RAGBRAI preparations were made for the bike riders and there was, no doubt, many memories made. They came through Rippey in 1980 and 1994. This event has grown so much over the years and the many details and guidelines to follow have increased. Many thanks to the leadership for taking on the sometimes exhausting task of complying with the rules and finding the many volunteers to make this happen. I have ”aged out” of physically volunteering, as the only contribution from me was a couple pies and a few dozen cookies. From all reports, no one went away hungry from Rippey!
In 1994, our favorite “Mouth of Rippey” was writing for the Globe Free Press and her column made me smile. Even she, who was one of the best Rippey Volunteers, would find something humorous to write about.
Globe Free Press, Rippey News, Thursday, August 4, 1994 Velda’s Varieties, The “Mouth of Rippey” by Velda DeMoss
The long awaited RAGBRAI swept thru Rippey on Tuesday, July 26. It was, as expected, quite an event. It isn’t everyday one can watch 8-9 thousand bikers down Main Street.
The United Methodist Church served 210 pies and 80 gallons of ice cream. Needless to say, they had a very successful day. According to reports in the Des Moines Register, they claimed the best pie and ice cream of the day.
Mary Fry and her ISU students had a watermelon stand and did a successful business. Mary also rounded up bikes for some of the students to ride from Grand Junction to Rippey and others rode from Rippey to Perry. One of the riders took a fall between Grand Junction and Rippey. He was picked up and brought to Rippey for first aid. Then it was decided he should go to a hospital. Then tried using the 911 system and they ended up finally with 2 or 3 emergency vehicles. Fortunately, the student was not badly injuredand was released after being checked at the Dallas County Hospital. Mary reports that is quite a sales tip for a watermelon stand. Ambulances tend to attract a crowd and then they buy watermelon!
The beer tent did a pretty good business and seemed to have lots of customers. Alan Borgeson, working in the tent on his birthday received lots of birthday hugs and kisses!
There are many, many stories of the day. It is so interesting to talk to the riders and learn where they are from and why they are on RAGBRAI.
LaVere was visiting with a bike club from Springfield, Illinois who had parked their bus on Main Street and was enjoying the day. While they visited, a large motor home towing a car came down Main Street. When it went up on the sidewalk after crossing the intersection they decided there was no driver behind the wheel. They jumped up and “Super Cooke” and his new friends from Illinois held it back enough to get the wheels blocked.
Although Jean went to the top of the elevator and took pictures during the afternoon, she insists she was not among the people later in the evening wearing only their smiles and cycling head gear that were mooning over Rippey. She was not even on hand to film them descending from the elevator. It was reported they jumped on their bikes and rode out of town still minus their clothes!
