Flamingo Flashback: News Coverage from 2012

I just received an email from Google Alert that it had found another article about Team Flamingo.   This time, the article was published in the Patch online paper.   What is unique about this article is that it has half a dozen photos of the team (click on the thumbnails below the main photo in the actual article.)

Click here to read and enjoy the actual article entitled Morelli's RAGBRAI 2012 Blog: Happy 30th Ragbrai, Team Flamingo.

Joyce Boss is Famous in Creston

Joyce Boss (Hangry Bird) made it onto the front page of the newspaper as she rode through the Creston on Tuesday, July 26.  She is now FAMOUS!!!!

Dr. Z (Z-Bird) Teaches Online Class on RAGBRAI

There are many exciting things that happen on RAGBRAI, but a first for our team was when Dr. Z (Leigh Zeitz AKA Z-Bird) taught a 3-hour online class from the Indian Hills Community College on Thursday night (7/28).  This class, Leading Change through Instructional Technology, was part of a month-long summer session course that Dr. Z was teaching for UNI.  This class is an online course where students do most of their work outside of the weekly meetings, but they still get together for a 3-hour video conference every week.  

This was the first time that Dr. Z had ever taught a course during July.  Due to its online nature, this course was one that allowed Dr. Z to engage in RAGBRAI as well as teach. Because of the class, Dr. Z  rode a few half days so that he could keep up on the school work and provide his students prompt feedback. 

This opportunity was made possible because of the wonderful assistance of Jennifer Sabourin, Director, Student Services, Housing and Retention at the Indian Hills Community College.  In Ottumwa on Thursday night, Team Flamingo had arranged to stay in the residence halls.  Dr. Z contacted the college to see if he would be able to use some of their facilities for the broadcast and Ms. Sabourin said that they would be able to connect him in a classroom in a nearby building, adjacent to the residence hall.

Everything went as planned and it was a wonderful class where 16 Instructional Technology Masters students were able to share the plans they had made for instigating change in their schools or institutions.  A beneficial time was had by all.    Thank you, Jennifer Sabourin and the helpful people at Indian Hills Community College.

Dr. Z (Z-Bird) Teaches Online Class on RAGBRAI

There are many exciting things that happen on RAGBRAI, but a first for our team was when Dr. Z (Leigh Zeitz AKA Z-Bird) taught a 3-hour online class from the Indian Hills Community College on Thursday night (7/28).  This class, Leading Change through Instructional Technology, was part of a month-long summer session course that Dr. Z was teaching for UNI.  This class is an online course where students do most of their work outside of the weekly meetings, but they still get together for a 3-hour video conference every week.  

This was the first time that Dr. Z had ever taught a course during July.  Due to its online nature, this course was one that allowed Dr. Z to engage in RAGBRAI as well as teach. Because of the class, Dr. Z  rode a few half days so that he could keep up on the school work and provide his students prompt feedback. 

This opportunity was made possible because of the wonderful assistance of Jennifer Sabourin, Director, Student Services, Housing and Retention at the Indian Hills Community College.  In Ottumwa on Thursday night, Team Flamingo had arranged to stay in the residence halls.  Dr. Z contacted the college to see if he would be able to use some of their facilities for the broadcast and Ms. Sabourin said that they would be able to connect him in a classroom in a nearby building, adjacent to the residence hall.

Everything went as planned and it was a wonderful class where 16 Instructional Technology Masters students were able to share the plans they had made for instigating change in their schools or institutions.  A beneficial time was had by all.    Thank you, Jennifer Sabourin and the helpful people at Indian Hills Community College.

10-Day Weather Forecasts for RAGBRAI 2016

Will it rain or will we have 100 degree weather on RAGBRAI 2016?
Who Knows?

In an effort to help us figure this out, I have created this page which will provide links to the 10-day weather forecast for each of the towns where we will be sleeping.  Remember that 10-day forecasts are particularly reliable but it will give us some ideas.

Click on each of the towns and it will take you to the 10-day forecast.  Just look at the day we will be staying there and you can see the forecast.  These forecasts will change but this way they will be updated constantly.

