Manning Has A-MAiZE-ing Plans for RAGBRAI… and Needs Your Help

Wed, Jul 20, 2011 | by TJ Juskiewicz

LeRoy Dammann came up with the idea and Bryan Mulhbauer carried out the vision. The vision: A giant corn maze that carves out the RAGBRAI logo, the state of Iowa and the RAGBRAI XXXIX route.

Mulhbauer, an engineer with Kuehl & Payer of Storm Lake, used a computer to design the maze and utilized GPS coordinates to map out the huge maze in three acres of corn fields behind the German Hausbarn on the east side of Manning. After months of planning and carving the RAGBRAI corn maze will be ready for riders to walk through the maze when RAGBRAI visits Manning on Monday, July 25.

Manning is asking for 700 rider volunteers to step out into the field and fill the maze with colorful cyclists at 2:00 p.m. for an aerial photo. The town has arranged for a plane and photographer to take an aerial picture with riders standing along the 1365 foot outline of the state of Iowa. Manning will also be giving away 1,500 postcards with the photo of the maze.

Manning first hosted RAGBRAI in 2006, so they are excited for the return visit from the riders. The town of 1,490 people has some great activities planned in their park, downtown and the Authentic 1660 German Hausbarn on the eastside of town.

The Manning City Park celebration will feature a variety of great food vendors including award winning pies. Live entertainment will include local bands and the Nuns on the Run. The Legion is located in the park and they will host a beer garden. For more details on the town celebration www.manningia.com

The German Hausbarn will be a must see for all. The Hausbarn was original constructed in 1660 in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It was dismantled, boxed and shipped to Iowa. In 1999, a German master carpenter worked with local volunteers to reconstruct the Hausbarn, or farmer’s house. There will be no charge to tour the Hausbarn or Heritage Park during RAGBRAI (usually $6.00), but they will gladly accept free will donations. For more information on the Hausbarn, visit www.germanhausbarn.com

To celebrate their German heritage, the Hausbarn will be serving homemade brats, German potato salad, beer-sauerkraut-fudge cupcakes and a variety of German beers. The Barry Boyce Polka Band will have people dancing and singing. The Hausbarn/Heritage Park facility also features a huge air-conditioned conference center with seating for several hundred riders trying to beat the heat and get out of the sun.

Here is a link to the news story of the RAGBRAI Corn Maze that was just done by KCAU, http://www.kcautv.com/story/15093335/a-maze-ing-artwork

Manning, RAGBRAI Corn Maze

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