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Professor dies as result of RAGBRAI accident

Donald D. Myers, 69, a professor of engineering management at Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, Mo., died Sunday as a result of injuries from a bicycling accident that occurred Saturday during the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, better known simply as RAGBRAI.

The accident occurred outside Geode State Park. Bob Libby, medical coordinator for RAGBRAI, told the Des Moines Register that an Iowa Department of Natural Resources officer reported the crash about 11 a.m. Saturday at the bottom of a hill near the park, roughly halfway through the day’s 43-mile ride that concluded in Burlington.

Cyclists said on Saturday that was the hilliest part of the day’s route. Libby said there were no other cyclists involved in the crash. Myers did not collide with any object, according to reports. Myers was transported to the University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City, where he died about 1:30 p.m. Sunday, according to a news release from the university.

A memorial scholarship fund has been established to honor Myers at Missouri S&T. Contributions to the Donald D. Myers Scholarship may be mailed to Missouri S&T at 209 Castleman Hall, 400 W. 10th St., Rolla, MO 65409-0460.

Labels: fatal accidents, RAGBRAI

Roger 2 comments links to this post 2:29 PM

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Change of plans

A few months ago, I announced that I was going to be on this year's RAGBRAI. Unfortunately, I was forced to change my plans, and I'm not up enjoying the bicycling, pie, pancakes, pork chops, etc. with thousands of fellow cyclists.

I had some unexpected bills that came up, and they needed to be paid. I had booked my trip through the Touring Cyclist bike shops in the St. Louis area, and fortunately for me, they had someone to take my place so I could get a full refund.

That doesn't mean I've been off my bike this week. The unseasonably cool weather we've had the past few days in the St. Louis area have been a bonus.

On Saturday, I did a 47-mile solo ride that started in Belleville and went though Mascoutah, the rural roads between Freeburg and New Athens, through Smithton and back to Belleville. I hadn't been on some of the roads south of Freeburg in years, and it was good to see them again.

I managed to get myself early Sunday morning to ride Trailnet's Bike St. Louis City Tour. I normally don't make it to Sunday morning group rides because I have to work Saturday nights at the Belleville News-Democrat. Getting up earlier than 9 or 10 a.m. on Sundays is not my cup of tea.

But I figured I'd give this one a try because I got to bed reasonably early Saturday night. Early in the ride, I played a Good Samaritan role. First, I helped two riders, Lisa and Marsha, fix a flat. A few moments later, a family in a SUV stopped me and asked for directions to the Arch.

Once I got rolling, the ride took us into North St. Louis to the velodrome at O'Fallon Park. I took a lap to say I've done a lap. North St. Louis isn't a destination for most cyclists because of its reputation for crime, but Trailnet did a good job of routing the ride through the safer parts of the area.

Frankly, I found the 28-mile medium route I did Sunday more strenuous than the 47-mile ride I did Saturday. Living on the Illinois side of the river means I do lots of miles on roads with relatively few stop signs, or at least long distances between them. The constant stops and starts wore me out ater a while. I can see why some cyclists favor laws that allow cyclists to yield at stop signs.

What I can't understand are cyclists who run stop lights at intersections where the signals are functioning properly. I have to admit that I've occassionally run a red light, but that's only at intersections where my bike won't trigger the signals and only after I'm sure the intersection is clear. But when the lights are functioning correctly, we should follow the rules of the road.

On Monday, I decided to check out the new sections of Madison County Transit's Quercus Grove Trail. I started in Collinsville on the Schoolhouse Trail, took the Goshen Trail into Edwardsville, then hopped on the Nickel Plate Trail for a short stretch to the Quercus Grove Trail and took it to Staunton, then rode back for a round trip of 60 miles. I'm going to write a separate post on that ride to fill you in things you need to know.

As for the rest of the week, I plan to ride tonight with the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society in O'Fallon, I may ride in the Brighton area Thursday unless I decide to spend lots of time with my family, do another Madison County trail ride Friday, ride the Gateway Council of Hostelling International's Tour de Flood Plain on Saturday in St. Charles, Mo., then do a ride around the Belleville area on Sunday.

I hope all of you on RAGBRAI are having a great ride! I wish I could be there with you, but at least I'm spending some quality time with my bike!

Labels: bicycle rides, RAGBRAI

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:11 AM

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Complete RAGBRAI 2009 route revealed

Want to see where I will be cycling this summer? The Des Moines Register has revealed the full route for RAGBRAI XXXVI. You can click on the link to see the full map.

