Passing the Torch

As a parent, there are many opportunities to be proud of your children. Since I have been home schooling Neva for the past 4 weeks, she has given me many reasons to be proud of her with her educational advancements, but the achievements that I'm most proud of are through her own exploration and self-discovery.

Let me back up a little bit.  Neva has seen a lot of this in her day.  Actually over 10,000 miles worth, and who knows how many hours.

That's right, Neva had gotten into my purse which she wanted to hold and keep safe, and decided to photo log the events of her mother.  I can't imagine where she would have come up with such an idea.

Neva also has 4 bikes.  2 of which are outside bikes, and 2 which are inside bikes.  The inside bikes look like this:

The one Neva is riding is a pedal trike, and the one that the 30-year-old, 6 foot 2 inch tall father is riding is a 4-legged strider bike that you push with your feet.  In this epic hat and quad/tricycle race through the house, Neva's pedal power was superior to Christian's method of attempting to sit in a frog like posture and push forward with legs entirely too long for the toys original intent.  This was how she learned about pedals.

And then there are her 2 outside bikes.  The 2-wheeled Strider pedal-less bike Neva mastered at 18 months taught her balance and the need for speed.

Her other outside bike is a 2-wheeled, kids first pedal-bike which is pink with Dora the Explorer on it.  We got it second-hand from our local bike shop and it had a flat tire.  We asked Neva a few times if she wanted to ride it, but she would always go back to the Strider.

Who could blame her?  Children's bikes are heavier than adult bikes, weighing in at over 20 pounds.  over 75% of her body weight!  That would be like pedaling a motor bike without a working motor.

Then one day, we pulled out the wrench and replaced the tiny 12" tire.  Neva decided to try the Dora bike.

She hadn't told us...the bike hadn't been returned to it's typical spot among the rest before Neva grabbed it and rode off on her own.  Wobbly, slow and mindful of her feet, she took off on two wheels by herself; no push except that from her own two feet.  She was so excited, she forgot her helmet.

Easy does it, and then a little faster...

She biked around the entire block which is over 1 kilometer!  Going up a hill, she slowed down a little bit while I jogged beside her.  I could feel her confidence falling as her pedals gave more resistance.  I looked at her, eyes wide, and cheered her on with a fist pump and a huge adoring smile; I was her personal cheerleader.  That was it.  Tiny legs rushed up and down as fast as they could go, and she made it up and over that hill in a flash.  She waited for me at the bottom of the hill. I was smiling, and very pleased and Neva's face reflected the same enthusiasm.  I'm so proud.

A Descent Ascent

A few months ago, I happened upon a writing contest in Bicycle Times magazine 12 hours before the due date.  It was for the Tough and Tender 500 word writing contest.  The parameters were to speak about your relationship with a bicycle, from a female perspective.  Well, I didn't win.  But, I decided to share my short story with you here.  It is about mine and Neva's summit to over 10,000 feet in elevation coming from 6900 feet Cuba. I know I've told this story in previous posts, but here is a condensed yet detailed version of the most difficult portion.

Neva giving the peace sign while going up the hill.

We left Cuba, New Mexico three days ago, prepared to be in the wilderness for four days. No access to food, clean water, or civilization. Just me, Neva, and the wild. Neva is my three-year-old daughter and only cycling companion. We will break 10,000 miles together with the completion of this 60 day, 2000 mile off-road bicycle tour of the Great Divide Trail.

This section of the trail in northern New Mexico is not for the faint of heart, and is notoriously known as one of the most difficult portions. A mountain biker’s golden chalice : the sheer thought of which simultaneously conjures up feelings of both desire and agony, pain and triumph.

Camp spot before heading up "the beast"

I pitched our tent last night at the base of the beast, knowing that I would awaken and be staring it in the face. The map reads, “4WD, may need to walk, possible washed out sections…” It continues on with mention of lava rock, sand and double track. I pack the map away; it's not to be looked at for another five miles, when we've reached the summit. The landscape slopes dramatically upwards, gaining elevation quickly; the terrain is strewn in piles of white rocks of every size, packed down and untouched. There are no footprints or tire marks here.

