Health & Fitness
'This is Nothing': 65-Year-Old Rugby Player Says of RAGBRAI
Rugby player turned Ragbrai-er Clancy Turner, of Ames, had a blast on his first ever ride across Iowa.
Some might look at the 400-mile bike ride across Iowa as their own personal mountain, but not Clancy Turner.
"I play rugby, so this is nothing," the 65-year-old Ames man said of Ragbrai. "I knew I could do it. I always wanted to do it. Plus, I play rugby, and this is what we do - travel to party."
Turner is one of the oldest members on a senior traveling rugby team called Old Barking Dogs out of Mason City. It's part of the Golden Oldies league that plays all around the country and world.
This year was Turner's first Ragbrai. He rode the full week with Team Jolly Rogers out of Des Moines. They are friends from his canoe group.
"I am from Iowa and for the last 25-30 years I've been building long highways," he said. "I traveled and couldn't take the eight to 10 days off to go and ride Ragbrai."
The experience has been a fun one, he said while standing in a row boat set on the edge of a farm pond on Thursday. He was taking it all in while his friends and other Ragbrai riders were getting a dip.
Turner said he appreciates the community and that everyone gets along.
"I can't pick one moment (as most memorable)," he said. "It's just a rolling, fun party."
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