There’s nothing like the feeling of freedom when riding a bicycle, attached to the earth only by a couple of spinning tires, the road spooling out in front of you, the wind in your hair. But for some people, the delight of riding a bike is just a distant memory. Limited mobility, injuries, or the […]
bicycling
Posted inCommunity/News
These bike-riding burrito slingers are some of Des Moines’ most trusted aid workers
They’re affectionately called “the burrito people.” Or sometimes “the burrito slingers.” They’re easily recognizable by their bright yellow bicycle jerseys, T-shirts and welcoming smiles. Every Thursday evening, you can find them in the basement of the Capitol Hill Lutheran Church in the Des Moines East Village neighborhood. They’re volunteers for the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Cedar Lake gets recreation-friendly upgrades as the new pedestrian bridge connecting east and west Cedar Rapids begins to rise
Cedar Rapids locals will soon have a renewed Cedar Lake Park to visit. Close to the downtown area and visible from the well-trafficked I-380, the park has long been a fixture of Cedar Rapids, boasting a 1.6-mile trail loop and ample bluegill, bass, carpie and catfish catching opportunities — but it has suffered from old […]
Posted inCommunity/News
RAGBRAI riders will follow a 400-mile path across northern Iowa this summer
RAGBRAI LII will take cyclists across northern Iowa in July, from southeastern Sioux County to the banks of the Mississippi in Clayton County. This year’s route, and the overnight town riders will be stopping in, was announced at the RAGBRAI Route Announcement Party in Waukee on Saturday. “This will be our second shortest route and […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Famous food, fast cars, a bull named Albert and a free-roaming courthouse: Stories from RAGBRAI 2024’s overnight towns
The route for RAGBRAI LI stretches from Glenwood on the Missouri River to Burlington on the Mississippi. At 424 miles, this year’s route is fairly short, but it will be the “hilliest ever RAGBRAI,” according to organizers. It’s not the first time Glenwood and Burlington have been connected. In 1869, the Burlington and Missouri River […]
Posted inRecreation
An Iowa bicycle collective can help you find, fix and fall in love with your ride
If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you give a man a bicycle, teach him how to keep it in tip-top shape, and advocate for there to be safe spaces for him to ride, you’re a bike collective. Iowa’s bike collectives are nonprofit community programs that focus on […]
Posted inRecreation
Behind the handlebars: Eight styles of bicycle and what they do best
So you’re ready to hit the trail and feel the summery breeze on your face. What pair of wheels is right for you? Drew Boss, lead mechanic at the Iowa City Bike Library, broke down eight types of bicycle he’s fixed up over the years for a quick guide to common bikes. Illustrations by Jordan […]
Posted inCommunity/News
The Iowa Underground Railroad Bike Ride will lead cyclists through 136 miles of history
A portion of Iowa’s rich abolitionist history will be revealed for some, and refreshed for others, during the new Iowa Underground Railroad Bike Ride. Presented by Iowa’s National Association of Social Workers, the Des Moines branch of Black Girls Do Bike and the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, the two-and-a-half-day ride combines learning, endurance and community in […]
Posted inCommunity/News
RAGBRAI announces route for 50th anniversary ride this summer
Fifty years ago, the first RAGBRAI crossed the state from west to east, starting in Sioux City and finishing in Davenport. RAGBRAI’s golden anniversary route will begin and end in those same cities, organizers announced on Saturday night. The overnight towns for the weeklong ride from the Missouri to the Mississippi will be: • Sioux […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Former RAGBRAI director launches group to save ride; corporate owner says it doesn’t need saving
A former RAGBRAI director has launched a Facebook group that wants to “Save America’s Greatest Bike Ride from the corporate giants threatening to destroy it forever.” “Because friends don’t let friends let RAGBRAI die,” is how Dieter Drake begins the Save RAGBRAI group’s About statement. Ventures Endurance, the Gannett subsidiary that has run RAGBRAI since […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa City stepping up enforcement against drivers parking in bike lanes
Parking in bike lanes has never been permitted in Iowa City, but this was one parking infraction where enforcement was lax, because it was classified in city code as a moving violation, and only police officers could issue tickets or have a vehicle towed. That’s changed now, and the city’s parking enforcement staff will be […]
Posted inCommunity/News
RAGBRAI 2022 route announced, Iowa Ride’s former website up for sale
On Friday, RAGBRAI announced the route its cyclists will follow across Iowa this summer. Participants in the week-long ride will start at the Missouri River in Sergeant Bluff and head for Lansing, where they will dip their wheels in the Mississippi. In between, RAGBRAI will stop for the night in Ida Grove, Pocahontas, Emmetsburg, Mason […]
