Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa
August 26-31, 1973
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. Coordination of the ride was assigned to Don Benson, public relations director, and the RAGBRAI trio was formed. Benson served as coordinator of the ride until his retirement in 1991, when Jim Green took over the duties.
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. (Year One's overnight towns had the largest average population of any RAGBRAI through RAGBRAI XXIV.) The ride was informally referred to as ' The Great Six-Day Bicycle Ride' and was scheduled to tie in with a Register and Tribune circulation sales meeting in Des Moines.
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. In fact, the ride has become so popular that RAGBRAI officials now limit the number of week-long riders to 8,500 in order to maintain a sense of control and insure fewer injuries. And so it began and continues.
This year's route:
Our Part:
We invited Jason's Uncle Danny and his team to stay at our place on Thursday for the overnight. Tuesday the kids and I spent the day preparing food (Spring Salad & Watermelon), picking up dog doo, mowing, and cleaning up the garage. (I don't recall the garage looking so great!) Wednesday we spent the day cleaning the house, upstairs and downstairs, and making a banner in the driveway out of chalk. Thursday morning I hit Wal-Mart around 4:30am to pick up some final things, headed to the gym, and came home to make signs. The kids and I got our signs out around 10am and just in time, because shortly after Team Pump's bus arrived.
We had around 20 riders, 1 school bus, two trucks, and about 8 tents in the yard. The kids had a blast and the weather was great. It didn't get much over 70 degrees and we were able to have a fire!
Maison and Libby were involved in the summer reading program at our library. Every Tuesday Maison met in the Rec. Center for a story and activity. This summer's theme was gross. They read books like Walter the Farting Dog, The Gas We Pass, Guts, etc. They loved it.
