RagbraiPic

Ragbrai XXVII

A night on Main St. in Algona Iowa. From left to right is Rick, Launch Pad, RocketMan, Butt Dr., Our Great Driver, Hot Wheels, and RoadRunner.

Olie's Restaurant in Paxton Nebraska. We always stop at Olie's for lunch or dinner on the way to our first night stay at Tish's Restaurant in Council Bluffs Iowa. From Left around the table are: Butt Dr. with a beer, Hot Wheels, Launch Pad, RocketMan, the dark man in the back is RoadRunner, and the shy one not looking at the camera is WheelMan. If I remember correctly, this is where RocketMan ordered seven pitchers of beer for seven people!

We Rent an RV for the Ragbrai. Our driver, Hot Wheels, drove us to Tich's Restaurant for our first night stay Friday July 23, 1999, on Saturday July 24, 1999, he drove us to Inwood Ia. so we could ride to the starting town of Rock Rappids Ia. As you can see it is very comfortable for Dr. Woo. Here he is sportin his new dew and Tattoo for Ragbrai.

You would have a smile on your face if you had these great riders with you on the Ragbrai. From left to right: The Wrench from Hell, Allison nibbling at my ear ( Man I just love her), Butt Dr., Debbie hiding in the back, and my good-ol- friend Holly.

At the last town before you end your great riding experience, you will find a party like this one going on. These go on for hours. Everyone has a great time. Its one of those expected pleasures you wait for at the end of the day.

On the first day, the first bar, the party has begun. Here we have found a couple of ladies that are already enjoying the RAGBRAI experience.

Host Families

As I get all of the pictures in from this years ride I will put them up but for now I would like to start with what I have. What great host families we had! They made it so much fun you would not be able to understand if you weren't there.

Saturday July 24,1999 - ROCK RAPIDS, Ia. - First night

We ride to The Stewart's house for the first night. They have a gorgeous lot with a lake. I am setting up my tent and I look across the street. Standing in her driveway is a lady named Faith. What a wonderful person she is. We started talking, and one thing led to another and pretty soon I was over sitting down with her on her driveway drinking a beer. She let me take a shower with her lawn hose. As time went on, everyone started coming over to her house. She ended up letting everyone shower in her house, then she decides to barbecue for everyone. So we go to her backyard, and RoadRunner mans the grill while we all eat, drink, and lounge around on her back patio untill 2:00 am in the morning.

Sunday July 25, 1999 - Spencer, Ia. - Second night

We stayed at two houses in Spencer. The Keeler's house, and right next door were the Brockshus's house. They were Awesome!!! We were able to shower inside their house, they cooked dinner for all seventeen dawgs, and they even put us all up in their houses for the night! I was able to fix my broken spoke in their garage! They spent the whole evening with us. We brought out margaritas and sat on their patio until at least 11:00 at night. What a great group of people, but that is the way Iowa is. Thank you so much the Keeler's and the Brockshus's !

Monday July 26, 1999 - Algona, Ia. - Third night

When we got to Algona, we again meet another great host family. The Besch's also allowed us to shower inside, and we had a great back yard to pitch our tents. They spent two or three hours with us on the front driveway. It was a great place to meet. We had about 25 chairs in a giant circle, we brought out the coolers of beer and just sat around enjoying the host family. We were just two blocks from where are the festivities were going on in town, so we walked over to have some dinner, and watched a great laser light show on main st. The laser light show was held on a big screen that was at the end of main st. The screen was as wide as main st., and four stories high. The light show was spectacular!

Tuesday July 27, 1999 - Clear Lake, Ia. - Forth night

We arrive around 5:00 pm Tuesday to Daniel Faidley's house. We were able to take a shower inside, and he lived right next to a great park where we set up our tents for the night.. He was a great guy. We sat around and chatted for quite a while. This was the night that half our group went to another site. Since we were not all together, it wasn't the usual great time talking about your day, because there was only seven of us at Daniel Faidley's house. But for those of us who stayed here, it was very nice. Sorry about the picture, but you ride all day in 90 degree plus heat, and this is what you see at the end of the day also!!!

