RAGBRAI 2023 organizers in Des Moines expecting record 60,000 riders Wednesday

Galen Bacharier and Addison Lathers, Des Moines Register
Updated ·6 min read

Tens of thousands of cyclists arrive Wednesday in Des Moines from Ames for RAGBRAI's 50th anniversary ride, pedaling past the Iowa Capitol and through the heart of downtown on Walnut Street bound for campsites at Water Works Park.

There's no official estimate of how many people are on the ride, and RAGBRAI gave up on seeking a Guinness world record after it couldn't come to terms with the organization about how the record would be defined.

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But the RAGBRAI organizing committee for Des Moines knows what it's expecting: 60,000 riders.

Trina Flack, the CATCH Des Moines spokesperson and a key organizer for the RAGBRAI stop, said that's roughly double the registered ridership, already a record, and is based on reports from other towns the ride already has passed through.

"We've also asked the people from Ames to keep us posted" as the ride ― which has upwards of 30,000 registered riders ― departs from its campsite there in the morning, Flack said. She said unregistered tag-alongs are expected to roughly double that crowd.

"We're trying to keep in touch with everybody, to keep us as prepared as possible," she said.

Crowd would be RAGBRAI's biggest ever

RAGBRAI riders roll through Glidden on Tuesday morning.
RAGBRAI riders roll through Glidden on Tuesday morning.

That estimate is in line with those that officials in other cities along the Wednesday route ― Slater, Madrid, Polk City and Ankeny ― have said they are preparing for.

It would be about a third more riders than the largest previous RAGBRAI ridership, estimated at 40,000 when the ride last passed through the Des Moines metro from Winterset to Indianola via Norwalk in 2019.

With such a big crowd, this year's ride struggled on its hot and hilly initial leg Sunday from Sioux City to Storm Lake. Ride officials said a large number of riders "sagged" ― pulled off the road and waited for one of the ride's support-and-gear, or SAG, wagons to transport them and their bikes to the next stop.

The ride got some good news early Tuesday. The National Weather Service forecast had been forecasting since the beginning of the week that not only would Wednesday's ride be hot, but riders would face a stiff headwind.

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The latest forecast says instead, the wind will shift to the northwest and north just around the time riders set out. It will still be close to 100 degrees, but the riders will be able to sail along with the wind at their backs.

Wednesday's ride is also the shortest, at 55 miles, and flattest of the week.

Safety a concern with large group of riders

Landin Pegg of Scranton and Wyatt Field of Carroll give riders high fives while advertising breakfast burritos for sale by their Boy Scout troop during Day 3 of RAGBRAI 50 on Tuesday in Glidden.
Landin Pegg of Scranton and Wyatt Field of Carroll give riders high fives while advertising breakfast burritos for sale by their Boy Scout troop during Day 3 of RAGBRAI 50 on Tuesday in Glidden.

It's difficult to ride in densely packed groups, which can increase the chance of crashes, and the size of the crowd, Flack said, "does make me nervous."

But the ride has bumped up its number of support vehicles, including hiring some buses.

"Our No. 1 concern is always rider safety," said Anne Lawrie, cycling division director of Ventures Endurance, the subsidiary of Des Moines Register owner Gannett that manages the ride. "We have four buses that will be on route in addition to our five SAG wagons to ensure riders make it to Des Moines safely. Additionally, our top-notch ambulance crew will be on route, as they have been all week, and RAGBRAI leadership will maintain close communications with county emergency management departments."

Riders Tuesday on the route to Ames from Carroll said they weren't overly concerned.

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"I'm hoping we don't have to walk the 55 miles," first-time rider Brenda Mehnert of Champaign, Illinois, said with a laugh. But she added that whatever it takes, she wants to help set a record.

Ellen Hedrick, also hailing from the Champaign area, is riding with Mehnert as part of Team Skunk, a club based out of Ames and Des Moines. The two out-of-staters are planning to camp in a team member's yard.

"A lot of folks are going to be right at home, and they're excited," Hedrick said.

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Leah Keyring of North Carolina said she's been on several other supported rides — but none as big as RAGBRAI. She's seen the aftermath of some falls and collisions this week.

“Though with this many people, it doesn’t seem that bad to me,” she said. “I’ve ridden in New York, North Carolina, all over the place. And these roads are great.”

Advice from RAGBRAI veterans on riding in a crowd

A rider on Day 3 of RAGBAI's 50th anniversry edition gets some first aid after a crash.
A rider on Day 3 of RAGBAI's 50th anniversry edition gets some first aid after a crash.

Here's some advice from veteran RAGBRAI riders about how to stay safe when riding in a large group:

  • Try to leave as much space as possible between your bike and those ahead of you and next to you. The closer a group is packed, the more likely crashes are. It also provides you a better opportunity to spot and avoid cracks, potholes and other rough spots on the pavement ahead.

  • Maintain a straight line, even if it slows you down. Swerving around causes chaos in a crowd.

  • Avoid abrupt braking. The riders behind you may not be able to slow down in time to avoid a collision.

  • Be constantly alert to what the bikers around you are doing. Try to anticipate their changes in direction and speed.

  • Stay in constant communication. Warn other riders if you're passing them on the left or right, and when you're slowing down or turning.

  • Warn other riders when you see hazards ahead.

  • Be strategic. Is the ride too bunched up for your comfort? Take a break and see if it thins out.

  • Above all, be patient. RAGBRAI is a ride, not a race, and there's no place in it for aggressive behavior.

"I think anyone planning on joining the ride tomorrow should plan for crowds," Lawrie said. "It is always important for riders to be aware of their surroundings and to hydrate, fuel up and take breaks as needed. If you do that, you will set yourself up for a wonderful ride."

More heat ahead

The big ride into Des Moines will be followed by another Thursday that could be the toughest of the week. The route to the next overnight community, the twin towns of Tama and Toledo, is the longest, at 89 miles, and the hilliest of the week.

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The National Weather Service forecasts the day's high to be nearly 100 degrees, but once again, it looks like the wind could lend a hand. It's forecast to shift from the east to the south and southwest in the afternoon ― just as many of the riders are heading northeast on the lengthy final stretch from Grinnell to Tama-Toledo.

Friday, when the ride goes to Coralville, will be another hot one, but Saturday, when the ride ends in Davenport, is expected to bring some slight cooling.

Staff writer Bill Steiden contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: RAGBRAI 2023 to bring 60,000 riders to Des Moines on Wednesday