Return to RAGBRAI

I'm now holed up in Harlan, Iowa waiting for my riders.

Arthur found Annie at the Day 1 lunch spot, Minden, Iowa (population 599 - that's right - five-hundred and ninety nine).

Minden City (as Wikipedia describes it) is spread across 256 acres - about the size of some of the farms at home. We found each other (in front of the post office, which has been there since 1875).

Minden is in the northern tier of Pottawattamie County. Minden's history shows it largely settled by German immigrants who had first gone elsewhere then came to live here.

Since February, Minden has been preparing for the RAGBRAI hordes to descend. They used their Facebook Page to keep the town in touch with planning.

The flyer on the right side of this entry shows you some of the goodies they had in store for us once we arrived.

Although Annie had time to explore the city while waiting for us to arrive, I don't know if she took advantage of one of the 16 ounce tall boys on sale for $4 at the Minden Community Club.

Minden is a beautiful area. Our distant typesetter, Will, found the photo on the left at a flickriver photo share site.

The photographer, going by the name dbrink515, is, apparently, also in the RAGBRAI ride this year, though we have not met him.

You might want to check out the photos he takes of this journey.

After lunch Arthur and Annie joined the throng of cyclists for the run over to Harlan and Sue was left to see if she still knew how to drive Big Red.

Harlan, Iowa ~ which is where I am as this is written ~ is a city in Shelby County, Iowa, and the Shelby County Seat. With a population of 5,106, it has slightly more than half the population of East Haddam, CT.

The city's website notes "...the population is well educated, its rural roots evidenced in a strong dedication to the traditional American ethic of helping others."

Volunteers maintain a library, two historical museums, parks, park shelters, and recreational equipment.

The city is able to support a four screen movie theater.

Once home of the great-granddaughter of Abraham Lincoln Mary Lincoln Beckwith, Harlan is the birthplace of two professional athletes (Zach Daeges once with the Boston Red Sox, and Billy Cundiff (who has played with the Washington Redskins).

NASCAR racer Tiny Lund was also born in Harlan.

But, as I said, now I wait for my fellow travelers so we can go out to eat and celebrate.

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IMAGE CREDIT: 1 Satellite map on Minden Iowa area - Mapquest; 2- Minden RAGBRAI food & beverage flyer - Minden Facebook page; 3- Minden Iowa area, by dbrink515; 4- Harlan Theatre - Iowa Backroads