Barbarian Cyclists Slay the Wind
RAGBRAI LIII Day 3
Iconic Iowa
Perry, Iowa
Merida’s Ride
Pre-ride photo, the morning of July 21 in Guthrie Center, Iowa
Ron and Merida only rode 31 of the 56.5 miles on Day 2 to avoid the dangerous temperatures in the high 90s, and to ensure they maximized their fun by skipping the steep climbs. They had done 60 miles on Day 1, so the 61 mile-long route for Day 3 didn’t sound like a big deal. With cooler temperatures in the 80s expected, and a flatter route, Ron and Merida were pretty sure they’d reach the overnight town of Boone by bicycle instead of hitching a ride from the meetup town with Leonard and Catherine. What they didn’t count on was the wind.
Merida poses with teenage sea creatures in Panora
After enjoying Panora, their favorite small town in Iowa so far, they hopped on their bicycles, with promises of flat roads and downhill inclines all the way to Perry. Immediately, it was obvious something was wrong. Despite the smooth appearance of the terrain, Ron and Merida had to peddle hard to keep moving down a straightaway cut through infinite fields of crops.
A photo taken by Ron of the wind moving the clouds as he stood in the shade of a massive tree.
When they turned a corner, a wall of wind nearly stopped them in their tracks. They geared down like they were climbing their hardest hills yet, and pushed through at a crushingly slow pace. After a few miles of gutting it out as a couple, they decided on a dangerous venture. Speeding up, and drafting with a group of riders. Peloton formations are groups of closely clustered cyclists who are taking advantage of aerodynamics to create incredible speed. At RAGBRAI, peloton are usually made up of teams who all dress and look alike.
Piles of bicycles at a stop between the towns of Panora and Yale on RAGBRAI LIII Day 3.
Ron and Merida had avoided riding in such groups because it is dangerous. Staying inches from fellow riders in an aerodynamic formation means that all it takes is one person falling to take down the whole row of dominos. There were some frightening crashes in 2023 at RAGBRAI L. But Ron decided it was worth the risk to get through the wind.
An informal peloton composed of a mishmash of riders passed Ron and Merida during an intense gust. Ron turned up the speed and chased. Merida stayed close behind. They got into position, and suddenly, going fast was easy. Instead of slogging 8 mph through the wind, they were traveling at 30 mph with the same level of effort! This hoard of barbarian riders conquered the wind. Ron and Merida rode their wave all the way to a point where the road changed directions, and the wind wasn’t hitting them head on anymore.
The experience was exhilarating and refreshing, but not enough to make Ron and Merida finish the 61 miles. They did 35 miles, then hitched that ride to Boone with Merida’s parents. After all, headwinds making flats as rough as hills would not be good for maintaining Ron and Merida’s fun level, with or without barbarian wind riders.
Catherine’s Drive
Catherine was sad to leave the grassy, spacious camp in the Guthrie Center fairgrounds. They had electricity, flush toilets, and showers. Afraid they might be leaving their last lovely overnight space, they drove away after Ron and Merida pedaled out of camp.
Perry, Iowa, street musician
The drive was a zig-zaggy series of country roads. The support vehicles are routed away from the roads the cyclists take. Catherine marveled at the beauty of Iowa farmland. Vast fields of corn and soybeans were dotted with islands of trees surrounding farmhouses and barns.
Too soon, they reached the meeting town of Perry. This small Iowa town may top the list of favorites for the support team. Leonard and Catherine walked around the event area, crowded with cyclists and crews. They were particularly fond of the many green little parks with benches, and the movie theater / ice cream shop.
Strider, the English Springer Spaniel, was much happier in cooler weather. He still did not appreciate people approaching him. He’s a friendly dog, but shy. Paparazzi, please control yourselves!
The team watched a few minutes of a movie about RAGBRAI showing in the movie theater. They saw a mechanical pig – a version of the better-known mechanical bull on cowboy bars. Another dunk tank was going strong, raising donations for the high school prom, and soaking eager participants. A police officer missed the target with three throws of a ball. He marched up and punched the target, dunking the seated person. He ran away laughing.