White sand was another diverse terrain obstacle on this short stint up an over mountainous territory.

Gear, check. Baby, check. Here we go. I hop on the bike in my lowest gear and navigate over Paul Bunyan’s marble collection at a snail's pace. The only way I can propel forward is to stand on the pedals and push down with all 98 pounds of strength, as if I want to meld my feet and pedals into one object. The trailer bounces gently, ignorant of it's mass, and my front tire spins under the pull of the weight. I must walk the bike.

I inch step by step over boulders, pushing 150 pounds of bike, child and trailer. My vision tunnels to one purpose, to get to the top. All concept of time has left me now. I take a death grip on the handlebars and my body is at a sharp angle as I try to compete with gravity. Skin glistening, sweat rolls down both sides of my spine and brow while gnats feast on the endless moisture, treating my eyes as a delicacy. Neva no longer rides in the trailer, but chooses to push from behind or walk beside me while I pedal 2.5 miles per hour.

We're down to a single liter of water. A cattle guard shakes the life out of me and I stop from exhaustion. Up ahead, I see a filthy, muddy, mosquito ridden cattle tank. An oasis! The filtered water is ice cold and instantly rejuvenating.

Neva prepared to filter water from the cattle tank.

The crest of the trail. It looks so mundane to the layman, just a downward slope. But that arc will drop us over 3000 feet in elevation. Neva and I stop for the first meal of the day, five hours after we began. A victory feast. Now it’s time to get in some mileage, find a campsite and rest. It’s all downhill from here.*


The next day, we rolled into Abiquiu, covering 37 miles of off-road downhill in less than 4 hours. We rolled up to the only gas station in town, Bode's, and had a sandwich outside. My adrenaline was still pumping from the 180 degree difference between the previous day and the present moment. All of the hard work, rewarded with a fast journey down, and a great meal. I also ran into my friend Cjyell who I had met earlier on the tour. He was heading northbound in the Great Divide Race. Big hugs, a big meal, and a nice stay at the Old Abiquiu Bed and Breakfast, I was absolutely on cloud 9. It is a moment I will never forget.

Cjell's day is only half over.  He will ride far into the night to keep his place in the race.

Cjell has a great blog that you can check out here. This link is to his experience riding the GDT for the 4th time, racing for the second time. About 1/3 of the way down, Cjell talks about when he bumps into us. Here is an excerpt of what he says about his experience riding the Cuba to Abiquiu section of the divide :

"The longer I follow the tracks the more I contemplate how amazingly difficult it must be to navigate and ride over one of the toughest, if not the absolute most difficult sections of the divide, with a trailer, fully loaded, and…and…a f***ing 3 year old!!! That is all i am able to think about as I ride over the extremely rough terrain myself. There is no self pity now. This 95lb girl and her daughter just made it through, I had better be able to right? An her tracks don’t stop. They constantly confront me with this reality."

The ever changing TSA and infant travels

Neva and I travel quite a bit and embark on many an adventure.  We are not exactly low profile with our large futuristic-looking stroller, bright yellow panniers, and adorably cute, socially manipulative toddler who could talk a polar bear out of it's fur.  Yet, with all of the obstacles we encounter, people seem to find our travels through the airport most heroing.

Our first bike tour together.  Neva was 15 months old.  I have 2 bikes, one for me and one for Cass.

I guess when I think about it, going through an airport with a child (or in general), has an equivalent stress level of biking in heavy traffic, or driving a car on the New Jersey turnpike in the middle of a downpour.  The constantly changing rules and regulations don't help matters.  Neither does the fact that your experience is highly reliant on whether your TSA agent got laid that morning or got dumped; and chances are you're not going to bump into Johnny Sunshine at 5:00 am.  I've put together some coping mechanisms, specific language and packing methods which work most of the time.

