RAGBRAI directors visit area towns to help them plan

Greenfield Chamber Main Street and Development has planned a 3 p.m. meeting Sunday, April 28 at Greenfield City Hall. That will be the next step in the planning for RAGBRAI’s visit in July to the community. Fontanelle had a meeting scheduled for Monday. Orient is also hard at work planning.

RAGBRAI director Matt Phippen and cycling division director Anne Lawrie held short meetings in all three communities Tuesday, April 16 to relay information to local pass through towns during early planning for the ride.

“We’re traveling across the state this week meeting with all the pass through towns,” Phippen said. “This is my 10th trip across and this is Anne and I’s seventh trip together.”

The directors covered a lot in area communities. Nearly 20 people, representing a gamut of perspectives, made it to the meeting in Greenfield.

RAGBRAI leaders talked about the varying moving parts of a pass through town’s experience of hosting the ride.

At each town, there will be a “slow down” time for riders still around to start thinking about moving on. There will also be a “shut down” time where certain measures will be taken to make sure riders do move on to the next town. In Greenfield, those times are 1 and 2 p.m., respectively.

Phippen stated that because of how hilly of a ride Adair County’s day will be, he expects riders to be “on a mission,” wanting to master the route all the way from Atlantic to Winterset.

RAGBRAI will have merchandise tents they will bring, and two bike shops will be mobile throughout the week and will be stationed in Greenfield to help bicyclists needing repairs.

There will be an adaptive bicycling team taking part in RAGBRAI, and those riders have unique accomodations that are required of each meeting town.

Lawrie suggested Greenfield start by having 20-25 vendors on hand for riders, however that number could climb if the amount each vendor is able to serve is on the lower side.

Greenfield Chamber Main Street and Development has secured 50 porta-potties for the day, with some that are handicap accessible.

A general overview of the day in Greenfield shows support vehicles arriving from the north on Highway 25. The main festival area will in areas near to the Greenfield Public Square and Greenfield City Park.

Riders will arrive on Highway 92 from Fontanelle and exit toward Orient on Highway 25. A more thorough report of mapping for the day will be released at a later time.

A team of RAGBRAI organizers will visit pass through towns here June 4 on bicycles. That day, communities will not only get to show themselves off to organizers, there will be resources available for local business owners and other vendors who have questions on best practices for serving riders.

RAGBRAI leaders said strong “community organization” is one of the biggest factors to pulling off a successful visit from RAGBRAI.

“It’s obviously great to see everyone here, even if you’re just learning. We haven’t gone south [with our route] for five years and the reception we’re getting from communities, and the interest we’re getting from riders around the southern route is really great,” Lawrie said. “Thanks for all you’ve already one and are going to do to make sure it’s a good ride for everybody.”