2011 RAGBRAI-XXXIX

Registration opened today, Monday 15 November, 2010 for the 2011 (Des Moines) egisters Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI-XXXIX) and will remain open until 15 February, 2011 for manual (i.e., paper/non-electronic) applications and 1 April for electronic/on-line applications. Entire week long riders will be limited to 8,500 with an additional 1,500 single day riders (per each day of the ride). You can enter as an individual, a group or individual searching for a group by checking out their web-site at: http://ragbrai.com/ and clicking on Registration. Due to the popularity of this ride final selection (of all groups/riders) will be by Lottery and though chances of getting in are well above average, but it JUST wouldn't hurt to be pre-register (on-line), have waivers signed and turned in to the Des Moines Register and have all final(refundable) payments made early.

The route for 2011 will be annouced on January 29, 2011. If you look at all the previous rides, you can expect the 2011 route to be around 500 miles with averages of 50-65 miles per day (...and one or two days being so close to a full blown Century it is scary).

The event itself will take place starting 22 July, 2011 starting somewhere on the East side of the state (on the Missouri or Sioux Rivers)through 30 July, 2011 and ending somewhere on the West side of the state (on the Mississippi River). In between is an entire state full of some of the most friendly and hospitable people that you will ever meet in your life (...go to the website and read up on all the "chuch lady pies" and pit cooked BBQ sandwiches).

This is intended to be a fun RIDE and not a RACE (...I've heard rumor that Lance Armstrong wannabe's MAY make it to the beer trucks in the overnight town long before anyone else but that doesn't automatically guarantee them ALL of the "chuch lady pie").

I will know if the 2-3 people who are still undecided if they are going to ride in our group in a week or two. There is a POSSIBILITY that we may have a couple of openings in our group (I am originally from Iowa and riding with some folks I graduated HS in NW Iowa with). Regardless, I will be in my RV as a SAG wagon (provided WE get drawn in the Lottery) and will be happy to haul some gear and spare parts for anybody else who wants to ride but will not have a support vehicle. There is transportation provided to haul all your stuff but as you can image with 10,000 riders...chances of you AND your gear being at the same place at the same time COULD be a bit on the risky side.

Ride Safe

B.A. Lindstrom
Lime River Farms
Norwood, Louisiana

Starting at the Missouri or Sioux Rivers on the WEST side of the state...ending at Mississippi River on the EAST side of the the state...OOPS!!!...my bad.