running, running into friends, and a little bit of peer pressure

Last night I ran six miles through DC, four with Ingrid.

On my solo run to pick her up at her apartment, I ran into my good friend Ben. We don’t see each other nearly enough these days so we scheduled our next available hangout time (not until October), talked for a few minutes, and then went our own ways. After seeing him, I thought about 1. How I miss him and it’s hard to be an adult and see your friends so much less often than you’d like to and 2. How I need to really get good at my powers of peer pressure this year with all of the people, Ben included, that I am trying to convince to ride Ragbrai 2012. I am going to make a power point that will make everyone fall in love with the idea of riding their bikes 450 miles across Iowa. Watch out world, Carrie and your bike seat are out to getcha!

Tonight I have a date with two people who will probably never fall in love with that idea: Sarah and Hadley. However, I just recently learned that they are swimmers so they are going to somehow make me fall in love with swimming for sport. It is TBD whether we will actually be swimming on our date tonight or whether that will happen later. But I have a bunched up sports bra and bathing suit bottom in my purse in case we have the opportunity!

How do you convince your friends to join you in something that you know they will love? Is a little bit of healthy peer pressure acceptable? Do you want me to try and peer pressure you too?

Camping in Shenandoah

As you may remember, one of the many exciting, active things on my list of 25 things to do before I turn 25 is to set foot on the Appalachian Trail. Well, I am embarrassed to report that I was within a mile of the trail this weekend and was too oblivious to accomplish the goal. But don’t worry, this is nothing but inspiration for another weekend in the mountains.

This past weekend, Josh decided to go for an unconventional birthday party and dragged four friends (and me) into the woods. We reserved a site at Big Meadows Campground in Shenandoah National Park. As a way of getting away from DC, hanging out in sweats all weekend with friends, and eating and drinking around a campfire, this was perfect. But as a way of “roughing it”, it was not. There were lots of RVs and kids running around.

The campsites were big grassy lawns with a driveway, fire pit, and picnic table. But we made the most of it. And, despite the mocking of the “Rent an RV”s and campers with iPads, we ended up spending almost every minute of it at our campsite. Laughing, playing cards, drinking, eating, singing (happy birthday), and cozying up in LONG sleeves and pants (best part of all).

Somehow the days got away from us before I even read the brochure we were handed by a ranger on our way in. Finally, as we headed home along skyline drive, I read about all of the hiking, swimming, and gazing opportunities in the park and was filled with some regret for not taking advantage of any of them. And then, when I discovered that we had slept within a mile of the Appalachian Trail, I decided that regret is a waste of time. So instead, Josh and I plan to return to Shenandoah and stay in a tents-only site in the woods. We will have at least two nights there so we can spend a full day hiking, finding the trail, taking pictures, and maybe even seeing some animals (just not bears!).

Don’t get me wrong, this trip was awesome. It was my first time sleeping in a tent since Ragbrai 2010 and that made me nostalgic. And it was yet another excuse to try and convince everyone in my tent to DO RAGBRAI 2012. Hear that Nikki? I’m talking to you! Even more than a weekend at Big Meadows, a week of biking across Iowa will be the experience of a lifetime!

Happy Birthday weekend to Josh and happy Appalachian Trail dreaming to me!

Ragbrai Aftermath: School Colors

Now that my parents are back in the real world, they finally got around to sending me pictures of the masses in their college spirit. I'm sad not to see any gator gear but there is some SEC represented. And my parents look very good in their colors.

Next year I can't wait to paint the crowd blue and orange!

Ragbrai Day 7: The end

If you're riding Ragbrai today, you are probably sad that it's over. You may be ready to give your butt and legs a break for a while. Or you may be ready for a good night's sleep before you finish your long ride across this vast country. But either way, you're surely going to miss the madness, the unique spirit and energy that doesn't really exist elsewhere. You have a substantial, hilly, 65.6 miles ahead of you, though, so enjoy it while you can!

Though we're missing it at the end, Josh and I are doing a great job of honoring Ragbrai this weekend, as we spent last night riding bikes until it was time for bed and woke up this morning to get out and ride some more. We spontaneously decided yesterday, to ride down to the Lincoln Memorial to meet Ingrid and David on their walk among the monuments. We rode through dusk on the Rock Creek bike path and, all of a sudden, this emerged:

It was a beautiful, windy night in the city and it gave me such a special feeling. I live in the Nation's Capital and it is an unbelievable thing, something I take for granted far too often. And I live here with some of my best friends. Though it would have been cool to be biking in Iowa, I truly can not think of a better way to have spent the night. It mostly consisted of Ingrid, David, and I, lying around like this:

Big Legs. All the better to ride a bike with.

While Josh stood around and took pretty pictures like these:

Now, we're off to test the soreness of our butts on our long-awaited ride to Gravelly Point. We were going to be joined by a bigger crowd but people had bed bugs to exterminate, work to do, or fear of the heat to succumb to. So it's a date. We are bringing a football, a picnic of grapes, olives and camembert, and a shit-ton of water. And hopefully we'll find some of that unique madness and spirit on the trail.

