Last week I biked across Iowa. It took over 430 miles, nearly 15,000 feet of climb, a new tire, good company, and lots of coffee to get from Council Bluffs to Keokuk in seven days. This is the second year in a row that I participated in the full week of RAGBRAI, and despite the sunburn, bug bites, and well… sitting on a bike seat for too long, I don’t regret a minute of it.

The Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa was born in 1973 when John Karras and Don Kaul essentially challenged each other to ride across the state of Iowa. Both writers and riders, the two men embarked on their journey in coordination with the Des Moines Register to not only accomplish this great feat but write about what they saw along the way. The Register’s readers were invited along and 114 were said to have made the entire ride from Sioux City to Davenport. The ride has evolved since then and the number of participants has swelled to an average of 20,000 each day of the route. It has become the longest, largest, and oldest recreational bike ride in the world.

The original ride involved Karras, a resident of Iowa and writer for the Des Moines Register, and Kaul, a writer from the Register’s Washington D.C. bureau who penned the “Over the Coffee” column. Now, 47 years later, many Iowans are joined by people all over the world to explore the scenery and small towns of our state. Meanwhile, the towns that are chosen for each year’s route benefit from an influx of cash from the thousands of people who travel through.

I’ve seen most aspects of Iowa growing up, but touring the state on a bicycle is a unique way to experience it. We rode through the heartland of America but it felt like we were transported to a new world. From the creative team names to silly outfits, the atmosphere of the event is one of fun and community. RAGBRAI brings all kinds of people together in one big, unapologetic and happy ride, much like the approach Karras had from the beginning; “…one of cordial, informal, happy insanity.”

Each day we awoke to the sound of tents unzipping and a bit of anxiety at being left behind. It’s not a race but knowing that thousands of people are already on the road puts a little pressure on you to get up and go. Plus, biking into the rolling hills of Iowa in the morning mist with the sun rising in front of you is a great way to get the day started.

If you don’t have access to coffee in your camp then it means you have to bike to the source. Some days we found a local cafe and other days we biked ten miles before we saw signs of life on the road. Each town on the route was full of vendors, but we also stumbled upon things along the way. Some found their morning brew in the form of free beer on a farm at eight in the morning, while others scanned the horizon for their favorite food truck. Either way, flying down a hill at 30 miles per hour on two wheels is guaranteed to wake you up.

The week for this year’s RAGBRAI started out a bit rainy but was worth it for the cooler temperatures that followed after originally being forecasted into the 90s. For those who biked the whole thing, each day meant waking up and facing whatever the route had in store for you. Rain, shine, hills, wind; it didn’t matter what you had to endure because you and 20,000+ people were in it together.

While it’s nice to sleep in my own bed again and enjoy the luxuries of the real world, it’s sad to leave behind the life of a bicycle and the open road. That’s why I want to start a Saturday morning bike ride that brings back a small slice of what we experienced on RAGBRAI. Rise and Grind with us this Saturday, August 3rd at 9 AM and go from Press Coffee to our friends at Capanna Coffee Roasters in North Liberty.

There will be no registration required, just show up and ride! The route will change from week to week and can be easier or harder depending on the wants of those who join. Check out more details on our event page and we’ll see you bright and early on Saturday!