Thanks for the Lodging

Thanks for the Lodging, a photo by UNI Dr. Z on Flickr.

Just wanted to give a big thanks to the wonderful folks who put us up and put up with us last night:
Gwen and John Detlefson, Kim Fara, John Pea, Phillip and Janet Myer Steve and Cathy Pfannkuch, Shawn and Michon Bakker, & Donna and Floyd Forman.
Your hospitality was greatly appreciated by us all.

Monday's Climb is a Tough One

The Road to Willey, a photo by UNI Dr. Z on Flickr.

Monday was the toughest climb of the tour: 70 miles and climbed over 4,700 ft. It was another hot day with heat index of 110.
Lots of events:
-- Big Bird bought a new battery for the van so now he doesn't have to single-handedly push the 5 ton ban to get it started.
-- A bunch if birds went swimming in the pond outside of Carroll to cool off.
--Doodle bird found that she had a long-lost 2nd cousin in Manning.This second cousin placed us in homes with comfortable beds all over Manning.
--Mini-Shoop is beginning to hang around with Team Harold.
--Doodle Bird has discovered a new passion for drawing flamingos on the back of riders' legs.
Today will be a 70-mile day from Carroll to Boone. Most of it will be rolling hills except a huge hill going into Carrol. Should be fun.
Btw, the photo is the road to the town of Willey.

First Day Was Hot and Hilly

First Day Was Hot & Hilly, a photo by UNI Dr. Z on Flickr.

Sunday was a great day for the beginning of our trek. It was 90 degrees with a 111 degree heat index. The route climbed over 4200 feet. Kudos to those who rode the whole route. These included Emily, Al, Michael, Mark, Bill, Nate (and his 12-year old daughter, Bethany, who joined him on their tandem, and Deb B. Most of the rest of us Bagged It at Carson or Griswold and took a van into Atlantic.

In Atlantic we stayed at three different homes of wonderful families. It was nice to sleep indoors instead of the hilly campground we enjoyed Friday night.

BTW, the photo is a Coke machine turned into an entertainment center at the Dave and Rosie Jones. Thanks!!

Team Flamingo Takes Off for RAGBRAI XXXIX

Team Flamingo Takes Off for RAGBRAI XXXIX, a photo by UNI Dr. Z on Flickr.

We did it!

We met at Carolyn's house for a wonderful breakfast at 8:00.
We packed the 3 vans with bikes and gear for 20 . . . And we left at 10:00. We were aiming at 9:00 but it was the earliest departure yet.

"We came. We ate. We flocked"

Things look good for a wonderful RAGBRAI adventure ahead.

Communicating on RAGBRAI

flickr.com/Donato Tundo

Riding RAGBRAI is a challenge, but communicating in the Iowa farmlands can be a great challenge as well. 


Here are a few hints:

• Use the team contact cards that Big Bird will distribute to add your fellow birds' phone numbers to your cell phone.
• Stay in touch with your team. It is more fun if you coordinate your ride with your team.
• Connect with your support team at the Meeting Town each day. They will not leave until they connect with every rider.
• Phone coverage is intermittent throughout Iowa. Use text messaging when your phones don't have coverage. 
• Pass out stickers in towns to leave evidence that you were there. 
• When you tweet, use #RAGBRAI as the hashtag.  Your tweet will appear on the official RAGBRAI website at http://ragbrai.com/twitter/
• Share your photos with the world. Team Flamingo has a Flickr Group: Team Flamingo - RAGBRAI.  You must be a group member if you want to post your photos. Contact Z-Bird if you want to join the group and he will tell you how to do this. 

Do you have other ideas for improving the team's communication?  Please share them as comments below.

RAGBRAI Packing List

flickr.com/BenjaminLester

Trying to decide what to take on RAGBRAI?
We are in luck because Big Bird constructed a check list that you can use to get organized. 
You can also access it through Google Docs right here.   You can download it to your computer from here if you wish.

What did we forget?

RAGBRAI Check List

c RAGBRAI Rider/Driver’s Tags

c Bike

c Bike Helmet

c Bike Computer

c Feather Boas

c Trunk Bag/Handle Bar Bag

c Spare bike tube/tire changing kit

c Water bottles/Camelback hydration pack

c Bike Pump

c Bike Gloves

c Sun Glasses

c Sun Screen

c Lip Block

c Power Bars/Gum

c Toilet paper (to carry on bike in case of emergency stop to corn field)

c Hand Sanitizer/Travel Handiwipes (see above)

c Team Flamingo jersey/biking jersey

c Bike shorts

c Bike shoes

c Shower shoes

c Ball cap/sun visor

c Kerchiefs

c Socks/Undergarments

c Swim suit

c T-shirts

c Shorts

c Windbreaker/hoodie (in case temps drop)

c Long pants (in case temps drop)

c Toiletry kit (soap, shampoo, baby powder, sunburn cream, etc.)

c Towel(s)

c Camera

c Cell Phone/charger

c Batteries

c Cash

c Credit card

c Rain jacket/poncho

c Tent/ground tarp

c Sleeping bag or bedding

c Ground pad/blow up mattress/camp cot

c Flash light

Meet the Team . . .

Wondering who is actually on Team Flamingo?

This is a vibrant team and trying to identify who is actually on it at any one point is kind of a moving target. Once you are a flamingo, you are ALWAYS a flamingo.

You can meet the gang by clicking the Members tab on this page.  You will be introduced to over 60 members. It is right below the Flamingo Blog title above.

