The "North Loop", a Welcome Depot, the BRR Ride and the BIG Picture

Posted Jan 23, 2010
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The beauty of the BRR Ride. We do it no matter what the weather is. That is what makes it fun. Now...what happens to those registration dollars?

Perry, IA I've got MAJOR cabin fever...! How about you? The BRR ride is right around the corner and it may be just the ticket! We've had some interesting Winter weather in central Iowa this past few weeks. We've seen more snow, ice and rain the last couple of months than in the last few years combined. That is the beauty of the BRR Ride. We do it no matter what the weather is. That is what makes it fun. We get a RAGBRAI-esce weekend in February. We get to see lots of friends we have not seen in a few months and inevitably meet some new friends too, and it all happens within 45 minutes of home for most. To Register or Not to Register Of course not everyone will venture out in the icy frozen conditions. On a good year, the BRR ride has seen upwards of 3000 cyclists. On the cold ones there have been as little as 300. Last year was a warmer year. Over 2600 cyclists were counted leaving Perry. But you know what? Less than 700 people registered for the BRR ride. Not even half. Why is that? This feature is not intended to hammer on ya for not registering. The intent is to inform you why registering is important and what the funds raised are doing for the community and the trails system. BRR is pulling out the stops this year with a new BRR Tent downtown. They will be taking last minute registrations and donations, but would appreciate pre-registering. With ongoing budget cuts and layoffs, the funds raised by the BRR ride may be the only way some projects will have the funding to get completed this year. We as cyclists have to support the smaller communities that exist on the trail system. You can still register online. Did you know? BRR is a fundraiser for chamber supported projects including the Perry Welcome Depot and the Raccoon River Valley Trail. Perry is a very bicycle friendly community and they have done wonders with the funds raised from the BRR Ride. Did you know Perry has official bicycle lanes? Can you say that for your city? Fun things going on in Perry on BRR Weekend

BRR Tent - Heated and open from 7am-6pm (NEW for 2010) - Walk up registrations, Merchandise, Boy Scout Troop 127 Breakfast, Elk’s Lodge Beer stand, Multiple food vendors throughout the day.
Hotel Pattee – Friday and Saturday – David Zollo Performing in the Spring Valley Ballroom
The Rocking Horse Billy Club Saturday night 9:00
The New Hoo – Snafu Saturday night at 6
Lions Club Breakfast at McCeary Community Building
Take a dip in the pool and spa at the McCeary Community Building
Multiple raffle drawings will be held throughout the day –including
Knights of Columbus – Drawing for a New Schwinn bike
All registered riders will be automatically entered in a drawing to Win $500 of Perry Bucks - additional tickets can be purchased – Perry Bucks are valid for a year and can be used just like cash are many area businesses including retail shops, bars, restaurants and Hotels
Other Big Ticket items will be raffled off at 2,3 and 4pm
Guitar and amplifier from BRG Music of Perry
47” Sanyo flat screen TV
Portable DVD player
Signed and framed commemorative print of Brian Duffy’s original art work with shirt
Tom Tom GPS
12Volt Cooler
Portable Colman Grill
Bike stereo
Check out the great restaurants and taverns in town too!
Plus much more

What is the Perry Welcome Depot? The Perry Welcome Depot is Centrally located trail-head at the corner of 1st Street (Iowa Highway 144) and Willis Avenue right on the Raccoon River Valley Trail. It will be housed in the renovated historic Union Pacific Railroad depot and open in Spring of 2010. When this section of trail is completed it will help a 72 mile trail loop that includes Perry and serves as the gateway to the community. Goal of Welcome Depot To provide a rest stop, food vending, business and service information for local businesses and the surrounding communities. The nearest similar rest stop will be in Minburn to the south 8 miles and Dawson to the west 8 miles. Convenient to the historical Hotel Pattee, the Public Library, Perry Tea Room, Town/Craft Center, city/chamber offices, and the downtown business district all within a four-block radius. Internet-based information kiosk The Welcome Depot will feature an Internet based electronic information kiosk that will include, trails maps, area information and historic displays. The Internet based electronic information kiosk is identical to the ones used in rest areas along interstate highways. Local and area businesses plus maps and weather information will be maintained on a web based system. Users will have the ability to print information and coupons from participating businesses. The BIG Picture

The Perry Welcome Depot is part of a four-year-long campaign to build and connect a new 33-mile “North Loop” on the Raccoon River Valley Trail Keep readin' folks... This is extraordinary news for Iowa! We are in a league of our own now with a 72 miles loop and 89 miles of total paved trail. This kind of stuff is what makes Iowa a Destination for many! The small communities along the trail will certainly see big economic boosts over time from trail users. Bicyclists just like us! The 33-miles of new trail will mean five more communities join the network of trail towns in west central Iowa. Those are Dallas Center, Minburn, Perry, Dawson and Jamaica. Towns on the current 56 miles of the RRVT are Jefferson, Cooper, Herndon, Yale, Panora, Linden, Redfield, Adel, Waukee and Clive – stretching through Greene, Guthrie and Dallas Counties and into Polk County. When the full 89 miles are completed, the RRVT will then be one of the longest paved recreational trails in the U.S., and its interior loop of 72 miles will be the longest such trail loop in the nation. This tells me that I can ride from my doorstep near Des Moines and take a 4 day bike tour on some great paved trails, spend some time in some great Iowa communities and not have to ride the same trail twice. How great is that? The Central Iowa Trails System map below was produced by the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and shows the planned trail (the red dots) and where the trails connections will be made around Perry clear out to Marshalltown on one end and connections to the Raccoon River Trail on the other.

Stay tuned here on BIKEIOWA.com and on http://raccoonrivervalleytrail.org for all the latest updates. Have BRR Questions? Ideas? Comments? The Perry Chamber of Commerce is waiting for your email and phone calls. See you on February 6th! Perry Area Chamber of Commerce 1102 Willis Ave. Perry IA. 50220 (515)-465-4601 Fax(515) 465-2256 perrychamber@perryia.org www.PERRYIA.org