Here's a summation of the route:

• Sunday, July 19 -- Starting city: Council Bluffs. Ending city: Red Oak. Other towns visited: Mineola, Henderson and Emerson. Climb: 3,684 feet. Distance: 52.6 miles.
• Monday, July 20 -- Starting city: Red Oak. Ending city: Greenfield. Other towns visited: Stanton, Villisca, Nodaway, Corning, Prescott, Williamson and Fontanelle. Climb: 5,096 feet. Distance: 72.6 miles.
• Tuesday, July 21 -- Starting city: Greenfield. Ending city: Indianola. Other towns visited: Orient, Macksburg, East Peru, Truro, St. Charles, St. Marys, Martensdale and Prole. Climb: 4,470 feet. Distance: 77.1 miles.
• Wednesday, July 22 -- Starting city: Indianola. Ending city: Chariton. Other towns visited: Ackworth, Sandyville, Milo, Lacona and Oakley. Climb: 2,182 feet. Distance: 44.4 miles.
• Thursday, July 23 -- Starting city: Chariton. Ending city: Ottumwa. Other towns visited: Millerton, Bethlehem, Confidence, Iconium, Honey Creek Resort State Park, Moravia, Rathbun Lake, Unionville and Blakesburg. Climb: 3,388 feet. Distance: 76.9 miles.
• Friday, July 24 -- Starting city: Ottumwa. Ending city: Mount Pleasant. Other towns visited: Hedrick, Martinsburg, Pekin, Packwood, Pleasant Plain, Brighton, Germanville and Lockridge. Climb: 2,841 feet. Distance: 75.5 miles.
• Saturday, July 25 -- Starting city: Mount Pleasant. Ending city: Burlington. Other towns visited: New London, Lowell and Geode State Park. Climb: 1,145 feet. Distance: 43.2 miles.

I am hoping my second visit to Mount Pleasant will be a bit more pleasant than my first. Back in the '70s, my dad took the family up to the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion to see the old steam-powered threshing machines. He even borrowed a camper from a buddy of his so we could stay overnight.

I have to admit I the old steam engines fascinated me, and I even enjoyed the concert that night by Country-Western music legend Hank Snow.

Alas, I spoiled the trip for my dad, through no fault of my own. The combination of steam and coal smoke during the day and rain that night aggravated my childhood asthma. As I tried to go to sleep in the camper, I started wheezing, forcing my dad to drive home in the middle of the night.

I've also been to Brighton, Iowa. In 1969, a group from Brighton, Iowa, visited my hometown of Brighton, Ill., to participate in the community's centennial celebration. In 1970, my family and several other folks from Brighton, Ill., returned the favor and rode in the centennial parade for Brighton, Iowa.

Labels: Iowa, RAGBRAI

Roger 0 comments links to this post 5:56 PM

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Guess who's finally going on RAGBRAI?

I've been on plenty of the Midwest's great weeklong bicycle rides -- West Shoreline Tour, TRIRI, GOBA, etc. -- but I haven't done the granddaddy of them all.

Until this year, that is.

I will be doing this year's version of the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, better known as RAGBRAI!

I signed up today through the St. Louis-based Touring Cyclist bicycle store chain, and it's a good thing I did. I called Touring Cyclist's main office and asked if there were still spots, and owner Donald Humphries had an ominous message for me:

"I don't mean to pressure you," he said, "but I only have two spots left and I've had six people call today."

Make that one spot. I immediately filed out the application form, which I've had for several weeks and put off filing out -- procrastination is one of my worst traits -- and went up to the Touring Cyclist shop in Fairview Heights, Ill., to make a down payment.

There's still time to sign up for RAGBRAI. The paper registration deadline is Sunday, and the online registration deadline isn't until April 1. However, fellow cyclists who have done RAGBRAI have told me going with a group is the way to go to avoid prolonged luggage searches and long shower lines.

Touring Cyclist had room for 57 people, and I'm No. 56. That definitely beats the heck out of being No. 58!

Dawn Weber, the manager of the Fairview Heights shop, always has been amazed that I've never done RAGBRAI, given the number of other weeklong rides I've done in 11 states and 2 Canadian provinces. Frankly, I have too. It's not been for a lack of trying, but I've never been able to get that week off work because of our vacation seniority system until this year.

I'm really looking forward to RAGBRAI. I just hope the vandals who plagued last year's ride by throwing tacks on the road stay home, or better yet, behind bars.

Labels: bicycle rides, Iowa, RAGBRAI

Roger 1 comments links to this post 6:48 PM