Misplaced Pages

#213786

91-405: RAGBRAI , short for Register 's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa , is a non-competitive bicycle tour across the U.S. state of Iowa from the western to eastern border. First held in 1973, RAGBRAI is the largest bike-touring event in the world. The 50th ride, RAGBRAI L, took place from July 23-29, 2023, and retraced much of the first year's route. Carroll replaced Fort Dodge and

182-703: A 100-mile plus day instead of the Karras Loop. RAGBRAI XLIII in 2015 was the first to feature an optional gravel loop. The loop was in honor of Steve Hed, the Minnesotan founder of HED Cycling Products and wheel innovator, who had died the previous November. The first gravel loop was part of the second-day ride from Storm Lake to Fort Dodge. Also, the 43rd ride was the first since the initial ride in 1973 to start in Sioux City and end in Davenport. In 2016,

273-461: A Century Loop. While the day's ride might be shorter, a loop was included on the route for cyclists who wanted to ride 100 miles (160 km). This ride went from Council Bluffs to Muscatine , and the optional loop was on the day between Perry and Eldora . The loop was renamed the "Karras Loop" in 2001, in honor of John Karras. On the XXIII ride, the day from Tama - Toledo to Sigourney featured

364-475: A bicycle ride across Iowa; both men were avid cyclists . Karras challenged Kaul to do the ride and write articles about what he experienced. Kaul agreed to do it, but only if Karras also did the ride. Karras then agreed to ride, as well. The newspaper's management approved of the plan. Don Benson, a public-relations director at the Register , was assigned to coordinate the event. Upon the suggestion of Ed Heins,

455-472: A cycling holiday. The authors Roderick Watson and Martin Gray say: Hoopdriver is certainly liberated by his machine. It affords him not only a country holiday, in itself a remarkable event which he enjoys immensely, however ignorant of the countryside he may be, but also a brush with a society girl, riding on pneumatics and wearing some kind of Rational Dress. The book suggests the new social mobility created by

546-405: A dead trail, in this case most bicycle tourers simply backtrack and try another route. Examples of fictional works featuring bicycle tours include: Iowa State Patrol The Iowa State Patrol ( ISP ) is the state patrol organization in the state of Iowa . Currently, there are just over 267 officers in the patrol, roughly 183 troopers short of their authorized strength of 455. The State

637-533: A delightful adventure, despite bad road surfaces, dust and lack of signposts. Husband and wife team Joseph Pennell (illustrator) and Elizabeth Robins Pennell (writer) published travelogues of their journeys framed as literary pilgrimages; they "wheeled" a tandem tricycle from Florence to Rome, attracting more attention than she was comfortable with, as possibly the first female rider that the Italians had ever seen. Journeys grew more adventurous. Thomas Stevens ,

728-552: A fee, charters typically transport riders to and from the ride, secure preferred camping areas, rent and sometimes pitch tents, provide some bicycle repair services, and offer additional evening social activities. Charters are a common option for riders coming from outside Iowa. Team Gourmet, based in Chicago , is a group that currently works RAGBRAI and has done so for more than 20 years. They travel with three chefs, who prepare elaborate meals that are served at 6:00 pm. Membership in

819-472: A few days may cover as little as 200 kilometres (120 mi) and a long tour may go right across a country or around the world. There are many different types of bicycle touring: Cycle touring beyond the range of a day trip may need a bike capable of carrying heavy loads. Although many different bicycles can be used, specialist touring bikes are built to carry appropriate loads and to be ridden more comfortably over long distances. A typical bicycle would have

910-494: A growth of organised cycling holidays provided by commercial organisations in many countries. Some companies provide accommodation and route information to cyclists travelling independently; others focus on a group experience, including guides and support for a large number of riders cycling together. A variation on this is holidays, often in exotic locations, organised in partnership with a charity, in which participants are expected to raise donation as well as cover their costs. Due to

1001-480: A heart attack between Terril and Graettinger , and on Wednesday, July 23, George 'Frank' Brinkerhoff of Sioux City died of natural causes and was found dead in his tent Thursday morning. On Sunday, July 24, 2016, at the 2-mile marker on US Highway 34 near Glenwood, Wayne Ezell, 72, of Jacksonville, Florida, was westbound when a pickup truck driven by Robb Philippus, 34, of Glenwood, hit him from behind about 6:40 am. Ezell, who died from his injuries sustained during

SECTION 10

#1732780043214

1092-528: A later date, that the bicycle had "been responsible for more movement in manners and morals than anything since Charles the Second." The bicycle gained from the outdoor movement of the 1930s. The Cyclists' Touring Club advertised a week's all-in tour, staying at hotels recommended by cyclists, for £3 10s. The youth hostel movement started in Germany and spread abroad, and a cycling holiday staying at hostels in

