116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Uff-da! RAGBRAI briefly crosses border to Minnesota this year
Pass-through and meetup towns released for the annual cross-state bike ride
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For the first time since the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa began over 50 years ago, the ride will veer out of state — taking it 15 miles into Minnesota on its second day this summer.
The ride, which started in 1973 and attracts thousands of cyclists from across the world, is from July 19-26 this year, beginning in Orange City and ending in Guttenberg. Its northern Iowa route is about 406 miles with 10,487 feet of climb — its second-shortest and sixth-flattest route ever, organizers said.
In January, RAGBRAI organizers announced the ride’s overnight stops. Thursday, they released the pass-though towns and meetup cities along the way.
Day 3 also will be the Karras Century Loop, named for ride cofounder John Karras, which provides an option for riders to bike for 100 miles that day and earn a patch.
The details:
Day 1: Orange City to Milford
- Pass-through towns: Granville, Primghar, May City
- Meetup town: Hartley
- Mileage: 71.8
- Elevation: 1,520 ft
Day 2: Milford to Estherville
- Pass-through towns: Wahpeton, Brown Park (Minn), Superior
- Meetup town: None
- Mileage: 41.2 miles
- Elevation: 1,103 ft
Day 3: Estherville to Forest City
- Pass-through towns: Armstrong, Swea City, Titonka, Woden, Crystal Lake
- Meetup town: Bancroft
- Mileage: 73.9 miles (and optional century loop)
- Elevation: 1,338 ft
Day 4: Forest City to Iowa Falls
- Pass-through towns: Ventura, Meservey, Alexander, Coulter
- Meetup town: Latimer
- Mileage: 69.8 miles
- Elevation: 1,420 ft
Day 5: Iowa Falls to Cedar Falls
- Pass-through towns: Ackley, Aplington, New Hartford
- Meetup town: Parkersburg
- Mileage: 50 miles
- Elevation: 1,270 ft
Day 6: Cedar Falls to Oelwein
- Pass-through towns: Dunkerton, Fairbanks
- Meetup town: None
- Mileage: 38.4 miles
- Elevation: 1,147 ft
Day 7: Oelwein to Guttenberg
- Pass-through towns: Stanley, Aurora, Lamont, Dundee, Garber
- Meetup town: Edgewood
- Mileage: 61.6 miles
- Elevation: 2,340 ft
The current registration fee for a weeklong rider is $300 until April 30, when the price increases. Fees for daily riders are $60 per day. To register and for other information, see ragbrai.com.
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