Is That a Cow or a Buffalo? High Trestle Trail Take 2

I went out to the High Trestle Trail again today for a “long ride”. My RAGBRAI training has consisted of about 3 short rides (between 6 and 12 miles) and one long ride, ranging anywhere from 15 to 30 miles each week. I’ve also been running and swimming to train for the Copper Creek Triathlon, so my RAGBRAI training hasn’t been as relaxed as 4 days a week might seem.

Last time I was at the High Trestle Trail it was for the Grand Opening, and I started from Woodward. This time, I took a shorter drive to the Ankeny trail head.

I got a late start and didn’t reach the trail until 11:30. By 11:30 it was 90 degrees in Ankeny, but I was stocked with two water bottles, a Luna bar, a granola bar and a banana.

The ride out was easy. I thought I had gauged the wind right and was fighting a slight side wind, but once I turned around I realized I was wrong. A 21 mph tailwind assisted ride out turned into 9 mph back fighting, tooth and nail, and I got passed by an old guy on a mountain bike just out for a stroll.

The “Oasis” between Ankeny and Sheldahl is about 7 miles out of Ankeny. If anyone has driven in and out of Chicago, you might know the toll-free stop called the Oasis. With that in mind, I was expecting a well staffed gas station complete with a Starbucks and a Panda Express… There was an outhouse and a water fountain…

Don’t get me wrong, the outhouse was pretty spacious and the water fountain was cold and it was actually three fountains… one for papa bear, one for mama bear and one for baby bear and the dog. It was also a welcome stop both out and back.

I spotted some wildlife that made me raise my eyebrow… a bright neon turquoise bird and some buffalo… Yes, buffalo. At first I tried to convince myself that the cow just hadn’t shed its winter coat… And then I realized I’m from Iowa, I know more about cows than the typical person. This was definitely a buffalo. (One time I was actually playing some sort of brain teaser game while living in Chicago and there was a question about a cow that no one knew but me. Iowa represent!)

Some of the folks in Ankeny had decorated their yards along the trail with stuffed animals riding old tricycles or advertisements for local bike shops. The same guy who had the buffalo had a yard full of interesting knickknacks like this old Pepsi machine. It was a worthy photo op.

I enjoyed the trail starting at Ankeny, but I think I prefer starting at the other end, in Woodward. The high bridge is at that end and you reach a new town about every 5 miles. The road from Ankeny is a lonely one, but definitely worth the trip.

What's your favorite RAGBRAI food?

On Sunday, RAGBRAI posed a question on their Facebook page that got me reminiscing. “Name your favorite food during RAGBRAI”. I opened the feed to see if some of my favorites were listed. Here’s what I found:

At least half of the 230 some odd answers were “Beer”… or “Liquid Bread” as one fan put it. That counts as carb-loading right?

Beer is an obvious choice. But I was looking for content. Pure, unadulterated gluttony. I was thinking about the best breakfast and must-stop lunch spots from my childhood, and wondering if anyone remembered a long-lost favorite.

So without further adieu, here are my top 5 RAGBRAI foods:

5. Blue Bunny ice cream bars: I remember stopping in the middle of a scorching July day to hug some poor intern who was dressed as the Blue Bunny and get a chocolate dipped ice cream bar. It was the highlight of my summer. Forget Cinderella and Disney World, this rabbit was a celebrity in my book. Plus he gave me ice cream…

4. Corn on the cob: This one’s obvious. We all do our part to fertilize the fields (hey, there aren’t always Kybos). So we deserve to indulge in some butter-drenched cobs of corn.

3. Turkey Tom’s Tenderloins: This was my lunch, every day. No need to even ask what I wanted. I would be content with this oversized patty of breaded meat on a tiny bun. (anyone ever notice that a kid’s tenderloin is the same size patty with a smaller bun?) This was a popular Facebook favorite too. I’m in good company.

2. Chris Cakes Pancakes: Another fan fav. Chris (that’s what I call everyone who work’s at Chris’s Cakes) is making cakes in a frenzy and tossing them to whoever can catch-um. You don’t have to stand in line for long if you’ve got good hands. They literally THROW the pancakes at you. If, however, you can’t catch… You not only let down your father, you have to stand in line till the front.

1. Orange sherbet served in the orange peel: This is my Holy Grail. I remember eating it on hot days during RAGBRAI, but no one else remembers them. It’s like that doll I had as a kid that I SWEAR had a yellow striped jumpsuit, but we found it a few years ago and it had a blue jumpsuit… My mom say’s I’m crazy and that it’s always been blue. But I know, in my tiny child eyes, that dress was YELLOW. Anyway, the sherbet… It’s just a scoop of orange sherbet in one half of an orange peel. Spoon-less deliciousness. I’m going to be on the hunt this year for this little gem.

Those are my favorites. And while searching my mind-archives for my favorites, I stumbled across my least favorite palate memory of early RAGBRAI days: Powerbars. Blech.

Follow RAGBRAI on Facebook at facebook.com/RAGBRAI

I had to laugh at this page when I stumbled upon it:

A little RAGBRAI humor: http://www.wadenelson.com/kybo.html