RAGBRAI 2025 Day Zero 0️⃣ Let’s Go to Orange City!  RAGBRAI 2025 Day Zero saw me on the Pork Belly shuttle from Omaha, Nebraska to Orange City, Iowa. Along the route, I was amused to spot a sign indicating how far it was to Mondamin. A town called “cornstarch”? Well, after all, Nebraska is the Cornhusker State! The shuttle left Omaha at 8:15 am; and when we got to Orange City at around 10:30, I had to visit the Pork Belly information booth to get my packet. This included my tent number; and baggage tags with my tent number. Pork Belly services not only include tent set-up/take down; they also take your luggage from truck to tent and back. The tent number on the bag(s) let the crew know which bag(s) go to which tent. Am I ever grateful that I didn’t have to lug my two duffle bags around every day. They were heavy! But on that first day, I did have to carry my bags to the tent. Fortunately, some kind person helped me. In addition to their weight, my bags hung almost down to the ground; and hit my legs as I walked. After finding my tent, I had to pick up my bicycle. I should have given it more of a test ride! I immediately noticed that the saddle was too high; and had to get that fixed. I let it go at that, which was a major error. As RAGBRAI went on, I kept having various mechanical issues; and my local bike shop suspects that some damage occurred during shipment. I didn’t get around to hitting the Expo until nearly 2 pm. RAGBRAI 2025 Day Zero kind of slipped away from me! And my tent was right on the edge of a slight slope. I’d step outside and fall over because the ground wasn’t flat. Hitting the Expo 🎪 Meeting Ryan Vn Duzer!   It was rather frustrating, not hitting the Expo until at almost 2 pm. I would have liked to spend more time there; but I had to find my tent and get my bicycle before I went running off. My tent wasn’t a Night Cat tent; but it was a tent! I also had to get some idea of the layout of the Pork Belly camp. My tent, it turned out, was a good way from the amenities; and I got tired from all that walking back and forth. When I finally did reach the Expo, it seemed quite sprawling. I tried to find the meeting for RAGBRAI newbies; but unfortunately didn’t succeed. RAGBRAI 2025 Day Zero didn’t go quite as planned. As I was walking around, I unexpectedly came across Ryan Van Duzer! I’ve watched a good many of his YouTube videos; and it was a great pleasure meeting him. I even had the honor of getting a pic taken with him! I also met  ridewithdanusa at the same time; and my apologies to Dan for not getting a pic taken with him, too. Hitting the Expo did let me try a RAGBRAI food. I think it was a cheddar/bacon sandwich, and wish I had made notes about it when I got back to my tent; but I needed to head for dinner and a shower. After that, I had to head for the sack. It didn’t get really dark  until about 9 pm; but even so, there was little time for journaling before it got too dark for writing. And I needed to rest up for the start of the ride the next day! This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL No Layout Found TRANSLATOR