RAGBRAI!!!

This might not be an "urban" or "city" discussion...but I feel it's the USA at its true heart....anyway... Have you heard of it? It's the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. The Des Moines (Iowa, duh)'s Register. The bike ride was started in 1973 with 2 Des Moines Register newspaper employees doing a bike ride across the state to report on the cities and towns they passed through. During that first year, 114 people make the full trek. The bike ride has grown each year from then - with this year's registeration being around 20,000 riders - including Lance Armstrong. The ride takes from between 400 to 540 miles, depending on the route, and one full week during July of each year. It starts at the Missouri River, with bikers dipping their back tires in the water, and ends a week later with riders dipping their front tires in the Mississippi River. 2006 had bike riders from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries participating in what is the largest bike ride in the country. Here are a few pictures of the event that I took from the Iowa City Press Citizen, followed by some of my own pictures on Friday the 28th, when bike ride went through my hometown of Coralville, Iowa. The event is basically a massive bike ride, combined with huge parties each night during the weeklong event. It's half heat, hills, cramps and exhaustion...half beer, pie, food, food, food, beer, corn and music. Anyway, one of the best times I've had all summer...hope you enjoy. These are my own from Coralville, Iowa. My parents worked the beer garden, and I utilized it to its fullest. Hope you enjoyed...it's the USA at its finest.>