CLOSE UP RAGBRAI TURNS 50. A LOOK AT THE BIKE RIDE ACROSS IOWA AS CYCLISTS BATTLED THOSE HILLS AND THE HEAT. NOW TOWNS ALONG THE ROUTE SPENT MONTHS PREPARING TO ENTERTAIN ALL THE RIDERS. WHAT SOME HAD TO DO TO KEEP ALL OF THOSE CYCLISTS FED AND COOL. BUT YOU KNOW, IT WASN’T ALL A PARTY. WE WILL SHOW YOU THE BEHIND THE SCENES EFFORT TO PULL OFF THE BIGGEST PARTY OF THEM. ALL RIGHT. HERE IN POLK COUNTY. THIS IS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. THIS IS KCCI EIGHT NEWS, CLOSE UP. GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO CLOSE UP. I’M KCCI, CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER AND WE HAVE A LOT OF FUN IN STORE THIS MORNING. WE ARE DEDICATING THIS EPISODE OF CLOSE UP TO RAGBRAI. NOW THE 50TH RIDE WRAPPED UP YESTERDAY IN DAVENPORT, BURT IT STARTED ONE WEEK AGO TODAY IN WESTERN IOWA. THOUSANDS OF CYCLISTS STARTED THEIR TREK ACROSS THE STATE IN SIOUX CITY. MANY OF THOSE RIDERS DIPPED THEIR REAR TIRE INTO THE MISSOURI RIVER BEFORE STARTING THE 500 MILE TRIP FROM SIOUX CITY. THE RIDERS PEDALED 77 MILES TO THE FIRST OVERNIGHT STAY IN STORM LAKE MONDAY. THE RAGBRAI IS HEADED SOUTH. 62 MILES TO CARROLL, PASSING THROUGH EARLY LAKE VIEW BREDA AND MT. CARMEL. ALONG THE WAY. KCCI IS ETHAN HUMBLE WAS IN BREDA ON MONDAY, CATCHING UP WITH BIKERS TRYING TO BEAT THE HEAT. THE RAGBRAI RIDE IS NO JOKE. IT IS NUTS CHALLENGING. IT’S HOT HUMID. I COULDN’T DO IT. I DON’T THINK I COULD DO IT. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THE RIDERS DIDN’T HAVE FUN. THERE WERE SEVERAL STOPS FOR REST ALONG THE 62 MILES THEY TRAVELED TODAY, SOMETHING THE POPULATION 500 TOWN OF BREDA IS NOT USED TO. THIS IS A LOT OF PEOPLE. I MEAN, IT DEFINITELY PUTS THE FARM HOME. I MEAN, IT PUTS IT ON HOLD. FOR A WHILE, HOWEVER, RIDERS WERE MORE THAN THANKFUL FOR THE AREAS OF REST IN AND NEAR THE TOWN AS THEY CLIMBED 1800 FEET IN ELEVATION THROUGHOUT THE RIDE. THESE PEOPLE ARE GREAT WITH GATORADES AND WATER. OH YEAH, IT’S GREAT. THANK FOR THESE PEOPLE DOING THAT ONE. BRITT A MAN EVEN MADE A SLIP AND SLIDE FOR HOT AND SWEATY RIDERS. EVERYBODY’S GOING TO BE HOT, SO I FIGURED MIGHT AS WELL GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO COOL HIMSELF DOWN. AN ATTRACTION THAT WAS APPRECIATED BY MANY. BUT WHEN DAWN ROLLS AROUND TOMORROW, BREDA WILL BE THE QUIET, SMALL TOWN. IT WAS BEFORE THE RIDERS CAME THROUGH. JUST MESSES THINGS UP FOR A LITTLE WHILE, BUT AFTER TODAY IT’LL BE BACK TO NORMAL AGAIN. HOW FUN. I WANT TO BE ON THAT SLIP AND SLIDE WHEN THOSE CYCLISTS ROLLED INTO THE OVERNIGHT STAY IN CARROLL, THEY WERE LOOKING FOR SOME MORE RELIEF FROM THE HEAT. AND AS KCCI KAYLA JAMES SHOWS US, CARROLL WAS HAPPY TO HELP THIS IS RAGBRAI DAY TWO IN CARROLL, WHERE BY MIDAFTERNOON MONDAY THE STREETS LOOKED LIKE THIS. