Follow along as a first-time RAGBRAI rider discovers the magic for himself
Right now, thousands of bicyclists are headed east as they roll to the Mississippi River as part of the annual RAGBRAI run across the state, and I was one of them — if only for a brief time.
Nonpareil photographer and reporter Joe Shearer snaps a selfie as cyclists arrive in Turin during the first day of RAGBRAI on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
During my time at The Nonpareil, I’ve had a chance to cover the celebrated cycling event a handful of times.
My first time was down in Glenwood in 2016, then Council Bluffs in 2019 and then back in Glenwood in 2024.
I had known about the legend of RAGBRAI for much of my life, but I wasn’t prepared for the actual scope and scale of the event when I saw it with my own eyes for the first time 10 years ago.
Having gotten into cycling over the last few years, the ride has become a bucket list item for me. Well, this year I finally got to experience the event on two wheels as I took on the Day 1 ride this last Sunday.
I left home for a 64-mile ride north up Interstate 29 at 4:30 a.m. that morning. I’m grateful for my wife, Alexis, who offered to wake up bright and early to drive up and drop me off with my bike in Onawa.
With high heat and humidity and nothing but sun forecast for that afternoon, I wanted to get on the road sooner than later to take advantage of the cooler morning weather.
After scarfing down some McDonald’s, taking some photos with my bike and saying our goodbyes, I was left a few blocks outside of town with my wheels. There was a steady trickle of riders coming in from west of Onawa, but the actual size of the event was soon revealed as we all made our way into town.
Iowa Avenue was shut off to motor vehicles as an unending torrent of cyclists cruised eastward through the town’s main thoroughfare, with Harlan being the first day’s final destination 59 miles away.
Cyclists make a pitstop at a beer garden between Dunlap and Earling on Iowa Highway 37 during the first day of RAGBRAI on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
'Such a great vibe'
Before joining the flood of riders, I decided to take in the scenes, snap a few photos and try to chat up some riders to hear their stories.
Chris Faiferlick was preparing to hit the road with his friends Eric and Lisa Thaler. The three made their way to Iowa from Prescott, Arizona.
“We’re from the Central Highlands, 6,200 feet of elevation,” Eric said. “If you threw a dart, you’d be right in the center of Arizona.”
They drove, covering around 1,700 miles starting Wednesday. The group made a stop in Oklahoma City so Faiferlick could see his cardiologist before the big ride.
“I have a leaky valve,” he said. “But it’s not too bad.”
Faiferlick grew up in Fort Dodge, and he’s been taking part in RAGBRAI since 1986 during his college days at Iowa State University. This is his eighth year doing the ride. This was Eric’s fifth year, and he’s made the trip every year since 2021. His wife, Lisa, is on her third RAGBRAI ride.
Faiferlick said he gets a nice taste of home every time he does the ride.
“I like to reminisce,” he said. “I love Iowa. It’s just fun, and there’s such a great vibe.”
“It’s the most fun you can have in seven days on a bicycle,” Eric Thaler added. “I mostly mountain bike race. So, for me, this is just fun. It’s just so easy going, I like it a lot.”
'Everyone's just so friendly'
Lisa Thaler is from Indiana, and she said there are a lot of scenic similarities between her home and Iowa. And she said the kindness of the biking community keeps her coming back.
“I love the biking community,” she said. “Everyone’s just so friendly all the way along and it’s just so fun to learn about Iowa.”
I wished the trio a safe journey and psyched myself up to join to mob of cyclists. I like to think I ride pretty frequently and know the rules of the road, but I’ve never done a group ride of this magnitude and I wanted to be sure to ride extra safe.
Parked outside the Daily Sip coffee shop on Tenth Street, a friendly tuxedo cat came up to me for some pets. The little guy calmed my nerves, and I finally got on my two wheels and merged into the madness.
Taylor Glanzer of Onawa high fives cyclists passing through Turin during the first day of RAGBRAI on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
'Riding your own ride'
The first town of the day was Turin, which was just under 8 miles from Onawa.
