7 Comments

1. 

   ploeg on March 13, 2018 at 4:12 pm

   So will Canyon Drive be open in time? The DNR website says that the road is closed to vehicle traffic due to a roadway failure.

   http://www.iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Parks/Iowa-State-Parks/ParkDetails/ParkID/610148

2. 

   ploeg on March 13, 2018 at 4:19 pm

   (On second look, it looks like RAGBRAI is swinging around the south side of the park on 255th St. instead of through the park on Canyon Drive. Not the most scenic part of the park but it should work.)

3. 

   Bruce Woodrow on March 13, 2018 at 8:37 pm

   BY THE NUMBERS
   Lots of typos today. The total distance in the introduction (58.9 mi) does not match the sum of the individual segments (62.4 mi). Neither matches the total at the end (71.7 mi), which appears to be a repeat of Monday.

   The total climb in the introduction (997 ft) does not match the total at the end (2,537 ft), which also appears to be a repeat of Monday.

   Corrections please.

4. 

   Jared on March 14, 2018 at 12:31 am

   Bruce – route has been tweaked and is now just over 62 miles,,, it will change again in the 4 months to go… 71 and the climb was typo,,,,, we are working on getting it corrected,,,

5. 

   Diane LeGrande on March 14, 2018 at 4:04 pm

   TJ and crew,
   Thank you for the sneak previews and all of the hard work and planning that goes with them. It is certainly understandable that these will change as final plans are made, but it’s great to get a sneak preview while we are anxiously waiting! Please keep them coming!

6. 

   James Kalohn on March 14, 2018 at 5:24 pm

   I am a rookie so here is a rookie question for you what happens at the meeting towns?

7. 

   KenH on March 14, 2018 at 9:14 pm

   Well, James, you will have to come to the meeting and find out, won’t you?!

   OK, I’ll tell you the secret if you promise not to spread it around or post it on the internet were just anyone can see it. Many clubs and small teams travel with their own support vehicle. It might be just a car or a pickup pulling a trailer or a motorhome or a giant over the road bus. Those vehicles travel from overnight town to overnight town by a different route than the one the cyclists use and they are supposed to KEEP OUT of all the towns we pass through each day…

   … with one exception and that exception is the meeting town. Team/club support vehicles are given a route to and from the meeting town from the main support vehicle route. And there is parking for them in the meeting town. This allows riders to meet up with their support vehicles if they need anything from the support team. In my little team’s case we may split the driving for the support vehicle among the team members and the meeting towns give us an opportunity to swap drivers so that we can better balance the amount of driving versus riding that each of us gets to do. If you are doing the ride with your own support vehicle you can start thinking now about how the meeting town can fit into your plans. If you do not want or need to meet your vehicle in the meeting towns it is free to drive directly to the next overnight town. The meeting town is an option you can use, not a requirement you must obey. Hope this helps!