Recapping the RAGBRAI Route Inspection Pre-Ride

We had a lot of fun on the RAGBRAI Route Inspection Pre-Ride the other week.  It was not just fun, but it helped identify some potential hazards along the way and point out some towns and places that you certainly don’t want to miss.

Here are some comments from the weeklong riders that joined us on the RAGBRAI Route Inspection Pre-Ride:

DAN MCKAY
STATEWIDE RIDE RIGHT CHAIR
KNOXVILLE, IOWA

We had a great time riding most of this year’s RAGBRAI route. Great company along the way with several people joining us for the whole week.

The ride started off with a bang! An uphill bang! Glenwood will be a great starting town and it is all uphill from there.  Lots of planned activities in the kick off town. Check out one of Iowa’s newest craft breweries near the high school.

The first two days will test your hill legs. Make sure to use your gears. RAGBRAI is a seven day event and the first two days could take your legs away.  The local RIDE RIGHT Committees will be doing their best to help make this a fun and safe RAGBRAI for you. Pay attention to their messages and you will be well on your way to safe ride.

As always the folks of Iowa are going to provide the best in the word hospitality for the riders. Town after town shared with us their plans to make you feel welcome and share a little of what makes their town special.  This year we have a mix of smaller to larger communities on the route. Altoona will be interesting as a first time community. Altoona is part of the Des Moines Metroplex, yet it retains the small town atmosphere that is welcoming to all. Coralville and Grinnell will offer great entertainment and communities that are tested RAGBRAI overnights. Carroll is pleased to be hosting again and they have a great theme with a very hard working group of volunteers. Boone – the hill coming into town will test you – has the train theme and lots of history to share.

Davenport will be our ending town, I hope you schedule a little extra time as the community has done a great job to get us into town and to provide great entertainment and view of the river. We will have an opportunity to be a part of the larger Bix Beiderbecke festivities, well worth the extra time in the ending town.

I will place a personal guaranty that you will not suffer from pie withdrawal on this year’s ride. Many of the best pie bakers are at work making pies for you. I can tell you, they will all be great! I got to test several samples and judge a pie contest. Can’t wait to get back!

The theme I found going through my head the week I was riding was I have to get back to these places… Great out of the way places to see and food to taste. Look out Atlantic and Farmer’s Table; I will be stopping through on my way to Omaha next week!

Get your miles in, train on some hills and prepare to be entertained for the week of RAGBRAI!

Thank you to the great people of Iowa, you make this all possible and you make me proud to say I am from Iowa!

See you on the road.

MARK & JEN WYATT
IOWA BICYCLE COALITION & RAGBRAI VETERANS
IOWA CITY, IOWA

First, the hospitality that Iowans show on RAGBRAI isn’t something that is turned on special just for the event.  You can find a sense of community and Iowans who will open their homes and hearts every day of the year.  You might not be from the community, but they will always treat you like neighbors.  

On the route, it is just outstanding.  From Glenwood to Davenport, it is a route to remember.  The towns are spaced perfectly and each offers a unique flavor, history and fun.  I can’t wait to spend a little more time in Glenwood with the Expo at the new school and beautiful park.  I can’t wait to explore the beautiful Atlantic downtown.  I can’t wait to visit the HausBarn and tour the Templeton Rye facility.  I can’t wait to see the trains in Boone. I can’t wait to see Adventureland in Altoona.  I can’t wait to see the Jewel Box Bank in Grinnell.  I can’t wait to tailgate in Coralville.  I never want the ride to end, but I can’t wait to see the historic Mississippi in Downtown Davenport.  

On the terrain:  If you live through the hills on the first two days, you are treated to some spectacular rollers and flat rides.  That is – if it isn’t windy or hot.  Don’t anger the RAGBRAI gods as they say in the video. Be prepared to use every gear you own on this ride.

There is so much to see and do on this route.  Take your time, enjoy the scenery, sample the flavors, and play rolle bolle every chance you get!

RANDY DARYL HECHT
RIDER WITH TEAM DARRELL
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Although I had planned to bicycle only four of the seven days, by the end of day two, I had determined it would be crazy for me to spend any less than the full week on the ride.  The core pre-ride inspection team bonded well and quickly became friends and a true RAGBRAI team.  We re-grouped in each pass through town, often greeted by the local RAGBRAI committee.   As the week progressed, we were joined by other riders who shared in the week’s bicycling experience.  The relational bond created while sharing the ride experience is an integral part of RAGBRAI.  Lifelong friendships have been created on past RAGBRAI rides and I believe a few more such friendships were developed during this year’s pre-ride.

