4,152 online surveys were completed (an impressive 40% response rate), producing valuable information that will help make RAGBRAI a safer and more enjoyable ride. 

We thank you for your feedback that will help make RAGBRAI safer and more enjoyable for all!     

 RAGBRAI PARTICIPANTS’ HABITS 

• 78% of respondents ride every mile of RAGBRAI (70% in 2008)
• 77% of respondents preferred starting time is 6:00 am to 7:00 am
• 72% of respondents prefer to ride 11-20 miles between stops
• 86% of respondents prefer to stop in most or all towns
• 13% of respondents prefer to stop in every town
• 33% of respondents rode the Karras Loop (25% in 2008) 

RAGBRAI ROUTE 

• 56% of respondents rate the signage for the 2009 route excellent or above average (3% rated below average)
• 79% of respondents rate their overall RAGBRAI experience excellent or above average (2% rated below average)

RAGBRAI WEB SITE, REGISTRATION
& ONLINE STORE 

• 92% of respondents registered for RAGBRAI online
• 83% of online applicants rated RAGBRAI’s online application procedure excellent or above average
• 77% of respondents felt the registration fees are set just right
• 73% of respondents visited the RAGBRAI online store
• 71% of visitors rate RAGBRAI’s Web site excellent or above average

 AGE OF RIDERS

• Under 19       6.8%
• Ages 20-24    5.3%
• Ages 25-34    13.8%
• Ages 35-44    18.4%
• Ages 45-54    28.6%
• Ages 55-64    20.8%
• Ages 65+      6.3%
• Average age of this year’s RAGBRAI participants is 44.4 years.

GENDERS OF RIDERS

• Males            65%
• Females        35%

 OTHER 

• 75% of respondents used personal/rented vehicles to transport baggage
• For 35% of respondents, this was their first RAGBRAI
• 70% of respondents first heard about RAGBRAI from friends or family
• 59 riders come from 17 foreign countries
• Only 33% of riders are from Iowa

TYPES OF BIKES

• 80.8% of riders use a road bike
• 10.3% hybrids
• 2.4% tandems
• 2.7% mountain bikes
• 2.1% recumbents
• and less than 2% all others

RAGBRAI SAFETY CHALLENGES 

• Erratic or unpredictable riding
• Riding left of center
• Communication and signaling intent
• New rider education
• Pace lines
• Riding in a large group
• Cell Phone / Head Phone Use
• Helmet use
• Excessive use of alcohol
• Large bicycles (quads, tandems, etc.)
• Early and late starts or finishes

We thank you again for your feedback that will help make RAGBRAI safer and more enjoyable for all, and we hope to see you July 25-31, 2009 for RAGBRAI XXXVIII!

 The Des Moines Register conducted these surveys from August 5-20, 2009.

In addition to welcomes from Ankeny Mayor Steve Van Oort (past co-chair of the Ankeny RAGBRAI committee back in 2000) and Ankeny business leaders, riders also heard updates from the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and the Iowa Bicycle Coalition.

Questions and discussion ranged from “riding left of center”, “drafting ambulances” and “making the meeting towns more accessible”.  We appreciate the feedback and suggestions that we heard at the meetings as well as on the bike as cyclists rode the High Trestle Trail (formerly the Ankeny to Woodward Trail).

A special thanks to the Uptown Association and the City of Ankeny for their support. 

RAGBRAI REUNION – ANKENY, IOWA
Saturday – September 19, 2009

ALL EVENTS ARE FREE TO ATTEND!!!

Proceeds from event will benefit the non-profit Uptown Ankeny Association’s beautification projects including bike racks, benches & plantings. 

8:00 AM – Noon          
Ankeny Farmer’s Market
Uptown Ankeny ~ Maple Street & 3^rd Street

11:00 AM                 
Snack Lunch
Ankeny ‘Shell at Wagner Park
Free Burgers and Hotdogs with freewill donations accepted for the RAGBRAI Dream Team

Noon      
RAGBRAI’s RIDE RIGHT Meeting
Ankeny ‘Shell at Wagner Park
Town hall-style meeting on RAGBRAI and cycling in Iowa.  Relive and share your RAGBRAI experiences

1:00 PM                  
Fun Ride on the Trail
Ankeny to Woodward/High Trestle Trail                                                                             
Bike ride on the trail at your own pace and distance of choice.  Ride starts and ends at Ankeny Shell at Wagner Park  (Ankeny ~ Sheldahl ~ Slater ~ Madrid)   

2:00 PM                  
CrossTrain Fitness Town to Trail Trek ~ 5K Run/Walk
Uptown Ankeny – Walnut Street Gallery (Walnut & 3^rd)
A timed 5K run/walk starting in uptown Ankeny at 2^nd and Cherry Street.  Free event, but fee if you want an event T-shirt. For more info, visit www.crosstrainfitness.com

3:00 PM - 10:00PM     
Uptown Street Party
Uptown Ankeny – Maple Street from 3^rd to 4^th

Beverage Garden ~ Live Entertainment Schedule:
          3:00 PM – Matt TeRonde (Folk)
          5:00 PM – GG Bard (Folk/Rock & Roll)                      
          7:00 PM – Oscar’s Mobile Tunes (DJ Fun)                     

Maple Street will be closed off for a Street Party!  Great food and drinks from Uptown Ankeny businesses (Bear’s, Yankee Clipper, Leaning Tower of Pizza,  Lil Taste of Ethiopia, Nadine & Dad Bar-B-Que, Dahls and more!)               

