RAGBRAI | The Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa - in our area

72º here in Clarinda, IA at 9:00 am on Tuesday  -- Cooler than last week.

The Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa
came across the southern part of Iowa this year.  This is the 44th year (XLIV) that more than 10,000 bike riders have ridden from the Missouri river on the west to the Mississippi river on the east.

 These photos were taken about 8:15 am on Monday morning near the POE Booth the Clarinda clubs set up to serve pie, rolls, water, gator aid at the Bethesda Lutheran Church on County Road J20 and then they turned north on County Road M63..

 We set our trailer up Sunday afternoon beside a low-boy trailer that had the water on.  We stayed overnight and the first cyclist came by just after 5:00 am -- in the dark.  Steady stream started by 6:00 am.

My photos of RAGBRAI weekend - CLICK HERE

This year the ride started at Glenwood so many came there on Saturday for the start of the ride on Sunday.  The first over-night was in Shenandoah, just 17 miles west of us and their route after leaving Shenandoah on Monday morning took them north and east through Essex, IA and then east to Bethesda (which is only a church now - back in the 1940's and 1950's it was actually a town) before turning north and east again to go 

through Villisca and end up in Creston, IA last night.

After setting up our trailer and all the help left Sunday evening, we drove to Shenandoah and walked a bit around the streets that were all closed to anything but foot traffic.

Page County Cattlemen were grilling

 and serving beef sandwiches.

Group picture was taken just before they closed down.  There were probably 3 times the number who were helping at various times.

Had steady line up to the single Porta Potty on site, and many of the men used the trees out back.  The thing was full well before the crowds got through.

 During much of the time there were lines waiting to get pies.

All the pies were sold by 9 am and then just some pop and Gatorade and water.

The crowd really slowed down by about noon and they finally pulled things up shortly after.

 Waiting for our friends Dick and Deanne Messer from northern Minnesota to arrive in the motorhome for a few days visit until Friday when we will move to State Park south of Indianola to attend the Balloon Festival.

Later, Lynn