Gus Moreno '80, Mark Hatherly '79, Sheryl Walter '78, Dan Kaplan '80, Charles '49 and Mrs. McMurray, Ed Senn '79 at the McMurray house.  Wonderful conversation and now off to dinner at their UCC church. 

Too hot; too windy; and too tired to put much effort in today's report!

After 81 miles with 1,724 feet of climb plus a nasty head wind or two, Sheryl and I arrived in Webster City, the birthplace of my college roommate, Scott McMurray.  After visiting with Mr. and Mrs. Mac with the appropriate round of poultry, political and personal updates, they sent us on our way to the UCC turkey dinner (how surprising!) with wonderful rhubarb pie as their guests. Mrs. Mac bet me twenty-five cents that I wouldn't wear my ersatz rooster comb cycling helmet into the front door. I will collect on my next visit.

(The dinner's motto was 'no lumps in our gravy.')

The day is pretty much a blur. I don't remember a thing about Auburn, our first town, or Lake City, our second town -- except that it didn't have a lake. And their Carney Library is now a bar.  It's hostess were delight; loved Merrie Squirrels, and gave me an outlet for my charger.  Now she want my full reports!

Lohrville, our third town, was a jewel.   and since it was their first time hosting RAGBRAI, the opted for the '40 year virgin theme.'  (No I did not get my chest waxed, but I did try their bacon-wrapped ear of corn.  Delicious!)  This town is also where we asked the pie ladies when they woke up and started rolling, and the first said she was up at 4:30am, and then sweet octogenarian said 'I'm too old to put on make-up; so I didn't get up until 5:15!'  And the nicest thing about Lohrville was that everyone in the community was participating. Even the students with disabilities were collecting trash and asking riders where they were from. (Our most commonly asked question.)

Today also marked the first time we saw Obama or Vilsack for Congress signs. Previously, there had been a dozen of Romney yard signs and two King farm signs. Rather pathetic showing for such a Republican part of the state.

Pie count:  4 with the winner at the Webster City UCC Church. Rhubarb.  Plain rhubarb. Interesting logistical arrangement for the dinner. The church takes your money; gives you a numbered ticket, and sits you in the sanctuary to watch 'Carol Burnett' and Johnny Carson reruns (with the sound off!)  They then call your number when they're ready to serve you. And all the time you're in an air-conditioned building rather than waiting in a line outside in the heat. How kind. How thoughtful. How midwestern!

I drank at least 2 glasses of pickle juice in Dayton before successfully completing the two hills at Lehigh. I would have fallen off my bike before walking, but that just my stubbornness, I guess.

Having started at 6 and reached WC at 4:30, I'm ready to call it a night.

On to Marshalltown. Johnny Flannery should join is for the day. I hope he has his mohawk ready!

Bedtime now at 9:21!

'Today in a nutshell' (as my/our intrepid traveling companion, Merrie Squirrels, would say:  54.4 miles in blistering heat even though Sheryl Walter (my Grinnell classmate and veteran of the last two RAGBRAIs) left Sioux Center at 5:50am and got into Cherokee around 2pm.  The key is staying hydrated. When you see someone taking a drink, take a drink. If you see someone selling watermelon, buy a slice. And if you see someone selling pickles, ask if you can buy the juice!  (The juice is a great pick-me-up!  Trust me -- it's the electrolytes or something!)

News items of interest:

1.  Royal Sighting:  Photo with the Queen of the Cherokee County fair at the booth for the junior class of MMC Jr-Sr High School (Marcus, Meriden and Cleghorn), home of the fighting eagles, where she and her friends sang the fight song (complete with gestures).  They were raising money for the prom. (Two pieces of watermelon with a $20 contribution for the song.)

2.  Pie Report from Day One:  Kelly's blackberry pie -- hands down; no contest. Sheryl opted for cherry-rhubarb (also a winner).  And for the record, she has never heard of a pie recipe with bacon in it.).  

3.  Best Marketing Effort:  The Alton Volunteer Fire Department who came around our campsite in Sioux Center last night and convinced us to by-pass breakfast in Orange City -- 'we're only 4 miles past Orange City and we need a new fire truck and a new playground!'. We ran into some of our Grinnell cohorts (Mark Haverly '79, Gus Moreno '80, Dan Kaplan '80, and Rod Schultz) for a fine sausage, egg and cheese sandwich.

4.  Best Improvement on a Barker's Sales Pitch:  When we suggested the Marcus United Methodist Women on the street infront of their church saying 'Methodist pie!  Methodist pie!  Methodist pie' adjust their call to either 'Methodist pie -- it's sinfully good!' or 'Methodist pie -- it's heavenly! Or 'Methodist pie -- it's divine!'

Oh, and their apple pie?  Well, let's just say that they still had 250 (of their 300) remaining when we cycled away at noon.  Just saying.

5.  Best church sign (since it is Sunday):  United Methodist in Cherokee -- 'If you see a fire, it's because our choir is smoking hot.'

6.  Key Elected Official Encounter:  Mayor Downs of Marcus. He sends his best regards to Craig Takes. (We couldn't find the Mayor of Orange City even though everyone said he was wearing a red cape and had a big gold medallion around his neck.  It's RAGBRAI for heaven's sake; how's he going to stand out in something like that?)

7.  Best jewelry:  The tire spoke guy whom I met 5 years ago.  www.brokenspoke.com

8. Best beer:  The gals from Lake Okoboji who stopped us in front of the United Methodist Church in Cherokee said 'hey, want to try our new beer we are brewing in Lake Okoboji?' They were not in a stand or anything and just opened up a portable cooler and said 'try this.' As they poured the beer from an unmarked glass jar into two cups, the welcoming lady on the corner suggested they make themselves scarce.

9.  Biggest Disappoint:  They ran out of the dutch hats they were selling in Orange City (and the cell coverage isn't anything to brag about)!  We are not going to complain about the heat, but Sheryl says that one lady in the shower line said her bike computer registered 104 degrees. 

10.  Highlight from Sioux Center gathering point:  excellent fireworks show enjoyed by Sheryl and ignored by Ed (because he though that it couldn't possibly last that long)!

On to Lake View tomorrow -- 62 miles.

(And it's on a lake!)

Please send a tail wind or some cloud cover!  At least no one out here is saying 'it's not the heat; it's the humidity!'

I survived the first day of my first RAGBRAI, even in 100-degree heat.  As they say, I'm a RAGBRAI virgin, though so far I've avoided having it written in permanent marker on my leg.

The day was 57 miles and included an all you can eat pancake breakfast and a bunch of welcomes as we went through some quaint Iowa towns.

With the help of my riding group, Gus Moreno '80, Rod Schultz, Elvira Anzueto, and Mark Hatherly '79, the first day went smoothly.  I guess I'll feel after Day 3.

The charter service was prepping tents for Team Grinnell on Mac Field.  Five days until we depart for Sioux Center IA!