RAGBRAI Rides the Rapids in Manchester

RAGBRAI rolled through Manchester on Friday.

An estimated 20,000 to 30,000 bicycle riders made their way along West Marion Street over the bridge crossing the Whitewater Park into downtown Manchester for breakfast and lunch, meeting up with support vehicles and enjoying everything the town has to offer.

Cliff Hastin from Arizona is on his first RAGBRAI.

His favorite part about his visit to Manchester?

There was a long line down the street for The Bread Basket’s famous White Chocolate Banana Cream pie. Other restaurants and businesses were also keeping busy with specials and vendors were lined up and down East Main Street. Operation Santa Claus partnered with Del Co Ag to offer lunch, with riders generously donating extra and supporting their cause of helping families in need for this year’s Christmas season. And the historic Castle Theatre was continuously showing a classic bike movie throughout the day – giving riders a chance to come in and get some rest in air-conditioned comfort.

And by Friday – after six days of riding across the state – many riders needed the rest. Arie is tackling his first RAGBRAI from Austin, Texas.

 

On the east end of town as riders were leaving for Earlville and Dyersville, some of the community’s senior residents from the Good Neighbor Society were sitting along the sidewalk with signs and waving to the riders going by. Longtime Manchester residents Bob and Lola Galiher, who live in the Villas, were holding a sign asking “Where are you from?”, with many of the riders shouting out “California”, “Tennessee” or “Canada” and some even stopping to talk.

Kelly from Waco, Texas says moments like this – seeing the Good Neighbor Society residents cheering for the riders and getting a chance to visit with them – is what makes RAGBRAI so special.

One of the riders the Good Neighbor Society residents had an opportunity to visit with – just by random chance – was Tait Williams, the rider who suffered a heart attack last year one hour into his first RAGBRAI. He says he was technically dead for 15 to 20 minutes – and is back this year to finish what he started after making a full recovery.

Some of the riders were getting a friendly Manchester welcome from Pastor Jason Cooper from First Lutheran Church – he was sitting downtown on the corner at Main and Madison, greeting the riders as they were exploring the town.

Manchester’s Whitewater Park was a very popular place to be – with lots of riders taking a cool dip in the water and relaxing along the riverbank. Kevin Brooney from Sioux City was one of many who took a fun ride down the river’s rapids.

He’s on his sixth RAGBRAI – and says there’s a mix of emotions dipping your bike tire in the Mississippi River at the end of the week’s route through Iowa.

 

Manchester Councilmember Joe Dittrick was helping to direct the bikers as they came into town.

Manchester Mayor Connie Behnken was hearing a lot of positive comments too.

Morgan Henze with Delaware County Tourism says it was great to see RAGBRAI helping the local economy – and she’s hoping the riders will be back to visit.

 

 

audio and photos courtesy of Janelle Tucker/KMCH