Eating, and drinking, your way through IA.....a RAGBRAI experience

Focker

HAWKCARL said:

I have always wanted to participate in RAGBRAI, but it is nearly impossible for me to take an entire week off of work. Additionally, it seems like you need to ride with a team with some form of transportation other than the bike (just in case).

 

The people that put on RAGBRAI also do a winter ride called the BRR ride. I have done this one several times. The ride usually is about 27 miles total but since it takes place in late January/early February, I have heard that 27 miles is about equally taxing on your body as 70 miles is in the summer.

 

Check out the BRR ride next year, you might enjoy it.

http://archive.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=D2&Dato=20140201&Kategori=NEWS&Lopenr=402010805&Ref=PH

@HAWKCARL,  

Thanks for the link.  

Will keep that in mind.

Went with a charter service from my club, Quad City Bicycle Club.  They bus out you and bike(semi), provide baggage transport, a campground with at least 4 nice kai-bos/porta potties, beers/gatorades for $2 each, bus you and bike back.  With the $150 RAGBRAI tag, it was around $400 total, a great deal.  Probably spent $40/day on food and beer.

Many pay the $20 annual dues just to do this charter service every year.  People from all over at our campsite, including Toronto. 

Focker

bettysnephew said:

All I can remember is the slide for life on a barroom floor with pitchers of beer being tossed as a lubricant to prevent floor burns.  But I have slept since then so it may only be a dream.

@bettysnephew,

Hahahahahahaha,

Discovered a rare animal in the IA wild.......a Hougar. Where the hunter becomes the hunted. lol

Focker

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Great post. That dude in the "off-the-shoulder" John Deere Overalls looked less than pleased to have his photo taken. My company makes those overalls. We send a lot to Iowa )

super sweet socks too BTW.

Thanks CT for the kind words,

I know, he warmed up when we started talking hogs....even sat down at our table after dinner 

Here is that segment from Colbert, good stuff.

http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/0i05bg/carl-edgar-blake-ii

The socks were a tribute to one of our club members who passed away last year.  RAGBRAI made Friday Carter LeBeau day.  Carter was the only guy to ride every day, of every RAGBRAI and not sag(get hauled in) since its start in '73.  He was a huge bicycle and RAGBRAI enthusiast, and known for wearing rugby socks, one blue/one red.  Figured I'd continue the tribute, wearing them on dip day as well, in Guttenberg, IA.  

Focker

Brisket_Fanatic said:

Dang it Brandon, you were 10 miles from my house and I would have gladly let you take my tent for the week, wish I would have known you were coming. You could have crashed at my place on Saturday night with the other 6 people. Gave them a place to sleep inside, shower if needed and pulled pork off the egg for supper. Sounds like a good time and your are definitly an IRON MAN!

That was nice of you to open up your house as a host, really cool.  Staying with an egger host is an added bonus for sure.  Thanks for offering up the tent.  Still can't believe I made it 6 nights without one.  

Brisket_Fanatic

Sorry I missed you but glad it worked out.

Focker

No worries buddy, hope to see ya up north in Feb. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Focker said:

show previous quotes

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Great post. That dude in the "off-the-shoulder" John Deere Overalls looked less than pleased to have his photo taken. My company makes those overalls. We send a lot to Iowa )

super sweet socks too BTW.

Thanks CT for the kind words,

I know, he warmed up when we started talking hogs....even sat down at our table after dinner 

Here is that segment from Colbert, good stuff.

http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/0i05bg/carl-edgar-blake-ii

The socks were a tribute to one of our club members who passed away last year.  RAGBRAI made Friday Carter LeBeau day.  Carter was the only guy to ride every day, of every RAGBRAI and not sag(get hauled in) since its start in '73.  He was a huge bicycle and RAGBRAI enthusiast, and known for wearing rugby socks, one blue/one red.  Figured I'd continue the tribute, wearing them on dip day as well, in Guttenberg, IA.  

awesome. I saw that guy on Colbert but I didn't recognize him in the overalls. Very smart guy actually and I would love to try one of his pork chops.

Lemme know if you want me to send you some sexy JD overalls. he just might hug you next time you meet.

Focker

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

show previous quotes

Focker said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Great post. That dude in the "off-the-shoulder" John Deere Overalls looked less than pleased to have his photo taken. My company makes those overalls. We send a lot to Iowa )

super sweet socks too BTW.

