RAGBRAI, Day 2 (Cherokee to Emmetsburg, IA)

I'm just wiped.

The ride today ended up being about 85 miles, about 35 or 40 in a really severe northernly headwind. Including all the stops, it was about 13 hours of riding.

I woke up this morning and I was crusing, at about 14-15 mph, for the first fifty or so miles. The weather was good, not to warm, not raining, not really windy. I was kind of discouraged by my breakfast-I stood in line for about half an hour for 3 small pancakes, and 2 sausages. Five bucks. And a part of my life I'll never get back. Though the eats did improve-I found an "All the Watermellon You Can Eat" place, so I chowed down there for a while (like--an hour. This was into the headwind...I was tired, hungary, and though not unique to this event, horny). I also found a place serving gigantic brats for 3 bucks. Score.

Overall, the thing I'm enjoying the most are the stops. I've talked to different people whenever I've wanted to and I think I've learned. But I'm kind of lonely. Next year if I do this, I won't do it alone. And I'll have a really cool recumbant bike. They are way nicer on your ass (I'm sure mine is all brused up by now) and not so hard on your back (mine just kills).