Day one of Ragbrai started in Rock Valley, but our Denver team ‘Fly Girl and Tag-alongs’ actually started in Sioux Center to avoid the crowds (possibly):
A family’s land provided the Tent City
All the similar looking tents on the left are provided by a Ragbrai charter service called ‘Pork Belly Ventures’. It looks quite tidy to have all those tents lined up in neat little rows, all looking the same. I’ve never used a charter service and I’m not sure if I would be able to find my tent especially at night (which is usually when I roll into town). The owners of the land called it McGillville.
The McGillville Family
Well, most of it. Although we were spending the night in a hotel in Sioux Center, we rode down to Rock Valley to check out the bike expo.
Someone with pink hair
I think she was there to do some face painting or something like that mostly for the local children in the area as these parties tend to draw plenty of the non-cyclist crowd. The ones on the ride have to get up early the next morning and ride!
Ragbrai Bike Expo
We arrived fairly early and found out that helicopter rides were available near the ball field. So I tagged along with the ‘Fly Girls’ and shared a ride with them. This was some money making scheme for the ‘copter pilot and his friends. It was a quick in and out, no waiver required, just a fast 5 minutes in the air and then on to the next one. No incidents this time.
Tent city in Rock Valley
So maybe around 10,000 riders came into Rock Valley for the start of the great feast of the Ragbrai. They spent the night, got up around 5:30 the next morning, packed up and most of the hoard was gone by 10:30. The ride has begun!