1183-576: A longer wheelbase for stability and heel clearance, frame fittings for front and rear pannier racks , additional water bottle mounts, frame fittings for front and rear mudguards/fenders, a broader range of gearing to cope with the increased weight, and touring tires which are wider to provide more comfort on backroads. "Ultralight tourers" choose traditional road bicycles or " Audax " or randonneur bicycles for speed and simplicity. However, these bikes are harder to ride on unmade roads, which may limit route options. Since about 2015, gravel bikes are

1274-516: A new option to combine speed and unpaved road capabilities. For some, the advantages of a recumbent bicycle are particularly relevant to touring. To lessen the weight carried on the bicycle, or increase luggage capacity, touring cyclists may use bicycle trailers . For a "supported" rider, luggage carrying is not important and a wider range of bicycle types may be suitable depending on the terrain. There are many navigation apps and websites available for bicycle touring. Sometimes GPS routes lead to

1365-427: A place to relax, and interior bathrooms. Several carry 55-gallon plastic water barrels, which become warm during the day. Attached to a gravity-fed hose, they provide teams with a spartan shower at the end of the day's ride. Teams often conform their clothing or partake in certain gimmicks to add levity to the ride and make team members easily identifiable. This can be as simple as wearing identical cycling jerseys with

1456-456: A reporter to follow them in a coach and pair, reported an "Extraordinary Velocipede Feat." Three riders set off from Liverpool to London, a journey of three days and similar to modern cycle-touring adventures, in March that same year. A newspaper report said: Their bicycles caused no little astonishment on the way, and the remarks passed by the natives were almost amusing. At some of the villages

1547-577: A second ride was scheduled for August 4–10, 1974, before the Iowa State Fair. The 1974 ride, known as the Second Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (or SAGBRAI), was more carefully planned. For example, each morning, the official start time was 7:30 am; however, by Wednesday, the start time was dropped so that riders could depart at any time that was appropriate for the rider. The Iowa State Patrol

1638-569: A short time, the Patrol also had motorcycle officers until the early 1980s due to the neglect, and later, lack of interest of a motorcycle division within the Patrol. The Patrol also uses several small airplanes for use as air traffic patrol, and to locate suspects fleeing on foot, into the wooded areas, and farm fields of rural Iowa. Another symbol of an ISP member's rank is the color of braids they wear on their hat. Trooper III: silver braids Sergeant: silver and black braids Lieutenant: gold braids In

1729-493: A sign reading, OFFICIAL RAGBRAI VENDOR. Perhaps the most famed vendor in RAGBRAI history was Paul Bernhard, who along the day's route at a rural location sold corn on the cob and pork chops that were basted in melted butter and grilled over charcoal. He began selling chops at RAGBRAI in 1985 and retired after the 2008 ride, leaving the vendorship to his son, Matt. In 1996, he sold 2500 chops in his hometown of Bancroft, Iowa , when

1820-556: A single speed bicycle with little more than a revolver and a change of underwear. In 2006, she described how, aged 74, she was held up at gunpoint and robbed while cycling in Russia. Eric Newby , Bettina Selby, and Anne Mustoe have all used cycling as a means to a literary end, valuing the way that cycling brings the traveller closer to people and places. Selby said, In more recent years, British adventurers Alastair Humphreys ( Moods of Future Joys ), Mark Beaumont ( The Man who Cycled

1911-497: A social and support system that adds a noncycling dimension to RAGBRAI. While some of the teams have a well-earned reputation for hard partying and heavy drinking, most are serious bicyclists. Teams often customize old school buses and vans. The team buses serve as transportation to and from the ride, and a combination clubhouse and sleeping quarters during the ride. These buses typically sport enormous custom stereos, roof mounted, rail-equipped platforms, which serve as bicycle racks and

SECTION 20

#1732780043214

2002-493: A sort that scandalised society but made cycling much easier. The Rational Dress Society was founded in 1881 in London. It said: The Rational Dress Society protests... against crinolines or crinolettes of any kind as ugly and deforming... [It] requires all to be dressed healthily, comfortably, and beautifully, to seek what conduces to birth, comfort and beauty in our dress as a duty to ourselves and each other. Both Hoopdriver and

2093-466: A strong south headwind, much heat and humidity, and many hills. The day came to be known as "Saggy Thursday". After the XXV ride, which passed through Lucas County , RAGBRAI in its history had gone through all of Iowa's 99 counties. John Karras retired as co-host after RAGBRAI XXVIII in 2000, which began at Council Bluffs and ended at Burlington . He died November 10th, 2021, and the 2022 ride (XLIX) featured

