One hellacious wicked storm. Hunkered down in my tent, I thought the sides would tear. I'm guessing two gusts of wind hit hard. The first was 50 mph and the second 60. Who knows, they could have been 20 and 30 or 80 and 90 -- but the second was stronger than the first. If my body weight had not been in the tent it surely would have taken off.

Then lightning and thunder struck all around. This was one where you'd see the lighting and hear the thunder, almost simultaneously. Then the rain came. And I was scared. We were among trees and the fear was a branch could be struck and fall and crush us as well. And Marshalltown was the one place on RAGBRAI where they had no safe evacuation for us. No shelter in schools.

We simply waited it out. And no one got hurt although I heard of damage later.

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A note about the mileage: I forgot to reset the Garmin after the ride so it includes the first 59 miles of the next day ride. It does not include an extra mile on the levee at the end of the day when I was charging the Garmin and it wasn't on the bike. Total: 101.5.

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*It's not. Marshalltown is at 942'. The highest point is 1600'.

Strong Winds and a Strong Ride

WEBSTER CITY, IOWA

An old "Service" Station, Lake City, IA

I wore my full FUCANCER kit today, riding for Jake. I packed the tent then asked a stranger to write "JAKE GRECCO" on my calves. Lots of people write "Virgin" on their calves to indicate they are first time RAGBRAIers but from the beginning I told Scott Scudamore that I would only write Jake's name on my legs.

I saw Scott at the camp site but he wasn't ready and I rolled out at 6:15 a.m. I rode on my own for 20 miles, almost always passing people and rarely being passed. And if I was passed I always looked to see if I could jump in and make or join a paceline.

Lake City, IA
Motto is "Everything but a lake"

Pace lines were discouraged if not prohibited. I already realized that a typical RAGBRAI pace  line was one guy pulling and 5-6 guys wheel sucking. They weren't pace lines at all -- just wheel suckers looking for a free ride.

But then three guys went by me and I jumped on their wheels. It was easy to follow because they kept a steady pace with a constant cadence - no herky jerky pedaling movements. When the first guy peeled off the front and slid back he saw me on 4th wheel. Without saying a word, I slid up to 3rd wheel so he could fall in behind me. Perfect. I was part of a four-man pace line.

They were three guys from Des Moines, Brad, Pat, and Joe, later to be joined by a fourth, Jay. At Mile 52 we stopped in Dayton and ate watermelon. Without a word, we were four. I was waiting for them and they were waiting for me.

Joe, from Des Moines, Stratford, IA

We went 10 miles and turned onto the Karras Loop. This 22-mile loop was designed to allow riders to turn one day into a century. Named for the founder of RAGRBAI, John Karras, he was actually at the stopping town on the loop, Stratford, for photos or a meet and greet.

The winter day I rode at Trexlertown, Pa., featured the windiest gusty day I ever rode. But I think this day was second. None of us knew for sure but 30 mph seemed like the right measurement. And so we rode directly into 30 mph headwinds most of the way. Or a lot of the way. And still we hammered it.

Brad (green) and Pat, in Stratford, Ia.

I stopped in Stratford for lunch and had the most delicious chicken sandwich on the trip. To my surprise or amazement, Brad, Joe, and Pat did too. It meant either I still had someone to ride with or meant more miles of suffering keeping up with the pace.

At Lehigh they stopped to find Jay and I searched for the hill climb. The Register promised a hill climb with a 20-26% grade. I found it. Joe and I did it although it was supposed to be a fund raiser for the town. Lay down $5 and if you can do it in less than three minutes they give you a koozy -- a foam cover for your drinks. We did it, neither paid the $5 for a koozy but both in under the three minutes. It was a formidable climb, even in Iowa. I suspect it averaged 15% most of the way up.

It was from these guys I learned how the non-registered riders do it. Being from Iowa they explained they all know someone who knows someone who has a great aunt living in one of the towns. They contact them to pitch their tent. There are port-a-johns scattered throughout the host cities and showers everywhere - in schools and portable shower trucks mostly.  On any given day one person doesn't ride but drives to the next location with their stuff then often doubles back on their bike part way to meet their group.

(It is always scary and dangerous to meet a rider coming against the flow of traffic.)
Today Jay met us in Lehigh. As we climbed out of the river valley we dropped Pat. I was hoping, even praying, that we would sit up and wait for him but they seemed to think he wanted to ride at his own pace.

And we rode at our pace, which into a strong wind, was hard. Arriving Webster City, we did a rolling goodbye, never to see, or even really know who my friends were, again.

In Webster City we camped next to a middle school. Showers were $5 and the school served a spaghetti dinner for $8. Entertainment was by Three Dog Night, which I did not attend. I didn't want to stay up that late.

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This was my second century ride in a row. The legs held up fine with most of the damage from the hard pace into the wind. Average speed was almost 18 mph over these 100 miles which includes time walking through towns. Plus it was 100 degrees.

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RAGBRAI

SIOUX CENTER, IOWA

It's called the Des Moines Registers' Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa - aka RAGBRAI. Some cyclists want to do it every year but most every cyclist wants to attend once. The circumstances worked out that this would be the year that I rode RAGBRAI.

Logistics can be complicated but I attended with my friend and one-time veteran, Scott Scudamore, which made it easier. We drove to the finish city, Clinton, Iowa, on Friday and took Registers' Annual Great Bus Ride Across Iowa on Saturday to the start city, Sioux Center. Brancel Bicycle Charters transported our bikes in a moving van to Sioux Center.

And for me, RAGBRAI began in Sioux Center. The city center was transformed into RAGBRAI headquarters and so it began. Arriving around 4:30 p.m., I set up my tent and then went for a bike ride.

Tent City in Sioux Center

RAGBRAI is the ride across Iowa and it seemed disingenuous to not start at the Iowa border yet claim that one rode all the way across Iowa. And although it was hot, something that would dog us all week, I put two bottles of water on the bike and headed west -- searching for the South Dakota border.

Lots of Jr. High Humor and Innuendo at RAGBRAI

I found Oak Hill State Park which led to the Big Sioux River, the border between South Dakota and Iowa. There were only a few riders here and each dipped their rear wheel in the river. I didn't.

Big Sioux River. South Dakota is across the river.

I have been in 44 states but never South Dakota and wanted to cross the river. I thought about wading or swimming to the other side but there was no welcome sign.

I left the park determined to follow a road until I came to South Dakota. Heck, I might even have to ask someone for directions. But I didn't need to.

On Hwy 10 I found the crossing into South Dakota. Now I was ready to return to Sioux Center in the knowledge that I was about to bike all the way across Iowa.

Barry's start of RAGBRAI

A RAGBRAI tradition is for rookies to write VIRGIN on their calves. Part hazing but good fun. Jake the Hero Grecco was weighing heavy on my mind and I never allowed anyone to write Virgin on my calves -- only Jake's name would go on my legs.

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