With the first day of RAGBRAI in his rearview mirror, native Quad Citian, Gabe Lareau, shares some of his first observations, stories of veteran riders, and why “there are no hills in Iowa” might be a slight understatement. Ride with Gabe as he participates in RAGBRAI’s 50th ride and shares his adventure on Let’s Move Quad Cities.

by Gabe Lareau

My legs are screaming, I’m covered in sunscreen and bike grease, and our Moline contingent is setting up camp behind a Hardee’s…it must be the end of my first day and first year on RAGBRAI.

Meeting fellow Quad Citizens on the road.

On RAGBRAI, most bikes have a license plate of sorts that details their name and place of origin. As many Bobs from Oregon and Lindas from Tennessee sped past me, I spotted a few Bettendorfs and Molines — fellow Quad Citizens on their week-long commute home.

One such QC-er is Lanty McGuire, the former superintendent of the Moline School District. A native of the Quad Cities and former park ranger, McGuire has done so many RAGBRAI’s that he’s lost count—a seasoned veteran.

As a former Eagle Scout, park ranger, and collegiate football player, McGuire has led an active lifestyle from the outset, “There’s a lot of guys my age and I think, ‘Holy cow they’re old!’ The more you keep active as you get older, the better off you’ll be.”

80 miles on the first day. All up-hill.

Today was an 80-mile festival celebrating hills; 3,500 feet of hills were conquered by these legs.

Actually, reverse that.

After those hills conquered me, I never wanted to sit on a bike again. When the flat stretch hit before Kingsley, I was reminded that I still wanted to live.

The coping techniques I saw for climbing the hills varied. Many went full polka-dot-jersey and zoomed up. Others, like myself, went so slow that we kept pace with the walkers, and others descended into pure denial: “There are no hills in Iowa!” one cyclist shouted. 

Which “H” do you hate the most?

When I asked Lanty on which “H” he hates the most (hills, headwinds, or heat), he said, “Headwinds. It’s an invisible force. I see the hills coming, I can prepare for those. But when you’re biking along the Mississippi, the winds can come out of nowhere.”

McGuire’s active and healthy lifestyle is something to which we can all aspire—I hope that I’m able to ride RAGBRAI when I’m 67.

But, before I get there, I still have to ride RAGBRAI now.

Tomorrow will bring us to Carroll with, of course, more sweet corn, chain grease, and pie. Until then, happy riding.

by Gabe Lareau

My legs are screaming, I’m covered in sunscreen and bike grease, and our Moline contingent is setting up camp behind a Hardee’s…it must be the end of my first day and first year on RAGBRAI.

Meeting fellow Quad Citizens on the road.

On RAGBRAI, most bikes have a license plate of sorts that details their name and place of origin. As many Bobs from Oregon and Lindas from Tennessee sped past me, I spotted a few Bettendorfs and Molines — fellow Quad Citizens on their week-long commute home.

One such QC-er is Lanty McGuire, the former superintendent of the Moline School District. A native of the Quad Cities and former park ranger, McGuire has done so many RAGBRAI’s that he’s lost count—a seasoned veteran.

As a former Eagle Scout, park ranger, and collegiate football player, McGuire has led an active lifestyle from the outset, “There’s a lot of guys my age and I think, ‘Holy cow they’re old!’ The more you keep active as you get older, the better off you’ll be.”

80 miles on the first day. All up-hill.

Today was an 80-mile festival celebrating hills; 3,500 feet of hills were conquered by these legs.

Actually, reverse that.

After those hills conquered me, I never wanted to sit on a bike again. When the flat stretch hit before Kingsley, I was reminded that I still wanted to live.

The coping techniques I saw for climbing the hills varied. Many went full polka-dot-jersey and zoomed up. Others, like myself, went so slow that we kept pace with the walkers, and others descended into pure denial: “There are no hills in Iowa!” one cyclist shouted.

Which “H” do you hate the most?

When I asked Lanty on which “H” he hates the most (hills, headwinds, or heat), he said, “Headwinds. It’s an invisible force. I see the hills coming, I can prepare for those. But when you’re biking along the Mississippi, the winds can come out of nowhere.”

McGuire’s active and healthy lifestyle is something to which we can all aspire—I hope that I’m able to ride RAGBRAI when I’m 67.

But, before I get there, I still have to ride RAGBRAI now.

Tomorrow will bring us to Carroll with, of course, more sweet corn, chain grease, and pie. Until then, happy riding.

Check out these photos from Gabe’s day on RAGBRAI ’23 …