Mike Conklin's Diaries - Part 1 - The Cubs
OK. You’ve joined the Chicago Urban Bicycling Society to do RAGBRAI and here is something you know. The C.U.B.S.have swagger. We’ve earned it.
We’re courteous, obey the rules, pick up our messes, respect our hosts (we give them gifts), raise money for charity, take in the sights, befriend the locals, and occasionally entertain others. We also have some excellent bikers.
Other riders are aware of us. Believe it or not, some RAGBRAI participants tell us this: They look forward to seeing what our new bike jerseys will look like each year. Jim Green, recently retired as RAGBRAI’s long-time executive director, once called us “the Cadillac of bike clubs,” the class act of the ride.
We are a cocky, fun group on the trail. We don’t do everything together and that is perfectly OK. Many ride at different paces and speeds, some like to leave early (see Anna Hanley), others late. Some like to be first into camp (the fools), others could give a crap. We don’t really care how slow you are as a biker. Linda Boatman is living proof.
We have our share of internal feuds. There are too many strong-willed personalities to avoid this, but, heck, half the fun is learning who’s POd at whom. We’ve also had our share of triumphs, riders overcoming personal tragedy or injury to do the ride.
And with as many as eight lawyers in our group every July, no major decisions get made without shouting and arguing, which is why Jerry wants to get as much decided beforehand as possible.
We can seem cliquish at times. There are many shared RAGRAI experiences among the veterans. It takes time to get acclimated and, frankly, there’s nothing wrong with going your own way. There’s plenty of precedent for that.
Some new C.U.B.S. do have trouble understanding they’re not the center of the universe, that decisions have to be made with the group—and not them—in mind. Only a few bikers in our ten years have been discouraged from returning the next summer.
In recent years, we have become the most publicized RAGBRAI bike club on TV and in Iowa newspapers. Our KYBO roulette is an event icon. When you pull into a town for lunch and see a bunch of us sprawled on the town-square, or where ever, join the group.
If you know we’re there and can’t see us, just listen for Dave Kredow.
A few CUBS like to party at night and that is fine. They take it outside the nightly camp and into town, where plenty of action can be found. Feel free to pay the price the next day, too. Hangovers are not considered a legitimate reason for sagging, and riders must be out of camp by the time the crew leaves.
One rule of thumb for deportment is this: Act as if your own children are in your presence and, as it turns out, some C.U.B.S. do the ride with their kids. The majority of us, in need of sleep, are in bed with darkness. Hey, we’ve got a reputation to uphold on the next day’s route.