RAGBRAI 2018 returns to central Iowa this summer

On a January weekend marked by weather warm enough to comfortably ride, RAGBRAI announced its return to central Iowa.

The 2018 Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, which will take place from July 22 to 28, will start in Onawa and end in Davenport. In between, riders will stop overnight in Denison, Jefferson, Ames, Newton, Sigourney and Iowa City.

Coming in at 428.1 miles and about 12,576 feet of climb, this summer's route is the fourth easiest in RAGBRAI's 46-year history. It's also the fourth flattest and the seventh shortest.

Sticking to the U.S. Highway 30 corridor for the first three days, riders will turn south on the fourth day on their way to Newton. They will continue south on the fifth day to Sigourney before turning back north on the sixth day to stop overnight in Iowa City.

The full route, including pass-through towns and specific roads, is expected to be released in March.

This year's route will feature a first in RAGBRAI history with both Iowa City and Ames being named overnight stops.

It's a new kind of Cy-Hawk rivalry, RAGBRAI's director T.J. Juskiewicz said as he announced that in the span of just one week, riders will have the opportunity to experience the Hawkeye State's two biggest college towns.

"I think there's going to be a lot of fun with that," Juskiewicz said.

The Ames contingent had "high hopes" coming into Saturday's announcement event that Iowa State University's hometown would be selected for the 2018 route, said Julie Weeks, executive director of the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"We are just excited to showcase the campus as well as the community," she said. "In 2008, we really displayed our beautiful campus and this time I think we will move the focal point into the community to give people a taste of both the school and the town."

While Ames was an overnight town in 1973, 1983 and 2008, Iowa City is making only its second appearance as an overnight town, having hosted riders just once in 1976. (Riders have passed through Iowa City many times, most recently in 2015.)

Minutes after the route was announced at the closing event of the annual Iowa Bike Expo, the "Rivalry Ride" — as RAGBRAI 2018 was quickly dubbed — seemed to be in full effect.

"I think everyone in the state of Iowa, even if they were born in Ames, wants to be a Hawkeye," said said Josh Schamberger of the Iowa City/Coralville Area and Convention Visitors Bureau. "It's going to be a great opportunity for everyone to be a Hawkeye for the day."

In addition to the new Cy-Hawk matchup, this summer's RAGBRAI will feature a majority of central Iowa towns for the first time since 2015.

In 2017, the route went north, hugging the Minnesota border on its way from Orange City to Lansing. The year before, the route went south, from Glenwood to Muscatine. And in 2015, the route returned to its 1973 origins, tracing roads from Sioux City to Davenport.

The 2018 route will start in one of the least populated towns — Onawa, with about 3,000 residents — and end in a most populous one — Davenport, with almost 100,000 city dwellers. Sigourney, with a population of just over 2,000, is the tiniest spot on the 2018 route.

Dension, which hasn't been an overnight town since 2001, has been applying to be a host for at least five years, said Evan Blakely, executive director of the Chamber & Development Council of Crawford County.

"I am just over the moon to show people how Denison has grown in the past almost two decades," he said. "We are proud of our diversity in Crawford County and that will be on display in our activities and our food, for sure. Get ready for some great barbecue!"

MORE RAGBRAI:

Co-founder Donald Kaul sees the end of the road coming

RAGBRAI history: Database of past overnight towns

Even towns that have hosted RAGBRAI more frequently have something to be excited about this year, said Dixon Novy, charter member of the Quad Cities Bicycle Club.

"We have done this before, but it never gets old because the route to Davenport is always different," he said. "We can't wait to be the town that people ride into after the historic stay in Iowa City. That's going to be so great."

"I am excited, but I know how much work it is to host RAGBRAI," he said with a laugh. "But, seriously, it is a blessing to have RAGBRAI — which means a lot to me — come to your hometown."

More than 200 towns expressed interest in being an overnight stop during this summer’s ride, said Juskiewicz.

"The overnight towns are the backbone of the RAGBRAI experience," Juskiewicz said. "Each night is different with different campgrounds, foods and entertainment. Each night is a different adventure."

About 10,000 registered riders, with participants from hailing all 50 states and a host of international locations, descend on Iowa every year to be part of the “oldest, largest and longest recreational bicycle touring event in the world,” according to the RAGBRAI website.

RAGBRAI was founded in 1973 by two Des Moines Register columnists, Donald Kaul and John Karras.

This year's RAGBRAI is dedicated to Ann Karras, John's wife and the “first lady” of RAGBRAI, who passed last year, said Juskiewicz.

"Ann was such a special lady in the beginning," he said. “I know it brought a tear to John's eye when I told him."

The deadline to register to ride the entire week is April 1.

Find more information at RAGBRAI.com.

Additional reporting from the Register's Angela Ufheil.

Here’s a quick day-by-day breakdown for the 46rd RAGBRAI:

Saturday, July 21: Onawa

Population: 2,998

History: Sixth time as host; previously kicked off the ride in 1977, 1983, 1987, 1995 and 2004.

Sunday, July 22: Denison

Population: 8,298

Mileage (from Onawa): 43.3

Climb: 1,558 feet

History: Third overnight visit, previous ones were in 1987 and 2001.

Monday, July 23: Jefferson

Population: 4,345

Mileage (from Dension): 71.7

Climb: 2,527 feet

History: Fourth overnight visit, previous ones were in 1976, 1989 and 2008.

Tuesday, July 24: Ames

Population: 58,965

Mileage (from Jefferson): 58.9

Climb: 997 feet

History: Fourth overnight visit, previous ones were in 1973, 1983 and 2008.

Wednesday, July 25: Newton

Population: 15,254

Mileage (from Ames): 59.1

Climb: 1,777 feet

History: Third overnight visit, previous ones were in 1975 and 2006.

Thursday, July 26: Sigourney

Population: 2,059

Mileage (from Newton): 68.6

Climb: 2,719 feet

History: Third overnight visit, previous ones were in 1975 and 1995.

Friday, July 27: Iowa City

Population: 67,862

Mileage (from Sigourney): 57.6

Climb: 1,413 feet

History: Second overnight visit, first since 1976.

Saturday, July 28: Davenport

Population: 99,685

Mileage (from Iowa City): 68.9

Climb: 1,585 feet

History: Fifth time as host; previously marked the end of the ride in 1973, 1982, 2011 and 2015.

RAGBRAI things to do: