Eldora, Iowa — It’s not canceled, but it has been pared down considerably, and will not be coming to northwest Iowa this year.
According to information received by the Rock Rapids Chamber of Commerce, the bike ride called “Iowa’s Ride” has been modified to a weekend event that will take place in Eldora, Iowa on July 16-18, 2021.
It all started in 2019. TJ Juskiewicz was the director of RAGBRAI until 2019, when the parent newspaper of that ride ran a story about beer-drinker-turned philanthropist Carson King. The story mentioned some racist Tweets that King had made when he was just 16. King said he deeply regretted the tweets. But that wasn’t enough. The beer company that had partnered with him severed ties with King, and pulled the plug to match his donation to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Juskiewicz and the entire RAGBRAI staff walked out because the newspaper was not allowing them to comment on the situation.
Juskiewicz and his staff decided to start a competing ride, and called it “Iowa’s Ride.” Iowa’s Ride 2020 had been scheduled for an overnight stop in Sheldon on Friday, July 17th, and would have ended in Rock Rapids on Saturday, July 18th, 2020. But then the world changed when the COVID pandemic struck and the ride had to be canceled. Then Juskiewicz decided to move to Tuscon, Arizona to help run bike rides there, which introduced more uncertainty into the mix. It was decided to try the same route in 2021, but it wasn’t to be.
At the beginning of this month, Sheldon officials decided not to participate as an official host town for the ride, citing uncertainty in many aspects and the inability to plan for such an event under the circumstances.
Iowa’s Ride officials say several communities and schools were still not comfortable opening their facilities needed for overnight camping, and that was the main reason for the change. They tell us that several multi-day summer rides throughout the country have been modified in some way and many have been completely canceled until the summer of 2022. The original ride — RAGBRAI — is not among them, however, and is planned to run as scheduled on July 25-31, starting in Le Mars.
What’s being called “Iowa’s Ride Weekender” will now take place in Eldora with camping and evening fun on Friday and Saturday (July 16-17). There will be a designated 40-50 mile route on Saturday and several riding options on Friday and Sunday. In addition to great riding, people can relax while floating in a tube down the Iowa River and cool off at the city pool located in the main camping area at the Eldora Municipal Park.
Iowa’s Ride officials tell us that if you were previously registered for the 2020 ride, there are no registration fees.
No plans have been announced about 2022, but Rock Rapids Mayor Jason Chase says it wouldn’t surprise him if this year’s abbreviated Iowa’s Ride event is the only one that ever happens.