2184-518: A writer for the San Francisco Chronicle , set off around the world on April 22 1884, on a 50-inch Columbia with a money belt, a revolver, two shirts and a rain cape, spending two years on the road and writing articles which became a two-volume, 1,021-page book. The feminist Annie Londonderry accomplished her around-the-globe bicycle trip as the first woman as early as in 1894–95. John Foster Fraser and two friends set off round

2275-473: Is a black and white documentary film about the 1974 ride. OHP Marketing Services of Webster City, Iowa, converted the 16-mm film to a digital format in 2012, and the digital format was screened in Webster City on Monday July 13, 2015. After the second year, the ride continued to grow in popularity. Michael Gartner, then the editor of the Register , directed John Karras to include the word "Register" in

2366-515: Is among the longest-running clubs in existence, having formed at RAGBRAI III, by creating a fictional celebrity named Sprint. Team Skunk, the second oldest team on RAGBRAI, goes by the motto "Tails Up!" Most members come from the Ames/Des Moines area, but membership has included riders from 20+ states and several foreign countries. RAGBRAI has had nationwide media exposure, and other rides based on RAGBRAI have been started in other areas of

2457-571: Is broken into 16 Districts . Their primary concern is enforcing motor vehicle laws, but they also assist with other incidents. These incidents include riots, prison disturbances, labor related disturbances, and providing security at sporting events. The Iowa State Patrol falls under the jurisdiction of the Iowa Department of Public Safety , which also runs the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, also known as DCI. The State Patrol

2548-545: Is generally regarded as the worst weather day in RAGBRAI history. To commemorate it, the Register marketed a bicycle patch . Beginning with RAGBRAI X, the dates were moved to the last full week in July, starting on Sunday and ending on Saturday. This ride was also the last for Donald Kaul as co-host; he had ridden with John Karras on the first ten rides. Chuck Offenburger, writer of the Register' s "Iowa Boy" column, joined Karras as co-host in 1983. With XIV, RAGBRAI introduced

2639-518: Is now the biggest body campaigning for cycling and cyclists' rights in the UK. It continues to organise group touring events including day rides through its local groups and CTC holidays in many countries led by experienced CTC members. Since 1983, Sustrans has created a National Cycle Network of long-distance cycle routes including back roads and traffic-free tracks built, signed, and mapped in partnership with local organisations. Since 1980, there has been

2730-510: The Ames, Iowa , leg of the trip. In 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, and 2018, he again participated. Ottumwa -born actor/comedian Tom Arnold has ridden a few RAGBRAIs, including XXIV in 1996. Other participants have included three-time Tour de France champ Greg LeMond , columnist Dave Barry , NASCAR drivers Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson , Motocross champion Ryan Dungey , 2004 Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean and former Secretary of

2821-412: The Iowa Department of Transportation , which deemed the sinkhole to be unsafe. The Iowa DNR immediately evacuated the campers at Springbrook. In the spring (March, April, and May) of 2013, according to Harry Hillaker, the state of Iowa climatologist, Iowa had the wettest spring on record. The record precipitation, both rainfall and snowfall, contributed to the formation of the sinkhole. On June 3, 2013,

RAGBRAI - Misplaced Pages Continue

2912-799: The "Mile of Silence", which remembers the riders who have been lost throughout the years, was started. In 2020, RAGBRAI XLVIII was postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The rescheduled ride began on July 25, 2021, in Le Mars and ended July 31 in Clinton . The route stopped in Sac City , Fort Dodge , Iowa Falls , Waterloo , Anamosa , and DeWitt . The planned 2020 route had included overnight stops in Storm Lake and Maquoketa , but were replaced by Sac City and DeWitt , respectively, for

3003-558: The 1930s could be had for £2. Roderick Watson and Martin Gray estimate there were ten million bicycles in Britain to one million cars. A decline set in across Europe, particularly in Britain, when millions of servicemen returned from World War II having learned to drive. Trips away were now, for the increasing number who had one, by car. The decline in the United States came even sooner. McGurn says: The story of interwar cycling

3094-434: The 1973 ride was 83-year-old Clarence Pickard of Indianola . He rode a used ladies Schwinn and wore a long-sleeved shirt, trousers, woolen long underwear , and a silver pith helmet . He said that the underwear blocked out the sun and kept his skin cool. The newspaper received many calls and letters from people who wanted to go on the ride, but were unable to for various reasons. Because of this public response and demand,

3185-477: The 2021 route. Over the first 42 years of the ride (through 2014), 30 deaths of ride participants or volunteers have officially occurred during the week of RAGBRAI because of accidents or injuries suffered on the ride. Although the event began in 1973, the first death did not occur until RAGBRAI XII in 1984. Many of the deaths were due to heart attacks that riders suffered while resting. However, in Sheldon on

