The last day at Starved Rock, and the last post of the series: a planning day with tea and the Full Focus Planner, St. Louis Canyon with kids who’ve outgrown the trail, grandparents at the lodge, and the yearly ritual of wiping the slate clean before the drive home to Virginia.
Day fourteen of the RAGBRAI log: the anti-RAGBRAI day — sleeping in at Starved Rock, Sid Meier’s memoir, Marc’s first buffet, St. Louis Canyon, a round of “pass Marc” in the pool, an SXSW EDU submission, and a birthday drink with Sarah.
Day thirteen of the RAGBRAI log: the last 34 miles into Dubuque — a misty solo roll to the start, batting practice at the Field of Dreams, one final Beekman’s rescue by Jeremy’s ears, the Mississippi, and then Field of Dreams again that night with the kids at Starved Rock.
Day twelve of the RAGBRAI log: both girls ride their first RAGBRAI — Elizabeth to the meeting town, Maura to the finish — plus Iowa’s smallest cow, a regrettable Red Bull, a soft landing in a ditch, and a derailleur that didn’t survive the gravel.
Day eleven of the RAGBRAI log: 102 miles on a written game plan and a cranky knee — two Casey’s stops, a perfect pace line, Beekman’s at mile 55, the century patch, and a finish over the Wapsipinicon into Independence.