The route was mostly flat and the early riders were treated to a gorgeous sunrise. Clouds were broken up in the horizon and the sun’s rays beamed down from the heavens. The moment added to the magic of the day, and we were just getting started.
After a casual half hour or so, I arrived at Turin. Cyclists were advised to slow down and dismount outside the small town along State Highway 175.
Church groups, food trailers and other organizations lined both sides of the road to sell drinks, food and other goods to the passing horde. I had water in my saddle bag, so I parked my bike and got some hydration in while perusing the various tents.
During the short break I ran into Alisha Thompson, who grew up in Brandon, home of “Iowa’s largest frying pan,” but now lives in Baltimore, Maryland. The back of her right calf had the word “virgin” spelled out in black marker, signaling that this was her first ever RAGBRAI.
She said she grew up seeing cyclists pass through Brandon and other nearby towns during past rides. Being an avid rider, Thompson said she was ready to take on the experience herself. She was riding with a charter group with Cedar Valley Cyclists, but she took the trip from Baltimore by herself. She said rolling solo is a unique way to experience such a big event.
“It’s just about seeing this side of America and riding your own ride,” she said. “No one comes to RAGBRAI with the same existing frame point or mindset that you do. Everyone has things going on with their lives. When you come out here with your own history, your own beliefs, your own everything, you’re just here to ride your own ride.”
'I miss the small town feel'
Thompson said it’s also nice just to be back home.
“I miss it sometimes,” she said. “I miss the small town feel, the small town vibe. I love how many cyclists there are. I learned how to drive in Brandon, but I feel like I’m trying to drive in New York City in terms of the sheer volume of people. I’m just excited to do the whole ride and I hopefully make it every single mile.”
I parted ways with Thompson and took a few photographs before grabbing my bike and hitting the road once more.
The next stop was Soldier, which was about 11 miles down the course. The nice morning weather was still hanging in there, which was nice, but the hills started becoming more frequent and more elevated. I still had fresh legs, so it was mostly invigorating to take them on.
Cyclists ride past cornfields between Dunlap and Earling on Iowa Highway 37 during the first day of RAGBRAI on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
'This is peak Iowa'
I made a quick stop on the bridge over the Maple River, and many other cyclists joined me. Several hay bales from a nearby cornfield dotted the riverbank, providing nice scenery for photographs.
“This is peak Iowa,” I overheard someone nearby say.
I climbed to the top of a hill on State Highway 37 just outside Soldier and stopped for a water break around 8:45 a.m. While cooling down, I noticed several people walk up to a nearby cornfield to “water the crops,” something I’m told is a RAGBRAI tradition.
During my break I met the Knapp family of White Lake, Michigan. Andrew Knapp is riding with his daughters Andi, 10, and Alex, 6. The family drove about seven hours to Dubuque, where they loaded their gear and bikes onto a bus that took them to Onawa.
'Something fun and different'
The were many tandem bikes seen along the course Sunday, but the Knapps’ took it up a notch. Andrew sat the front of a tandem with Andi, and the younger sister sat upon a regular bicycle that was attached to the tandem so all three of them were able to ride in line together.
“I’ve heard people call it a ‘trandem,’” Andrew said.
The Knapps do a lot of cycling as a family. Andrew and his eldest even won a race series title in Michigan on their tandem last year. This was their first ever RAGBRAI, and they were enjoying seeing the different walks of life on all sorts of bikes doing the ride.
“We just wanted to do something fun and different this year,” he said.
As I was finishing up my chat with the family, I saw my friends from Team Love Taco of Council Bluffs ride by. We exchanged excited yells to each other and I hopped back on my bike and set off to Soldier, which was 3 miles ahead.
There was a nice decline into the town, and I saw several people gathered outside the Soldier Volunteer Fire Department, which was serving breakfast.