3276-717: The Frenchman, Paul de Vivie (b. April 29, 1853), to found what became the Fédération Française de Cyclotourisme, the world's largest cycling association, and to coin the French word cyclo-tourisme . The League of American Wheelmen in the U.S. was founded in Newport, Rhode Island , on May 30, 1880. It shared an interest in leisure cycling with the administration of cycle racing . Membership peaked at 103,000 in 1898. The primary national bicycle-touring organization in

3367-983: The Interior Bruce Babbitt . Colorado governor and Democratic Presidential candidate John Hickenlooper rode in the 2019 ride. Hickenlooper, his spouse and his crew joined Team Skunk in Indianola where he provided a keg of his signature beer while using the shower of the host home. John Karras and Don Kaul, narrated by John Karras (August 1974). Williams, Larry V. (ed.). SAGBRAI, the Second Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (digital from original in 16mm , black and white) (16mm, 27 minutes 54 seconds in length). photographed by Larry V. Williams, production supervisor by Al Rockwell, original music by Mike Weeks' Group, additional photography by Mary Whitehurst: on RAGBRAI website under 2012 videos . Des Moines, Iowa: The Des Moines Register and Tribune with OHP Marketing Services of Webster City, Iowa, for

3458-604: The Iowa State Patrol logo on the sides of the vehicle. In 1998, the Patrol switched to a black and gold color scheme on their vehicles. Blue warning lights began to appear on vehicles beginning in 1999, also. The vehicle color scheme change was not particularly well received, however, with some critics feeling that the new color scheme had turned Patrol cars into moving advertisements for the University of Iowa 's Hawkeye sports teams. The Patrol later switched back to

3549-571: The Middle East, Turkey, western Europe, Scandinavia, then another 100,000 km across Africa, Latin America and Australia. Others attempt long voyages in exceptionally short time periods. The current circumnavigation record by bicycle is 78 days 14 hours, and 40 minutes by Mark Beaumont Noted writers have combined cycling with travel writing including Dervla Murphy , who made her first documented journey in 1963, from London to India, on

3640-466: The RAGBRAI XLI route inspection preride assessed the sinkhole in considering changes to the route through Springbrook and up Mockingbird Hill, the steepest hill on any RAGBRAI route; however, no changes to the RAGBRAI XLI route were made. During RAGBRAI, food and drink are available in campgrounds, churches, and restaurants, and along the route. Vendors who are officially sanctioned are identified by

3731-519: The RAGBRAI organizers took steps to indemnify third parties in the case of such events in the future. On May 31, 2013, a large sinkhole , at least 20 feet (6 m) wide by 5 feet (1.5 m) deep, occurred along Iowa Highway 384 (160th Road in Guthrie County ) under the asphalt at the entrance of Springbrook State Park , which is near the boat ramp at the base of Mockingbird Hill. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) contacted

RAGBRAI - Misplaced Pages Continue

3822-635: The Richmond Road, and a lark on Putney Heath. The freshness of dew was in the air; dew or the relics of an overnight shower glittered on the leaves and grass...He wheeled his machine up Putney Hill, and his heart sang within him. Wells puts Hoopdriver in a new brown cycling suit to show the importance of the venture and the freedom on which he is embarking. Hoopdriver finds the bicycle raises his social standing, at least in his imagination, and he calls to himself as he rides that he's "a bloomin' dook " The New Woman that he pursues wears Rational Dress of

3913-488: The U.S. is now Adventure Cycling Association . Adventure Cycling, then called Bikecentennial , organised a mass ride in 1976 from one side of the country to the other to mark the nation's 200th anniversary. The Bikecentennial route is still in use as the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail. The first cyclists, often aristocratic or rich, flirted with the bicycle and then abandoned it for the new motor car. It

4004-412: The United States, it lasted longer. The expansion from a machine that had to be pushed to propelled through pedals on a front wheel made longer distances feasible. A rider calling himself "A Light Dragoon" told in 1870 or 1871 of a ride from Lewes to Salisbury , across southern England. The title of his book, Wheels and Woes , suggests a less than event-free ride but McGurn says "it seems to have been

4095-501: The World ), and Rob Lilwall ( Cycling Home From Siberia ) have all been on epic bicycle expeditions and written popular books about their exploits. But most bicycle tourists are ordinary people out of the spotlight. One economic implication of bicycling is that it liberates the cyclist from oil consumption. The bicycle is an inexpensive, fast, healthy and environmentally friendly mode of transport. Ivan Illich said that bicycling extends

4186-536: The Young Lady in Grey, as he refers to her, are escaping social restraints through bicycle touring. Hoopdriver falls in love and rescues her from a lover who says marrying him is the only way that she, having left alone for a cycling holiday, can save her reputation. She lowers her social status; he raises his. McGurn says: "The shift in social perspectives, as exemplified by Wells' cyclists, led Galsworthy to claim, at

