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csb said:
http://bran-inc.org/wp/
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I appreciate the link. Nebraska is a bit far from me, here in Maine LOL 

I've found a couple already a little more local that I'm going to look into more after the test - mostly finding fundraising rides, low fundraising bar though so I could just pay it all myself lol 

 
I know a couple in New Hampshire that will be driving out for it! They moved from Old Town, ME, to the Littleton area, so let me know if you need a ride. :)  

 
how desolate is BRAN?  Are there enough riders to keep an 18 wheeler from making you a red dot on the shoulder?

The wife's 5 miles on a state highway with a 4 foot shoulder at Tour of the Moon this past weekend was enough for her to bow out of BRAN (since her friends have told her the bikes in Iowa pretty much take over the road.

 
Hey guys! A coworker/soccer teammate/friend convinced me to do a century ride with him and his brother 2 weekends ago, so I guess I'm required to post here.  :)

Did a relatively slow pace, and stopped at all the aid stations for oranges, banana, starfruit, pretzels, donuts, malasada, spam musubi, etc... so it took us ~9.5 hours. Was feeling very strong up until we did the optional "Hill Climb Challenge" at mile 80, which was a mildly soul crushing 565' gain over 1.23 miles, (avg 9% grade). We then decided to "sprint to the finish", aiming for 20 mph on flats... I was starting to fall off the pace towards the very end....

Since our bike computers were all <100 miles at this point, we decided to go around the park in circles until they said 100... Which for me meant going an extra 6 miles... Was on flats though, and pretty easy to do. Felt strong during this. All in all, mostly fun experience. Plus I got a super stylish bike short tan souvenir. 

 
Road Guy said:
how desolate is BRAN?  Are there enough riders to keep an 18 wheeler from making you a red dot on the shoulder?

The wife's 5 miles on a state highway with a 4 foot shoulder at Tour of the Moon this past weekend was enough for her to bow out of BRAN (since her friends have told her the bikes in Iowa pretty much take over the road.
Click to expand...
BRAN is pretty desolate. There's usually not a ton of riders around, but there's also not a ton of vehicles either. I had zero problems this year, but we were pretty far north. 

RAGBRAI is mostly all bikes on the road, but I've encountered plenty of cars as well. I've had more aggressive driver experiences on RAGBRAI than BRAN, but that's because drivers who forgot RAGBRAI was happening are super stuck and super pissed. However, don't tell your wife that. Way more crashes on RAGBRAI for sure with bike to bike and bike vs road. It's a lot of people who haven't ridden bikes trying to ride all together. 

So, I guess what I'm saying is, I've seen more carnage on RAGBRAI, but if cars are scarier, it's fine. 

 
This sounds mean but I really wish I could just do this solo - When we bike together its like I am taking a kid along, have to make sure someone other than myself is okay, can you hold my bike while I adjust my helmet, and being a female if the temperature changes 1 degree there is a stop and a wardrobe change happening... she was ahead of me at tour the moon on the uphill, but she doesn't like to go fast on the only fun part of the ride, that downhill exiting the park, I left her and enjoyed myself and could tell she was irked, I mean shit if I am going to ride 3000 feet of uphill I am going to take the quick way down!

But I think once you have seen someone "survive" a bike hit by an 18 wheeler I don't know if you cant unsee it - and by survive I mean a quadriplegic, including a brain injury that the doctors should have not given the family false hope and just let the guy go.. so that's her hesitation on BRAN - I think she even saw a pic you posted on FB along the shoulder of the road and a semi coming up behind you?

 
Road Guy said:
This sounds mean but I really wish I could just do this solo - When we bike together its like I am taking a kid along, have to make sure someone other than myself is okay, can you hold my bike while I adjust my helmet, and being a female if the temperature changes 1 degree there is a stop and a wardrobe change happening... she was ahead of me at tour the moon on the uphill, but she doesn't like to go fast on the only fun part of the ride, that downhill exiting the park, I left her and enjoyed myself and could tell she was irked, I mean shit if I am going to ride 3000 feet of uphill I am going to take the quick way down!

But I think once you have seen someone "survive" a bike hit by an 18 wheeler I don't know if you cant unsee it - and by survive I mean a quadriplegic, including a brain injury that the doctors should have not given the family false hope and just let the guy go.. so that's her hesitation on BRAN - I think she even saw a pic you posted on FB along the shoulder of the road and a semi coming up behind you?
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It was an ag sprayer! Stop showing her my facebook feed! 

I get it. The first bike trip my mom went on she called to let us know that a woman had been hit and killed by a semi. By all accounts, she pulled out in front of the truck. They aren't sure if she saw someone up ahead turn and she thought it was clear or what, but don't think I don't think about it when I'm out there. However, I work alongside highways and I know there's always that chance at work, too. 

I always go solo. It's my time to ride and think and eat and just be. Some couples do it and have fun and some couples do it and hate each other. I think the ones that come, ride separately, then see each other in camp have the best time. 

Also, if she was a chonky female, you wouldn't need her to put on a coat. She'd also go downhill faster. 

 
Ble_PE said:
I miss malasadas and spam musubi, but at least the Mrs. can make spam musubi here. Were they from Leonard's?
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Yesah. The most Leonard's boxes I've never seen in my life, at the race starting point. You could probably make malasadas as well! When I was in middle school I remember making them in "Home Ec" class. Would have to fry with oil (Or air fry?) though. 

Road Guy said:
This sounds mean but I really wish I could just do this solo - When we bike together its like I am taking a kid along...
Click to expand...
I relatively recently de-coupled w/ a girlfriend, and saw them on the century ride at a few of the aid stations. Agree, it was nice not having to think about someone else, and not having to consider matching someone else's (slower, sorry) pace.

That said, the people I rode with probably felt that angst having to match my/their Dad's pace. 

 
Soon I get to move my road bike and bike trainer so I can get that back up and going. We have Cranksgiving soon and thankfully, we can make it this year.

It's basically a bike scavenger hunt to support a local food bank. We're given a list of things to get and what store to get it from but we can go in any order we want. 

Did it last year after not biking outside for over a year, I was a shaking mess. I'll be huffing and puffing this year but I won't be as nervous with the cars. 

And I get to ride around with a turkey in my backpack

 
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