RAGBRAI XLVIII registration to open Monday, November 11

Hello RAGBRAI riders,

You may have heard that we are moving up registration to this coming Monday, November 11th at 5:00 a.m. Frankly, we made the decision because we were too excited to wait any longer and wanted to show off our new logo, theme, merchandise and give you a chance to register for the oldest, longest and largest recreational bicycle ride in the world! And in all honesty, we wanted to open registration up on a Monday versus a Friday to give everyone our full and undivided attention in case any questions arise. To that point, we know some of you are still deciding what you want to do next July, so we’ve pulled together answers to the most frequently asked questions below.  Take a look and if we’ve missed anything please let us know by emailing us at info@ragbrai.com or calling Anne Lawrie at 515-284-8388. We are always happy to hear from you.

Will registration be different? Will prices increase?

The registration process will be exactly the same. You can refer to the helpful resource tips at the bottom for a refresher and know that you can always reach out to us at info@ragbrai.com if you have any questions. We will be honoring 2019 prices. If you received any information regarding increased pricing please disregard.

How are you ensuring the ride will be safe? 

Safety is the number one priority for the RAGBRAI team. We have had several conversations with the Iowa State Patrol and Iowa Department of Transportation. We will follow the same process that we have in previous years with both agencies to secure the route and safety of our riders. As in previous years, we will work on a contract with the Iowa State Patrol in the spring when the registration lottery closes, and we have a firm handle on the number of riders who have registered. We will have medical staff to support riders along the way and will make more announcements as they are confirmed.

When will you announce the route? 

We are working on securing the route for RAGBRAI XLVIII and will follow the same process we have in previous years. We plan to announce the route in late January, the same as usual.

Will you have staff that can execute the ride?

Yes. The RAGBRAI staff that remains have been working on RAGBRAI XLVIII planning. We are actively vetting and interviewing potential ride director candidates and plan to make an announcement on new staff very soon.

Will there be a route announcement party? 

Yes. We plan to announce the route in January, at a live event and online, the same as we have in the past. We would love to continue our partnership with the Iowa Bicycle Coalition for this event and those lines of communication remain open. More details on how to purchase tickets, attend or watch to come.

What are the vendors, charters, bike shops, bike clubs, towns, and other businesses saying?

We continue to have as many conversations and update as many people as possible on our planning. We have verbal support from porta-potties, shower services, bike shops and several charters. We’ve also had great conversations with communities across Iowa that are hoping to be announced as one of eight overnight towns in January! While several have committed to returning to RAGBRAI there are several more that need more time and that is okay. We will continue to be here to answer questions, provide updates and ensure folks that RAGBRAI XLVIII will have the same spirit as the 47 before it.  Registration is our first step forward and we fully expect to welcome more publicly soon.

How will RAGBRAI be different in 2020? 

This transition has allowed us to connect with RAGBRAI Nation in the most lovely way. We’ve been able to hear your concerns and we are listening. We are putting together a list of the top concerns and prioritizing them so the ride director and the new team can tackle them. To offer a few; we will be looking at transparency around our giving and the commitments to the towns. Both offer us an opportunity to support and lift up the communities that contribute to our great state and this great event in new ways. We are committed to being good partners and stewards to them and you will be hearing more about our plans soon. There have been countless other concerns and we will continue to evaluate all of it.

We will end with some helpful resources for you to ensure a smooth registration whether you are a newbie or need a reminder: 

RAGBRAI 101: https://ragbrai.com/about/ragbrai-basics/

General info about all things RAGBRAI: https://ragbrai.com/about/general-information/

Read the above link but still have questions? Here are answers to our most Frequently Asked Questions: https://ragbrai.com/about/faqs/

Or if you just want a short and sweet list of registration details: www.RAGBRAI.com/registration

Just want to talk RAGBRAI? Post in our forum: www.RAGBRAI.com/forums

We will be in touch Monday with the open of registration and the launch of our logo, theme and merchandise. If you have questions for us at any time, know that we are here to answer them at info@ragbrai.com or you can reach Anne Lawrie directly at 515-284-8388.

Have a great weekend and we will talk on Monday,

RAGBRAI team

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