116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
RAGBRAI director: Iowa bike event grows every year
GLENWOOD, Iowa (AP) - The director of an annual bicycling event across Iowa says the event's popularity grows each year.
The Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, or RAGBRAI, kicked off its 39th year on Sunday. Bikers left Glenwood on a 454-mile trek that ends Saturday in Davenport.
Director T.J. Juskiewicz told the Iowa City Press-Citizen that the event isn't advertised but word-of-mouth has increased RAGBRAI's visibility outside Iowa. He says a recent survey found 60 percent of riders now come from outside the state.
Biking enthusiasts say the event has also made the sport more popular among Iowans.
Iowa Bicycle Coalition director Mark Wyatt says RAGBRAI can be a gateway for new bikers. He says they realize how fun biking is and get hooked.
Coralville, Iowa will welcome RAGBRAI riders July 29, 2011
Daily Newsletters