RAGBRAI XXXIX announces route, pass-through towns

This year the 10,000-some riders on the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa will pedal through the center of the state on a 454-mile route that ranks right in the middle in terms of difficulty. Not too long, not too hilly – just right, in fact, for enjoying the sights along the way.

This year’s host towns are busy planning entertainment for the ride, scheduled from July 24-30, but we’ve rounded up some of the best, brightest, tastiest or just plain quirky attractions that travelers can discover all summer. Turn to page 8E to start planning your own Iowa adventure, whether you’d like to watch a rodeo, sample some of the smoothest whiskey in the country, hop on a historic train or just dig in to a slice of sour cream raisin pie.

Glenwood: Most of the action before the ride will center in Glenwood Lake Park, just south of the high school. There’s a small lake, of course, an amphitheater and the Mills County Historical Museum, where riders who forgot to pack a tent can take a few shelter-building cues from the Native Americans who lived here 1,000 years ago. The museum houses a replica of one of their earth lodges – carved out of the local Loess Hills and topped with sod – which were discovered when road crews built Highway 34 in the late 1920s. There are about 200 known sites in the area, and excavations have turned up artifacts from about 900 to 1400 A.D. Learn more at the museum: (712) 527-5038, www.millscounty museum.org.

Day 1

Carson: RAGBRAI hits town between the annual high school rodeo on the first weekend of June and the pro version during the first weekend in August, which means riders probably won’t be able to trade their bikes for bucking broncos. Still, the town hosts kid-friendly rodeo events throughout the summer, so visitors with rope-tying, barrel-racing or sheep-riding skills may just have a chance to show off. www.carsonrodeo.com.

Griswold: A good bet for a meal here is Dusty’s Place, where the buttermilk-battered onion rings are thin and just about everything else is thick, including the 18-ounce rib-eye. Owner Ryan Askeland, who with his wife, Sara, bought the place five years ago from Dusty himself, said about a third of lunch customers order the club sandwich, a mighty pile of meat between thick slices of marbled rye bread. 402 Main St., Griswold, (712) 778-2356.

Lewis: Visit the 1856 Hitchcock House, where the Congregational minister George Hitchcock and his family harbored escaped slaves during the decade leading up to the Civil War (which started exactly 150 years ago next month). The house was part of the Underground Railroad and was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 2006. 63788 567th Lane, Lewis, (712) 769-2323, www.hitchcockhouse.org.

Atlantic: Thirsty visitors will find plenty to drink in the town that was named the Coca-Cola Capitol of Iowa in 2001, the last time RAGBRAI stopped here overnight. The home of the Atlantic Bottling Company celebrates all things Coke every September with a festival that includes the second-largest gathering of Coca-Cola collectors in the country, trailing only Atlanta, where the soft-drink company is based.

Nothing pairs with a Coke quite like the pork tenderloin sandwiches at the Farmer’s Kitchen, the downtown café where Charlene Johnson’s sour cream raisin pie earned a spot on the cover of the Iowan magazine and road-food gurus Jane and Michael Stern’s list of 500 Things to Eat Before You Die. 319 Walnut St., Atlantic, (712) 243-2898, www.farmerskitchen.net.

Day 2

Elk Horn and Kimballton: Wake up early for a head-start into the proudly Danish town of Elk Horn, where a handful of bakeries line Main Street. (Those pastries aren’t called “Danishes” for nothing.) RAGBRAI riders in 2008 worked off their extra calories with traditional Danish dancing, a trip to the 1848 windmill (built in Denmark and reassembled here), a stop at the Danish Immigrant Museum and a photo op with “The Little Mermaid” statue in Hans Christian Andersen Park just up the road in Kimballton, the next town on the route. www.danishvillages.com.

Manning: The cultural map shifts here, where a 1660 German “hausbarn” was relocated in 1996. The thatched-roof building that once combined a Schleswig-Holstein farm family’s “house” and “barn” now welcomes visitors with a German Heritage Center, gift shop and restaurant serving old-world Wiener Schnitzel (breaded veal cutlets), Späetzle (dumplings) and Kartoffelsalat (German potato salad). 12196 311th St., Manning. (712) 655-3131, www.germanhausbarn .com.

