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Ragbrai is a camping adventure.
NO Electricity. NO flush toilets; KYBOS (Porta-Potties). Water carried in from various distances.
NO Coolers (Rainbow keeps a Pop and Beer fund)
Relax under the Rainbow Canopy in a Rainbow chair (don't bring your lawn chairs).
Bring your Sun Shower and use the Rainbow Shower stalls. (just take your turn helping put them up or take them down.)
Unlike the RAGBRAI truck, we encourage you to bring multiple bags instead of a big bag. The truck drivers can leave oversized bags on the truck.
Dave Clabby (1996-97 Ragbrai Director) wrote a good 1st RAGBRAI article that tells you most of what you need to know about the RAINBOW RAGBRAI tour/charter. Since it is from 1997 some of the cost may be higher now.
Here are two good tidbits for what to bring on RAGBRAI. The 1st is a check list (its pretty self explanatory), the 2nd is a list and short paragraph on hints for a bike trip.
The Official Internet Site for RAGBRAI has more info listed under the Charter Information.
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Ragbrai 1997 but still valid for this year's RAGBRAI!!!
The following article is an edited version of Dave Clabby's letter to 1st time RAGBRAI riders. It is also appropriate for those who will be with RAINBOW CYCLISTS the 1st time since it explains some things about our tour package. Italics have been used to help you distinguish the notes.
Dear Rider,
I'm going to throw a lot out at you in this letter. Hopefully it will help you as opposed to confusing you with to much information. I've enclosed the list that I use as I pack. (use the lists from Steve and Bernice Robb or Howard Foltz) Use it as a guide as you pack. Hope it helps.
1st, a normal day on RAGBRAI.... There were about 180 passes issued by Rainbow last year (225 in 1997, 184 in 1998). Most of these people stay in the Rainbow campground each night. Some are in private homes, some are with other groups or clubs, etc. I usually ride with about 5-6 other Rainbow riders. We wake up at about 5:30 am. (The sun is also up and bright) Get dressed, hit the kybo(port-a-potty), break down the tent, pack the gear, and load it on the truck. We always shoot to leave camp by 7:00 am. Maybe earlier if we have a 100 mile day ahead of us. We usually ride out to at least the first town and have breakfast. The small towns have just an unbelievable amount of food. There is also the Pancake Man and Chris Cakes out at a farm somewhere. All the pancakes, sausage, juice or coffee you can eat for about $3.00 ?? The line can be about an hour wait sometimes. But you've got to eat. You can stop along the way and eat bagels, rolls, etc. Food and lines. Easy pace. Lunch by 11:00. We like to be in camp by 5:00. Mileage and having too much fun along the way can slow you down. You don't have time to see and do everything. Follow Rainbow arrows and find camp in the next overnight town. Set up tent, shower, have a beer or pop, and look for a church for the best lasagna, spaghetti, etc. you can find. Wait too long and you might be eating grease burgers like you have all day.
The overnight town will have all kinds of entertainment. Shuttle buses will cost $1.00 to ride all night. The drivers will help you find where you need to go. Each overnight town will have small newspapers in the campground advertising what you need to know, plus maps, bus routes, etc. Also check with the truck drivers or ask under the canopy for any needed information.
Showers are usually at schools or swimming pools. Cost $2-$3.
Cold water, long lines, 2 inches of water on the floor, etc.
The Club has portable showers set up. We have 4. You then would need to buy a Sun Shower bag. These can be bought at camp supply stores, some Walmart and Target stores and through mail order catalogs like Campmor. They run $12.00 for a 2 1/2 gal. bag and $15.00 for the 5 gal. bag. They are not high pressure, but they are hot and you don't have to wait in line with 500 other riders. They are really popular with the Club members. Your bag will be laid out in the sun by the truck drivers. Get in, find your bag, and take a shower. Maybe a wait of 10 minutes. Refill your bag and put it back in the truck.
