ONABIKE XXI, Onawa’s 21st
annual Great Bike Ride through the Loess Hills, is slated for Saturday, August
24th. ONABIKE is billed as NW Iowa’s
largest 1-day bike ride. The event draws
nearly 400 registered riders, ranging from first time riders and youngsters to
racers and teams from all over the Midwest.
ONABIKE has served as an introduction to
the sport for countless riders who have started with the shorter ride and
enjoyed the exercise and Ragbrai-like atmosphere, graduating on to become
accomplished riders.
Registration starts at 8:00
A.M. at the Onawa Public Library with the ride officially starting at 9:00 A.M.
with a police escort through town.
There are two routes to choose from: a
29-mile ride that is basically flat, and leaves Onawa and travels south along
the base of the Loess Hills before returning to town. The 63-mile route heads east from Turin to Soldier, Moorhead,
Pisgah, Little Sioux, Blencoe, and back to Onawa. There will be approximately 9 miles of hilly
roads to ride up (and down) on the long route.
Both routes are supported with a sag
vehicle and refreshments are available at each town as well as one additional
stop on the shorter ride.
Registration is $20 for the ride, the
limited-edition T-shirt, and a meal at Suds N Jugs provided by the Onawa
Chamber of Commerce at the end of the ride. Registration forms are available at
the Onawa Chamber of Commerce, 707
Iowa Ave, Onawa, IA 51040,
by calling 712-423-1801, or online at onabike@onawa.com
or www.onawachamber.com. The registration fee of $25 will be charged to those registering
after August 12, 2013.
Plan now to attend for a day you’ll
remember all year long.