November 2005 RAGBRAI E-Newsletter - David Harrenstein, Editor

Welcome to the November 2005 issue of the RAGBRAI E-Newsletter. In this issue:

  • NEW LOOK FOR RAGBRAI® XXXIV!
  • APPLICATIONS FOR 2006
  • WHAT DO I GET WITH MY REGISTRATION FEE?
  • RAGBRAI® XXXIII SURVEY RESULTS
  • RIDE RIGHT MEETINGS TAKE RIDERS' TEMPERATURE
  • GET YOURSELF MOTIVATED TO RIDE IN 2006

 

NEW LOOK FOR RAGBRAI® XXXIV!

The new logo for RAGBRAI XXXIV will be unveiled on Friday, Nov. 4!

Watch the online RAGBRAI Shop this month for new clothing selections to appear including fleece items, long sleeve t-shirts and polos. The RAGBRAI XXXIV logo will adorn the hot new merchandise. Also coming soon is a new look for the classic RAGBRAI long-sleeve, cycling jersey!

Click here to visit the RAGBRAI Shop.

APPLICATIONS FOR 2006

Applications for the 2006 RAGBRAI® will be revealed on this Web site Tuesday, Nov. 15. What is different about registration process for 2006 as compared to last year? Nothing much. The fee for a week-long rider is still going to be $110. Any vehicle taken on the ride for the week still must have a vehicle pass; the driver and all passengers in the vehicle, who are not registered riders, still need to register as non-riders. Click here for RAGBRAI Registration or for Registration FAQs.

No more hand-written, registration forms! Yea! Applicants will be able to complete the application form online. "Why do you have online registration, but still require a paper waiver to be mailed?" Simply stated, due to legal issues, best practices continue to dictate that a RAGBRAI Waiver of Liability must be completed by hand and a signed original must be received before your application can be considered complete. We hope you can understand our necessity to continue to ask for an original signed waiver. As the law on reliability of electronic signatures becomes more clear, we will revisit this issue.

WHAT DO I GET WITH MY REGISTRATION FEE?

With the 2006 application form being posted on the Web site Nov. 15, now seems the most appropriate time to give you a list of what you get for your $110 registration fee.

Having your entry selected in the lottery makes you an officially registered participant entitled to the following benefits:

  • Four ambulances and paramedic teams on the route each day.
  • Traffic controlled by Iowa State Patrol officers and local authorities at busy intersections throughout the day.
  • Baggage transported from overnight-to-overnight community and unloaded for participants at the end of each day.
  • Free sag wagon service, which patrols the route to pick up riders who break down either physically or mechanically.
  • 12 bicycle repair shops dispersed throughout the route, and additional repair services available in the campgrounds during the day and in the evenings. Participants will pay for their own repairs, however, the shops will offer discounts for registered participants on all repairs, accessories and RAGBRAI apparel.
  • Provision for camping locations in each host community, in addition to food vending areas, shuttle services, shower services and entertainment.
  • Portable toilets with hand-washing stations distributed among the community campgrounds.
  • Route maps handed out at the community Information Centers and the RAGBRAI Information and Merchandise stands.
  • Colorful and distinct, route signs that mark the bike route and the separate support vehicle route.
  • A free Campground Edition of The Des Moines Register each day.
  • A free embroidered patch for week-long riders.
  • Bicycle shipping stations managed by UPS at the end of the ride.
  • Gifts for registered support vehicle drivers who attend the training meeting on the Saturday before the ride starts.
  • Discounts at food vendors, bicycle repair shops, merchandise booths, and shower facilities for all registered participants displaying their wristbands. Displaying the wrist band also will give you priority for sag service, bicycle shop repairs and many other services.
  • The annual Exposition on the Saturday before the ride starts. The Expo features the latest in bicycle equipment, accessories and apparel and a training session for new teams and riders.
  • Access to long-term parking facilities (Fees may apply)
  • Entry in a drawing for a free bike for those who watch the RIDE RIGHT® safety video.
  • A free century patch for registered participants who complete the 100-mile loop and have their photos taken on the loop.

