'A little extra God can't hurt': RAGBRAI kicks off with bike blessing
In the almost a decade that Sharon McCombs and Bill Hood have been riding tandem, they’ve survived being hit by a sleeping truck driver on a rural two-lane highway, a nasty fall from a bent frame and, just this RAGBRAI training season, at least 10 flat tires.
So as the Pella residents pulled up to St. Boniface on their bright red Raleigh, they couldn’t help but joke with Father David Esquiliano, the downtown parish’s rector — and, just for the day, bike traffic cop.
“We’re gonna need two blessings, Father,” Hood said with a laugh.
McCombs and Hood were among nearly 200 cyclists who gathered on Sioux City’s north side for a special blessing of bikes before a mass presided over by Bishop Walker Nickless.
The blessing marked the beginning of 4 Dioceses Cycling 4 Christ, a partnership between all four Iowa dioceses that is not only highlighting and promoting Catholic events along the ride, but also heeding Pope Francis’ call to meet people with church outside of the pews.
“Fifty years of RAGBRAI begins this weekend,” the bishop said to hoots from the gathered crowd. “We know that we are not superstitious or anything, but a blessing really doesn’t ever hurt.”
Blessing people as well as objects that carry meaning is a large part of the Catholic faith, Father Esquiliano said. He’s blessed babies and marriages, of course, but also pets, businesses, houses and portraits. Often when parishioners buy a new car their first stop is the church, he said, because they want to ensure their ride has a fresh coat of spiritual blessing as much as it does paint.
Esquiliano previously blessed bikes when RAGBRAI rolled through Storm Lake in 2015.
“Anything that is not contrary to the faith, we will bless it,” he said.
And they aren’t just making these prayers up on the spot, he said. There are books of holy blessings that include special prayers for specific items ― printing presses, for example, he said.
“As Catholics, we believe in blessings and calling God's grace in upon people and things,” he said. “We understand that while we have to do our part in the physical realm, it is also good to call on the protection of the spiritual realm.”
In the case of RAGBRAI, riders traveling 500 miles in forecasted sweltering heat will certainly be doing their part in the physical realm, he said. So adding in a spiritual blessing just makes good sense.
McCombs and Hood, both Catholic, knew they wanted to go to mass Saturday night before the ride started. And when McCombs read about the blessing beforehand, she thought, “We probably need that.”
The pair are celebrating their eighth tandem RAGBRAI this year, a tradition they started when, while training for their first cross-state trip, McCombs fell and broke her collarbone. Her doctor would only clear her to ride on a two-person bike, she said, so she and Hood decided to try it and have never looked back.
“I love that this blessing brings faith into the ride,” she said. “My faith is important to me and RAGBRAI is important to me, so it’s wonderful to be able to bring them together.”
As the bishop readied to sprinkle the gathered with holy water, a rider in toward back yelled “spray that one a little extra.” Another added: “Don’t be stingy over here.” (Hey, they might be a religious crowd, but they are still a RAGBRAI crowd.)
John Schwab, of Durand, Illinois, bent in prayer next to his bike as the bishop passed. It’s the University of Dubuque graduate’s seventh RAGBRAI, an annual summer physical challenge that offers him a chance for camaraderie with fellow cycling enthusiasts, he said.
“It’s always good to have God on your side,” he said with a smile. “And, in this case, a little extra God on your side can’t hurt.”
4 Dioceses Cycling 4 Christ events
Visit LumenMedia.org/ragbrai-2023 to see additional events.
SUNDAY
Kingsley ― The Knights of Columbus and St. Michael Catholic Church will host a Dad’s Belgian Waffles breakfast with all-you-can-eat waffles and sausage. Two blocks off the route.
Storm Lake ― 9 a.m. English Mass, 11 a.m. Spanish Mass. St. Mary's Church, 320 Seneca St.
The St. Mary School Athletic Boosters will open school locker rooms for showers. Noon-6 p.m. at 312 Seneca St. $10 with towel provided.
The St. Mary School Athletic Boosters also will offer pork loin sandwiches, green beans, chips and lemonade or water for $10. Soft-serve vanilla ice cream will be available for $5. 4-7 p.m. 300 E. Third Street
The Storm Lake Knights of Columbus Council will host a spaghetti and pie meal for $16. 1507 E. Lakeshore Drive, directly across from the RAGBRAI venue main stage at King's Pointe.
MONDAY
Storm Lake ― 7 a.m. Mass. St. Mary's Church, 320 Seneca St.
Carroll ― 2 p.m. confessions available at St. John Paul II Parish-St. Lawrence Church.3 p.m. Mass. 1607 N. West St.
The St. John Paul II Parish Men’s Club is hosting a RAGBRAI Pork Chop Supper serving boneless pork chops, baked potatoes, corn and homemade desserts for $10 per plate. 4 p.m. until the food runs out. 1607 N. West St.
Kuemper Catholic High School Booster Club will offer public showers with towel rental at 109 S. Clark St.
TUESDAY
Ames ― 5 p.m. Mass. Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and Student Center, 2210 Lincoln Way.
WEDNESDAY
Madrid ― 8 a.m. Mass at Ascension Parish St. Malachy Church, 207 Gerald St., followed by adoration until noon.
Des Moines ― 5 p.m. Mass with Diocese of Des Moines Bishop William Joensen at St. Ambrose Cathedral, 607 High Street.Tours of the Cathedral will be available at 4 and 5:45 p.m.Confessions will also be available from 4-5 p.m. Bike valet parking available.
THURSDAY
Tama ― 4:30 p.m. Mass at St. Patrick Parish, 900 Park St.
The church will serve freshly grilled pork loin fillets, baked potatoes, other sides and brownies at 5:30 p.m. in the gym, which is connected to the church.
FRIDAY
Coralville ― 6:15 p.m. Mass with Diocese of Davenport Bishop Thomas Zinkula at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 3000 12th Ave.
COURTNEY CROWDER, the Register's Iowa Columnist, traverses the state's 99 counties telling Iowans' stories. She co-directed, "Shift: The RAGBRAI Documentary," which will air on July 25 on Iowa PBS. You can reach her at (515) 284-8360 or ccrowder@dmreg.com. Follow her on Twitter @courtneycare.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: RAGBRAI 2023: Bike blessing kicks off Iowa diocese collaboration