Cyclists get some shade under a tree at a stop between Soldier and Dunlap during the first day of RAGBRAI on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
'It's hot, but it's fun'
Myles O'Kelly of Vermont, Wisconsin, was standing alongside the highway taking a break. This was his first RAGBRAI, as well, and he said it was an enjoyable experience so far.
"It's hot, but it's fun," he said. "There's just so many different people. It's kind of enjoyable just to see the variety here. The shapes, the sounds, the bikes, the gears, the colors — and everyone seems to be having a good time. It's really fun to see the enthusiasm."
O'Kelly was donning a bike jersey from Milkweed Matters, an area nonprofit focused on improving habitats for pollinators such as monarch butterflies. The group had a booth at the Day 0 expo in Onawa, and representatives were selling jerseys to benefit their cause and were also handing out free milkweed balls for riders to scatter along the highways in hopes of spreading pollinator-friendly plants around the region.
O'Kelly said he enjoyed chatting with the Milkweed Matters folks and wanted to help out, himself.
"I love the butterflies and we have milkweed all over our yard and it's popping up all over the place," he said.
Having already eaten my McMuffin, as well as a few chunks of beef jerky during water breaks, I decided to skip breakfast and head into Soldier.
I took a left up First Street and was greeted with the sight of hundreds, maybe thousands, of cyclists posting up in town for rest, water, beer, food, bike repairs and entertainment. Loud party music blared from a PA and the DJ welcomed the town's temporary guests as riders made their way through.
'Let's roll with it'
I parked my bike and made my way through the bustling thoroughfare to take in the scene and snap a few more photos. I notice a couple members of Team Love Taco donning their signature bright pink baseball jerseys.
I followed them into the Midway Tavern. It was beer time. RAGBRAI is a big party, and many riders enjoy some brews and other adult beverages throughout the day.
The bar slowly filled up with bikers looking to get out of the sun, into some air conditioning and have a couple cold ones. I joined the Love Tacos at a table inside the dimly-lit saloon. The room was loud with different groups recounting their morning’s adventures so far.
Two bartenders hustled up and down the line serving as fast as they could. It's likely they weren't used to this kind of volume, but they kept up with the demand as cyclists bellied up for beverages.
After a drink and some rest, my group decided to head east. I would join them shortly, but not before chatting with Michelle Wood, who lives outside the Chicagoland area. She joined a friend from Minneapolis in Marshalltown, the RAGBRAI Day 4 host city, on Friday and the two made their way to Onawa.
They both could only do a few days of the ride, so their vehicle would be waiting for their exit when they made it back to Marshalltown.
It was Wood's first RAGBRAI, but she's no stranger to putting in long distances. She's had a long personal health journey, and this was her latest test.
"I'm a middle-aged arthritic triathlete who's had a lot of surgeries," she said. "I just came off a spinal fusion surgery. I'm hypothetically training for the Ironman this year, but with the surgery and stuff, you know, I'm just going to show up and have fun and see what happens. My friend and I have been talking about doing this ride for almost 10 years and both of us keep having surgeries. And we had this window this year and said, 'Let's roll with it.'"
A cyclist crosses the Maple River between Turin and Soldier on the first day of RAGBRAI on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
'It's a big community'
Wood said her experience up to that point had been everything she had imagined, and it was just the beginning for her.
"It's just so awesome," Wood said. "It's a big community. I've been in endurance sports for 21 years ... and the community is just fantastic. If you're on the side of the road, people check on you. Everyone here rides and knows what's involved. Nobody leaves anyone behind."
Wood said she was excited for the rest of her ride, and she was to be on the lookout for some dessert she could tolerate as a treat for her efforts.
"My white whale is gluten-free pie," she said. "I'm allergic to wheat, so it's hard to eat at a lot of these stands. So I'm really hoping to find some gluten-free pie."
I once again disembarked for some more highway miles. I heard tell of the Iowa Beer Bus being posted up at a farm property between Soldier and Dunlap, so I kept my eyes peeled as I pedaled.
