Todd, don't bite off more than you can chew. If you bring children and/or an elderly person to ride with you, make sure you have adequate support in case of overheating or fatigue. Once you get heat stroke or heat exhaustion, you're more likely to succumb to the heat if you survive the experience. If you stop sweating, that's a really bad sign. Stay hydrated. Don't ride in pace lines on the left. They're dangerous, and if one person goes down, everybody goes down. Remember that ambulances cruise along with RAGBRAI, back and forth, all day long. If you or someone else is in serious trouble, call 911. The sagwagon could take hours to come, even in a lightning storm.

My best advice is go with someone who has ridden before. Everything you have been told will make sense after the first day, but until then, use someone else as your voice of reason.

Todd, I have an extra bike for you, but you are on your own for your spandex.

Hands and wrists - wear gloves. Seat - wear padded shorts and use a chamois cream. Knees - check your seat height.

It's a long ride for most riders and definitely not a race. Take your time and listen to your body. Preparation and the proper gear will definitely make your first Ragbrai more enjoyable.

If certain 'aches and pains' persist, a professional bike fitting may be what you want to check into.

Stephen, everybody has to start somewhere. My seven, nearly eight-year-old son and I rode our first leg of RAGBRAI from Solon to Anamosa, a particularly hilly and beautiful stretch, and fell in love with RAGBRAI, Sutliff, a farm that allowed riders to rest in the shade of large trees, and picturesque Stone City. If you catch the RAGBRAI fever, you'll come back again and again. My goal is to one day ride every single mile of RAGBRAI, but I haven't done it yet.

Hahahahaa! I second that Stephen-

Stephen you can stop every 3 miles at a stand if you need too , to many people freak that this is a race and to many miles it's a great ride and well supported you have from 6am to 6pm to make it 12 hours to ride what 60 miles take your time and enjoy the ride
trust me
Clint

You can and should purchase a 1, 2, or 3 day wrist band. This is what pays for organizing this ride, the kybos, luggage service, the SAGs if you need them, the lost and found, and more. You may or may not need the services, but if you lose your wallet or your phone, you will be thankful those people are there to help you.

Mark - how do riders purchase wrist bands?

Use RAGBRAI.com to purchase a wrist band

buy a couple day passes it's the right thing to do

According to the website, registration for day passes closed on June 1st. Are there other avenues for acquiring these?

I enjoy others playing music. I either ride along if I like it or go faster or slower if I don't, plus I don't have to carry the weight. I remember riding by someone playing Harry Potter #4 audio book for about 15 miles one year. The ride flew by.

I agree with Brian. It's good psych-up music, especially up hills!

only if it's Metallica is it legal

Any bike will work but having a road or touring bike would be the best fit. You'll get the best efficiency and least rolling resistance with one of those two options

I agree with Brent, and to add, a well running bike will make life on the road a ton easier. If your gears are shifting correctly, brakes slowing you down (when you want them to) and wheels running true, your RAGBRAI experience will be a better one regardless of bike.

Thanks, Randi. And one more: Look for the Patch Mobile and we'll have equipment for you to share your pictures with friends, relatives and Patch readers!

I too rarely go to bed early on RAGBRAI. Getting up is always hard, although easier with 1,000 people clacking their tent polls around you. I do agree with you that getting the miles in before RAGBRAI makes for a much more enjoyable week. The years I don't train, I am done after I finish the ride. The years I do, I am ready to have fun when the ride is over, which could explain my initial point.

If you have specific equipment or personal needs.....example: If you have a high-end wheelset and break a spoke, it's going to be difficult to find one on route. Stop by your LBS (local bike shop) and get a couple spares to take along....and don't leave them in your duffel bag, tape them to your bike. A spoke rarely breaks in the campground. Also some people live and die by their electronics. There are some really cool solar chargers out there to keep things running.

Thanks, Jessica! Be sure to let us know if you're planning on a blog that's geared (no pun intended) to RAGBRAI. We're going to major feature a collection of RAGBRAI-related information.

go to the RAGBRAI forum they sell them all the time easier to get closer to RAGBRAI