2016 Ride Plan

Jack says we’ve set a record for the earliest in the calendar year we’ve ever settled on a ride plan. Which is to say, we’ve got a ride plan for 2016!

We actually owe that to Phil, who set the wheels in motion by forwarding a Pork Belly Ventures blurb and expressing interest in RAGBRAI 2016, which departs out of Glenwood IA and ends in Muscatine IA. Jack took notice that Adventure Cycling Association’s Northern Tier route runs right through Muscatine, and he then formulated a plan to continue north after RAGBRAI, doing our own thing.

Jack and I are now committed to the idea, with a planned finish in Stillwater MN.  That should add about a week on the end of RAGBRAI.  Neither of us has researched it much yet, but there appear to be a lot of parks along the Mississippi River which I hope will provide good camping opportunities.

The other thing ongoing is an effort to recruit Phil, and/or Dave and/or Gary on the trip. Phil and Dave could easily do RAGBRAI with existing gear, but would likely have to do a little investing for the second week (touring bike or panniers, or tent, etc.) We’ll see how that goes and we hope they end up joining us!