RAGBRAI: Day 4

Before I get into today's story involving road rash and water holes, I must first tell you that as far as I'm concerned last night was the worst camping night ever on RAGBRAI. We've had noisy, stormy nights before, but never such a variety of noises for so long that allow you to sleep so little.

We left the party downtown to go back to the campsite around 8 p.m. The temperature on the bank clock said 91 degrees. Not exactly your best outdoor sleeping weather. So, although we were tired, we waited until it was really dark to even try to sleep, hoping the temperature would drop.

The Spin Doctors were giving a concert in Clear Lake. Susan wanted to go, but you had to be 21 to get in, so that was a bummer for her. Anyway, she came back to camp and we could hear the music loud and clear at the campsite. Couldn't quite make out the words to the songs, but it was loud enough to make sleep difficult. I was just starting to drop off when the concert ended and the fireworks started ... the really, really loud fireworks.

It was 10:30 p.m., I was wide awake so decided to take a trek to the port-a-potties. Even using the flashlight I managed to trip over some one's tent stake. When I got back to the tent, the fireworks were just winding down. Ah, now I can get some sleep! Wrong. Time for the local bands to start playing.

I'm not sure how long the music lasted, I think I drifted off, when the longest and loudest train whistle in the history of train travel began blowing and blowing and blowing. It sounded like the train was on a trajectory that would bring it directly through our tent.

The train whistle must have woken up the stray cat in the soybean field next to our campsite. It began howling. And then later we had a spectacular thunderstorm, with a crack of lightening that sounded extremely near. As our tent was set up directly beneath a row of trees, it was both the loudest and most disturbing noise of the evening.

The funny thing is the next morning our Charter guy, Bob, asked me if the noise from the generator kept me up last night. No, I didn't notice the generator at all, but I was a little bothered by the loud music, train whistle, howling cat and thunderstorm. I'm afraid I might be just a little testy today.

Just for the record yesterday's ride turned out to be 67 miles. I averaged 16.3 mph. Today's ride? I didn't check the stats (was supposed to be 51 miles), but I did help clean Susan's wounds after her shower. Yes, Susan took a tumble and I was right behind her when it happened, so I saw the whole thing in a weird slow motion.

Today and yesterday, Rick, Susan and I not only have been riding pacelines, but we've also done a few echelons. The idea is the same, to ride faster by drafting, but when the wind is coming from the side, the best draft isn't directly behind the bike in front of you, but to the side. The echelon takes on the form of a staggered diagonal line of riders.

So Rick was leading the echelon today. Susan was to the right, her front wheel about even with Rick's back wheel. I was to Susan's right, my front wheel also overlapping her back wheel. We were probably going around 20 mph. I don't know who moved, but I saw Rick and Susan's bikes bump off each other. Then I watched Susan's bike skid out from under her and start sliding on the pavement. It was awful.

By the time I got to her two other riders were already there asking if she was okay. Rick was directing traffic around her. Her knee was bleeding and banged up the most. She had about quarter-sized bleeding wounds on both of her elbows, and she scratched up her shoulder. For as fast as we were going I'm surprised it wasn't worse. Her bike gloves saved her hands.

Her back wheel was rubbing the brake, so a passerby who had stopped popped out the brake pads so they wouldn't rub until we could make it into town to a bike shop. The left handlebar was also badly bent in, which was mostly fixed by the same guy who simply bent it back into place.

It was scary, but also very nice that almost every rider that went by asked if we needed first aid, if Susan was okay, if we needed help. RAGBRAI riders are the best.

Luckily it was only a few miles to the next town and a bike repair stand at the side of the road. Coincidentally, right across from the bike shop was a huge pond that was the main attraction at the small town we were passing through.

Riders who were brave enough would climb the steps to a zip line that took them to the middle of the pond where they would jump in. It looked like fun and Rick told me he would be right across the street watching while I waited with Susan for her bike repair. Some of the riders would do flips or belly flop into the water and earn cheers from the crowd.

After her wheel was adjusted, Susan and I turned around to look for Rick. There were at least several hundred riders around the pond and stopped along the intersection watching the action. We couldn't find him. We road about a block into "town," this place was tiny. I called his phone and got voice mail. Heading back toward the main road, we saw him waving from the throng ringing the pond.

We all made it back to camp. Susan doesn't seem to be too bothered by her injuries, although her knee is a little swollen. Tomorrow is an 81 mile day. We all better get some sleep tonight!