RAGBRAI riders feeling the heat as triple-digit heat indexes engulf Iowa, Midwest

A longer, hillier and even hotter RAGBRAI ride than the scorcher the day before took its toll Thursday on more than a few cyclists as they continued their cross-state journey to the Mississippi River.

Steve Welsh, of Unionville, Missouri, sat on the lawn in front of the Casey’s General Store on First Avenue South in the pass-through town of Altoona. His bike was turned up on its handlebars behind him as he waited for a support-and-gear van ― or SAG wagon ― to take him the rest of the way to the overnight destination of Tama-Toledo.

“I’m not going to be able to make it this afternoon. The heat index is over 100,” he said.

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With temperatures expected in the upper 90s, the National Weather Service said to expect a "feels like" temperature of 106 degrees. That was after a heat index of 105 on Wednesday ― and with one of 110 expected Friday. It was part of a heat wave blanketing much of the nation.

Welsh said he had started feeling too hot Wednesday afternoon on his way into Des Moines.

It’s age, too, he added. At 80, he said, this is his eighth Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, but the first time he’s needed a SAG wagon.

“I think they’re going to be overwhelmed today,” Welsh said of the van service.

Thursday's ride was difficult even without the heat. It's the longest of the weeklong event at nearly 90 miles and has the most elevation gain.

Farther along the route in the meeting town of Newton, more than 30 people waited near the SAG wagon pick-up spot.

Lauren Fladland of Cedar Rapids said the hills and the heat made for a rough ride out of Des Moines. She planned to catch the van to Tama-Toledo instead of risking a ride through the even more rural stretch from Grinnell to Tama-Toledo.

"I'm going to SAG out before it gets worse," she said.

Burning through bananas

At Uncle Nancy's Coffeehouse and Eatery in the meeting town of Newton, riders streamed in looking for food and refuge from the sun.

Owner Gina Adams said she sold her first lunch special — a chicken salad croissant sandwich — at 6:30 Thursday morning. By 11:30, she was sold out.

She said riders were also "burning through" bananas ― popularly believed to be a good source of potassium, an important element in keeping body fluids in balance.

More: RAGBRAI daily preview, Day 6: Tama-Toledo to Coralville

"Heads up to the people on the other side of us: give ‘em bananas," she warned.

Krystal Chambers and Larry Flaherty, an Iowan father-daughter duo, waited in line for the bygone chicken salad — but they were willing to settle for anything after a harrowing ride on a 2-mile section of gravel roads in Colfax.

"It was terrible," Flaherty said. "Very rough, very dirty, very challenging."

Elisa Aiello of Dallas sat on the arm of a couch in the back of the cafe. She said Thursday's heat was "nothing" compared to Texas — but she was still taking it seriously.

"I've been drinking tons and tons of water. I stop when it's necessary and just find shade, relax," she said. "When there's a building, like in this little coffee shop, I just sit and enjoy the atmosphere and cool down a little bit, and then move on."

RAGBRAI ready to lend a hand, says ride director

RAGBRAI was responding to rider concerns, with five SAG wagons circulating, two semitractor-trailer "super SAGs" and up to four school buses.

“We are monitoring the ride and the flow closely. From my perspective in Colfax right now, everything is moving well. But as we’ve said, rider safety is our No. 1 concern, so with this heat, we are staying aware,” said RAGBRAI ride director Matt Phippen.

“Every rider that I have spoken to is in really good spirits," he added. "We’re past Wednesday, so people can see and feel the finish line now, which is carrying them through.”

Previously: Roasting RAGBRAI riders sweep through downtown Des Moines for anniversary ride

He echoed the recommendation many riders said they already were following.

“My advice for people is just tons and tons and tons of water," Phippen said. "More water than you think you need. And food. You have to have energy in your belly.

"And just please know your body, get out of the sun, take a rest in the shade and cool down before you start another long stretch," he said. "And don’t be afraid to flip that bike upside down and we’ll come pick you up.”

Riders get a head start on the heat

Another strategy that thousands of riders followed was to get on the road early, before the heat could build to its late afternoon crescendo. Some had already set out by 4 a.m., and Des Moines police opened the route an hour early at 5 a.m.

By 5:30 a.m., Walnut Street downtown was an eastbound sea of blinking bike lights.

Tom Martin and Mike Anich of Milwaukee were part of the crowd. In addition to getting an early start ― they'd covered 21 miles to the pass-through town of Mitchellville by 7:10 a.m. ― they tried to hit every sprinkler available and take frequent breaks in shady spots.

“We got out early, we’re hydrating, we didn’t go to Lynyrd Skynyrd last night,” Martin said of the free show at Lauridsen Amphitheater Wednesday in Des Moines' Water Works Park, the RAGBRAI campground.

Meeting towns are usually busy at midday. But Newton had little activity by noon ― a sign most riders had already pushed past the halfway point.

By mid-afternoon, the campground at Tama-Toledo was swarmed with riders ― a bit bedraggled but relieved to be past the week's biggest challenge.

Heat isn't just in Iowa

The heat is nothing new for RAGBRAI. Aarron Wings, Bob Thies and Craig Gehring were on RAGBRAI in 2012 when the first four days saw temperatures of more than 100 degrees. It's become the standard by which many veteran riders judge miserable RAGBRAIs.

Unlike Thursday, which had a degree of humidity, Iowa was in a severe drought that year and the heat was blast-furnace dry.

“That year was really, really bad,” Thies said.

For some riders, the heat had a familiar feel. The humidity that soaked riders Thursday morning reminded Susan and Brooks Booher of the clinging summer southern heat of their hometown, Bentonville, Arkansas.

“This is kind of what we’re used to,” Susan Booher said.

Iowa was far from alone in its sweltering heat Thursday. The National Weather Service showed every Midwestern state but North Dakota had heat warnings, including all of Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.

Temperatures were expected to soar as high as 103 degrees in Kansas. And it was expected to be even worse Friday before a Saturday cooldown into the high 80s.

In all, regions encompassing 129 million Americans were under heat advisories, and scientists calculate July will be the hottest month on record globally.

Back on the RAGBRAI route, property owner Jason Krough was taking advantage of his land's location at a key intersection on the remote route halfway between Grinnell and Tama-Toledo, operating a stand that did brisk business selling Kool-Aid, cookies and pickle juice. Ryan Lundgren of Elkhorn, Nebraska was taking a break nearby as a welcome pop-up shower helped cool him and the other riders.

He said it's his 27th year on RAGBRAI and that the 50th anniversary ride has been the toughest. But he added, "I still feel good."

"I look back at all the years that I've been doing it … it's been over half my life doing this. It's quite a milestone. I hope there's another 50 to go."

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Heat wave engulfs Iowa on RAGBRAI's longest, toughest day