RAGBRAI enters Minnesota for first time ever

JACKSON, Minn. (KEYC) - Every year since the 1970s the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, or RAGBRAI, has seen tens of thousands of cyclers ride border-to-border across Iowa .

That history has brought with it quite a bit of tradition, as families often reunite for the ride every year.

That includes the Marean family, who have been riding together for over 30 years.

“I went ahead and took him on the RAGBRAI and his famous quote to me was ‘dad this was so much fun I wanna do this until you die.’ So anyways I’m 66 now and he’s 43 and it’s just a fun time it’s a big family thing,” said rider Kevin Marean.

Through all of that tradition also comes change. Changes to the ride and changes to the riders themselves.

“I used to do RAGBRAI with two legs and I lost a leg about four years ago so it’s a new challenge for me I’ve always loved cycling but it’s just a new challenge with being an amputee,” Marean said.

The route of the ride also changes every year, this year dipping up into Minnesota for the first time ever, going through Jackson as part of the more than 400-mile ride that lasts the entire week.

“I didn’t bring my fishing pole this year, I missed a lake over there, kind of disappointed about that, but we’re out here for the bikes, not the fish,” said Kevin’s son, Kelly Marean.

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