Cycling Pigs

This is the year of the Golden Pig so it is only fitting for us to don our golden jersey’s for our bicycle rides this year. My wife Jennifer is still in China visiting with her family for the New Years Celebration. Thankfully she will be back home this week. To have her month away is a long time for this little piggy. From what I understand this year will be a very auspicious year to have children. According to an Ecconomist.com article the Asian birthrate should really be high this year.

I just received this update from the great people at Pork Belly Ventures. These are the people that we are traveling with for our ride through Iowa latter this summer . For very resonable rates they are picking us up from Omaha and setting up our camp spot each night of our RAGBRAI ride. All of the group from Cycling Pigs that is going this year is encouraged to call Pete immediately for a spot with their tour if they have not done so already. The Cycling Pigs will be traveling with these folks so if you plan on coming with us it is not enough just to register for the RAGBRAI ride. Please call me directly if there is any question about this. From what I understand the Pork Belly Venture tour will be full by the end of March so rushing to call them would not be too fast if you want a spot in our camp. Otherwise you are on your own folks. Whatever happens it will be fun so stress out not so we can relax later is what my Papy always used to say.

March 4, 2007
Greetings, Porkers!

Yesterday, there was a big parade in San Francisco celebrating the Year of the Pig. In fact, there is speculation on whether this is an ordinary Year of the Pig or an extraordinary “Golden Year of the Pig.” Given today’s news about the RAGBRAI route, we vote “golden.”

The Route Detail:
Richard Doak and Brian Duffy, Des Moines Register Staff Writers, say that no stretches of gravel are planned this year (good news for skinny-tire folks) and the steepest climb you’ll encounter on Day 3 is the approach to a bridge over I-35. Despite other factors which will almost certainly have a bearing–wind, precipitation, and temperature–it looks pretty wonderful. Daily mileage, shorter as the week goes on, is as follows:

Sunday, 75.7 miles 5 pass-through towns
Monday, 77.4 miles 9 pass-through towns and the Karras Loop
Tuesday, 71.1 6 pass-through towns
Wednesday, 68.2 5 pass-through towns
Thursday, 62.9 4 pass-through towns
Friday, 64.7 5 pass-through towns
Saturday, 56.6 5 pass-through towns

That last day includes some climbing (about 3200 ft.) but according to that fellow who keeps track of the feet-of-climb for every RAGBRAI day in recorded history (now he’s an enthusiast!), this will be the third easiest and the third flattest RAGBRAI in the ride’s 35 years. The little ‘tweener towns are what makes this ride so special: “Some of the flavor of this year’s towns are offered by their slogans: Laurens, ‘the busiest little town in Iowa’; Denver, ‘the cleanest little town in Iowa’; Aplington, ‘northeast Iowa’s best-kept secret’; and Bradgate, ‘the town that wouldn’t die’ after a 2005 tornado.” To read this article for yourself and check out the clickable map.

Pork Classifieds:
Hey, it’s earlier than usual, but we already have a Pork Classified Ad for you. Sending out Pork Classified Ads has become a way for our members to get in touch before the ride. We’ve had people use these ads for arranging ride-shares to and from Iowa, buying and selling gear and garments, finding Porkers in their towns or cities for training rides, splitting hotel costs near the end-town, and so on. This one is from Dave:

“I need to leave the ride early so I’m looking for a ride/share a ride from Independence to Quad Cities Airport area on Thursday evening (7/26). Contact Dave at parend@gmail.com.”

If you have a Pork Classified Ad, send it to tammypav@aol.com . We’ll collect them and send a batch out every so often.

Pork Limits:
And finally, we’re fuller and fuller. If things keep going at the present rate, we might top off on our weeklong support within two or three weeks. Those of you who are coordinating groups have been in touch, and your friends are in our count. But please know that this year’s response is unprecedented, and we will definitely have to turn people away this year.

In some parts of the world, parents actually arrange, uh, conception so that their children will be born during the year of the pig. (Chinese officials are worried that medical facilities won’t be able to handle the number of children born this year.) Pigs, you see, are fat, happy, and prosperous. They love to relax, but can rise to a challenge. A pig won’t let you down. Would that everyone were born under this lucky sign, but we are fortunate that we can at least LIVE like pigs for one golden week of the year. And until then, we remain,

Your friends,
Tammy and Pete

p.s. Tent renters, we’re closing in on our tent choice, and thanks for your patience. We’ll get back to you soon.