RAGBRAI® in Allamakee County
Waukon RAGBRAI hosting June 28 Town Meeting; All are encouraged to attend to learn more
The Waukon RAGBRAI Committees will be hosting a Town Meeting Wednesday, June 28 from 6-7 p.m. at Iron Ridge Church, located at 512 Ninth Street SW in Waukon. Residents and others interested from all communities in the Allamakee County area, including the pass-through and final destination towns, are invited to attend the meeting.
More specific details will be presented about RAGBRAI's overnight stay in Waukon, including information about road closures and layout of the entertainment and other venues in downtown Waukon. Additional information will address volunteer and rider hosting opportunities, as well as funding and other logistical information. Attendees can learn about Spirit Fridays, and winners of the local children's art contest will be announced. Those in attendance will also have the opportunity to ask questions in regard to RAGBRAI and its July 28-29 visit to Allamakee County.
Area resident shares his RAGBRAI experience in an effort to familiarize residents of Allamakee County
In an effort to make Allamakee County residents more aware and comfortable with what will be taking place when the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI®) visits local communities later this summer, The Standard has invited area residents or natives to share stories of their RAGBRAI experience. Below is another installment received.
Reflecting on RAGBRAI V in anticipation of RAGBRAI XLV
On an overcast Saturday morning in July 1977 around 6 a.m. a group of young men stood around two small cardboard card tables at the corner of West Street SW and West Main Street in downtown Waukon. One table was loaded with small cartons of white milk, the other chocolate. A Dolly Madison delivery truck parked a short distance away full of additional supplies manned by a middle-aged man by the name of Bob McDonald.
The word rang out, "here they come," and down the Post Office hill came the early bird riders. RAGBRAI V had officially hit Waukon on its last leg to the Mississippi River. The first of the bicyclists had probably left Decorah before dawn with no breakfast and were grateful for a little nourishment, even if it wasn't much. Some asked for the cartons to be opened and in cups so as not to have to carry such or to impede their quick exit of our town. Very few took the cartons along, they did not wish to be tempted to litter.
A few pleasantries were exchanged, from "thanks" to "thanks very much," and off to the east, up East Main to Elon Road, they went, Lansing-bound for their Mississippi River destination. It seemed most bicyclists were young or middle-age males at the time.
A screen door banged and a middle-aged man in white with an apron appeared, asking, "How is it going, young men?" and "Does anyone want a fresh donut?". That was just one way Bill Waldron of Waukon was wishing to help.
This was a Jaycee project, and as soon as the dime store opened up, someone purchased all the small paper cups available. Other Jaycees opened and filled the cups as fast as possible as the number of cyclists was increasing. Cups of milk were handed to bikers on the move with a garbage can to toss in without hardly slowing down.
The owner of the S&D Cafe came across the street checking on the situation and wondering if we could detour a few to the S&D for breakfast, which we did when asked where a good place was to get a quick bit to eat.
All in all, it was a pleasant experience 40 years ago, with Waukon's input and output at a minimum as a pass-through town that year. I don't think water was even offered, as there was a public water fountain at "the JCPenney's corner" of Main Street and Spring Avenue on the sidewalk, and this was before bottled water.
By noon, most of the stragglers had come and gone, as well as our milk, which had run out. RAGBRAI was in its infancy, but even then we felt we showed some genuine Iowa and Waukon hospitality. It was a "hi" and "bye," but now Waukon has a second chance to show what a great community this is and, as the fabulous song of the late 1960s went by Sly and the Family Stone, "I'd like to get to know you, if I could." Waukon and Allamakee County may just do that, as well as the rest of Iowa, the U.S. and the world. From just one of a few fellow Jaycees who was there that Saturday morning in 1977.
~ Jim Magner, Waukon
