Two days at RAGBRAI

53 miles day one. 73 miles day two. An undulating ribbon of riders snake down the roads as far as you can see in either direction.

10,000 people on bikes

2 guys on unicycles

1 guy on rollerblades

1 gal running the miles every day

And the fashion is like nothing else. Guys in tutu skirts. People dressed like bananas, flamingos, and super heros. A guy in a speedo with money tucked in it. A girl dressed like a Chiquito banana dancer. Guys in cowboy hays with stick ponies attached to their bikes. Whenever you think there's nothing new to see, look up. A biker fashion you missed will be biking by.

I've eaten pulled pork nachos, inch and half thick porkchop, hamburgers, breakfast burritos, cinnamon bund, and many slices of pie. But tonight for dinner I had a Power Bar. There are so many people everything sells out early

And you wait I'm line for food, showers, porta johns.

And then there's the danger of riding on the road with bikers of varying skills and speeds. Usually the whole road is closed to autos and we fill it but you have stay in your narrow 4 inch alottment. And signal with your voice and hands if you're going to shift over. If you're going to stop, don't stop on the road. Pull off the road saying "biker off". And get on saying "biker on" and waiting for a space in bumper to bumper bikes. It's quite stressful. I was taken down by a little old lady yesterday who was going the wrong way on the left shoulder. No injuries though.

I'm tired after not getting much sleep last night. We were camped next to the fairgrounds and they had loud and louder bands playing til well past midnight. Then they flew a copter overhead to wake us and get us out of town this morning

Tonight my tent is set up on a swine barn at the fairgrounds in Greenfield. I need the tent to change clothes. But at least it will stay dry.

Sleep now so breakfast comes sooner. I'm pretty hungry!

I think I'm having fun. Don't think I'd do this ride more than once, though.

Tomorrow's another long day of over 70 miles. Sure hope the swelling in my

knee goes down or I'm gonna be a hurtin' lassie tomorrow.

Zzzzzzz