RAGBRAI 2022 (Part 2): That Time I Rode 462 Miles Across Iowa On My Bicycle

Welcome back to the next installment to my RAGBRAI 2022 adventure. Part 1 can be found here, but just in case you’d like to continue on I’ll give you a short recap and glossary of terms that may help as you read.

Quick Recap

RAGBRAI is the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa and I decided to ride across the state of Iowa on my bike with 15,000 other people in July 2022.

Days 0-3 saw me start my RAGBRAI 2022 journey, kissing animals, seeing the sites, eating the corn and making friends. I left those friends at the campsite on Day 3 to get rest because Day 4 was Century Day!

RAGBRAI Glossary

A glossary of sorts for you as you read.

• Tire Dip – Back/Front tire dipped into the waters of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers respectively at the start and end of RAGBRAI
• Expo – An event with vendors to kick off the week
• Start Town/End Town – The major town each day that you are leaving from in the morning/arriving at in the evening
• Meeting Town – The “lunch” town each day with vendors and local fundraising events
• Pass-thru Town – Many small towns (one had only 27 people) with vendors and local fundraising events along the RAGBRAI Route
• SAG – the name of the support team if your bike or body breaks down and you need a lift to the next town – SAG stands for Support And Gear
• “My RAGBRAI group” – A Facebook group for RAGBRAI Newbies that gives support and advice (and a little frustration at times!)
• Virgin – Those who are doing RAGBRAI for the first time are encouraged to write this in marker on their leg so others know to provide encouragement and to know you may be less confident around the 15,000 other cyclists.
• Century Ride – 100+ miles in one day
• Jersey – A type of shirt worn by many cyclists (I prefer the tank style) that has pockets in the back for your phone, water, etc.
• Charter – A company you pay to support your ride (the largest/most popular is Pork Belly Ventures)
• Team – A group of cyclists that travel, camp and sometimes ride together. They likely do this year-round together in their local area and often have transportation. There’s also the US Air Force Cycling Team that trains all year to come and ride RAGBRAI while also offering mechanical support on the ride (and maybe some eye candy at times!)
• My Hashtags – In my posts online I used #shaepeppercornstar, #shaeridesragbrai and #shaescornyride for fun since Iowa is known for its corn
• Calliope – The name of my KHS Vitamin B bike

RAGBRAI 2022 Day 4 – Emmetsburg to Mason City (105 miles – Century Day)

There aren’t a lot of unique and crazy pictures from Day 4. As you can imagine, focusing to ride 100+ miles on a bicycle is enough to worry about! Additionally, there just wasn’t the same vibe/stops that day. When I asked about the lack of farm animals to kiss I was told that there aren’t that many farms along the route that was provided for us.

I got really sound advice from some RAGBRAI veterans who said, “leave early and don’t goof off until you have at least 80 miles under your belt.” I started to goof off a little at 60 miles, but only because there was “the best lemonade in the world” on offer according to the sign and who wouldn’t stop for that?!

During my training the longest ride I did was ~62 miles, so Monday at ~72 miles was the longest distance I’d done before Wednesday’s big ride. I felt confident in my plan, training and goals. I was going to go petting (read: kissing) animal to animal to get me through the day. As you read above, there weren’t really any animals, which was a little disappointing but honestly, it was for the best as my 105 miles might’ve ended very differently otherwise (like me quitting because of how late/hot it was.)

I set out nice and early at about 5:45am; I’d hoped to leave a bit earlier, but this was fine in the end. My aim was to only stop for 5 and 10 minute breaks to stretch and rehydrate until lunch which I planned to arrive at around 10:30am. There I’d stop for only 30 minutes, so asked Stephen to be there waiting for me with a sandwich so I didn’t have to wait in line. I flew through my morning mileage and ended up at lunch earlier than anticipated. I was able to get my lunch quickly before Stephen even arrived, but he hung out with me for the last 15 minutes of my break. I was still in great spirits and my body was feeling good, so again, not even a thought of getting a ride to the end for my “half-brai” backup plan.

We had a lot of wind that afternoon. It didn’t seem to matter which way you faced – the wind was strongly against you. We did have a short tail-wind at one point which was really nice though. I stopped a bit here and there as it heated up. I loved stopping for a pickle here, a lemonade there AND even enjoyed a free whiskey shot from a family with the best barn décor of the whole week.

I grabbed my Century Day patch in honor of John Karras who was one of the founders of RAGBRAI who passed in 2021. This year’s RAGBRAI was in his honor. Many commented on the stellar weather being ordered from John Karras himself.

