One of the really great side benefits of RAGBRAI is that it showcases our state. Yes, there are miles and miles of beautiful tall corn and perfectly laid out soybean fields, but I have now visited two beautiful lakes that I have never been to before.

Both Storm Lake and Clear Lake are enormous bodies of water, and the towns have a lake resort feel to them. I have taken flip video of a grotto in one of the meeting towns but the library I’m using the Internet in is closing in about 10 minutes, so will post it tomorrow.

I left later for the ride this morning (about an hour) and found that the riders are a whole different type of rider–the slower riders and the late night partyers so it’s not so hard core. Translation: I didn’t get passed as much on the road and felt like I was keeping up! Ha!

The ride was also only 60 miles today; and the distance between towns was very short, so it went fast. Except for the last 20 miles, which consisted of a lot of headwinds and no shade. People were fading fast on the side of the road. The Smoothy Guy had the perfect location and lots of shade trees and was so popular, they ran out of smoothies! We got ours though!

Btw, thank you — a big thank you — to alumna Pam Whitmore who pays for smoothies at the Smoothie Guy for the entire week of RAGBRAI! What a welcome treat, and such a generous thing to do for the Team. We appreciate it, Pam!

I’ll post more tomorrow, but one last thing, I’m sunburned from leaving later in the day…Stick a fork in me, I’m done! But it’s much more fun because I see my fellow teammates, and the slower riders talk to you on the road.

Have a good evening, and I’ll post more tomorrow! Cheers!

T-shirt — It smells like Iowa!