Wednesday July 28, 1999 - Waverly, Ia. - Fifth night

Smile Doc was able to set us up with the Bartels Lutheran Nursing Home. We through our tents in the front yard, and were able to shower in the guest house. They offered a great dinner but it ended at 7:00 pm and that was when we got in to Waverly so we ended up going to the fairgrounds and catching a spaghetti dinner. Then had great bands playing so we hung around and caught some tunes before heading back for the night at the nursing home. For over an hour, we sat in chairs on the front lawn with the manager of the nursing home just chatting about all kinds of things! Great time.

Thursday July 29, 1999 - Decorah, Ia. - Sixth night

In Decorah, we stayed at the Chief of Police's house Ben Wyatt. He had a great house, with a large front yard. But the High Tech Dude I think went a little nuts when he set this one up. You see we were about three miles out of town, and two miles of it were straight up a gravel road - so steep that you had to walk your bike up the road!!! After 73 miles of riding that day - we were in no mood to take this one on. If you look at it the other way, we were on the top of a mountain, away from civilization, in a beautiful spot for the night.

Friday July 30, 1999 - Manchester, Ia. - Seventh night

This was a very tough day of riding. Street temperature got as high as 120 degrees. The street got so hot, that the tar was oozing through the pavement! So all day long, you were collecting all of this tar all over your bike. It was dripping off of your spokes, and building up on your tires! Not only was this tough, but we were climbing up some hills like we have in Colorado. We climbed almost the entire day! We heard that on this day between 4,000 and 6,000 people sagged or quit.

By the end of the day we had a great suprise! The Stepanek's were our host family. They let us shower inside as well as sleep inside in an air-conditioned house. They also cooked dinner for all seventeen dawgs. Then after dinner, they sat down with us and drank beer and margaritas till it was time to go to bed.

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Ragbrai XXVII

A night on Main St. in Algona Iowa. From left to right is Rick, Launch Pad, RocketMan, Butt Dr., Our Great Driver, Hot Wheels, and RoadRunner.

Olie's Restaurant in Paxton Nebraska. We always stop at Olie's for lunch or dinner on the way to our first night stay at Tish's Restaurant in Council Bluffs Iowa. From Left around the table are: Butt Dr. with a beer, Hot Wheels, Launch Pad, RocketMan, the dark man in the back is RoadRunner, and the shy one not looking at the camera is WheelMan. If I remember correctly, this is where RocketMan ordered seven pitchers of beer for seven people!

We Rent an RV for the Ragbrai. Our driver, Hot Wheels, drove us to Tich's Restaurant for our first night stay Friday July 23, 1999, on Saturday July 24, 1999, he drove us to Inwood Ia. so we could ride to the starting town of Rock Rappids Ia. As you can see it is very comfortable for Dr. Woo. Here he is sportin his new dew and Tattoo for Ragbrai.

You would have a smile on your face if you had these great riders with you on the Ragbrai. From left to right: The Wrench from Hell, Allison nibbling at my ear ( Man I just love her), Butt Dr., Debbie hiding in the back, and my good-ol- friend Holly.

At the last town before you end your great riding experience, you will find a party like this one going on. These go on for hours. Everyone has a great time. Its one of those expected pleasures you wait for at the end of the day.

On the first day, the first bar, the party has begun. Here we have found a couple of ladies that are already enjoying the RAGBRAI experience.