Thanks CT for the kind words,

I know, he warmed up when we started talking hogs....even sat down at our table after dinner 

Here is that segment from Colbert, good stuff.

http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/0i05bg/carl-edgar-blake-ii

The socks were a tribute to one of our club members who passed away last year.  RAGBRAI made Friday Carter LeBeau day.  Carter was the only guy to ride every day, of every RAGBRAI and not sag(get hauled in) since its start in '73.  He was a huge bicycle and RAGBRAI enthusiast, and known for wearing rugby socks, one blue/one red.  Figured I'd continue the tribute, wearing them on dip day as well, in Guttenberg, IA.  

awesome. I saw that guy on Colbert but I didn't recognize him in the overalls. Very smart guy actually and I would love to try one of his pork chops.

Lemme know if you want me to send you some sexy JD overalls. he just might hug you next time you meet.

He is a smart dude.  We got some prices, it's ridiculous.  Calculating total costs, it was roughly double a local Berkshire.  I'm sure it's worth it(at least once), but hard to pass up the local, cheaper option.     

Does Key make those JD overalls?  Thanks for the offer, I'd rock em'. hahaha

Deckhand

Oh yeah!  Rode the RAGBRAI in '85 and gained weight over the ride.  Would love to do it again but I kept gaining weight.  Maybe, someday...

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Focker said:

show previous quotes

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Focker said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Great post. That dude in the "off-the-shoulder" John Deere Overalls looked less than pleased to have his photo taken. My company makes those overalls. We send a lot to Iowa )

super sweet socks too BTW.

Thanks CT for the kind words,

I know, he warmed up when we started talking hogs....even sat down at our table after dinner 

Here is that segment from Colbert, good stuff.

http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/0i05bg/carl-edgar-blake-ii

The socks were a tribute to one of our club members who passed away last year.  RAGBRAI made Friday Carter LeBeau day.  Carter was the only guy to ride every day, of every RAGBRAI and not sag(get hauled in) since its start in '73.  He was a huge bicycle and RAGBRAI enthusiast, and known for wearing rugby socks, one blue/one red.  Figured I'd continue the tribute, wearing them on dip day as well, in Guttenberg, IA.  

awesome. I saw that guy on Colbert but I didn't recognize him in the overalls. Very smart guy actually and I would love to try one of his pork chops.

Lemme know if you want me to send you some sexy JD overalls. he just might hug you next time you meet.

He is a smart dude.  We got some prices, it's ridiculous.  Calculating total costs, it was roughly double a local Berkshire.  I'm sure it's worth it(at least once), but hard to pass up the local, cheaper option.     

Does Key make those JD overalls?  Thanks for the offer, I'd rock em'. hahaha

no- Walls makes them. The company I work for bought Walls last year. I manage a big part of that business.

key is still kicking out of Ft. Scott KS. I have a few buddies that work there.

I will definitely hook you up with the overalls if you want some. You have to wear them with one strap off though.

bettysnephew

The overall guy was also featured on Bizarre Foods when Andrew visited Iowa.  They were at his farm and did a fairly extended interview. They also were at a restaurant in Mt. Vernon, IA that serves dishes made from this pork.  If I understand correctly he is attempting to breed back to what the early domesticated hogs were like.  Less fat and more muscle, not that pork fat is a bad thing just trying to produce a better tasting, higher meat yielding animal.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

bettysnephew said:

The overall guy was also featured on Bizarre Foods when Andrew visited Iowa.  They were at his farm and did a fairly extended interview. They also were at a restaurant in Mt. Vernon, IA that serves dishes made from this pork.  If I understand correctly he is attempting to breed back to what the early domesticated hogs were like.  Less fat and more muscle, not that pork fat is a bad thing just trying to produce a better tasting, higher meat yielding animal.

I think it's actually more fat that he is after. industrial produced Pigs today have been stripped of all their flavor because they are so lean. 

bettysnephew

What ever it is, it tastes goooood.  Had a taste of my wife's meal at the restaurant and it was great.  Have not been to Mt. V for a while and CRS is fully kicked in. Name of the restaurant evades me and wife is working in Singapore for a while.  Portions were too much like many upscale places to suit me though. I am not one of those skinny metro types.  I dislike paying premium dinner prices for a snack.

caliking

@bettysnephew - are you referring to Lincoln Cafe in Mt Vernon? I still miss that place, despite now living in a city which doesn't lack good eateries. Loved their food.

bettysnephew

That's it!  Thanks for the memory jog. I seldom get over there and with the wife away for a while even less.

pgprescott

Brandon, great looking time. I have many coworkers and friends who participate in this and all rave about the overall vibe of the event, including the participants and the towns people along the way. Good to see you enjoying your summer. Take care, Pete

Focker

Thanks Pete,

The RAGBRAI spirit is a beautiful thing.  Good to see you hanging out around here.