Welcome to Team Simpson's Blog

Each of you is invited to join President Byrd in blogging about your experience on RAGBRAI by using our Team Simpson blog. We will also be tweeting, so you can follow along @SimpsonRagbrai

While there are just a few days left before the start of RAGBRAI, here are a few last minute considerations...

Daily Routine and Logistics:

Each rider is responsible for packing their tent, bags, chair and gear and delivering them to the gear truck by 9 a.m. every morning. Our gear truck and van will depart for the next overnight town by 9:30 a.m. each morning. Riders who are joining the team along the route need to have their gear loaded by 9 a.m., as well. This will give our drivers time to stock up on supplies, allow drive time to the next overnight town and accommodate riders who leave early. We do not expect the team to ride together as one group due to various skill levels and interests.

Depending on the route for the day, riders may start arriving as early as noon and may continue to arrive throughout the afternoon and early evening.

Those who choose to leave early, consider tenting close to the truck and be conscientious of those who choose to leave later in the morning and may be sleeping. If you leave early, please leave your gear near the truck to be loaded.

There will be snacks and beverages available for you in the morning and when you arrive at our overnight hosts. Each overnight hosts have different accommodations for us. After arriving at our overnight host, check in with our drivers, and they will be able to direct you to the shower and bathroom facilities, and where the appropriate areas are to pitch your tent.

Make sure to pack a camp chair. Team Simpson riders gather and share adventures of the day and Simpson experiences from the past.

We will be traveling with a passenger van that we will use as a shuttle to town when needed. If our overnight hosts are more than walking distance from the official RAGBRAI activities, we will shuttle riders back and forth as needed. We expect bikers to bike in inclement weather and not use the van as a sag vehicle, so be sure to bring rain gear.

If you are from central Iowa, many of your training rides may have been spent dodging rain drops. It may be hard to avoid the rain on RAGBRAI, so be sure to pack a small zip lock bag to protect your electronics (cell phone, camera) on and off the bike.

Lastly, be sure to check over your bike before you leave. How many miles are on your tires? Tires should be replaced on a regular schedule. When is the last time your chain was oiled?

We are excited to begin our adventure together, and add memories to our Simpson experiences.