We will be thinking of those on Ragbrai, as I live vicariously for one final day. This week of imaginary Ragbrai participation my seem weird to some of you and that's ok. Like father, like daughter. Enjoy the ride !!

Ragbrai Day 6: GO GATORS

Last year on Ragbrai, my parents and I planned a day to wear our college jerseys.

 As my mom and I were riding, I said that it would be cool if they had a designated day for everyone to show their school spirit. Because there are so many Iowa and Iowa State Jerseys, and plenty of other out-of-state ones, sported throughout the week. And Ragbrai is peppy enough as is, why not just through a little pep rally rivalry day in the mix? She said that I should include in my "suggestions" after the ride. Well, I never did that, but I guess there were other people thinking what I was thinking. Because this year they created college spirit day. And it is today!

I, total dork that I am, am showing my own, work appropriate, college spirit today. It's no bike jersey, and its symbol will be known by no one that sees it (besides maybe my readers) but it is meaningful to me.

I am a part of the action, in spirit at least. I am still waiting for my parents, who are truly a part of the action, to send me photos of the masses in uniform. I'll take their being so out of touch as a sign of how much fun they're having.

Those of us who aren't on Ragbrai 2011 can have fun too though! Tomorrow, I'll be on a bike ride in DC with friends and maybe we'll even dip our front tires in the Potomac River. Maybe we'll have to dip our whole bodies in to survive the heat.

I hope you're feeling a dose of spirit on this hot and sunny Friday!

Ragbrai Day 5: Tail or Head

Let me share with you an e-mail that my mom sent me this morning:

Yesterday, we followed team WIND... their motto: 'looking for tail, but we'll take head..." Ha ha, we've had some of both today (wind that is...)

 

Those weirdo mid-westerners are just the best. And the Shaws fit right in. Not only did they  follow team WIND, but they created their own little Ragbrai ride from the Des Moines Airport, where they dropped off their rental car, to their campsite in Algoona, 17 miles away. They rode through downtown to see the capitol building, where my grandma spent much of her career.

 

From

 

Did you know that my grandmother, Elizabeth Orr Shaw, was the first woman in the Iowa State Legislature?! She was also a babe.

Anyway, I am envious of Betsy and Sandy's detour yesterday. Of all the times I've been to Iowa, I've never seen Des Moines (Days Mwehhns- nasal) and I'd really like to. The beauty of this capitol building, especially, spiked my curiosity so I went searching and found some cool stuff at Living Downtown Des Moines. Maybe my mom wasn't so crazy when she suggested I move to Iowa and make Ragbrai hire me. I mean still pretty crazy, but less so than I thought.

But enough about yesterday and Shaw family history. We're on to Day 5. I think I'd be sad that the ride was nearing it's end. But not too sad to pee in corn fields, drink beers while biking, and eat weird parts of cow and pig. Maybe I'd be experiencing some tail or head...

 

See you tomorrow! It's college Jersey day so get ready to show some school spirit!!

Ragbrai Day 4: Downhill in the Rain?

It's Wednesday and it's a pretty short day with very much downhill riding. Probably a relief in the middle of the week.

If you are anything like me, you'd probably be taking down your tent right now. Or you'd be sitting in the tent, still packing up, while the rest of your party waits on you. Maybe you partied hard last night and you're still snoozing. Or you got going early and you are stopped in Luther starting your day with a breakfast burrito and a pbr. 

It may rain today which gives you even more of an excuse to take advantage of the many stopover towns. More pie and beer please.

Betsy and Sandy will arrive in Altoona today by car, will camp out with the masses, and will begin their ride to Davenport tomorrow. Can't wait to hear (and share) their updates!

Ragbrai Day 3

 Here is the route for today:

I'd expect to be somewhere around Lamesboro (sweet name!) right now, maybe eating some watermelon or a piece of Amish pie. Maybe I'd be checking my newly downloaded Ragbrai XXIX iPhone App.

 

Or maybe, if I'm anything like this guy from the Ragbrai Forum, I'd have smashed my iPhone in a pile of cow manure at that last farm, I'd be telling time with the sun, and maybe I'd be going commando or something.

"Ѕcrew the iPhone, there's more people with Droids now than will *EVER* buy an iPhone....and the disparity will only increase. Two more years and the only people with an iPhone will be either members of Steve Jobs' flock of sheeple, or those people who are still locked into their contract and couldn't upgrade away from them. And as for all this high-tech BS, remember — THIS IS A BIKE RIDE, FOR PETE'S SAKE!!!  If you want to go on something where everything is mapped out, planned out, scheduled out, and arranged for you, may I suggest taking a cruise?"

But I'm not like this guy, so I am intriqued by the App. Some people seem to be having trouble with it in the small ~2,000 person towns on Ragbrai which have trouble supporting all our cell phone calls but it is the launch year so I'll hold out hope. With any luck, it will be fine-tuned and non-battery-draining by July 22, 2012.

Happy Dreaming and more vicarious Ragbrai updates tomorrow!

It's Ragbrai Time!