BABIES FLY FREE!

I stopped counting child flights when the number surpassed 40.  Yeah, lotta flights.  I took advantage of the fact that children under 2 fly for free.  If you're flying overseas, sometimes tax is added on, or sometimes there is a country exit tax (Costa Rica has a $26 exit tax per person, no matter how old), but basically free.  Our $1000 flight to Okinawa, Japan had an extra $52 added on for taxes for Neva; so yeah, free.

A few rules about this caveat:

1.  If the child turns 2 before the return flight, you will be charged FULL fare.  Make sure you get home before their 2nd birthday.

We returned from Peru the day before Neva turned 2 years old.

2.  It used to be that you could only either bring a stroller OR a car seat.  I have found that car seats don't serve us much use internationally because we usually take public transportation buses (easiest to transport bike/trailer), in which case, you can hold the baby in your lap. When bike bound, you wouldn't want to strap a car seat to your trailer anyway, but there is the Nordic Cab bike trailers which does integrate a snap in car seat mechanism.

Neva's first trailer was a Nordic Cab.  She loved it!

When we travel within the US to see family, usually they have car seats, and it's not an issue.  If you're planning on renting a vehicle someplace, car rentals also offer car seats for an extra fee per day.  All that said, I noticed this year that some airlines were allowing both car seat AND stroller.  Make sure to check the rules and regulations on the airline's website to confirm.  If you're unsure about anything, print out the rules as reference and keep it with you, just in case.

A BONUS : THANKS AIRLINES

Sometimes airlines will have new ideas about infant air travel.  Some are cool, and some are not.

1.  For long flights overseas, some airlines have bassinets which will hold children up to 7 kilos (or a little over 15 pounds). When you are getting your ticket, make sure to ask for one because they will sit you right behind first class since that is where the two holes are for the bassinet to snap into.  You have plenty of leg-room, your baby has a place to stretch out that is not your lap, and you can get out of your seat without worrying about the dreaded 'dead leg' syndrome from lack of circulation. Neva was about 18 pounds when she turned two, so I was able to utilize the bassinet option for most of her lap-seat fare, but lots of kids, especially boys, might be too heavy to utilize this option after one year.

Neva in a bassinet, on Asiana  Air, for the 13 hour flight to Seoul, South Korea.

2.  Flying to Peru, we were given seat belts for the lap infant which looped through my seat belt.  I had always thought this would be on flights, but this was the only time that I had seen it.

3.  On the return flight from Peru, the flight attendant moved a very tired mommy, baby and grandpa from the window seat to squish between other passengers in the center aisle.  Their reasoning was that there were only 2 floatation devices for 3 people...buuut then they moved us to a center aisle where there were 3 floatation devices for 4 people.  That's kind of what having a lap infant is, 2 people in one seat.  The effort to communicate in broken Spanish the intricacies of what was wrong with this picture was too great, so we silently submitted to our squished quarters.

However, on the return flight from Puerto Rico, I noticed a woman with a lap infant was given a perfectly logical solution for this.  She didn't seem to be creeped out when I asked to take a picture of the tiny floatation device the flight attendant had handed her.

Okay, I couldn't find my cool picture, but it looked a lot like this but bundled up.

A RULE OF THEIR OWN

1.  Remember, ALL AIRLINES HAVE THEIR OWN RULES.  I know this is reiterating #2, but read the rules and regulations on the websites because they change frequently and are not the same for everyone. The rules are typically money based, so if you don't want to get hit with unexpected fees, read thoroughly about the items you intend on bringing.

This was March, 2012.  Before that, I had to remove Neva's shoes in order to get through TSA security.

2.  Read the TSA REGULATIONS. These are pretty arbitrary, so just follow what they say.  For example :  You are allowed to bring a lighter as a carry on, but you can't have it as packed luggage. Other countries have different rules, so keep that in mind too.  On the way back from Peru, my 4" long scissors were confiscated even though the TSA website clearly states that "...any tool 7" or shorter is acceptable".  Other countries don't have any incentive to treat Americans nicely considering all of the extra measures agents have to go through for American security.  Airports in other countries don't check shoes, nor do they abide by fear-based rules set in place by the TSA, except for people coming from and coming to America.

