Today is Monday, July 29, 2012 - another hot one. I'm finally reaching 100% in my journey back to health. This morning I did yoga, lifted weights and walked for 38 minutes = 2.0 miles for a July total of 25.8 miles. And I'm sleeping much better with no cough.
What happened to days 26,182 to 26,185? My computer was on the blink, that's what happened. I just brought granddaughter Ellyn to the house and she fixed it in 2 seconds. I'm such an idiot when it comes to technology. Thank You Ellyn.
The big event for Anamosa was on Friday, July 27, day 26,183. On Friday Anamosa was host to RAGBRAI which is the acronym for REGISTER'S ANNUAL GREAT BIKE RIDE ACROSS IOWA. The sponsor is the Des Moines Register, Iowa's biggest newspaper. They started it 40 years ago (1973) when two Register reporters challenged each other to ride across Iowa on their bikes the last week of August. The ride was informally referred to as "The Great Six-Day Bicycle Ride." That first year there were around 300 bikers who participated, but only 114 made the entire trip from Sioux City to Davenport. Every day the two reporters wrote about all their stops in the different towns. There columns were so popular that people all over Iowa wrote or called the Register and said they would like to go next year. Many suggested they should move it to July so more kids and teachers could go and some said in July it wouldn't interfere with the Iowa State Fair and others said if they knew a year in advance they could make vacation plans accordingly. The next year (1974) they moved it to the last week of July, renamed it RAGBRAI and it was off and running. Thousands participated the second year and it has been part of Iowa's culture ever since. It has become the longest, largest and oldest bycycle touring event in the world. This year there were over 15,000 registered bikers with several thousand more joining in for part of the ride - it included bikers from all 50 states and 15 foreign countries.
So Anamosa's population of 5,000 tripled and maybe quadrupled last Friday. It is estimated there were over 20 to 25,000 people staying here. It appeared that every patch of green grass and concrete in Anamosa had tents and/or campers set up. That included the ball fields. cemetary, city parks, golf course, church parking lots, school playgrounds, factory grounds, J&P Cycles for motor homes and big campers, National Motorcycle Museum parking lot, and other places. Main street was blocked off so 26 vendors could set up shop to sell their goodies and services. Plus every church, the Public Library, High School Booster Club, and the AmVets all tried to make a few dollars by serving food. It was a huge boost to the local economy, especially for the bars, restaurants, grocery store, convienence stores, the two motels, and the Bed and Breakfast places. Our one and only grocery store downtown took in $41,000 in 24 hours - it was their biggest day ever. One bar/eating place said they took in $25,000.
On Saturday at 6:30 AM I went down to the highway to watch the bikers peddle out of town. I saw thousands peddling east on highway 64 on there way to Clinton so they could dip their front tire in the Mississippi River. They had started last Sunday in northwest Iowa at a town (I don't know the name) on the Missouri River where they had dipped their rear tire in the Missouri. That is the RAGBRAI custom - rear wheel in the Missouri and front wheel in the Mississippi.
How do these 6 stopover towns who host RAGBRAI get prepared for 20,000 people? The Des Moines Register prepares a different route every year, then chooses the towns (assuming they want to do it) in which to stay over, and then they send out professionals to work with the local town committees on how to get organized for the stayover. After 40 years they know what they are doing. Many RAGBRAIers had nothing but praise for their visit in Anamosa. They said we were so well organized and the people were so friendly. I might add that the Register works with the local sheriff and police departments and the highway patrol is very involved also.
I believe there are quite a few Anamosa businesses who are still counting the money they made and would be willing to host another RAGBRAI. But tht won't happen soon as the Register spreads things aound so many towns can benefit. The last time we hosted was 1992, twenty years ago. It was quite a Friday and Saturday in Anamosa, Iowa, and all of us Anamosans are happy and proud we did it.
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