First Time Riders
- On Friday, July 17, 2026 we stage in The Ending Town from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM to meet you and to load bicycles onto our semi-trailer and 2 U-Haul trucks. One of these trucks, along with the semi and part of our staff leave at 9:00 PM for the trip to The Beginning Town to set up camp. (In the The Ending Town there will be camping, food, and week-long parking.)
- At 7:30 AM on Saturday, July 18, 2026 our charter buses arrive to load you and your baggage. These buses will depart at 8:00 AM for the trip across the state. You will be delivered to our (OOS) campsite, not the main RAGBRAI campsite in The Beginning Town to claim your bike and begin the best week of your life. We will direct you to the main campsite if you are not using our baggage service during the ride, however, we do not provide transportation to the main campground.
- Each day you bring your baggage to our trucks, one leaving at 6:30 AM and the other at 7:45 AM.
- When you arrive at the next campsite, your baggage is awaiting you in rows by the truck it was loaded into that morning. If it is raining the bags are kept dry under plastic until you claim it.
- Each day we attempt to set up an exclusive campsite away from the Register’s main campground. This is to alleviate the crowded and noisy conditions that often accompany that area. We try to get close to food options and the shuttle routes for your convenience.
- We will have shower trucks located close to our campsites provided by Washed By The Well. This is included with every weeklong support option. If you use Washed By The Well shower trucks, there will be NO additional costs for daily showers. If you choose to utilize a different shower option, you will need to pay their fee. Towel service is not included, Bring Your Own Towel. We will have a limited number of towels available for sale in case you forget one.
- State of Iowa laws prohibit the disposal of waste water except in an approved area. Sun shower units will NOT be available.
- We provide drinks & light snacks in a beverage tent for our club members at a reasonable price. There will be low cost grab & go breakfast items in the mornings. Gluten-free options are available.
- In camp, we will have a charging station for your electronic devices and also bike pumps available for your use during the week.
- We will email maps and GPS coordinates for our campsites once they have been determined. The main information center in each town will have our location posted.
- Routes in GPX files (using the Ride with GPS app) to campsites provided to you via email before the ride.
- At the ride’s end on Saturday, July 25, 2026 we meet again in The Ending Town where we met on July 17-18. From there, you claim your baggage and we bid many of you farewell.
- For those using July 25 transportation service back to The Beginning Town, we will load bikes as you arrive. The charter buses will arrive at 1:30 and depart from The Ending Town at 2:00 P.M. This allows us to arrive in The Beginning Town to unload bikes while there is still a little daylight. Please plan your last day to make the 2:00 P.M. departure time. The buses are under contract and have to adhere to a schedule; the other riders are on a schedule as well.
Have a different question?
Not fully covered by the FAQs? Send us a note and we’ll help you plan your week.
Prefer to call? Tim: 319-572-6870 • Lynne: 319-572-7932