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SHOPPING, EATING. AND FINALLY WE’RE CAMPING INSIDE, TAKING A BREAK. AFTER BIKING MORE THAN 55 MILES FROM STORM LAKE. A NICE SHORT RIDE COMPARED TO YESTERDAY, WHICH WAS A LITTLE WARM AT THE END YESTERDAY. MANY PEOPLE RIDING THE ROUTE TELL US THIS STRETCH WAS DEFINITELY EASIER THAN THE FIRST. WHAT MADE IT DIFFERENT? I MEAN, ONCE YOU STOP, THAT’S WHEN YOU REALLY YOU’RE LIKE, OH, THE HEAT. BUT PEOPLE ARRIVING IN CARROLL AFTER A FEW HOURS SAY IT’S NOT REALLY NOTICEABLE WHEN YOU’RE ON THE ROUTE. THE HEAT WHEN YOU’RE RIDING, YOU DON’T REALLY EVEN NOTICE IT BECAUSE THE WIND AS YOU’RE RIDING. BUT THE RAGBRAI TEAM IN CARROLL WAS PREPARED. READY THE COOL PEOPLE OFF BY WATERSLIDE OR OPENING BUSINESSES AND CITY BUILDINGS TO BEAT THE HEAT. IT’S PRETTY GOOD. CAN’T COMPLAIN. THANKS FOR HOSTING US. JILL MOELLER IS A PART OF TEAM THOMPSON, MADE UP OF COUSINS SIBLINGS AND UNCLES. THREE UNCLES WEREN’T GETTING ANY YOUNGER AND SO WE FIGURED, HEY, WE BETTER DO IT WITH THEM. WHICH BRINGS THEM TO CARROLL. I DON’T KNOW. THE WHOLE CITY READY WITH THE STAGE IS SET FOR BANDS AND A VARIETY OF IOWA VENDORS LIKE SHANE HILLMAN AND THE CHAD’S PIZZA TEAM. EVERYBODY’S BEEN SO FRIENDLY, A LITTLE EXHAUSTED, SO THEY’LL HOP FROM WHAT’S GOING ON OUT HERE. BUT THEY’RE ALL STOP AND CHECKING OUT WHAT WE’RE DOING FOR PIZZA FOR FIFTH STREET AND CARROLL PACKED FROM MID AFTERNOON UNTIL THE NIGHT. THERE’S A BIG CROWD OUT THERE, MUCH BIGGER THAN IT HAS BEEN IN ALL THE OTHER YEARS. CARROLL STOP IS A FAVORITE FOR SOME SO FAR, BUT THE RIDE IS ONLY JUST BEGINNING. DAY TWO ENDS WITH RIDERS PREPARING FOR THE JOURNEY TO AMES AND THERE IS STILL MUCH MORE TO COME ON CLOSE UP HOW SOME OF THE SMALLEST TOWNS ON THE ROUTE WERE ABLE TO FEED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RAGBRAI RIDERS AND TURNING AMES INTO A CAMPGROUND. AND THE AREAS AROUND JACK TRICE STADIUM THAT BECAME A TENT CITY. IN RAGBRAI BROUGHT SO MUCH FUN LAST WEEK. BUT THE EXTREMELY HOT TEMPERATURES ALSO BROUGHT SOME CHALLENGES. WHEN WE WERE IN CARROLL FOR THE START OF DAY THREE, YOU CAN SEE IT’S DARK OUTSIDE. WE SAW MANY PEOPLE LEAVING TOWN BEFORE THAT SUN EVEN CAME UP. THEY WERE HOPING TO GET ON THE ROAD BEFORE TEMPERATURES ROSE INTO THE 90S AND THAT’S WHERE TEMPERATURES STAYED FOR MOST OF THE RIDE. MAN, IT WAS HOT. WELL, DAY THREE OF RAGBRAI BROUGHT THE RIDERS INTO THE HEART OF CENTRAL IOWA. THEY PEDALED 83 MILES FROM CARROLL TO AMES, PASSING THROUGH GLIDDEN, JEFFERSON, RIPPEY AND LUTHER BEFORE GETTING TO THEIR OVERNIGHT CAMPSITES IN AND AROUND IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY. WELL, THOSE TOWNS ALONG THAT ROUTE OFFERED CYCLISTS A CHANCE TO STOP REST AND OF COURSE, COOL OFF. CASEY IS BEAU BOWMAN SHOWS US THE MOUTH WATERING MEAL THAT RIDERS ALSO GOT TO ENJOY IN LUTHER. THOUSANDS OF CYCLISTS DESCENDED UPON THE SMALL TOWNS JUST NORTHWEST OF DES MOINES IN RIPPEY RIDERS STOPPED TO REST FOR A FEW MINUTES AND EAT LUNCH NUMBER ONE. THANK YOU. IN THE PEOPLE IN THESE TOWNS, THEY’VE RESTORED MY FAITH IN THE SMALL TOWN AMERICA. TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SO AMAZING. SOME SUPPORTERS FROM ARIZONA HELD UP A SIGN CHEERING ON THEIR MOM IN HER FIRST EVER RAGBRAI. I’M MAKING HER A SIGN AND COMING IN SURPRISING HER TO SAY HI AND SEE HOW SHE’S DOING BECAUSE SHE’S DOING THE 100 MILER TODAY TOWN TO TOWN RIDERS TOOK IN THE SWEEPING LANDSCAPES AS IOWANS CAN SOMETIMES TAKE FOR GRANTED. I’VE NEVER SEEN CORNFIELDS SO ACTUALLY SEEING THE CORNFIELDS ARE PRETTY COOL. IN LUTHER, THE BLOCK PARTY CENTERED AROUND POPULAR BARBECUE JOINT. WHAT YOU SMOKING WHERE THEY PREPARED SEVEN TONS OF MEAT FOR HUNGRY RAGBRAI RIDERS. DELICIOUS. WE’RE DOING 360 PORK --, WHICH IS ABOUT 5 TO 6 POUND AVERAGE, 240 BRISKETS SAME AVERAGE AGE. SO THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF MEAT, LOTS OF COLESLAW AND YEAH, BIG PREPARATION, OVER 10,000 SANDWICHES. WE’RE PLANNING ON SELLING TODAY. FROM THERE, THEY PEDALED ALONG HIGHWAY 57 TOWARD AMES WITH ONLY THREE THINGS ON THEIR MIND. PROBABLY GOING A SHOWER, GET SOMETHING TO EAT AND HAVE A COUPLE OF BEERS. THE PARTY SLOWED DOWN AROUND 430 HERE IN LUTHER AS THE RIDERS MADE THEIR WAY TO AMES IN LUTHER BEAU BOWMAN KCCI EIGHT NEWS. IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. AND I HOPE BO GOT TO ENJOY SOME OF THAT MEAT MAN THAT LOOK GOOD. WELL, DAY THREE ENDED WITH A SPECIAL TRIP THROUGH IOWA STATE’S JACK TRICE STADIUM IN AMES. THAT TRIP REQUIRED RIDERS TO PEDAL UP ONE MORE HILL TO GET INTO THE STADIUM. AND ONCE INSIDE, THEY RODE A LAP BEFORE EXITING ON THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OVER UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD. MANY RIDERS SAY THEY LOVED THAT SWING THROUGH JACK TRICE, NOT JUST THE CLIMB TO GET THERE. WELL, TWO LITTLE BOYS AT THE BOTTOM GAVE US MORNING SAID HEY, THERE’S A BIG HILL COMING. SO I GOT READY FOR IT. I CLIMBED LIKE SIX HILLS BEFORE THAT AND IT WAS WORSE. HILL EVER. NOW ONCE RIDERS FINISHED WHAT MANY CALL THE INCLINE, JACK TRICE, THEY WERE READY TO CLIMB OFF THEIR BIKES AND RELAX AND AMES WAS READY FOR THAT, OFFERING PLENTY OF FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT IN AND AROUND MAIN STREET DOWNTOWN, TWO STAGES WERE SET UP THERE OFFERING MUSIC HEADLINED BY ROCK COVER BAND HAIRBALL. BUT BUT FOR THOUSANDS OF RIDERS GETTING TO AMES MEANT ACTUALLY SKIPPING THE PARTY, SETTING UP CAMP AND GETTING SOME REST AS KCCI IS OFELIA JACOBSEN SHOWS US TENTS WERE EVERYWHERE AROUND TOWN. ONE, TWO, THREE, GO RED RAY, GO! CYCLONES. SPIRITS ARE HIGH ON DAY THREE OF RAGBRAI AFTER BIKING FROM CARROLL TO AMES ONE FINAL CYCLISTS ARE COOLING OFF AT THE CAMPGROUNDS, DOING EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING TO BEAT THE HEAT. COLD SHOWERS. GOOD COLD BEERS, GOOD. I WOULD SAY PRO TIP IS PEANUT M&MS. AFTER AFTER A LONG RIDE. THOSE ARE. THOSE ARE CLUTCH FROM TAKING A PLUNGE IN THE COLD WATER TO PUTTING TOGETHER A MAKESHIFT SHOWER. YOU GOT YOURSELF IN YOUR OWN PRIVACY AREA YOU GOT THE SWITCH FOR ON AND OFF AND WE’RE HOOKED UP TO THE CAR BATTERY TO POWER OUR PUMP. HOWEVER, THEY DO IT, CYCLISTS WILL REST UP BEFORE TRAVELING TO DES MOINES ON WEDNESDAY, PEOPLE SET THEIR TENTS AND RVS UP NEAR JACK TRICE