You can't see my scissors in there, but they're in there!

3.  Body scanners - Homeland security decided that additional levels of radiation were okay, but I don't share in that enthusiasm, probably because I'm not getting a share of the profits.  I know radiation comes from everywhere, most of all the sun, however, I don't want to expose my family to more radiation than is necessary, hence the regular use of sunscreen for outdoor activities.  We protect ourselves every chance possible from the sun because radiation doesn't go away.  It builds in the body continuously, and there is only a certain amount that a body can handle in one lifetime.

Usually, when it's just Neva and I, we don't have a problem, but when Christian was there, they picked both him and me to go through.  When the scanners first started showing up, TSA would "randomly" profile (I mean choose) a person to go through the scanner, but now, it seems like they ask everyone to go through.  Exercise your OPT OUT option.  It's not convenient, but it's better than the alternative.  I carry a doctor's note for Neva, but so far, I have yet to have them ask me to frisk the baby.

I hope you enjoyed my basic overview of airport travel with an infant.  Stay tuned for more how-to's and adventures!

Airline Travel - The Attrition of Nutrition at the airport

FOOD

Neva's first flight was at 6 months old, in 2010.  At that time, women had been forced to dump their breast milk, as absolutely no liquids were able to be brought on the plane.  This didn't prove to be a problem for me because I was still breast feeding, and she didn't really use a bottle, but still a disturbing rule, nonetheless.  The next time I flew with her was when she was 15 months old, in February, 2011.  I didn't want to be hassled about Neva's food, so I decided to bring powdered goat milk as a supplement to breast milk.  Once you get through security, there are drinking fountains on the other side.  I simply could put a scoop in a bottle, add water, and baby had nutritious food.

Now, most of the time when you say, "it's for the baby" the TSA begrudgingly rushes you through.  Sometimes they want to test it, which means opening it up.  Bring things that are re-sealable.  Yogurt is the most annoying, as they will open one up, and then you have to eat it right away.  In general, bring food that you won't be too sad that they'll throw away.  One instance, a TSA agent said he was going to throw out all of my food.  I protested loudly and insisted that another agent come over.  He asked how long my flight was, and I replied 8 hours.  He conceded to not throwing away my food.  ALWAYS play the parent card.  I like to bring kefir because it looks like milk, but is like drinkable yogurt and contains the oh-so-important probiotics which I always recommend when entering into the biological war zone that is the airport. Fresh fruits like apples and bananas are great domestically but can be confiscated by the Department of Agriculture internationally, and pre-made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are also quick, easy, straight-forward food choices that don't cause much fuss.

Neva with kefir, granola and dried fruit on the plane.

In another instance, we were going camping in Puerto Rico, and brought lots of camping food in our carry-on.  Checked luggage is charged based on weight, currently 40 pounds (depending on the airline) and carry-on bags don't have a weight limit, only a size limit, so we decided to carry on the heavy stuff.  The TSA ended up throwing away half of our expensive camping food packs because some of them were soupy lentils.  Why having half of what we started with is less of a threat than than all camp food is beyond me.  On the return home, our peanut butter jar was also thrown out.  The agent tested it, and it came up positive for possible explosives.  He explained to me that if we had the jar camping, some soil might have adhered to the jar, which will cause a positive reading.  The agent was very patient and took the time to explain the reasoning behind the confiscation, which I appreciated, and is a very rare trait for the TSA.

The reason for suspicious peanut butter.

