RAGBRAI at 40: Eight Who Have Ridden 40

It's that time of year again. Time for the party across Iowa known as RAGBRAI. I have ridden seven myself and have seen just about everything from Howard Dean looking like he was going to die from the heat in a seven mile stretch to the multiple skimpy outfits of Fitness Lynn that leaves little to the imagination and along the way me and my buddies have even added to the legend first by creating the first ever RAGBRAI home brews (an brown ale and a stout) to the first portable showers that actually created hot water that were mounted on top of the team support vehicle.

In case you don't know what RABRAI is, it's the Registers Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. It attracts nearly 20,000 people during the last week of July who will be challenged by Iowa's hilly terrain (it's not flat) for 500 miles from the Missouri River to the Mississippi river. Dip the back tire in the Missouri when you leave and the front tire in the Mississippi when you arrive.

It's been six years since we did our last RAGBRAI, but every year around this time we regret not packing up the team van and heading to the western side of Iowa. I get the feeling our next RAGBRAI isn't far away. I did notice the Des Moine Register put out a list of eight people who have ridden 39 RAGBRAIs and will be attempting their 40th. So here's a shout out to you in honor of your achievement. If we were there we would give you a Ride to the Right Ale, a piece of pie, and a pork chop. Congratulations.


40 YEAR PARTICIPANTS OF RAGBRAI (RIDERS & SUPPORT)

Rick Paulos, Cedar Rapids
(Now rides with Hawkeye Bicycle Association)

Scott Dickson, Newark, DE
(Now rides with Team Skunk)

Randy Dickson, Sturgeon Bay, WI
(Now rides with Team Skunk)

Margaret Paulos, Davenport
(Now rides with Hawkeye Bicycle Association)

Carter LeBeau, Davenport
(Now rides with Quad Cities Bicycle Club)

Dr. James Hopkins, Windsor Heights
(Rides with their family)

Nancy Jo Hopkins, Windsor Heights
(Rides with their family)

Greg Harper, Muscatine
(Family owns Harper’s Cycling & Fitness)