RAGBRAI, Day 1 (Sioux Center to Cherokee):

I rode 57 miles today, about 40 before noon (when temps were running about 104 degrees). The last 17 were killers-I was so hot, I don't think I averaged more than 8 or 9 miles an hour. Before noon, I think my average was about 15 or 16 mph.
I wore one of my St John's t-shirts and shorts and I heard "Hey Johnny! Blah Blah Blah" all day. It was nice-I felt as though I kind of existed :-).

I ran into the Chickenman today. Who is the Chickenman, you might ask? He's this guy that wears a wrap (and *ONLY* a wrap, you can tell when he sits down) covered with chickens who owns a big huge keg on wheels-and every day he parks it somewhere along the route. Today I had this wheat beer (kind of like "Blue Moon", but not as sweet) and a darker ale. It was fun.

By the time I got to camp I was just about ready to pass out. I ended up eating some watermelon and had a can of pop, then I started to feel better. After I get done typing this I think I'm going to eat at an all you can eat spaghetti dinner at one of the churches.

I think one of my favorite teams from last year, Team Road Kill is now defunct. Last year, they "dressed up" the road kill in bead necklaces and stickers--this year, road kill went unaltered. Bummer. Though I did see "Big Earl's Girls" and Team Bad Boy(members of this team have tricked-out bikes...one person has a portable bar on their bike, and I think someone else has a toilet bowl).

Tonight it might rain and tomorrow it's pretty hilly so it's going to be a tough 68 miles tomorrow.

I'm outta here. Going to go get something all-you-can-eat. MMMMMM barf-et.


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