RAGBRAI anyone??

bjvircks · July 6th, 2012, 10:54 PM

I've heard that every so often there are people who do RAGBRAI on inlines.... is this anyone here?

RAGBRAI is Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. It starts on the western edge of Iowa and makes its way to the eastern edge over the span of a week. Cyclists come from everywhere to be part of it. Some for a day or more, others for the whole ride. I've ridden it twice, start to finish, carrying all my gear.

Years ago when I heard of skaters doing it I thought they were nuts. Now I'm thinking of doing a day or so on skates just to see the looks on peoples faces!

slowsk8 · July 6th, 2012, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjvircks

I've heard that every so often there are people who do RAGBRAI on inlines.... is this anyone here?

RAGBRAI is Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. It starts on the western edge of Iowa and makes its way to the eastern edge over the span of a week. Cyclists come from everywhere to be part of it. Some for a day or more, others for the whole ride. I've ridden it twice, start to finish, carrying all my gear.

Years ago when I heard of skaters doing it I thought they were nuts. Now I'm thinking of doing a day or so on skates just to see the looks on peoples faces!

You know the total distance? Is that a full week 7 days or just 5?

bjvircks · July 7th, 2012, 12:41 AM

http://ragbrai.com/about/general-information/

471 miles, full 7 days, July 22-28

PBLsQuad450 · July 7th, 2012, 02:19 AM

Isn't that something close to A2A every day for a full week? Damn. Well wait, if it's west to east then isn't the wind at your back the whole way? Or most anyway?

Brianwheelies · July 7th, 2012, 05:15 PM

Brutal! Are the roads good and how many sets of wheels would that take?

slowsk8 · July 8th, 2012, 03:14 AM

Looks like a little over 2.5 marathons a day for 7 days, Hmmm
I used to do the local marathons both ways, that's 52.4 in 4 to 4.5 hours. Never felt to bad after, but still 7 days???? And that's been a few years.
I also know a lady that did the STP on skates. That's 100 miles a day for two days.
Don't think I'll make it this year.
But one idea would be to ride it, know where the flatest days are and have a friend bring you your skates for a one day skate.

Jim White · July 8th, 2012, 01:16 PM

To support what slowsk8 said, suggest that anyone intersted in skating it should bike it first (on their own, ahead of the organized ride) See
http://ragbrai.com/routemaps/2012-route-maps/
Perhaps some of the downhills may be too steep to skate safely, and with any dignity. You could also check the road surface and traffic then.
Also suggest to skate a good part of the distance you plan, ahead of the organized ride. If you reason to skate is to get admiring looks, and you find you'll have a real problem skating comfortably, the looks you get probably will not be admiring.

bjvircks · July 8th, 2012, 02:42 PM

I would think riding the route in advance would be required. It changes every year. Some years there are short stretches of unpaved road. There have also been some very steep climbs and descents. For the descents using one of those braking sticks seen in a chinese video posted here at SLF would work nicely! This year my wife and I are riding one day, from Marshaltown to CR... the longest day, 84 miles. My cousin from Marshaltown is picking us up Wed evening and taking us to his place. We ride Thurs. to Cedar Rapids where we live.

arcadefreaque · July 8th, 2012, 07:23 PM

Seems like someone dies during RAGBRAI every year often related to the heat.. as warm as it's been already this summer, not sure this would be the one I'd jump into skating through.

I wish I had gotten busy and built that "motorized cycle fork" like the one that was posted awhile back - that might make skating the week long venture across the state tolerable

bjvircks · July 8th, 2012, 08:20 PM

I'd hire some minions to carry one of those shade/tentlike/gazebo things over me all the time so I'd always have shade.

ultrask8 · August 9th, 2012, 02:50 PM

Carl Yee of San Diego has done RAGBRAI a few times on skates...

About STP, I also did that one, 7hr30min the first day's 100 miles (last 6 miles into Chehalis was so brutally rough I was crying in agony).

8hr15 min the second 100mi day.. Once over the Longview bridge and left turn the last 30 miles to PDX into the headwind - but the road was smoother. (times include rest breaks.)

The exit out of Seattle was hard - many many rr tracks to cross.

This was in the mid 90's on 5x80mm wheels

I had a support bike (Kim Ames) do draft whenever possible and slow me on the downhills. Also had a support follow van with massage tech, that really helped.

BTW, Kim did what is probably the most grueling training skate 3 weeks before her successful 24 hour wr (solo road).. She skated from Wilsonville, OR to Timberline Lodge at 6500 ft in 10hr23min start to finish, thats 100 miles of pain. A TV station filmed segments of it including her finish in the fog at Timberline Lodge. OUCH!

Ultra

Brianwheelies · September 28th, 2012, 11:05 PM

I ran into a gent in his 50's who had done the RAGBRAI. Immediately recognized it from his jersey.

He made it sound like fun. Once I get a good seat I think a ride like this will be very doable.

