RAGBRAI rolls into Eastern Iowa

HIAWATHA — With nearly 350 miles behind them, bicyclists trekking across Iowa while taking time out to taste pies, hear bands and enjoy frothy beverages rolled  by the thousands into Hiawatha Thursday, where they're bedding down before heading off next to Coralville.

Cyclists arrived in the Corridor in the waning days of RAGBRAI 43, the annual bike tour that this year stretches 462 miles from Sioux City to Davenport.

While you might think riders were worn out after a 70.9 mile ride on the leg from Cedar Falls through Vinton and into Hiawatha, you'd need to think again. Yet more food, music and cold beverages awaited.

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Those passing through Hiawatha were transported back decades, with the town donning a 'throwback Thursday' theme with music from years past and retro board games like Jenga.

Tom Schamberger, a committee member for Hiawatha RAGBRAI, said organizers appealed to their main audience.

'We thought since the 20,000 riders were kind of seasoned, if you will, we thought they would enjoy music from the '60s, '70s and '80s.'

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Along the side of road in Hiawatha, Vivian Martin, 86, sat upon a rocking chair, chatting with cyclists and offering a big basket of Dum Dums suckers.

She is the oldest member of Hope United Church of Christ in Hiawatha, and she was in costume to greet riders.

This is her first experience with RAGBRAI and she said she's loving every minute of it.

She was fitting in perfectly with the Throwback Thursday theme — wearing a long, frilly dress, a light blue apron and a white bonnet.

'I went down to the costume shop to rent my costume, but I already had the cane,' she said.

Martin was born and raised in Cedar Rapids, and said she's happy to help host the 400 people staying at her church. She even helped baked 120 apple pies.

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After leaving Cedar Falls, cyclists stopped about halfway in Vinton to meet with fellow riders, rest and cool off.

And when they did cool off, it was the old-fashioned way — with a plastic slippery slide.

'It's great. It's cool. It's freezing,' said a soaked Luke Altman, 26, of West Des Moines.

'This is what RAGBRAI's all about, enjoying the small towns,' said Altman, who said this is his 10th ride.

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While many riders paired up with friends and family or joined a team for RAGBRAI, some went it alone.

Dale Spencer, 47, of Milan, Ill., is one.

His family dropped him off for his first RAGBRAI trip and he'll be picked up by his wife Saturday after the ride ends in Davenport. His home is just 8 miles away.

'It was very intimidating when my wife dropped me off,' Spencer said. He knew he had to either stick out the whole ride or have her drive hours to fetch him.

He said he met a lot of good people along the way. 'The hospitality of the people — that is overwhelming,' he said.

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Over lunch in Shellsburg, Julie Condit, 59 of Westminster, Colo., pulled out her selfie stick to memorialize the moment. Condit, who is on her seventh year of RAGBRAI, said sometimes the sights have passed by too quickly to take pictures but overall it has not been too difficult to document the ride.

'I've been posting a few things on Facebook so my co-workers know I'm alive,' she said.

Sue DiPiano, 61 of St. Louis, Mo., also has documented her week using a phone and camera.

'When you're riding in and there's thousands of us, that's really amazing,' DiPiano said. 'I've been posting a lot on Facebook.'

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In the parking lot of Guthridge Park in Hiawatha, dozens of food vendors sold items ranging from slices of pizza to cups of flavored, shaved ice. But one booth stood out by simply selling one item: bananas.

Healing Heroes in the Heartland ordered 3,000 pounds, or close to 7,000 bananas for Thursday.

'It's easy, and No. 1, (riders) need potassium, said Angel Hong, a volunteer for the non-profit.

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Friday's route goes 65.6 miles from Hiawatha to Coralville. But riders beware: While it's the second-shortest leg of the week, it's also the second hilliest.