Team Flamingo Makes it to the KWWL RAGBRAI Fashion Page

Yes, it's true. If you wear pink feather boas while riding on your bike across Iowa, someday someone might pickup on the fact this is some sort of fashion statement.

KWWL's Rick Coleman was just the man who realized this in Charles City (Chucktown) when he interviewed Z-Bird on Main Street today. Z had just come into town in the middle of the Flamingo pack and was sitting on the sidewalk getting ready to find the home where they would be staying for the evening.  None other than Rick Coleman walked up with his photo journalist and asked for an interview.  (I want to point out that Rick road the 50-mile ride today in 3 hours.) 
KWWL RAGBRAI Fashion video

This evening on the KWWL news, there was a 2-minute piece about RAGBRAI fashion and we were the central point of interest.  I usually have a photo here and a fancy link to the video but can't do that now so just click on the following link to watch the video.


Have you seen us along the RAGBRAI road?  What fashion tips do you have to share?

Z-Bird

Catching up on Flamingo Blogging

For those of you who are wondering where all of the blogging is that I was promising you as we RAGBRAIed across Iowa, I am sorry but this evening (Wed) is the first time that I have had access to Internet so that I could share some of the things that have been happening.

While I haven't been able to blog, I have been twittering some about our trip. I have placed a gadget in the right hand column that will reflect twitters that talk about Team Flamingo.

I am in the process of setting up this blog so that I CAN blog from my phone.  Only time will tell.

Thanks for following.

Z-Bird

Looks Like a Wet Week Ahead

Looks like we will encounter some rain on our trek this coming week.  I used the weather website, wunderground.com to compile the information in the table above (click on the graphic if it isn't big enough to read.)  I decided that our sleeping situation was the most important, so I posted the forecast for the night of our stay in the various towns.

Please remember that meteorologists don't hold any faith in weather forecasts beyond 5 days so the further out the forecast the less certain we can be about its certainty.

Needless to say, we will have a wet week, so dress (or undress) appropriately.

Only 36 hours till we migrate to Western Iowa for Ragbrai

Only 36 hours before Team Flamingo takes off for RAGBRAI. We plan to meet at 8:00 on Saturday and leave Waterloo by 9:00. This means that we will be lucky to leave by 10:00 unless a Whinwy Bird wants to dye her hair pink on Saturday morning again . . .

We plan to get to Sioux City in the late afternoon where we will all stay in a generous gentleman's home. That's how Flamingos Roll. We don't need no stinkin' campgrounds because Big Bird, Whiney Bird, and and Crafty Bird usually find homes where we can stay. (Truth is that we carry tents in our vans just in case.)

It's raining and thundering outside but that is OK because this means that the skies will be all rained-out when it is time to ride . . . Riiiiight!!!

I am writing this post using a small mini One Laptop Per Child computer. The keyboard is so small that I have to type using two fingers. That's OK. It's supposedly waterproof so I will take it on RAGBRAI. I will also post using my droid so it should be fun.

A Million Spokes: New RAGBRAI documentary

Last year, a documentary production company followed us across Iowa and this year they are releasing their film, “A Million Spokes.”  This  feature-length documentary will make its world premiere in Sioux City at the start of RAGBRAI XXXVIII.

Yes, you can see me, Z-Bird, making my way up Snake Alley in Bettendorf at the final day of the ride (about 1:45 into the trailer.) It shows me riding in the 5-minute trailer of the documentary. Who knows what will be included in the full-length documentary.


The film focuses on some of the riders and teams that journeyed across the state last summer.  The film highlights the diversity of RAGBRAIers as some come for the challenge, some come for the speed, some come just to party through the ride and others derive very specific meanings for the ride.

This special screening in Sioux City prior to the 2010 RAGBRAI will mark the first time this film will be viewed by the public.  The film’s director, Varda Hardy, producers, Ken Gorrell and Talia Rodriguez-Shakur, will join many of the characters you will meet in the film to screen the project in its first public viewing.

Looks like an interesting documentary.  Click the photo up there and you can watch it on YouTube.

Z-Bird.

There IS a LOOOOONG Hill on RAGBRAI

RAGBRAI 2010 isn't all flat. There is a tough 1-mile hill on the last day of the ride at Potter's Hill. It averages about a 6% grade. Ride the hill above through the video.

The RAGBRAI blog provided 5 steps for making it up hills. Here is the list. You will want to go to the actual RAGBRAI posting for the descriptions.

1. Hills are Hard
2. Use Your Gears
3. Train on Hills Prior to RAGBRAI
4. Train Your Brain
5. Pace Yourself

Enjoy yourself Flamingos and Friends of Flamingos.

Z-Bird