friday july 27 day 6

FRIDAY, JULY 27

CEDAR RAPIDS to ANAMOSA

42.2 miles • 1,907 feet of climb

Towns Miles Feet of Climb Population

Cedar Rapids 0.0 0 126,326

Czech Village / New Bohemia 3.0 17 Unincorp.

Mount Vernon (Meeting) 14.4 774 4,506

Springville 10.3 517 1,074

Viola 5.4 219 Unincorp.

Fairview 4.5 284 Unincorp.

Anamosa 4.6 96 5,533

I am up early this morning...back to my old routine?  in reverse?  Nonetheless, I have some quiet time as this week is almost over.

I spent much of the day with my friend Michele Golumbuski from The Michael J Fox Foundation. As it turns out, Iowa is also her territory so she decided long ago that she would make the trip to meet me here in Iowa. I met up with her after the ride and had lunch at a great pizza place...the definition of great: they were already closed but invited us in, made us a delicious ny style pizza and even served me a beer.  On top of that, they let us sit there for over an hour while we gabbed away. Relaxed in the coolness of her hotel and then headed back to our overnight host The Meth*Wick Center.  We met up with Dr Chris Coffey who is a bio- statistician for the PPMI study out of The U of Iowa in Iowa City. We all attended Jay's lecture which was given to folks from local PD support groups.  I was given the opportunity to speak to the group for a bit about the Fox Trial Finder, it's purpose and it's importance.  The evening finished up with Michele, Chris, Cindney & Pat Donahoo and I enjoying a great burger at a joint down the street. 


So, here I am, ready to don my cycling garb for the second to last time this week.  I will start packing up all my overnight things and then let the ritual begin: dress, sunscreen, chamois butter, zinc on the lips, sportlegs and NUUN for electrolyte and lactic acid stability, camera, money, check tires....and go.  I will finish this post later today if internet access is available.  Until then...toodles


The day started with a stop in Czech Village as we were all starving:

The weather was cool but shortly after this friendly town the hills started.  Ann and I motored skillfully as we have gotten into a nice 'tandem rhythm'. Mt Vernon greeted us next with all of the lively characters as well...

Ooops! sorry guys.  These aren't 'characters'...just my fellow pfp'ers.


The rest of the route was gentle and cool bringing the ride to an end with a delicious cup of Beekman's icecream.

By 11:30 am we were pulling up to the Silver Crest nursing home where once again we will be staying indoors in airconditioning. 


And then my cell phone rang. Pat Donohoo was calling to tell me that he and Cidney got in an accident..she fell off her bike and was on her way to the emergency room. The only humorous part to this story was that it was not an ambulance transporting her but the local funeral director. So, as I write this blog, Pat, Jay and Jay's wife Janelle and I are with CIdney in the ER...she has a broken arm (distal radial fx) and will be getting it stabilized and splinted soon. She will be ok but when she told the docs that she was hungry, they told her that there was pie and coffee for the ragbrai riders.  PIE?  Did that doctor say pie? Cidney laughed and told me that I have to get a piece before heading back. Cidney is in good spirits...she had a great ride today and even took a ride down a roadside slip-n-slide. She too enjoyed a Beekmans and a PB&J. She has decided to focus on the rest of her fun day where she told me she was "shaking with laughter". Hmmmmm....I think I have heard that somewhere before!

Cidney's support staff....shhhhhh!