STADIUM, SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS OLD AND NEW. OH, HEY, HOW ARE YOU DOING? HEY, GOOD. SOME EVEN BROUGHT THEIR FURRY FRIENDS TO KEEP THEM COMPANY. WE GET GOING. REALLY FAST ON A DOWNHILL. LOCK HER DOWN, AND WE TUCK YOU IN AND GO. DON’T WE, DAISY? DAISY WILL RIDE ALL 500 MILES WITH HER OWNERS, BRIAN AND TEAGUE BAKER. SHE’LL BE FUELING UP ON KIBBLE AND WATER TONIGHT. THE BAKERS ARE HAPPY TO SHARE THEIR FIRST RAGBRAI EXPERIENCE WITH THEIR DOG. SHE ALMOST FELL ASLEEP TODAY, JUST CURLED UP IN A LITTLE BALL ON MY ARM WHILE I’M RIDING. AND YEAH, THE PEOPLE COME UP AND WANT TO PET HER AND TAKE PICTURES AND SELFIES AND SHE JUST SOAKS IT UP. SHE LOVES IT. SHE ABSOLUTELY LOVES IT. THEY MADE THE TRIP FROM IDAHO FOR THEIR FIRST RAGBRAI AND THEY’RE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT TRAVELED FAR. COMING FROM NOANK, CONNECTICUT. WE’RE FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, THE TWIN CITIES AREA, SAN ANTONIO COMING FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE. WELL, COMING UP ON CLOSE UP DAY FOUR OF RAGBRAI WAS THE SHORTEST ROUTE WITH THE BIGGEST CROWD WITH THE AMES TO DES MOINES RIDE OFFERED BIKERS AND DAY THREE’S RIDE ENDED WITH A GIANT PARTY AT WATERWORKS PARK. THE WORK THAT POLK COUNTY OFFICIALS PUT IN TO KEEP 60,000 CYCLISTS SAFE. WELL, WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP FOR LOTS MORE RAGBRAI AND LOTS OF RAGBRAI RIDERS ON DAY FOUR HIT THE ROAD OUT OF AMES. YOU CAN SEE HERE, STILL DARK AGAIN, THOSE RIDERS WERE TRYING TO BEAT THE HEAT. IT WAS THE SHORTEST LEG OF THE RIDE, 50 MILES FROM AMES TO DES MOINES, BUT A HOT ONE. AND IT HAD SOME STOPS ALONG THE WAY. THE FIRST OF THOSE STOPS WAS IN SLATER, AND THEY HAD A BREAKFAST PARTY THERE OFFERING THOUSANDS OF CYCLISTS BREAKFAST BURRITOS AND PANCAKES. A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD, RIDERS PASSED THROUGH MADRID. KCCI IS NICOLE TAM SHOWS US HOW A TOWN OF ABOUT 2500 PEOPLE PLAYED HOST TO A CROWD 20 TIMES AS LARGE. DOZENS OF FOOD VENDORS LINED THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN MADRID FROM THE TOP OF OUR HEAD OUT TO OUR TAILBONE AND SOMETHING FUN FOR EVERYONE, INCLUDING AN INFLATABLE SLIP AND SLIDE AND GOAT YOGA. I THINK THIS TOWN DID A REALLY GOOD JOB. THERE’S ALWAYS LIKE DIFFERENT THINGS. I THINK THE TOWNS THAT HAVE STUFF LIKE THAT FOR KIDS IS ALSO REALLY NICE FOR US TO LIKE GET A BREAK. TRISTAN SCHAFFNER AND HIS FAMILY CAME ALL THE WAY FROM AUSTRIA. THEY’RE VISITING FAMILY AND SAY THAT RAGBRAI IS A GREAT ACTIVITY TO ADD TO THE AGENDA. WE LIKE BIKING AND IT’S A FUN EXPERIENCE FOR THE KIDS. EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT REASON OF WHY THEY RIDE RAGBRAI FOR SOME LOCALS, THE FUN IS HOSTING STRANGERS, BUT ALSO BEING PART OF THE RIDE. I JUST WANTED TO SHOW OFF IOWA, SHOW OFF DES MOINES AND HOPEFULLY GIVE PEOPLE IN THE SPIRIT OF RAGBRAI AND GET THEM COMING BACK. A LOT OF PEOPLE ALSO TRIED TO BEAT THE HEAT WATCHING THE THERMOMETER. BAUER AS TEMPERATURES CLIMB THROUGHOUT