RAGBRAI
ragbrai short register annual great bicycle ride across iowa noncompetitive bicycle tour across u state iowa western eastern border first held ragbrai largest biketouring event world th ride ragbrai l took place july retraced much first year route carroll replaced fort dodge much larger townarea coralvilleiowa city replaced small town williamsburg ride ames de moines rider rider stop history event year route begin community near iowa western border end community near eastern border stop town across state ride one week long end last saturday july year earliest possible starting date july latest july formerly lottery held select participant registration firstcomefirstserve basis iowa bicycle club charter well team group many state also receive number pass member apply organization despite official limit unregistered rider many day swelled actual number rider well registered number count length entire week route ragbrais first year including century loop averaged mile km average daily distance host community mile km eight host community selected year one beginning end point six serving overnight stop sunday friday bicyclist beginning ride participant traditionally dip rear wheel bike either missouri river big sioux river end rider dip front wheel mississippi river ride passed iowa county history fourteen different community served starting point hosted finish community overnight host week ride event known ragbrai route announcement party held last part january release name overnight town route fleshed following week announced de moines register ragbrai website early march ragbrai began de moines register feature writer john karras donald kaul decided go bicycle ride across iowa men avid cyclist karras challenged kaul ride write article experienced kaul agreed karras also ride karras agreed ride well newspaper management approved plan benson publicrelations director register assigned coordinate event upon suggestion ed heins managing editor writer invited public accompany ride planned start sunday august sioux city end davenport friday august overnight stop storm lake fort dodge ames de moines williamsburg register informed reader event planned route ride informally referred great sixday bicycle ride cyclist began ride sioux city rode entire route number people rode part route attendance light first year ride announced six week notice conflicted first week school final weekend iowa state fair ride kaul karras wrote numerous article captured imagination many reader among completed ride yearold clarence pickard indianola rode used lady schwinn wore longsleeved shirt trouser woolen long underwear silver pith helmet said underwear blocked sun kept skin cool newspaper received many call letter people wanted go ride unable various reason public response demand second ride scheduled august – iowa state fair ride known second annual great bicycle ride across iowa sagbrai carefully planned example morning official start time however wednesday start time dropped rider could depart time appropriate rider iowa state patrol involved first time control traffic assure safety arrangement made medical service available rider first time route driven advance inspection purpose start ride council bluff overnight stop atlantic guthrie center camp dodge near de moines marshalltown waterloo monticello finished riverfront city dubuque ride occurred week resignation president richard nixon high point trip many rider second overnight stop sign greeted rider outside designated overnight town guthrie center read please kind outnumber u two one half hour length sagbrai – second annual great bike ride across iowa black white documentary film ride ohp marketing service webster city iowa converted mm film digital format digital format screened webster city monday july second year ride continued grow popularity michael gartner editor register directed john karras include word register ride title thus ragbrai name roman numeral following adopted ragbrai iii ride ragbrai xl ragbrai v onawa lansing shortest ragbrai history mile km also fewest foot vertical hill climbing beginning ragbrai included mile century ride offer greater challenge second day ragbrai ix came known soggy monday generally regarded worst weather day ragbrai history commemorate register marketed bicycle patch beginning ragbrai x date moved last full week july starting sunday ending saturday ride also last donald kaul cohost ridden john karras first ten ride chuck offenburger writer register iowa boy column joined karras cohost xiv ragbrai introduced century loop day ride might shorter loop included route cyclist wanted ride mile km ride went council bluff muscatine optional loop day perry eldora loop renamed karras loop honor john karras xxiii ride day tamatoledo sigourney featured strong south headwind much heat humidity many hill day came known saggy thursday xxv ride passed lucas county ragbrai history gone iowa county john karras retired cohost ragbrai xxviii began council bluff ended burlington died november th ride xlix featured mile plus day instead karras loop ragbrai xliii first feature optional gravel loop loop honor steve hed minnesotan founder hed cycling product wheel innovator died previous november first gravel loop part secondday ride storm lake fort dodge also rd ride first since initial ride start sioux city end davenport mile silence remembers rider lost throughout year started ragbrai xlviii postponed year due covid pandemic rescheduled ride began july le mar ended july clinton route stopped sac city fort dodge iowa fall waterloo anamosa dewitt planned route included overnight stop storm lake maquoketa replaced sac city dewitt respectively route first year ride death ride participant volunteer officially occurred week ragbrai accident injury suffered ride although event began first death occur ragbrai xii many death due heart attack rider suffered resting however sheldon first night ride weatherrelated fatality occurred michael thomas burke native donnellson iowa industrial engineering graduate university iowa living new york city died storm caused tree limb fall sleeping tent death resulted injury sustained actually riding bicycle first yearold john boyle rockwell city fell wheel flatbed trailer monday july pm waterloo man rescued wapsipinicon river independence subsequently died yearold rich droste participating ragbrai made overnight stop independence thursday droste swimming wapsi apparently got caught current upstream dam july donald myers rolla missouri died injury sustained crash bottom hill near geode lake dam geode state park july stephen briggs waverly iowa died bike clipped tire another bike thrown bike briggs death fatality occurred monday july tom teesdale west branch died heart attack terril graettinger wednesday july george frank brinkerhoff sioux city died natural cause found dead tent thursday morning sunday july mile marker u highway near glenwood wayne ezell jacksonville florida westbound pickup truck driven robb philippus glenwood hit behind ezell