You may also notice that there seem to be more layovers than you remember.  Well, airlines don't have to feed you if the flight is less than 6 hours long, so if they can squeeze in a layover to inconvenience you, and not have to relinquish meals, they would rather save the money.  What this means for you is that you're left with terrible tasting, over priced airline food, and you might be the one crying from intestinal cramps on the second leg.  For this reason, in addition to my vegetarian diet, I insist on bringing enough food to sustain my family through to the final destination. Oh yeah, and most airlines don't offer free drinks anymore, so when you finish the bottle of kefir and are stuck at a crappy airport like Fort Lauderdale, you can rinse out your bottle and fill it up with water at the water fountain instead of paying $8 for a bottle of water (not kidding, $8 for a water).

Neva taking in some zzz's for the overnight layover from Lima to Cusco, Peru

The nice thing is that we are all in it together, just trying to make it to our destination.  Jet-lagged, sore and tired, we all shuffle past one another and nod as a universal sign of understanding.  Children make friends pretty quickly, so even among the trivial meandering through an airport terminal, you are still graced with lots of warm smiles...and sometimes delicious homemade food.

A local family offered us a homemade snack, traditional Peruvian holiday pan with bits of colored candy inside.  

More of the airport travel series is coming soon, so stay tuned!

To Fly or not to Fly - Assessing your Child's Temperment

I know, I know, 'Babies on a Plane' could very quickly turn from a mild-mannered vacation to a full-blown horror movie, but most likely you and your family can succeed.  Here are a few things to consider when combining children and travel.  There are lots of logistics involved in airport travel, so I'll go step by step with the how-to's of infant travel, starting with you and your child.

Hiking with Neva from a young age was a great way to bond, and get her used to being outdoors.

Assessing your child's temperament is an important step, for your sanity, your child's sanity, and everyone around you.  In general, I would say (with absolutely no credentials or scientific backing) that the majority of children should be fine with flying.  The biggest problem that I've seen are with over-protective, first-time mothers.  Giving into the child every time they cry is a recipe for bad plane behavior.

This boils down to parenting style, and there is no right or wrong way, per se, but spoiling and not giving a child an appropriate level of freedom does bring about clingy, crying children.  It's instinct to want to give our child the best of everything, but we are also the trained adult, guiding an adult in training.  Giving them what they need and not focusing on what they want will make them more independent.  Don't worry, Grandma will always be there to help them out with things they want.

As long as the children don't have colic, frequent ear infections, or other physical ailment, most children do well.  It's easier to get them started young so they have the experience of what it feels like.  Here are what I find to be common problems:

1.  Fear of the loud plane take-off sounds

The womb is an extremely loud place, about as loud as a jackhammer at 50 feet away, so babies are used to sound.  Keeping the house quiet when they sleep makes it miserable for parents because they are locked into keeping the baby home in the evenings, and they feel like they can't so much as whisper when baby sleeps.  I believe that a baby should go everywhere with you (obviously, hence the blog).  If she gets tired, she'll sleep, hungry, she'll root, etc.  It's instinct for children to let you know what's going on, and they enjoy sharing in your experiences.

Neva excited to share some traditional Japanese ramen noodles with me.

The day after I brought Neva home from the hospital I started the ritual of vacuuming and doing all of the loud house chores as she slept just so she'd be used to sounds while she slumbered.  The plane noise can be startling, but if you are breast feeding them, they won't even notice that it's different from any other noise.  If your kiddo is naturally jumpy around loud noises, maybe some noise dampening headphones would do the trick, as long as you practice wearing them at home.

Putting a variety of different music on while children are sleeping is another good white noise.

2.  Ears popping from cabin pressure

This one is an easy one as long as your little one doesn't have ouchy ears.  Neva hasn't had an ear infection yet, going on almost 4 years, but I know it can be common for some children as their ear canal is growing.  Take note if your child is tugging at their ears often.  If they have healthy ears, breast feeding at take-off and landing is the easiest way to keep them occupied when they are very young.  If they are past breast-feeding stage, drinking water helps.  However, if they are accustomed to flying, the sensation won't be a new one, and they will have learned how to cope with it.

