Jay Rochlin

During the third week of July 2009 I joined more than 10,000 other bicyclists and rode across southern Iowa as part of RAGBRAI (The Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa).  

Here is a five minute slide show I put together to show you some of things I saw along the 450 mile route. Just click the arrow and it will start. If you'd rather just click through the photos at your own pace, use the arrows on the right.

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My slide show gives a pretty good feel for what it was like on the road (at least at the moderate pace I ride). However, as you might imagine, on a ride like this, the time on the road is the easy part. There are tons of things to think about,

the least of which is how to get your gear from place to place and once it's there how to find it and then find a place to pitch your tent. Not to mention eating, showering, and going to the bathroom.

There are several "charter services" that worry about that kind of thing for you. I hooked up with a great group of people who operate Pork Belly Ventures. Their job is to worry about that stuff for you. They were great in every way I can imagine. Everything they provided in terms of service, logistics, some food, great entertainment, mechanical support, opportunities to get to know more great people, and all the (good) beer you could drink, made my RAGBRAI experience much more enjoyable than it would have been otherwise. My slide show didn't really capture all that. But Bob Frank's did. He is a long time RAGBRAI rider and was the "official" Pork Belly photographer for 2009.  His show is at the top of the Pork Belly home page, takes 7 and a half minutes, and features a great instrumental by The Elders, a great Irish group who played just for us two nights. 

Pork Belly Ventures run by the brother sister team of Pete Phillips and Tammy Pavich. In addition to being a charming person, a brilliant organizer and logistical genius, Tammy is one of the best writers I've had the pleasure to read. From the time I registered with her to right now, I've received (not just me) 33 email letters from her. Each one was a pleasure, even if now and then she touched on serious topics. She sent out a final "farewell letter" to all of her new and old bicycle friends that recounted the adventure.  If you want to get even more of a feel for what the week was like, I invite you to read Tammy's letter.