Tour the Raccoon
Your hosts for the 2017 Tour the Raccoon, June 10th and 11th
Your friends at the Des Moines Cycle Club invite you to participate in the club's signature bike ride, The Tour the Raccoon. This two day tour is designed for cyclists of all levels, from families looking for a great way to spend a weekend together, to the experienced cyclist adding base miles. All of the pass-through towns along the way look forward to being your hosts for this fun, family event. Our overnight town of Jefferson is hosting their very popular Bell Tower Festival the same weekend, so there will be plenty of food, drink and activities for everyone. This year marks the Bell Tower’s 51st Anniversary!
The Tour the Raccoon can be ridden entirely on central Iowa's smooth, paved and virtually flat trail system. Saturday we will be riding the south loop so we'll be visiting the towns of Waukee, Ortonville, Adel, Redfield, Linden, Panora, Yale, Herndon and Cooper before arriving in Jefferson for our overnight. Sunday we’ll come back the newer north loop through Jamaica, Dawson, Perry, Minburn and Dallas Center. That's fifteen great towns in just two days. All on paved trails making this event a great way to get the entire family into cycling. But 60+ miles of riding per day requires training and should not be taken lightly.
Scavenger Hunt? Poker Run? Hide and Seek? We’re going to add some FUN to your ride to Jefferson with a great game! We’re still working on it, but you’ll be emailed all the details a day or two before the ride so you’ll know exactly what to do! Feeling competitive? Then this will be right up your alley! That evening after dinner, we’ll tally all the scores. Laughter and fun is guaranteed!
Please review the Online Rider Handbook for the rules and full ride information. We will update the Rider Handbook as necessary, so please check it often. Online registration is: Adults – $60 for members and $75 for non-members; Youth ages (11-17) – $30; Kids ages (1-10) – Free; and will be open till Friday June 2nd.
Day of the ride registration will be held from 8 AM to 9:30 AM at Vince Meyer Learning Center in Waukee, Iowa just west of Des Moines. Overnight parking will be available at the school. Day of the ride registration is $70 for DMCC Members and $85 for non-members.
We strongly encourage you to register online early so organizers have a good idea of how many people to plan for.
Registration includes evening meal catered by the Hotel Pattee, free showers, campground, and baggage delivery to the campground and back to Des Moines. Plus all registered riders will receive a special free breakfast Sunday morning before we head back to Des Moines. The first 100 riders will receive a WAY COOL 2017 Tour the Raccoon Bandanna!!
IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ! The Raccoon River Valley Trail requires a user permit in order to ride on it. In the past, they have always allowed our riders to enjoy a free weekend. That is not the case this year, so everyone will be required to purchase a trail permit. They are very reasonable at only $2 a day, or $10 for the year. You can purchase online (see rider handbook for links), or you can purchase them at the Waukee trailhead...Just look for the yellow tube. You will need one for each day! We will try to have a few for purchase at the school the morning of the ride as well.
To keep too many people from going down the trail at the same time there is no official mass start time, but a group leaves from Vince Meyer Learning Center around 9 AM if you'd like to ride with others. You've got all day to make it to Jefferson so take your time and enjoy all of the great sights and small towns along the trail.
We're looking forward to riding with all of you...see you there!
We're looking forward to riding with all of you...see you there!
Des Moines Cycle Club
Online Registration is Closed, but you can still register the morning of the ride, in person at the Vince Meyer Learning Center between 8am and 9:30 am.
