Cycling
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Some Background on RAGBRAI
In the beginning, when a few friends got together for a casual bike ride across Iowa in 1973, no one imagined that a tradition would be born, let alone that it would become the longest, largest and oldest bicycle touring event in the world. The ride became an annual event, and participation soared. The field is currently limited to 10,000 riders, and RAGBRAI has had to turn away excess applicants for the past several years. (Continued, below)
Our Family's RAGBRAI Heros
Two of our family's cousins, George P. Eckhoff, Jr. and Lucille Rozendaal Schaper, completed RAGBRAI together in 1998. George is a resident of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Lucille, a daughter of Wilma Eckhoff Rozendaal, lives in Colo, Iowa. They share the passion of bike riding. After a challenge from Lucille, George agreed to come to Iowa and take on the endurance ride together with Lucille. Their experiences, including other years on the ride, are presented in their own words below.
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Lucy Schaper |
Ten years ago the RAGBRAI route was in northern Iowa.
That year my daughter, Lynnette, and Joe [the husband of my daughter,
Karla] and I all rode. I rode Sunday through Friday and the other
two did the entire route, finishing on Saturday. I also rode in 1995 and in1998. I never rode the 100 mile loop on RAGBRAI. In 1999 I was again preparing and training. I had an accident after riding 100 miles one day and never recovered or trained enough to ride such a challenging ride again. I would encourage any biker who wants to ride, to take the challenge. It is at least 60 % mental. Just train for a while and then come to Iowa and do as much of the ride as you can!! |
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This year I experienced RAGBRAI in a different way. My daughter, Mickey, is a Certified Flight Instrutor and teaches at the Ankeny, Iowa airport. She offered to take me flying the day the RAGBRAI riders were in the area. It was really interesting to watch them from the air. I was able to spot Lance Armstrong and his team. All the bikers looked like ants crawling along a ribbon. |
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George Eckhoff |
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The ride is a seven day ride starting on the West side of Iowa, usually we dip out tires in the Missouri river when we start, and then the ride continues for the next seven days and we end up on the East side of Iowa, usually in the neighborhood of 500 miles, and dip our tires in the MIssissippi river. Each night of the ride the organizers select a city for the whole group to camp and stay and eat. Food is very good as all the civic organizations and churches in the overnight cities put on special dinners and lunches.
The ride is not difficult but Iowa does have hills and somedays
the ride has more hills than you care to do. The ride takes a different
route each year and different overnight towns each year. All in
all the rides were a good experience but I will be doing organized
rides in other parts of the U.S. in the future. |
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The Register's bicycling tradition began with an idea (a kind of a challenge) between Des Moines Register feature writer/copy editor John Karras, an avid bicyclist, and Don Kaul, author of The Des Moines Register's "Over The Coffee" column. Karras suggested to Kaul that he ride his bicycle across Iowa and write columns about what he saw from that perspective. Kaul, also an accomplished rider, lived in Washington, D.C., and wrote his column from The Register's Washington Bureau.
| Kaul liked the idea but issued the challenge that he would ride across Iowa if Karras rode with him. Karras agreed and the plan was approved by the managing editor. Kaul and Karras then invited 'a few friends' (the public) to ride along. |  |
The route was laid out on maps and readers were told that the ride would start in Sioux City on August 26 and end on August 31 in Davenport. Overnight stops were scheduled in Storm Lake, Fort Dodge, Ames, Des Moines and Williamsburg.
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An estimated 300 people showed up for the start of the ride in Sioux City. By actual count, 114 riders made the entire distance that first year. The number swelled to 500 riders on the stretch of the route between Ames and Des Moines. The ride became an annual event, and participation soared. The field is currently limited to 10,000 riders, and RAGBRAI has had to turn away excess applicants for the past several years. |
For more information go to www.ragbrai.org
