Hello, Porkers,
There's a New Testament parable
about talents, which sums up like this: use it or lose
it. When you have such a great group of RAGBRAI
veterans, it would be downright wasteful not to put their
talent and expertise to good use. And so, here is the
first of two installments entitled "Advice from our Veterans"
for those who want and need it most, our first-timers.
Advice #1, below, contains tips we collected a while
back. In addition to our first-timers who will read this
email for its usefulness to them, maybe you vets would like to
read it over and see if you have anything to add. If you
do, please send to
tammypav@aol.com by Tuesday, June 24th, and
I'll compile a 2008 compendium to send out next week.
Thanks for putting your talent and experience out there for
the newbies among us!
By the way, we're
getting a lot of questions about what clothes to pack for Iowa
weather, how to prevent chafing and other "in-the-shorts"
problems, how to train, especially for hilly Day Two of
RAGBRAI, how many training miles is appropriate, whether to
bring tools and which ones (which may be answered by our
mechanics' email, coming soon). We have a number of
first-timers who haven't done much camping and could use a few
pointers on appropriate equipment and staying organized while
living out of duffels and fussing around in a dark tent.
In addition to what's below, maybe our vets could address
these questions, or provide other useful advice on any
topic-useful gadgetry, how much money to bring, anything you
wish you'd known on your first RAGBRAI.
Thanks!
Except for a little punctuation, we haven't
edited, so thanks for the nice remarks about Pork Belly
included below. After the first sixteen serious
contributions, you'll find three entries from Steve, Steve,
and Gary in, uh, well, a lighter vein.
RAGBRAI
newbies, even after you've read this advice, please take time
to read over our tips for first-timers at
www.pkbelly.com
for first timers and see what the folks at RAGBRAI
recommend at
ragbrai
training have to offer you on training and safety
tips.
And finally, our best advice to all RAGBRAI
first-timers: "If you're not having a good time, lower
your standards."
Lots more to come in
the--yikes!--short time remaining between now and the best
week of the year.
Cheers!
Tammy and Pete
Pork
Belly Ventures
From Tom:
A. Don't
let anybody kid you: you have to train for this event, on a
bike and in the elements. Even if your cardiovascular fitness
is good, you will enjoy the experience so much more if you
condition the posterior and associated moving parts to be
tolerant of the abuse that comes with riding 6-8 hours per
day. An occasional spinning class just doesn't cut
it.
B. Prepare for anything, but bring as little as
possible. For example, the evenings can be unbelievably hot
but can also be chilly enough that long pants feel mighty
good.
C. The airlines are getting really cranky about
weight limits on luggage. To stay within 50 pounds, ship some
clothing and other non-essential items along with your
bike.
D. Ear plugs are necessary if you want to sleep
at night. I think that the best are MAX, from HowardLeight.
(They have a website:
www.howardleight.com).
E. Have at least
one conversation each day with a "native".
F. Support
the church and charitable groups along the way and tell the
folks in the towns that go all out how much you appreciate
their efforts.
See you in July.
From
Ron:
The mistake I made in my first Ragbrai was trying
to keep up with riders that were more experienced and in
better shape. I was riding way above my comfort
zone. The first 50 miles went OK each day but the last
25 plus miles were pure hell. It is natural to want to
keep up with your friends but it's a better idea to ride
within your ability.
Get enough training in and wear a
heart monitor so you know at what level of intensity you are
capable of riding, and for how long.
From
Mark:
Heat - The first year I rode was very hot, over
100 degrees and humid several days. I drank lots of liquids
and was OK while riding, but would develop a bad headache and
mild nausea by evening. I think this might be a mild form of
heatstroke and can be serious. Normal, sane people might
suggest that this is a bad thing to be avoided, but several
fellow RAGBRAI riders pointed me to ibuprofen (Advil or the
like). If I take a single pill around noon on a hot day I am
able to handle the heat without any problems. I believe that
the symptoms are caused by brain swelling, just like with a
hangover, and that the blood thinning properties of ibuprofen
help prevent this. I am not a big advocate of pill taking and
all medical advice should be looked at skeptically, but this
works for me.
Saddle sores - On my first RAGBRAI,
around day 3, I started getting chafed on my bottom. Once that
happens, the rest of the week can be difficult. By the end of
the week, despite lots of ointment, I had to ride the first
mile standing up and slowly working my way back in the saddle
again. Prevention is the key! Lube up!! Everyone has their own
special recipe - Vaseline, A&D, Bag Balm (made in Vermont
for cow udders, but great for humans), Butt'r (available at
most bike shops and at RAGBRAI expo before they run out). The
key is to use lots in all the key places right from day one. A
side benefit is that it helps treat the leather on your saddle
to be waterproof.
