RAGBRAI: Life philosophies viewed from the seat of a bicycle

By David Swartz, Business Development at Swartz and Associates

Most Iowans know RAGBRAI, but for those uninitiated the acronym represents the Des Moines Register’s Great Bike Ride Across Iowa – a 400 plus mile rolling party of 20,000 bicyclists stopping at delightful Iowa towns and sights for the entire week.

This was the 52^nd incredible year of the ride, and my earliest memories of the event began in the backroom of my father’s toy store where I assembled bicycles.  Our store was one of the few places in Des Moines one could purchase a high end 10-speed bike in the early seventies, and I was a fourteen-year-old transfixed by RAGBRAI stories of our real bike mechanic, Bobby, who rode in those early years.

I have since joined a few RAGBRAIs – taking the wimpy approach of choosing short and flat one-day routes near my home.  This year provided an ideal opportunity to satisfy my goals, and I easily convinced friends to join in the fun. While I can’t report on the pure joy one must feel when completing a week’s worth of riding and overnights, I can provide these simple observations which are core to my personality and life tenets:

• Find a way to stand out – My unique bike jersey opened many interesting conversations with total strangers.
• Be curious – there are so many other interesting people to learn about.
• Take the long view – looking ahead and seeing bicyclists as far as you can see helps give perspective that you aren’t alone.
• Preparation – 40-mile rides still demand training and proper equipment.
• Be open to new experiences and ideas – Something new and unexpected may be just around the turn.
• Celebrate your accomplishments – finishing our ride and sharing our memories was joyful.

RAGBRAI – thank you for another great experience!