We experienced a sampling of the Iowa hospitality in many of the towns.  From Mrs. Johnson’s Farmer’s Kitchen in Atlantic to George and Thelma Nopoulos’ Candy Kitchen in Wilton, the kitchens of Iowa are preparing their best creations and are anxious to greet RAGBRAI riders with their delights.  The pre ride team got to taste some of Iowa’s best pulled pork sandwiches, rib eye steak sandwiches, cake, pie, and ice cream.   With all the variety of available food, it is possible to gain weight while riding the 454 miles across the state.

The week’s route was a fair representation of Iowa’s terrain and weather conditions.  There were rolling hills and long flat stretches surrounded by freshly planted corn and beans.  There were freshly paved asphalt roads and Iowa cement roads with their never-ending seams.  There were sunny hot humid days and cool overcast days.  There were tailwinds and headwinds.   It was a bike ride – across Iowa.

Mere words cannot describe RAGBRAI.  It is about bicycling; it is about food; it is about people; it is about Iowa.  But it is about much more – including the total experience of all of the above.  Although I could rush to complete each day’s ride before noon, I would then be missing RAGBRAI.  I slow down and let go of the stresses of the outside world.  Talk to other riders and local townsfolk – especially those who have lived in the area all of their lives.  Taste the various food offerings – especially homemade pie and fresh picked corn.  Sit on a curb and watch the world go by and soak in the total seven day RAGBRAI experience. 

If you truly experience it, you will then be counting down the days until the start RAGBRAI XL.

RICH KETCHAM
GEOBIKE & RAGBRAI VETERAN
AMES, IOWA

Every year when the snowflakes are still flying, T.J. And Wes pay me a visit to talk about the upcoming RAGBRAI route and obtain preliminary elevation statistics.  They also extend an offer to join them during the route inspection ride in June.  In years past, work has conspired against me being able to join them.  I was bound and determined not to let that happen again. So this year I said, “Sign me up!”  It was  fantastic!!

RAGBRAI is all about experiencing Iowa: its history, its people, its hospitality, its communities, its varied landscape, and its extreme weather.  Joining the route inspection ride enhanced this experience by giving me the opportunity to meet the organizers for the host and thru towns.   It takes a lot of work from a lot of people to make RAGBRAI happen, and they all have my sincere thanks.  Let me tell you, they are excited about RAGBRAI!  You’re going to have quite the ride!

What in Pie Nation did I experience? Well, here are a few of my memorable moments.  The mountain of onion rings, cheese burgers, and oceans of ice tea that were served up at Dusty’s Place in Griswold after 25 miles of monster rollers, heat and head winds!  (Come to think of it, they were all heaven sent.)  Finishing a world class dinner at Mrs. Johnson’s Farmer’s Kitchen in Atlantic with a slice of apple pecan caramel pie.  (The let the word slice fool you, it was as big as a nation!)  The beer & sauerkraut fudge cupcakes with beer frosting in Manning.  (You can’t stop at one!)  Getting hosed with cold water in Dedham after topping a 10% grade hill in 100 degree plus weather.  (Thanks – whoever you are!!!)   The rib-eye steak sandwiches in Paton.  (Say, are there any more left?)  Craig and the staff at Bikes To You in Grinnell for repairing my bike.  (A big thanks!!)  The extra thick vanilla shake from the Candy Kitchen in Wilton. (Oh yea….)

RAGBRAI XXXIX has a little bit of everything for everyone; hills, rollers, valleys, and flat running.  I took my trusty altimeter with me to verify the GeoBike data and it pretty much proofed out all the website statistics.   Take the hills seriously.  Make it through the first two days and the rest will be easy!  Train early so that you can better enjoy the ride and remember to stay hydrated if it gets hot.  Above all else, take your time and enjoy all that RAGBRAI has to offer.  

Thanks T.J., Wes, Jim, Judy, Dan, Mark, Jen and Randy for making this an extra special week!   Can’t wait to see everyone out on RAGBRAI this year.

JIM  GREEN
RETIRED RAGBRAI DIRECTOR
SUN VALLEY LAKE, IOWA

Judy and I get to see the ride from a different point of view. Judy has heard me tell her about the great people of our state. With the pre ride she gets to experience the great things that go on in each town. This year was great as many towns put their best foot forward. . As always we have met some great people who are very happy that RAGBRAI XXXIX is coming. We are sure there will be lots of great food and local hospitality.

Dan McKay and I met with all RIDE RIGHT committees.   All are doing some neat safety things. They are working to make sure their area roads are safe and enjoyable. Overall the roads were in good shape. Individual counties seem to be cooperating quite well and are concerned with the bikers’ safety.

The Pre-ride Team had a great week and WE were truly blessed by being in the air-conditioned, Dodge Ram during the 106 degree heat which our loyal riders rode in and handled as  “true RAGBRAI riders”.   

This route is very scenic and roads were really for the most part in good shape!  –   See you on the ride in July!

THANKS TO JUDY GREEN, AKA MA GREEN, FOR SUPPORTING US AND PUTTING UP WITH US FOR THE WEEK!

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