Thousands of bicyclists will be coming to Charles City this summer as the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa will take a northern route.

Here is the announcement from organizers:

The 2022 Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, which will take place from July 23 to 30, will start in Sergeant Bluff and end in Lansing. In between, riders will overnight in, Ida Grove, Pocahontas, Emmetsburg, Mason City, Charles City, and West Union.

“I can’t wait for riders to experience these eight overnight towns hospitality,” said Matt Phippen, new RAGBRAI director of operations. “This is truly a route through small-town Iowa communities that have some much to offer riders. 2022 is going to be a fun route.”

The northern route is roughly 430 miles and nearly 11,900 feet of climb. That makes it the eleventh shortest ride and eighteenth flattest. The year’s ride is dedicated to RAGBRAI co-founder, John Karras, who died in November of last year.

Pocahontas is hosting riders overnight for the first time with Sergeant Bluff kicking off the ride for only the second time. The towns along this year’s route average XXX population average.

The full route, including pass-through towns is expected to be released in March.

About 15,000 registered riders, with participants from all 50 states and a host of international locations, descend on Iowa every year to be part of the “oldest, largest and longest recreational bicycle touring event in the world.”

Here is a note from the Charles City Chamber seeking volunteers:

Overnight Stay on July 28th

If you haven’t heard the news, RAGBRAI is coming to town on July 28th! The Charles City RAGBRAI team is excited for your help and input when we welcome thousands of visitors from all over the country for an overnight stay in our community!

Sign up here: https://bit.ly/3Ggt8eG