The suck from a straw, bottle or breast-feeding is a gentle way to relieve air pressure build up.

3.  Upset tummy

My intent was not to talk about breast feeding, but in my experience, breast feeding Neva made the actual plane rides enjoyable for both of us during her first year.  For children with sensitive stomachs, try to only give them food that you know works for them.  Don't bring well-known gas-forming foods like broccoli or spinach.  And then there is colic, which is a very painful intestinal problem for children 3 weeks - 1 year old.  It's basically extremely painful gas and intestinal irritation.  Formula-fed babies are more prone to it, probably because high levels of soy protein can give anyone gas, and baby tummies are even more sensitive.  If you have a baby with colic, assess how they act on a normal basis, and maybe consult your physician for preventative measures.

No broccoli for baby before a flight!

4.  Personality

Every child is a unique snowflake, right?  So, I'm sure there are some kiddos that don't do well, despite meeting the above points.  Ask yourself how they do on car rides or bike rides.  Do they fall asleep shortly after getting buckled in?  Do they coo and look at the world flying passed them?  Do they enjoy being around lots of people?  If yes to all of these, they'll be plane superstars and everyone will say what a good baby you have.  If your child cries in the car, and the very thought of driving a long distance causes you to develop a twitch and rising feeling of doom, then maybe you should consider an alternate mode of transport.

What is RAGBRAI?

I realized after my last post that I hadn't quite defined what RAGBRAI is, so as we were making our way across Iowa, I decided that I would try and capture the experience for you.

Hundreds of parked bikes.  Meanwhile, owners hunt for something appetizing.

RAGBRAI is an acronym for: the Registrar's Annual Bike Ride Across Iowa.  The route is different every year. The ride starts on Iowa's western border and goes to the eastern border with a seven day itinerary during the last week in July.  The tradition goes that you dip your rear tire in the Missouri River to commence the ride, and end the ride by dipping the rear tire in the Mississippi.  There are other week long, across state rides, but RAGBRAI is the oldest, celebrating the 40th year this year; largest, bringing 20-30,000 people from all over the world; and longest, averaging 468 miles of rolling hills, touring event in the world.

The family at the Missouri River, about officially begin the ride.

I guess the obvious question is, "why would anyone want to bike 400+ miles across Iowa in July?"  Well, the obvious answer is RAGBRAI is a huge party; but it's more than that.  It's a place where cyclists can let go, wear lycra proudly (or kilts, or speedos, or...), and rule the road without the fear of becoming a hood ornament.

A support vehicle or S.A.G. wagon slowly making its way through the bikers.  If only this were a daily reality.

Oops, I don't want to be exclusive here by saying cyclists.  This year the first runners showed up to do RAGBRAI.  I saw 3 runners in total.  Their ambition was to do the entire thing, and I know two made it.

Ultra-runners bringing a positive feedback loop to RAGBRAI by inspiring cyclists with their dedication, and in turn being inspired by the constant cheering fans.

If you have never been to the mid-west, it can get hot.  Very hot.  And humid.  There can be ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers, and other tiny pests.  The terrain also has miles and miles of large rolling hills and strong headwinds are a strong possibility.  It can also rain in July.  The difficulty level is a gamble, and part of the fun. But no matter the obstacles RAGBRAI brings, the important thing is that we are all in it together.

Christian broke a chain about a mile from the next town.  Within minutes, people were asking if we needed help.  Here are some passers by and Christian working together to get him rolling again.

The last two years were very hot, hitting highs of 102 F, multiple days in a row.  This year was absolutely beautiful in every way.  It rained a couple of nights, which cooled the days down to the low 80's.  The wind was at our backs, and the elevation wasn't too treacherous.  We hit the RAGBRAI jackpot.

Neva soaking her neck cooler at the free water station.

THE PEOPLE

You see the gamete of cyclists (plus 3 runners) at RAGBRAI.  You have the early crowd that pretty much sprint to the end and get in at 9:30am.  Unless you're part of the early crowd, you probably won't see this elusive group.  They are typically seen wearing matching outfits, and speeding by you at 30 mph, drafting each other in 2 synchronous lines.

