Route Inspection Ride: Day 5 – Chariton to Ottumwa

It was another beautiful day in Iowa.  With temps in the 70s, cloud cover and little wind to speak of, it was a perfect day for riding.  The real highlight though, was the morning pie stop. 

The Route Inspection Riders were joined again by Tim Mulcahy and Dave Hendricks.  Dave is the proprietor of the Connecticut Yankee Pedaller bike shop in Chariton as well as the RIDE RIGHT co-chair, along with his wife Connie, for his hometown RAGBRAI committee.

The ride from Chariton to Ottumwa was a fairly long day with a mix of flats and hills to make it challenging.  The day also features the Karras Loop that circles Rathbun Lake.  The day is 77 miles and just over 3,300 feet of climb, but over 100 miles if you choose to tackle the Karras Loop. 

The ride travels through some small southern Iowa communities along the Mormon Trail, Iowa Scenic Byways and skirts scenic Rathbun Lake.

Here are some facts and points of interest from each town.

Millerton, Iowa

I incorrectly stated yesterday that Sandyville is the smallest incorporated town on the route this year.  Actually that honor goes to Millerton; the Lucas County community with a population of 41 people will be the first town you hit after leaving Chariton. 

We stopped at the Millerton Café, a favorite of our guest rider Dave Hendricks.  Dave steered us right as the Café had a scrumptious assortment of pies.  The choices read like a checklist on this year’s RAGBRAI jersey.  Rhubarb, gooseberry, Dutch apple, apple, strawberry rhubarb, sour cream raisin, 3-berry, peach, chocolate, peanut butter, custard.  All homemade with delectable crust.  Oh my!  I selected the ever elusive gooseberry.  This tarty, tasty treat did not last long.  What a great choice.  Dan found his apple pie.  He was very satisfied.

Diane and the staff at the Millerton Café will be ready for the RAGBRAI riders when they arrive.  They will have plenty of pie and plenty of great breakfast choices.  The church will be hosting Chris Cakes, which is located just behind the Café.

Millerton has hosted RAGBRAI twice before, the last time was during RAGBRAI XXV on the ride from Chariton to Bloomfield.

Bethlehem, Iowa 

Just down the road from Millerton is Bethlehem, Iowa.  This unincorporated community is home to the Bethlehem Chapel, a tiny place of worship that would seat a handful of people at best.  If a RAGBRAI couple was looking to get married, as a few couples do each year, this might make for a memorable occasion.

Bethlehem has hosted RAGBRAI just once before, the last time was during RAGBRAI IX on the ride from Leon to Centerville.

Confidence, Iowa

The unincorporated town of Confidence is next up for the day.  Confidence Memorial Park and the New Providence Baptist Church will provide the backdrop for the RAGBRAI visit.

It was originally platted in 1858, and its population and economic activity peaked in the 1920s, when coal mines were active in the area. The town changed drastically as a result of the Great Depression. In its prime, the town boasted millinery, a tavern, a shoe shop, and a bank. The bank paid off all its deposits upon closing in 1935.

By the end of the 20th century, it was a virtual ghost town, with only a handful of occupied houses, a derelict church, a cemetery, a park, and the New Providence Baptist Church

Confidence has hosted RAGBRAI just once before, the last time was during RAGBRAI IX on the ride from Leon to Centerville.

Iconium, Iowa

The old ridge road from Iconium through Moravia to Unionville was part of the Mormon Trail of 1846 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake, Utah that becomes our RAGBRAI route for the day.  We will catch our first glimpse of the mammoth Rathbun Lake just before entering the unincorporated town of Iconium. 

The Iconium Methodist Church will be our main hosts during our visit to Iconium and might be a great brunch stop.

Iconium has hosted RAGBRAI just once before, the last time was during RAGBRAI XXV on the ride from Chariton to Bloomfield.

Honey Creek Resort

Honey Creek Resort is now open! Iowa’s first state park resort providing state-of-the-art meeting facilities, water recreation, 18-hole golf course, multi-use trails, boat docks, campgrounds and interpretive programs.  

Overlooking Rathbun Lake, this first-class resort includes a 105 room lodge, restaurant and lounge, indoor water park and 18-hole golf course.  It has all of the amenities you desire in a vacation destination, nestled in a beautiful natural setting! 

If you take the short ride from the route to the lodge, it will be worth the short spin.  There will be entertainment by 9-mile North Country Band and a variety of delicious food and beverages.

Honey Creek Resort has never hosted RAGBRAI before because it just opened.

Karras Loop

Please don’t call this the John Karras Loop; the Karras Loop is just fine.  “The John Karras Loop sounded like a memorial loop… and I’m still around,” explained RAGBRAI co-founder John Karras.  The optional loop is officially now referred to as just the “Karras Loop”. 

