Karras Loop - Wednesday

In 1972, 4 Des Moines Register Sportswriters started RAGBRAI. This was the idea of John Karras 44 years ago! 

For the last 30 years, there is a day with an extra 30-35 mile loop to take it to a "century day" (100+ miles) and  that loop is called the Karras Loop. Riders get a special patch. 

Joel and Kyle from the team rode the karras Loop is year! 

Here's the Lake Rathbun dam! 

 

At the Honey Creek Resort, the mid point of the Loop, you got the patches plus had a chance to relax and unwind!

 

Most riders chose to jump in the lake including Kyle

 

Day 2 Stories

Here are the random stories from Monday!

- Doug gets passed by a guy who says "hey, Lutheran men... Do you know Doug Haugen?!!"

And Doug said "hi! I'm Doug Haugen"

- Joel was asked what women's ministry that LMM does! 

- Jerry was asked for contact info and had lots of people ask "who is LMM and how do I make contact?!"

- several team members needed to go purchase chafing balm after they got off their bikes! 

- in Corning, Jesus was there with a menu on the 10 Commandments for the chicken noodle dinner at the methodist church

- Perre and Mark had a guy and his wife take a photo with them just because they liked the jersey!

- at breakfast, a man from Des Moines comes over to us and says "hey, Men On A Mission"... Thanks for the   $12,000!donation in May! That will fund our ministry for a year!  Turns out it wasn't Lutheran Men in Mission, but a Des Moines ministry called Men on a mission and Chicks For a Cause

- Drew was riding next to a man and his pedal literally fell off riding down a hill! 

Sunday Conversations

On Sunday, as we stopped in towns, and talked and pedaled, there were some great connections made!! 

Doug and Kyle talked with about 10 pastors, and pastors spouses. 

Lots of conversations about the methodist and Lutheran logos on the jerseys! 

Project Twelve got a lot of questions!

Joel Fischer and his daughter received a lot of positive comments as they pedaled as a father daughter pair!

Glad we were out there! 

DAY 1 - GLENWOOD TO SHENADOAH

 Thanks for following team LMM!
Today was technically 49.7 Miles but we rode closer to 55!
2614 feet of climb with total of 4400 feet elevation change!
Temps about 90F and we made it through!!

The "traditional tire dipping" spot in the Missouri River was 8 miles west of Glenwood so the team drove out to the river and did a virtual tire dip!

We were on the road by 530a!
Here we are leaving Trinity Lutheran in Glenwood!

 

Our first stop was in malvern for breakfast!

Dozen of choices but we like our "Farm Boys" breakfast burritos 

 

Here we are ahead of the pack

 

In Shenadoah the evening town we had live music that looked a lot like this photo from Saturday in Glenwood

 

We stopped at the Everly Brothers house

 

Our host for the evening was Pastor Jeff and Candace Alvestad from Emmanuel Lutheran in Shenadoah! 

About 5p we got rained on for 45 minutes. Glad we have AC at the alvestads. 

More pictures and stories to come tomorrow! 

2016 JERSEY SPONSORS

TEAM LMM is continuing to prepare for RAGBRAI this summer.
As part of our fundraising efforts, we wanted to have a TEAM LMM Jersey.

The following organizations stepped up to be jersey sponsors and we are VERY grateful for their support!

Meicher CPAs - Middleton, WI
http://www.meichercpas.com/ 

FSB Premier Wealth Management - Waterloo, IA
http://www.fsbfs.com/

Portico Benefits - Minneapolis MN
https://www.porticobenefits.org

General Commission on United Methodist Men
http://www.gcumm.org 

Project Twelve
http://www.ProjectTwelve.net

MEET TEAM LMM FOR 2016

TEAM LMM has 10 riders for 2016! The Iowans are outnumbered by Nebraskan's this year!

We have 8 week-long riders, and 2 day riders!

Photos will come soon!

RIDERS

Mark Juhl - Remsen, IA

Kyle Pedersen - Des Moines, IA

Doug Haugen - Lake In The Hills, IL

Candace Alvestad - Omaha NE

Jeffery Alvestad - Omaha, NE

Jerry Fischer - Omaha, NE

Joel Fischer - Omaha, NE

Amy Fischer - Omaha, NE

Drew Iversen - Des Moines, IA

Brian Underwood - Alta, IA

SUPPORT TEAM

Mark Vaughan - Waverly, IA

Marcia Fischer - Omaha, NE

Perre Pedersen - Grinnell, IA

DAY 7 - WASHINGTON TO MUSCATINE

49.7 MILES
1314 FEET OF CLIMB

DAY 6 - OTTUMWA TO WASHINGTON

68.5 MILES
2541 FEET OF CLIMB

DAY 5 - CENTERVILLE TO OTTUMWA

50.7 MILES
1999 FEET OF CLIMB

Our host was first Lutheran! Grateful for the air conditioning. 

The "lunch town" was only 20 miles in so Drew and Kyle pushed 35 miles to "Mr Pork Chop" which sells amazing 16oz chops

More classic Americana sitting at a roadside vendor! 

 

 

 

DAY 4 - LEON TO CENTERVILLE

65.1 MILES
2708 FEET OF CLIMB

 

Here's the team taking off at 545a on Wednesday! 

 

Gorgeous sunrises ! 

 

Breakfast town of Garden Grove! 

 

Here is Ole the Bull as we came into town for lunch

 

Lake Rathbun dam on the Karras Loop

 

A little American and POW/MIA pride along the route 

 

Dinner decisions were hard (not really)... Heading out to lasagna at the Christian church! Note the team laundry hanging out to dry! 

 

DAY 3 - CRESTON TO LEON

58.5 MILES
3318 FEET OF CLIMB
Technically more "climb per mile" than Monday! 

Leon IA, a town of 1900, was overwhelmed Tuesday night hosting 15,000 guests, and the cell sevice was poor. 

Here's the route Tuesday!

Here's the group taking off!

 

Stopping for lunch! Classic views of Iowa!

 

Lunch town of Mt Ayr!

 

Our host home was Loving Chapel Methodist church! 

They had a great pork loin dinner!

DAY 2 - SHENADOAH TO CRESTON

75.2 MILES
3994 FEET OF CLIMB

RAGBRAI 2016

RAGBRAI 2016 is almost here!



The XLIV RAGBRAI course will lead cyclists across the state’s scenic southern terrain, but it’s not as daunting as participants might expect.

“Any time we announce a southern route, people automatically assume it’s going to be extremely hilly and very difficult,” RAGBRAI director T.J. Juskiewicz said. “The interesting thing with this route is, the data says it’s not that difficult.”

This year’s ride/social gathering begins July 23 in Glenwood and ends July 30 in Muscatine.

The course covers 419.9 miles (third-shortest in the event’s 44-year history), with a total climb of 18,488 feet (making it the 24th flattest).

Route Announcement can be found here

According to the data, it's the 15th easiest course on record!






(photo courtesy of KTIV.com)