Everyone gets up early on the 80+ mile days.  The forecast showed highs at 93 F.  The scenery was misty and we were riding in and out of a fog cloud.  Lights on, sun rising, a beautiful start to a long day.

Then you have the CAT riders.  They're not quite racers or part of the early crowd, but they are willing to yell "on your left" quite loudly as they pass you; if you were unsure that they were passing from the blasting pop music coming up behind you. Then you've got the drunkies.  The people that stop and party every chance they get.  They might roll in at 2am, if they even make it to the sleeping town.  These guys are harmless most of the time, but be alert for them after 12pm.  Swerving and descents don't mix.

Every now and again, you'll hear the ambulance go by to assist a fallen cyclist.

Most of RAGBRAI is filled with the team-sters.  Whole teams of friends that have collaborated over the years and come up with cool catch phrases (usually including a sexual innuendo) and a colorful bus.  They wear bright colors or costumes, and will usually stop and chat for a little bit before rolling by.

Team Roadkill adorns the unfortunate pavement fauna with mardi gras beads.

In 2012, we stayed with our friend Deborah in Cherokee.  She was hosting Team Groucho.

They are a colorful bunch, jam packed with talent and stories.  A father/daughter combo, a winemaker, a youth triathlon teacher, and the man who wrote the book (literally) on scouts' wilderness survival.

Robert Birkby and Bill Danforth, holding their own creations.

Who can argue with Groucho? "I'd never join any club that would have someone like me as a member."

I think we fit in quite well...

Groucho Megan

The crowd we fall into are the self-contained.  The people who carry all of their gear.

This is a tandem bike with an Xtracycle long tail kit attached to it.  That's a lot of stuff!

Other people that keep our pace are families, recumbent trikes, and uni-cyclists.

And this guy...

Say hello to Mathias.

Meet Mathias, and his bike.  I have dubbed him the RAGBRAI Jesus.  He bikes RAGBRAI only carrying bike repair gear, ready to stop and help any cyclist in need.  His name also rhymes with Jesus  :  Mu-Tee-Us.  Oh, did I mention he is in his 70's, rides a mountain bike with no seat, and runs marathons.

And Mathias' bike, seat not included.

Even Batman made an appearance this year.  He rode the whole way.  Do you know Batman's bike of choice?  A grocery getter trike with a basket in back.

Nananananananana, nananananananana, Trike Man!

And let's not forget the Iowans!  The people who tolerate their city jam-packed with cyclists, who show us hospitality and smiles throughout the week.  Sometimes we're lucky and get a nice warm-showers place to stay.  This year, we met Don through warm showers.  He has ridden 25 RAGBRAI's and recognized us from our email correspondence.  How surprised was I to hear my name called out amidst the masses of bikers!

Don made us omelettes for breakfast.  Here is the egg-man at work...coo coo ca choo. 

Other times, locals will open up their home to us to keep up out of the storm.  Hail was in the forecast early in the week when we rolled into Perry, Iowa.  Just as we started getting pelted with ice, Maria ran out and offered us a room in her house.  Maria and her family are originally from Mexico and fed us homemade stuffed tortas with fresh salsa verde.

There was also a new Siberian husky puppy that Neva befriended.

Neva and Azul riding a burro, um, kind of.

And many times we will be invited by blasts from RAGBRAI past.  I met David the first year that I did RAGBRAI.  He runs a Pedi-cab business in Des Moines.  David and Loren put us up in their home and we had lots of food, fun and laughs.

David telling a compelling story at dinner.

We bumped into them again at a meeting town.

Enjoying a grapes and a salad for lunch.

They are fully loaded too, but this couple cruises.  They were pacing at 23 mph for a while before we met up with them.  What a strong pair!

David and Loren looking over their map and contemplating their next move.

