New to RAGBRAI and wondering what to pack? Here's a list from a veteran rider

The 51st edition of the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa could be a butt-kicker, throwing hill-after-hill at riders as we huff-and-puff from Glenwood to Burlington July 21-27.

But RAGBRAI can also kick your butt in other ways: From life-threatening heat to life-threatening cold to life-threatening thunderstorms to... well you get the idea.

About the only thing the RAGBRAI weather hasn't done is snow. So be prepared for almost anything, but also be prepared to have your best week of the year.

I've ridden RAGBRAI 18 times and since 2021 I've covered it for the Register. Here's my packing list:

• Tent.
• Padlock (for my tent).
• Sleeping bag.
• Air mattress.
• Two couch pillows.
• Sleeping blindfold.
• Ear plugs.
• Cell phone/charger.
• Cell-phone-sized dry bag .
• Solar-powered phone charger.
• Power bank.
• Standing tire pump.
• Granola bars for the morning.
• Energy gels (Cliff Energy Blocks for energy over hours, GU or Hammer energy gels for short-term bursts of caffeine).
• Sunglasses.
• Sunscreen.
• Two bike-mountable water bottles (one with water, one with Gatorade or Powerade).
• Powdered Gatorade or Powerade in sandwich bags. (This is my favorite RAGBRAI hack: Pack sandwich bags full of sports drink mix and fill water bottles in bottle filling stations to save money throughout the week.)
• Bike helmet.
• Four pairs bike socks.
• Spare tube.
• Tire tube tools.
• Chain lube.
• Buckshot speaker .
• Flip-flops.
• Sneakers.
• $400 cash in $20 bills (keep $200 secured in toiletry bag in luggage on the baggage truck in case of theft).
• Toiletries.
• Rain jacket.
• Mosquito spray.
• Stocking cap.
• Gloves.
• Tent fan.
• Dome light.
• Towel.
• Swimsuit.
• Long-sleeved shirt.
• Sweatpants.
• Two pairs of athletic shorts.
• Belt
• Two bike jerseys.
• Two pairs of bike shorts.
• RAGBRAI baseball hats.

• Bike sandals (Worth every penny).
• Diaper rash cream with lanolin. (Since college I've struggled with saddle sores on bike tours. During last year's RAGBRAI route inspection ride a pharmacist told me that baby diaper rash cream with Lanolin, a waxy substance from sheep which repairs skin, would heal my sores. This worked. Now I use this as my chamois cream.)
• Cycling caps. (Being a hipster in pass-through towns looks cool.)
• Hand sanitizer.
• Headlight.
• Taillight.
• Ibuprofen.

And of course, my bike!

My Dad and stepmom pack more things, like a tent toilet. Try to pack light, because less is more. Bike shorts and jerseys can be washed and reused. One or two pairs of athletic shorts and sweatpants will get you through nights. The more stuff you bring, the more stuff you can lose.

I asked the RAGBRAI Newbies and RAGBRAI LI Facebook groups for suggestions. Most people took the assignment as seriously as they take RAGBRAI. Here are some of my favorite responses.

• "I bring my own corn from out-of-state because the sweet corn in Iowa is just not that good."
• "FAN! FAN! FAN! It's hotter than hell!"
• Sunscreen Chapstick.
• Ziploc bags to keep things dry.
• "Patience and a good smile."
• Rubber gloves to fix chains.
• Super Glue.
• "As little as possible."
• Clothespins.
• "Not something to bring, but I change my phone’s home screen to a pic that says 'If found, please call,' and then list my husband and a teammate’s phone numbers. That way if I lose it, folks can contact me."
• "Boatloads of cash."
• Moonshine.
• "Humor."
• "A good attitude."
• "Headphones to drown out the snoring people around you."
• "An alarm clock with big bells on top so it wakes everyone else."

If you have questions about anything RAGBRAI-related feel free to call me or email me, and I'll help you as best I can. My contact information is below.

Philip Joens has ridden RAGBRAI 18 times and completed the river-to-river trek seven times. He covers retail, real estate and RAGBRAI for the Des Moines Register. He can be reached at 515-284-8184, at pjoens@registermedia.com or on Twitter @Philip_Joens

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: New to RAGBRAI and wondering what to pack? Here's a list from a veteran rider