• Saturday - Glenwood 10-day forecast
• Sunday - Shenandoah 10-day forecast
• Monday - Creston 10-day forecast
• Tuesday - Leon 10-day forecast
• Wednesday - Centerville 10-day forecast
• Thursday - Ottumwa 10-day forecast
• Friday - Washington 10-day forecast
• Saturday - Muscatine 10-day forecast

Too Late To Train Party

Fergus and Fiona grabbed a ride home from the Too Late to Train Party with Z Bird, Salsa Bird and Artz Bird. It was a great day and the rain stopped just in time for some of us to eat outside!  Mike, thanks for the Great Ribs!! Any to all who brought food thank you!

See you next Saturday at the Departure Day Send Off Breakfast!  Then on to Ragbria!! 

Still looking for places to stay indoors along the route. 

RAGBRAI Time Again!!!!

It's RAGBRAI time again!!!!!

Yes Indeed, Folks.  Team Flamingo is preparing to engage in its 34th RAGBRAI.

Where will the route take us?   That is still to be unveiled.  In fact, it will be unveiled at 9:00 PM CST on Saturday, January 23.

Team Flamingo will hold the RAGBRAI Announcement Party in the Flamingo Lounge at the home of Leigh (Z-Bird) and Kathy (Artz Bird).  Here are the specifics.

Place:  1304 Laverne Lane, Cedar Falls
Time:   7:00 - 10:00
Bring:   Snacks, Munchies - stuff to eat while watching TV and hanging out with Flamingos.  BYOB.

It will be fun.  We will have a prize for whoever is most accurate in guessing the RAGBRAI route for this year.  Last year it was Carolyn Hildebrand.  What did you do, Carolyn - or is that a secret?

See you then.  You can RSVP to klinkzeitz@gmail.com

Flamingos!! Get a Mudball in Mt. Vernon to Help Monarch Butterflies Flourish!!

RAGBRAI isn't just about riding your bike.  Watch this video to see how we RAGBRAI riders will have the opportunity to disperse these mudballs around the state to help grow the milkweed that can feed Monarch butterflies. 

These mudballs contain milkweed seed and fertilizer so that when they are thrown into gulleys and natural settings, they will germinate and begin to grow milkweed throughout the state.  Monarch butterflies will be drawn to these new food sources and hopefully return to Iowa in great numbers.

DO YOUR PART!!

BREAKING NEWS!!!! Locations Announced for Beekman's Home Made Ice Cream Stops on RAGBRAI

This just in of immense importance from Amanda "Audrey HepBird" McFadden:

Beekman's Ice Cream

These are the approximate locations of Beekman's Home Made Ice Cream throughout the week of RAGBRAI.

Day 1- On C63 – after Quimby before M21

Day 2- On P41, just before Hwy 7 after river

Day 3- On D41 after Buckeye

Day 4- On C67 after New Hartford

Day 5- On E24 after Vinton, before W26

Day 6- On Hwy 1, west of Solon

Day 7- After Wilton on F58, before Durant

Which one will YOU visit?  Respond on the comments below.

Mike Knapp's Music Players Have Gotten More Sophisiticated . . .

http://ragbrai.com/2013/07/21/riding-to-the-beat/

I was looking for music recommendations for RAGBRAI when I found an interesting article from 2013 where a reporter interviewed Big Bird about his music and ended up with a whole genealogical tree of his music players.

CLICK HERE to see the video.

This video shows some of an interview with Laird Big Bird, but CLICK HERE if you want to read the whole interview.

Salsa Ride Replaces Jonesy Ride on June 20

Please note that the "Salsa Ride" is replacing the Joensey ride for next Saturday, June 20th.

Here are the details:

8 am  Ride Starts:  Meet at the Evansdale trail head.  Ride starts shortly after 8 am, so please be prompt.  Ride follows the paved bike trail to Gilbertville, LaPorte and on to McFalane Park bridge and back (approximately 35 miles round trip).

10 am: LaPorte City/jFestival of Trails celebration with breakfast option.  Go to http://lpclions.com/events/fot/schedule-of-events/ for more info on the events taking place there.

10:30 am:  Return to Evansdale trail head.

Noon -  1 pm: For those interested in Salsa, live music and/or art in the park, we can reconvene at The Hill in Cedar Falls and have lunch at the College Hill Arts Festival: http://www.collegehillartsfestival.com

1 - 3 pm:  Enjoy salsa music  provided by Iowa's best and only salsa band - La Orquesta de Jazz y Salsa Alto Miaz!  Free salsa dance lessons by Salsa Bird (aka Heather Flory).

