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Catherine CoxCatherine Cox
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  • Catherine CoxRAGBRAI 2022
    Day 6

    Day 4 Mason City

    July 27, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    I couldn't find main RAGBRAI camping on the map so I headed to Parker Woods which seemed closer to downtown than other options.
    The woods is reserved but just north of it on a gravel alley is an acre lot with trees and a bank of porta potties. Parker Woods on the side closest to me has showers. The tents are in the sun but I think it will be nice. Water might be an opportunity.
    Once again the car is with the tents.
    The showers were a semi of 2 room cubicles, behind each door is a tiny dressing area and showers stall. You flip a light switch to start the water. A little warm but a good shower.    Read more

  • Catherine CoxRAGBRAI 2022
    Day 6

    Day 4 Wake up and go

    July 27, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Chris agreed to sleep in the tent even though we were surrounded by horseshit. The flies were brutal outside but kept at bay in the tents. The baby, Savannah, only cried three or four times during the night. The way our tent stakes were intertwined she was barely 3 ft from Chris's head. But she always went back to sleep. I must, must get away from Savannah and her Grandpa. I can tell he's looking for help.

    Chris and Rodger were on their bikes and heading down the road by 6:28 a.m. Perfect! Minor hiccups for lost sunglasses, hearing aids that didn't work, etc, etc.

    I headed out right at 8:00 a.m. with lots of damp clothes. I'm looking for a laundromat and the highway is blocked with construction or an accident. The minute the cop car passed me I you turned and headed north into gravel Iowa. At least it's pretty. The picture below is Smith lake with a nice wildlife center, Water's Edge Nature Center, where I stopped to take a break. I didn't go in.
    I ended up in Forest City doing laundry at Bubble Mat coin laundry and eating breakfast at Sally's.    Read more

  • Catherine CoxRAGBRAI 2022
    Day 6

    Day 4 - 100 miles completed

    July 27, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    Mason City
    I waited with some locals at the end of the route into town. I had over an hour to wait. They made it in a little after 5:00 p.m. Chris looked ,good Roger was dragging. Later, Roger said it was one of the hardest things he ever done. Then briefly left the route to get him aspirin at some point.

    They finished the last 8 blocks to get to the party and I walked in to join them.
    We met in the lovely downtown park and ,once we bothered to ask, got seated at The Quarry. They had a really good RAGBRAI limited menu. Both guys had salad and flatbread and I had flatbread. They had a good selection of beer on tap.
    Chris was DONE, Roger was feeling better. A really good day!!!

    We were back at the campgrounds just as it started doing on my tent with no rainfly. I was smart enough I had put the rain fly on Roger's tent this time.

    Around 8 pm our car alarm went off. Why?

    Chris took a shower, Roger crashed.    Read more

  • Catherine CoxRAGBRAI 2022
    Day 6

    Day 3 Success

    July 27, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    Roger beat Chris to Emmettsburg and they were both done with the route before 2pm.
    Chris was wiped out and didn't really recover today. Tired of camping, etc. Actually, he's dreading the century day tomorrow.
    I met Roger at the beer garden. Ridiculous. You had to show a RAGBRAI wristband or pay $5 to get in the single entrance. I picked up veg & noodles from the wok booth, Pepsi and apple pie. We met Victoria (solid, red/burgundy hair, traveling with her boyfriend, 63) and settled down to drink and chat.
    Chris showed up tired from the walk. He had a burrito, and 2 pieces of pie. Later I picked up pizza and cheese curds for the group, including Victoria.

    Chris was not having any more walking and like a miracle the shuttle bus was waiting for us and almost empty. Chris was also unhappy about all the cow pies, ad nauseam.
    I pointed Roger down the street towards the fairgrounds and said I'd meet him at the entrance. He still had his bike. Another miracle. It All worked.

