I know this thread will get replaced when the 2017 topic is created but with registration opening in 3 weeks, why not.
My guess, a northern route but a little further south then the last northern route that got so close to Minnesota. A couple of larger towns also since last year so many were small.
Hawarden
Cherokee
Lake City
Ames
Toledo
Waterloo
Manchester
Dubuque
137 Replies
I’d do that ride, I don’t think I’ve been in any of those towns during RAGBRAI week!
It’s early, but I’m going with the following:
Missouri Valley
Harlan
Adel
Ankeny
Newton
The Amanas
Tipton
Camanche/Clinton
right now leaning towards,
Sargent Bluff (34) 55 miles to
Ida Grove (34) 60 miles to (gravel loop day)
Rockwell City (32) 75 miles (optional century loop) to
Ames (36) 70 miles to
Marshalltown (40 but rained out concert) 70 miles to
Amana (19) 70 miles to
Tipton (36) 52 miles to
LeClaire (36) 450-460 total but they could fine longer ways of getting there
Onawa
Ida Grove
Carroll
Polk City
Pella
Middle Amana
Oelwein
McGregor -Still holding out hope to finish North of Guttenburg one day.
Aprox. 460 miles
I would rather to ride the north of Iowa route. It is time for going north now!
Ben, I agree!!
MR,
The less hilly north may be friendlier terrain for Lefty 3.0 too.
Less likely route but would finally catch county 99, Allamakee, for me.
Hawarden (26) 70 miles to
Sibley (24) 65 miles to
Esterville (33) 75 miles to
Forest City (42, what would be a good replacement for this one? Britt? ((38))60 miles to
Osage (24) 75 miles to
Cresco (33)55 miles to
Waukon (5)50 miles to
Guttenberg (42, north of there Marquette/McGregor?(0))
How about a diagonal route?
Rock Rapids
Spencer
Humboldt
Story City
Grinnell
Amana’s
Mount Plesant
Keokuk.
How about a diagonal route?
Rock Rapids
Spencer
Humboldt
Story City
Grinnell
Amana’s
Mount Pleasant
Keokuk.
Moots, there is no Lefty 3.0! You must be talking about the new, improved Lefty!!! BTW, RAGBRAI don’t care!!!!
It is a long shot but with the logo video’s fixation on Twain and the only other Iowa town with a strong Twain association having been this year’s end town it is possible that we could end in Keokuk. Two southern routes in a row would violate the normal pattern, a diagonal route avoids that “issue”. And there are occasional voices here who long for the diagonal routes of yesteryear. Maybe 2017 will see the return of the diagonal to the route mix.
then next year diagonal the other way
Lansing
West Union
Gilbertville
Marshalltown
Johnston
Greenfield
Red Oak
Hamburg
:-)
Twain Quote: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Definition
Trade winds: a wind blowing steadily toward the equator from the northeast in the northern hemisphere.
So wouldn’t a NE wind push the RAGBRAI riders from Rock Rapids down toward Keokuk?
OK, reaching way too far. I’ll show myself out now….
Trade Winds go from Northeast to Southwest in the Northern Hemisphere which if that is a clue it would mean a diagonal East to West route. Although there are some that would love that I would bet not.