When I started to see the signs for Mason City I was getting excited… and exhausted. I stopped (as did others) at the 5 miles to Mason City sign, knowing that the ride was 105 miles to celebrate my 100! Only to find that sign meant it was 5 miles to the edge of Mason City, not 5 miles to our stopping point. Those last few miles where you were just dreaming of the center of town, to sit in the grass at the end surrounded by fellow riders, were the toughest of the day.

But, arrive I did. And I was in really good spirits. I had some edible cookie dough and we made our way to our hotel. I had some chicken and veggies and climbed into bed after a wonderful bath before setting my alarm for 7am the next morning – I was allowing myself to sleep in on Day 5.

RAGBRAI 2022 Day 5 – Mason City to Charles City (47.9 miles)

My goal of getting on the road by 8am was nothing but a pipe dream! I finally got up, out of bed, and on the road by 9am. I didn’t seem to be the only one getting a later start after Century Day. This turned out to be my hardest day of the entire week. I’d ride my 100 mile day again and again to never have a day like I did on Day 5. And it seems I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

Setting off in the quickly-warming sun started the day off on the wrong foot. I missed the sunrise and cool breeze. This also meant that almost everyone I usually saw each day, both from my Facebook group and random people who I began to recognize as people who left around the same time I did, were nowhere to be seen.

The one thing that went my way was a nice little stop early in the day to feed some goats. It was here that I bought an ice cream cone full of goat food and got some selfies and kisses. It was also here that the farmer offered to let me feed them some animal crackers and he witnessed something I’m sure he never expected and will never forget.

In all my tutu’d glory, I took the animal cookies offered and tried to “Lady and the Tramp” with his most friendly goat. As you can see above, the goat was a little unsure about this arrangement but we ended up succeeding, much to joy and laughter of the farmer watching along. This was one of my favorite moments of the entire week of RAGBRAI 2022.

This was also the day that I finally had to dip into the corn fields to relieve myself. You count the rows in and over that you go so you can find your way back out. Always be careful for insecticides that have been used to treat the corn and watch where you step… This is VERY common on RAGBRAI. I didn’t love the idea so I didn’t plan to use it as a regular stop, but I did want to do this once as a “RAGBRAI right of passage” and decided this was the perfect opportunity.

Every mile on Day 5 felt like a slog. I was stopping so often I thought I’d never finish the mileage that day. I was truly fantasizing about having Stephen take me with him at the meeting town… even if it was already over half way for the day. The thought of another 17 miles after I saw him sounded like torture.

One thing about leaving when I did was getting to see this pupperina and her mom. I feel like her name was Marsha, but now I can’t remember, but she and her mom were doing RAGBRAI together. I loved the homemade setup and the little shade provided for her. There were a few pups out on RAGBRAI – this one, one in a bag with their mom on an e-bike and finally one on a little trailer on his parents’ tandem!

As I went through town I stopped to meet this lovely donkey. He was carrying some pamphlets and accepting donations for a local cause. He was here for scritches and selfies all day long and even had a little smile for our selfie together!

By the time we met for lunch I wasn’t feeling good at all. I just wanted to stop. I wasn’t thirsty or hungry. I decided to have something comforting – PBJs. They were good, but I could only eat part of one. I kept trying to keep up with my hydration and electrolytes. I thought long and hard about asking Stephen to just take me with him. But I soldiered on.

Truffles thought the best part of RAGBRAI, besides the snacks, was making all these petting friends!

On the way out of the meeting town I noticed a cool old jail you could look in. You could also have your photo taken, printed as a sticker and put on a postcard and mailed by “Pony Express.” So in goes my personalized, Wanted Poster post card to myself from along the route of RAGBRAI!

Was it a pretty day? Yes. Was there anything really wrong? No. But every single pedal stroke felt like work. I finally turned off my music, put on my podcasts (that I used to eat up the miles while training) and just pedaled on. One, two, one, two… trying to find any rhythm I could to make it to the end of the seemingly never ending miles. I saw a few of my Facebook group buddies along the way throughout the day; they all agreed that this day was the toughest for them too!

It got so warm and sunny I even put on my SPF sleeves. These are SParms and were suggested in the Facebook group. I’m so glad I got them as they keep you from getting too much sun (I loved these since I wear tank tops to ride) and if you wet them down they cool you off!