4277-718: The accident, was a rider participating in RAGBRAI XLIV. Also, in 2016, on the Tuesday of RAGBRAI XLIV, a 60-year-old RAGBRAI rider, Clifton Kahler, had a heart attack while riding along Highway 2 between Creston and Leon and died. In 2023 on RAGBRAI L, a rider in his 50s had a medical emergency while riding his bicycle on the route on Tuesday day 3 of RAGBRAI between Carroll and Ames near the intersection of J Avenue and 270th Street in Boone County at approximately 1:16 p.m. but did not survive after transported in an ambulance from

4368-552: The accident. Throughout the ride, ultralights have flown over riders a few feet above the trees to get good shots of the riders. During 2004's RAGBRAI XXXII, Kirk Ullrich was thrown from his bicycle after contacting a crack in the center of the road and died. Ullrich's widow Betty Jo Ullrich sued Crawford County and settled for $ 350,000. The board of supervisors for Crawford County banned RAGBRAI (and other, similar events) to avoid future liability. As of December 2008, however, Crawford County supervisors voted to rescind this ban after

4459-509: The activity's informal nature. Market research indicates that in 2006 British cyclists spent £120m on 450,000 organised cycling holidays, and a further 2.5 million people included some cycling activity in their annual holiday that year. The total economic benefit to communities visited during the nine-day long Great Victorian Bike Ride was estimated at AU$ 2 million in 2011, which does not include costs paid directly to ride organisers and ongoing benefits to towns. Sustrans estimate that

4550-648: The beginning and end points, the other six serving as overnight stops from Sunday through Friday for the bicyclists. At the beginning of the ride, participants traditionally dip the rear wheels of their bikes in either the Missouri River or the Big Sioux River ; at the end, riders dip their front wheels in the Mississippi River . The ride has passed through all 99 of Iowa's counties in its history. Fourteen different communities have served as

4641-560: The bike, which breaks the boundaries of Hoopdriver's world literally and figuratively. Hoopdriver sets off in a spirit of freedom, finally away from his job: Only those who toil six long days out of the seven, and all the year round, save for one brief glorious fortnight or ten days in the summer time, know the exquisite sensations of the First Holiday Morning. All the dreary, uninteresting routine drops from you suddenly, your chains fall about your feet...There were thrushes in

SECTION 50

#1732780043214

4732-547: The boys clustered round the machines, and, where they could, caught hold of them and ran behind until they were tired out. Many enquiries were made as to the name of 'them queer horses', some called them 'whirligigs', 'menageries' and 'valparaisons'. Between Wolverhampton and Birmingham , attempts were made to upset the riders by throwing stones. Enthusiasm extended to other countries. The New York Times spoke of "quantities of velocipedes flying like shuttles hither and thither". But while British interest had less frenzy than in

4823-502: The change that Iowans felt was needed; the Iowa Highway Patrol became known as the Iowa State Patrol. The change was quickly reflected by the difference in the uniform shoulder patches, and by the wording of the logos on the car doors. In 1936, Oran H. Pape became the first Iowa State Trooper to die in the line of duty, and was the first member of the Patrol to be murdered in the line of duty. Trooper Pape's murder started

4914-632: The country. Bil Gilbert, after riding in SAGBRAI, wrote an enthusiastic report that appeared in Sports Illustrated . After Gilbert's essay, additional writers with Sports Illustrated have mentioned RAGBRAI over the years. In April 1984, Fredric Dannen wrote an article for the Saturday Evening Post . Harry Smith of CBS This Morning rode part of RAGBRAI XXV in 1997 and aired a report. In addition, numerous articles about

5005-443: The country. I pictured thousands of people, a sea of people with their bikes and packs all ready to go, and there would be old men and people with balloon-tire bikes and Frenchmen who flew over just for this. Nobody would shoot a gun off or anything. At 9 o'clock everybody would just start moving. It would be like this crowd of locusts crossing America. The ride eventually ran from Astoria, Oregon , to Yorktown, Virginia , site of

5096-469: The current upstream from the dam. On July 25, 2009, Donald D. Myers from Rolla, Missouri , died of injuries sustained in a crash at the bottom of the hill near Geode Lake dam at Geode State Park . On July 30, 2010, Stephen Briggs of Waverly, Iowa died after his bike clipped the tire of another bike and he was thrown from his bike. After Briggs' death, no more fatalities occurred until 2014, when on Monday, July 21, Tom Teesdale, 62, of West Branch died of

5187-481: The custom of wearing your sidearm on the side opposite of your strong arm. This procedure, called " Cross drawing ," would continue with the Patrol until the early 2000s. In the early days of the Patrol, cars were painted black, with the State Patrol logo on the front doors. In the 1970s, the cars were repainted white, with the logo on the front doors. By the early 1980s, Patrol vehicles had a light tan color with