From
Milo:
Souvenirs-Don't bring tee-shirts and jerseys (or
other stuff) if you plan to buy them along the way. Buy
and wear the new Pork Bellies shirts. Many pass thru
towns sell fun shirts to wear.
Old clothes/underwear,
socks, etc. Clean your closet; if the stuff is not
really bad, don't get rid of it, but wear and toss along the
way.
Arm warmers-even some hot summer Iowa mornings are
chilly. Buy some light-material arm warmers. These are easy to
carry just in case OR cut the end off some cheap tube socks.
These can be slipped on for warmth, then discarded later in
the day.
Use plastic bags for organizing clean (and
dirty) clothes and other stuff, so you don't have a big mess
in the duffle bag.
Early to bed / early to
rise!
From John:
Since portapots are
often out of toilet paper, and that's the pot without a line,
carry a little plastic bag of paper napkins or whatever in
your pocket. It will also come in handy for a roadside
stop. It beats corn leaves and
stalks.
From Joe:
"Enjoy the Journey,"
shit will happen (the weather, bike problems, long lines, I
won't even mention the kybos) but, everything will be
ok. Prepare for a great time. It is a magical week
and everyone at PBV will take care of you. (15 year
RAGBRAI and Pork Belly Veteran)
From Brenda,
Joe's wife:
In the kybos, don't look
down.
From Linda:
My piece of advice is
to attach something to your suitcase/duffel that makes it
easier to see when it's in the pile! We can never find our
stupid suitcases!
From Chris:
Advice
to newbies: Use Chamois Butt'r liberally from day 1 of
the ride. Once you get a sore spot, it's too
late!
From Terry:
1. Don't skimp on the
training, get your miles in.
2. Do NOT change saddles, etc
before the ride
3. Bring $40 for a massage from Greg, I
guarantee you will be thankful. Spend it Tues or Wed
night. He is the only reason I finished my first year.
4.
Pack Gold Bond, Butt Butter, Cortaid, etc.
5. Leave your
modesty at home, it won't be needed.
6. Pack light, throw
out half. Bring Aleeve(sp),take first thing in the
am.
7. While on the ride, Eat, Eat, Eat, do not fly thru
too many towns, you will BONK at 1:30-2:00 pm. Bob K.
taught me how to finish nicely in the afternoon.
(EAT)!!
8. Be nice to Tammy, she takes care of you.
9.
Only believe half of what Rex says. After 1:00 in the
afternoon. He is ok in the mornings.
From
Tim:
1. Porta Potties never have toilet
paper.
2. Get to the churches early. Food does not
last all night.
3. Bring a couple of dollars to the shower,
most are pay and it is usually extra for a towel
4. If you
want a hot shower leave early or you won't get one
5. Try
the local food, it is usually better than the venders
6.
Bring ear plugs
7. Iowa is not flat
8. You have not
lived until you have had an Iowa Chop for breakfast
9. Try
the Belgian Waffles when you see them
10. Ride your own
ride, fast, slow, it is your day
11. If you are on the
route late in the day, watch for the drunk bikers
12.
Always thank the State Troopers when you pass
From
Stan:
Plastic bags. You want 'em. Garbage
sized bags to put your tent inside on a rainy morning (if you
pack your tent inside your bag). Medium sized ones for
stinky laundry. Little ones to put your camera in when
you carry it on a rainy day. 100 other uses
Make
your bag conspicuous. It is great that you only have to
find your bag amongst the relatively small pile of Pork Belly
riders. Nonetheless, 80% of the bags are plain
black. At the end of a long day it sure would be nice to
look across that big line of bags for the only bag that has a
bright red and yellow stripe on it. (Those are my
colors. Pick something else please!)
From
Jeremy:
My advice to newbies: bring ear
plugs. If the snoring doesn't get to you, the constant
walking and talking past your tent can get
old.
From Peter:
Chapstick with
sunscreen in it--the wind and glare off the corn and many
smoothies throughout the day are hell on the
kisser!
2-gallon Ziploc bags - pack each day's shorts
and t-shirts, throw in your shampoo and you're
shower-ready. Keeps clothes dry in case of rain, and
doubles as dirty clothes bag.
