Off to IOWA...

I'm off to Iowa this afternoon after putting in a half day at work.  I'm breaking up the long drive from Utah to Iowa into two days.  I figured to make it more manageable.  There was a time in the past when I was younger that I used to do the 19 hour drive in one day.  What can I say but I was young and crazy!  I'm SO excited to be heading back there to do RAGBRAI; a week long event of bicycling across the state of Iowa. 

Photo- of myself and a couple of my cycling buds
that I'll be missing this next week.

I'm hoping that I've prepared enough.  I've managed to get about 175 miles of cycling in the last week.  My main concern is how the humidity will effect me while cycling.  I hope that cycling with 100 plus temps here in Utah will have helped me to prepare but there's no telling until the real thing takes place.  Let's just hope I can do it.  This is the first time I've ever done a touring event like this and I've probably have over packed as is my normal thing to do.  Oh those Girl Scout tendencies come up every now and then.

I've left myself an out on the fourth day if I just find I can't do it.  The fourth day of the riding event goes through my hometown and I've told my mom that I may end up calling it quits at that point.  I'm planning on staying with her that night; enjoy a nice hot shower, do some laundry, etc..  If I can't see myself going any further that next morning; I may end up with a longer visit at Mom's place.

Photo- "Mom's Flowers"; a piece comissioned by my mom
that I've sent her photos to and I hope she likes the real thing to. 
Yes, I painted this!  You can read more about the piece by clicking here.

This morning, it looks like the forecast for Iowa will be in the low 90's for the week with varying directions of winds of about 10mph.  I didn't check to see what the predicted percent of humidity was.  I must admit that I'm in one of those "ignorance is bliss" modes.  I grew up in it and I'm hoping that some where in there that my body may surprise me and adapt to the situation.  So keep your fingers crossed!