Hot and hotter. But better than last year...long day, the team makes frequent stops, at a pub in every town. All good folks, and we are having fun. Just some random pictures, I'll edit later...I'm looking for dinner.
And yes, they let is cool of in the better truck!
Easy drive to Iowa. There is a tavern next to my hotel, Tofher's. I meet a few other RAGBRAI groups, but the town is mostly quiet tonight, tomorrow gets crazy. There are a lot of nice folks here.
I meet Doug, who is on his 39th RAGBRAI...he missed number 1. Many have done 30+ RAGBRAI!
And I feel like a wuss, groups cycled in from Clinton and Des Moines to get here and will bike bike home, figure 900 miles round trip! I'm really impressed...here are some pics of the folks I met, and I have a cool shirt.
I've been packing for a few nights, just finished loading the Mini. Heading out tomorrow at the crack of dark...about 600 miles to Sioux Center. Will spend the night in a hotel and meet up with team LiveRstong midday on Saturday. We'll camp at a home on Saturday night...folks are letting us stay and use the bathroom and shower, there are very nice folks in Iowa!
Pictures of the packed Mini. Taking 2 cases of Avery Joe's pilsner, the team beer is Bud light I think, so I'm bringing some good session beer!
Woo hoo! Can't wait for the heat and humidity...and pork chops, and corn and pie, and ice cream floats, and food on a stick and 10,000 other crazy people!
More tomorrow...
Been too busy to post. Tuesday I biked 25 miles, very scenic but lots of hills. Took pictures of wildflowers. In the afternoon we took a 3 hour kayak tour. Kris and I did well, we saw seals and the weather was perfect. Dinner in last night, appetizers...we just chilled. Took a picture of a cool beer shirt at the Marina.
Today I got about 30-35 miles in, parts were very hilly. Found out one section is called the wall, about 15 percent incline, I used the granny gear, but made it up fine. Not the Morgul Bismark, but still cool. We did some browsing/shopping. Stopped at a local place that sells home spun yarn and goat meat. A combination that has to appeal to most everyone!
Out to dinner tonight, hope there is goat on the menu!
An update...we had a nice time in Victoria. The B&B was very nice, in a quiet neighborhood a medium walk into town. We had a couple of nice dinners. Heron Rock Cafe and Cafe Brio. Kris and I found a seafood place with a "buck a shuck" oyster happy hour. I had a couple of new IPAs at a local pub. The owner is not a Leafs fan.
I got in a 100 km ride on Friday around Victoria and up to Sydney. Pretty ride. They have some nice bike routes.
We had a beautiful sunset last night. And we met Triffen, Jesse and Kat's three legged dog. We fly home tonight.
Last night we stayed near Anecortes so we could get to the ferry early. The trip started a little foggy but cleared right up and we had nice views. Orcas is very nice and the weather is great, warm and sunny. We drove to Eastsound, the biggest town on the island to get groceries. We took a trip to Moran Park and went to the summit which has a tower built by the CCC in the 30s.
I picked up a rental bike in Eastsound and biked back to our house near orcas village. The area is pretty hilly, and with a heavy rental bike it was a good ride. They have special cut outs for bikes along the roads at the top of hills.
Pictures from the ferry and the view from our house on Diamond Hill.
Ed cooked ribs on the grill for Saturday dinner, and we started with home grown oysters he raises off the front deck. After dinner went took a boat ride up and down Salmon Beach. Met some some Okies visiting one of neighbors.
There is a photo of the 212 steps down to the beach. We've been taking the steep path, a long walk up hill.
Ed's home looks out on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the newest replacement for the original bridge that shook apart shortly after it opened in 1940 due to vibrations from the wind.
Kris and I made it to her brother's house in Tacoma. Weather is great, sunny and a little cooler than we have been having in Colorado!
We're gonna hang around today and head up to Anecortes tomorrow and spend the night to get an early ferry to Orcas Island Monday morning. There will be five of us, Ed and his wife Chris, and Kris' sister Julie.
Here is a picture of part of Salmon Beach and a picture across the Sound toward Gig Harbor from Ed's front deck.
