RAGBRAI Week in Iowa

Well, not much has happened here in Seattle the past week...it has finally begun to cool off (YAHOO!), and the 90s we experienced last weekend will be replaced by highs in the mid-60s this weekend. I have to admit, I'm looking forward to the cooling trend and the fact I may even have to wear a sweatshirt or a fleece item, which is the preferred sweatshirt-type staple of many a Northwesterner.

However, as quiet as things are on Sandholm Ranch this week, it sounds like things are hopping in Iowa this week with RAGBRAI! It looks like a fun year to do the race, what with the regular parties and beer drinking, along with the added notoriety of Lance Armstrong participating for a couple of days as he stumps for greater cancer awareness in advance of all of the presidential hopefuls making their way to Iowa for the 2008 election. I like to read the RAGBRAI news coverage every year, and it always makes me wish that Gabe and I would have got ourselves in gear to do the ride.

Gabe has participated in the past with his buddies as the support vehicle driver for "Team Hasselhoff," and it sounds like he had a great time doing that -- and everyone on the ride sounds like a great group of people to have fun with for a week. But, the main sticking point is that it would require an almost two week vacation in order to get to Iowa, do the race, hang out with family a bit, and then get back to Seattle...but, I still think it would be a fun thing to put on the to-do list! Maybe next year. We can put the Wee Sandholm in one of those little kid bike trailers so he can enjoy the ride, and I'm sure there may be a grandparent, cousin or aunt or uncle who may be willing to be part of the "support crew," which would include taking care of the little one in case riding in a little kid bike trailer proved to be too hot, too long or too boring of a thing to do all day. Maybe someone needs to buy a nice motorhome or camping trailer in advance of RAGBRAI next year for us all to sleep in -- air conditioning and showers required. Now, that would be nice. :)