Earplugs - if you are at
all a light sleeper.
Practice changing a flat, I had
five my first year. (But made many friends when people stopped
to help me!)
From Bruce:
The best way
to train is to sit on your bicycle seat for hours at a
time.
The idea isn't how fast you can get to camp but
how slow. Ragbrai is all about the journey, not
the destination. (I learned this the hard way on my first 1994
RAGBRAI. Fed up with not getting a hot shower the
day before because I arrived so late, I went all out and got
to camp at 12:30pm. I set up my tent but it was
way too hot to get into and there was nothing to do since few
people had arrived!)
Because of dehydration, always
bring a water bottle into your tent at night.
For sound
sleepers, a travel alarm isn't a bad idea
Best new
camping gear for your camp-those small, battery-operated
fans
Best hygine stuff to bring: Vaseline
& talc
Take the time each morning to pump up your
tires
Lighten your pack by bringing 4 days of clothing
and use PBV laundry service
From
Frank:
One frustrating experience from my first and
only RAGBRAI was the lack of usable light inside my
tent. I am not a camper. I had a flashlight, but
whenever two hands were needed (e.g.,
dressing/undressing, packing/unpacking!) the light was
less than useful and hard on my teeth!.
For my
birthday this month my son gave me a light that straps
around the head. It is small and light, yet has a
bright enough beam that for RAGBRAI will provide tons of
light shining wherever my eyes are pointing, even for
reading. My son claims it will also serve as an
emergency bike light. It was bought at a sporting goods
store that sells camping equipment.
(Here
begins the lighter section.)
From Steve
#1:
Be prepared to "scream like a woman" (cold water) when
taking a
bath/shower at the improvised wash
station.
From Steve #2:
Some thoughts that
I had yesterday.
Get an American Gothic print off of
the Internet and tape it to your bathroom wall. Put nice
smiles on the couple in place of their dour looks. Then
during your morning constitutional for the next several weeks
you can think about all of the fun you will have and the
friendly Iowans you will meet on your ride across the
state.
There is a secondary benefit to this as
well. Look around you and notice just how clean and
fresh everything is and how comfortable you are in your nice
little bathroom at home. Remember this too because for
one week you will not find anything close to looking or
smelling like this. If you'd like to create the effect,
try not flushing for several days and remember to keep the
door shut!
Don't pack too much. You won't need
most of the creature comforts that you are used to having at
home. Just remember that as bad as you believe that you
smell, its always better than the feed lots or chicken ranches
we ride by; you'll always be cleaner than a kybo at 7 in the
morning (maybe not as popular); but you'll never look as
beautiful as some of the tree framed farm vistas you will
see!
Beginning around the 1st of July, push all of your
favorite beer to the back of the fridge and pick up some Bud
and Bud Light. It will take several weeks for your
system to adjust to this type of dietary supplement, but it
will be well worth it! You may be familiar with
Montezuma's Revenge, but it's nothing like a massive
Clydesdale Colon Collapse in the middle of Day 1!
And
for all of you early risers that start before the official 6
AM RAGBRAI time (remember to reset your clocks to Central
Daylight Time) why not try camping near the support
trucks. You will probably be getting up early the next
morning and you will be grateful for the short trip!
Leave the shady perimeter areas for those of us who start on
time and fill the day with adventures making the entire
RAGBRAI experience one you will want to return to once
again. Shade is not what it is cracked up to be
anyway.
PS if you do decide to get up before the crows,
please use your "inside voice," as most tents are not properly
equipped with sound proofing!
Find out from your family
and friends if you are a snorer. If you are please try
to pitch your tent down wind from camp. We definitely
don't want everyone to have the chance to hear another sound
of nature on this trip, and you probably fart too!
If
you are a man, learn how to perform simple mechanical tasks on
the road such as changing a tire. If you don't you will
probably do a fair amount of walking to reach the nearest sag
wagon. If you are a woman, you needn't bother with this
tip, as you will certainly attract ample able-bodied
assistance to complete any task.
Memorize the rules of
the road and practice them!
Stay away from cracks of
all kinds during the week.
Never listen to anything
that people from California have to say.
From
Gary, in reply:
We Californians have always spoken
highly of Steve. Certainly a compelling argument for following
his advice, isn't it?
Tammy (Phillips)
Pavich
Pete Phillips
712/328-0161
712/328-6836
tammypav@aol.com petephillips@cox.net