How it started: I had an ex-boyfriend who was adamant RAGBRAI is where relationships "go to die." (Heat + fatigue + drinking = Total disaster.)

• So, despite us going every year, we also never went together over our three-year relationship.

So, when I was dating my then-boyfriend, Eric, I told him we couldn't move in together without completing a RAGBRAI together.

• I lent him a bike. He stuck to a training plan. 500 miles later, we finished RAGBRAI 2023 together.
• Since then, we've biked thousands more miles together (a fact our wedding officiant made sure to note).

Here are three takeaways I've learned from RAGBRAI:

💬 Communicate: No one's going to know if you're tired or you're on their left if you don't say anything.

🚲 When in doubt, slow down: There are no winners. If anything, the ride rewards those who stop for that extra slice of pie.

😊 Assume positive intent: It's easy to get annoyed in high heat while wearing spandex. But really trying to hear the other person goes a long way.

The bottom line: RAGBRAI isn't where relationships go to die (but don't expect us on a tandem soon).