TAL: Camping on RAGBRAI

The worst part of camping was living out of the two totes.
Everything was always damp and smelly.

When I decided I was in for the full seven days (and nights) of RAGBRAI, I started to freak out (really freak out) about the camping aspect since I'd never slept in a tent.  Actually, I sat in a tent for approximately 30 minutes for the first time two or three summers ago.  While I could prepare for the cycling, I had no way to prepare for the camping.  Friends helped me with the needed materials (tent, pad, sleeping bag, tent light...).  At one point I needed to go to Midwest Mountaineering for a couple additional supplies, the guy helping me asked if it would be a good idea to spend a night in the tent before I left.  I told him I was freaked out and thought it best to wait until I had no way of backing out.  I'm proud to report that I handled the camping fairly well.  Fist to five = solid 3!

Our first night was an amazing location next to the river.
This is setup, but it was impossible to get all 40 some tents in the picture.

Act I:  Tent
I paid for a tent valet which means my tent was taken down and set up for me each day/night with the exception of the first and last day.  As we set up camp in Sioux City, I found a shady spot for my tent (It was a hot and humid day) and set it up.  Since J had already helped me with this process, it was possible.  The first night in my tent was not as bad as I had imagined.  All of the first night's tent problems had more to do with the screaming drunk lady (not from our team) at 3am and the fire truck raising the flag at 5am.  With the exception of a little water in my tent one morning after a rainy night, it wasn't horrible.  The last day everyone was to take down and put away our own tents, but since I spent the last night at a friend's house in Iowa City, I only had to put the tent up the first day.  Maybe I should have listened early on when D, part of our team's crew, wanted to show me what type of tent I should buy for next year.  Sleeping in a tent is not as traumatic as I imagined.

Act II:  Kybo
Last year when I rode the two days (with a place to stay at night), I told my dad that I wasn't going to drink all day, so I didn't need to use the Kybo.  He was mad; I mean really mad.  When I told him it was a joke, he wasn't humored.  The truth is that I probably only used the kybo once a day last year even though I was doing my best to keep myself hydrated.  This year I had to use the kybos during the day and night (24/7).  The wipes in my jersey pocket and hand sanitizer were my best friends on the ride.

Act III:  Portable Shower
Showering at the end of riding approximately 70 miles is required.  Some teams don't set up a portable shower.  I was lucky to ride with a team that had one.  The showering, however, was an interesting concept.  Picture three curtained off areas, 3 x 3 feet, connected together.  One person goes in one of the far sides.  This is the place to get undressed and ready to get in the shower.  The person in the middle is showering.  When he/she is finished showering, they move to the other far side, and the other person goes in the middle shower.  Each side is used as a staging area.  The person goes back to their original side.  Does this make sense?  There is also a sign up white board for the shower.  When one comes in late, he/she can expect at least ten names ahead of his/her name meaning it's time to grab a beer and sit down at the circle and converse with the other bikers.

Since I stayed with two friends (one on Wednesday and one on Friday), I was able to wash my hair two of the seven nights.  I'm certain there was not enough pressure in the shower to rinse out the shampoo from my hair. At least I only had one night when the water was miserably cold.