MNSCS #7 - Buck Hill Birch Bump

Buck Hill Birch Bump in Burnsville - August 9.

This fun and fast cross-country course covers a 2.7 mile loop. The trails offer some fun single track and a small amount of climbing. 

Monte's race results:

Sport Men 35-39

2nd place in age group

29th place overall

Time: 1:00:56

Start of race. Monte is in the green.

Packy is in red.

Ani and her new friend Claire with a cow bell. Go Daddy!

What is this? Ani is learning to share?! Amy, Ani, Mariza, and Caden after the race.

RAGBRAI Day 7

Friday, July 24 - Ottumwa to Mt. Pleasant

Day 7:

Today is a 75-mile day. We get up slow - our bodies ache and the sunburn stings. We take our time at a local diner and let a local gent sit with us as we have invaded his breakfast spot. He can't believe our bodies can this punishment! Food is ok, but again, it fills the void. 

Two of the best stops of the day were  1) free pink lemonade and water and 2) Free beer! Sweet Sadie's BBQ had a $5 donation for dinner and beer. Justin and I coax about 50 more people to stop and soon they are out of beer. We leave and come back when we see the next keg pass in the opposite direction. We eat and drink a little more while dragging even more people into the party shouting "Free Beer!" along the roadside. 

We leave our new friends to head for camp. I met a student at Indianola who  said we could camp at his parent's house in Mt. Pleasant. He said it was the only house with a circle drive around the town square. We cannot find it, so we head to the RAGBRAI camp about 4 miles out of town on a steam engine museum. 

We are losing light fast as we set up our tents. I get into bed at 8:45 only to be awaken by police telling us to take cover from an oncoming storm with wild rain. I park everything on the bike and head for the steam engine museum. After watching it rain for 10 minutes I notice nobody is waiting for the shower. I get a shower and shave. The weather has passed - off to bed.

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.

RAGBRAI Day 5

Wednesday, July 22 - Indianola to Chariton

Day 5: 

I'm up at 5 am. My perfect camping spot has 1 loud drunk and I can't sleep. We eat an amazing breakfast - you name it, they had it. Short day, only 45 miles. We stopped along the way a few times, but end up in the destination town for the day, Chariton, at 1 pm. 15 mph average.

At the Chariton pool, Justin and I meet a nice couple from St. Louis on their 1st RAGBRAI. Both husband and wife wish they could ride, but one of them has to drive the truck each day to support their daughter and son-in-law. 

Now we find the best camping spot that we have the whole trip. On top of a hill = breeze. It's also conveniently located by the pool and toilet, and far away from the entertainment and noise. Justin and I go to Hy-Vee for a beer and food run. We ate dinner at our one and only church meal - roast beef, potato salad, and cake all for $7. Not bad but we waited nearly an hour for it while almost passing out from the heat as the basement of the church has no A/C. 

We head back to camp, which is now "Camp Bagger" - there are four other self-supported riders. We all hang out and discuss the finer points of the Tour de France and the lack of bike shifting knowledge on RAGBRAI. 

Every year it's the same thing. You get to a massive downhill and everybody thinks they're Lance Armstrong. Then you transition to the uphill and they're all a bunch of slugs that throw their chain off or break it while shifting under tremendous pressure. I joke that they should have a shifting seminar before RAGBRAI begins. 

Justin and I head downtown for tacos/burritoes and find the band Hairball cranking out another great 80's hair band song. "Cherry Pie", "Dr. Feelgood",  you name it! We head back to camp after a beer and look forward to our 100-mile day ahead of us tomorrow.

RAGBRAI Day 4

Tuesday, July 21

Day 4:

All I can think about as I get up is that I only have to ride 60 miles, or 45 miles less than every day thus far. It's raining. I try to spin it positive - you can't spell "rain" without ANI. :) That puts a smile on my face.

I eat at Panera, get the usual egg souffle and cheese pastry. It's got to be good cycling food because it keeps me fat. Leaving Ames, there is a slight mist which becomes heavy rain. I have my rain coat on and rear blinkey going but so many semi-trucks are passing me by that I feel like a fish out of water. A gentleman in Ames tells me to look for a bike trail that leads to Ankeny. 3 mile detour and no trail. 

