Topic: charter service ??

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charter service ??

(15 posts)

(10 voices)

Started 105 days ago by deanroush
Latest reply from Michrider 103 days ago

deanroush

good day riders, this is year two for me and planned for this event on my own last year and it worked out great. this year i will not have a support vehicle going along and need advice. has anyone used a charter service to only transfer bike and biker from the end town (clinton) to the beginning (sioux center), and what companies listed on the ragbrai site do you recommend (or are there other companies out there). if you can give me an idea to the cost in years past. running a tandem this year so its a new adventure once again. pumped to get back out there after a winter in wisconsin!

deanroushQuote

Posted 105 days ago #7626
Michrider

My favorite charter, Pork Belly Ventures, provides East to West transport of bikes and bikers! Last year the fee was approx. $150. There are other charters that do the same. PBV also provides excellent week long service!!!

http://www.pkbelly.com/about_us.php

MichriderQuote

Posted 105 days ago #7627
CyclingRoberto

Three words: Brancel Bicycle Charters. BBC is family run, not loud, and a good value. I’ve used them 5 times, and this will be my sixth. Great people, good mix of cyclists. And the Brancels are from Wisconsin! Complete charter is around $300.

CyclingRobertoQuote

Posted 105 days ago #7628
Tony

If you drive to the Quad Cities. $160 will get you Luxury motor coach to Sioux Center, Bike shipped to Sioux Center on a major shippers semi. Baggage handling for the week. Preselected campsites. Add 60 dollars and you get return transportation for you and your bike to the Quad Cities. We also provide free long term parking for your vehicle. The cars are parked in a covered parking lot.

http://www.qcbc.org/ragbrai/

TonyQuote

Posted 105 days ago #7629
RonB

+1 on Brancel. Price is probably about the same as others but you do get beverages and snacks enroute. Don’t know if others do or not.

RonBQuote

Posted 105 days ago #7630
CyclingRoberto

The price I mentioned for BBC includes bus from end to start towns, towel service, baggage handling for the week. They have pre-selected campsites, offer a mid-week laundry service, coffee and light fare in the morning, and cold beverages and snacks in the afternoon with shade and chairs.

CyclingRobertoQuote

Posted 105 days ago #7631
mentor58

CyclingRoberto said: Three words: Brancel Bicycle Charters. BBC is family run, not loud, and a good value. I’ve used them 5 times, and this will be my sixth. Great people, good mix of cyclists. And the Brancels are from Wisconsin! Complete charter is around $300.

I’ve sent my reservation in to BBC yesterday. I don’t need, nor do I particularly want, 100 percent pampering and a super deluxe environment. As a RAGBRAI virgin I figured that having a group make sure I’ve got a good place to pitch my tent, a chair, shade and cold drinks at the end of the day is exactly what would make my life perfect. The Laundry service (and towel service) are going to be HUGE thing that makes life that much easier.

Hope to see you all there, I’ll be the shaved head guy with a beard and a recumbent. (don’t know yet which one I’ll be riding, but I promise that Garfield, my faithful travel companion, will be along for the ride)

Steve

mentor58Quote

Posted 105 days ago #7632
CyclingRoberto

mentor58 said:

CyclingRoberto said: Three words: Brancel Bicycle Charters. BBC is family run, not loud, and a good value. I’ve used them 5 times, and this will be my sixth. Great people, good mix of cyclists. And the Brancels are from Wisconsin! Complete charter is around $300.

I’ve sent my reservation in to BBC yesterday. I don’t need, nor do I particularly want, 100 percent pampering and a super deluxe environment. As a RAGBRAI virgin I figured that having a group make sure I’ve got a good place to pitch my tent, a chair, shade and cold drinks at the end of the day is exactly what would make my life perfect. The Laundry service (and towel service) are going to be HUGE thing that makes life that much easier.

Hope to see you all there, I’ll be the shaved head guy with a beard and a recumbent. (don’t know yet which one I’ll be riding, but I promise that Garfield, my faithful travel companion, will be along for the ride)

Steve

Steve, it will be a pleasure to meet you. I’m usually the very last guy out in the morning, often times a bit after the trucks have left. My feeling is, what’s the rush? Beat the heat? Impossible. Good choice with BBC. You will realize this immediately from before day 1. Professional group all the way.

CyclingRobertoQuote

Posted 105 days ago #7633
jwsknk

CyclingRoberto said:

Steve, it will be a pleasure to meet you. I’m usually the very last guy out in the morning, often times a bit after the trucks have left. My feeling is, what’s the rush? Beat the heat? Impossible. Good choice with BBC. You will realize this immediately from before day 1. Professional group all the way.

What time does your truck pull out? Ours leave at 9:00, sometimes before if all the stuff is on. How do I know? I’m almost always still there too.

jwsknkQuote

Posted 104 days ago #7634
CyclingRoberto

jwsknk said:

CyclingRoberto said:

Steve, it will be a pleasure to meet you. I’m usually the very last guy out in the morning, often times a bit after the trucks have left. My feeling is, what’s the rush? Beat the heat? Impossible. Good choice with BBC. You will realize this immediately from before day 1. Professional group all the way.

What time does your truck pull out? Ours leave at 9:00, sometimes before if all the stuff is on. How do I know? I’m almost always still there too.

About the same. Most days are around 5 hours in the saddle. With 6 pass through towns, add about 2 hours, so if I leave around 9, I usually roll in around 4. Plenty of time to put up my tent, get a shower, and chill.

CyclingRobertoQuote

Posted 104 days ago #7635
jwsknk

well CyclingRoberto, probably have seen you on the road then, at least early on. We usually leave the last couple of towns as they are closing up shop. Into the overnight 6-6:30 and sometimes straight to camp, sometimes eat first and get to camp 7:30-8. Just so we don’t have to set up in the dark.

jwsknkQuote

Posted 104 days ago #7636
murphymp

I am going with Brancel Bicycle Charter this year for the first time. The other three times I did it was with a small group. Group has gotten too big for the one vehicle so I am going to try this. I wanted more freedom on what to do at night and not be stuck with going somewhere with the group. Looking forward to this years ride and BBC.

murphympQuote

Posted 104 days ago #7637
Jim

I will put in a pitch for OOS. This will be my 10th RAGBRAI. I choose them my first year and have used them ever since. Very reasonable pricing and very friendly. Tim and his crew does a great job.

JimQuote

Posted 104 days ago #7638
Padre

Bubba’s Pampered Pedalers is also running a charter to Sioux Center. I used to be his partner on this and I can tell you that he runs a first class service. I don’t know what he charges but I can assure you that his price will be competitive and would be very happy to answer any questions.

I still run my own charter but we come St Louis and Kansas City.

Padre

PadreQuote

Posted 104 days ago #7639
Michrider

Padre said:

I still run my own charter but we come St Louis and Kansas City.

Padre

By now everyone knows that PBV is my favorite charter. However, I’ve traveled with others including Padre’s group in 2010. Padre is a great guy who provides very good service!

MichriderQuote

Posted 103 days ago #7640