Bicycles and Blooms

More than 20,000 wildly enthusiastic bicyclists rode from west to east across the state of Iowa last week on an event called RAGBRAI . Along the 472-mile route, riders have the opportunity to park their bikes every few miles in tiny Iowa communities to partake in sweet rolls, berry pies, omelets, sweet corn, pork loin sandwiches, and a host of other Iowa delicacies that will fuel them on to the next stop.

No, this isn’t a mad dash to the finish line; it’s a leisurely two-wheel glide across our state. The dominant landscape is corn and soybeans with a smattering a yellow coneflower, swamp milkweed, and Indian paintbrush populating the roadsides.

Tiny towns along the route get into the celebration by sprucing up their streetscapes and, with the help of the local cheerleading squad or marching band, cheering the riders on as they pass through town.

This year I was one of those folks cheering on riders as they passed through my hometown. Someday I would like to be pedaling! Indianola greeted the riders in blooming style with flower-filled baskets hanging on the front of old bicycles. Simple plant combos like geraniums, sweet alyssum, and a bit of vinca were all that was included. And they were perfect. The riders smiled and waved as they passed, occasionally whipping out their digital cameras to take a picture on the fly.