DES MOINES, Iowa — RAGBRAI has announced the 2023 route and overnight towns for its 50th anniversary ride.
The route will begin in Sioux City on July 22 and end in Davenport on July 29, according to a Facebook post.
“With so much history around this ride we wanted our fiftieth to celebrate some of those original communities and add just a little twist to keep riders guessing,” said RAGBRAI ride director Matt Phippen in a statement. “RAGBRAI Nation is excited to ride their bikes across our state this July."
The route is approximately 500 miles long with 16,549 feet of climb, making it the sixth longest ride and the sixth highest elevation.
There are eight total overnight stays, including:
- Sioux City
- Storm Lake
- Carroll
- Ames
- Des Moines
- Tama-Toledo
- Coralville
- Davenport
The route pays tribute to the original RAGBRAI route: Sioux City, Storm Lake, Ames, Des Moines and Davenport all made the list during the first RAGBRAI, 50 years ago.
The longest travel day will be Day 3, when bikers make the trek from Carroll to Ames, a total distance of 83 miles.
The shortest day, Day 4, is the trip between Ames and Des Moines, a total of only 50 miles.
However, bicyclists will make the greatest ascent on Day 5 on the way to the Tama-Toledo stop, climbing 3,652 feet.
RAGBRAI 2023 will take place July 22-29. Registration is open through May 15.
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