   
|
General
RAGBRAI FAQ Index 6.
Can I resell my wristband if I find out after June 12 that I
cannot go on RAGBRAI? |
|
1.Can I send in more than one entry to help my chances of being drawn in the computer lottery as a rider? No. Duplicate entries will automatically disqualify you and your group from the drawing. Return to FAQ index 2. Can I ride for just a couple of days instead of the full week? Yes. To do this, you would enter for a one-day wristband for the day or days you would like to ride. You may enter for up to a maximum of three days. Wristbands may be purchased prior to the ride or during the ride, if still available. Return to FAQ index 3. How do I know if I have been drawn in the computer lottery? On May 1, you can go to the RAGBRAI Web page at www.ragbrai.org and view the Lottery Results. Return to FAQ index 4. If my entry is drawn, what kind of services can I expect for my fee? The fee provides daily baggage transportation, sag wagon service, emergency medical service, camping areas, route markings, daily maps, wristband discounts, camping facilities, a free Campground Edition of The Des Moines Register in each of the host communities, eleven bicycle shops on the route and in the campgrounds to service your bike, an entry into the free bike drawing for riders and other prizes for support vehicle drivers, access to long-term parking, bicycle shipping stations, free lost and found mailing service and great Iowa hospitality. Return to FAQ index Yes. Wristbands will become nonrefundable as of a request date of June 12. If you have already received your wristbands, then you must return the five ID credentials issued to you, along with your request for a refund by a postmark date of June 12. The five rider credentials with an ID number are the wristband, the bike band, the baggage tag, the bike license plate and the redeemable patch certificate. A $25 processing fee per entry is deducted for refunds. Your refund will be mailed to you in the form of a check, even if you made payment by credit card. RAGBRAI is not responsible for delayed, lost or misplaced application forms, waivers and payments. Call RAGBRAI at 1-800-I RIDE IA (474-3342) if you have questions about this procedure. 6.
Can I resell my wristband if I find out after June 12 that I
cannot go on RAGBRAI? A resold credential will not be valid unless it is officially transferred in the RAGBRAI office to the new owner before the event begins. This procedure not only transfers the wristband, but also the liability associated with it. To transfer a wristband, RAGBRAI must have the new owner's entry and signed waiver of liability in our office before the ride starts. At the top of the entry form simply include a statement that says it is a transfer and give the wristband number. If we do not receive this transfer entry form and waiver, the wristband and the liability for it will remain in the original purchaser's name. MESSAGE
BOARD on www.ragbrai.org 7.
What kinds of accommodations are available in the overnight towns? 8. How many bags am I allowed on the RAGBRAI baggage semitruck? You are allowed one large soft-texture bag up to 40 pounds. Your tent and sleeping bag can be tied with the bag. We do not have the capacity to transport bike cases. Return to FAQ index Yes. Shipping information will be in RAGBRAI's Participant Guide, sent with your participant packet in late May. Return to FAQ index 10. How do I get a vehicle pass? The Group Contact must apply for a vehicle pass with the group's RAGBRAI entry. A group is considered at least one rider and one driver and a minimum group size of three is required to obtain a vehicle pass. We allow 1,500 vehicle passes for each ride. Any vehicle taken on the route must have a vehicle pass, and campgrounds will deny entry for vehicles without a vehicle pass. The driver and passengers who are not already entered riders must complete an entry form for a non-rider wristband. Return to FAQ index 11. Can I leave a vehicle at the ending or beginning town? Yes. Charter service is available at both ends of the route. There also will be charter service from Des Moines and other cities. There will be a nominal charge for parking for the week. Information will be in RAGBRAI's Participant Guide, which is sent with your participant packet to the Group Contact in late May. Return to FAQ index 12. Can I get transportation from home to the start and back again from the finish? There are round-trip charters from Des Moines, St. Louis, Omaha, the Quad Cities, Lanesboro, Minn., and other towns. Information about these charters can be found on the RAGBRAI Web site under RAGBRAI Basics or by clicking here. Many of these charters were sold out well before the ride started, so be sure to arrange your services early. You may be able to link up with fellow travelers on the message board on RAGBRAI's web site. Return to FAQ index 13. Can I get transportation from the ending town to the starting town? Yes, there are several charters that offer this service that can be found on the RAGBRAI Web site under RAGBRAI Basics or by clicking here. Many of these charters were sold out well before the ride started, so be sure to arrange your services early. Return to FAQ index You must make individual contact with clubs and teams to join, and many existing groups can be found on the Internet. Belonging to a team doesn't give you an advantage in the lottery, however. Return to FAQ index 15. What time can I start biking on RAGBRAI? Designated RAGBRAI hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. when support vehicles will be on the route. We recommend that no biker start out before sunrise or finish after 6 p.m. Return to FAQ index 16. Do you encounter much traffic on the route? We cannot close roads, but we discourage use of the route during RAGBRAI. Law enforcement officers, including the Iowa State Patrol, control select high-traffic intersections. Return to FAQ index Possibly. This is necessary to keep us off an unsafe highway, or a stretch of construction may force us to take some gravel. Return to FAQ index 18. Why does the ride always go from west to east? Headwinds are grueling for riders. Weather statistics show that during this week in July prevailing winds are normally from the southwest. This is not always the case but playing the odds helps the riders most years. Another factor in riding from west to east is to avoid riding into the mid afternoon sun when riders are most tired. Return to FAQ index 19. How are the overnight towns selected? And how is the route selected? RAGBRAI
has received more than 200 requests from towns that want to be
either overnight or pass-through towns on RAGBRAI. RAGBRAI Host
Brian Duffy and RAGBRAI Director T.J. Juskiewicz review those
requests looking for route possibilities across Iowa. The primary
goal is safety. Can we get 10,000 riders and their support crews
from point A to point B safely? When a route is found, it is
driven twice in late January to make sure it will work. Return
to FAQ index After expenses are met, funds are given to nonprofit Iowa programs and organizations through the Register's community investment program. Return to FAQ index 21. What is the focus of the Register/Gannett Foundation contributions? The primary geographic focus of the Register/Gannett Foundation contributions program is the greater Des Moines area and central Iowa. Additionally, we support unique statewide initiatives with the potential to benefit all Iowans. Annually, we contribute to communities statewide that host RAGBRAI® riders. More information, guidelines and an application form are available at www.desmoinesregister.com/help/grants.html The Register focuses its contributions on programs that address the following priority issues:
Return to FAQ index |
