After dipping our tires in the mighty Mississippi we gave each other a high five and embraced and I just lost it breaking down crying then he did too. So many emotions came to the surface. I am so proud of what we did we will never forget it. Love you Jacob
Yesssss we made it 455 miles from Glenwood Iowa to Davenport Iowa. From the Missouri river to the Mississippi river. I asked Jacob to lift his bike up over his head and h said I can't do that its too heavy. I said don't tell ne you can't do it you just rode 455 miles across Iowa in 7 days. GOOD POINT DAD. Thank you for all your support. What an accomplishment. GRANDMA AND GRANDPA HARTSON. This ones for you. Thinking of you got me up so many hills. Thanks for giving me that push. I Love you and miss you very much. I just needed to be older and wiser. Now we get to go home Victorious.
Today is the last day in our journey. Usually we wake up dragging to get on our bikes but today we are so excited to finish 455 miles across the state. We are going to do it.
Today Jacob and I set a personal record for distance at 77 miles. This is the tent city as our charter had to share space with other charters. Tonight we are going to see. 38 special in concert which is free for RAGBRAI riders. Tomorrow marks the end of our Journey across Iowa. I can't believe we are only 66 miles from Davenport. After those very hilly first two days broke down our spirits we were ready to quit. It was not any fun. Then we started taking it slower...more me than Jacob and talking to so many random people realizing that it didn't matter when we finished. Then it became more fun with each new town we came across. Tomorrow we will dip our front tire in the Mississippi river and become a RAGBRAI survivor. I am so proud of Jacob and I for sticking to it thru the pain. I have never experienced such highs and lows on a given week. Tomorrow failure is not an option. We are so close to victory.
After the hardest hill of the day there was this awesome house at the top with a pond and they were letting bikers use it to swim in and cool off. It was tempting but I kept on pedalling.
Of all the iowa towns we have gone through Oxford was my favorite. Great scenery and nice downtown.
I am half way done with today. Jacob is ahead so he can guitar with his hippie band. It is hot again. Im in a well air conditioned catholic church. I might convert by the time I leave. They saved my life. Next up is pretty Amana. Colonies with more hills. I am sure we will see a horse and buggy but if i get passed by one...not cool. We are less than 100 miles away from finish line. I know we can do it now.
Well that was a 50 dollar mistake but my head is worth it. Too much information in that brain of mine to damage it by being careless. Haha
This is a picture of the street I have to walk to for nearest bike shop because silly me left his helmet back 5 miles. I went to take it off and ooooopps. 2 mile walk here we come.
Jacob has been 2 hours ahead of me all day. There was this stand called Peanut Butter Jam and I guess Jacob played guitar with this band for a couple hours. When I got there I missed jacob but lead singer said he was a good guitar player. That's the experience I want him to get. Stop and smell the roses.
Never thought id love the rain bit it is finally starting to come down. Feels good.
Waning up at 5am vhuuafter a nice sleep in a hotel bed with the ac on was a little easier. The thought of quitting enters our mind daily and we talk about getting on sag wagons but once we eat breakfast and get on the bike we buckle down thru the pain and press on. It is finally about 85 for a high today and overcast. Next two days are back in the hundreds again. I am so proud of what jacob and I have accomplished so far and at this point failure is not an option. I dream of dipping that front tire into the Mississippi River in a couple days. I think about my family back home who I miss and my friends who are supporting us and push on. It is now taking one hill at a tine. One mile at a time. We've come so far we can't give up now. We are in colfax iowa now.
Today was a hard day because of so hot it is 98 with heat index of 108. Everything was sore but we took lots of breaks and our new motto is one mile at a time. It js getting harder to push forward but we are living the dream and can't quit even though it has crossed our minds. I let Jacob go ahead and he said he passed a cemetary and told a joke my grandpa Hartson told me and I passed on to him. He was talking with the rider next to him and asked. Do you know how many people are dead in that cemetary....All of then.
Tonight we get to sleep at a hotel and spend the night with my friend ross and his girlfriend who drove up from st. Louis. Hope tomorrow is cooler bit doesn't look like it. In one of the towns today I was sitting in the shade with my head in my hands cooling off when 4 emts started attending to me. They asked how I was and I said im fine just tired. Then they said you aren't the guy with chest pains. I said nope not yet. Haha
Another funny thing was I got into a town and there is always kids cheering you on and spraying you with water. Well a row of kids had their hands out for high 5s and when I got to them they all switched to bumps so I bumped each of their knuckles. For these kids who many have probably never been out of their home town it is a thrill of a lifetime. I've made a point to stop for at those stands run by kids because they love RAGBRAI. Tomorrow is 70 miles wish us luck.
Enough with the hills iowa. Thank God there is always water and gatorade at the top for sale....sometimes free. 10 miles to Altoona. We can do it. Can't wait to see my friend Ross and sleep in a hotel. Yippeeee.
Awesome view of the des moines river valley. 15 mikes to go. Today was hard because we are so sore. Hurts to sit and hurts to peddle. One mile at a time. I let jacob go ahead in one town and I found a short cut that cut off 3 blocks. He passed me and said Dad I thought you were behind me. I said you didn't know your dad was better than you huh. Then I told him I cut off a few blocks.
This 8 year old girl was yelling get your picture with a clown and get a cookie. I miss my girls at home and nobody was stopping. I had to get my picture with the clown. Girl was so happy I stopped and gave me an extra cookie. COOKIE TIME. safe in slater iowa.
This is one of the water stops. Iowa Air Guard bads huge watter container giving out free water.
This is one of the water stops. Iowa Air Guard bads huge watter container giving out free water.
