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  • Posted Nov 4, 2022

What is the value of RAGBRAI and why is it so cheap to register?

RAGBRAI 50 is on the horizon so on the show this week Anne Lawrie and Matt Phippen from RAGBRAI are on to talk about what it takes to put on the week-long event.

Recently Scott Sumpter sat down with Anne and Matt to ask them some tough questions about registration and the value riders get, giving back to Iowa communities, and general logistics. As Anne mentioned, RAGBRAI comes down to two things: rider experience, and the communities RAGBRAI visits.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST (episode 226. 1hr 27 mins)

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BIKEIOWA NOTE:
It was great to get together with Matt Phippen and Anne Lawrie and talk about what it takes to plan and host RAGBRAI.

We wanted to find out more about the inner-workings of RAGBRAI, the future, the sustainability and how RAGBRAI gives back to the communities. We asked the tough questions that YOU all wanted to ask.

#DidYouKnow - It takes 60 vehicles to move RAGBRAI from one overnight town to another.

#DidYouKnow - Ride the Rockies registration is $550 for a week-long vacation and RAGBRAI is only $200? We ask all sorts of questiosn around this subject

#DidYouKnow - There are only FIVE Full time RAGBRAI staff and some of them work on events other than RAGBRAI (like Ride the Rockies and Tour of the Battenkill)

#DidYouKnow - Matt and Anne made 20 trips (20k+ miles) across Iowa last year planning for RAGBRAI

#DidYouKnow - RAGBRAI is taking over ALL entertainment costs for the overnight towns next year? This takes the entertainment burden of paying for and finding entertainment off the overnight towns.

#DidYouKnow - RAGBRAI used to give back $8500 to the overnight towns. Now they give $30,000 (1/2 before and 1/2 afterwards). RAGBRAI is now giving back to the meeting towns too.

#DidYouKnow - 18,000 riders registered last year and some towns had over 30,000 riders. We talk about the logistical issues this can cause with food, porta-potties and traffic. We talk about how much more RAGBRAI could give back to these communities if everyone registered.

#DidYouKnow - RAGBRAI plans out TWO routes? one for the riders and one for the support vehicles.

#DidYouKnow - BIKEIOWA would NOT be around if it weren't for RAGBRAI and we'd bet that our world-class trails systems wouldn't be as "world-class" if RAGBRAI wouldn't have occurred. It was certainly a major catalyst to making cycling popular in Iowa.

Listen for more

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These are the kinds of hard questions we asked. THANKS to Matt and Anne for being up front and open.

It sure makes us appreciate RAGBRAI and the logistics and planning it takes to put on.

We hope you listen and pass the word about the value of RAGBRAI to Iowa and even more, the importance of registering and how much time and logistics it takes to make RAGBRAI happen.

THANKS for listening.

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