May 2008 RAGBRAI E-Newsletter - David Harrenstein, Editor

Welcome to the May 2008 issue of the RAGBRAI E-Newsletter. In this issue:

• RAGBRAI® XXXVI REGISTRATION UPDATE
• BIKE TO WORK CELEBRATIONS
• RAGBRAI'S DREAM TEAM UPDATE
• CYCLING RADIO
• RAGBRAI EXPO
• TRAINING WITH DUFFY
• SAFETY TIPS FOR RIDERS

RAGBRAI® XXXVI REGISTRATION UPDATE

We appreciate everyone's patience as we try to answer everyone questions regarding the lottery results that came out on May 1. We obviously received more weeklong entries than we have space for, so yes, there was a lottery. If you were selected in the lottery, congratulations! If you completed the application process prior to April 1 and you looked for your information online and could not verify a wristband number, we ask that you e-mail the RAGBRAI office at info@ragbrai.org. If you are with a group, we ask that ONLY the group contact e-mail us, not every member of the team. We received quite a few emails on May 1 alone, so it does take some time to personally answer each person.

For those that were not selected in the initial lottery, we are gradually adding people to replace those riders who had to cancel and have requested a refund. We typically receive hundreds of cancellations for various reasons. These cancellations are ONLY filled by people not selected in the initial lottery. There is no waiting list for those that did not meet the deadlines.
Again, we appreciate everyone's patience and understanding. We look forward to a great event!

--- The RAGBRAI Staff

RAGBRAI'S DREAM TEAM UPDATE
by John Washburn, Team Mentor

At the end of March, we finished our indoor training for the 2008 season. We met for six weeks on Monday and Thursday nights. We met for ninety minutes and had three thirty minute rotations.
One rotation is stationary bikes, another one is running on the track and the third activity was either band resistance training or educational sessions.

The riders learned that they could pedal at fairly high speeds for thirty minutes.
They also learned that they get stronger the more they exercise.
One night we went to the Brenton Skating Rink for a break in routine.

On March 31, we assembled inside the Des Moines Register for a night of orientation. Half of the group met in a large room and watched a bike safety and maintenance DVD, stopping regularly for quizzes to review the content.

The other half of the crew met in the bike room where new riders were fitted with helmets and bikes that they will use for training and RAGBRAI. New riders were shown about shifting and bike control. They were also introduced to the building to learn where we meet and line up for rides. Other essential items such as water and bathroom locations were pointed out.

Many of our first outdoor rides were cancelled for weather, mostly rain but once for snow. On the snow cancellation we met at the Register and all riders and mentors were given the pleasure of changing tires. We had races. The fastest rider was a happy female.
The group rode on the Mayor's ride last weekend and all performed well.
We are off to a great start with riders who are happily working at getting better and a super group of caring mentors.

There are a lot of smiles out there.

CYCLING RADIO

The Kim West Radio Cycling Hour debuted April 20! Join Kim West and guests each Sunday 6-7pm! Des Moines' 1460 AM KXNO streaming worldwide at kxno.com Pod-casts are available later Sunday night.

RAGBRAI EXPO

Date: Saturday, July 19
Hours: 12 - 9 p.m.
Location: Missouri Valley High School, Missouri Valley, Iowa

RAGBRAI, the longest, largest and oldest touring bicycle ride in the world, begins with the RAGBRAI Expo. Free and open to the public, the RAGBRAI Expo will showcase our 10 official bike shops, bicycle/component manufactures from around the country and retailers associated with the cycling industry.

Over 50 exhibitors will feature product demonstrations, the latest in cycling gear and apparel, health and nutritional information and much more!
Be sure to visit our RAGBRAI trailers and check out the latest official RAGBRAI merchandise and apparel.

