Riding the RAGBRAI: a fun way to explore the state by bike!

RAGBRAI stands for Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, and it’s a noncompetitive ride that brings riders from all across the US and from other countries. They ride from a town on the western border of Iowa to one on its eastern border, making stops in various towns across the state. The ride is limited to 8500 duration riders and 1,500 day-long riders.

The route is about 472 miles long, and eight different stops are chosen each year, with the average distance between stops being about 70 miles. At the ride’s beginning, riders dip their rear tires in either the Big Sioux or the Missouri river, and in the end, they dip their front tires in the Mississippi River. The RAGBRAI brings riders from all over the world; many ride as part of a team or a club. There are dozens of organized teams, each with its own style and personality.

The teams of RAGBRAI are part of the overall experience. Some have a reputation for excessive drinking and debauchery, but most take the bicycling component seriously. The teams create a support/social system outside of the ride itself; their buses are their clubhouse/sleeping quarters during the week-long ride. If you like to ride long distances and make new friends, why not give RAGBRAI a try?