Cycling and Newspapers

So what is it about cycling and newspapers? After writing that last post, it occurred to me that one of the most popular cycling events in the U.S. -- the RAGBRAI -- is sponsored by the The Des Moines Register. Once my children are old enough to ride along, we are going to make that ride.

When I read a story about the RAGBRAI recently, it showed pictures of Iowans on their porches watching the cyclists pass. The whole notion of cycling as a spectator sport is a bit silly, really. Unless you are driving alongside the cyclists (or watching a television picture by someone who is doing just that), the most you can see is a few seconds, perhaps a few minutes on a mountain stage. Still, people line up in Normandy and Cedar Rapids to see just that. Strange.