JustGoBike

The Dream Team has kicked off another year and director Jeff Van Genderen is on this episode along with youth member Addy who is returning to be part of the team again. The Dream Team is a nonprofit organization in the Des Moines area that partners youth with adult mentors to provide a unique opportunity to build relationships, learn life skills and achieve personal growth as they train to ride bi...

On March 24, 2024 Matt Bernhard passed away. Known as Mr. Pork Chop Jr., Matt was a RAGBRAI celebrity and alongside his signature pink bus, he made and sold grilled Iowa pork chops on the route each year. Riders would stand in long lines to get a chop that had been grilled on a bed of corncobs right there on the side of the road. His dad had launched the business back in the early 80’s after RAGBR...

Joe and Coz Lindsay are on to tell us about life as a RAGBRAI SAG Driver. Joe and Coz are part of a great crew of drivers in 15 passenger vans that are spread out along the route each year, picking up riders who are not able to ride on. The guys tell Murph what it is like to be a SAG driver, reasons riders use the SAG, and also they provide riders with some good tips so you might not need to use t...

We are rolling way back to the late 1800s on this episode to talk about Kittie Knox, a female African American cyclist who as a teenager took cycling to a new level for both women and women of color. AP digs deep into Kittie’s life and what it was like to be a cyclist in the 1890s. Sources for this episode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kittie_Knox https://blog.library.si.edu/blog/2020/05/26/break...

Coach Ertl is back to talk to us about training for RAGBRAI! NOW is the time to get those training miles in so that you can be in your best shape to tackle the miles, and hills, of Iowa in July. Coach Ertl says preparation is the key…training your body to sit on the saddle for long periods of time, testing out equipment and clothing, and of course dialing in your nutrition are just a few ways to g...

Will Walker completed his first RAGBRAI in 2023 in a different way than any other cyclist who rode their bicycle across Iowa. Will rode the whole route backwards! And by backwards, we mean he positioned himself so that his bike moved forward but his body was facing backwards. He sat on the handlebars and pedaled this way all 500+ miles!! Many years ago, biking backwards started as a kind of a joke...

Have you been lucky enough to meet Steve Lawyer and Bebe the Parrot on RAGBRAI? Bebe is a white winged parrot who for the last several years hangs out on Steve’s shoulder while Steve pedals them across Iowa each July, stopping frequently for selfies with riders and time to stretch Bebe's wings. Steve is on the podcast to talk about all things related to Bebe and biking, and what it is like to have...

Team RWB is a community of veterans, service members, military families, and supporters, united by teamwork, shared values, and a common goal. They help veterans lead healthier lives through fitness events, training, and programs. Along with many other fitness options, Team RWB has a RAGBRAI team. Todd Cowan and Paul Wade are good friends, bike commuters, and veterans who are part of Team RWB and...

Ride the Rockies Ride Director Sabra Nagel along with Event Ops Manager Laura Rice are on the podcast to give us a deep dive into Ride the Rockies 2024. This week long bicycling event takes place June 9-15 and goes through the communities of Steamboat Springs, Craig, Meeker, Rangely, and Fruita, covering over 400 miles and 23,000 feet of elevation gain. New this year is a couple of optional gravel...

The Iowa Bike Expo is a one day event in Des Moines every January. It is run by the Iowa Bicycle Coalition and takes place on the same day that RAGBRAI announces the route. 2024 is also the 20th anniversary for the Iowa Bicycle Coalition so they went all out with over 130 bike-focused vendors, fashion shows, speakers and so much more. Murph walked around and talked with various people about their...

This week AP and Murph sit down with ride director Matt Phippen to talk about RAGBRAI LI and the 2024 route, along with his process on how to get the route from paper to reality. Matt dives into mileage, elevation and a bit about each of the 8 overnight towns on the RAGBRAI route. The overnight towns for RAGBRAI LI are: Glenwood, Red Oak, Atlantic, Winterset, Knoxville, Ottumwa, Mt Pleasant and Bu...

January 27, 2024 is the kick-off to all things cycling in Iowa with the huge Iowa Bike Expo followed by the RAGBRAI Route Announcement Party, which is when we learn the overnight towns we will be riding to during RAGBRAI. Both events take place in Des Moines where Murph and AP sit down with ride director Matt Phippen to talk about route planning and the party. Then Murph catches up with Luke Hoffm...

