the bad news: despite their efforts to "improve and update" their website, the des moines register online sucks more than the headON commercials.the really really GOOD news: that this year's ragbrai promises to be one of the best EVER, and i say this having done nearly fifty ragbies. in fact, to honor my golden ragby, the register honored me by following the beautiful lincoln highway for much of its 2008 edition. now, many people know that back in the early 70s, i used to work for the highway commission, where i was on a survey crew helping to lay out and set stakes to rape the countryside for what is now i-35 [north of boondocks] and u.s. 20 [from i-35 to webster city]. while there, i worked with a couple of old boys who were able to tell me much about the lincoln highway, which went through my home town of nevada, and which ribbons through, and up and down, some of the most beautiful and friendly parts of iowa. its gentle 90-degree turns, designed to respect farmsteads, and its meandering swaths through and around once gentle little creeks and rills carrying you over artfully designed and built bridges [a prime example of which still stands in tama] and shading you through patches of gracefully aging stands of oaks and maples, and alongside wonderful old barns of both round and traditional design, its milemarkers featuring honest abe's profile like so many over-sized pennies every mile telling you that you're that much closer to your destination ["are we there yet?"], highly-valued and long since disappeared...suffice it to say, if you miss this ragby, you be sorry.
i might even bust out the old springer for the journey.
i might even bust out the old springer for the journey.in other cycling news appearing in print today, is this story about the rise and fall of alleycats, in light of the recent death of a participant in a february stage of the tour of chicago. and while looking for an illustration to accompany this blurb, i found the above photo, which was in this article, which might be the best read of the day.
but however your choose to do it, plan to celebrate my golden anniversary ragby, the "hometown ragby" and see the birthplaces of my buddy roger, in mo valley, along with proof that i really DID come from the wrong side of the tracks, and, well, who else has a hometown on this ragby?
2 comments:
Why is is that I had planned on not going this year, but after seeing the route, I'm once again drawn to this weeklong trek across the state? Maybe it's to try it differently this time, the first time was fast on a trike, last year was fast on a different bike, but staying with individual families along the route. This time I'd like to just lope along for the week, all of my stuff for the week loaded on my bike stopping for food and pie along the route.
The article on the porteurs was interesting. Nice find Reverend.
Team Emu (the real team, not the shaven group)will sleep in Nevada (my home and current town). You are welcome to stop by and wake us up.
Jerome
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