Trucks and Rainbow arrows.... Arrows are 12 in x 12 in. Bright orange in color with Rainbow Cyclists insignia. Watch for these as you come in to the overnight town. They will direct you through town to camp. They will be mounted on street signs. (So will 2000 others club signs.) Keep alert for arrows. Watch for the Rainbow Cyclists Club canopy. It is a 20 ft x 30 ft multi-colored canopy. It sticks out like a soar thumb. The 2 Ryder trucks will be marked with Rainbow arrows also. Your gear will be laid out on the ground each day by the truck drivers. In case of rain, they will be covered with vinyl tarps. Ragbrai goes on in case of rain. The trucks also have 1st aid kits on board if you need them. I pack my clothes in plastic baggies. Several T-shirts in one, socks, underwear in one, bike shorts in one, etc. This will keep them dry, but also will keep clean clothes fresh from wet or dirty clothes.
There are repair vans on the route, in ride through towns, and in the overnight towns. They are very reasonable on prices. Also there is a full squad of ambulances. The route is patrolled by Iowa Highway Patrol and county deputies. I would recommend a pump, and extra tubes on your bike. We usually have some gravel miles if we have to avoid a busy highway or some construction area. Flats are more common on this gravel. My group of 6 did not have any flats last year.
(Morning, Bags, Rainbow Campground) There are good floor pumps on the trucks that you can use in the morning. Each AM, you will load your tent and gear on one of the trucks. The drivers will unload it at the next overnight town. Several bags are better than one real heavy one. We have beer and pop in coolers each day when you get in camp. Cost is $1.00 for beer, .50 for pop. I am going to have bottled water but I don't know what kind or price yet. There is a tool box with a slot in the top. Just put in money and help your self to the coolers. If you put in $5.00, drink $5.00 worth of beer and then put in more money as the week goes along. It is all on the honor system.
The coolers and cash box are under the canopy. The Club has about 35 plastic lawn chairs that we set up under our canopy. These are for anyone in camp to use. They stack in the trucks real nice. We ask that you not bring lawn chairs.
Temperatures.... The high's are in the 80's and 90's as a rule. Sun lotion, blistex, etc. are needed. Lows are in the high 50's and low 60's. I recommend at least 1 pair of sweats or long pants. 2 long sleeve shirts or sweats. A light coat or pullover. You will be up some nights until 10, 11, or so. You will be up around 5:30 or 6:00 am. 1 pair of bike tights for those cool mornings. Even though it may be in the 90's one day, it could be pretty chilly at night.
The Des Moines Register will list the official route, overnight towns and total miles for the week on the 3rd Sunday of Feb. I highly recommend that you try to get one. (you can also find the route on the RAGBRAI web site at www.ragbrai.org) This will help you to plan your trip. Later on, they will list the actual towns we will ride through each day. The Register will have daily maps available during the week of the ride. You can't get lost on Ragbrai, just follow the trail of bikes to the next town. But it does help to know the mileage between towns. You can plan your day this way. I highly recommend that you stay on the official route at all times. You are covered under RAGBRAI insurance for $5,000 if you are hurt. This does not apply if you are off route. The route is patrolled by ambulances, deputies, and the Iowa Highway Patrol. Please stay on route!
If you were to miss the Rainbow arrows as you got into an overnight town, and you can't find our campground, do this. Ask any locals or security people for help to get to the main campground. Look for the Des Moines Register information booth. They sell RAGBRAI souvenirs, you will get your patch here, and they will direct you to the information board. Look under R and you will find a Rainbow Cyclists arrow with directions on where in town we are camped. Just keep a look out for arrows as you come in to the overnight town and you won't have a problem finding us.
Dipping of your tires.... You will hear about this. It is a custom to dip your rear tire in the Missouri on the 1st day of Ragbrai. Although some times you may have to ride 5-10 miles back to the river if we don't actually start in a river town. Most do not ride to dip the tires if we don't start in the river town. But......
I highly recommend you dip in the last town. You will dip your front tire here. This will be the Mississippi River, of course. There will be a big celebration near the dock, red carpet, a long line, (the last one you'll see for the week) some riders will ride right off the dock. It is a blast. I have an 8x10 picture of my 1st Ragbrai finish as I dip my tire hanging in my family room. Very mixed emotions here at the finish. You are glad the miles are over. You get to sleep on a real bed and take a real shower. But you will miss the people, the routine of riding across the state on your bike, and all the food. You might feel a big letdown as you realize it is over.