RSVP to Heather, as she  will be the leader for Saturday's ride and events, at heather.flory@yahoo.com

Have fun everyone.  I'll be stuck in a training on Administration of Medication in a Child Care Setting from 8:30 to 2:30 that day.

Bid Bird.

Who Rode RAGBRAI?

I am always amazed by the variety of people who ride RAGBRAI.  I found a Register posting about Who is Riding RAGBRAI in 2014. 

Here are some of the specifics:
62% are Men and 38% are Women
Majority of riders are between 50-59 years old

Riders' Ages
Under 19       4.5%
20 - 29          7.6%
30 - 39         10.3%
40 - 49         14.8%
50 - 59         25.3%
60 - 69         14.3%
70 - 79           2.9%
Over 80          0.2%      

It would interesting to know the professions of the RAGBRAI riders.  Maybe next year.

Did you have a good ride in 2014?

Z

It's All about Your Bottom, Flamingos

You might think that all those training miles that you are logging are about building your legs.  Not true.

Yes, you are building muscles that will help push you across the Iowan landscape but those are not the important part of your body that is being developed. 

The important part is your butt.

Coach David Ertl wrote about the importance of building your butt on the RAGBRAI blog (6/24/14)   I will highlight some of the main points here but you will get the most out of this if you actually read his post, RAGBRAI Training: Let's Get to the Bottom of the Issue.

While you may have legs of steel, you aren't going to make it to the finish line if your butt can't stay in the seat. (I must admit that there is a RAGBRAI-er who rides the whole route without a seat, but I wouldn't recommend it.)  You need to prepare for the 40 - 100 miles per day sitting in your saddle. 

Here are a few problems that might emerge if you don't train your butt properly:

• Your butt will hurt - You will feel "soreness under your seat bones."
• Your legs chaff - Rubbing between your seat and legs can cause some real discomfort.
• You develop saddle sores - Sincere problems are caused by saddle sores. They can be serious enough to end your RAGBRAI ride.

How to Avoid The Problems:

Shorts:

• Wear cycling shorts - These are padded and created without thickened seams the can rub. They are made of material that absorbs perspiration and cushions your derriere from chaffing and saddle sores.
• Do not wear underwear under your shorts - Lycra shorts are designed to be worn by themselves. You can get baggy shorts if you are too shy to wear these.
• Bring at least 2 pairs of shorts - There is a lot of sweat in those shorts so they need to be washed.  You don't want to wear wet shorts.  Give them a day to dry.

Preparation:

• Ride a lot in preparation.
• Begin with shorter rides and build up to distance.
• Ride year around and your toughened butt remains tough.

Avoid Chaffing:

Begin each day by applying a thin layer of chamois cream on your groin.  There are a number of commercial names; Chamois Butt'r, Eurostyle butter, Ride EZ Chamois Cream, and DZNUTS are some good ones to use. 

Keep It Clean:

Keep your groin area as clean and dry as possible. Saddle sore is caused by infections that are caused by bacteria in your skin. Bacteria love dirty and damp. Remember to wash your shorts every day.  Even if you don't have access to a washing machine, you can hand wash them with hand soap if you don't have any laundry soap. 

Take care of yourself.  REMEMBER: Even with all of your preparation and the steps you take to prevent problems, it is OK for you to finish your daily ride by yelling 

"My Butt Hurts!!!!"   Let's just hope that it isn't any worse than that.

Photo: http://www.cyclelicio.us

Big Bird Tells Us How to Pack for RAGBRAI

Laird Big Bird has provided some ideas about how to pack for RAGBRAI.

Just a little over 1 week left.

What to Bring

See attachment for a list of things recommended to bring on RAGBRAI.  Use this for your packing check list and you won't be sorry.

Camping/Overnight Needs

You will need to bring:

• a tent (make sure all the stakes are there)
• sleeping bag or bedding/pillow
• air mattress/pump or camp cot
• flash light
• camp chair (if support vehicles have enough room to carry along)

I will be bringing shade awnings for when we have to camp, and the flamingoloo in case we're not close to a KYBO.  We will also have standing air pumps along to keep your bike tires up.  We will have coolers along for chilling beverages or keeping yogurt, fruit, etc. chilled during the week.

Packing Tips

For those of you new to RAGBRAI here are a couple of packing tips that might prove useful.