Templeton: Cutting straight to the chase: Yes, there will be samples. RAGBRAI riders can tour the distillery and sample the now-famous Templeton Rye Whiskey that traces its history back to a recipe that Prohibition-era bootleggers hid in a hollow gravestone in the local cemetery.

“We’re planning to roll out the red carpet,” company founder and president Scott Bush said.

The town has bumped up its annual Rock and Rye Days to coincide with RAGBRAI, and Bush is encouraging riders to buy Templeton Rye bike jerseys.

“We’d love to get a picture of a thousand riders with their jerseys at our facility,” he said.

But don’t count on buying any bottles. Those are still in short supply. 209 E. Third St., Templeton, (712) 669-8793, www.templetonrye.com

Dedham: Pedal east for another local specialty: the “Dedham Bologna” that locals first cooked up in 1914.

“It’s German bologna, with hickory smoke and some special spices,” said Dave Kitt who, with his wife, owns Kitt’s Meat Processing. They plan to sell hot chunks of the delicacy on fair-style sticks. (712) 683-5622, www.kittsmeat.com.

In other meat news: Local lore contends that the town’s name came from a nearby train wreck that killed a shipment of hogs in the 1800s (thus, “dead ham”). Instead, Kitt said, the town took its name from an older city, in Massachusetts.

Carroll: At the end of the day, few sights will be more welcome than the Carroll Family Aquatic Center, with an array of slides and a 11,260-square-foot pool. There’s also the Santa Maria Vineyard and Winery, in a renovated building on the old Lincoln Highway; (712) 775-2013, www.santamariawinery .com. Riders can also visit Swan Lake Nature Center, with a petting zoo, a farmstead museum, an RV campground and rental cabins, and a 100-acre lake dotted with rental paddleboats and canoes. (712) 792-4614, www.carroll countyconservation.com.

Day 3

Pilot Mound: A special-effects tornado in the 1996 movie “Twister” ripped across an incline that’s now marked with a sign that says “Twister Hill.” Keep an eye out for other signs that tout the 173 residents of Pilot Mound as “The Friendliest Town Around” and another that jokes: Pilot Mound, Next 5 Exits.

Boone: Riders will coast down the Des Moines River Valley and then climb – and climb – up to Boone. The historic railroad town offers visitors trips on the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad, where riders can get a good view of the hill they conquered from the Kate Shelley Memorial High Bridge, the longest and highest double-track railroad bridge in the country. (515) 432-4249, www.scenic-valleyrr.com.

Other noteworthy sites include the birthplace of First Lady Mamie Doud Eisenhower – 709 Carroll St., (515) 432-1907, www.boonecountyhistory.org – and the popular Ledges State Park, six miles south of town following R23. (515) 432-1852.

Day 4

Slater: The brand-new High Trestle Trail Bridge, one of the largest pedestrian bridges in the world, is likely to attract plenty of attention after its April grand opening. At a half mile long and 13 stories high, this bridge is just west of Slater. The bridge is part of a 25-mile trail that is the newest addition to the 670-mile trail system threading through Des Moines and central Iowa.

This town is also home to the Take Down Bar & Grill, 405 Main St., which is one of the more interesting bar names to be found on this year’s route.

Altoona: With Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino, Adventureland Amusement Park and the Bass Pro Shop, the overnight city of Altoona is essentially a suburban rumpus room for Des Moines. Altoona has an ample supply of decent places to eat, including the casino.

As an interesting twist, RAGBRAI will coincide with the local Altoona Home Show Expo, which will feature some of the finest houses in the community. The expo was scheduled before Altoona was named an overnight city. www.altoona-iowa.com.

Day 5

Colfax: One of the largest model and toy train layouts in the country, Trainland USA, just a few miles outside of town, will open for its 30th season on Memorial Day. Celebrating Lionel trains, the layout depicts the development of the railroad across the United States while representing three eras of time: frontier, steam and diesel. 3135 Highway 117 N., Colfax; (515) 674-3813; www.trainlandusa.com.