Lock your bike.... Thefts don't really happen during the day. You will be in a town with a population of 500-1000. Bikes are everywhere. We will stop for lunch and we usually try to keep an eye on the bikes as we eat lunch. We would lock them if we were going to be in a town for a while or they would be out of our sight. If you ride in an overnight town, look out. It is not uncommon to ride to the store, or to eat supper, or to the bike shops, etc. LOCK IT.
Local kids come in and will hit high dollar bikes. They even will look for certain size frames. They know what they are looking for. We keep our bikes locked together. It is pretty hard to take 6 bikes that are locked together. Then we will ride the shuttle or walk in town to where we want to go. I've been on 6 RAGBRAI's and Club members have lost 3 bikes that I remember. Word spreads fast in the camps if there is bike theft. Most overnights have a security area where only banded riders are allowed into and you come out with 1 bike. I have never used this security area as we just leave our bikes locked up right in our camp.
RAGBRAI bands.... You will get a Ragbrai band like a hospital band that you will wear all week. You will get one for your bike and luggage also. They will also have the same 5 digit number on them. This number will be in the Register's computer. They can find out who you are if you injured, etc. by having this band system. Some food places will give a price discount to banded riders. This penalizes those riders who do not pay the RAGBRAI fee.
You will need to box your bike to put it on the trucks if you are doing plan A. No bikes will be loaded on the trucks if they are not boxed. Get your box early at your local bike shop. Don't wait till the week before RAGBRAI.
If you do the plan B system, this might help you as you get out to the first overnight town.
Here is what I think you need to do on that Sat as we begin the week. You will know which town you are going to. You will probably come off one of the interstate highways. You will be looking for the main RAGBRAI campground. As you get close to the Ragbrai campground, the Rainbow Arrows that you will live by all week will be posted on the street poles. There also will be a security crew to welcome you. They will have a list of where Rainbow is. You can also check at the Register's info booth. We will have riders coming in from all over the USA. You should not have a hard time finding us, although there will be a lot traffic! Of course, if you do the plan A system, then you just sit in the comforts of the charter bus, watch a movie, or read, and let the bus driver find where we are going.
Money.... I use traveler's checks. Credit cards can be used at the bike shops for T-shirts, repairs, and bike accessories. Credit cards usually can't be used at the small food shops sponsored by girl scouts or local churches, etc. These will, however take traveler checks without any trouble. You can spend $30-35 real easy per day. This would mean around $275.00 for the week. You will be buying three 3 good meals plus you will be drinking a lot of pop, beer, iced tea, etc. A lot of snacks, sweet corn, munchies, etc. are out there. Have you ever had pork chops at 9:00am? You might buy 1 or 2 T-shirts. The price for these will be around $17-18 each this year. You never know if you will need repair service of some kind. Make sure that your bike is in top condition before you ride. You will kick yourself if you have a breakdown during the week that you could have prevented before RAGBRAI even started. ATM's (money machines) are out there, but there is always a line and they have been known to run out of money. You wouldn't want to depend solely on them.
Good Luck, See you in July,
Dave Clabby, Ragbrai Director 1996-97, Rainbow Cyclists
Dave Clabby got a chance to work with Jim Green during RAGBRAI. This means Dave will not be with us on RAGBRAI but you may see him sometime during the week.