I found the site, and several people were there enjoying the late morning. The sun was coming out and the promised heat was starting to make its presence felt.
Riders sat on a hillside in the shade of a large tree and several others escaped the warmth in a metal structure just off the highway on the farm. The beer bus was there, as promised, and folks were sampling different craft beers from area Iowa brewers.
'It's a mission to create the party'
As I took in the sights from atop the hillside, I noticed a group of riders all donning denim vests with "King Rat" patches affixed to the back of each one. The group of 10 or so were lounging in the shade, and I went up to chat with them for a moment.
Elliot Madre was one of the Team King Rat members, and he was wearing a white denim vest rather than the normal blue jean denim of his teammates. He said his group was from Baltimore, Maryland, and they had about 20 riders at RAGBRAI this year. He said King Rat is a cycling group that gets together to ride around the Baltimore metro area, and they've been riding across Iowa for about five years now.
"We just like bikes and we like partying," Madre said. "We brought our culture out here. We're kind of like alley cats doing a street cycling kind of thing. It's a mission to create the party to a certain extent."
Madre said there is a healthy cycling scene in his area, and King Rat members will lead informal rides throughout the year. As for his team's signature look, he said "vest is best" when it comes to adhering to the King Rat uniform policy.
"It's highly encouraged," he said. "Required, depending on what you want to do."
Bicyclists ride through Onawa during the start of the first day of RAGBRAI on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
'We just love it'
After a few more minutes in the shade, I shoved off once more with no plans of stopping until Dunlap, which was under 10 miles to go. The early morning beauty was fading into the background of my memory more and more as the temperature kept rising.
Dunlap was the official halfway point town of Day 1, and I didn't get a chance to take in the scenes of the bustling city center, as I was invited to a more low key affair by the Love Taco crew.
I rode a couple blocks off the main trail to Eaton Street and parked outside the residence of Tammy and Chris Amato. The two have been longtime friends of team members Andy and Carrie Watson, so they jumped at the chance to host the crew during the day's festivities.
The air conditioning was quite welcome, and the group was treated to Busch Lights and Polish sausages handmade by Chris Amato. He said it was a recipe he learned during his days of living in South Omaha.
"It's an old recipe and he's been making it for years," Tammy said.
The gracious hosts talked us up and made sure we were all nourished. The family cat and dog enjoyed the extra company and accepted countless pets and hugs.
Tammy said they were having a blast and enjoyed seeing their small town be part of such a big event.
"We just love it," she said. "It was so fun, and we're so happy to have you all stop by — every one of you."
'It's just a good challenge'
I left Dunlap with some of the Love Taco team. A few of them stayed behind as a member had a flat tire and needed to find new rubber before they could keep riding. Luckily, there were repair and retail tents stationed in town.
Earling was the next stop, which was just over 13 miles away. The hills were becoming more common, and they were also becoming more annoying as the hot sun beat down on the collective group of riders.
I kept pace with my friends for a while but waved them on as I had to pull over to address the constant dripping of sweat into my eyes. It was quite uncomfortable and it was becoming a safety issue. Fortunately, I had a bandana tied around my neck, and I wrapped it around my forehead to stop the sweat from rolling down.
On my way to Earling I saw the iconic pink Mr. Pork Chop bus parked on a farm residence along Highway 37. I know RAGBRAI veterans who swear by their pork chops, and judging by how many people were stopped to buy them it seems the word is out.
I was still plenty full from my prior sausage in Dunlap, but I did stop for water and sat under a tree for some shade to people watch as riders rolled by the property.
At this point, the day was becoming less of an adventure as the heat, humidity and hills relented upon the riders. It was a long Sunday, and I just wanted to finish the ride and rest.
So I rode past Earling. My reward for climbing a hill was more hills. The sun was at my back, and I could feel it on my neck. I am thankful I was diligent about reapplying sunscreen throughout the day, as I came away with zero burns after the journey was said and done.