died injury sustained accident rider participating ragbrai xliv also tuesday ragbrai xliv yearold ragbrai rider clifton kahler heart attack riding along highway creston leon died ragbrai l rider medical emergency riding bicycle route tuesday day ragbrai carroll ames near intersection j avenue th street boone county approximately pm survive transported ambulance scene plane carrying pilot young canadian woman making documentary ride crashed course ragbrai case pair suffered minor injury pilot jim hill manchester iowa amy throop ottawa canada following route plane near riceville iowa plane went hill throop walked away accident throughout ride ultralights flown rider foot tree get good shot rider ragbrai xxxii kirk ullrich thrown bicycle contacting crack center road died ullrichs widow betty jo ullrich sued crawford county settled board supervisor crawford county banned ragbrai similar event avoid future liability december however crawford county supervisor voted rescind ban ragbrai organizer took step indemnify third party case event future may large sinkhole least foot wide foot deep occurred along iowa highway th road guthrie county asphalt entrance springbrook state park near boat ramp base mockingbird hill iowa department natural resource dnr contacted iowa department transportation deemed sinkhole unsafe iowa dnr immediately evacuated camper springbrook spring march april may according harry hillaker state iowa climatologist iowa wettest spring record record precipitation rainfall snowfall contributed formation sinkhole june ragbrai xli route inspection preride assessed sinkhole considering change route springbrook mockingbird hill steepest hill ragbrai route however change ragbrai xli route made ragbrai food drink available campground church restaurant along route vendor officially sanctioned identified sign reading official ragbrai vendor perhaps famed vendor ragbrai history paul bernhard along day route rural location sold corn cob pork chop basted melted butter grilled charcoal began selling chop ragbrai retired ride leaving vendorship son matt sold chop hometown bancroft iowa ride passed called mr pork chop known cry pooooork chooooooooooop died age rider come world many ride club team dozen organized team go ride lance armstrong organized livestrong team rider participated ragbrai rider raised towards fighting cancer team create social support system add noncycling dimension ragbrai team wellearned reputation hard partying heavy drinking serious bicyclist team often customize old school bus van team bus serve transportation ride combination clubhouse sleeping quarter ride bus typically sport enormous custom stereo roof mounted railequipped platform serve bicycle rack place relax interior bathroom several carry gallon plastic water barrel become warm day attached gravityfed hose provide team spartan shower end day ride team often conform clothing partake certain gimmick add levity ride make team member easily identifiable simple wearing identical cycling jersey team logo various wacky tradition purple “troll hair” wig team spin gimmick include adorning road kill along route mardi gras bead team road kill various drinking game team carry gallon bucket bicycle challenge rider “get bucket” get tackled team member friend raise awareness cancer research team tacklebucket many team also produce logoed team paraphernalia distribute trade team sticker bracelet koozies common item charter bicycle club forprofit company provide weeklong support rider fee charter typically transport rider ride secure preferred camping area rent sometimes pitch tent provide bicycle repair service offer additional evening social activity charter common option rider coming outside iowa team gourmet based chicago group currently work ragbrai done year travel three chef prepare elaborate meal served pm membership team ragbrai cuisine included cost around another charter chicago cub stand chicago urban bicycling society formed especially ride ragbrai charter club involved ragbrai xlii include team jorts bicycle illinois shuttleguy brancel charter bubbas pampered pedaler stater pork belly venture riverbend bike club quad city bicycle club lost found adventure bike world lake country cyclist ankeny ragbrai style emmetsburg bike club bike bicyclist iowa city iowa valley bicycle club north iowa touring club melon city bike club cedar valley cyclist pfalcons overland touring charter padre cycle inn ron oman charter sprint selzer bicycle club among longestrunning club existence formed ragbrai iii creating fictional celebrity named sprint team skunk second oldest team ragbrai go motto tail member come amesdes moines area membership included rider state several foreign country ragbrai nationwide medium exposure ride based ragbrai started area country bil gilbert riding sagbrai wrote enthusiastic report appeared sport illustrated gilbert essay additional writer sport illustrated mentioned ragbrai year april fredric dannen wrote article saturday evening post harry smith cbs morning rode part ragbrai xxv aired report addition numerous article ride appeared year wall street journal following ragbrai xlvii august lonely planet listed ragbrai one top bicycle ride north america south america combined book epic bike ride america book included dennis coellos picture brightly colored support vehicle lyric b song love shack side iowa fall middle school principal jeff burchfields team love shack ragbrai bus hardin county iowa support group rider team love shack ragbrai team established rider ragbrai xxxv ragbrai xxxviii purchased old school bus support vehicle team love shack bus painted accordingly according scott kosanke team love shack although ragbrai xlviii postponed coronavirus pandemic news medium covered team love shack hardin county especially eldora iowa area participating unofficial ride along xlviii route july also august cnn featured travel story ragbrai newbie guide cycling across iowa christi scott documentary made th ride entitled shift film showcased across iowa also broadcast iowa pb ben davidson former professional football star player mainly oakland raider rode ragbrai several year beginning lance armstrong rode wednesday thursday stage speaking large throng rider newton completed ride leaving couple day early support team discovery alberto contador tour de france victory armstrong also made appearance ames iowa leg trip participated ottumwaborn actorcomedian tom arnold ridden ragbrais including xxiv participant included threetime tour de france champ greg lemond columnist dave barry nascar driver matt kenseth jimmie johnson motocross champion ryan dungey democratic presidential candidate howard dean former secretary interior bruce babbitt colorado governor democratic presidential candidate john hickenlooper rode ride hickenlooper spouse crew joined team skunk indianola provided keg signature beer using shower host home challenge riding list ragbrai overnight stop tour scioto river valley tosrv large two day bicycle tour started official website