What could be the biggest day in RAGBRAI history will come July 26, when the 50th anniversary edition of the ride journeys 50 miles from Ames to Des Moines.
A record-breaking throng is expected to pedal past the Iowa Capitol that afternoon and on to the day's campground in Water Works Park, where an evening of festivities is planned, including a free concert by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
The route inspection team for the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa made the ride on Wednesday, Day 4 of its journey across the state. Based on interviews with local ride organizers and public officials, here's what to expect when the ride returns to the city where the idea for it originated, at the Des Moines Register.