This year’s option loop will circle Rathbun Lake, the second largest lake in Iowa.  You will cross the dam and have several businesses along the eastside of the lake to stop for a bite to eat.  There are also bathrooms after you cross the dam.  The loop will increase your daily mileage total to over 100 miles.  For all the folks that complained that previous loops were less than a century, this should make up for the deficient mileage of the past.  This is why it is called the Karras Loop and not the Karras Century.

Moravia, Iowa (Meeting Town)

Moravia is named for the religious faith.  Moravian families left Salem, North Carolina in 1849 to start a colony in the west. Money was sent to purchase forty acres of land for a town site by several benevolent Moravian sisters. It was their wish that town lots be sold and the money be used to build a Moravian Church. The families made the long journey to Iowa and acquired many acres of land.

In 1851, the town was incorporated and a Moravian Church was built and dedicated. The early Moravian Families honored the customs of the Moravian Church, which was founded in the country of Moravia in 1597.  Several of these customs are remembered and celebrated today in Moravia’s annual events and festivals. Since the town was founded, it has experienced a rich tradition in the customs of the town’s Moravian founders. The Moravia Tour of Homes is an example of a custom founded in the country of Moravia.

The Wabash Depot Museum will be on your right as you enter the community.  The Depot was drawn by Des Moines Register cartoonist Frank Miller and appeared on the Register’s front page back many years ago.  The Depot is kept up by the Moravia Historical Society.

Moravia is the meeting town for Day 5.  Most of the festivities will take place in the city square.  Fat Annie’s will host a beverage garden and entertainment, just south of the city park. 

Moravia has hosted RAGBRAI twice before, the last time was during RAGBRAI XXV on the ride from Chariton to Bloomfield.

Unionville, Iowa

Next up in Unionville, a tiny town of 127 in Appanoose County.  Stop off at Unionville City Park and Recreation Area.  The community is not planning to have vendors as of today, but the Air National Guard will be on hand with their water buffalos.

Unionville has hosted RAGBRAI three times before, the last time was during RAGBRAI XXXI on the ride from Oskaloosa to Bloomfield.

Blakesburg, Iowa

Located in Wapello County, Blakesburg is a town with a population of 327 people. 

Established in 1854, Blakesburg boasts an antique airfield, the Blakesburg Historical Museum and a new city hall.  A historic cannon defends the town park.  The town is on the Iowa Scenic Byway.

Blakesburg has hosted RAGBRAI twice before, the last time was during RAGBRAI XXXI on the ride from Oskaloosa to Bloomfield.

Ottumwa, Iowa

Ottumwa… the name means place of perseverance and land of rippling waters. Ottumwa embodies the westward expansion of the United States, plentiful game, good fishing, and the river’s rippling waters. These qualities enticed Iowa’s most famous chiefs, Wapello, Keokuk, and Appanoose, to settle here.

Ottumwa is the county seat of Wapello County with a population just shy of 25,000.  The community is split into northern and southern halves by the Des Moines River, but both sides of the river with see RAGBRAI activities.

All of the camping will be in Ottumwa Park, where the campgrounds where last time RAGBRAI visited.  The park is 340 acres with shade trees, ball fields, pavilions, sand volleyball, ponds and walking trails. 

Rolling ‘Round O’Town is the community’s theme.  The bridges are prominently displayed in the logo as Ottumwa is known as the “City of Bridges”.  The bridges can take you back and forth to RAGBRAI festivities in town.  Ottumwa’s own state of the art Civic Center, the Bridge View Center, will be the center point of much of the entertainment and daytime entertainment will be in the downtown.

The Beach, an indoor/outdoor 13 acre water park will surely be a hit with the teens and the young at heart.  Built in 1992, the Beach is boasts over a million gallons of safe family fun.  Special pricing with be offered for registered riders.

The evening entertainment will be held in the main parking lots of the Bridge View Center.  Standing Hampton will headline the main stage with an appearance by actor/comedian Tom Arnold, who was born in Ottumwa and graduated from Ottumwa High.  Tom hosts the show, “My Big Redneck Wedding”.  Arnold also appeared in the 2007 movie “The Final Season” that was shot in Iowa that told the story of the Norway baseball team.

The Ottumwa RAGBRAI Committee is also excited about the laser light show that will entertain that evening in the main beverage garden.  This custom show is sure to delight all. 

Ottumwa has hosted RAGBRAI twice before, the last time during RAGBRAI XXVIII in 2000.

Day 6 – Friday, June 5

We hope for a third straight beautiful day. We look forward to seeing a few riders from Ottumwa and the Spoke Folks bike club. Tune in tomorrow for another report from the Route Inspection Ride!

Related Articles