Special thanks to the Ankeny Uptown Association with support from Tones, Ankeny Jaycees, the Yankee Clipper and the Leaning Tower of Pizza!    

Click below for Directions, Parking and Event Map:
ragbrai-reunion-map  

One of the big attractions in Council Bluffs is the new Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge that spans the Missouri River to Omaha, Nebraska.  In keeping with RAGBRAI tradition, the committee wanted riders to have the opportunity to ride the bridge and also safely dip their tires in the Missouri River waters.  “We wanted to provide a unique and safe experience for riders to ride the new Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge,” said Larry Foster, Parks and Recreation Director for Council Bluffs and RAGBRAI Executive Committee member.  Foster came up with the idea of bringing the water to the bridge instead of having the riders attempt to dip their tires in the waters of the Missouri River.  Most of the nearby river banking was extremely steep and dangerous, so a plan was devised by Foster to pump river water up to the bridge. 

“It came down to just days before RAGBRAI of figuring out the right pump that would work for this project,” claims Foster.  The bridge engineering firm, HNTB, was charged with the role of devising a way to pump the river water to the bridge.  “I think it turned out just great!” added Foster.

Police Chief Ralph O’Donnell was a bit concerned when RAGBRAI was first announced to start in Council Bluffs.  The chief called on Capt. Scott Milner, Lt. Dan Flores, Sgt. Chad Meyers and Officer Darren Budd to dive into the planning process for RAGBRAI.   Sgt. Meyers and Officer Budd put together an action plan that addressed all the safety concerns.  Lt. Dan Flores added invaluable insight as an experienced cyclist who had ridden many RAGBRAIs.  They also lined up help from several law enforcement agencies such as the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Department of Transportation, Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office and Pottawattamie County 911 Center.

Lynn Rollins headed up the Council Bluffs RIDE RIGHT Committee, but he credits the local bicycle clubs and cyclists for the success.  “We did several training rides on the actual route from Council Bluffs to Red Oak to have cyclists ride the roads and report on them,” said Rollins.  The Bellevue Bike Club, Omaha Pedalers and area cyclists heard about the training rides on Facebook.  In early June, the statewide RIDE RIGHT committee held its official inspection ride that was joined by over 30 area cyclists.  “I give the Law Enforcement Committee a lot of credit for really taking the time on picking the safest route out of town,” adds Rollins.  He claims much debate was had on selecting the safest possible route.

“We are very proud of the efforts of our RIDE RIGHT Committee.  They worked very hard to ensure safety as their first priority,” said Council Bluffs Executive Committee member Tricia LeSieur. ”Our Law Enforcement Committee worked for months as well to cover every detail – again, to ensure safety first!”

The RIDE RIGHT video showing is a staple of starting town.  Charlie Schilling, Director of the Mid-America Center, wanted to make sure the riders would be comfortable during the educational session.  Schilling offered the use of the arena and the jumbo screen to show the RIDE RIGHT video on as well as the driver’s safety meeting.  So many riders remarked about the wonderful way to host the safety sessions in the arena.

Congratulations to Council Bluffs on making RAGBRAI as safe as it can be!

“We are just happy to be a part of RAGBRAI,” states the club RAGBRAI coordinator Mark Hamilton.  “We appreciate and value what RAGBRAI means to our state and we gladly take the role as ambassadors to the ride.”  The High Wheelers had a larger than usual team this year, doubling the size of their team to 30 as the route came through the Mount Pleasant area.

Hamilton rides each year with his family and says he is “stunned” that some people question if RAGBRAI is a family event.  “My wife, son, daughter and son-in-law all rode with us this year.  It’s a family vacation,” says Hamilton.  “It is also a great geography lesson for young people to learn about our state.  My 20-year old son has been on 9 RAGBRAIs and actually knows where quiet a few towns are outside the big cities of Iowa.”       

This year the club had four volunteer RIDE RIGHT ambassadors on the ride.  Mark and his wife Barb, along with Randy Wright and club President Tim Bell served as RIDE RIGHT ambassadors for the first time this summer.

Bell rode with the Air Force Cycling Team for years and fell in love with Iowa while on RAGBRAI.  After retiring from the Air Force, Tim and his wife Jane decided they wanted to live in southeast Iowa and relocated to New London.  They were originally from northwestern New York.  This past year Tim became president of the Henry County High Wheelers.

“I learned from my days riding with the Air Force Team that we all have a responsibility to help people and represent our state well,” claimed Bell.  “So if it is helping with an accident or just asking if someone with a flat needs help, we are trying to be good representatives.”

