A new event this summer will combine two of Iowans’ most beloved hobbies: biking and bacon-eating.

The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, Blue Ribbon Bacon Fest and Iowa Bicycle Coalition have joined forces to present the “BACooN RIDE: The RIDE for the CURED.”

The bicycle ride will be held June 28 along the Raccoon River Valley Trail. The ride will begin and end at Waukee, following a 71-mile route.

More details after this introductory video …


The ride will weave through Waukee, Ortonville, Adel, Redfield, Linden, Panora, Yale, Herndon, Jamaica, Dawson, Perry, Minburn and Dallas Center. Riders can use optional starting points to cut down on the route’s length.

Bacon snacks, a bacon-themed lunch and drink specials at bacon party stops will be available along the way. Registration also includes a commemorative PassPORK punch card for bacon treats, a custom Bacoon Ride steel pint (for the first 1,000 riders to register), a commemorative Bacoon Ride T-shirt and ride support and mechanics.

The registration fee is $45 before May 1 and $55 before June 1. Before June 27, the late registration fee is $60 and does not guarantee a steel pint or T-shirt. People will not be able to register on-site.

Go to bacoonride.com to register. All proceeds will go to the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, RAGBRAI’s Dream Team and other Iowa charities.

Less than a month after that ride is RAGBRAI. What path will it follow? Plan to tune in at RAGBRAI.com at 8 p.m. tonight for live streaming video of the route announcement party. More details on the party are here. For now, whet your bike appetite with this new RAGBRAI 2013 highlights video:


via RAGBRAI http://ift.tt/1hwDGW7