Day 7: Coralville to Davenport - Last Day of Ragbrai :(

The five of us with Parkinsons Disease.  I'm in good company.  

Today was the last day of Ragbrai and although I will be glad to get back to  the comforts of life and not be soaked in sweat all day, I will greatly miss the experience of Ragbrai.  I'm not sure what it is about spending most of the day riding until your muscles ache and sweating until your soaking wet that makes me want to come back and do it again; but I'm ready to come back next year. Here's a list of some of the great things about Iowa and Ragbrai:

-Iowa is beautiful

-There's nothing like a small town fire station to cool off in when it's 95 degrees and 70% humidity

-Beekmans homemade ice cream

-Tom turkey legs and hard boiled eggs on a stick rubbed in spices

-peanut butter, jelly, marshmallows, and potato chip sandwiches

-Rhubard pie – everyone said try the rhubard and it was Delicious!

-Roadside booths with water and gatorade at the top of every hill (and there were A LOT of hills)

-Meeting friendly cyclists from all over the country

-Meeting friendly people in the small towns in Iowa

-Getting cheered by the locals when I reached the top of a hill and wanted to lay down and die.

-No make up, no hair dryers, casual clothes, flip flops (can't we adopt that dress code for every day

Lastly and most importantly, the friendships developed within the group I rode with.  We all came to support the cause of helping people with Parkinsons Disease.  Most of those people worked hard to raise money to support research into Parkinsons Disease.  The six of us with Parkinsons Disease who rode this week (Karen, Glenn, John, Jim, Andrew, and myself) will benefit from your efforts.  Thank you!! Thanks to Kathy and my husband Pat for being my riding partners (we’ll go faster next year).  The greatest part of this week was spending time with other people with Parkinsons Disease.  There was an immediate bond  within this group.  Karen, your example as an advocate for Parkinsons Disease is an inspiration for us all.  Glenn, your enthusiasm for life and sense of adventure made the week so much  fun.  John, you’re big in stature, heart, and sense of humor.  You also made the week a lot of fun.  Jim, you are quiet but pack with you strength that inspires all who get to know you.  Andrew, I wish you were here longer so I could have gotten to know you better.  Your story is amazing.  It inspires hope  especially for those with Young Onset Parkinsons.  I hate to say goodbye so instead  I’ll say “see ya again next year”  I will continue to ride Redrock, River Mountain, and hopefully some other places near Las Vegas.  Hope to see some of you on the road also.

***The picture is of the dipping in the Mississippi River.  It was an amazing feeling to reach the finish line and lift up my bike.