RAGBRAI Day 6

Thursday, July 23 - Chariton to Ottumwa
Day 6:
We wake to rain. I sit on my tent and pack up, while waiting for the rain to end. Once it stops, it is a beautiful sunrise and I can see the storm move east. One of the baggers is up drying his tent out. Apparently he has nothing that is waterproof, so his sleeping bag is a sponge. We grab Brent to ride with us and we're on our way...

Today is going to my 3rd century in a week. Never done it before, so I'm not sure how my body will react. Both Justin and Brent have shifting troubles, so we stop a few times to make adjustments. Brent can't believe he is on the road at 8 am. He hates the bike traffic.

After various stops, we lose Brent and make our way to the 100-mile loop. Each year, RAGBRAI offers an extra loop for one of the days, which gives people the opportunity to ride a century. The loop proves to be the most scenic part of the ride. We circle a lake with a lot less cyclists, it proves to be a joy despite the ever-present heat.

We make it to Ottumwa in 10 hours. We get kicked out of the pool area as it is a not a designated camping spot, so we set up shop with the rest of RAGBRAI in ONE park. We dine at a Mexican restaurant that could have had the worst food but we consumed everything as if it was our last meal. We head to bed early. 3rd century in 5 days completed.