In Which We Could Tour Iowa’s City Life

I know some of the ideas are a bit unlikely, but I still like the quaint theme I’m going to suggest for RAGBRAI this year: Iowa’s City Life. RAGBRAI, The Register’s annual bicycle ride that crosses Iowa, is a celebration of small-town America, at its heart. But a lot of us Iowans live in urban areas. And I think this could make for a fun RAGBRAI theme—to see as many of Iowa’s largest cities as possible. So here is my plan:

         
I was hoping to get all of Iowa’s largest cities in, but couldn’t figure out how to get Sioux City and Waterloo into a route that included Ames, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and Davenport.

Plus, while I’m sure it’s unlikely (the idea would have occurred and been rejected years ago for logistical reasons), actually starting on the Omaha side of the Missouri River in Carter Lake, Iowa, would just be cool (and convenient for all the West Coast riders flying into the Omaha Airport). Getting across the Missouri River would, of course, be the problem and would require a lot of cooperation by Nebraska, but it would be cool.

If not that, of course, Council Bluffs could be the start.

2018 Logo from RAGBRAI.com.

We’re due for a middle route anyway, and somehow I like the idea of making Des Moines a “super lunch” rather than overnight stop (and it made it easier to fit other cities in). In the years I’ve done RAGBRAI, we haven’t had an overnight in Ames yet, and I think the Iowa State Center would make a great campground.

If the route is like this, memo to Cedar Rapids: Don’t divide the riders between too many campground and don’t bend over backwards to have a fancy show downtown. Let the riders all sleep at Noelridge Park—and if you plan well, there would be relatively easy bike routes to the amphitheater for the Tessa Violet concert.

Just saying. You had needlessly complex plans last time RAGBRAI came to town—behave a bit more like what you really are, a small overgrown Iowa town, and less like a place with city pretentions, and you’ll do better.

I say this as a supportive CR Biker. Keep it simple.

Anyway, please don’t copy my city list in the annual “guess the route” contest. I don’t do well in those contests anyway, so it would not be a good move on your part!