Day 2: Shenandoah to Creston

This is the day I've anticipated since learning what this year's route for RAGBRAI would be: the longest day (75+ miles) and the most climb (4,000+ feet), following what (for me) was a long first day. So let's get at it....

Up a few minutes before 5:00, and with a refined packing routine, I had wheels up at 6:15 with a temp of 68 degrees. Following the climb out of town, the first 6 miles were promisingly flat. But then the hills began: slow rollers where you could maintain 6 to 8 MPH, and steeper grinders where you just move to the right, grab the lowest gear available, and go at 4 MPH for two to five minutes at a time.

Stopped at 7:45 just past Bethesda (18.5 miles) for a potty break, Kind bar, and water. Twenty minutes later, back on the road. Around 9:30 and 32.0 miles down, I rolled into the first host town, Villisca, where I stopped for breakfast. But when 10,000 people drop in on a town, the waits are L-O-N-G, so I opted for the shortest one: a banana, a water, and a piece of raisin pie.

But it's a ride, not a picnic, so I pedaled on toward Corning - birthplace of Johnny Carson - arriving around 12:30 and 50.0 miles into the day. I bought a pulled pork sandwich, a fruit smoothie, and two bottles of water, but with the heat and exertion, I didn't finish the sandwich. And it was into the high 80's by now, so I climbed out of town with about 25 miles left in the day.

The hills were consecutive and unrelenting; there wasn't a flat section longer than 500 feet on the rest of the route. As the sun beat down, my average speed slowed. Prescott, 10 miles later, was my next water and 20-minute rest stop; I left town around 2:20 with17 miles to go.

The balls of my feet were getting sore from the pedal pressure, and sweat had saturated the backs of my socks, irritating the skin around my Achilles' tendon. But each pedal stroke got my 3 to 6 feet closer, so I pressed on. Creston finally came into view around 4:50 pm.

I arrived at the campground at 5:02 - 78.1 miles in 8 hours, 7 minutes on the bike. I retrieved my tent duffle feeling a bit light headed, drank a half-bottle of water, and fell asleep using the duffle as a pillow. I awoke around 6:15 and showered, still not feeling very hungry. I had a dinner roll, some salad, lemonade, and a banana for "dinner".

Trying to decide if I want to "sag" tomorrow (ride the bus to the next town) or not. Tomorrow is the 2nd hilliest day (3,300 feet), but shorter in distance (58.5 miles). I'd be somewhat disappointed in not making the full ride, but if a day off the bike lets me reset my body and complete the rest of the ride, it may be the right choice. I'll decide at 6:00 tomorrow morning; now it's time for bed (9:30).