    Both guys were in pre bedtime nap mode before 7pm. And stayed there all night.    Read more

  • Catherine CoxRAGBRAI 2022
    Day 5

    Day 3... Begins

    July 26, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    We had trouble waking up and didn't really start moving seriously until 6:00. There was a concession stand inside our campground/soccerfield/fairgrounds. They of course ran out of coffee. I wondered back to pick up around the campsite and then headed back to the horrendous line. This means Chris was loose in the tent for almost 15 minutes without me. Of course he broke his prescription glasses. Rogers come through with some sunglasses and he had some reading glasses in the car. Still, it's early in the week.
    The day is beautiful, Rodger and I had donuts and coffee. And they were ready to hit the road by 6:45 ish. This is a short day and that was fine.
    After packing up I drove downtown. I never saw a sign as to where the non-gravel RAGBRAI bike should go. Lots of lost bicyclists. The Aspen Leaf Cafe had people out the door.
    After gassing up at the Sinclair I hit the road. Just like at the campground there was no sweetener for my coffee. I'm almost getting used to black coffee.
    Arrived at the main campground around 9:45.
    Found a place to park and set up my tents. No idea where the porta potties will be. Should be interesting.
    The tents are set up and the porta potties have been delivered. The flies are terrible..

    The info booth has no maps for the next town. Grrrrrrr.    Read more

  • Catherine CoxRAGBRAI 2022
    Day 4

    Day 2 Pocahontas

    July 25, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    I ran into a number of hiccups getting a tent camping spot, but they are so totally understaffed and confused that you could ignore everything and keep looking for the right answer.

    These people make Ida Grove look organized. I ended up 50 ft from the porta potties, access to water and the car parked next to the tents. I couldn't ask for more.
    I headed downtown for something, anything. I found all the diet coke I could want, ice at the gas station for Chris' yeti and the information booth people were wonderful.

    Now eating homemade klotchkees and, off and on, listening to oompa band. Chris and Roger are back on the road. Chris hit up the pie lady. Roger focused on completing the ride and beer.
    By 2:00 p.m. Chris was in Pocahontas and Roger was on his second beer. Life is good.

    After a general perusal of the festive downtown area we all headed back to the tents with the bikes. I had left everything open, including the car windows and rain was coming. The guys changed and we waited out some rain, then walked back downtown for dinner and the complete RAGBRAI experience.

    Lots of good food and drink. l found a coffee shop I can stop at in the morning,. Yay
    Everyone but me in bed by 7:30 p.m..    Read more

  • Catherine CoxRAGBRAI 2022
    Day 4

    Day Two

    July 25, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    It was a cold and very damp night. Rodger used his sleeping bag we got out our blanket. The guys got off at 6:30 a.m. . I was impressed.
    Once again I drove straight here without getting ice food or bathroom. I swear I'll take care of myself tomorrow.
    Pocahontas makes Ida Grove look organized. All the chapters don't matter. Punchline: I'm parked with my car in a very nice location.    Read more

  • Catherine CoxRAGBRAI 2022
    Day 3

    First Day ride complete!

    July 24, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    In Ida Grove by noon! Huge success! We ate some food, drink some beer. Chris and I had ice cream and everyone spent money. We even listen to some music.

    Around 3:30 or 4:00 we headed back to the campground, the guys rode their bikes and I was able to catch a shuttle. It's hot and crowded with nothing available to eat or drink. Bummer.

    Chris noted that the car was stored in a partly empty parking lot and we broke out and went to a local grill for a burger ( and beer ). Put us in better moods.
    We got back to the campground just before the showers closed and Chris got a shower.
    The night was long. It was incredibly humid Chris's legs and back were bothering him and then it got cold.
    I got a rain thing on and hiked down the hill and got our blanket. Did I mention a very loud band played until 11:00 pm. Ouch!    Read more

  • Catherine CoxRAGBRAI 2022
    Day 3

    Day 1

    July 24, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    We actually slept pretty well during the night. We gave up trying to sleep a little after 5:00 a.m. they hit the road at 6:30 a.m.

    I waited for a train for nearly 10 minutes I waited for a train when trying to get the car, for almost 10 minutes.Read more

  • Catherine CoxRAGBRAI 2022
    Day 2

    Day 0

    July 23, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Chris dips his tire in the Missouri. We're headed ready to find Roger and get this expedition in high gear.
    We've met Neil from Australia and a couple riding a tandem, oh, and the guy in the faux Ferrari.

    We found Rodger and his truck at long-term parking and then headed out to find the ultimate cap spot. And we did! Now we're prepping for visiting information and getting credentials. Prepping involves a beer.
    Chris and I had a pork sandwich at the expo with corn. Then we moved on to pub 52 for fruit pie and pizza pie.

    We even made it to the 2:00 p.m. newbies meeting.

    The American legion for gouvage and a maid right sandwich. Food iffy, company very nice. Roger and I had beer and later I stopped into the info center and enjoyed a free ice cream. We all enjoyed the air conditioning at the info center.    Read more

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