Home from Ragbrai

Great leisurely morning.  Bruce fixed breakfast and we ate out on the deck.  We sat out there and just visited.  Such a pretty day!!  After we loaded the pick up and headed out I asked if we could stop at the Erickson place.  What a big beautiful house.  So many great memories!!  It made me sad to think of it being gone.  The drive home was uneventful.  Denny drove and Jean and I were on our phones.  Good to be home.  lots of unpacking.  The lisianthus have exploded.

#7 Ragbrai Waukon to Lansing

Up at 4:50.  Denny drove to Waukon.  Two got off and Jeff drove to meet his sister.  I drove to Lansing.  Great day for a ride!!  I spent the am just standing at Shep's, charging my phone and writing on my Chromebook.  Oh, yes, then I realized after I got back to Bruce's, I had left my Chromebook and white fleece somewhere in Lansing.  Uffta!!!  Jeff made it to the Missouri about 11.  Denny arrived about 12.  Jean got there about 1:30.  Lots of hills, long steep hills.  We ate at Milty's. (Maybe I left my stuff there by accident?)  Before going to Burr Oak we stopped at Wal-Mart to get some golf balls for Bruce.   After showers we headed to the pond.  It was so pretty and peaceful.  

DENNY DID IT !!!!  HE BIKED ACROSS IOWA!!!  WAY TO GO!!!!!   LOVE YA, DENNY!!!

# 6 Ragrai Cresco to Waukon

Up at 5 to take bikers to Cresco.  Then to IG.  I stopped at Lenora's, she was still in bed.  Denny called and we had coffee and ate breakfast together at the Magpie in downtown Decorah.  Denny took off and  I went to Wellington and visited outside with Lenora and Rachel until lunch time.  We ate at Barb's, Rachel's friend.  I headed to Waukon and found the 3.  Then up 76 to Highlandville, and stopped at the Winneshiek Winery.  It was beautiful out there.  Back to Bruces to take showers, eat pork roast out on the deck, and then to Craig's pond.  I had bought sweet corn and cut it off the cob to freeze.  Another great day.

#5 Ragbrai Charles City to Cresco

We got up and a person took at picture of us at Charles City.  I went back to Perrys and loaded all the stuff in the pickup.  Off to Burr Oak by way of Bluffton.  I unloaded stuff at Bruces.  Marilyn came and we took Bruce to Hesper to get a car that was reepaired and ready.  I gave Mugs a call on the way to Decorah and we visited and had lunch for about 3 hours.  The 3 called to say the Jean was getting new tires in Cresco.  We ordered food at Blluffton and ate by the river,   Home to Bruce's to shower.  I gave a quick tour of Burr Oak and we headed south.   We ordered pizza at Mabes and walked the Nordic Fest Streets.  We ate pizza at Dunning Springs and took some home to Bruce.  Fun day!!

#4 Ragbrai Clear Lake to Charles City

The riders were on the road by 6.  I went back down to pack my stuff,  The drink I was going to have as I leisurely had my devotions exploded, so I spent the next hour making sure all was cleaned.  UFFTA!!  Then to Mc D to work on computer and eat.  I headed to Perry's.  So good to see Ann.  Her hair si growing out.  Just last Thursday they got to ring the bell at Mayo-  Cancer Free.  All her family came to celebrate.  We cleaned the toy room in the basement to make room for the family that was staying down there.  Oh, yes, and I didn't follow a recipe to make cream cheese coffee cake.  Double uffta!!!About 3 we headed to CC.  The four of us ate ate their church.  Lasagne.  After showers,  We went in to hear the Nadas.  We sat on lawn chairs, so mainly I saw a lot of feet.  Good concert, we left before it was over.  Bed was calling us.  SO good to visit with Ann.  

