For the past six years, Karen Parrott has served as the RAGBRAI coordinator for the Bicyclists of Iowa City, a bike club that provides charter service for RAGBRAI. Parrott said more interest prompted BIC to up the number of participants from 150 to 175 and they started using three, 68-seat charter busses, up from 45-seaters.
Slots are full by January, and she caps the waiting list at 30. She added that she typically gets through the waiting list as some early commits back out and a few last-minute slots often open up.
Many non-Iowans, such as University of Iowa alumni or resident alumni of UI Hospitals and Clinics, use the BIC service to return for RAGBRAI, and a third of BIC's RAGBRAI group now is from out-of-state, including a woman from Germany this year, Parrott said.
"I think it is huge for Iowa to have RAGBRAI. For those traveling here, it's given us a reputation as a biking state. It's safe and acceptable for those out riding on the road. Biking is part of the transportation system here," Parrott said.
Having the route come so close to home adds to the excitement and to the number of locals willing to give it a try, Parrott and others say. For many, a little exposure is all it takes to hook them.
Local community support for cycling also has helped inspire interest both for recreation and transportation. It also hasn't hurt that Coralville has hosted RAGBRAI twice in the past five years, and North Liberty has once.
Written by
B.A. Morelli
Iowa City Press-Citizen
Jul. 23, 2011
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