Click here for a list of our confirmed 2008 Exhibitors

SAFETY TIPS FOR RIDERS
By Gordy Mosher

As the summer biking season in Iowa approaches and interest spurs regarding the 2008 RAGBRAI route, participants begin to think about getting in shape. Articles appear regarding conditioning, appropriate apparel, proper gear, and tuned up bikes. For example, Duffy includes a monthly conditioning article on the RAGBRAI website, which is great, while bike shops throughout Iowa begin to encourage riders to get those bikes into top-notch condition. Another aspect I feel is just or maybe even more important is SAFETY. From my experiences as a 13 year RAGBRAI veteran with several thousand miles of training on county roads throughout central Iowa, I offer the following observations, tips, and suggestions that may make your training and riding this year just a little safer:

1. If you arrive at a cross road/intersection the same time a car or truck arrives, even if you are in the right, you loose. Always be prepared to Yield!
2. Aggressive riding will be met with equally aggressive reactions from motorists. For example, cursing or flipping off a motorist may result in retaliation from the motorist. (Cyclists already get enough flak regarding riding on public roads, so cool your emotions.)
3. Riding two or three abreast on roads or streets will certainly irritate a motorist who cannot pass. ALWAYS be cognitive of the motorists behind you. Don't be too proud to yield to them, even if you're in the right. Although bikes have the same right to the road as cars/trucks, one MUST ride more defensively and show more courtesy than the motorists. Get in single file until after they are safely past you.
4. Stay off high-traffic state highways and main thoroughfares at all times.
5. If more then 8-10 cars pass you within a mile, consider riding other roads or ride at times when there is less traffic.
6. Teenage motorists are the ones most likely to try to scare you by yelling out the window or honking just as they reach you. Always be prepared for their antics.
7. Elderly drivers hate to cross the center line and they are typically the ones who pass closest to the rider.
8. A car load of people visiting with each other or a person talking on a cell phone will surely send shivers through you as their reactions are slow and they rarely move to the left until they are even or slightly passed you.
9. Trucks and semi-trailer rigs can create quite a back draft. It's important to hang on when they pass. One may even consider an exit strategy to the shoulder or ditch, especially if wind conditions are such that it exaggerates the back draft.
10. Vehicles approaching cyclists head on and are seeking to pass may never see you. Slow down when you see someone inching out to pass and have an exit strategy in mind to get to the shoulder or ditch if they start to pass.
11. If approaching a parked vehicle, assume someone will open a door just as you arrive, so pass far enough to the left to avoid an open door.
12. When riding, always use a mirror and check it frequently. If you are riding solo, it's easy to get distracted with your own thoughts and you forget to check the rear vision. This is especially true when one begins to tire or gets close to finishing their ride. Make it a habit to check it every 10-15 seconds! When riding with a companion, double the checking time.
13. Always wear clothing that is brightly colored. Make yourself visible to motorist.
14. Get to know the traffic patterns where you ride. Commuter times are NOT the times to ride. People's minds when going to work are preoccupied with their day's schedule. They may not be even aware of bike riders at that time of day. Conversely, people on their way home after work are preoccupied with after work thoughts. They are impatient, anxious, and certainly don't want to be held up by someone out riding a bike. If these are the only times available for you to ride, consider using trails in lieu of the open road.
15. Riding into the rising/setting sun can be extremely hazardous. Cyclists should take into account the weather conditions when riding. Sunny conditions can cause blind spots for motorists and cyclists simply become invisible. Take into account the direction of the roads you are traveling during sun up and sun down times. Also, rising and setting sun times change throughout the season. A clear visual east/west road in mid May could be a blinding road at the same time in early April. Check your routes at various times of day when you plan to ride.
16. Wear brighter clothing and do even more defensive riding on foggy or cloudy days. Wear yellow tinted sunglasses that brighten the landscape on cloudy days and reserve your regular sun glasses for clear days. Eye glasses help keep those pesky insects out of your eyes, too.
17. Use the white line on the right edge of the roadway as your personal safety zone. As vehicles approach and just before they pass, whether close or clear to your left, move yourself onto or to the right of that line. Make it a habit.
18. Finally, and this is probably the most important tip I have learned. When riding country roads, do your part to draw attention to yourself when vehicles are approaching from the rear. Move slightly left 6-8 inches when a vehicle is coming up behind you, yet still at a safe distance, then move back to the right 8-12 inches. This is an excellent way to make a visual connection, plus if the motorist sees you moving back and forth, I have found they instinctively pass further to the left then if you are riding on a straight course. A rider in a tucked position and riding straight ahead doesn't look much different then a distant road sign to the motorist. How many times have we heard drivers who have hit a cyclist say? "I just didn't see him/her." So, don't be afraid to move slightly left to right to draw attention to yourself. It may just save your life.

Safe riding to you all.

Gordy Mosher has ridden 26 RAGBRAI's plus thousand miles and wanted to share a few things that may just help keep someone from getting hurt or killed.