THE MORNING BUT STILL ENJOY WHAT IOWANS HAVE TO OFFER. THE SPIRIT OF RAGBRAI IS THE SMALL TOWNS. IT’S JUST MUCH FOR PEOPLE IN THE TOWNS IT FOR US. SO I TRY TO START EARLY, TRY TO GET OUT FOR THE HEAT, BUT STILL SPEND TIME VISIT ALL THE TOWNS. THANK YOU. AS RIDERS WRAP UP THEIR QUICK VISIT TO MADRID, MANY CYCLISTS SAY THE LITTLE INTERACTIONS WITH LOCAL PEOPLE IS WHAT MAKES THE EXPERIENCE SO SPECIAL. ANOTHER OPTIONS RIDERS HAVE BEFORE LEAVING TOWN IS TO VISIT THE FAMOUS HIGH TRESTLE TRAIL. IMAGINE NICOLE TAM KCCI EIGHT NEWS. IOWA’S NEWS LEADER AND POLK CITY WAS THE HALFWAY POINT. ON WEDNESDAY, RIDERS GOT ANOTHER CHANCE TO STOP THERE. REST AND COOL OFF WHILE ALSO FILLING UP ON SWEET CORN. IOWA CORN GAVE OUT ABOUT 1800 EARS OF DIPPED SWEET CORN IN BUTTER. THE STOP ALSO GAVE RIDERS A CHANCE TO COMPARE NOTES ON THE RIDE. IT FEELS LIKE, YEAH, I FEEL LIKE I’M PART OF THE STORY RIGHT? AND YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THIS WHERE THEY’RE WRITING NAMES, YOU KNOW, HONOR THE YEARS AND STUFF. SO IT’S ACTUALLY VERY SWEET. IT’S CRAZY. I MEAN, I’VE DONE FOUR THIS IS MY FOURTH TIME. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WHEN YOU STOP AND YOU GET OFF YOUR BIKE, YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO WALK AND YOU KIND OF LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDER. JUST ALL YOU DO IS JUST KEEP SEEING PEOPLE COMING AND COMING AND COMING RIDING. AND THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE FROM THERE, THOSE HUGE CROWDS TOOK A SHORT EIGHT MILE TRIP TO ANKENY. THE DESIGNATED MEETING POINT FOR WEDNESDAY. AND AS KCCI, ETHAN HUMBLE SHOWS US, ANKENY IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT CYCLISTS WANT LIVE MUSIC, LOTS OF FOOD AND A BUNCH OF SMILING FACES. WELCOME TO THE RAGBRAI RIDERS INTO ANKENY NOW HALFWAY THROUGH THE WEEK’S ROUTE, THE DISTRICT AT PRAIRIE TRAIL IN ANKENY WAS MORE THAN READY FOR THE RAGBRAI RIDERS TODAY, WITH TODAY’S RIDE BEING THE SHORTEST OF THE WEEK AT 50 MILES, MANY LOCAL RIDERS HOPPED ON THE ROUTE THIS MORNING, SAYING THEY’RE FAMILIAR WITH THE OVER 100 MILES OF TRAILS IN WHAT’S QUICKLY BECOME A PROSPERING BIKING CITY. THE DISTRICT, EVEN INVITED A LOCAL ARTIST OUT TO PAINT WHILE THE RIDERS PASSED THROUGH WITH HER MAIN MESSAGE IN THE PIECE, SAYING, IT’S GOOD TO BE HERE. THE SENTIMENT IT’S GOOD TO BE HERE IS SOMETHING THAT’S REALLY POSITIVE. IT’S JOYFUL, WHICH I ALWAYS WANT TO KIND OF HAVE THE MESSAGE OF MY WORK TO BE SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I ALSO THINK IT’S A REALLY GOOD REMINDER THAT WHERE YOU ARE IS A GOOD PLACE, SHE HOPES ANKENY’S RESIDENTS AND RAGBRAI VISITORS ALIKE WILL APPRECIATE THE MESSAGE AND FROM ANKENY, RAGBRAI MOVED INTO WEDNESDAY’S HOME STRETCH, HEADING TO DES MOINES FOR THE OVERNIGHT STOP. CYCLISTS WERE GREETED WITH CHEERS AND LOTS OF ICE WATER. THE ROUTE THROUGH THE CITY TOOK THEM PAST THE STATE HOUSE THROUGH DOWNTOWN AND THEN DOWN FLEUR DRIVE. THAT LED THEM TO THE MASSIVE CAMPSITE SET UP AT WATERWORKS