Well, sports fans, it will be an "interesting" ride this year!  Last year was perhaps the easiest ride in recent history and then two years before was one of the most challenging.  The distances are comfortable, with no day more than 78.5 miles.  Now what does nature have in store?  As I write it's two days before our departure and down here in Texas, there's literally a hurricane outside.  A short ride can turn into a beast!  Remember "Saggy Thursday" you '95 vets?  Without the negative interaction of nature it would be an easy ride, but this is Iowa.

And speaking of hills, (were we?) thanks to Rich Ketcham, at Geobike, I can tell you that this will be our 6th steepest.  2001 was our steepest in history (flying through Greenfield) and the year before that was the 5th steepest.  Last year, we climbed 10851 feet and this year we have 16,100 ft.  But there will be tailwinds all the way, right?

The steepest day of all of Ragbrai was the Greenfield day of 2001.  That day we climbed almost 4400 feet.  The biggest hill day will be day three with 3402 vertical feet of climb.  This one misses the top ten Ragbrai steepest climbs by 12 inches!

Just click the roadway on the appropriate day and you will see photos and text as they occur!!! If you click before the ride, you will still see daily data and links to the towns.