Exactly 365 days ago today, and 52 weeks ago yesterday, Betsy, Sandy, Joyce, Ben and I set out to begin our 442 mile journey across the state of Iowa. I can't believe it's been a whole year since Ragbrai 2010. I'm a little disappointed in myself for riding so many fewer miles these past 12 months than I did before, but I am proud to have kept loving Lucy, to have kept writing i love Lucy, and to have remained active and energetic in a number of capacities.

Though I am nostalgic about the ride, I'm not too sad to miss it this year. I feel that I have a lot to plan and look forward to in the summer of 2012 so that keeps me connected. I am also keeping up with Jack, Rich, and others and will be living vicariously through my parents, who leave Tuesday morning to drive 2/3 of the way across the country to partake in 4 days of the party on wheels and end in my mom's homeland, Davenport.

In living vicariously, I may even share a guest post from one of the Shaws about what's going on in the wonderul world of Ragbrai. I will also be posting the route info for each day so that those of us that are staring at computers all day, instead of the open road, can dream about what else is out there. I'm a day late so we'll start with Sunday and Monday.

 For those of you who are riding, have fun, and for those of you who aren't, please join next year!

Davenport's Mississippi River

My mom has many attachments to Iowa. Obviously. She grew up there, she went to school there, she has many many friends there. She lived in both college towns: Iowa City and Ames. But there is no place in the state that she is more attached to than Davenport, the place where she lived from ages 5-18, the place where she took her kids home to many times, the place where she goes for all of her High School reunions, and, unfortunately, the place where Ragbrai neglected to include in their route for the past four years. This is understandable, as it is a large state with many east coast river towns for the ride to end in. But, every year since 2007, my mom has planned on biking Iowa in July, she's been on the website the day the route is announced to see where it will take her. And since 2007, it has taken her to the Mississippi in Bellevue, LeClaire, Burlington, and Dubuque. Ending in Davenport is not the reason she rides by any means, but I'm sure it's something she hopes for every summer.

Well, if you can't already tell where this story is going, here it is: For the first time since 1982, Ragbrai is ending in Davenport. And, for the first time since 2006, my mom was not planning to bike Iowa. She and my dad have a three week trip to France planned in August, a week of which they will spend biking around Birttany. They thought they'd have their fill of summer biking but now they have to re-think everything. Despite the hassle, the oh so complicated logistics, and the need to work some this summer, my mom is trying to ride at least the final 3 or 4 days of Ragbrai XXXIX and dip that front tire of hers in Davenport's Mississippi River. She loves that town and the people in it. But now she's got me all confused as I revel more in the nostalgia of last summer's trip. Do I want to join her for a few days? Kind of. A lot, actually. In all honesty, it's probably not worth the hassle and logistics for me. For now, though, I'll remain optimistic. And I'll wish my mom the best of luck in her planning and optimism.

If this doesn't make you want to do Ragbrai, I don't know what will

All the memories wouldn't fit in one post...

Motion-sickness sufferers beware

Lucy has been lonely in my apartment since we got home Sunday. Today, I got her some fresh air and she got me to work and back. She and I miss Betty and Joyce. And Ben and his unnamed bike. And my parents and their velos rouges. In honor of them all, I have more memories to share with the world!

R. really A. awesome G. great B. bike R. riding A. actual I. images

A rainy welcome to Iowa...

Rain can't stop our excitement!

Driving west across the state

Opening a new door

Flooding in Manchester, Iowa-- Friday evening

Camping is in tents

Back wheels in the Missouri River!

Sioux City, where the first Ragbrai departed from in 1973, and where our first departed from in 2010

A tradition for first-time riders

It wasn't Joyce but someone rode that thing across the state!

Leeds, our first stopover town

Fans waving from a bridge overhead

Betsy Shaw chugging along!!!

Slipping and Sliding

Ben's first pee in a cornfield

Lucy and I are strong together!

Beautiful open roads of Iowa

Florida jorts, we know what's up

Swimming in Storm Lake our first night

Twinzzz

Love Ride

Ditto

Whittemore, Ben's favorite town

Jam in Algona!

Shark across Iowa. This was very appropriate the day of the monsoon.

Team Flamingo? Lots of men and women with pink hair and beards!

Good to see wind farms

Lunchin with Bets

WIND NRG

Clear Lake, Tuesday night

Guess who...

Spirited Shaws refueled by a Girl Scout breakfast!

Rope swing, before people went nude

Peanut Butter Jammin'

Caution: Your peanut butter sandwich may contain peanuts.

We built charles city on karaoke

Joyce and I were so into our TREKs that we forgot to take more than these two pictures with them. Here they are in all their glory...

Mmmmmm

Just before braving the storm Friday morning. Joyce with Same, Joe, and their dad.

RAGBRAI ROUTE 2010

Joice 1987.

Field of Dreams.

Ben hits.

Tom's Turkey lunch

Just after braving Potter's hill.
Only 13 miles to go!

442 miles down, 0 to go!! Yay/ :(

Front tire in the Mississippi!
No more Iowa to ride on...

Late birthday cake waiting for me when I got home, courtesy of Joshua.
The route looks accurate, he couldn't name all the towns though :)

Lucy and I across the hawkeye state!