Waukon to host RAGBRAI XLV for first time since ’77

Event is oldest, largest, longest recreation bicycle touring event in world.

WAUKON, Iowa – A week later, the town is still a buzz after being chosen for a host city for RAGBRAI XLV bike ride through Iowa in July. 

It’s somewhat uncharted territory for the northeast Iowa community and the event itself, heading to the Driftless Area for the fist time in four decades.

“We were actually a ride-through town in 1977 but we’ve never been a host,” Waukon Chamber of Commerce executive director Stephanie Dugan said. “It’s the talk of the town. Everybody is super excited a big event like this is coming for our town and what it can do.”

RAGBRAI is the oldest, largest and longest recreational bicycle touring event in the world. 

The event begins in Orange City on July 23. Waukon hosts the second-last night of the week-long event. 

From Waukon, riders finish off in Lansing, just 45 miles away but they’ll endure the largest climb (3,200 feet) on the trip. Lansing is also hosting for the first time since 1977.

The entire trip covers 411 miles and 13,078 feet of climb – both the third-easiest totals in Ragbrai history, according to the site.

A QUICK LOOK

July 22
Orange City
Population: 6,004
Starting town
History: First time as host; Orange City was a pass-through town in 1975, 1993, 1996, 2002, 2005 and 2012

July 23
Spencer
Population: 11,233
Mileage (from Orange City): 59.5; climb of 1,283 feet
History: Fifth overnight visit, previous ones were in 1979, 1990, 1999 and 2007

July 24
Algona
Population: 5,560
Mileage (from Spencer): 73.8; climb of 1,631 feet
History: Sixth overnight visit, previous ones were in 1977, 1990, 1999, 2005 and 2010

July 25
Clear Lake
Population: 7,777
Mileage (from Algona): 51.4; climb of 934 feet
History: Fourth overnight visit, previous ones were in 1977, 1999 and 2010; Clear Lake was a pass-through town in 1985 and 2014

July 26
Charles City
Population: 7,652
Mileage (from Clear Lake): 57.5; climb of 1,290 feet
History: Fifth overnight visit, previous ones were in 1982, 1996, 2002 and 2010; Charles City was a pass-through town in 1977

July 27
Cresco
Population: 3,868
Mileage (from Charles City): 64.3; climb of 2,257 feet
History: Third overnight visit, previous ones were in 1996 and 2005; Cresco was a pass-through town in 1993

July 28
Waukon
Population: 3,897
Mileage (from Cresco): 60.1; climb of 2,483 feet
History: First time as host; Waukon was a pass-through town in 1977

July 29
Lansing
Population: 999
Mileage (from Waukon): 44.8; climb of 3,200 feet
History: Second overnight visit, previous one was in 1977

HOW THE ROUTE COMPARES
Total mileage: 411.4, the third-shortest of RAGBRAI’s 45 journeys
Total feet of climb: 13,078 feet, the third-flattest
Difficulty of ride: Rated the third-easiest RAGBRAI by combination of distance and climb