Due to horrible wind, Ron and Merida opted to ride with Leonard and Merida to the overnight town. See note under Tonight’s Camp for details. ☹No electricity or restrooms, but the space is nice. We made it to Boone and got set up. The animals love having grass again.
Catherine took Strider to the nearby cornfield to hunt for “corn bears.” What do you know? His hunting dog instincts kicked in. He definitely smelled something. Maybe corn bears?
Tonight’s band is Hairball. Merida insists it’s a must-see. More later?
Pie Report
Ron eating more pie
Ron had a triple pie day in honor of today being Day 3 of RAGBRAI. His cherry slice from Iowa Fruit Pie paled in comparison to his blueberry slice from the same company on Day 2. His favorite pie of the day was an apple slice that was part of a dinner in the Methodist church in Perry, Iowa. The crust of the homemade pie was crisp, and the apple chunks were flavorful. He invested in one more piece of pie he has yet to eat from a different pie vendor in Perry. He said the blueberry pie was not sweet enough. Catherine’s is still better.
Meetup Town - Perry, Iowa
Merida and Ron enjoyed a church dinner after their ride. They had never heard of “loose meat sandwiches,” and decided to give them a try. The sandwiches were basically sloppy joes without the sauce. The meal included pie and ice cream.
Small Town of the Day - Panora
Merida and Ron in front of a sign for RAGBRAI patrons to write messages on for the town of Panora’s 175th birthday!
Ron and Merida only made it to one small town stop before bailing out for the day in Perry. Charming and beautiful, Panora Iowa was their favorite town so far. The Garden Association hosted a booth by the park, surrounded by pink blossoms. They served delectable cinnamon rolls and fresh coffee that was so smooth there was no need for cream. An incredible entertainer named Kile Jackson performed in his one man band, and shared a touching story about how he wooed his wife. He sang to her, and they’re still together decades later. The town was decorated for the event, but it was evident that Panora is a gorgeous, enchanting town year round.
Tonight’s Camp
Finding the correct location for RAGBRAI support vehicle camping in Boone, Iowa, was chaotic. The folks in charge of directing us were nowhere to be found. Finally, we were assigned overflow parking next to a grocery store, on a beautiful grassy lot next to a creek full of cattails. All’s well that ends well.
Today’s Favorite Entertainment
Misfit & More
Besides enjoying the musical stylings of Kile Jackson, Merida enjoyed all of the bands she heard today. The band Hairball has a cult following, so Ron and Merida will attend their concert in the evening. More details to come.
Weather Report
Wind! Ron said he was happier with the wind than the heat from Day 2. Merida has a high threshold for heat tolerance, and would have preferred that. Off the bike, the wind wasn’t that bad. Day 3 was mild and pleasant, overall.
So Much Cooler! The high didn’t even reach 80 degrees F. Yesterday almost hit 100 degrees. A twenty-degree difference!
Corn!
Merida over-hydrated, and paid the price by making two corn watering stops. Her first stop was normal, but her second stop took her stomping through a dry marsh. Withered cattails and scratchy thistle covered the invisible ground.
RAGBRAI LIII
Catherine and Leonard are crewing for Merida and Ron at the 53rd Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa! Our team name is “You may not rest now, there are monsters nearby.”
Meet Strider and Legolas in furson.
We’re bringing books and will be happy to sell and sign copies!
Sunday, July 19th - Saturday, July 25th
All day, every day! Check out the route here!
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Where to find us:
Catherine’s Website - https://catherinedilts.com/
Merida’s Website - https://merida-creates.com/
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Catherine Dilts is the author of the Rose Creek Mystery series. Her short stories regularly appear in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. Recently retired from a career in environmental compliance, Catherine now writes fiction full time.
Merida Bass almost wasn’t an artist. Fear of criticism resulted in her teaching remedial algebra to unwilling college students. After ten years of torture, she grew a backbone and threw herself into art, writing, and training for endurance events.
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