Each month we will publish ten tips to help you prepare for RAGBRAI LII. May is Bike Month and what better way to celebrate than to get out and bike. It’s time to get serious about your RAGBRAI training. Complete our Top 10 Tips and ensure you’re on route to ride RAGBRAI LII.
Here are our Top 10 Tips to Prepare for RAGBRAI LII in May:
1. Catch the Latest from our Overnight – and Pass Through – Towns!
Our Route page is a one stop shop where you can find all things Overnight, Pass Through, and Meeting Town! You can also find route maps, housing request forms, entertainment listings, and more! Updated frequently so you’re always in the loop.
2. Registered? Double check your address in EnMotive.
Wristband packets will start shipping soon! Be sure your mailing address in EnMotive is current. Have questions or need instructions on how to update your info? Email [email protected].
3. Plan your Trip with our Logistics Page
Long Term Parking for both Orange City and Guttenberg is now live! You can also find information about Charters, shuttle services, long term parking, car shipping services, bike shipping and rental, lodging, and more, all on our Logistics page!
4. Attend our May Town Hall Meeting
The April Town Hall covered the full RAGBRAI LII Route Announcement. It was a great rundown of the 2025 RAGBRAI towns, for new and returning riders alike.
The May Town Hall will be TONIGHT May 1. This month we’re diving into more RAGBRAI info for you! We’ll share more about the impact of our RAGBRAI initiatives, how you play a role, and more info to prepare for this year’s ride.
We hold Town Halls each month through July, with a variety of topics. Registration is free. It’s not required to attend, but it is required if you want to ask questions.
5. Sign up for the RAGBRAI Merchandise Newsletter
Next up in our RAGBRAI Top Ten Tips for May, sign up for the RAGBRAI Merchandise Newsletter. From hats, to jerseys, to stickers, and shorts, get the latest on our merchandise releases and upcoming sales!
6. Support Honor Flight
Help us reach our goal of donating $50,000 to the Honor Flight Hubs in Iowa. We are 60% of the way there! Thank you to everyone who has generously made a donation so far.
Honor Flight provides veterans a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to visit monuments and memorials built in their honor for the sacrifice and service they made for our freedom.
Please consider donating during your RAGBRAI registration, or directly.
7. Learn More about the RAGBRAI LII Full Route
The JustGoBike Podcast has released two episodes featuring RAGBRAI Director Matt Phippen, detailing the RAGBRAI LII Route. Matt dives into mileage, elevation and talks a bit about each of the towns we will be visiting on the RAGBRAI route. He also talks a bit about how riders will navigate dipping their tires in the Missouri River and also the big news….we are pedaling into Minnesota this year!
Full Route Deep Dive Part 1
Full Route Deep Dive Part 2
8. Ramp Up Your Training!
This might just be your most important “RAGBRAI top ten tip” for May. As the legendary Freddie Mercury said, it’s time to get on your bikes and ride. In Coach David Ertl’s latest blog post, he encourages us to ramp up our training rides. If you’re ramping up from no training at all, it might be a good idea to reference Coach Ertl’s Training Plan to see where you need to work up to. Or check out coach Erin Oliphant’s blog entry with some great workouts to get ready for RAGBRAI.
9. Enjoy a Community Group Ride
Mix things up by joining a group ride in your community! You could meet fellow bike enthusiasts, log some training miles, and support a great cause. If you live in Iowa, a great resource for finding rides in your area is BikeIowa.com. You can find more on the Des Moines Mayor’s Annual Ride here.
10. Apply for Overnight Town Host Housing (if you want!)
Hosts in each Overnight Town will open their homes to riders. This can be a great way to get to know community members, take a hot shower, and possibly snag a little air conditioning. Host housing can be requested as towns prepare the request forms. Host housing isn’t guaranteed due to demand, so having a backup plan is always recommended!
You can find links to each Overnight Town’s host housing applications on our Route page.
When you’re applying for housing, it will ask you for a wristband or confirmation number. Use the confirmation number listed on your registration in EnMotive. Wristband numbers will not be issued until a few weeks before the ride.
Thank you fo reading our RAGBRAI Top Ten Tips for May! We’ll post pointers here on the RAGBRAI Blog each month to help you get ready for RAGBRAI.
Bonus Tip:
Register for RAGBRAI before online registration closes June 11!