Traveling quickly now, I make it to Indianola by 10:30 am. Pizza Hut is the worst, but I still eat their buffet as if $10 for pig slop is cheap. It fills the void. Meander downtown to find the town square. Met a nice couple that let me shower in their home. Big, hot tile shower. Overall, it was clean. I told her compared to the normal shower bikers are offered on RAGBRAI, I would eat off the floor of her dirty shower.

They offer me a bed to stay in and a dryer for my wet clothes. Don and his wife are top notch. They drop me off downtown with dry clothes. I eat good tonight, it's RAGBRAI and I can finally feel the buzz. 55 miles today, 15 mph average. 4 hours on bike.

RAGBRAI Day 3

Monday, July 20 - 107 miles to Ames
Day 3:
You can't spell "wind" without WIN. Directly into the wind all day long. Breakfast at Bill's Grocery filled me up. I move straight south on Highway 69 and stop for lunch - had a chicken sandwich, it was OK, not great.

RAK - Random Act of Kindness... USPS worker fills water bottles. Nice lady in Belfield fills bottles her town has "No store, but the co-op will sell you a pop." Next 30 miles, I have no stops. It's killing me. Hot sun = tomato red arms. After Belfield, driver in orange truck withthe word "Yellow" down the side yells "Dog Attack!" as the dogs jumped out of the ditch. The driver passed in the on-coming traffic while pushing the dogs back off the road. I do my best Mark Cavandish but my legs are tired. Sunburnt, I make it to Ames 12 hours after my start. 10 mph average. Ah, Ames.... home sweet home.

RAGBRAI Day 1 and 2

Excerpts from Monte's journal this RAGBRAI

Saturday & Sunday, July 18 & 19
Day 1:
I was on a high. My good friend Newman and I had just participated in the Tour de Fat. We both had an amazing time with the people. It was relaxing and nice knowing we all shared a common purpose, or should I say 3 common purposes: Bike, Beer, Fun.

My journey would be tough and I knew it. However, I did not anticipate how tough it would be to leave Mia & Ani. The tears welled up before the actual moment, but it hit me like a ton of bricks. I made my good-byes short and off I headed to RAGBRAI.

First stop was Shatak Lake about 60 miles away from the house. The city was busy as usual but as I hit Eagan and Rosemount, the tranquility and wind in my ears felt good.... and then I got a flat. Every biker gets them - nobody wants them. My new tires on the bike had not thwarted the carpet tack in the road.

New tube and on we go... KLANK. I look down and my cassette/gears exploded and took out my fender mount. I can't go on so I call Mia and the rescue is made. Seeing the family puts a smile on the face despite the bike circumstances. I make the quick fix at home, taking a wheel from the Legolas and mounting it to the Bob Brown. Mount fender and rack on the same eyelet and she is good as new. Warm meal and then straight to bed at 9 pm.

Day 2:
Pancakes are my favorite before a ride. I have them made before Mia and Ani awaken. We have a little breakfast coffee and Mia asks where and when I will start riding. I want to ride the whole way but cannot commit to all the miles. We settle on where I broke down yesterday. I get dropped off and this time, the good-byes are easy as if I've already left. Cool breeze and I'm off to Clear Lake, Iowa which is 120 miles away.

The day warms, but not too sweltering. I pass beer cans, cigarette boxes, and car parts all day long and finally hit Fairbault and the Shataka Trail. Gorgeous, tree-carved trail that takes me to Watertown.

Feeling really good at 40 miles. Heat and traffic take its toll on Highway 13. I eat at a pizza buffet at Waseca. Good, but the folks in Waseca must have thought I was from Mars. Lots of looks, but I am too worried about the food to care. I head south on 13, it gets quiet and my legs burn with each turn. I am in pain, everything hurts and I see my average speed drop quickly.

I stop for water and Gatorade - quick perk to get me to the final town/stop - Rice Lake Park, which is about as big as our backyard. No toilet, just a lake. I set up shop under a tree on a hill, fix tire, call family and parents, then shower in the lake. It doesn't take long, as I am tired. It was a 10-hour trip, 125 miles. Sun is setting behind trees... 7:47 pm,I'm going to bed. Avg. 15 mph.