THE PLACES

In addition to meeting new friends in an insta-bike community, you learn a lot about Iowa.  Did you know there is an Amish community in Iowa?  And they're selling their baked goods.  The cinnamon rolls are delicious.  I am not sure what they do to make the cinnamon rolls so moist, but it must have something to do with their pie-ousness.

There are also some Dutch founded towns.  In the 19th century, 700+Dutch middle class families that were part of an Emigrant Association, settled in various places in Iowa.  We stopped in Pella and enjoyed the hints of Holland.

A young shop keep wearing a delicate Dutch hat and lace garment.

You can't have a Dutch theme without windmills.  Lots and lots of windmills.  Giant windmills, windmill floats, windmills made from bikes.  Neva liked the information windmill which had large wooden shoes in front.

If you'd like your own wooden shoes, you can ask this guy to make some for you.

There is also corn there.

THE FOOD

And then there's the food.  It's not usually very healthy food, or cheap.  They cater to quick, cold and full of carbs, but sometimes the vegetarian will get lucky... and sometimes, not so much.

The first host town was Harlan.  There was literally not one restaurant in town that offered vegetarian food.  Christian got this walking taco which is Doritos covered in cheese, ground beef, sour cream, and salsa.  I finally settled for a bean and cheese burrito from a RAGBRAI vendor.

The firefighters usually have booths with unlimited pancakes for breakfast and wood fired pizza for lunch, using a retired, converted fire truck for the oven.

A hungry biker has his plate at the ready.

If you're pining for a sweet treat, don't worry, there are plenty of opportunities.  The most famous and sought after is Beekman's Ice Cream.  They serve homemade ice cream, and make floats, in the middle of cornfield Iowa.  The bright pink signs that say BEEKMAN'S in black bold letters will pop up a mile before you see them, usually when you're cruising toward the host town of the evening.  You can hear the chugga-pop-pshhh-chugga before the colorful culinary creamery comes into view.

Beekman's better watch out though, the Amish are coming, and they too have ice cream.  Followed by David's Famous Gourmet which was yet another road side ice cream stand to show up in 2013.  They offered a wonderfully salty/sweet salted caramel option that had me wanting seconds.

David's ice cream machine isn't as colorful as Beekman's, but simplicity might be key with their simple yet savory sweet flavors.

And then there is my favorite go-to of all.  The place that saved me from heat exhaustion with their endless supply of free ice.  The place that has reasonable priced hand-made food served with a smile.  The place that is a RAGBRAI heaven.

They humbly post their specialties with one word on each side of their name.
PIZZA -- CASEY'S General Store -- DOUGHNUTS
The pizza is made with fresh dough, no frozen stuff here.  They are best known for their breakfast pizzas which have eggs, cheese, sausage, green peppers and onions.  Casey's does not discriminate either and won't hesitate to make a fresh pizza, meat free for the veggie lovers out there, or anyone who has a special pizza request.

Neva hording pizza.

The doughnuts are also made with fresh dough, daily in the store.  They remind me of homemade doughnuts that my grandmother used to make, except these are smothered in maple icing.

A common question is, "How does Neva do?"  Well, a picture is worth a thousand words, so I'll give you a few.

Then there's the unspoken good-byes.  Dipping your tire in the Mississippi ends the week of orchestrated chaos.

I decided to join in the ritual, and dip my tires.  Easier said than done... Maybe...

Then you pack it all up and head back home.  Back to a life of normalcy.  A life less dependent on how far away the next town, and more dependent on regular showers.

Packing up the charter bus with our bikes and gear, waiting to be taken to our car in Omaha.

The experience is very similar every year summed up with "it's RAGBRAI", but you keep going back each year for the instant community and cycle-centric mentality.

I heard the statistic this year from Don, and I think it says a lot - RAGBRAI is the 23rd largest city in Iowa.  RAGBRAI inspires art, cycling as transportation and community.  I think I'll continue to visit my city in Iowa, with the hopes that Neva might start pulling her own weight.