I believe now I’d better think ten times before planning to tackle RAGBRAI — whether I think outside of the box or not. Last night I watched this video; and it’s quite enough to tone down anybody’s excitement over the event.

Will my road bike’s 50/34 compact crankset enable me to manage the hills on the route; or do I need a triple? Will the road bike I have do; or should I invest in one that weighs less than 22 pounds?

Preparing for the mileage of RAGBRAI is not a task to be undertaken lightly; and some people’s bodies respond to training more quickly than others’. If I were to aim for next year’s event, the time to start training is NOW. Unfortunately, I can’t ride hard, or much at all, until my foot is completely recovered. That might not be for at least a month.

Rain? I should be accustomed to rain, living as I do in New Orleans; and an Alpha Cycle Gear rain suit shouldn’t flap around like the ancient poncho that I’m still using. My biggest worry about riding in the rain isn’t rain itself as much as lightning.

Heat? Pack along at least one cooling neck gaiter! This past July and August we had many days with afternoon heat indices over 100 degrees; and I wasn’t out there riding! It was miserable enough indoors.

Headwinds? I’ve dealt with them often enough; but how strong is the wind in Iowa?

Hills? That’s another huge sticking point for me. It’s flat, flat, flat where I live; and that makes it hard to learn how to climb. 

Lack of sleep? That would be a tough one. I often don’t sleep very well as it is; and trying to get my shut-eye in a crowded (and probably noisy!) campground won’t help.

I’m not keen on the idea of paying eight bucks for a shower; much less standing in a long line just to get that shower. But the alternative — well — that’s best left to the imagination.

All that, and we still haven’t gotten around to mentioning proper fueling and hydration! So yes; I’d better think ten times!