Every one has heard of the Tour De France the world famous bike ride across France. But did you know RAGBRAI, Iowa’s own great bike ride has its own claim to fame?
RAGBRAI, or the “Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa” is not only the oldest, but also the longest and largest bicycle touring event in the world!
RAGBRAI was started in 1973, by two columnists at the Des Moines register who challenged each other to ride across Iowa and write about what they saw. That first year 300 people showed up and pitched tents on yards along the way, thus beginning a great tradition.
This year, RAGBRAI will see about 10,000 riders make there way from Sioux City to Dubuque, making it the 3rd easiest ride in RAGBRAI’s history. This year riders will get to ride past the Grotto in West Band, boating on Clear Lake and the Field of Dream’s in Dyersville.
Along the way riders will be greeted by townsfolk happy to lend a hand. Whether it’s a day stop, where riders can relax for a few hours and enjoy homemade lemonade and some entertainment. Or a night stop where riders are welcomed into the homes of Iowans for a home cooked meal and a place to rest their head and feet for the night.
Along the journey you’ll see thousands of bikes, traveling bike shops offering repairs, vans of team members offering refreshments and encouragement to their teams and plenty of crazy outfits and possibly crazy people.
By the end of the journey, when the riders make the annual dip of the tire into the Missippi river, riders will have traveled 442 miles and climbed 14,527 feet ( a wimp in comparison to last years 22,000 feet).
For more information on how to join next year, where else RAGBRAI stops this year or more history check out their website: www.ragbrai.com

There are plenty of reasons we love Des Moines. The big city options with the small city feel, the friendly people, the Iowa State Fair or even the great location; 4 hours from Minneapolis and Kansas City, 2 hours from Omaha and 6 hours from Chicago and St. Louis.

But we aren’t the only ones who love Des Moines. Check out these recent “top lists” that Des Moines has made.

Kiplinger’s 10 Best Cities for the next Decade

Kiplinger looked at a few basic factors when determining their top 10 list including; cities that specialized in “out of box” thinking, cities with smart people and cities with great ideas.
Kiplinger also notes that what makes the places on their list so amazing is that these cities aren’t only great places to start a business, but a great place to live as well.
To see what they had to say about Des Moines, check out their full list.

Yahoo Real Estates Best City to Raise a Family

The yahoo article gives kudos to Des Moines’ friendly people, above average high school graduation rate, short commute and affordable lifestyle. To see what else they had to say, check out their list .

Portfolio.com’s Top 10 mid-size Cities

Bizjournal’s online magazine portfolio.com looked at 109 markets with populations of between 250,000 and 750,000 and decided on 10 cities that offered the best quality of life. They note the recent growth Des Moines and our relatively low poverty rate. Check out the rest of their article.

These aren’t the only lists Iowa cities have recently made; Ames, Iowa City and Des Moines all made CNNmoney.com ‘s Best Cities to live .And the Iowa State Fair is constantly ranked in national lists as a “summer must do”.

So next time you hear someone bragging about Iowa and you think they’re biased, remember these lists prove you don’t have to take just our word for it.

Looking for somewhere historic? Somewhere you can shop, eat, catch some music, walk around and enjoy a drink, all in one place? Historic Valley Junction is your answer.

Valley Junction has all sorts of options for your shopping experience, from Frackleberrys, which features an eclectic mix…greeting cards and gifts to home accessories and accents. As well as art from the fun and funky, to traditional and bold metal works and even a few local artists. Another local favorite in the Valley Junction is Atomic Garage, featuring vintage clothing ranging from prom dresses and tuxes to platform shoes. All of which can be purchased or rented for a special occasion.

If your hungry, there are all sorts of options. The longest Yard, a place where you can grab a burger and fries while checking out the game, or you can head to The Tavern, featuring pizza and pasta. And afterwards, Nan’s Nummies is a great place to cure that sweet tooth and grab some fresh bakery items.

The Junction also features several art galleries you can parouse, and the Theatrical Shop is always worth a visit.

Also, if the Downtown Farmers market is a little too early in the morning for you to check out, Valley Junction has a great one of their own, every Thursday from 4:00 -8:00pm, with Live Music every Thursday from 6:00-8:30pm.

So, next time your trying to think of something to do Des Moines and want a place where you can do it all in one place, we suggest Valley Junction.

For more information on Valley Junction, the shops and restaurants or directions check out their website:
www.valleyjunction.com