Bike ride

Alrighty then. The dog smells better. Man, I would say eau d'rotten bird's egg rivals fresh skunk stink when it comes to really, really bad, bad smells.

Ragbrai is the Des Moines Register's Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa that has been held every summer since the mid-70s. It's the vacation where Americana hospitality reigns. Beer also reigns. So does pie. Tons and tons of pie. Also Porto-Pots.

The first year I rode Ragbrai was 1996 and I traveled with a club from Iowa City. At that particular time in our lives Mr. Bickerson was all about solitude and the serenity of the Boundary Waters. He had no desire (like I did) to wait in line with 10,000-13,000 people from all over the United States to use portable toilets, eat, shower in icy water, and ride a bike in the dead heat and humidity of Iowa in July. So I went without him but with some friends and had a HOOT of a time. I did it the next year as well and by 1999 he had found out about the surplus of beer and then he was all about going with me. By the way, 1999 was the hottest Ragbrai ever and to make it even better I had just discovered that I was pregnant with Spidey.

But we will be off together this year, riding across Iowa in 90 degree heat with thousands of people from all over the world. I am looking forward to riding this year without the morning sickness (I will never eat a sausage biscuit from Hardee's again -- EVER) and fatigue! I am also looking forward to peace, tranquility, peach pie, small town Iowa friendliness, Pastafari, and most of all, The Corn Woman for some new corn earrings and a massage or two.