#3 Ragbrai Algona to Clear Lake

Netti fixed breakfast.  I ate (after I went and picked up Jean's stuff).  She and Jeff will be traveling with us for the rest of the state.  Denny ate Mr. Pork chop during the ride.  I waited for him in Garner just watching people.  Saw Mark G.  and Betsy there.  I headed to bnb in Clear Lake.  Missy and Phillip and family are in California by ocean.  Karen and Rose got to Clear Lake after 3.  Nice visit with them.  Luke is gone for the weekend, first to Philadelphia for work, then to LV with some Burlington friends.  I had texted Becca to say we were in CL.  Her support person abandoned them so they come to our bnb and took the pickup back to get their stuff in Algona.  We slept on a queen size air bed.   Jeff had a flat tire again, so he and Denny went to get new tires.  They got pizza for us to have for supper.  Jean slept on the cot in a big closet.  Jeff slept on twin air mattress.  Another good day across Iowa. 

#2 RAGBRAI Spencer to Algona

On the road by 5:45, then they called and we reconnected with  Denny and Jeff to get Denny''s helmet and Jeff's camelback.   Me, I am drinking coffee, sitting at the intersection of main street Spencer and the road the bikers leave town by ... at least that is what I have been telling them ... and no one has come back to beat me up.  It is so fun to watch the people on bikes.  Lots of BIG trucks drive thru main street.  UFFTA!!   Fun to sit here and watch, but I am headed to thrift stores at 9 when they open.  :)

I visited the architectural shop in and then decided to visit Phil and Bette.  So sweet.  Great couple.  Their daughter Karen and her husband Tom are doing one day of Ragbrai.  I headed to Algona and drove to Netti's The guys visited in oos tent while they waited for me.  We went to Netti's and hung out in the back yard with other bikers.  We walked and got a half price pork loin meal because it was getting late.  Slept on air mattress in living room.  

Denny saw lots of kids riding and texted that next year maybe kids would want to ride.  He had one taker!!!

#1 RAGBRAI Orange City to Spencer

As Denny woke up at 4:15 he realized he left his wristband and bike license at home.  I said as a support I would be happy to drive back to IG to get them.  BUT first we went to Orange City.  It was just getting light when we unloaded our bikes and rode around OC.  When he left about 6, I headed to Sheldon. Great visit with Lisa and Ken.  Lisa and I talked/walked 3 miles.  I took gravel roads to Paulina and got the bike out about 1 mile from town and road into town.  VK's church was meeting at park with a lake.  I rode there and listened to Ben and Makayla and worship team.  About 11 I headed to Cherokee.  Denny had left his riding gloves there.  I got a quick squeeze of Jack and then headed home, got the ragbrai wristband and bike licence, took a 15 minute rest, and then drove to Spencer.  We are staying with Sue and Joe. Beautiful house.  To bed about 9.  Great Day!!  

Flowers X 3

You I was up a little after 5 and after devotions I decided to go to the Lakeview Farmer's Market.  It was fun!!  About 9 flower bunches sold in about 1 hour.  Great sweet corn.  I got home about 9:15.  Next I put together 3 tea pots for Dawn U. to store until next Friday.  I got buckets of flowers ready and Mary Kay came and we headed to Bert and Sonya's 125.  It was fun putting flowers in lots of different containers.  Denny was mowing when we got home.  I cleaned CSA and packed my stuff.  We went to Jan and John's.  Cute baby cousins.  Great place to stay.  Fun to hold Jack.  Full day. 

Friday July 21

I took flowers into FP at 7.  Rose has a new trick.  Gives her a different view of her surroundings.   I was slow moving, weeded gardens, then a great rain come and I cleaned CSA shed. It was a mess and I got thru most of it.  I did not get under the counters when I store vases cleaned.  

A bnb'er from Idaho did not show up.  Their work assignment got  switched as they were driving here.  She had ordered 5 Amazon packages delivered here and she was reimbursed, so she gave the things to us.  Wow, what a haul!   Karen won the contest to find the value of the items.  $153.15.  She picked my favorite cereal.  

New Adventure

Lord, Thank you for Food Pride's willingness to sell my garden flowers.  I made up 48 small flowers for the food pantry in the am.  Too scared to call and see if FP would go along with my adventure.   When I did call, the answer was "Yes".  Now I am so excited that I can't sleep.  I know, I have no life.  I did bake 2 batches for onion dill buns.  None sold at the FM.  I picked a mess of flowers and sent a text picture to Sonya.  Bible Study 1:30-3:30.  Then off to the FM.  Hot night, not many there.  Denny went biking when he got home from work.  It stormed and rained almost an inch.  I made up 15 bouquets for FP.  Lord, guide their sale.  Now I better get to bed.  Jack now weighs 9#1 oz.  