Some friends of mine from Omaha were stopped at another farm residence outside Westphalia, the second to last town before the final stop of Harlan. The Iowa Beer Bus was there, as well, so I grabbed an IPA to go along with another helping of ice water.
As I sipped on both beverages under a tree, I had a nice conversation with RAGBRAI veteran Becky Bauter of Morton, Illinois. She was riding with Team Roadkill, which is made up of about 30 riders from the Twin Cities region. She said she's done every RAGBRAI since 2010 except the year the ride was canceled due to COVID-19 in 2020.
Bauter said her group had a late start getting out of Dunlap, so they experienced the heat for most of the ride.
"It's hot," she said. "We're not early leavers, which in this time of day you kind of regret."
But Bauter said she enjoys the challenge and camaraderie, which keep her coming back every year.
"One of our friends calls this 'adult summer,'" she said with a laugh. "It's just a good challenge. I'm getting older, so it makes me think how long I'll keep doing this. How will I motivate myself to get out and ride?"
Cyclists ride toward Soldier on Iowa Highway 37 during the first day of RAGBRAI on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
'I might not do this again'
Bauter said she plans to keep challenging herself this week and hopes to complete every mile without motor assistance.
"It's easy to sag and ride the bus, but I kind of like to ride the whole week just because I might not do this again after this year," she said.
I wished Bauter well and got back on my bike for the final gauntlet. I had about 15 miles to go, and I didn't plan on making any more stops. It was about 4:15 p.m., and I had already spent quite a day out on the road. I passed through Westphalia and continued battling the rolling hills.
Kind residents had sprinklers blasting into the road and had coolers filled with ice cold water under shade tents. I made sure to ride through every one of them with much appreciation.
Traditionally, lots of rural residents enjoy making a party of watching riders roll by during RAGBRAI, and I exchanged countless waves and welcomes with many kind folks along the route. I made quick work of a water bottle and continued the final miles.
The tales were true
After long last, the Harlan city limit came into view. A nice decline was welcome as I gently glided down the hill toward Cyclone Avenue.
Waiting for me was my wife, as well as my mom, Michele. The two rode up with my mom's pickup truck to give me a lift back home, but not before taking in the festivities on Harlan's historic town square.
Live bands blared classic rock cover tunes as riders, visitors and vendors hustled and bustled around town. We stopped at the Gussied Up Lounge for a celebratory beer.
Sitting down on something that wasn't a bike saddle felt so nice. We then walked up the street for more air conditioning and some food at Mi Casa Family Mexican Restaurant.
I'm not sure how many calories I burned during my ride, but I gained plenty back as the chips and salsa kept flowing. Carbs were a must at this point.
I had a great time regaling my companions with the events from the day. The time felt so short and so long at the same time.
Fifty-nine miles and more than 3,500 feet of climbing is nothing to sneeze at, and it's wild to think that it was just the first of seven days of this.
Of course, I had the itch to do more. I was hot, exhausted and stinking, but I was unafraid. I had been training for this day all summer, and I feel like I crushed it. And there's something about being amongst so many other people on the same mission.
Cyclists cross the Maple River on their way to Soldier during the first day of RAGBRAI on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
The tales I have heard for years were true. Sure, I got a taste of the experience the prior times I had covered RAGBRAI for the newspaper, but it isn't until you're on the road, yourself, that you feel the real magic of the event.
There are people from across the world. People of different shapes, sizes and backgrounds. People of all skill levels.
No matter if you're riding a cheap Huffy, a $14,000 Specialized or even an old timey penny-farthing bicycle, everyone is here for the same reason. There's a true sense of community, and you don't want it to end after one day.
Sunday was the culmination of many things for me, and I'm so glad I made it happen. Even though I just spent way too long describing the experience, there are some things about it that words and photos can't describe.
There were so many surreal and magical moments I witnessed, and I can't wait to make even more RAGBRAI memories in the coming years.
Check out photos from Nonpareil photographer Joe Shearer's journey from Onawa to Harlan on Day 1 of RAGBRAI.
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