PARK. AND AS KCCI IS, KAYLA JAMES SHOWS US, THOSE RIDERS WERE TREATED TO A HUGE PARTY AT WATERWORKS, COMPLETE WITH BEER AND FOOD, TENTS AND OF COURSE, MUSIC WITH LYNYRD SKYNYRD. SOME RAGBRAI RIDERS TELL US THEY WERE A BIT WORRIED WHEN THEY HEARD THERE’S ONLY ONE CAMPGROUND AT WATERWORKS PARK UNTIL THEY GOT HERE AND SAW THIS SPACE AND TENSE FOR DAYS ON DAYS. GOING BACK FURTHER WHERE PEOPLE ARE STAYING OVERNIGHT, THIS IS WONDERFUL. THIS IS MORE THAN ENOUGH ROOM. I KNEW IT HAD TO BE BIG WHEN I LOOKED ON THE MAP AND THERE’S THIS ONE CAMPGROUND FOR THE RVS AND WATERWORKS PARK IS PROVING NOT TO DISAPPOINT. RAGBRAI RIDERS ROLLING INTO THE CAMPGROUNDS THROUGHOUT THE DAY, MAKING IT THEIR HOME FOR THE NIGHT. LIKE MARTHA MASON AND HER FRIENDS WHO ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO BE AT WATERWORKS PARK FOLLOWING THE RIDE FROM AMES, THE RECEPTION RIDING INTO TOWN IS IT’S FANTASTIC. LIKE I VIDEOTAPE ALMOST EVERY TIME, JUST PEOPLE JUST LINING THE STREETS. THE FRIENDS ARE JUST ONE GROUP OF THOUSANDS OF TENTS SCATTERED ACROSS THE PARK. AND BECAUSE OF HOW BIG WATERWORKS PARKS THIS CAMPGROUND IS, IT’S A LOT OF DRIVING, WAITING FOR RVS. AND CAMPERS ARE NOT TOO FAR AWAY FROM THE TENTS. IT’S WHERE THE SUPPORT DRIVERS LIKE SCOTT CLARK WAIT FOR THEIR TEAMS TO SHOW UP WHILE ENJOYING THE VIEW. YOU KNOW, YOU GET TO MEET DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND TALK TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND SEE WHERE THEY’RE FROM. AND YOU KNOW, THAT’S KIND OF COOL. SCOTT IS USED TO RIDING IN RAGBRAI, BUT THIS YEAR HE’S IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE HIS FRIENDS HAVE A COMFORTABLE PLACE TO STAY IN. IT’S A LOT OF WORK, A LOT OF NAVIGATING, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF LOGISTICS, A LOT OF PLANNING, A LOT MORE GOES INTO THE SUPPORT THAN THAN I THOUGHT. A LOT OF WORK FOR A GOOD TIME. SOMETHING CAMPERS LIKE ERIC GEPHARDT SAYS HE’S HAVING, ESPECIALLY WITH HOW THE CAMPGROUND IS SET UP AND THE LIKE, WHERE THE MAIN STAGE IS. I CAN GO FOR A LITTLE FIVE MINUTE BIKE RIDE, GET THERE, WATCH LEONARD SKINNER, COME BACK AND GET A GOOD NIGHT. REST IN WATERWORKS PARK, KAYLA JAMES KCCI EIGHT NEWS. IOWA’S NEWS LEADER DAWN CLOSE UP RAGBRAI DOESN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT MONTHS OF PLANNING. WE’LL TAKE YOU INSIDE THE POLK COUNTY COMMAND CENTER THAT OVERSAW THE RIDE IN THE DES MOINES AREA. YOU’RE ALL GOOD. WE’RE ON BREAK. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP, WHERE TODAY WE’RE TALKING ALL THINGS RAGBRAI. DES MOINES OFFICIALS ESTIMATE AS MANY AS 60,000 RIDERS CAME INTO THE CITY AS PART OF RAGBRAI ON WEDNESDAY. AND THAT WAS THE MOST PEOPLE OF ANY LEG OF THE RIDE. IT TOOK SIX MONTHS OF PLANNING TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING RAN SMOOTHLY. KCCI SPOKE WITH AJ MUNN, DIRECTOR OF POLK COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, ABOUT THE RAGBRAI UNIFIED AREA COMMAND. THAT GROUP MADE SURE ANY RAGBRAI RELATED BUMPS IN THE ROAD