Why RAGBRAI?

In a few days I'll be heading to Iowa to ride in the RAGBRAI, a seven day bicycle tour that goes from the western edge of the state to the eastern edge. Why, when the focus of my expedition has been rivers, am I headed to Iowa for a bike ride?

This trip will take me through the heart of several small towns, and the idea of community is also a focus of my expedition. RAGBRAI is known for "the sights, the sounds, the friends, the food, but most of all the hospitality of the warm and friendly people of Iowa."

Iowa is bordered by the Missouri River on its western edge and by the Mississippi River on its eastern edge. "Over the years, a tradition has developed for riders to dip their rear tire in the Missouri River or its tributaries as they begin their seven-day journey east. When they complete the ride, they will dip their front tire in the Mississippi River."

This year in particular, with all the flooding in Iowa, my journey will allow me to look at how rivers can destroy and at the same time build up communities. Even though the floods have caused a lot of damage to many areas of the state, the people of Iowa are still joining together to make this bike ride happen. (If you are interested in reading more about the floods, go to the Des Moines Register's website. If you want to make a donation to help out the people who were flooded, go to the state government's website.)

So, since my grant was taking me a few hours from Iowa to study Hannibal, Missouri and the Mississippi River, it just made sense to go a little bit further and include a bike ride across Iowa in my expedition.