Altair 4

https://www.weareiowa.com/news/local...on-king-story/

I haven't done the Ragbrai ride (not my cuppa tea) but I thought I'd post this up for folks. I haven't read enough to fully understand what the dispute was about.

Bottomline is that there will be 2 rides across Iowa during the same week in 2020. Ragbrai continues and the new Iowa's Ride has been announced by the former staff of Ragbrai.

indyfabz

The article linked to in the OP provides some detail:

https://www.bikeforums.net/great-lak...l#post21166028

DropBarFan

Weird. I'm surprised to learn Gannett owns RAGBRAI. Long ago Gannett owner Si Newhouse got busted for illegally keeping beach-facing lights on at his Florida mansion which can disrupt the nesting turtles, IIRC he skated with some token fine.

I haven't ridden RAGBRAI. In the old pre-internet days it would have been convenient to have pre-planned route & accommodations but now easy to do by one's self & also avoid hassle & uncertainty of the lottery.

ThermionicScott 

My team is waiting until the dust settles before choosing which ride to do next year. I'm sanguine about it.

Bulette

I agree -- wait for the dust to settle. The entire situation seems 'reactionary'. One thing TJ (the lead organizer) to resign and leave the Register (sponsor) in a lurch, but it's another thing altogether to announce a second ride, same days to compete with RAGBRAI. I can't imagine both rides working out too well like that -- too many divided resources (Iowa DOT provides tons of road maintenance prior to the event, and State Patrol provides tons of traffic management, Medical Services are on high alert the entire week). It's not just state or sponsorship resources either, so much of the ride is supported by legacy teams, such as the Air Force team that stops to help just about everyone in need.

If this debacle persists much longer though, I'm afraid it will hurt registrations and then attendance -- it could be a nice quiet year to ride (still numbering in the thousands of riders though, at least I'd bet). I know where I'm at now (former Iowan now living in Texas), the local group who I tried recruiting is now on edge about committing to any plans -- they are just as likely to go elsewhere this year, and I can't blame them, who wants to deal with this level of uncertainty on a week-long out-of-state vacation?

The whole thing is somewhat of an embarrassment really. I'm not as optimistic as you are about this year's ride, ThermionicScott -- though I'm hopeful that in future years, we can put these shenanigans behind us and stick to the traditions. Otherwise, my bags and I (and many of those I know) will be headed elsewhere.

____________________

What's really hard to believe for me, at least, is that all of this is over a relative 'nobody' who just happened to get some spotlight, and a newspaper who (whether ethically right or wrong) was just trying to do their job. When King's 'bad' tweets were found and shared, the public turned and did the same to the reporter (fair game, I suppose), the paper fired the reporter -- what in the heck does all of this have to do with riding bicycles!!!

mstateglfr 

- I doubt 2 rides will exist for any real length of time. The logistics are just too much. TJ and staff not only have a head start, RAGBRAI doesnt even have anyone at the starting line to compete right now.
- I wish the RAGBRAI name would just be sold to the new ride so tradition can continue. This state is known for RAGBRAI and the political caucus process. One is a great tradition and the other is absurd. I would like Iowa to continue to be known for the great tradition.
- TJ promised to keep the ride going to some people who he considers mentors/elders within the RAGBRAI tradition and this is how he thinks that promise can be best fulfilled.
- Whichever ride can get the bike shops, vendors, and support charters to commit will be the ride that succeeds.
- I like the idea that 50% of ride revenue will be donated to the Iowa Children's Hospital and the rest is going towards local charities along the route. Ill be interested to see how staff pulls a salary- perhaps from merchandise sales? Anyways, if the ride can be more local and less corporate feeling overall, thatll be cool.

Along the lines of that last comment, its odd to call RAGBRAI corporate instead of local since most everything is local to the state. Even the large groups like Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Corn, the mainstay food vendors- these are all Iowa organizations/companies or longstanding RAGBRAI traditions.
I really dont ever do the overnight town activities, so perhaps those are very corporate feeling. The Saturday vendor expo is certainly corporate feeling, but there is no getting around that since its a vendor expo. Even still, a lot of the companies at the expo are small brands/companies.
Anyways, just some rambles connected to the news.