The 2024 Ride the Rockies route has been announced and registration is open! AP and Murph have a couple of experts on to talk all things Ride the Rockies. Erica and Pete from Ventures Endurance give us some insight into what riders will experience on the ride this year. www.ridetherockies.com www.ragbrai.com www.murphologypodcast.com RAGBRAI LI Registration is open! https://ragbrai.com/ragbrai-li-...

On this episode, AP finds a series of articles to read to us, written about Iowa Legend Clarence Pickard. Pickard, from Indianola, rode the first RAGBRAI on a 10-speed women’s Schwinn bicycle. He quickly became RAGBRAI famous, biking across Iowa that first year at age 83 and also due to his bike riding attire: a pith helmet, long-sleeved shirt, long trousers and tennis shoes. In these articles we...

On the show today is Daniel Troia, The Travelin Dude. Daniel will be releasing his second film, We Are All in This Together on January 12, 2024. Daniel, who does a lot of long distance bike touring, is also a filmmaker. When Murph previously interviewed Daniel, he had just released his first film called Two Wheels to Freedom which documented his tour from Rome to Amsterdam. His latest film, "We Ar...

It is our last episode of the year! Murph & AP are on to do their recap of 2023. We had so many interesting podcast guests throughout the year, and meeting podcast fans out and about at various events was a big highlight! Murph and AP also reflect on some highs and lows, along with a few of their favorite episodes. www.ragbrai.com www.murphologypodcast.com RAGBRAI LI Registration is open! https://...

How old were you when you started biking on a regular basis? Andy Lang got into biking at the age of 63 and he hasn’t looked back. Andy is on the podcast today to talk with Murph about his journey as a cyclist, including a terrible bike crash that happened while on RAGBRAI a few years back. With the help of family, friends and some awesome medical professionals, Andy made a full recovery. He is ge...

On this episode Murph explores a few bicycle rides and tours that could be great training rides as you prepare for RAGBRAI LI! Included are BRR, BRAN, BRAG, Ride the Rockies, Tour of the Battenkill and GranGABLE. www.ragbrai.com www.murphologypodcast.com RAGBRAI LI Registration is open! https://ragbrai.com/ragbrai-li-registration/ Iowa Bike Expo: www.iowabikeexpo.com BRR Ride: https://www.perryia....

Denise Mueller is back on the podcast to tell us about her latest world record. For those that don't know who Denise is, she holds the world record for paced bicycle land speed. On a bicycle she rode 184 MPH!! Recently she broke another record....a team of 5 women including Denise broke the Women’s World Record in human-powered land speed. At their best and highest, they pedaled a 750 pound, 45’ l...

Dr. Kella Price is on the Just Go Bike Podcast this week to talk about ShelterBox. ShelterBox is an international disaster relief charity that provides emergency shelter and other aid items to families around the world who have lost their homes to disaster or conflict. Each Shelterbox contains tools, materials and shelter. Murph: Dr Kella Price rode her bike on RAGBRAI with an actual shelterbox be...

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Just Go Bike!! AP & Murph are on to talk about bike related things to be thankful for. www.ragbrai.com www.murphologypodcast.com RAGBRAI LI Registration is open! https://ragbrai.com/ragbrai-li-registration/

Did you know the oldest female BMX racer lives in Iowa? On this episode meet Miss Kittie, who discovered a love of BMX after watching her son race the tracks in Des Moines. At the time she was just turning 40! She is a legend in the sport and has some great stories to share with us, including riding RAGBRAI. At the time of this recording, Miss Kittie is 75 years old and has no plans to hang up the...

On this episode, AP digs deep into history and finds an article to read to us written back in 1974 by Clarence Pickard. Pickard, from Indianola, rode the first RAGBRAI on a 10-speed women’s Schwinn bicycle. He quickly became RAGBRAI famous for taking a wrong turn that first year and ending up riding his bike on Interstate 80, and for his bike riding attire: a pith helmet, long-sleeved shirt, long...

RAGBRAI LI Registration opens November 15, 2023!! Erica Determan from RAGBRAI is on this episode to give us some updates on the registration process and a few changes for the 51st ride. Some of the changes Erica shares with Murph and AP include vehicle passes, registering teams, merchandise, souvenir packs and registration costs for both riders and non-riders. She also gives us an update on money...

Matt Phippen, RAGBRAI ride director, is on this week to talk with Murph and AP about all things RAGBRAI! The 50th ride across Iowa is now history and Matt gives his point of view on successes as well as learning points. Before closing the chapter on the 50th, Matt and his team meet to recap with the towns, charters, bike shops, etc. to learn as much as they can for the future. He also provides us...