Funny how they would enforce such a rule when almost none of the Kybos or food stands had either hand washing stations or hand sanitizers. There’s been tours that had the Noro Virus reek havoc on the tour. I find it hard to believe that something like that hasn’t happened on RAGBRAI. I think they need to get their priorities in order.

Food born problems? Yah right Coralville PD! Tap water + Lemonaid mix. It’s not like they are selling raw chicken juice or raw egg shakes!

We were inspected every day.  We had a licensed kitchen and still paid $33.50 for a temporary permit.  Had both the kitchen and tent areas inspected.   Iowa doesn’t miss to much when it comes to inspections.  Looking at the vendors around us I saw hand wash stations and three wash tubs.  I think most vendors had everything in order.

I have had what I believe to be a food-borne illness on two RAGBRAIs and have had norovirus on another bike ride.  A norovirus outbreak is devastating to a group of people.  I have always supported the efforts of the food inspection personnel.  This year I had a ten or so minute conversation with the Carroll County Iowa food inspection person as she was making her rounds on the route.  She told me of being booed, cursed and yelled at for doing her job of shutting down a RAGBRAI vendor who richly deserved to be shut down and of being yelled at for just driving on the route.  We are all familiar with the vendor’s name but how many of us take a look behind the service line at the food preparation area???   Not many I suppose.  They serve a valuable function, be kind to those who work to keep us safe.

RIDE RIGHT

I saw an article about this on Consumerist.com.  I can’t believe with all of the thousands of people streaming into town that the police had time to shut down the kids’ lemonade stand!

I can totally see the whole scene!
The fat cats at Big Lemonade Co. sends in their goon squad. The little girl – her tearful eyes big as saucers as the mean ol jackboots in full riot gear tase her dad and smash her lemonade pitcher on the curb and impound her 3 legged dog.
That’s exactly how I’m sure it went down.

We need to fight this injustice!!  Send your donations to Sandaltan in care of the Des Moines Register.  Cash, check or money orders; any amount will help.

RIDE RIGHT with your tongue in cheek.

so I see in the paper Coralville/IC also shut down 3 other childrens stands because the didn’t get the special 2 day permit or health inspection. All in the name of “protecting riders from health risks”. So will they do that every other time a kid opens a stand to protect the public from health risks? during home football games? Let the kids be, it’s not like they were grilling meat or had to have a special power line run from someplace by the city electrical dept., some lemonade mix or kool-aid, water from the faucet in the house and a bag of ice from the store

I stopped at the Minute Maid ice pops stand one of the last days and the guy said the health inspector had been through and tried to shut him down because of permits. Instead, he decided to ask for donations rather than set prices and that was legal.

actually people do get sick from kids food stands.  bottled water is very different than ice and drink mix

http://www.foodpoisonjournal.com/foodborne-illness-outbreaks/lemonade-source-of-norovirus-outbreak/

and yes, there are ordinances during hawkeye games that prohibit this

I’ll take my chances.  I bought Kool-Aid and chips from a kid with a stand in Altoona.  Poor kid was in the middle of the block and was getting out-competed by bigger kids on the corner.  I don’t think she’d sold anything before I stopped by.  I trusted her Kool-Aid more than I trusted some of the contraptions that I got water out of in the pass-through towns.

I wonder if the PVC pipe water stations were inspected by the health department, specially the ones connected to garden hoses.  Or do they on care if your asking 50 cents a cup?

I’ve been through the ServSafe classes (and certified).  Sometimes I think the health departments are a little heavy-handed with the rules.  During an event like RAGBRAI, it’s obvious that there is a cash-grab going on.  Coralville made a special ordinance to be enforced in order to increase their revenues.  I too ran into vendors who were hassled out in the county regarding “special” sales permits.  Most just asked for suggested donations instead of charging a retail price…