Ragbrai Color

Louis Plummer, 90, of Pocahontas pedals on a stationary bike and greets Ragbrai riders.
Riders take a corn-on-the-cob break in Kingsley, Iowa
Rusty and son Travis Schmidt do their Elvis thing for riders in Garner, Iowa

OUR FAMILY RIDES OUT FROM CLEAR LAKE, IOWA

The Studers, David,Mark and Mike cook sausages for Ragbrai riders in Wesley, Iowa.
Carl Yee of San Diego rode an Elliptigo bike across Iowa on the Ragbrai.
Katy Fletcher, Charles Earnest and Brendan Fecht prepare to leave Clear Lake, Iowa.

CLEAR LAKE, IOWA AND OUR FAMILY RAGBRAI RIDE

Forest mushroom in Clear Lake Iowa- photo by Jerry Fecht

Beautiful Clear Lake Iowa
On Tuesday July 27th, our riders on the RAGBRAI rode from Algona to Clear Lake, Iowa

these photographs are taken from a week's packet of Des Moines Register newspapers that arrived in California about two weeks after RAGBRAI.
Just before we were to leave for our trans-Iowa RAGBRAI bike adventure, Janne received a cancellation of our campground in Waterloo, Iowa. Floods, likely caused by world climate change, had caused rivers in eastern Iowa to overflow their banks.
Our r.v. was parked only a block away from where this flood ruined their homes of residents of Manchester, Iowa. The man who ran our bed and breakfast in Manchester said that the flood waters came up to the barn at the back of his property.
The dam on Lake Delhi, just south of Manchester broke just as we arrived in Sioux City, Iowa.
We visited this historic mill on the Wapsipinicon River in Independence Iowa, about a week after this photo was taken.

DAY THREE OF RAGBRAI

Detail of a "snow quilt" - First Congregational Church of Algona, Iowa

Bikes parked everywhere, and on the lawn of the First Congregational Church of Algona, where we stuffed ourselves on baked potatoes.


The midpoint meeting place on Day Three was in a very small village called Garner, Iowa. But, it was easy for all of us to find one another, since the grain elevator and the railroad tracks were the main feature of the place. Janne Fecht makes contact.

JANNE FECHT AUGUST 2010

Jerry tests out camera to see if flash is working on Janne, still busy at her computer at 10:30 at night. Clyde Fletcher Indian rug on the wall in the background.

LEAVING ALGONA - RAGBRAI - DAY THREE

Brendan Fecht, Charles Earnest, and Katy Fletcher leave the r.v. in Algona, Iowa for day three of the great trans-Iowa bicycle ride.

Off they go. Now, Janne and Jerry pack up and move the r.v. to Clear Lake, Iowa. When our three riders arrive there will be air conditioning and cold drinks. Hard to imagine, but just blocks away they will join over 15,000 riders.

THE HOSPITABLE LONGS HOME IN ALGONA, IOWA

Our hostess in Algona, Iowa, Ms. Rita Long with her faithful dachshund Hildy.
/>Our r.v. can be seen behind the Long's house peeking around the back yard.

SOME IMAGES FROM ALGONA, IOWA -RAGBRAI 2010

Among the nicest people we met on our RAGNRAI bicycle trip across Iowa, were the folks at the First Congregational Church. I went there, because the ladies of the First Methodist Church said that I should see their beautiful windows. As usual, the Methodists were right.
Pilgrims detail from a quilt in the parish hall of the First Congregational Church of Algona.
Was it the baked potatoes that were stuffed, or those of us who found that the Congregational people were putting on a feed for the RAGBRAI riders?
An early electric church lamp at the First Congregational Church of Algona.

IMAGES FROM ALGONA IOWA ON THE 2010 RAGBRAI RIDE

Brendan Patrick Fecht and his cousin Katy Fletcher leave for the second day of their RAGBRAI ride across Iowa. They are exciting Storm Lake.

Window from the First Methodist Church of Algona, Iowa
Window from the First Congregational Church of Algona, Iowa
Choir robes in the First Congregational Church of Algona, Iowa 2010

John Wesley's Rule

The quote from John Wesley that we talked about during the RAGBRAI ride was:

"Do all the good you can, By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,
At all the times you can, To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can."

John Wesley's Rule to Live By

Janne checks in with Katy and Brendan in Pocahontas, Iowa
Katy Fletcher camping out early in Pocahontas.

The tiny town of Pocahontas was the "meeting town" for riders and their support teams on the second day. Getting into the village for Janne and me was a nightmare, but we did have some great pizza in a local cafe when the main body of riders blew through.

PICTURES ACROSS IOWA ON RAGBRAI 2010

Katy Fletcher gravitates toward the Iowa Hawk Eye bus in Sioux City.


"May I take your picture? I'm from California." Hot dog man, "Sweet!"


Iowa is known for its corn, not for us guys,


Corn man rider in Pocahontas Iowa 2010

PICTURES OF OLD DES MOINES

Katherine Fletcher Shreves taught in this building at Drake University in Des Moines.


Janne Fecht pointed out during our return from RAGBRAI that her grandparents, Clyde and Jennie Fletcher lived in the Commodore Hotel at one point.



These are images sent to the blog from Katherine (Katy) Fletcher August 2010

MORE DEBUQUE PICTURES FROM THE RAGBRAI

Riders cross bridge on their way to the Mississippi River
Janne braves the Dubuque traffic jam
This just may be the back door to Iowa in Dubuque


Janne drives the r.v. into Dubuque.

DUBUQUE IOWA DURING THE RAGBRAI RIDE AUGUST 2010

It took us over two hours in bumper to bumper traffic to get to our meeting place with our RAGBRAI riders. Then, it was another hour until they found us (thank god for cellphones and our dachshund flag). Janne was heroic driving the r.v. in traffic that even made us from Los Angeles cringe. We were parked in warehouse section that would have been pretty scary if there hadn't been thousands of vans and bicyclists trying to find each other. Bored, I walked for a block along the docks and took these photographs of the only part of Dubuque, Iowa that I've yet to see.

GARY AND MARCIA FLETCHER REBUILD THEIR WEST DES MOINES HOME

The Fletcher Home will overlook a golf course in West Des Moines, Iowa
Brendan Fecht talks about the new house with his mom's cousin Gary Fletcher.
How's this for a view?
Marcia Fletcher is excited about the prospects of her new palates studio. Katy Fletcher, Gary's sister studies Marcia's plans.
Gary and Marcia Fletcher are very busy rebuilding the home they lost last winter from a fire. The new house is being built on the foundation footprint of the original home.