Also, it has been interesting to read the thoughts from outside perspectives here on BF. There are a few threads about this news and though I disagree with a lot of the comments by those outside the event or state, its interesting to see them because their perspective is one that also isnt clouded by personal relationships or investment in the ride(s).

Fatter Frank

Journalism is now, and has been for quite a while, a cesspool of piranha willing to feed on anything that bleeds including their own.

ThermionicScott 

It may have a dampening effect, but it's way too soon to wring our hands. RAGBRAI was much smaller before, and survived. It doesn't need to be 20,000 people to be feasible. I've been on way smaller organized touring rides, and they are not only successful but more enjoyable in some respects. A smaller ride requires fewer state troopers and ambulances, too.

Since both rides will take place during the same week, your team can just continue to plan on taking that week off. You have months and months to register and make travel arrangements.

Yes and no. When a famous actor (who also happens to be a convicted sex offender) will be in town to shoot a movie, there is value in reporting that aspect of their past in a footnote. But how important is it to spend time digging up dirt on careless things a person said as a kid, like all of us have done? At best, it causes conflict unrelated to the original story (check), at worst, widespread reporting of people's past sins contributes to our inability to forgive when people have in fact bettered themselves in the meantime.

riverdrifter

Whole thing is completely ridiculous right from the beginning. The worst part though, is the paper publishing the stupid story to defame some regular dude just trying to do a good thing. What are the chances he does anything else newsworthy and good after this? Or anyone? What are we trying to teach people? Guess he should've just spent it all on booze, forget the children's hospital.

MAK

One question regarding two rides...RAGBRAI doesn't have 'official' rest stops and one would think that the new ride will likely be organized the same way. RAGBRAI always featured private vendors along the routes so are there two Beekman Ice Creams or two Mr. Pork Chops, etc...? I hope this feud doesn't destroy an iconic ride.

Bulette

No, the worst part is that RAGBRAI (and its parent the Register, which is a separate entity from the paper division) continues to be a casualty of this editorial feud. RAGBRAI is about cyclists and Iowa communities, not Carson King; as your comment proves -- you have no interest in the ride, just rehashing past politics.

Yes and no. In the meeting town and overnight town, vendors (including food vendors) pay a modest fee for the right to setup in exchange for the opportunity for business; many of the notable roadside stops (like Mr. Chop, Iowa Craft Beer tent, etc) are closely tied in with the general planning, though those outfits often have to 'find their own spaces, too' (bit of give and take from the Register officials, local farmers, the hosting communities, and on). Of course, stops are never in short supply -- local residents, churches, charities are less officiated but no less a part of the ride. In any case, vendors are 'picking sides' with the rest of us; some are already leaning towards RAGBRAI. (Long article here.)

Yes and no, too. I expect RAGBRAI to operate fairly normally this year, but short a few hundred to few thousand out-of-stater's, and likely short a few hundred to few thousand Iowans, if not because of uncertainty, due to politics (reference RiverDrifter above). As far as Sheriff's go -- the ride benefits from more riders, not less -- riders cross the same number of intersections, with likely the variance in rider speed and daily schedules (meaning the same length of shift at each crossing). As far as ambulances, not sure the difference between 15k and 20k matters there either -- just less dollars for each charity. And this is only accounting the 'dampening' effect. If TJ and Iowa's Ride follow through, its not just a few less Sheriff's or ambulances, it's literally doubling the anticipated manpower needs (More details here).

In any case, the official forums (https://ragbrai.com/forums/) are back open; the discussion there has been pretty fast moving, I would anticipate the latest news there.

Paul J

I rode RAGBRAI only one time in 1982, when I was living in Iowa in my 20's. I think it was 5,000 and still felt big so a smaller ride would be fine. It's really the reputation from my perspective. Outside the state people think of Iowa as folksy. That gets a little sullied with this. My experience was a life long experience, so I hope they are able to get this figured out.

bikemig 

The story was true, right? So it not really defamation.

It was quite likely not a smart idea for the Register to publish this information for some of the reasons you suggest. The information was simply not important to the story and the guy clearly has changed.

bikemig 

There are problems with journalism as you point out but try living in a country without a free press. There is a really, really good reason why the framers protected freedom of speech or the press in the First Amendment.

riverdrifter

Yes, discredit would have been a better choice of words.