BIKE MS: Cruise the Cornfields

Posted Jun 6, 2011
2,700

Ankeny to Marshalltown June 25th and 26th 75 miles each day This is the perfect RAGBRAI training opportunity!

THE RIDE - SATURDAY

The ride will take off from DMACC Building 5 in Ankeny at 7AM. We will start serving breakfast (catered by Machine Shed), accepting money, and signing insurance waivers at 5:45AM. Please be there with enough time to gear up, eat, and head out by 7AM NO LATER! Riders will not be able to ride without paying the $200 minimum. We will haul your luggage and tents. You will receive a luggage tag in your biking bag at FNFU, this tag should be connected to your stuff for you to pick up when you get to Marshalltown. RIDE DETAILS All Team Village tents should be dropped off at the MS office no later than June 20th if you would like us to take them as well. These should be 10x10 tents.

THE ROUTE

The route will be similar to previous year's with the exception of our way out of Ankeny and the the last 10 miles into Marshalltown, Keep checking the site for updates

THE REST STOPS

The rest stops are as follows and here is what you have to look forward to.

Elkhart (City Park)
Cambridge (Water Street Bar & Grill)- FREE BUD LIGHT DRAW, Breakfast pizza on Saturday, Pizza and a band on Sunday
Maxwell (City Park)- LUNCH STOP- yes we do provide you a free meal and dessert!
Nevada (The Newsom’s Front Yard)
Colo (Reid/Niland Corner)
State Center (Road Hogs Bar and Grill)
TBD- We have had a little snag with the route so we are currently re-routing the last 10 miles so this stop will be announced soon.

Each rest stop is around 10-15 miles a part and each one is fully “stocked”. Water, Gatorade, pb & j sandwiches, candy, chips, PIE, the works!! And everything is FREE (except for any alcohol or food you want to purchase at the bar and grills)!!!!! We also will have support vehicles out there in case something should happen- you need a ride, etc. Barr Bike, Bike World and Rasmussens have agreed to provide any bike repairs you may need on the route- so if you break down we gotcha covered!

THE FINISH

When you get into Marshalltown, this is where things will be a little bit different from past years. We have teamed up with the Marshalltown BBQ Convention and we will be sharing Riverview Park with them. The building we have used in the past will only be used for breakfast on Sunday morning. We will now be on the other side of the park, in the “Log Cabin.” We will once again have a team village (stay tuned for team village email), Maidrites, and a wide array of desserts provided for you. At 4:30pm, when the route closes, we will start a small program at the other side of the park (nothing like past years) followed by two bands! There could be up to 1,000 people at this part of our event! There will also be a beer garden and BBQ vendors available to you (both come at your own cost)- we will have three FREE kegs available on our half of the park. We are very excited about this partnership and hope you enjoy it too. Camping is available for $10. Hotel room blocks are also available. Please see www.mymsbike.org, click on “Cruise the Cornfields”, and the “Event Details” for the full list of hotels. Please reserve soon!

THE RIDE - SUNDAY

Sunday morning we will leave Marshalltown from the Community Center after a pancake breakfast that will start at 5:30AM and we will take off at 7AM. The rest stops on the way back will be the same, and provide you with mostly the same food and drink as the day before. Again the route closes at 4:30PM. When you arrive in Ankeny we will have the grill going and a DJ playing!!!

QUESTIONS?

That is the long and short of Bike MS 2011. If you have any questions, please remember I am always available via email andria.battaglia@nmss.org or by phone at 515-270-6369. One more thing- please find us on Facebook at Bike MS Iowa and “like us” we are currently running a special now through the day of the ride for 60% off registration!! Please tell your friends!! A great ride for a great cause!!! Get in those last 150 miles before RAGBRAI!! See everyone soon! Andria Battaglia Development Manager National Multiple Sclerosis Society 8187 University Blvd. Suite B Clive, Iowa 50325 phone 515 270 6337 email andria.battaglia@nmss.org