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Official RAGBRAI Day 1 route announced

News

March 17th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

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Officials with the Des Moines Register have announced the pass-through towns in the first leg of this year’s RAGBRAI 17 (The Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) which starts July 21st.

Participants will begin their ride with the traditional dipping of their rear bicycle wheels in the Missouri River at Council Bluffs, and head-off to Atlantic for their first night’s rest.

The route encompasses 59.9 miles and 2,825 feet of climb. You can add 20.9 miles (80.8 total miles/4,032 feet of climb total if you ride the Gravel Loop) by riding the 5th annual optional Gravel Loop to McClelland. The Gravel Loop is ridden in honor of the late Steve Hed. The Mile of Silence will take place after Underwood in honor of those cyclists that we have lost.

Route details, day 1 (Subject to change):

  • Council Bluffs to Historic 100 Block of Council Bluffs – 4.0 miles
  • Historic 100 Block of Council Bluffs to Underwood – 15.9 miles
  • Gravel Loop to McClelland – 20.9 miles (optional)
  • Underwood to Neola – 5.5 miles
  • Neola to Minden – 4.5 miles
  • Minden to Avoca (Meeting Town) – 11.0 miles
  • Avoca to Walnut – 5.8 miles
  • Walnut to Marne – 7.6 miles
  • Marne to Atlantic – 5.6 miles 

The participants and their support crews will overnight in Atlantic before pressing on to Winterset. Their trip ends July 27th with the dipping of their front wheels in the Mississippi at Keokuk. For more information: https://ragbrai.com/ragbrai-xlvii-route-sunday-july-21-council-bluffs-to-atlantic/?fbclid=IwAR1YqZrjPPJi283fJROKTcQt3ZfDUPpz9qfwHbHmYGLXTicEEW-PvPbB2jY