Just as a clue of how the day went… I didn’t even get a picture at the end town. I was just so glad to be done. We wandered the square looking at vendors and very little sounded good. I even tried to find the IV Hydration company (there were medical tents; this was a paid elective service you could access from a private company) that I’d seen every other day. I thought maybe I was just dehydrated.

Stephen started to wonder if I hadn’t eaten enough over the last two days. Turns out, he was right. I ate a steak sandwich from my favorite vendor, Double M Concessions based out of Emmetsburg, Iowa – if you ever see them at RAGBRAI or anywhere else in Iowa, run – don’t walk – to get one of their ribeye sandwiches. After that Stephen tried to push me into dessert – I was so tired and moany he probably literally wanted to do this. We looked at ice cream, pie, etc. and nothing sounded right. I ate 6 donuts in 21 minutes just because. If I’m not actively seeking out dessert you KNOW something’s wrong!

We saw that Pizza Hut had a little vendor stall. I know, I didn’t even go truly local… but hubs said, let’s get some Cinnabons from Pizza Hut. I thought they sounded halfway ok and said I couldn’t walk any farther, could he get the little pack for me. At Cinnabon, the small rolls usually come in packs of 4. This wasn’t Cinnabon though, this was Pizza Hut and Stephen turns up with the only size they had… 10. We get into the car and before we’ve left the parking lot I’ve eaten one roll. It tasted so good, I had another… and another… until I’d eaten all 10. No tummy ache. No more nausea and fatigue. 30 minutes later I started to feel like a new woman. I couldn’t believe it! Hubs was right.

My second biggest RAGRBRAI tip going forward: YOU HAVE TO EAT MORE ON CENTURY DAY and the day after! (My first being – still stop to have fun – it’s not worth it just to ride the miles without the stops for fun!)

RAGBRAI 2022  Day 6 – Charles City to West Union (63 miles)

I woke up on Friday as someone completely refreshed. I couldn’t believe what those 10 mini cinnamon rolls did for me.

I got on the road ~6:30-7am and stopped for my “start the day” photo around ~7:25am when I realized I’d forgotten my picture. I felt so good I just wanted to ride! After how awful I’d felt the day before this was a profound turnaround.

The penultimate day of RAGBRAI 2022 had the 3rd highest rate of climb. It was still over 2,000 feet – this was just a warm up for the final day with 2,900 feet of climb! It was as sunny and beautiful as all other days.

For many, this was their final day. The last day of RAGBRAI is a tricky proposition – there are shuttles and buses heading out, so anyone who doesn’t ride a fast pace is unlikely to be able to ride and finish it. This is something I’ll speak more to on my final day – I had a ride so I was in no rush to get in to the final town by a certain time… or so I thought…

Back to day 6 – it was here that I finally saw my little fur-friend on the tandem cart with enough time and space to get his picture. Look at his little mohawk! He had shade, water and a comfy spot to lay down or sit up. Whenever I saw him he was standing up out the front of his cart with the wind in his ears!

If there were a prize for most enthusiastic towns/ towns I loved the best – Anthon, Pocahontas and Lawler would all have had my vote! “Get Looney in Lawler” was that latter town’s theme and it was “wheelie” fun! Cutouts throughout the town of Looney Toons welcomed us from start to finish!

Even though I was feeling better from my Cinnabon carb loading, I decided to treat myself to feeling really good for the final day. I went through with the IV Hydration Therapy. I recommend it. Maybe even from Day 1. I enjoyed being well hydrated after the week was over since we immediately started flying (and drinking) our way to Europe for a month two days after RAGBRAI finished.

It was here that I indulged in the final “RAGBRAI must-have food” of the week that I’d missed so far… Thelma’s ice cream sandwiches. They were amazing and if I ever do RAGBRAI again I will prioritize them daily.

Even the goodbye from Lawler was great fun!

Other than a weak moment on Thursday, I didn’t even think about my “half-brai” strategy during the week. And I’m so glad I didn’t – the fun towns along the way were “can’t-miss.” Stephen confided in me later that he wouldn’t have given me a lift, even if I’d begged, because I was doing so great and he knew I could do it! If I’d driven from Lawler I’d never have been able to kiss and hold a baby pig!!

I saw signs for kiss-a-pig from a few miles out and I was ready for it. When I arrived I was worried that this was the pig they meant… Surely not?? In a state where hogs outnumber people 4:1 they HAD to have a real pig… right?? Oh yes, just follow the little squealing sounds!