96 degrees???? HOT!!!

Kept busy all day, but did not accomplish much.  About 4:30 I went into town and stopped at Food pride.  Pat was not there, but I left a sample of flowers for Kris.  Next to the fair ground and took 3 vases of flowers to Grace for the queen celebration.  It is hot today.  96 degrees.  Uffta!!  Jensens are in Mojave desert and Sequoia.

Fun at park at noon

Denny had an early meeting.  Boys were up, but we waited bkfast until Haley got up.  Most of the morning they were in cowboy hideout working and I picked flowers for 4-H Queen contest.  We ate lunch with Denny at 12:30.  It was so cute to see them walk to the park.  Kane ran ahead and started swinging.  Kane by mistake thru his fork in the garbage, so Denny lowered him to get it with the help of the other 2 Grands and a lot of laughter.  After lunch I mowed before heading to Atlantic where I met Becky around 6:50 at Gails.  Denny had a transitional meeting at 7.  He clipped some wires on the display case I hope to use.  Lord, guide me.  It has been so fun to have the Grands here.  I got a kick out of them playing dominoes.  We played one night and then the next day Torren and Kane took the game out to the table under the tree.  They played in the sunroom while I was getting ready to head to Atlantic.  The bnbers are not here yet.  Lord, guide them and keep them safe where ever they are.   

Jack

II took a melatonin about 3.   Hard to get up at 6:30.  Now which is worse, not getting up at 6:30 OR not going back to sleep at 3 am.  Such a quandary!!   Grands worked out in the cowboy hide out until we left at 11.  Lunch and hold Jack at Cooks.  I took fruit, kohlrabi, adn BBQ pork. On the way home we stopped at the bank, then drove to a coffee for Luann at Kathi Johnsons.  Then home and the kids headed back outside.  When Denny got off work we went to the Sauk Rail Trail and rode for about an hour.  Torren really took off, Haley was on his tail.  It was so fun to see Kane's legs move so fast.  He really kept the pedals churning.  I think he slept well at night.  The others helped us make pesto.  We did 3 batches and made 12 - 5 1/5 ounce containers.  Grand to have Grands.  

44 miles for Denny

I was up early and folded clothes, made the bnb beds, had devotions, cleaned the kitchen, and went back to bed.  The boys got up because Keelie was barking ... at a deer by the pine trees south of the house.  I went out and put some flowers together for church.  Denny went and got the Jensen's bikes, but did not get the helmets.  Uffta!!  He came back and we had just enough time to get the kids and leave by 7:30 so Denny could be in Storm Lake.  140 people and Denny went on the 44 mile bike ride. Grands and I ate at Hardee's.  Best eating in town, up and down, and all around.  We left there and went to Hope E Free for church at 9.  James and Heidi are on sabbatical this summer, so they weren't there.    We went to ride bikes after church.   We took the trail that we had run along for the Bridge 5K race.  Back to the playground and picnic shelter by the lighthouse.  We went for pizza, pop,  and candy with the rest of the money that Denny gave us.  Then back on the bikes the other direction.  It was really pretty that direction, but there were hissing geese that we had to navigate around.  We had brought the swim suites along, but forgot the sunscreen.  Uffta!  Denny came back just as the kids were going to the beach.  Some how the beach sounded more refreshing than spending time with G'pa at Walmart.  They were in the water for about 10 minutes, then we sat in the shade under picnic shelter for about 10 minutes.  Then out in the water for 10 and back to the shade.  Matt called, as he was talking to Haley in the shelter, I lay down in the grass in the shade of a tree 10 feet away as the boys played at the playground 15 feet away.  I had texted Denny and he just texted back to say he was on his way.   Uffta!!  

We got home and took showers.   We ate brats at 6.  Denny had gone in to church at 6 only to find out his meeting was at 7, so he came home and ate too. We have had a couple of wonderful long fun days.  Thank you, Jesus.  Bedtime was welcome by all.  Missy and Phillip made it 24 hours to their destination.  A 2 week California trip.  Lord, be with them and continue to grant us all safety.