RAGBRAI riders roll into Coralville

CORALVILLE – A community that bleeds black and gold welcomed some cardinal red– and purple, blue and other colors – on Friday.

Just don't tell anyone it was a little forced.

“We instructed them that they have to welcome Iowa State, as well as everyone else,” Coralville Mayor Jim Fausett said with a smile.

He was speaking, a bit tongue in cheek, of local organizers for RAGBRAI, the weeklong bicycle ride across Iowa. Coralville was RAGBRAI's final overnight stop, with the event concluding in Davenport Saturday, and more than 10,000 cyclists were expected in town after making the 75-mile ride from Grinnell.

Coralville hosted the first college spirit day in RAGBRAI's 39 years. That means the cardinal and gold of Iowa State University was found in greater abundance than is typical in a metro area home to the Iowa Hawkeyes. Same for the school colors of the University of Northern Iowa, Drake University and other institutions.

Riders were encouraged to wear school-themed jerseys and other gear, and many did.

Sarah Dorman, a 32-year-old from Carroll in west-central Iowa, sported a red Titleist hat with an Iowa State logo. She joked with someone that she should probably take it off, but it stayed put.

“It will be OK. I'm not scared,” she said.

Dave Breckenfelder showed Hawkeye pride with a black and gold Iowa cycling jersey. The 61-year-old lives in Oconomowoc, Wis., but grew up in Muscatine and graduated from the University of Iowa. Coralville is Hawkeye country, but there were no rivalries Friday, he said.

“Everybody's friendly,” he said. “It's the Iowa people that make it so much fun.”

Coralville RAGBRAI organizers had some fun and adopted the theme “Coralville U. Tailgate tested. Tailgate approved.” They followed Fausett's order with things like signs representing other schools, although there was a tiger hawk symbol on each one.

S.T. Morrison Park and the surrounding area in the heart of town served as RAGBRAI headquarters. Riders entered the park on Eighth Street by crossing under two arches of a structure resembling the brick facade of Kinnick Stadium, home of the Iowa football team. A Herky the Hawk statue was at the entrance.

A 30-yard portion of Eighth Street was painted green with yard and hash marks to resemble a football field, plus black and gold end zones that said “Coralville” and “Hawkeyes.” Bleachers sat along the sidelines and people cheered riders, pom-poms in hand.

Riders started arriving at 9 a.m., but those were the ones who got up early and skipped the food, beverages and sights of the pass through towns between Grinnell and Coralville.

“I'd hurl if I stopped and ate a pork chop in the morning,” said Richard Varn, 53, who lives in Des Moines and grew up in Solon.

Support crews hauling supplies and camping gear also got into town early. Jerry and Kathy Carstens of Independence rode RAGBRAI for years until switching three years ago to organizing the Marion/Cedar Rapids Road Hogs. The team has 84 members this year from across the nation.

They said hauling water, setting up camp and other duties wear them out more than riding did. But they still enjoy RAGBRAI.

“We take a licking and keep on ticking,” said Jerry, 71.

Counting riders, support crews and area residents who came for the festivities, more than 20,000 RAGBRAI-related visitors were expected in Coralville Friday, which would surpass Coralville's population of 19,000.

Organizers had been planning since February, said Laurie Haman, vice president of the Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.  About 500 volunteers signed up and 200 homes are hosting riders.

All 32 Coralville police officers were on duty, Chief Barry Bedford said. Six reserve sheriff's deputies and two Iowa State Patrol troopers were to help at night, plus area law enforcement officers monitoring intersections on the RAGBRAI route Friday and Saturday.

In three previous Coralville RAGBRAI stops, the last being in 2006, no one associated with RAGBRAI was arrested, Bedford said, just a few locals.

Activities included a concert headlined by 38 Special, a rock band known for hits like “Hold on Loosely” and “Caught up in You” in the 1980s. Also available were a beer garden, the city's aquatics center, kids' activities and free movies inside Northwest Junior High School.

Nearly 40 vendors operated in S.T. Morrison Park, selling clothing, providing massages and cooking pizza, grilled items, sandwiches and even Mexican food.

Jerry Sweeting of Jerry and Margie's Catering in Riverside brought 1,100 bratwursts, rib-eye sandwiches, hamburgers and hotdogs. He hoped to sell 1,000 of them but said having fun was another reason he came.

“It's just enjoyable to see everybody's get ups and what they wear,” he said.