Relay for Life was hosting the kiss-the-pig fundraiser and they even had cute buttons for you once you kissed the little squealy babies! When you hold them so nicely with two hands they are quiet and snuggly… But try to selfie with one hand and they cry and cry! Just try not to think about the fact that these are indeed… tiny little bacon seeds… which I found out after.

What do you do when you’re feeling better, have full veins of hydration and vitamins, have kissed a pig and need a break? You stop for wine! One of the mobile wine, cocktail and beer vendors was the perfect refresher for my final push of the day!

I love quirky things and seeing these (there are two, even though only one is pictured here) giant corn cobs made of milk jugs made my day! Works of Americana like these are one of the things that makes the US a fun place to road trip around. Everyone knows about giant balls of twine… but 36 foot corn!? That’s something special!

When I finally arrived in the final town of the day, West Union, I got to meet a Dairy Farmer (and got the sticker to prove it!) and got some cow selfies! You can see my sticker in subsequent pictures!

A few other people I haven’t mentioned are Len and Anna. They were my rocks during training. Anna started the RAGBRAI Newbies Facebook group and Len is a very active member. They were there for celebrations and moans all along the way. I didn’t get a selfie with Anna in the end – she and Len are much faster riders than me – but I was thrilled to see Len at the end of Day 6 and get a selfie together along the route. We had the chance to hang out together in Sioux City, Iowa before RAGBRAI started and even tried Pickle Beer together!

If you follow our blog you know I’m not a big beer drinker. That’s why I had a little Fireball and shot glass with me, drank vodka lemonades, mimosas and wine along the route. But, when RAGRBAI has an official beer – you try it! This is Tailwinds from Big Grove Brewery. It was really refreshing and I’m so glad I got a can before the week was over.

I mentioned the three pups I saw along the way on RAGBRAI, but they were nothing compared to this birdie that joined his person for the ride! I saw this small parrot on the back of his owner’s neck during the ride only once. I was thrilled when they came to sit by us to share a watermelon smoothie so we could get better acquainted. This bird trains with his owner and flies nearby, landing on him when he’s tired. On RAGBRAI, with so many people around, he wears a small harness and can fly up to 3 feet away while still being connected.

One other friend I made, who I saw off and on all week, was Pam. She’s a trooper who rode the whole week after falling hard and bending her rim on some train tracks during our Tire Dip Ride from Day 0. It was also a perfect time to give Greer a final hug since she had an earlier bus back to the start and was leaving much earlier than me the final day. I’m grateful I had Stephen with me, but it was really wonderful having friends like Lily, Pam, Greer, Anna and Len in the lead up to and duration of RAGRBAI 2022 that I get to carry with me after the ride is over.

RAGBRAI 2022 Day 7 – West Union to Lansing (65.4 miles)

It was the best of days… it was the worst of days… Only the worst because it meant my RAGBRAI journey for 2022 was coming a close. With 2,966 feet of climb it was physically a tougher day than any that went before it.

On Day 1, I only walked the top 1/4 of one hill the whole day (2,500 feet of climb) and I was determined to do as much of the hills as I could. And readers… I did them all! I paused to breathe, drink or stretch, but I didn’t walk any on the final day! From going from the idea of a “half-brai” to completing all the hills and all the miles of RAGBRAI 2022, I’m hella proud of myself.

As I mentioned before, many leave early to finish early on the final day or don’t ride at all. This meant that the road was muuuuch emptier than any of the previous days. I started early and, other than finishing before the State Troopers went home, I just wanted to finish. There are fewer fun stops along the way on the final day. Many of the vendors don’t come along for the final day. But, there was still some fun to be had so I found it!

Starting with cider at 8am! I went into the bar hoping to find a drink (Bikers had made mimosas before so I didn’t let the location put me off) in my little purple tutu… They smiled kindly and said no, they didn’t have mimosas, they had beer or Jameson. Sigh… But they had Woodchuck Cider, so I started my day off as I meant to go on. Celebrating my achievement!

One of the two monster hills we encountered – it doesn’t look like much but I promise you – was much more steep than it seems. OK, maybe not if you regularly ride in Colorado, but for the rest of us it was pretty rugged after 400+ miles that week!

I loved Gunder, this tiny town of 27 people. They hosted Mr. Porkchop and I appreciated their welcome and effort despite their small size! Small but might Gunder, Iowa! A star on the final day where everyone else is packing it in!

Time for another drink! I’ve never had so many vodka lemonades in my life! They were just the right amount of refreshment and fun!

