I will be there regardless of the route choice !

Sargent Bluff- Bronson, *Moville, Kingsly, Wasta, Quimby, Cherokee- *Meriden, *Larabee, Rembrandt, Marathon, *Albert City, *Pocahontas- Palmer, Pioneer, Badger, *Vincent, Woolstock, Webster City- Blairsburg, Williams, Alden, Iowa Falls, Wellsburg, Holland, *Grundy Center- *Morrison, *Reinbeck, *Voorhies, Eagle Center, LaPorte City, Jesup, Independence- Quasquetan, Ryan, *Lake Delhi, *Delhi, Earlsville, Dyersville- *New Vienna, *Petersburg, *Colesburg, *Osterdock, Guttenberg. *New towns for me, and after 36 they are getting harder to hit. Poky would be a new overnight but have been there once.

Eagle Grove needs to be an overnight; it has always been an incredible pass-through town!!!

Let’s go diagonal! Hamburg to Marquette! 😀

Let’s go diagonal! Hamburg to Marquette! 😀

Route went through south Iowa 2016, North Iowa 2017, and Central/Middle this year. Wonder if they will go with a more diagonal route…. northwest to southeast or southwest to northeast. Maybe with a diagonal route will it be longer? Considering the last few routes have been on the shorter end, maybe they go with a longer route?

I like the idea of a diagonal route, and finishing up in the NE part of the state would be terrific.
Even though we passed through Decorah last year, I’d like to see them as an overnight since we were last there in ’99.

Is Rock Valley to Keokuk diagonal enough? Any route that includes LeMars and Pella as possible pass-through towns is fine by me!

I’ll be dusting off a new and improved (hopefully) crystal ball as soon as I find a replacement for the one I smashed last year after another abysmal prediction.

See you along the I-O-Way in 2019.

I think the longest route ever was near 540 miles….I bet they could create a route that comes close to or exceeds that. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Rock Valley to Keokuk suits me fine but the smart money would be on a straight across southern route. I am certain that diagonal routes are a thing of the past unless TJ reads this and decides to prove me wrong!

RAGBRAI 13. My 3rd ride. 540-550 miles or so. Everyday was long. The day to Humboldt was only 55 miles, but if I remember, we had a strong headwind all day. Rain on the century day to Mason City. Last time the century was mandatory. Last day to Clinton was like this years, over 75 miles. I wouldn’t mind another long ride.

To soon for a southern route. Guessing it will be north of I-80 somewhere. The crowds tend to be larger too. Plan to be there wherever it takes us.

Rough milage estimate 450-470
Roughly 80,70,70,70,60,60,40

I feel that smaller towns in West Iowa are more willing to host as overnight town so there is (are) short day(s) in the first three days.

Also I have impression that riders are becoming older in average and looking for shorter route. Just look at the last couple of years, there are less and less wilder party scenes and less and less mardi gras vibe, while more and more people are signing up full service charters like PBV, more and more people are just wanting to ride into overnight town earlier and call for the day.

I do worrying that RAGBRAI is going to become less like RAGBRAI but muting into something like Bike Virginia.

I heard an interesting “rumor” on the ride this year. The route for RAGBRAI 50th will be like the first year’s route. Start in Sioux City and end in Davenport. However the first RAGBRAI was only 6 days so not sure how that will work.
Just throwing it out there…