The Henry County High Wheelers also played a role in the route inspection rides in June.  Riders from the club rode two of the days of the week-long route looking for potential hazards.  They rode the Ottumwa to Mount Pleasant day, followed by the Mount Pleasant to Burlington day. 

Congratulations to the Henry County High Wheelers!

PAST RIDER CUP AWARD WINNERS
2008:  Air Force Cycling Team
2007:  CUBS (Chicago Urban Bicycling Society)
2006:  The Dream Team
2005:  Team Navy Cycling
2004:  Siouxland Cyclists
2003:  Marion Road Hogs
2002:  Team Achin’ Knee
2001:  North Iowa Touring Club
2000:  Huff ‘N Puffers
1999:  Riverbend Bike Club
1998:  Pottawattamie Pedalers
1997:  Team Gnarley
1996:  Siouxland Cyclists
1995:  Bicyclists of Iowa City
1994:  Huff ‘N Puffers
1993:  Team Skunk
1992:  The Killer Bees

Henry County High Wheelers’ Group picture, 2009.  Front, left to right Kathleen Bush, Jan Gillespie, Curt Swarm, Danny Pidgeon, Nancy Tometich, Tim Bell.  Second row:  Sarah Jacobs, Jena Linkin, Kirsten Heerdt, Jennifer Stater, Tammy Mulford, Jean Evans, Trevor Hamilton, Mike Quick, Mark Hamilton.  Back Row:  Garth (Gator) Ganka, Eric Heerdt, Dan McCabe, Ray Stigge, Randy Wright, Isaah Wright, Barb Hamilton, Tony Branch, Mike Tometich.

SURVEY IS NOW FINISHED.  THANKS!

Andrea Shull from Mount Pleasant School, is the winner of the fourth annual RAGBRAI Kids’ Art Contest. Andrea’s sculpture of a rocket flying over a cyclist captured the theme of “Have a Blast in Mount Pleasant”.  The artwork asked the question, “Which Armstrong? Neil or Lance?”  The artwork was selected by online voters that visited desmoinesregister.com prior to RAGBRAI.

“The colorful sculpture really depicted the spirit of Mount Pleasant’s theme and RAGBRAI,” stated T.J. Juskiewicz, RAGBRAI Director. “We had some great young artists in all of the communities that we visited on RAGBRAI. Congratulations Andrea!”

The children of the RAGBRAI® XXXVII overnight communities were invited to participate in the RAGBRAI Kids’ Art Contest. The contest called for students in kindergarten through fifth grade to incorporate their town’s RAGBRAI theme into colorful artwork. The children’s artwork was displayed throughout the communities to promote RAGBRAI spirit and help decorate the towns. Each town held a community-wide contest and selected one entry to the state-wide contest.

Andrea will receive a grand prize of $350 from RAGBRAI during the wrap-up meetings with the RAGBRAI communities in August.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090727/NEWS/90727035

Keep Riding:  While you don’t need to ride as much as you have in preparation for RAGBRAI, set a goal to ride a certain number of days or miles per week.  Maintaining your fitness is a whole lot easier than gaining it, so by continuing to ride, you will maintain the ability to ride fairly long distances.

Look for Other Rides:  Look for other rides to take part in.  If you really enjoyed the RAGBRAI experience, look for other organized rides.  There are several multi-day rides available this summer and fall, and an abundance of single day rides.  After conquering RAGBRAI, you can take on any other ride with confidence.  Check at your local bike shop or go online and search for bike tours.  One word of caution: whatever ride you do, it won’t be like RAGBRAI, because it’s one of a kind!

Set your sights on 2010:  If this was your first RAGBRAI, hopefully you plan to come back next year, stronger and faster.   Cycling fitness, especially endurance, can be built over a period of years, if you keep at it and don’t hang your bike up until next year.   Keep riding and stay active through the winter and begin riding earlier next spring and you will find yourself riding even stronger than this year.

Set some goals:  Nothing motivates like having goals.  Your participation in RAGBRAI is a good example.  It forced you to ride in preparation.  Consider other rides, or if you have a competitive streak, consider preparing for a race, or branch out and try a triathlon.   Consider making a goal to ride a certain number of miles this year.    Whatever goal you make, it will help you to be motivated to continue riding and improving your fitness.

Thanks for reading these training articles.  I enjoyed meeting and talking with some of you at the Expo last Saturday.   I hope they helped you prepare.   Stay tuned and watch for more RAGBRAI training blogs throughout the year and through the winter to give you additional ideas and motivation to keep going and to prepare for next year.

Coach David Ertl

David Ertl is a USA Cycling Level 1 (Elite) Coach and owner of Cyclesport Coaching (www.CyclesportCoaching.com) . He coaches individual cyclists, the Des Moines Cycle Club Race Team and the JDRF Greater Iowa Chapter for the Ride to Cure Diabetes.  He can be contacted at Coach@CyclesportCoaching.com .   

Burlington never looked so good…and I “rattled” Snake Alley without falling over.