‘SHIFT: The RAGBRAI Documentary’ to make broadcast debut on Iowa PBS

As thousands of bicyclists make their way across the state, “SHIFT: The RAGBRAI Documentary” will make its broadcast debut on Iowa PBS.

The documentary will broadcast at 7 p.m., Tuesday, July 25, and will repeat at 1 p.m., Sunday, July 30, on Iowa PBS.

“As an Iowan, I am excited to show ‘SHIFT’ on Iowa PBS and have a broader audience view our documentary. It will be exciting to see it on a channel I grew up watching,” said Kelsey Kremer, co-director of "SHIFT: The RAGBRAI Documentary" and a Vinton native.

“For us, it was important to make something that does more than just tell the history of RAGBRAI," she continued. "This is a story about the people on the ride and places along the route.”

The one-hour documentary explores the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa — the world’s oldest, largest and longest recreational bicycle ride — through the lens of the people who ride, the towns that host and the space the ride offers cyclists to find themselves, literally and metaphorically, in the middle of nowhere.

Specifically, the movie follows three riders and a pair of community leaders as they overcome obstacles and reach new heights, changing their lives in the course of the weeklong ride. Filmed using groundbreaking photography and intimate interviews, the movie also features scenic footage of Iowa’s rural communities and main streets.

More: With RAGBRAI just days away, here's everything to know from the route to registration

The Des Moines Register was proud to partner with Iowa PBS on the production of the film, marrying the missions and the power of these two prestigious organizations, said co-director Courtney Crowder.

“It was an honor to work with Iowa PBS on ‘SHIFT: The RAGBRAI Documentary,’" Crowder said. "Like RAGBRAI, Iowa PBS is a part of the fabric of Iowa, and being able to celebrate that meant the world to us.”

For those looking for a theatrical experience, theaters big and small in all corners of the state have posted screenings.

To learn more about the documentary, visit desmoinesregister.com/ragbraidocumentary.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa PBS to show 'SHIFT: The RAGBRAI Documentary'