Rock Creek State Park: One of the largest state parks in central Iowa, Rock Creek is seven miles west of Grinnell. Spread over more than 600 acres, the Rock Creek State Park is home to a lake with 15 miles of shoreline and more than 200 campsites, about half of which have electrical outlets. www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/rock_creek.html.

Day 6

Ladora: Bikers from afar may be surprised to see a winebar in such a small town. Heck, we were, too. The Ladora Bank Bistro in Ladora, home to nearly 300 folks, is a wine restaurant launched in 2008 that serves small plates, 40 beers and 80 world wines.

Brad Erickson and Colleen Klainert had a mid-life dream while riding through on a motorcycle, stopped on this dusty stretch of Highway 6 and fixed up the 90-year-old bank, which maintains the high ceilings and teller windows of its former life with an added decorating warmth. Upon our visit two years ago, a farmer even pulled up on a tractor for a splash of wine. Hours are 4-9 p.m. Thurs.-Sat., and noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Reservations are recommended. (319) 623-7766, www.ladorabank.com.

Amana Colonies: Not to stay on the subject of booze options on RAGBRAI but the Amana Colonies have become a haven for weekend wine tourists, now with six wineries in Amana, just up the road from the Homestead overnight stop. “Wine making is a long-standing part of the tradition here for 150 years,” said Sarah Arnowski, assistant director of the Amana Colonies Convention and Visitors Bureau. For the uninitiated, the seven historic villages of the Amana Colonies were founded by German immigrants as a communal religious society in 1855. But today it’s a tourist commune around a cup of the traditional sweet fruit wines in places such as Ackerman Winery, but also in newer wineries such as White Cross Cellars that specializes in grape wines.

If beer’s your poison, the Millstream Brewing Company is Iowa’s oldest microbrewery, celebrating 25 years. For the non-drinker, there are numerous galleries, gift shops and artists’ workshops. A new and popular event the second and fourth Thursday from May through September is a foodie tour, Guten Appetit, with eight stops at wine, beer and meat shops and restaurants. For more information, call (800) 579-2294.

Wilton: The other staple of both RAGBRAI and touring the countryside is ice cream, and in Wilton exists what is considered the oldest ongoing ice cream parlor and soda fountain in the world.

The Wilton Candy Kitchen is not only historic for being in business 151 years, but so are its proprietors. George Nopoulos, 91, started work there 85 years ago, cranking the old record player for patrons. His wife, Thelma, 79, is still at his side, too, serving up sweetness. She started washing dishes at the age of 10. 310 Cedar St., (563) 732-2278.

West Branch: The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch is an extraordinary lesson in how an orphan boy became a multi-millionaire then president of the U.S., had his reputation sullied by his oversight during the Great Depression, then rehabilitated it with humanitarian work later in life. “I think most people are surprised to learn of his humanitarian efforts,” said Jenny Pedersen, museum curator.

A new traveling exhibit this summer features photographs of the schoolhouses of presidents, including Hoover’s actual one-room school on the grounds. The 187-acre site also includes one of only 13 presidential libraries. Admission is $6 for ages 16-61, $3 for seniors. (319) 643-5301. www.hoover.archives.gov. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

Day 7

Coralville: When you think of Coralville, you probably think of the strip, the big mall (second largest in Iowa) and other evidence of sprawl, next to the stately and refined Iowa City. But Coralville knows how to party. Their theme during RAGBRAI is tailgating, a nod to the University of Iowa football team’s fall rite and to what can be described as an annual two-wheel tailgate. The band at the RAGBRAI party will be a blast from the 1980s, .38 Special.

If you are in the area other times, they are proud of their diverse restaurants. “One place we call iconic is the Iowa River Power Restaurant,” said Laurie Haman, vice president of the local visitor’s bureau. “A great trail crosses the river right there and you can sit and eat dinner and watch eagles on the river.” The venue was established as a working power company in 1902 and generated power until 1964. It was converted to a restaurant in 1977. 501 1st Ave., Coralville; (319) 351-1904; www.powercompanyrestaurant.com. Open daily.

— BY MICHAEL MORAIN, MIKE KILEN AND TOM PERRY

Related Articles