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After having done a few Ragbrais (11 for my wife & 10 for me) we have put together this checklist:
RAGBRAI CHECKLIST
HOME CHECKLIST:
| ___ Newspaper |
___ Mail |
| ___ Dog |
___ Emergency Permits for Kids |
| ___ Map of Route |
___ Insurance Cards |
PACKING LIST:
| ___ Meds |
___ Bug Repellent |
| ___ I.D.’s |
___ Bike Locks |
| ___ Wristbands |
___ Bike Bag (s) |
| ___ First Aid Kit |
___ Tools/Rags/Oil |
| ___ Sunglasses/Straps |
___ Tire Pump |
| ___ Eyeglass Case |
___ Helmets/Gloves |
| ___ Sunscreen |
___ Water Bottles |
| ___ Chapstick |
___ Notebook/Pencil-Journal |
| ___ Tylenol/Ibu |
___ Business Cards |
| ___ Radio/Headphones/Tapes |
___ Address Book/Stamps |
| ___ Batteries |
___ Camera/Film (Funsaver) |
| ___ Flash Lights |
___ Gatorade |
| ___ Ace Wraps |
___ Granola Bars |
| ___ Bungie Cords |
___ Gum |
| ___ Tent/Stakes/Mallet |
___ Towels |
| ___ Sleeping Bags |
___ Swimsuits |
| ___ Ground Cover |
___ Shorts/T-shirts/Shoes/Socks |
| ___ Pillows/Covers |
___ Dirty Clothes Bag |
| ___ Sheet |
___ Rope for Clothesline |
| ___ ‘ThermaRests’/Bags/Straps |
___ Clothes Pins |
| ___ Whisk Broom |
___ Toilet paper |
| ___ Rain Gear |
___ Toiletries |
| ___ Plastic Bags (Sm, Lg, & XL) |
___ ‘Woolite’ |
| ___ Duffle Bags (2) |
___ Kleenex (Travel Size) |
| ___ Bike Boxes/Sealing Tape |
___ Baby Powder |
| ___ Alarm Clock |
___ Sandals/Thongs |
| ___ Handiwipes |
___ Ear Plugs (for Sleeping) |
| ___ Fannypack/Backpack |
___ Caps/Bandannas |
| ___ Car Keys |
___ Umbrella |
| ___ Cash |
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We hope this helps. Steve & Bernice
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The following list of items is a compilation from my experiences on previous bike tours as to what to pack. I have ridden five different state tours, (Missouri, Indiana, Virginia, Wisconsin, Ohio) and have learned on each and every one. It is not exhaustive, nor is it mandatory to follow. However, all mentioned items should fit into one large duffle bag which you can carry to and from the luggage truck. Hope this is helpful.
CLOTHING
cycling shorts (at least 3 pr), cycling socks (at least 3 pr), cycling shirts (at least 3), windbreaker/rain jacket, running/street shoes, cycling tights, cycling shoes, under wear, T- shirts & shorts, long pants (1), long sleeve shirt (1), sandals/thongs/flipflops, cap/hat
CAMPING GEAR
tent w/ rainfly & stakes, sleeping bag, ground cloth, sleep sack, clothesline, clothespins (at least 12), plastic bags of all sizes, extra water bottle (for night use), flashlight, pocket knife, duct tape, pillow, lotion
PERSONAL ITEMS
ID & money, credit card, insurance card, sunglasses, sunscreen, chapstick, insect repellent, travel kit, hand towel, bath towels (2), wash cloth, Mycetracin/Cortaid, disposable camera
BICYCLE
Helmet, frame pump, cyclometer, extra tube, water bottles (2), pressure gauge, allen wrenches, gloves (2 pair), tire patch kit, garbage bag to cover bike, handle bar, fanny or back-rack bag
Use plastic bags to pack everything in. You can even put breadwrappers on your feet before you put on your shoes to keep them dry if it is raining. I pack a shirt, shorts, socks and undershorts in each bag. That way, if your large duffel bag gets wet, everything inside will stay dry. I will take at least 4 of everything. We should be able to do laundry along the way. I personally have never used a rain coat on any tour, (probably could have a couple of times). Thongs/sandals/flipflops are great to cary in your bike bag because they are so light and you can put them on when you stop for lunch breaks. If feels good to take off your shoes and socks especially if they are wet! You might want to take a disposable camera and film. I also recommend taking Mycetracin anti-bacterial jell or Cortaid, Advil, Ben-Gay, Visine, and A & D ointment. I will take a cap of some kind to wear on lunch breaks, etc. Also keep in mind what ever you are wearing when we leave home, you have to pack along the tour (shoes, etc.) As to how much money to take, I would recommend between $250 - 400. Some people don’t want to use credit cards, so they spend cash for everything. Keep in mind, we are buying our meals everyday. I estimate we will spend around $10 - 15 per day on food. Also, usually at camp, there are vendors where you can buy cycling clothes and equipment. If you need more money, you can go to the ATM machine along the way.
Hope this helps. If anyone has questions, they can e-mail me at
hbfoltz@alpha.wcoil.com
Howard Foltz
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