RAGBRAI’s overnight stops for 2011 announced
RAGBRAI route set
To some, RAGBRAI is something those other people do. It makes little sense as to why someone would want to ride their bicycle across Iowa. It’s summertime in Iowa, so it’s hot, humid and typically there are a good share of hills to climb. But for many of Iowa’s communities, the opportunity to host an overnight stop for the tens of thousands of people is an economic boost for them. How did all of this happen, where did it start, and why all the attention?
Some history on RABRAI in Iowa, and how it has come to be such a large part of the summer for us.
RAGBRAI started in the summer of 1973 when Des Moines Register feature writer/copy editor John Karras and Don Kaul,another writer for The Des Moines Register, developed an idea. Karras suggested that Kaul ride his bicycle across Iowa and write about his experiences and what he found in doing so. Kaul did like the idea, but issued the challenge to Karras to ride along with him. The plan was approved by the Register’s public relations coordinator Don Benson, and the writers invited the public to join them. Several hundred people took them up on the offer, and RAGBRAI was born.
Since those early days, the ride has grown to encompass riders from all 50 states and many foreign nations. Tens of thousands of riders, and their support people, trek the towns and roads that are Iowa.
This years ride will have riders starting in Glenwood on Sunday, July 24 and riding to Atlantic, for a distance of 64.2 miles the first day. The second day the riders take off and ride to Caroll on Monday, July 25, for a distance of 65.4 miles. Day three, Tuesday, July 26, has the riders moving on to Boone with a distance of 70.9 miles. Wednesday, July 27, day 4, the riders take off from Boone and ride to Altoona, riding a distance of 56.1 miles for that day. Thursday, July 28 starts day 5 with the riders cycling to Grinnell for their overnight visit after a days total of 57.5 miles. Leaving Grinnell the morning of day 6, Friday, July 29, the riders continue to head East and stay over in Coralville, having put an end to their longest day of 75.3 miles. For the 7th and final day on Saturday, July 30th, the riders head towards Davenport to finish their week-long adventure with a 64.8 mile ride.
You can learn much more about RAGBRAI along with it’s history and events by visiting their site HERE.
