With just seven weeks left until 30,000+ RAGBRAIers make their way to Carroll, a group of riders several orders of magnitude smaller are making the same trip. On Sunday, a few dozen riders set out from Sioux City on the 2023 route inspection trip. Katie Kruse with the Carroll RAGBRAI Central Committee explains the purpose behind this pre-ride.
The pre-riders will also watch for potential hazards on the planned route from Storm Lake to Carroll, such as low-visibility areas or damaged riding surfaces. The proposed route from Early goes along D27, M50, 255th Street, and Perkins Avenue through Lake View to Breda via E16, to Mt. Carmel on N20 and E26, and then Highway 71 to Carroll. Ashley Schable says the route inspection is one of the last major milestones before RAGBRAI week.
The group is expected to arrive around mid-afternoon, and Schable says they will be showcasing Carroll’s theme of “A Barrel of Fun.”
Schable says they’ve been working behind the scene for months on RAGBRAI, but the remaining days before the crowds descend on Carroll are counting down quickly.
The pre-ride team takes off for Ames tomorrow (Tuesday) morning with pass-throughs in Glidden and Jefferson. Learn more about Carroll’s overnight stop festivities at www.CarrollRAGBRAI.com.
