RAGBRAI…and Pork?

RAGBRAI or more precisely, the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, is coming up in just 163 days, 14 hours, 19 minutes, 40 seconds as I write this post. I bring it up because I’m seriously considering taking in Iowa for my vacation this year. Yes it sounds nuts, but one must do something. Moving West to East across Iowa here are the figures for each day: MILEAGE AND CLIMB Day 1 — 64.2 miles 4,946 climb Day 2 — 65.4 miles 4,798 climb Day 3 — 70.9 miles 1,784 climb Day 4 — 56.1 miles 1,246 climb Day 5 — 57.5 miles 3,294 climb Day 6 — 75.3 miles 2,800 climb Day 7 — 64.8 miles 2,338 climb Total — 454.2 miles 21,206 climb In case you are interested that as much climbing as it would take to scale Illimani in Bolivia. Wow. Actually I’m considering it for reasons other than that somewhat tenuous connection to Bolivia, however attractive that may be. Pork. How’s that? Did I say pork? Yep. A friend of mine highly recommends RAGBRAI and her friends at Pork Belly Ventures who run sort of a RAGBRAI catering service. They’ll feed you every so often, take you too and from the starting point, and rent you a tent every night. I like the idea. I’ve already been in contact with them and even if i don’t manage it this year (and I’d really like to do this), they seem like good folks. Check ’em out. Aloha!