Saturday, July 11, 2015

RAINStorm '15




Kevin asked me late last year if I wanted to do this thing called RAINStorm.  The idea is to ride 5 centuries (100 miles/day) and then finish that off with 160 miles in one day.  The whole week is lodges or hotel stays (he knows I don't care to camp).  I decided it sounded like a good idea.  

I started the year early by riding a couple of centuries in January and one in February.  As March and April came along I started thinking I was crazy.  Who rides 6 centuries in a row?  I knew we could cancel by early May and I kept riding as much as I could.

By early May I was thinking it was a possible feat and I didn't back out.  All told I rode 20 individual centuries in early '15 in preparation.  My rational is that I didn't want to go to Indiana and hate myself and my bike.

It turns out that my preparation payed off and I had a great week winding around Southern Indiana.  Here is a summary of my Indiana miles:

day -1: 2.5 miles - (our hotel was on the Ohio border and I rode into Ohio and back)
day 1: 112.9 miles -  Richmond, IN to Brown County State Park
day 2: 105.9 miles -  Brown County to Clifty Falls (added a small detour to Kentucky)
day 3: 105.3 miles - Clifty Falls to Spring Mill 
day 4: 100.2 miles - Spring Mill to Bloomington, IN (added 1 mile)
day 5: 102.1 miles - Bloomington, IN to Terre Haute, IN (added 6 miles)
day 6 early:  8.7 miles - ride to the start of RAIN mass start
day 6: 162.9 miles - RAIN ride - Terre Haute to Richmond

I didn't add up the miles until driving home.  This added up to 700.5 miles over 6 days (plus day -1)

We spent the week riding through scenic low traffic rural roads.  We got rained on 4 of 6 days but it wasn't bad and it kept the temperature down.

RAINStorm is:
Great organizers
Great food
Great company
Great support
Just an overall a great riding experience.




Leaving Earham College the first day



A few of us found each other and road together day one.  Jim, Kevin, Ross, & Rusty..






Kentucky on the other side of the Ohio River







Coming back from Kentucky



There is a tree growing through the engine area of this poor toyota

My one horse and buggy sighting



a scary site turning this corner after coming down a hill

rain pacing





I didn't line up here but there were quite a few that did.


If you complete you have a place for your keys.


I didn't want to take this off for several days so I could feel like I was still on vacation
 We started at 7AM.  My RAIN finish time was 4:33PM.  I was 198 out of 1141 finishers.  I probably won't go back next year; but someday I'm sure I will find my way back to Indiana.

Friday, July 26, 2013

RAGBRAI '13




Traveled to Iowa to ride 3 day of RAGBRAI.  Attached are pictures in near random order that capture just a bit of a great trip.
gotta get a POOORRRKKK CHOOOPPPP


It's best not to ask questions


Brr

I lose the height contest...

Dan, are you on your toes?






Lots of food this week.



Lots of Pie this week

do NOT pass the Amish backed goods

































time to head home :(