• Pack each day's set of clothing in a zip lock bag.  This helps keep everything safe and dry.  It also makespacking a little easier especially mid-week when the sleep deprivation and fatigue starts to set in and your brain functioning moves into slow motion.
• Line your duffel bag with a plastic trash bag.  This offers additional protection against your clothing getting wet in case we encounter rain during the week.
• Remember to pack sandals or shower shoes that can be worn in the showers at the public schools, etc., 
• Shower gels are easier and less messy to carry then bar soaps
• Camping towels (like large shammies) work fine and take up less space.
• Camping toilet paper rolls are a great investment.  They are easy to carry for back up when you find yourself in a KYBO with no TP, or for emergency dashes into the corn fields.
• Breathe rights are great to help control snoring (Leigh) during the night.

Packing List

Due to popular demand, Laird Big Bird shared a suggested list of items that are recommended for your RAGBRAI trip. You may have other items that you want to take, but please keep in mind that space is at a premium.  Try to limit your gear (excluding tent/sleeping bag/mattress pad/cot, etc.) to a medium size duffel and a carry on.
On the Bike:
___   Bike (computer, trunk bag, etc.)
___   Helmet
___   RAGBRAI rider's tag/packet
___   Spare tubes (2)
___   Tire iron/tire changing kit
___   Sunscreen
___   Chap stick
___   Handiwipes travel pack
___   Hand disinfectant
___   Credit card/cash (don’t count on working ATM’s in rural Iowa)
___   iPod/MP3 player/ear buds/bike sound system
___   Cell phone
___   iPod/Cell phone charger
___   Sun glasses
___   More money
___   Sunburn cream or spray/mole skin, band aids
___   Camera if phone doesn’t have one.
___   Roll of camping TP or mini-Kleenex packs (for dashes into the corn fields)
___   Pink feather boas/flamingo adornments and accessories

Clothes:
___   Sun visor or ball cap
___   Cycling jerseys (2)
___   Cycling shorts (2)  (keep separate from Al’s)
___   Socks (7 pairs – wear 1 pair after ride/on ride next day).  Adjust if you wear sandals at night and/or sandals to ride in.
___   Bike shoes or sandals, or shoes with hard sole.
___   Shorts for evening wear (if you can find travel shorts with liners you can eliminate undies)
___   Undies (you be the judge of number needed)
___   T-shirts (one for each night/ each day you ride if don’t have jersey)
___   Hoodie, sweat shirt or windbreaker in case temps dip
___   Pair of long pants in case temps dip (optional)
___   Sweat band or bandana

In Camp/Overnight:
___   Sleeping bag/bed roll/cot/bedding (whatever you plan to sleep on)
___   Tent (in case we have to camp or housing breaksdown)
___   Shower shoes or flips
___   Toiletry kit
___   Pocket flashlight
___   Pocket knife
___   Ink pen, post card stamps, mailing labels
___   Muscle rub (i.e., Perform or Biofreeze)
___   Towel

See you in 15 days.

Mike "Big Bird" Knapp

Let's Join the BACooN RIDE: the RIDE for the CURED!!!!

It's Only 72 miles but full of BACON!!!!

Saturday, June 28 from 7 AM to 7 PM

You will be biking 72 miles while crunching on bacon treats along the way. The Bacoon Ride will go through 14 cities.  It will begin in Waukee and end in Waukee so you won't need to worry about where to park your car.

Here's the Route:

• Waukee
• Ortonville
• Adel (6)
• Redfield (10)
• Linden (6)
• Panora (6)
• Yale (6)
• Herndon (5)
• Jamaica (2)
• Dawson (5)
• Perry (6)
• Minburn (7)
• Dallas Center (6)
• Waukee (6)

It will cost $45 for early bird registrations but this is what you get for your money:

• Numerous BACON stops featuring BACON snacks and samples throughout the day
  (BACON donuts, BACON cheeseburger sliders, BACON tacos! – Details to come!)
• BACON-themed lunch
• A commemorative PassPORK (punch card for your BACON treats!)
• Awesome drink specials at numerous BACON party stops (including BACON themed drinks)
• Custom BACooN RIDE Steel Pint (used for drink specials through the day)
• Commemorative BACooN RIDE t-shirt
• Ride support with mechanics in towns

SOUNDS LIKE FUN!!

LET'S CREATE A FLAMINGO PRESENCE!!!