Whew! Is that enough to convince you that your registration fee is spent wisely by RAGBRAI®?

RAGBRAI® XXXIII SURVEY RESULTS

RAGBRAI would like to thank all of the participants that took the time to complete the surveys after RAGBRAI XXXIII. Over 3,000 online surveys were completed, producing valuable information that will help make RAGBRAI a safer and more enjoyable ride.

We asked open-ended questions asking what did people like most and least about RAGBRAI. One overwhelming response subject that we would like to clarify is, "Why do you have online registration, but still require a paper waiver to be mailed?"

Simply stated, due to legal issues, best practices continue to dictate that a RAGBRAI Waiver of Liability must be completed by hand and a signed original must be received before your application can be considered complete. We hope you can understand our necessity to continue to ask for an original signed waiver. As the law on reliability of electronic signatures becomes more clear, we will revisit this issue.

We thank you for your feedback that will help make RAGBRAI safer and more enjoyable for all!

"TOP 10" RAGBRAI CHALLENGES FOR 2006

1. Erratic or unpredictable riding
2. Communication and signaling intent
3. Riding in a large group
4. Riding left of center
5. Pace lines
6. New rider education
7. Excessive use of alcohol
8. Helmet use
9. Early and late starts or finishes
10. Large bicycles (quads, tandems, etc.)

RAGBRAI PARTICIPANTS' HABITS

  • 33% of respondents rode their first RAGBRAI
  • 36% of respondents have participated in 5 or more RAGBRAIs
  • 17% of respondents have participated in 10 or more RAGBRAIs
  • 70% of respondents ride every mile of RAGBRAI
  • 81% of respondents preferred starting time is 6 a.m. to 7 a.m.
  • 70% of respondents prefer to ride 11-20 miles between stops
  • 88% of respondents prefer to stop in most or all towns
  • 23% of respondents prefer to stop in every town

RAGBRAI ROUTE

  • 86% of respondents rate the 2005 route excellent or above average
    (1% rated below average)
  • 75% of respondents rate the signage for the 2005 route excellent or above average (3% rated below average)
  • 89% of respondents rate the safety of the 2005 route excellent or above average below average (1% rated below average)
  • 88% of respondents rate their overall RAGBRAI experience excellent or above average (1% rated below average)

RAGBRAI ACCOMMODATIONS

  • 27% of respondents overnight at homes
  • 3% of respondents overnight at hotels
  • 54% of respondents overnight in the main campgrounds
  • 11% of respondents overnight in other campgrounds
  • 5% of respondents overnight in RV's

RAGBRAI WEB SITE, REGISTRATION & ONLINE STORE

  • 73% of respondents registered for RAGBRAI online
  • 89% of online applicants rated RAGBRAI's online application procedure excellent or above average
  • 77% of respondents felt the registration fees are set just right
  • 64% of respondents visited the RAGBRAI online store
  • 81% of visitors rate RAGBRAI's Web site excellent or above average

OTHER

  • 99% of respondents recognize The Des Moines Register as the sponsor of RAGBRAI
  • 88% of respondents who utilized the official RAGBRAI bike shops rate the service they received excellent or above average
  • 81% of respondents claim they have not attended a bike advocacy meeting

We thank you again for your feedback that will help make RAGBRAI safer and more enjoyable for all, and we hope to see you July 23-29, 2006 for RAGBRAI XXXIV!

The Des Moines Register conducted these surveys from Aug. 10-30, 2005.


RIDE RIGHT MEETINGS TAKE RIDERS' TEMPERATURE

Each October, RAGBRAI and RIDE RIGHT officials take to the roads to meet with riders in three cities across the state of Iowa: Clinton, Des Moines, and Harlan. The meetings are a "listening post" for RAGBRAI Director T.J. Juskiewicz, and Ride Right Chairman Dan McKay.

The most important goal of RAGBRAI is to provide a safe ride and the riders themselves continue to be the best source of good safety ideas.