QR code for Team Flamingo Blog

It may seem a bit redundant to post a QR code that will direct someone to this website.

Nevertheless, this code might be useful for you if you want to send someone an easy way for them to access our blog through their phones. Sure, you could give them the URL, but this soooooo much coooooooooler.

What do you think?

Z

RAGBRAI Training: Save Your Knees Using the Right Gear

www.flickr.com/gcfairch

Using the proper gears when riding RAGBRAI can make a big difference in how your legs and knees will holdout on the road.

David Ertl on the RAGBRAI blog shared some insights about how important it is to use the right gears. He notes that too often we use the large gear in the front so that we can pedal slowly. The problem is that we are exerting too much force on our legs with each stroke and we use more muscle fibers with each stroke. This means that we get tired earlier.

The key is to keep your cadence at over 75 revolutions per minute.  You will use lower gears in the front ring, but you will not tire as quickly.

There is a great deal more that you need to know about this before your next ride. Read Ertl's article, Go for a Spin.  It is quite informative.

What kind of rider are you? Are you usually above or below 75 RPMs?

On with the Early Bird Ride

Another 55 miles of training.  Yes, we are gluttons for biking. Early Bird (Al Hays) invited us to join him in a special ride. We met at the Hays' house at 8:00 AM and we were on the road by 8:30.

Early Bird took us on an interesting journey that took us through Black Hawk Park; down 1st Street to Union; South on Union to 12th; South to and around the Prairie Lake; Hustle to Hudson; North to Waterloo; East to the Sandpits and then back west to the Hays' near Peiffer Park.

Once we returned to the Hays' house, there was a huge spread of hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, cheesecake and other delicacies.  Thank you, Early Bird and Mrs. Hays.

It was a good ride. The only problem was when Z-Bird committed Flamingo-cide in the early morn by backing his truck over the Hays' flamingo. Immediate first aid was administered and Fancy the Flamingo is re-adorning the Hays' front yard.

A second day of training for team flamingo

Training is Coming to an End

Yes, we only have 20 days left til we mount our bikes to ride our bikes 454 miles across Iowa. The challenge is to be ready for the day-after-day pedal-after-pedal progression up mountains and down hills.

Flamingos Prepare for the Saturday Ride

In preparation for our tour, we have been taking some wonderful rides. Saturday we rode 55 miles. This began at Cup o' Joe's and we rode the Great Loop through Hartman Reserve and around Green Hill. As always, we stopped for lunch at Toad's. In the afternoon, we did the Holy Trinity ride where we ride from downtown Cedar Falls to Waterloo, along the 63 highway to Hudson and down the 57 highway and Main Street to return to Cedar Falls.  It is a wonderful ride.

Sunday Crew Hops Towards Another Ride

Sunday's ride didn't have quite the turnout, but it was a quality group. You will notice that we have assumed the mono-pedal Flamingo stance as a display of unity and balance.

This trip was to be another 50-mile day ride. This time we began the Holy Trinity ride in the morning. Unfortunately, Z-Bird got a flat tire and he had to fall out of the procession until lunch. The whole gang met at Mulligan's for lunch.  Having had a productive morning, the team decided to return home and engage in their personal exercise programs.

The 4th of July will involve The Early Bird Special ride which begins at 8:00 AM at Al and Pam Hays' house. We will ride for 50 miles and then return to the Hays' for a Bar-B-Q.  Should be a "gas" and we will provide photos as they appear.

XtraNormal Discussion about RAGBRAI

Here is a fun description of RAGBRAI. The couple share some wonderful insights about RAGBRAI.
It was definitely created by a seasoned RAGBRAI-er.

2011 Route is Announced!!!!

Glenwood to Davenport. Doesn't look like too much of a challenge this year.  Looks like most of the work will be in the first two days. Sunday and Monday will each be about 5,000 feet climbs in 65 miles a piece.  There will be a tough hill outside of Boone on the 3rd day but the rest looks pretty good.   The Century Ride will be on the 3rd day between Carroll and Boone. It will turn the 72 mile day into a 100 mile day.

You can download and print the map above by just clicking on it and you will go to the RAGRAI website which houses that map.

38 Special will be a band that will rock in Coralville. It will be $10 admission but free for registered riders.

Looks to be a fun year coming up.  Will you be riding?  If so, then who is your team?

Z-Bird

We Made It!!!!!!

Well, we had a wonderful week riding our chariots (bikes) across Iowa this year. 

It was an amazing ride.  We had 100 degree weather on Monday and Tuesday, monsoon rains on Friday morning and killer hills on Saturday.  It was WONDERFUL!!!!

One of the greatest things about the ride was the community that prevails on RAGBRAI.  On Thursday evening, we had two members collide, Northern Bird and Fire Bird, and Fire Bird lost consciousness for a few minutes. Fortunately, she rejoined reality shortly and was taken to the hospital for an MRI. The doctors gave her a clean bill of health and she rejoined the ride.   Friday, we had riders coming up to us all day asking about Fire Bird's health. One man said that she had been in his prayers all day. Believe it or not, the entire Air Force Reserve team (140 members) were concerned for her health.

THAT my friend is community.

BTW, you can decode our Bird names by visiting our Members page on our regular website.

You can also see a some photos of Team Flamingo on our FaceBook Team Flamingo group photo page.  If you have a FaceBook account, you can get to the photo page here.

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.