WERE HANDLED IN POLK COUNTY. SO WE’VE HAD OVER 180 PEOPLE COME TOGETHER SINCE EARLY APRIL AND START PLANNING THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE’S RESPONSE AND SUPPORT TO RAGBRAI AS IT COMES THROUGH POLK COUNTY. AND SO A PART OF THAT IS A CULMINATION OF A OF AN EVENT ACTION PLAN, WHICH GIVES US SOME GUIDANCE AND SOME DIRECTION AND BASICALLY GETS EVERYBODY ON THE SAME TEAM. AND IT’S SORT OF THAT THAT SAME SHEET OF MUSIC THAT WE CAN ALL OPERATE FROM, WHETHER YOU’RE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIONS, SO THAT WE ALL HAVE AN OPERATING PLAN. WELL, CERTAINLY THE HEAT IS THE TOPIC OF THE DAY. IT’S THE TOPIC OF THE WEEK. WE KNOW IT’S JULY. IT’S IOWA, IT’S GOING TO BE HOT. BUT CERTAINLY THIS IS DANGEROUS HEAT. AND IF YOU’RE PEDALING, EVEN 50 MILES IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT ON PEOPLE’S PHYSICAL HEALTH. AND SO I’D SAY THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES MAKING SURE THAT THERE’S HYDRATION STATIONS AND THAT WE HAVE FIRST AID STATIONS, THAT ARE MONITORING AND AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE THAT ARE STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT IN THIS HEAT. WELL, WE’VE HAD A NUMBER OF LARGE EVENTS ACROSS POLK COUNTY OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO. AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST, BUT THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST COMPLEX AND THE MOST NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONS INVOLVED. WE’VE DONE THIS FOR THE IRONMAN TRIATHLON THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. SO IT’S A VERY SOLID TEAM. BUT THERE’S ALWAYS NEW MEMBERS TO THE TEAM AND WE WELCOME THEM. AND THIS THE LEVEL OF COLLABORATION HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING. SO WE’RE MONITORING TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, WE’RE MONITORING THE MEDICAL CONDITIONS, WE’RE MONITORING SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE’RE MONITORING THE STATUS OF THE HOSPITALS. ALL OF THOSE ENTITIES THAT I JUST NAMED HAVE REPRESENTATIVES HERE AND ALLOWS THAT INFORMATION THAT THEY CAN SEE OUT IN THE FIELD AND BRING THAT BACK TO A CENTRAL HUB. AND THIS ACTS AS THAT CENTRAL HUB WHERE WE CAN SEE THAT INFORMATION, MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON THAT INFORMATION, ADD VALUE TO IT AND GET THAT INFORMATION BACK OUT TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY MEMBERS SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE. SO THE THE RAGBRAI ROUTE GOES THROUGH A NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONS, ABOUT HALF OF THEM TODAY. AND ANOTHER FOR A HANDFUL TOMORROW ON THURSDAY. AND SO EACH OF THOSE GEOGRAPHIC DIVISIONS, WE CALL THEM, THEY’RE BASICALLY THE THE POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS. AND SO POLK CITY, ANKENY SAILOR TOWNSHIP, DES MOINES WATER WORKS. AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF POLK COUNTY THAT ARE ALSO DIVIDED UP IN THE