DES MOINES – Not since big hair and neon spandex has the community of Mason City hosting a RAGBRAI over night stop.
That year was 1985. Later this month, Mason City will find out if it lands one of eight coveted overnight stops on the ultra-popular cross-state bicycle tour.
Visit Mason City, the town’s tourism outreach agency, received an email notification Friday alerting them to the announcement party, which will be held January 25th in Des Moines.
Mason City submitted a letter of interest last year seeking to be an overnight stop on the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI).
Although not an indication that Mason City had been selected, all towns who submitted bids may send representatives to the announcement party.
According to the email the Visit Mason City received, RAGBRAI is celebrating its 42nd year in 2014.
“We are looking forward to the upcoming RAGBRAI Route Announcement Party in Des Moines on Saturday, January 25th when we officially reveal the 8 overnight towns for RAGBRAI XLII,” the email from RAGBRAI officals said. “We appreciate the interest that your town has shown to serve as a host community for RAGBRAI this summer. The dates for RAGBRAI XLII are July 20-26, 2014.”
RAGBRAI will not give towns any notice prior to the announcement party as to whether they were selected. The official announcement will take place between 9:00-9:30 p.m. that Saturday, January 25th.
Live video of the overnight towns will be announced live at RAGBRAI.com. Live video starts at 8:30 p.m. RAGBRAI will also announce the eight overnight stops on Twitter.
Allen, Waylon’s dead, and Willie ain’t far from it.
RAGBRI WOULD BE A GREAT ASSET TO OUR COMMUNITY. IT WOULD BE CLOSE TO THE SAME TIME AS THE GREAT BBQ BASH, BUT WOULD BE HERE ON A MONDAY/TUESDAY. WE NEED THIS KIND OF STUFF FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO GROW AND ALSO SO WE CAN STRUT OUR SHIT. LETS GIVE JODEE A CHANCE AND SEE WHAT SHE CAN COME UP WITH
Ragbrai, is about having fun! Mason City closes up at 10.00. Not a good fit for our town. Cops would bust anyone with a beer. Arrest anyone with music playing after 10.00PM.
Clear Lake, Charles City, Rockwell, anywhere else understand that to bring in BIG DOLLARS, you have to let people have some fun.
Please dont let Ragbrai come to Mason City, it would be a black eye to Ragbrai
Agreed, that is “sad but true”. MC is all about squashing fun and adhering to narrow lines of except-able behavior. Guess it’s just one of the reasons MC has lost so much population according to last census.
Closes at 10… on the best of nights. Dead by 6:30 most of the time. If ‘BRAI comes through on a weeknight, they will have to bring their own fun, cause their aint skwat here.
So the participants can get their bikes and equipment stolen….again! Said with a lisp..Methon City, apropos!
I heard its a rally for the Human Rights Commission ????
If Mason City gets the bid I hope they can do as good of a job as Clear Lake did with celebrating it. I hope that they don’t get some crappy band for the beer garden like they do for everything. This would be the first time in almost 30 years for RAGBRAI in Mason. GO big! Wouldn’t it be awesome to see Budweiser, KIA, and the city try to bring in someone like Sawyer Brown for a concert? Get people to come to town for this event not stay away. Just my thoughts. I would rather have a concert event to go with this instead of just background noise.
If Jodee Obrien organizes it, it will be a homerun. Keep the witch on north federal out of it or you will see people camping under red dice.
Now that’s a good idea, I’d like to see Waylon and Willie, they’re my kind of guys…
I vote GWAR or a in the buff Hillary Duff be the entertainment…
or both, she could be eaten by the World Maggot.
The last time they were here, they left quite a mess.
That would be great!! Just be sure to tell everyone to lock their bikes up.
no thanks.
though i will reserve some porta-pottys and rent out space on my lawn.
hose water is free.