Published: July 20, 2009 09:17 am      

A Hooters helmet and fainting goats?

Welcome to the first leg of RAGBRAI 2009

RED OAK — If there were ever perfect conditions for RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa), Sunday’s were it.

With mild temperatures, a cloudless sky and no wind, Sunday’s 52-mile ride from Council Bluffs to Red Oak was quite easy.

My charter arrived in Council Bluffs shortly after noon on Saturday and I was starving. I saw a Hooters restaurant (really, it was the closest eating place to our campground) to get a bite to eat and something to drink.

Luck was with me right off the bat after I saw a special sticker on my beverage can, meaning I was the proud winner of a coveted gold bike helmet signed by the waitresses (I later saw there were other winners, so I wasn’t as special as I thought).

However, that helmet will simply be a souvenir as I’m committed to wearing my bike helmet that looks like a Nebraska Cornhusker football helmet. (And yes, I’ve already twice heard the stupid joke from riders, “You know what ‘N’ stands for? Knowledge.”)

Shortly after eating at Hooters, my sister, Jackie, and her family (husband Jerrod and kids Reigan and Isaac) came over from Omaha to spend some time with me and take a look at the amazing scene of hundreds of bikes, vehicles, tents, etc. To cap off the night, I visited Ribfest and had a great meal while listening to music.

Sunday’s route began with a 17-mile trip to Mineola, where the first rider I talked to was from — believe it not — Clinton. I’d never met Cliff Wilkerson before, but we had a great conversation during that early portion of the ride.

Shortly before reaching Mineola I stopped to see the advertised “fainting goats.” I’d heard of such a thing, and the boy tending to them said when they are frightened they faint as a defense mechanism. I tried to scare Peg Leg Pete (he was named that since he had one white leg and three brown ones), but all he did was freeze up a bit and lean to the left. Oh well, it was worth a try.

The hills increased after Mineola during the 16-mile trip to Henderson. It seemed to be rolling hill after rolling hill, but very bearable. During that part of the journey I witnessed a roadside stand declaring itself the “Obama Lemonade Stand” where “the rich pay more!” They even had a price breakdown depending on your yearly income. Too funny, and also eerily similar to the way things are in the USA.

From Henderson it was 10 miles to Emerson and then another nine to Red Oak, where I arrived about 2 p.m. and prepared to enjoy the many activities down by the fairgrounds. I’ll check in again Tuesday.