July 6th, 2012, 10:54 PM	#1
bjvircks Major Trouble Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Posts: 758	RAGBRAI anyone?? I've heard that every so often there are people who do RAGBRAI on inlines.... is this anyone here? RAGBRAI is Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. It starts on the western edge of Iowa and makes its way to the eastern edge over the span of a week. Cyclists come from everywhere to be part of it. Some for a day or more, others for the whole ride. I've ridden it twice, start to finish, carrying all my gear. Years ago when I heard of skaters doing it I thought they were nuts. Now I'm thinking of doing a day or so on skates just to see the looks on peoples faces! __________________ Quando omni flunkus, moritati

July 7th, 2012, 12:41 AM	#3
bjvircks Major Trouble Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Posts: 758	http://ragbrai.com/about/general-information/ 471 miles, full 7 days, July 22-28 __________________ Quando omni flunkus, moritati

July 7th, 2012, 02:19 AM	#4
PBLsQuad450 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Central New Jersey Posts: 744	Isn't that something close to A2A every day for a full week? Damn. Well wait, if it's west to east then isn't the wind at your back the whole way? Or most anyway? __________________ Bont custom Z, 4x110 magnesium 3 point, Swiss bearings and 110mm Mayhem!

July 8th, 2012, 02:42 PM	#8
bjvircks Major Trouble Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Posts: 758	I would think riding the route in advance would be required. It changes every year. Some years there are short stretches of unpaved road. There have also been some very steep climbs and descents. For the descents using one of those braking sticks seen in a chinese video posted here at SLF would work nicely! This year my wife and I are riding one day, from Marshaltown to CR... the longest day, 84 miles. My cousin from Marshaltown is picking us up Wed evening and taking us to his place. We ride Thurs. to Cedar Rapids where we live. __________________ Quando omni flunkus, moritati

July 8th, 2012, 07:23 PM	#9
arcadefreaque Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Iowa Posts: 505	Seems like someone dies during RAGBRAI every year often related to the heat.. as warm as it's been already this summer, not sure this would be the one I'd jump into skating through. I wish I had gotten busy and built that "motorized cycle fork" like the one that was posted awhile back - that might make skating the week long venture across the state tolerable __________________ "Reidell plates are like a slice of pizza that a hobo has pulled out of the trash ... it still looks like pizza, but would you eat it?" - HK47 05/03/2012

	S k a t e L o g F o r u m Inline Skating and Quad Roller Skating Forum Hosts: Jessica Wright \| Kathie Fry	FOLLOW US: Our Blog \| Facebook \| Twitter \| Email

July 7th, 2012, 05:15 PM	#5
Brianwheelies Fun on 2 wheels or eight! Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Somewhere in the US Posts: 672	Brutal! Are the roads good and how many sets of wheels would that take?

July 8th, 2012, 03:14 AM	#6
slowsk8 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Tukwila, just south of Seattle Posts: 1,209	Looks like a little over 2.5 marathons a day for 7 days, Hmmm I used to do the local marathons both ways, that's 52.4 in 4 to 4.5 hours. Never felt to bad after, but still 7 days???? And that's been a few years. I also know a lady that did the STP on skates. That's 100 miles a day for two days. Don't think I'll make it this year. But one idea would be to ride it, know where the flatest days are and have a friend bring you your skates for a one day skate.

July 8th, 2012, 01:16 PM	#7
Jim White Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 989	To support what slowsk8 said, suggest that anyone intersted in skating it should bike it first (on their own, ahead of the organized ride) See http://ragbrai.com/routemaps/2012-route-maps/ Perhaps some of the downhills may be too steep to skate safely, and with any dignity. You could also check the road surface and traffic then. Also suggest to skate a good part of the distance you plan, ahead of the organized ride. If you reason to skate is to get admiring looks, and you find you'll have a real problem skating comfortably, the looks you get probably will not be admiring.

July 8th, 2012, 08:20 PM	#10
bjvircks Major Trouble Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa Posts: 758	I'd hire some minions to carry one of those shade/tentlike/gazebo things over me all the time so I'd always have shade. __________________ Quando omni flunkus, moritati

August 9th, 2012, 02:50 PM	#11
ultrask8 Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 312	STP Carl Yee of San Diego has done RAGBRAI a few times on skates... About STP, I also did that one, 7hr30min the first day's 100 miles (last 6 miles into Chehalis was so brutally rough I was crying in agony). 8hr15 min the second 100mi day.. Once over the Longview bridge and left turn the last 30 miles to PDX into the headwind - but the road was smoother. (times include rest breaks.) The exit out of Seattle was hard - many many rr tracks to cross. This was in the mid 90's on 5x80mm wheels I had a support bike (Kim Ames) do draft whenever possible and slow me on the downhills. Also had a support follow van with massage tech, that really helped. BTW, Kim did what is probably the most grueling training skate 3 weeks before her successful 24 hour wr (solo road).. She skated from Wilsonville, OR to Timberline Lodge at 6500 ft in 10hr23min start to finish, thats 100 miles of pain. A TV station filmed segments of it including her finish in the fog at Timberline Lodge. OUCH! Ultra

September 28th, 2012, 11:05 PM	#12
Brianwheelies Fun on 2 wheels or eight! Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Somewhere in the US Posts: 672	I ran into a gent in his 50's who had done the RAGBRAI. Immediately recognized it from his jersey. He made it sound like fun. Once I get a good seat I think a ride like this will be very doable.

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