5278-479: The digital transfer . Retrieved August 25, 2017 . This raw film footage is from SAGBRAI, the Second Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, in August 1974. It was transferred from 16mm film. {{ cite AV media }} : External link in |others= ( help ) Bicycle tour Historian James McGurn speaks of bets being taken in London in the 19th century for riders of hobby-horses – machines pushed by

5369-420: The feet rather than pedaled – outspeeding stagecoaches . "One practitioner beat a four-horse coach to Brighton by half an hour," he says. "There are various accounts of 15 to 17-year-olds draisienne -touring around France in the 1820s. On 17 February 1869 John Mayall, Charles Spencer and Rowley Turner rode from Trafalgar Square , London, to Brighton in 15 hours for 53 miles. The Times , which had sent

5460-501: The first British settlements; 4,100 rode, with 2,000 completing the entire route. It defined a new start for cycle-touring in the United States and led to the creation of Adventure Cycling Association . Adventure Cycling has mapped routes across America and into Canada, many of the rides taking up to three months to complete on a loaded bicycle. In Britain, the Cyclists Touring Club grew to 70,000 members by 2011 and

5551-529: The first night of the 2005 ride, a weather-related fatality occurred as Michael Thomas Burke (a native of Donnellson, Iowa and an industrial engineering graduate from the University of Iowa, who was living in New York City ) died when a storm caused a tree limb to fall on him as he was sleeping in a tent. Only a few deaths resulted from injuries sustained while actually riding on bicycles. The first

SECTION 60

#1732780043214

5642-724: The industrial world. The post-war peace was to lay the bicycle low. However, between 1965 and 1975 the U.S. experienced a bike boom . In 1976, to celebrate the bicentennial of the founding of the United States, Greg Siple, his wife June, and Dan and Lys Burden organized a mass bike ride, Bikecentennial , from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Siple said: My original thought was to send out ads and flyers saying, 'Show up at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco at 9 o'clock on June 1 with your bicycle.' And then we were going to bicycle across

5733-428: The last Saturday of July each year. The earliest possible starting date is July 19, and the latest is July 25. While formerly a lottery was held to select participants, as of 2021 registration is now on a first-come-first-serve basis. Iowa bicycle clubs and charters, as well as teams and groups, many of whom are from out of state, also receive a number of passes for which members apply through those organizations. Despite

5824-632: The managing editor, the writers invited the public to accompany them. The ride was planned to start on Sunday, August 26 in Sioux City and end in Davenport on Friday, August 31. The overnight stops were Storm Lake, Fort Dodge, Ames, Des Moines, and Williamsburg . The Register informed readers of the event and the planned route. The ride was informally referred to as "the Great Six-Day Bicycle Ride". Some 300 cyclists began

5915-403: The much larger town/area of Coralville-Iowa City replaced the small town of Williamsburg . The ride from Ames to Des Moines had over 60,000 riders, the most riders of any stop in the history of the event. Each year's route begins at a community near Iowa's western border and ends at a community near the eastern border, with stops in towns across the state. The ride is one week long and ends on

6006-506: The official limits, unregistered riders have on many days swelled the actual number of riders to well over the registered number count. The length of the entire week's route over RAGBRAI's first 40 years from 1973 through 2012, not including the Century Loop, averaged 467.9 miles (753.0 km); the average daily distance between host communities is 67.1 miles (108.0 km). Eight "host communities" are selected each year, one each for

6097-564: The prior color scheme in 2001; however, the 2007 and newer patrol vehicles have been predominantly colored silver or white. The Patrol has mainly used the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor for a number of years. Prior to Chevrolet eliminating the model, Caprices were used as well quite extensively. Recently the Patrol has begun using the Dodge Charger (LX) Police Pursuit Version as well. For

6188-548: The ride have appeared over the years in The Wall Street Journal . Following RAGBRAI XLVII in August 2019, Lonely Planet listed RAGBRAI as one of the top 50 bicycle rides in both North America and South America combined in the book Epic Bike Rides of the Americas and, in the book, included Dennis Coello's picture of a brightly colored support vehicle with the lyrics to The B-52's song " Love Shack " on

6279-501: The ride in Sioux City; 114 of them rode the entire route. A number of other people rode part of the route. Attendance was light the first year. The ride was announced with only six weeks' notice and it conflicted with both the first week of school and the final weekend of the Iowa State Fair . After the ride was over, Kaul and Karras wrote numerous articles that captured the imaginations of many readers. Among those who completed

6370-433: The ride passed through there. He was called Mr. Pork Chop and was known for his cry of "Pooooork Chooooooooooop!" He died at age 88. Riders come from all over the world, and many ride as clubs or teams. Dozens of organized teams go on the ride. In 2007 and 2008, Lance Armstrong organized a LIVESTRONG team of about 200 riders and participated in RAGBRAI; each rider raised $ 1000 or more towards fighting cancer. Teams create