Host Families
As I get all of the pictures in from this years ride I will put them up but for now I would like to start with what I have. What great host families we had! They made it so much fun you would not be able to understand if you weren't there.
Saturday July 24,1999 - ROCK RAPIDS, Ia. - First night

We ride to The Stewart's house for the first night. They have a gorgeous lot with a lake. I am setting up my tent and I look across the street. Standing in her driveway is a lady named Faith. What a wonderful person she is. We started talking, and one thing led to another and pretty soon I was over sitting down with her on her driveway drinking a beer. She let me take a shower with her lawn hose. As time went on, everyone started coming over to her house. She ended up letting everyone shower in her house, then she decides to barbecue for everyone. So we go to her backyard, and RoadRunner mans the grill while we all eat, drink, and lounge around on her back patio untill 2:00 am in the morning.
Sunday July 25, 1999 - Spencer, Ia. - Second night

We stayed at two houses in Spencer. The Keeler's house, and right next door were the Brockshus's house. They were Awesome!!! We were able to shower inside their house, they cooked dinner for all seventeen dawgs, and they even put us all up in their houses for the night! I was able to fix my broken spoke in their garage! They spent the whole evening with us. We brought out margaritas and sat on their patio until at least 11:00 at night. What a great group of people, but that is the way Iowa is. Thank you so much the Keeler's and the Brockshus's !
Monday July 26, 1999 - Algona, Ia. - Third night

When we got to Algona, we again meet another great host family. The Besch's also allowed us to shower inside, and we had a great back yard to pitch our tents. They spent two or three hours with us on the front driveway. It was a great place to meet. We had about 25 chairs in a giant circle, we brought out the coolers of beer and just sat around enjoying the host family. We were just two blocks from where are the festivities were going on in town, so we walked over to have some dinner, and watched a great laser light show on main st. The laser light show was held on a big screen that was at the end of main st. The screen was as wide as main st., and four stories high. The light show was spectacular!
Tuesday July 27, 1999 - Clear Lake, Ia. - Forth night

We arrive around 5:00 pm Tuesday to Daniel Faidley's house. We were able to take a shower inside, and he lived right next to a great park where we set up our tents for the night.. He was a great guy. We sat around and chatted for quite a while. This was the night that half our group went to another site. Since we were not all together, it wasn't the usual great time talking about your day, because there was only seven of us at Daniel Faidley's house. But for those of us who stayed here, it was very nice. Sorry about the picture, but you ride all day in 90 degree plus heat, and this is what you see at the end of the day also!!!

Wednesday July 28, 1999 - Waverly, Ia. - Fifth night
Smile Doc was able to set us up with the Bartels Lutheran Nursing Home. We through our tents in the front yard, and were able to shower in the guest house. They offered a great dinner but it ended at 7:00 pm and that was when we got in to Waverly so we ended up going to the fairgrounds and catching a spaghetti dinner. Then had great bands playing so we hung around and caught some tunes before heading back for the night at the nursing home. For over an hour, we sat in chairs on the front lawn with the manager of the nursing home just chatting about all kinds of things! Great time.

Thursday July 29, 1999 - Decorah, Ia. - Sixth night
In Decorah, we stayed at the Chief of Police's house Ben Wyatt. He had a great house, with a large front yard. But the High Tech Dude I think went a little nuts when he set this one up. You see we were about three miles out of town, and two miles of it were straight up a gravel road - so steep that you had to walk your bike up the road!!! After 73 miles of riding that day - we were in no mood to take this one on. If you look at it the other way, we were on the top of a mountain, away from civilization, in a beautiful spot for the night.
Friday July 30, 1999 - Manchester, Ia. - Seventh night

This was a very tough day of riding. Street temperature got as high as 120 degrees. The street got so hot, that the tar was oozing through the pavement! So all day long, you were collecting all of this tar all over your bike. It was dripping off of your spokes, and building up on your tires! Not only was this tough, but we were climbing up some hills like we have in Colorado. We climbed almost the entire day! We heard that on this day between 4,000 and 6,000 people sagged or quit. By the end of the day we had a great suprise! The Stepanek's were our host family. They let us shower inside as well as sleep inside in an air-conditioned house. They also cooked dinner for all seventeen dawgs. Then after dinner, they sat down with us and drank beer and margaritas till it was time to go to bed.

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