Day 4 (Weds) - Ames to Newton (59 miles) - Completed

Weds, July 25, Ames to Newton, 59 miles, 1,777 Feet of Climb

This was perhaps the toughest day so far.   The 4H-Club got the best of us with hills, headwinds, and humidity.   While the ride was only advertised as 59 miles, we booked 65 miles with a long stretch of big hills and headwinds.   But who's complaining, a long day of cycling in Iowa is still the best.

Sister Chris wisely decided to take the day off to nurse a cold.   She took the bus from our camp in Ames to the new camp in Newton.  Here are photo highlights of the day.

Air Force Cycling Team members fixing flat in Nevada, IA

Here you see the Air Force Cycling Team fixing a flat as we approach Nevada, IA.   It's 8:15 am and we have cruised about 9 miles from Ames.  It is the AF Cycling Team's mission at RGBRAI to assist cyclists with mechanical support and first aid.   They do this well and pride themselves as "Angels of the Road".

Hungry?? This is a pancake stop at the local church in Nevada, IA

 Another 7.0 miles to Colo, IA, we stop to see some horses.

Horses make great lawn ornaments.   What an idyllic setting.

We see the large grain elevator in Colorado behind a field of soybeans

We turn the corner into Colo.   See the long line of cyclists ahead of us.

Chris entering Colo.   This is a quick walk thru town.

Another 8 miles to State Center (in the very middle of IA.

Lots of cyclist gather in State Center as it's the meeting town

It's only 10:30 am we've ridden 25 miles

Meet the State Center Rose Queen and Princess

At the town center is a kiosk with directions

And a rappelling rock for bored cyclists

The crowds are always large in the meeting town, so we depart for Melbourne

9 miles later in Melbourne, the crowd is still large

Melbourne has Beekman's Ice Cream (across from the church)

This old 2 cycle engine (1913) still makes great Ice Cream

We leave Melbourne we find another big crowd at the Craft Beer Garden

Here is the Black Rocket (my amazing bike), out of retirement for this Ragbrai

Black Rocket resting on this baseball diamond, the original Field of Dreams

Main Street in Baxter.  We face South winds for  another 15 miles to Newton

After a long stretch into the wind, we reach camp in Newton

It's a large campground on the edge of town

We are camped at the far left, a long way from the action at the red tents on the right.  Oh well, what's a little walk.

We had a great band (S&M Blues Band) in camp.   Best of the week!

Lot's of dancers including Zebra Man (wearing the Trumpet Chick Tee)

Big Storm is forecast tonight.   Chris covers the bikes with a tarp.

We button up tents for the night.   

Tonight we had a good thunderstorm with wind and lightning.   The police came to the far end of the camp and evacuated about half the camp to a nearby shelter in the high school.  We missed the tornado scare and slept right through the storm in our nice dry tents.   It was one of the best night's sleep of the trip.  Tomorrow is Day 5,  69 miles from Newton to Sigourney.