6461-474: The ride title; thus the RAGBRAI name, with Roman numerals following it, was adopted for RAGBRAI III in 1975 (the 2012 ride was RAGBRAI XL). RAGBRAI V, from Onawa to Lansing , was the shortest in RAGBRAI history at 400 miles (640 km). Until 2014, it also had the fewest feet in vertical hill climbing. Beginning in 1978, RAGBRAI included a 100-mile century ride to offer a greater challenge. The second day of RAGBRAI IX came to be known as "Soggy Monday" and

6552-405: The rise of hospitality exchange services from the nineties on, cycle travelers like other travelers got the means to better organize their stays at local hosts. The hospitality exchange website Warm Showers , which is specialized for cycle travelers started in 2005 and has over 100000 members worldwide today. The scale of bicycle touring and its economic effects are difficult to estimate, given

6643-534: The riverfront city of Dubuque . The ride occurred in the same week as the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon . The high point of the trip for many of the riders was the second overnight stop, where a sign greeted the riders outside of the designated overnight town, Guthrie Center. It read, "Please be kind. You outnumber us two to one." About a half hour in length, SAGBRAI – the Second Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa

6734-404: The scene. A plane carrying a pilot and a young Canadian woman who was making a documentary about the ride crashed during the course of the 2005 RAGBRAI. In this case, the pair suffered minor injuries. Pilot Jim Hill of Manchester, Iowa , and Amy Throop of Ottawa , Canada , were following the route on a plane near Riceville, Iowa , when the plane went down. Both Hill and Throop walked away from

6825-605: The side of the Iowa Falls middle school principal Jeff Burchfield's Team Love Shack RAGBRAI bus of Hardin County, Iowa which supports the group of about 20 riders on Team Love Shack , a RAGBRAI team which was established with about 5 or 6 riders in 2007 for RAGBRAI XXXV but, in 2010 for RAGBRAI XXXVIII, purchased an old school bus as the support vehicle for Team Love Shack and had the bus painted accordingly according to Scott Kosanke of Team Love Shack . Although RAGBRAI XLVIII

6916-674: The starting point, while 12 have hosted the finish. 108 other communities have been overnight hosts during the week of the ride. An event known as the RAGBRAI Route Announcement Party is held the last part of January to release the names of the overnight towns. The route is fleshed out in the following weeks and is announced in the Des Moines Register and on the RAGBRAI website in early March. RAGBRAI began in 1973, when Des Moines Register feature writers John Karras and Donald Kaul decided to go on

7007-796: The team for RAGBRAI and the cuisine included cost around $ 900. Another charter from Chicago is CUBS, which stands for Chicago Urban Bicycling Society, formed in 1996 especially to ride RAGBRAI. Other charters and clubs involved with RAGBRAI XLII in 2014 include: Team Jorts, Bicycle Illinois, Shuttleguy, Brancel Charters, Bubba's Pampered Pedalers, Out of Staters, Pork Belly Ventures, Riverbend Bike Club, Quad Cities Bicycle Club, Lost & Found Adventures, Bike World, Lake Country Cyclist Ankeny, RAGBRAI In Style, Emmetsburg Bike Club, Bikes To You, Bicyclists of Iowa City, Iowa Valley Bicycle Club, North Iowa Touring Club, Melon City Bike Club, Cedar Valley Cyclists, The Pfalcons, Overland Touring Charter, Padre's Cycle Inn, and Ron Oman Charters. The Sprint Selzer Bicycle Club

7098-723: The team logo or various wacky traditions such as purple “troll hair” wigs (Team Spin). Gimmicks include adorning road kill along the route with Mardi Gras beads (Team Road Kill), various drinking games, and a team who carries 5-gallon buckets on their bicycles and challenge riders to “Get on the Bucket” and get tackled off of it by a team member or friend to raise awareness for cancer research (Team Tacklebucket). Many teams also produce logoed team paraphernalia to distribute and trade with other teams (stickers, bracelets, or can koozies being common items). Charters are bicycle clubs and for-profit companies that provide weeklong support for riders. For

7189-462: The total value of cycle tourism in the UK in 1997 was £635m and they forecast £14bn for the whole EU by 2020. Among examples of current activity given by Sustrans are 1.5m cyclists using the 250 kilometres (160 mi) Danube Cycle Route each year and 25% of holiday visitors in Germany using bicycles during their visit. Bicycle touring can be of any distance and time. The French tourist Jacques Sirat speaks in lectures of how he felt proud riding round

7280-434: The usable physical environment for people, while alternatives such as cars and motorways degrade and confined people's environment and mobility. The website crazyguyonabike.com includes thousands of rider-generated journals of cycling tours globally. Distances vary considerably. Depending on fitness, speed and the number of stops, the rider usually covers between 50–150 kilometres (31–93 mi) per day. A short tour over