I ran into Lily on my final day again and we saw each other at the very end for the Tire Dip. I’m so proud of her and her achievement that week. She’s moving and has big goals and dreams in the future – a great start to those was completing her first RAGBRAI!

My family giving me the final love I needed at the final meeting town of Postville!

Even though I was looking forward to making it to the end town, I had to stop and admire the scenery. John Karras once said that “Iowa by bicycle is stunning. Incredible.” And I have to say, he’s right. Especially this Northwest corner of the state. It kept getting hillier (ugh), but with those hills came beautiful trees, streams and more fields with wide open spaces of sky and puffy clouds.

So few people to enjoy it though. It’s very strange to me that you’d come and do this whole week and not be able to complete the final day.

Everyone just shoots off after the tire dip. No end of ride party, no camping (for the most part) and, by the time I arrived (between 4-430pm), the balloon arch at the finish line was gone and it was a little anti-climactic.

With this being such a huge accomplishment for many (especially as RAGBRAI gains notoriety from famous YouTubers like Nate and Kara), I’m sad that it ends with a fizzle rather than a bang… But, not so for the Peppers as you will see!

My ride was coming to an end. With only 8 miles to go I reached my final stop – and here I met a young man fundraising to go with the statewide choir to Europe next spring! I was more than happy to buy a banana and donate to him and several other teens who were looking to travel over the next year out of Iowa.

This is my favorite view of the whole week. I wish the truck hadn’t gone through (note the cloud of dust along the road), but this spot was just so beautiful. I could’ve stood there forever, but I had a ride to complete and the Mississippi River was calling my name!

I thought about texting Stephen as I got closer, but I’d texted him at 8 miles so rode on. I was making better time than I thought and he *just* saw me as I rode into Lansing. As I looked over there he was with Truffles with a SIGN FOR ME!!! What a hero! I loved seeing it as I rode by! I stopped near the Tire Dip spot and got kisses and hugs and cheers that made the whole quiet final day totally worth it for me.

What was disappointing was that the balloon arch was down, most things were packed up and, other than a short line at the Tire Dip, there wasn’t much of a celebration atmosphere. Even the Air Force Cycling Team rides in, in formation, in the early afternoon. If you’re a slower paced rider like I am, there’s not much left for you by the time you arrive at the final town which was disappointing. I’m so grateful I had Stephen waiting for me with a sign to celebrate this huge achievement.

But, putting that aside, it was time for the final Tire Dip – The Mississippi River! You’re supposed to dip your front tire and then lift your bike over your head… Ummm. That’s great when you have a sleek road bike, but when you have a sturdy girl like Calliope (a hybrid fitness/mountain bike), you do the best you can!

I did it!! I rode 462 miles across Iowa. From 10 mins a day in the wet and dark of Portland, Oregon in November 2021 to sunshine in Lansing, Iowa in July 2022!

It’s time for my final full dip! Into the warm waters of the Mississippi! It was so nice and refreshing at the end of a spectacular week!

Final Thoughts

And so ended my RAGBRAI 2022 journey. Calliope did, in fact, get to come home with me. We’d been through so much that I couldn’t let her float her way to the ocean after all. As soon as RAGBRAI 49 was over, I started to plan and think about next year – the 50th Anniversary of RAGBRAI.

Now, a few months out, as much as I’d love to participate, I’m not sure it’ll be in the cards for me. Not because I don’t want to, simply because it takes so much time and energy. There are so many factors to train for, think about and plan for RAGBRAI, that the thought of doing them from the road for another year is exhausting.

I ride a consistent 10-12 miles per hour. Training can therefore take me all day. Calliope would have to be brought along on our 50 state road trip for another year, to do this we’d need a new hitch and bike rack for the car. She has to come in and out at hotels. I have to search for new and safe biking routes every week – and I have to train no matter the weather since I don’t have room for a trainer for inside riding with me.

We’re also planning to move more frequently in the next year. And there are other things, including more time on No Home Just Roam, that will be requiring my time and attention. That being said, if I can work it out – even just for a day on an e-bike – I will make every effort to be there to celebrate 50 with all my RAGBRAI buddies!

If you’re even mildly curious about riding RAGBRAI, or getting more into cycling, let me assure you that if I can do it – you can do it! It really is “choose your own adventure” when it comes to RAGBRAI which takes out some of the stress and pressure off from having to do it “the right way.” There is no right way. It’s just your way… and the highway.

I’ve written one final post about my own training schedule and my 10 top tips for riding RAGBRAI, so click here to check it out!