They have announced the route and we are making plans. We have a little team that will be going from N.Texas provided we get in. I hope to ride my purple haze Ironman. 30 year old bike down tube shifters with a weak motor. What could possiblygo wrong?

What does RAGBRAI stand for? I've seen the ride advertised for decades and used to know what the acronym meant but have forgotten.

Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa - I think.

something like 8th shortest route and 8th flatest route so no worry in the motor!

I'll be there for the week. Really looking forward to this route- the middle few days are in areas I ride gravel all the time and should be a blast with it being so close to the Des Moines and Iowa City metros.

I'm hoping to make it this year. I have family connections in just about every town on the route. Here's to hoping this year's weather is as good as last year's.

When is it? Link? I read about it years ago and always thought it might be fun. I've already signed up for the Le Erotic Coppi Birthday ride in Wi so certainly not this year.

Freudian slip there, BianchiGirl?

July 21-27.

RAGBRAI

This ride is on my bucket list, one day I'll have the free time to do it.

No just fooling around.

We have a little team of 6 with three generations of us going. We are the Texas Cowspokes. I hope to be riding my purple haze Ironman. We may even have jerseys made. We will be camping with a popup and friends are bringing a bigger camper I think its a 5th wheel.

I am somewhat interested in riding the last day (Keokuk).
I don't have enough vacation to ride any more of it, this year.

It's not a bad drive for me, to ride the last leg.
Would really like to meet up with some BF folks...

You know how that gets you into trouble.

Coppi in Wisconsin in Sept = Closed. Wow.
Registration sold out.
Don't forget to get us pics.


Now back to RAGBRAI ---- pics of that too, for those of us who will not be present.

Doesn't mean people can't come to the show, or ride on the ride with us. Just no swag, I suppose. I'll still buy you a beer and maybe a brat or two...

I would love to meet you and any other C&V folks that are going to be there. We have never done it so I have no idea how to make it happen with 20,000 people there

My first RAGBRAI was in 2006 and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. I know that I had spoken to a couple of others about organizing a vintage group to do the ride. I'm not sure about this year as Coppi is calling. There are enough C&V folk I bet we could bring a representative bike from each of the years that RAGBRAI has been going. (it started in 1973). If interested in this year, or next year please PM me. I can create a database and organize it.

Robbie has said it here and in other threads.........don't count Coppi out just because you are not registered. Swag no - but being able to ride with an awesome group of people, see some awesome bikes, and have wonderful scenery yes.

Here's a shot from last year's ride. I rode it with the same bike I rode my first one in 1987, my '86 Panasonic Touring Deluxe. As to making connections happen: don't overplan anything. Leave it to chance with minimal details and it seems to usually work out. In 1993 we went through a town where my aunt and uncle lived. I rode in and found them one block into town, sitting by the sidewalk. I asked how long they'd been there,. "About 5 minutes" was the response. That happens with amazing frequency.

Looks like you are giving us a reason to do it again if this year is as good as we hope. For us its a big logistical challenge but we are getting it worked out. We have my daughter her daughter a friend who runs a health food store my sister in law and a doctor from Alaska on our team. Some of us have never met. My wife and a husband will be towing campers. Its going to be a adventure for sure.

Having the camper is AN EXCELLENT IDEA, one that I did every year that I've done RAGBRAI. Since I see you are in Texas one of your fellow statesman that I met in 2006 had made up his own T-Shirts. When I first met him (yes somehow I ran into him more than once thru the week) he was wearing a shirt that on the back said "PUSH ME" and on the front it said "PULL ME". Very funny fellow. As he rode off and I was still taking my rest I was able to see him go down a hill and was in the middle of a climb on next hill..........sure enough he had a rider on both sides of him with their arms extended giving him a push up the hill. Two days later, I came upon him again. The back of his shirt simply said......."I know, ON THE LEFT".

For me, one of the beauties of RAGBRAI is this kind of story. I could not tell you what day of the week it was, I couldn't tell you what town. But I can tell you a story twelve years, nearly thirteen years later that to this day is a found memory.

A few random pics from the roads across Iowa this past ride.

me with the bike.

It's always the last full week of July. This year will be my 10th.

Went on ragbrai in 83, 84, 85, 86, 88, 05, 11, 17 and 18
And set to go in 2020. Looking forward to it.

JJ