7371-661: The world for five years – until he met an Australian who had been on the road for 27 years. The German rider, Walter Stolle, lost his home and living in the Sudetenland in the aftermath of World War II, settled in Britain and set off from Essex on 25 January 1959, to cycle round the world. He rode through 159 countries in 18 years, denied only those with sealed borders. He paid his way by giving slide shows in seven languages. He gave 2,500 such shows at US$ 100 each. In 1974, he rode through Nigeria , Dahomey , Upper Volta , Ghana , Leone , Ivory Coast , Liberia and Guinea . He

7462-541: The world on safety bicycles in July 1896. He, Edward Lunn and F. H. Lowe rode 19,237 miles, through 17 countries, in two years and two months. By 1878, recreational cycling was enough established in Britain to lead to formation of the Bicycle Touring Club, later renamed Cyclists' Touring Club . It is the oldest national tourism organisation in the world. Members, like those of other clubs, often rode in uniform. The CTC appointed an official tailor. The uniform

7553-454: Was a dark green Devonshire serge jacket, knickerbockers and a "Stanley helmet with a small peak". The colour changed to grey when green proved impractical because it showed the dirt. Groups often rode with a bugler at their head to sound changes of direction or to bring the group to a halt. Confusion could be caused when groups met and mistook each other's signals. Membership of the CTC inspired

7644-416: Was characterised by lack of interest and a steady decline... Cycling had lost out to the automobile, and to some extent to the new electric transport systems. In the 1930s cumbersome, fat-tyred 'balloon bombers', bulbously streamlined in imitation of motorcycles or aeroplanes, appealed to American children: the only mass market still open to cycle manufacturers. Wartime austerity gave cycling a short reprieve in

7735-566: Was created in 1935 (as the Iowa Highway Safety Patrol), after an act creating the Patrol was passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor. Initially the patrol was composed of 50 men. Later that same year, the word Safety was dropped from the name, and the unit became known simply as the Iowa Highway Patrol. In 1972, the word "Patrolman" was replaced with "Trooper", and in 1975, the name had changed again to reflect

7826-604: Was in 1987, when 19-year-old John Boyle of Rockwell City fell under the wheels of a flatbed trailer. On Monday, July 30, 2007, at 12:52 pm, a Waterloo man, who was rescued from the Wapsipinicon River in Independence, subsequently died; 62-year-old Rich Droste had been participating in RAGBRAI, which made an overnight stop in Independence on Thursday. Droste was swimming in the Wapsi when he apparently got caught in

7917-533: Was involved for the first time to control traffic and assure safety, and arrangements were made to have medical services available for riders. For the first time, the route was driven in advance for inspection purposes. The start of the ride was in Council Bluffs, had overnight stops in Atlantic , Guthrie Center , Camp Dodge (near Des Moines), Marshalltown , Waterloo , and Monticello , and finished in

8008-602: Was postponed from 2020 until 2021 because of the Coronavirus pandemic, news media covered Team Love Shack of Hardin County and especially the Eldora, Iowa area participating in an unofficial ride along the XLVIII route during July 2020. Also in August 2019, CNN featured a travel story "RAGBRAI: A newbie's guide to cycling across Iowa" by Christi Scott. A documentary was made for the 50th ride in 2023 entitled "Shift". The film

8099-557: Was robbed 231 times, wore out six bicycles and had five more stolen. Heinz Stücke left his job as a die-maker in North Rhine-Westphalia in 1962 when he was 22 — three years after Stolle and is still riding. By 2006 he had cycled more than 539,000 km (335,000 mi) and visited 192 countries. He pays his way by selling photographs to magazines. From Asia, Gua Dahao left China in May 1999 to ride across Siberia,

8190-710: Was showcased across Iowa and was also broadcast on Iowa PBS . Ben Davidson , former professional football star player mainly with the Oakland Raiders , rode on RAGBRAI for several years, beginning in 1987. Lance Armstrong rode the Wednesday and Thursday stages in 2006, speaking to a large throng of the riders in Newton. He then completed most of the 2007 ride before leaving a couple of days early to support Team Discovery 's Alberto Contador and his Tour de France victory. In 2008, Armstrong also made an appearance on

8281-571: Was the lower middle class which profited from cycling and the liberation that it brought. The Cyclist of 13 August 1892 said: "The two sections of the community which form the majority of 'wheelmen' are the great clerk class and the great shop assistant class." H. G. Wells described this aspirant class liberated through cycling. Three of his heroes – in The History of Mr Polly , Kipps and The Wheels of Chance – buy bicycles. The first two work in drapery shops. The third, Hoopdriver, goes on

#213786