Is Team Ammo Bearers a RAGBRAI Team?

As my son and I were leaving an Iowa City restaurant this morning after breakfast, I saw a man unlocking his bicycle outside. When he turned his back to me, I realized his black jacket had two guns and the name Team Ammo Bearers printed on the back.

"Whoa!" I thought. I might have asked him if I could photograph the back of his jacket, but I thought he might react poorly to my request for whatever reason, so I didn't.

I realize that motorists aren't always as considerate of bicyclists on Iowa City roadways as they could be, but are bicyclists turning to intimidating jackets to warn their potential attackers? Or is this an individual who used to drive a loaded pickup (you can define "loaded" any way you want to) and ran afoul of a local gendarme?

What I envied is that he could presumably put his leg over his bicycle and get on. I haven't been able to do that yet since my left hip replacement surgery March 5, 2014. My husband Jim and neighbor Jim Tate helped me try to get my right leg over my bike wheel and seat, which is higher, but my left leg is still too weak to support my body while my right leg is in the air. My left leg trembles and caves, which is not helpful.

On the positive side, though, I dried my left foot by myself after my morning shower today and put on my left sock by myself. I was stunned, not anticipating in advance that something so previously difficult would be possible so suddenly.

It's hard to watch my husband go on bicycle rides that I can't go on yet. It's just killing me, to tell you the truth. His left hip replacement was November 13, 2013. I've recovered faster than he did, but he's putting more miles on than I can. The one thing I can do is ride my exercycle and walk, so I'm doing that.

Our son is rebuilding his bicycle from scratch and our daughter's bicycle is brand new. Our son, Jesse, put it together for her when it came in a box.

Clearly, I've got to catch up!