First Time RAGBRAI Tips for Newbies! What to expect when riding across Iowa! 2022 Vanlife Adventures

[@OurMidlifeVan]

RAGBRAI Support Drivers, check out our video on our first experience as support drivers in 2022: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qoayh4R6grmfm5Y

[@cfeist]

I did my first ride last year (50). Your video did a great job capturing the RAGBRAI experience. I'm getting ready for RAGBRAI LI!

[@OurMidlifeVan]

Great 👍 Thanks for watching.

[@melissasueferrin3409]

Yes! I'm a native Iowan and this year 2023, RAGBRAI turns 50 so it's a great year to give it a try. You should explore further into Mexico too.

[@OurMidlifeVan]

so exciting RAGBRAI turns 50 this year. not sure we will make it back this year but if we do I’m sure it will be amazing.

[@pirish28]

Thanks for sharing these are great videos, planning on my first Ragbrai in '23.

[@OurMidlifeVan]

Aw the 50th RAGBRAI. That would be a great first one.

[@Minnesota_Matt]

Cool RAGBRAI video! Great van too!

[@OurMidlifeVan]

Thanks!!

[@raymondduck6492]

Looks like fun. Easy flat terrain and good weather.

[@OurMidlifeVan]

Yep. The best weather.

[@stoutdog56]

Thanks for making your two videos. Doing it the way you did is how I think I might do it. What was your rough expenses (snacks and meals) for the riding days?

[@Eph2Eight]

Thanks for the video! Very well done. What time did you usually start riding each day? Are you planning to ride RAGBRAI again?

[@OurMidlifeVan]

Thanks! Every morning we started about 7am everyday.

[@jareddaniel7531]

Really enjoyed the video! You guys are the first people I've seen post a video about having your own wheels on the trip. We are part-time van lifers who are headed out next July. I'd love to see some content on a day in the life of the support vehicle driver (I will be riding and my significant other will be moving our van from town to town.) I'm curious if it was at all fun for the driver, how hard it was to make it to all of the town stops, how easy it was to find a good spot to park each night. We'll probably be dragging gear along for a few others who will be tenting it so I was hoping we could park right next to where they set up their tents. Any idea if that is possible? I could go on and on but I'll leave it at that. Any thoughts would be great and I'd love to see a quick Q&A video or something too. Thanks and safe travels!

[@OurMidlifeVan]

Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for the great video idea. As a support driver it was pretty easy to get from town to town. Depending on how fast your riders are, one day we drivers got to the end town shortly after the riders. Camping near or next to tents is pretty doable. A few nights we were parked next to a tent camping section by coincidence. Let us know if you have any other questions. 😀

[@ragbrai_iowa]

Beekmans IS the best ice cream anywhere ;) hope you can ride with us again soon!!!!

[@OurMidlifeVan]

I hope so too!

[@brianyoungberg9904]

Not everyone can afford a camper van. I ride it solo every year and use the free truck bag transport. You do not have to use a charter or team. Tenting is fun. Showers are right there.

[@lightdark00]

$8 showers though, ouch!

[@OurMidlifeVan]

Ya we were thankful to have a shower in our camper van.

[@axlent123]

Someone brought up the idea, the concern, what would happen if you couldn’t finish the ride, you couldn’t complete the entire ride, and you would need a ride either back to the starting city or the ending city, does Ragbrai have some sort of support for that?

[@OurMidlifeVan]

Good question we haven’t read anything about support like that. We had our own support system and others where part of teams who supported them so we are not sure how that would work.

[@axlent123]

@@OurMidlifeVan I’m riding with a personal SAG.. not sure about riding forward with them as an option though… but if so, maybe I’d just need to take a zero day, to recover and get back on on the following day..

[@axlent123]

Nine the less, I’m training now with the expectation that I’ll do the whole route with no need to quit or hit pause..

[@cuddlemymicky]

Did you run into a gentleman named Clarence he is about 96 and rides usually with his grandson?

[@OurMidlifeVan]

Didn’t see him. It would have been great to meet him.

[@ghoover111]

My cyclist friend and I agree, we would want to stay in an RV, not a tent .

[@w.patterson4413]

Nah. If you're too comfortable then you'll not want to get up in the morning.

[@Eph2Eight]

Not true. When it's hot in your tent, there are tons of people around you making noises/snoring, and you didn't fall asleep until 3:30 AM., that's when you don''t want to get up in the morning.

[@w.patterson4413]

Clarification: It ALWAYS goes west to east.

[@OurMidlifeVan]

Correct West to East. Thanks.

[@w.patterson4413]

@@OurMidlifeVan You're welcome! We plan to ride this year with it being #23 for me and #19 for my wife. Always glad to hear of folks having a good time and realizing the one just goes with the flow.