Signs Along the Way

I have been thinking about the wonderful new Kent Campus Center that we will soon have at Simpson. Part of the reason it has been so much on my mind right now is that demolition began this week on the old Brenton Student Center. Signs like the one above have also kept me thinking about the exciting new project that will be available for Simpson students next fall.

Neighborhood Friends

Here you see Anne and Tom '75 Shandley, Cathy Shandley Harris '77, and Bob Shandley '85. The Shandley kids grew up just north of the Simpson campus on C Street. We were glad to have them with us on RAGBRAI this year.

Trustees on the Trail

Team Simpson was joined on the ride by Simpson trustees Rich Willis '74, Rose Kleyweg Mitchell '77, Fred Hubbell, and David Weesner. Pictured above, Rich Willis, Rose Mitchell, and her husband Jerry '76, all Simpson alums, take a break in Bondurant.

Amy Usher Gregston

Talk about service from our leaders--Bryan woke up with a red and irritated left eye and next thing we know, Chris had scheduled an appt. with a doctor in Indianola. Found out has an eye infection. Good day into Altoona. Had a fabulous pumpkin bar and cinnamon roll in one of the small towns. Drove to Beth King Coffey's house to have a shower and relaxing day in her AC house. Off to Spaghetti Works dinner and then back to the tent in Altoona.

Top 5 List

Since I only got to do half the ride this year, I will do half a Top Ten List. What follows would be my Top 5 things on the RAGBRAI Ride 2011:

#5 My friend and c0-rider Shawn breaking out his new expo-purchased gloves for the ride on Sunday morning, only to complain about how he did not get a very good deal. Once, however, he figured out the gloves were on the wrong hands and the padding NOT on his palms . . . 30 miles into the ride . . . it seemed a better purdchase.

#4 All the great hospitality of our hosts on the over night stops . . . including the "all you can eat" pasta special at the United Methodist Church in Carroll and the wonderful host families in Glenwood and Atlantic.

#3 The Dedham Bologna-inspired conversation about bologna and SPAM as staples of many of our childhoods, but realizing, that we have never fed it to our children . . . then repeating again that night.

#2 McQueen leading the entire Bloomers patrons . . . willing or unwilling . . . in a rousing rendition of the wave. Whoooooooo!

#1 The awesome job that the Team Simpson group did in making the ride so much fun and making Team Simpson a great RAGBRAI family . . . especially since my own family bailed on me this year.

I am truly thankful to have been a part of RAGBRAI 2011. Have a great rest of the week.

Bob Krapfl

Overnight in Boone

We are enjoying wonderful hospitality in the Simpson family with Jerry and Joyce Peterson hosting us at their home in Boone. Also pictured with them above is their son, Jordan, a 2010 Simpson grad who will be starting medical school at the University of Iowa this fall, the Carver College of Medicine.

The Peterson's other son, Grant, also graduated from Simpson, in 2006, and attended medical school at the University of Iowa as well.

As you can see from the photo above, the Petersons have a beautiful back yard that is totally shaded at 2 p.m. I know that we are going to enjoy a very comfortable evening here at their home.

From antiques to high tech

Iowans are proud of their agricultural heritage and as we have ridden across Iowa, we have been able to enjoy farm machinery from antiques to the latest new equipment. Here you will see a 1926 McCormick Deering tractor that was parked in Pilot Mound and a spanking new John Deere planter spied in Paton that we think had 64 rows (we tried to count them!). Many Iowans have their equipment on display for the enjoyment of the RAGBRAI riders.

Entertainment in Manning on Monday

Every day on the route one town is designated as the meeting town. It is usually about halfway through the day's route and offers a variety of activities for the RAGBRAI riders. During entertainment in the city park in Manning, Monday's meeting town, one of the featured acts was called "Nuns on the Run," a group that lip synced popular songs with lyrics adapted to their "calling." The group was popular with the riders who offered thunderous applause after each of their numbers.

Day 2

I made it throughout the second day and the hilly course. I thought the route was horrible-I hate all the hills. One hill after another. Ate a delicious cinnamon roll and a great dinner at the UMC in Carroll. I do love Team Simpson and you all should think of doing Ragbrai with us some year.

Day Two

It wouldn't be possible for us to enjoy RAGBRAI without wonderful overnight hosts. Last night we were able to stay at the home of Bob '59 and Judy Camblin in Atlantic. They had a great camping spot for us across the street from their house. Picture above, Hal '57 and Greta '57 Bryan talk with Bob Camblin '59 about their days at Simpson College.

Day One

One of the big attractions on day one was the opportunity to have your picture taken with the World's Biggest Bicycle in Lewis, Iowa. This was a project for fifth graders at Griswold Community School to help raise funds for a field trip. The bicycle was created by Duane Weirich and is 32 feet long and 16 feet tall with 12-foot-wide wheels.

I was able to enjoy the spot with my son-in-law, Jeff Crowson, of St. Louis, Missouri.

RAGBRAI 2011 – Team Simpson gets ready to head out

Team Simpson gathers at the home of Mike '91 and Julie Godbout in Glenwood, Iowa, eager to start the team's third RAGBRAI. A rain shower kept us from immediately unloading our tents and setting up camp, but we were fortunate that Mike and Julie had a great garage for us to put our gear before we got started.

Friends in High Places

Officer John Westering, parent of current student, Erin Westering '13 cheered Team Simpson on while he worked an intersection outside Lewis. The Westerings reside in Atlantic.

Let the fun begin!

Jenny Irwin mentioned today she saw 1Million Spokes this week- the documentary about RAGBRAI. She was scouring the movie for Team Simpson jerseys and right at the end of the movie at the dipsite, she walked by the camera sporting hers. Coincidence? I think not.

To get you in the mood, try searching RAGBRAI on YouTube.

Put my tent up last night to air out. Three ten year olds said "Cool! Can we sleep in it tonight?" Because they looked so darn cute, I broke my no-sleepovers-when-I-have-to-work-the-next-day rule just this once. I settled them in playing cards by the lantern's light, sure they would be asleep by 11. At 4 a.m., I investigated a strange noise and found my son in the dark, in the kitchen, arms full of various foods. "Hi mom!" Not sure he learned a lesson... but I did.

See you tomorrow!

Leslie

Simpson Jersey on the Beach

You never know where a Simpson biking jersey will show up! Jason Luedtke '10 is pictured wearing his 2011 Team Simpson jersey while training for RAGBRAI near Rodanthe, NC in the outer banks area.