The Runnels High School band. They were great!

Kathy on the road!

Climbing one of many hills on today's route.  This shot was taken on our way to Runnels...  About 16 miles out.

View of downtown Monroe from a staircase...

My team from the staircase in Monroe! Only 14 more miles to go!

Downtown Runnels. 28 miles to go!

Stopped for a smoothie in Bussey... 15 miles to go!

Brent in Beacon!

Cute store set up in Pella town square...

Poffertjes are Dutch batter treats...

John and Robert found some fried sweet corn!

Cute store in Beacon... 1.5 miles to go!

Chilling in the town square...

Heading to downtown Osky!

Had a stroopwafel for breakfast dessert...

Fried bologna sandwich...

Pella is known for its bologna.  It made for a good breakfast...

Stopped for a smoothie in Bussey... 15 miles to go!

Cute store set up in Pella town square...

Poffertjes are Dutch batter treats...

Btent in Beacon!

Heading to downtown Osky!

Chilling in the town square...

John and Robert found some fried sweet corn!

Cute store in Beacon... 1.5 miles to go!

Had a stroopwafel for breakfast dessert...

Fried bologna sandwich...

Pella is known for its bologna.  It made for a good breakfast...

Misc pic 6 Goodbye Ragbrai 2013

We missed you at the very end tire dip Robert, but our another completed Ragbrai was again full of giggles inspired by you! You have been making me giggle my whole life and how special it is to share this biking adventure with my brother...Love you! Thank you John for being a huge part of our past 3 Ragbrai experiences. Your support throughout the week including getting to Iowa and back home again is awesome and the "safe biking" morning send offs and the "here's my crew" welcomes at the end of each day's ride meant so much! Little Bug, precious you, precious times! Ragbrai 2014 planning begins tomorrow!

Misc pic 5 Brent & Me

Brent and I have ridden 23 Ragbrais and one ocean to ocean cross country trip in 2000 together. Great memories and special friendship!

Little Bug in West Point

When we lived in Mt Pleasant, one of Kelly's fun excursions was our annual trip to WP's Sweet Corn Festival

Misc picture 4

Brent on West Point our last pass through town before the Mississippi River

Misc Picture 3

Robert and Kelly scoping out a pass through town

Misc picture 2

Early morning last day bikers

Misc picture 1

A typical Ragbrai seen when the pass through towns are set up to welcome the bikers

A bed! Oh yes-can't wait to climb in! It has been 1-week!

We are staying at our halfway point in Joplin, MO.  Tomorrow we are planning on leaving 5-5:30am.  6 hours to Robert's, 3 hours more to my mom's, and 1 more hour to my house.  John will stay the night and complete his round trip RAGBRAI journey with a 3.5 hours to Fannett, TX.

Lots of driving tomorrow, so off to bed now...

The clan (minus Michael) outside our meeting spot in Kingdom City, MO.

Photo credit to Robert.  Thanks Robert!

Still surprised!

Surprise John!

As a surprise to John, arrangements were made for John's brother, Jim, wife Karen, nephew Jimmy, his wife Robin, and their two kids, Abby and Michael, to meet us on our trek south.  As they all live in the St. Louis area,  they drove to meet us as we crossed I-70 on our trek south.  It was a great surprise. :)

My mom's house on Race Street from 1991-1997...

Our house on Lincoln Street from 1986-1991...

My dad's house on Baker Street from 1991-1995...

Mom at her REC Center...

... dreamt in 1991 was completed in 1992.

We took a trip to Mt. Pleasant...

... it is 22 miles east of Fairfield.  It is where I grew up from 3rd grade to high school graduation.

Mt. RAGBRAI in West Point...

Eating our breakfast at the gazebo...

Downtown Bonaparte

In Bonaparte, 32 miles out...

Brent and mom in West Point.

Our last stop together...  only 10 more miles to Ft. Madison!

Breakfast in Bonaparte!

A yummy slice of veggie pizza!

RAGBRAI complete!

Day 7 63 miles and 2,427 ft of climb from Fairfield to Fort Madison.  It was a very chilly morning in the low 50's, so we layered up and hit the road.  It was windy as well with the wind coming out of the north.  With the route being predominantly south and east, it was really nice to have the tailwind.

Pic shows us at the dip site (front tire in Mississippi) and just how beautiful it was today.  Robert's ride went well, but he doesn't dip. :)

Sad to leave the club, especially Brent.  Hope he will come to visit us in Texas soon.

Enjoying our last night with the Sidewinders...

Day Break Day 7

58 degrees out 63 miles of beautiful rolling hills of southern IA. We are headed SE to the Mississippi with a NW tailwind. An awesome biking day. Glad for the sense of accomplishment in the physical effort with very special family and friends, but always sad at Ragbrai's end until next Monday when we can start planning for it all over again!

Got back from dinner and I had a flat tire! Brent to the rescue!

Lunch at Yummy's in Fairfield!

And it was yummy!  Chicken and Noodles (which I have been craving all week) over mashed potatoes with side salad, roll and mini dessert!