7/27/96 (Saturday) FAYETTE to GUTTENBERG (52.3 miles)

It's the last day and we have to meet the bus by 1:30. They need to pull off our pedals and twist the handlebars to load the bikes and we need to shower (a requirement) and eat in time for the bus to leave at 2:30. Kath actually beat me up today without any alarm (she finally reset her watch so it wouldn't go off at 2:30 am for the 7th day in a row!). We broke camp by 5:50, found a $2.50 breakfast buffet at a local cafe and I actually got 2 cups of coffee for the first time all week. We were on the road by 6:20 and we booked. The hills were much steeper today and more numerous and we each liked to upshift on the downhills and pedal like mad to get as far as possible up the next one before we had to downshift. We ran into Jerry and he said we were doing so well that we should have to catch a bus every day.

The towns were pretty subdued today - no blaring music to make our eardrums bleed within the last mile of each town. And they didn't close off all the streets so there was much more traffic to contend with. We needed to avoid lines so we grabbed a lunch of bananas and chips at a local grocery store in Garnavillo and booked on. Nearing Guttenberg, the hills got very long and steep with truck warnings of 6% grades. The downhills were somewhat scary and I had to brake to keep it under 40 since the traffic (both cars and bikes) was heavy and the road surface wasn't perfect. We were passed by 3 ambulances with lights flashing and sirens blaring on the way. Finally we rolled into Guttenberg where the traditional dipping of the front tire into the Mississippi River was taking place. It was after noon and we needed showers so we bypassed the official dipping spot and its huge line and found a boat ramp that served us well. Then onto showers (even more crowded than yesterday but at least luke warm) and onto the bus home.

I got hold of Stewart just as the bus announcements began, including enticements to relate stories of RAGBRAI current or past, and several were forthcoming, including Kim's story of "Mr. Sunday" (yes, that is intended to contrast with "Mr. Monday"), Andrew's Naked Beer Slide and puke tent, Cheryl's host coming home at 3am with a "date" while Kelly tried to sleep on the floor in front of the TV, and Rick's accidental 150 mile day.

It started to drizzle as the bus headed south.