Dear Porkers,

Perhaps the greatest thing about riding RAGBRAI is the virtual lack of structure during your week in the corn, just the routine satisfaction of one simple desire after another. You wake up and gaze into the dome of your tent, smell the dew, a few voices drifting over from the Coffee Truck.  You're not quite used to nothing whatsoever pressing on you.  Yes, you do feel a persistent bladder twinge, but that's about the only deadline you have to worry about.  You unzip that tent and wander down to the kybos, trying, out of habit, to come up with a to-do list:  Come hell or high water, I'm finding a slice of rhubarb pie.  By noon.  That's the goal, anyway.  Think I'll wear the white jersey.  Maybe the red.  What is this, Tuesday? Cripes, tonight I got my nine-o'clock massage!

While you look forward to that sublime simplicity, however, you must mind your pre-ride deadlines.  The next one is Tuesday, April 1st, when all applications for RAGBRAI wristbands are due to the Des Moines Register.  If you haven't done it yet, please waste no time going to www.ragbrai.org   Remember that if you're traveling with PBV, you must have a wristband.  (Don't write Pork Belly Ventutes as a "group name" on your RAGBRAI application.  Group names are for bike clubs, or your small group of riders using PBV)

While we have you, here are a few more upcoming deadlines. 

May 1:  The results of the RAGBRAI lottery will be announced on May 1, and if you are not selected, let us know right away.  Also, let the Des Moines Register know that you wish to be placed on their waiting list.  Last year, they helped most of our turned-down people before we had a chance.  If they don't find a wristband for you, we will put you in touch with someone in our group who has to cancel.  A little paperwork, a check in the mail, and the wristband is yours, legally and legitimately.  We can't promise, but it's highly likely, if you follow these directions, that you'll get a wristband.

May 1:  This is also the date when our host towns will have their ducks in a row.  At that point, info about long-term parking in Le Claire and a ton of other details will be available at host-town websites, accessible through a clickable map at ragbrai.org.  On May 1 (not before), we are allowed to begin scouting and communicating with our host towns.  At this point, we all have to hang in there for one more month.   

May 1:  To ensure that you get the right size, you need to send in your orders for Pork shirts and jerseys by May Day.  Order form and garment images available now at Pork Belly Garments.

June 1:  Expect your Pork Belly Bible, a.k.a. your comprehensive June Letter, on or before this date.  In it, we will attempt to put all the nuts-and-bolts stuff, the logistics and instructions you'll need in June and July. (If you received this email you will also receive the email version of the Pork Belly Bible. A hard copy will also be mailed to the person that filled out the online application for your group. If other group members would like to receive a hard copy of the Pork Belly Bible, just send mail addresses to petephillips@cox.net ) 

June 18:  Mark this one, the PBV cancellation deadline. Before June 18th, we'll be sending a new version of the Pork Belly Creed.  You must swear out the Creed--a promise to put in your training miles, take in stride what Iowa dishes out, and be a good sport--without quake or whimper in order to participate in RAGBRAI with Pork Belly Ventures.  If you cannot bravely take this solemn vow, you'd better cancel and save this trip for another summer.  Prior to Wednesday, June 18th, if you cancel all or part of the services or merchandise you have reserved with Pork Belly Ventures, we will refund all but 10% of the value of those services and the merchandise you have reserved.  On or after June 18th, we will make no refund.  We may be able to help you sell your wristband, though.  Your registration with Pork Belly Ventures is not transferable to another person.

Someday soon:  We don't know for sure when our weeklong support will sell out, but we've had a rash of registrations in the past several days.  So if you want in for RAGBRAI 36, please don't wait long.  We turn people away every year, and we hope it won't be you.

So punch these dates into your Blackberry and look forward to the 19th of July, Porkers, when the world slows down to about half speed, when the only call you have to heed is nature's call, and when life untangles into one long and lovely road past the corn.

Cheers,


Tammy (Phillips) Pavich                                                Pete Phillips 

808/946-5315 or tammypav@aol.com              712/328-6836 or petephillips@cox.net

(Honolulu-four hours earlier than Iowa)