Dear Nyndugu 7 Final? (AJ)

The final leg of our seven day journey to Guttenburg got off to a late start as predicted.  The hills that kill were ahead of us, a night of bebachery was behind us.  The rock and a hard place we were in was compounded by the Blunder in Gunder.   Four men embarked on a mission to each eat a one pound Gunderburger, made with love at The Shanti in Gunder Iowa.  Two men completed this gastronomic trial by glutony, yet its unclear what long term health effects will haunt them.  Pimp, John E, Mike and myself all put a fork in what will probably the largest burger they will ever face.  Infact it was larger than even Big Pimps face.  I successfully ate the burger with the aid of a Grainbelt beer which tamped down the burger into a nice bolus in my ponch that to this day is somewhere between my... excuse me for offending you.  Pimp completed that challenge then decided to also eat Tokyo, but decided that St. Olaf was much closer.  John E and Mike were aided by King James and his tapeworm "Jimmie".  Is there nothing the King can't do?  Sadly, none of us had room for a famous giant t-loin in St Olaf. 

 

After an icecream stop at Beekmans, oh the vanilla/rasberry was so good, we forged on to the river.  My stomach aching and breath shallow. 

 

A group photo on a bluff overlooking the mighty Miss brought a tear to my eye.  I had realized that yet another RAGBRAI was at end.  I was reminded of a quote by some ancient philosipher, to the effect of "you can only step in a river once."  Like our lives, the river floods, subsides, and meanders, forever changed by these events. 

 

Until we ride again, Love, AJ