I had visions of blogging this trip but the cell service in the overnight towns couldn't handle the 15000 riders and their familes. Finally tonight we are in Boone Iowa and they can handle it. Yesterday was very hilly. I've never done so many hills like that ever. It has been very hot with temps well over 100. We have been drinking tons of water and gatorade and I love the sweet corn brats and mr. Porkchop. Mr. Porkchop is an old man who sits on the corner and yells Pork Chhhhhooooopppppp. It is funny. Today was much flatter buy hotter. We only had one hill and it is named Twister hill because it was in the movie twister. It was so steep most riders walked up it. No pride lost there. Every mile or so there is a farm selling food and water. I love taking breaks and talking to the riders. Met some great people who all have a RAGBRAI story to share. I've given Jacob 100% Independence. After his shower experience he is now a man. He ride ahead of me and got to town an hour ahead of me and set up the tent and had it ready to go. He thinks I can't keep up but I have my reasons. Tomorrow we have another flat day and only 50 miles. My friend Ross and his girlfriend are meeting us tomorrow and I hope I can get a night in a hotel. 4 nights camping is alot but we are sleeping well. Who would have thought that Jacob and I could have ridden 62 68 and today 73 miles in 3 consecutive days. When im riding out in the Iowa countryside looking out at the thousands of riders knowing we are part of something so huge I can't help but get emotional. I've officially made it further than 1991 where we quit after day 2. Sorry Aunt Holly and Debbie no taxi ride this time.
Soooooo... Day 1? Intense! Exrememe heat, huge hills and tons of people. The food was great, and the people were friendly. And best of all, the kids with hoses and water guns! Spray me!! Yes!!! Cool air!!! Woohoo!!! Unfortunately that only lasts a couple seconds before you're back into the blistering hot... But the worst part of the day? Showers..... It's relieving to feel cool water on your body after a workout..... But not when naked men are surrounding you!!!! I walked in and almost screamed!!! Naked old men and a huge chubby black guy! They were'nt wearing anything!!! Nasty!! Ahhhh!!! Nightmares!!!! Seriously? Put some clothes on! -_-
-Jacob
Another thing that was funny today was our shower experience. Jacob never went to school where showering was required. We got to take a shower where everyone was NAKED. He was so embarrassed. I told him he could wear his bike shorts. Think we both will have nightmares of what we saw. Haha. He might not shower the rest of the week. Yuck.
We had to take a LOT of breaks today mostly at the top of every hill after about 10am. There was always someboday selling water sometimes free and gatorade. I drank about 7 gatorades and 7 more water bottles. We couldn't get enough liquid. Around 1pm we stopped for lunch and kept looking at each other like what in the heck did we sign up for this for. Our butts were and we found muscles we didn't know we had. Quitting is not an option but it did cross our minds. Then jacob saw a sign for homemade ice cream a mile ahead and we got a second wind. It was me who was giving Jacob encouragement the first half and when while eating that ice cream I gave him a big hug and kiss on the forehead and told him how proud I was of him. Then it was Jacob encouraging me to get into town. 5 more miles dad...you can do it. Today we rode 62 miles climbed 4000 feet and actually rode the bike 6 and a half hours. We got into town at 530 nearly 11 hours after we started. Jacob said it right. Dad we really acomplished something today. Tomorrow is basically the same mileage and hills then it flattens out.
After the storm blew through we slept most of the night. We were both excited to get riding so tossed and turned from 3am on. 5am alarm goes off and we start taking down our tent. We have a power bar for breakfast and head to Silver City 8 miles away. Today and tomorrow was supposed to be the toughest and we soon realized why. Jacob and I have never rode hills like this. They weren't overly difficult but I bet we went up at least 30 quarter mile hills today. Then the weather took its toll. The temperature was 98 but the heat index was 113 with humidity. Crazy hot.
Jacob coming back with a plate of buffalo wings stacked up high for six bucks. I decided on sweet corn and an Iowa Pork Chop. It is like a carnival people everywhere. I've never seen so many bikes.
I am having flashbacks from 1991. Jacob and I got to the campground and it was very hot and humid. We set up our tent and got our bikes ready for tomorrow. Then we decided to go walk downtown to the expo and check out the entertainment. Road into town was packed with cars and Team Bus Los Bastardos got a laugh. Then the tornado siren sounded and started to rain. We all headed for the high school gym shelter. After 20 min the threat was over and we came back to our tent and some guys were putting our rain fly back on the tent. Now we are sitting inside the tent and its pouring down rain. Dinner tonight might be granola bars and water. Not the start we were hoping for. Weather report said no rain. They should be fired. Haha keeping good spirits and THIS cloud burst will not defeat me like the one in 1991. Tomorrow we ride rain or shine.
Goodmorning everyone, it's the day we have to board the bus and thankfully we made it into the CORRECT bus :D it looks like the weather for today and tomorrow will be bearable which i am thankful for. For anyone who thinks iowa is flat, You were wrong on soooooo many levels. -_-
-Jacob
There is about 40 busses lined up down the street and soon it was mass chaos to find the right bus. We did finally and then the luggage rack was full. Luckily we ran to otherside and found a spot. It is starting to rain but we beat it and are safe on the bus. Everyone is happy and excited. Wait till the hills of day 1. Im happy to see there are people of all shapes and sizes.
We put our registration bracelets on our wrists and finalized our packing. Getting on the bus at 815 tomorrow morning. No turning back now.
We have dropped our bikes with the charter and checked in. They were very friendly. 390 people in our group and 3 semi trucks full of bikes. Tonight will be our last night in an air conditioned room with a bed for the next 8 nights.
This is the view from my Aunt Hollys farm in Iowa. We are off to Davenport to drop off the bikes. The ride starts sunday. Let the adventure begin.