Juskiewicz and McKay reported that an initiative new in 2005 was so successful that it will be repeated in 2006. During a week in May, McKay and retired RAGBRAI Director Jim Green will ride every mile of the 2006 route with members of local Ride Right Committees accompanying them. The goal is to make note of potential safety hazards and situations, and to report them to local county and city officials for correction. The 2005 experience pointed up the fact that hazards spotted from a bicycle seat are not always seen from a vehicle. It also provided the opportunity to impress upon local organizers the importance of safety in their overall planning.

As always, if you have an idea about improving safety on RAGBRAI, be sure to drop a note to tj@ragbrai.org.

GET YOURSELF MOTIVATED TO RIDE IN 2006
by Randy Catron

Because you are reading this, I’ll make a leap of faith and assume you enjoy the sport of cycling. Chances are good that many of you really love to ride
your bike(s), just like I do.

But we are approaching winter, and for those of us in Iowa, that means very cold temperatures, snowy and icy roads. For most riders, not ideal out-of-doors cycling conditions.

But there are ideas to keep you motivated and excited
about cycling:

  • Hang out in the bike shop, maybe even buy something. Check out the 2006 road bikes, look at the new helmets, new sun glasses, new pedals, and new shoes. Maybe try out a stationery trainer. Talk with
    the sales staff and the folks in the repair area. Make sure they know who you are. If you treat them well and are a regular customer, they will treat you well when you need a favor.
  • Watch a cycling video or movie. I have to watch Breaking Away at least once a year. I watch Tour de France videos all the time when I’m riding rollers in the basement. A not as well-known movie is American Flyers, one of Kevin Costner’s early movies. Of course, there is also Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, the story of a man’s love for his bicycle (well…something like that).
  • Read a cycling book. Three of my favorites, each for different reasons, are: It’s Not About the Bike by Lance; Lance Armstrong’s War by Daniel Coyle; and Bobke by Bob Roll. It’s Not About the Bike is Lance’s cancer and comeback story, Lance Armstrong’s War is a
    race-oriented book that shows the other side of Lance’s personality and an insider’s view of the Tour, and Bobke is a collection of really funny stories about the Tour and bike racing.
  • Buy a 2006 Graham Watson calendar. Graham Watson is arguably the best cycling photographer in the world. You can ask your bike shop to get this for you, order a calendar on-line from his website, or from the World Cycling Productions website.
  • Buy some cycling magazines, or check out their websites. You’ve probably seen Bicycling, but have you checked out VeloNews (available at some bike shops), or Cycle Sport (available at major book stores like Barnes and Noble, or Borders)?
  • Buy a training diary, or sign up for an on-line diary. There is a spiral-bound book version published by VeloNews and edited by Joe Friel. This is probably the best book diary; I have about half-dozen or so that I have purchased in past years. Another option is an on-line diary. Probably the most sophisticated and most feature-oriented is www.TrainingPeaks.com. This is what I use to develop schedules for the athletes I coach, and also where they enter their training activities and other data. There are also other on-line training diaries out there, so check out several until you find one that best fits your needs.
  • Give your bike the spa treatment. I love to ride and race my bikes. But I don’t usually give them the “TLC” they need and deserve. Winter is a time to give back for all the joy your bike has given you. Spend several hours showing your bike some love. Clean the spokes, clean the hubs, clean the cassette, clean the chain, clean the frame. Make her look almost like new.
  • Finally, RIDE YOUR BIKE! Ideally with your cycling pals. It may be in the basement of a house, at the bike shop, at a fitness club (spin bikes), or maybe even the road or trail on warmer days. Talk about howmuch fun you’re going to have in 2006.
Randy Catron is a USA Cycling licensed expert coach and also a certified strength and conditioning specialist (NSCA-CSCS). He is director of the Iowa Cycling Academy (www.IowaCyclingAcademy.Com), the Des Moines Cycle Club Race Team, the Iowa Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Cycling Team, and race director for the Iowa Games road race. You can reach Randy at CoachRandy@IowaCyclingAcademy.Com.
 
. We're always in need of ideas for this newsletter. If you have suggestions for topics you would like to see covered here, email them to T.J. Juskiewicz, RAGBRAI Director.

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