RURAL, UNINCORPORATED AREAS. SO YOU ADD ALL THOSE UP TOGETHER AND WE HAVE 13 DIFFERENT DIVISIONS, ABOUT HALF OF THEM TODAY AND ABOUT HALF OF THEM TOMORROW. AND EACH OF THEM HAVE THEIR OWN CAPABILITIES AND CAPACITIES. AND WE’RE HERE TO SUPPORT ALL OF THEM AND HELP THEM HAVE THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. WELL, WE HAVE THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HERE. WE HAVE A METEOROLOGIST ON STAFF AS WELL. AND SO THE WEATHER CONCERNS ARE CERTAINLY UP THERE, THE HEAT BEING ONE OF THEM, BUT ALSO THE DEVELOPMENT OF STORMS. THE FORECAST LOOKS PRETTY GOOD BESIDES THE HEAT FOR US, BUT THAT’S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE’VE BEEN EXPECTING TO WATCH VERY CAREFULLY, IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS OR OTHER SEVERE WEATHER. BUT OTHERWISE TRAFFIC IMPACTS. WE KNOW THAT THIS IS CREATING A LOT OF DELAYS ACROSS THE METRO AREA. AND SO WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE RECEIVING PHONE CALLS OF MAYBE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW DO I GET TO MY MEDICAL APPOINTMENT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN. AND WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN GIVE THEM ADVICE ON THE BEST WAY TO TRAVERSE THE CITY GIVEN THE TRAFFIC IMPACTS THAT WE’RE SEEING TODAY. A LOT OF TRAFFIC IMPACTS TODAY. THOSE WERE EXPECTED AND WE HOPE THAT PEOPLE WERE PREPARED FOR THEM. BUT WE KNOW THERE MAY BE VISITORS OR PEOPLE THAT JUST WEREN’T AWARE. AND SO WE WANT TO DO OUR BEST TO TO HELP PEOPLE GET WHERE THEY NEED TO GO. AND IT LOOKS LIKE ALL OF THAT PREPARATION PAID OFF HERE IN POLK COUNTY. OFFICIALS SAY OUT OF THE 60,000 RIDERS WHO CAME THROUGH WEDNESDAY, THERE WERE ONLY AROUND 30 INJURIES. AND WHILE MOST OF THOSE WERE HEAT RELATED, THERE WERE A FEW RIDERS THAT SUFFERED FROM INJURIES RANGING FROM BEE STINGS TO BROKEN BONES. AND IT WAS ALSO A RELATIVELY WELL BEHAVED CROWD. POLICE SAY THEY DIDN’T MAKE ANY RAGBRAI RELATED ARRESTS IN POLK COUNTY. OF COURSE, RAGBRAI DIDN’T END WHEN THE RIDERS LEFT DES MOINES THURSDAY. RIDERS LEFT THE CITY IN CONTINUED EAST TOWARD THE OVERNIGHT SHOP IN THE TOWNS OF TAMA AND TOLEDO. ALONG THE WAY, CYCLISTS ON THE NEARLY 90 MILE RIDE PASSED THROUGH ALTOONA, MITCHELLVILLE, COLFAX, NEWTON, KELLOGG AND GRINNELL FRY DAY RIDERS CONTINUED THEIR TREK EAST, GOING FROM TAMA AND TOLEDO, 80 MILES TO CORALVILLE ALONG THE WAY, THEY COULD GET OFF THE TRAIL NEAR AMANA AND GO THROUGH A CORN MAZE. CUT TO REPRESENT THIS YEAR’S RAGBRAI ROUTE. WELL, THE 500 MILE RIDE WRAPPED UP SATURDAY WITH A 66 MILE TREK FROM CORALVILLE ALL THE WAY TO DAVENPORT. RIDERS WENT THROUGH JACK TRICE STADIUM IN AMES AND ALSO GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE THROUGH THE HOME OF THE HAWKEYES, KINNICK STADIUM, WHEN THEY PASSED THROUGH IOWA CITY. WELL, SO MUCH FUN THERE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON KCCI EIGHT NEWS, CLOSE-UP. WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT SUNDAY. HAVE A GREAT DAY. OH, MY GOD.