Is This Heaven? No, it's Iowa.

This is my RAGBRAI training blog. Follow me as I get to know the trails of Iowa, put in some saddle time on county roads and get to know other cycling aficionados. Check me out on Twitter at @alisa_who.

After graduating from Iowa State, I moved away to Chicago for almost two years. I lived a few exits away from what they called the Loop in downtown Chicago. The loop is the home of most of those skyscrapers in the beautiful Chicago skyline.

I always got a fuzzy feeling when I was driving into the city. I would look at the skyline and have to pinch myself. I remember a few times saying, out loud in my car, “I can’t believe I live here”.

I moved to New Orleans and had a similar feeling, looking at Jackson Square, taking part in Mardi Gras… I wondered, “What kind of person gets to live like this?”

Well, today I had that feeling. I woke up and put on the spandex, threw my wheels over my shoulder and walked them down the stairs. I got on my bike, just like every other ride, and headed down the hill. I rode down Locust past the Y, along the lake, past Principle Park. I turned a corner to cross the river, and BAM! There it was!

It wasn’t the Chicago skyline… It was the Des Moines skyline. And, while not quite as grandeur, this skyline slowed me down a little bit. I looked around and saw people fishing off the bridge, I rode down a quiet street, I said “good morning” to every single passerby, even when I got to Grey’s Lake and it was a little ridiculous saying hello to EVERYONE.

My ride turned into a homecoming. I was back home for this season in my life, and Iowa was welcoming me with open arms. Nowhere else in the world could I be training for this ride quite like I will here. And RAGBRAI is unique to Iowa. Not only is it only held here in Iowa, it showcases the best about Iowa.

This cycling niche I’ve fallen into defines Iowa and there’s nothing to complain about when I’m on a bike. Outsiders don’t always understand, but I live in Iowa, and I’m pretty lucky.

What is it about Iowa that makes your heart skip a beat? And can I give a little shout-out to Mother Nature for this little slice of heaven pie in the shape of an 84 degree day?