Support report day 5

Hey all! It's the TLMB guest blogging again. I hope this post from Cedar something, Iowa finds you doing well. It's either Cedar Falls or Cedar Rapids. I can't seem to keep track on day 5. We started in either Sioux City or Sioux Falls. I forget. 

We have ended our stay in the  luxurious Grand Avenue hotel of Story City, Chez Pateè, but we were still treated to a roof curtesy of future niece,  Amber Renaud (engaged to nephew Jacob) who lives in Cedar something. Jacob hosted our delicious dinner at his place prepared by his mom, The Magical Miss Patty who hauled it all from Story City. Patty was dubbed magical by Chris after our second breakfast buffet at her house: sausage biscuits and gravy, fluffy pancakes, bacon, melon, blueberries, and leftover strawberry rhubarb pie from the night before. Our dinners made by TMMP included delicious kabobs, smoked beef, homemade macaroni and cheese, Iowa sweet corn, and amazing produce from my brother-in-law John's garden. Did I mention there was pie? And the Rathmachers do not skimp on the a la mode. 

Patty set the standard for my Pie-owa reviews in a future blog. It's going to be tough for anyone from Sioux something, Iowa to Cedar something, Iowa  to beat my sister. I'm still going to sample. Patty, who is 16 months younger than me, taught me how to make pie crust when we were in high school. I specifically remember her tip for smoothing the ball of dough completely  before beginning to roll to achieve a tidy circle when rolled thin. 

Patty also taught me how to ride a bike--and by teaching, I mean that she learned how to ride a bike before me, and the sibling pressure became high enough for me to get my butt out to the driveway to learn. It would be fun to do random interviews with riders along RAGBRAI asking the question, "when and how did you learn how to ride a bike?" I'm guessing the stories from Team Saving the World One Beer at a Time would be different from The Donner Party and The Psycho Cyclists. The guys have stories at the end of each day about the odd bikes on the road, including at least one unicyclist. I happened upon his SAG vehicle in the Hyvee parking lot. It had a unicycle painted on their SUV's window. His pregnant wife was loading supplies and a toddler into the car. I wonder what his story is, that would compel him to ride a single wheel such a distance?

Today after I finish writing this in Amber's air conditioning I am headed to Hiawatha, Iowa. Back to the wilderness, and tents.  Farewell civilization. Goodbye refrigeration. Ok, enough whining. I am regarding the beauty of the prairie view of US 20 along the way. The endless rolling ribbon of pollen-popping corn is edged with Queen Anne's lace, goldenrod and purple thistle. Bright orange and red crop duster planes connect the silver grain bin dots that anchor each small town. The folks are delightful and patient with the spectacle pedaling with blaring boom boxes into their quiet.

Team Sharritt members are doing well, pedaling strong despite unexpected bridge outages, and one mechanical pit stop for Chris. The signs around Cedar something all say "it's all downhill from here!". I did see one at the beginning of a rise, however....

The favorite part of the day for me has become when I send them off, making sure they have their supply of Chapstick, Kind Bars, and extra sunscreen. Hugs, admonitions to ride safely, and then a blessing over them which has become more specific each day. For day five of seven it was something like:

"May God cradle your sorest parts with His divine chamois care"

Talk to you all again when I'm ready to write Pie-owa! Time to set my navigation to local pie.