Mmmm, RAGBRAI?

My uncle is trying to round up the family for a trip across Iowa next summer ... on a bicycle. In case anyone isn't familiar with RAGBRAI, it's a weeklong bike ride across the state, and it's a pretty big deal in Iowa.

I've never ridden in it – I've been around when the thousands of bikers rolled through and stayed overnight in my hometown of Marion. And I thought then that it looked like a lot of fun – for a lot of people, it's pretty much a big party. There's lots of beer, music, dancing, etc.

But, there's also a lot of biking – about 60-90 miles a day. Now, I like riding my bike, but the farthest I've ever gone is about 20 miles. And I hate riding in wind, and when you ride across Iowa, you're going to experience a lot of wind.

And then there's the thing about sleeping in a tent every night. And logistical questions, like where do I put my bike when I'm sleeping, because I'm always super-paranoid about it getting stolen (maybe that's a holdover from my Big House days).

But despite the problems, I'm leaning toward doing it. If nothing else, it gives me something to work toward when I go to the gym. Working out is always easier when you have some kind of goal in mind.

A tough week.

This past week has reminded me about how fragile human life can be. A friend of mine lost her 30-year-old boyfriend of more than two years very suddenly on Monday morning. Apparently, he just went to sleep and never woke up. They're still not sure what killed him, at least not that I've heard yet.

I got the e-mail late Monday night from another friend, explaining that girlfriend Katie had woken up because "Otter" wasn't shutting off the alarm. She quickly realized that he wasn't breathing and dialed 911 – but it was too late.

I didn't know Otter that well. He was my neighbor when I first moved to Worthington, but I only talked to him once. Then, when he started dating Katie, I hung out at with him in a group a few times at the VFW (gotta love the VF). He was always very nice, but I didn't know him all that well.

So I expected when I went to his funeral Thursday morning that I would be able to remain calm. I was wrong. It was a truly heart-wrenching experience. His family was absolutely devastated, and I've never heard anything quite like the heartbreaking sobs I heard coming from his mother.

It put a face on grief – and it reminded me how lucky we are to be alive. Throughout this week, I've said a prayer of thanks every morning when I wake up – and when I talk to someone I love, knowing that they're happy and healthy.

Because Katie's experience has taught me an important lesson: You don't realize how good life is until your entire world gets turned upside-down in the blink of an eye.

Darwin award nominee

This is a story from the South Dakota wire, courtesy of argusleader.com. So, apparently, this guy was testing a theory that he saw on "Forensic Files" about how a supposed suicide victim couldn't actually have shot herself in the stomach.

The results of his research? Yes, you can shoot yourself in the stomach – and it will indeed kill you.

The quote from the sheriff's department:
“He decided to show that the program was incorrect and didn’t realize the shotgun was loaded,” said Fall River County Sheriff Jeff Tarrell.

Unbelievable

I've been transfixed by the coverage of the Minneapolis bridge collapse for the past two days. Partly, I think, because I'm so familiar with the Twin Cities. I travel there probably about five times a year to visit family and/or go to the airport, and I'm at least vaguely familiar with most of the major highways – including 35W.

I was at work Wednesday when the 35W bridge collapsed, working on the front page. I was on my supper break when one of my co-workers came running up to me and exclaimed, "You're going to have to redo the front page." My response was, "Oh, great, did Barry Bonds hit a home run?" He shook his head and just pointed to the TV at the front of the newsroom that was tuned to CNN.

My first response was a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach because I knew that I-35W is one of the roads my sister takes to work – and that she would've been on her way home around the time of the collapse. In a state of near-panic, I made a dash for my cell phone and dialed Megan's number, praying that she would pick it up. Fortunately, she picked it up on the first ring – she already knew why I was calling. I had never been so happy to hear her voice, and I found myself getting choked up with emotion. And I felt a tinge of sadness for the people making the same frantic cell phone calls, but finding no answer.

I quickly got back to work, producing a decent (I think) page 1A. And I've been glued to CNN ever since.