Interested in RAGBRAI and want to stay in the know on what’s going on?

Well we’ve scoured Twitter for the best ways to stay informed, and have come up with a few people and key words that you should follow to stay in the know.

@RAGBRAICVILLE @RAGBRAIBoone @Grn_RAGBRAI @BikeAltoona @Dav_Ragbrai are the official Twitter handles for the overnight host cities of Coralville, Boone, Grinnell and Altoona, and Davenport respectively. Follow these to stay informed on what events are going as riders roll into their respective cities.

@TJRAGBRAI TJ is the director of all of RAGBRAI. Be sure follow him throughout the week for a behind the scenes glimpse.

@RAGBRAI_IOWA the “official” Twitter handle for RAGBRAI. Follow them to keep up with the official news of what’s going on with RAGBRAI.

@3dudaks @SimpsonRagbrai Just 2 of the many teams that will be riding during the week. Follow them to get just a few perspectives on what life is like on the two-wheeled road.

RAGBRAI iPhone App If you’re on RAGBRAI and want to see where your friends are, or if you’re at home and want to see how folks are doing out there then this app is for you. With events, course info and participant info, this app lets you know exactly what’s going on.

Des M0ines Register Of course the Des Moines Register will have daily updates available for you as well on how the ride is going.

So whether you’re missing out this year and want to feel like part of the fun. Or you’re riding and want to know how other people are doing. Then follow the people we suggested, or download the app and you’ll be set to take on open Iowa road.

This Saturday marks the beginning of the 39th annual RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa).

Photo Credit:Andrea Melendez/The Register via ragbrai.com

This year’s bike ride begins in Glenwood and travels across the state to end in Davenport. This year’s ride is said to be the 22nd easiest ride in history (only 17 rides have been tougher), with it being the 14th shortest (it’s 18 miles short of the average) and 24th flattest.

One of the most exciting parts about RAGBRAI is the chance that riders have to visit towns in Iowa that they might not have with the overnight host towns.

Atlantic is the first overnight host,with a population right over 7,000. Atlantic’s biggest claim to fame comes from them calling themselves the  “Coca-Cola Capital of Iowa” because of its bottling operations.

At the end of day 2, riders will find themselves crashing in the town of  Carroll, home to 10,000 Iowans. Swan Lake State Park will offer riders good camping  and a new city aquatic center will give riders a chance to cool down after their long day of biking.

The 3rd overnight visit for riders happens in Boone, population almost 13,000. Boone’s most popular attraction is the “Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad” which offers bikers a chance to sit and relax, instead of pedaling. Boone is also home to the famous Kate Shelley Bridge. The country’s longest and highest double track railroad bridge.

Marking the halfway point is the town of Altoona, home to 13,000 people. After riders finish the day, they’ll have the opportunity to bet on some horse racing,play some poker or take a chance at the slot machines at Prairie Meadows. Or if they prefer, they can take in some excitement and cool down at Adventureland Amusement Park which is now home to Adventure Bay, a wonderful family-friendly water park.

Next up is Grinnell, population 9,000. When riders visit Grinnell they’ll have a chance to visit the new swimming pool, try a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants, or visit Grinnell College, Iowa’s Ivy-League-esque college.

The last overnight stop before hitting Davenport is the city of Coralville, the biggest overnight town with 17,000 citizens. Riders can visit the popular CoralRidge Mall and indulge in some shopping, eating and even ice skating if they choose.

And of course, it all ends  with the tire dip in the Mississippi River in the city of Davenport. A couple of events make this an extra special end of the week city. As RAGBRAI rolls into town, the Quad Cities Times annual Bix7 Road Race, an international long distance road race, will be finishing up. This gives both runners and bikers a chance to celebrate their amazing accomplishments and enjoy their successes together.

And if you haven’t heard yet, Tour de France multi-champion Lance Armstrong will again take part in RAGBRAI. According to a Des Moines Register article, he will most likely join the Live Strong team on the Tuesday/Wednesday or Wednesday/Thursday leg of the ride.

For a full list of all the towns bikers will be pedaling through check out the list on RAGBRAI’s website.

And if you’re looking for a bit of history about the big bike ride, check out a previous post we wrote here.

With Forbes Magazine recently naming Des Moines as the Best City in America for Young Professionals, we thought we’d take the time to highlight some of the YP groups in our great city and give you information on how you can get involved.

Young Professionals Connection- With a mission to:  “promote an environment that attracts and retains young professionals in Greater Des Moines. Our efforts focus on connecting young professionals to each other and to the community through social, civic, charitable, and professional development endeavors,” YPC certainly does a good job.

YPC offers its members and non-members all sorts of opportunities to connect and get involved. Whether it’s their monthly happy hours, opportunities to serve on a variety of committees, athletic leagues, educational events and more. There’s definitely something for everyone for join in on.

For information on how you can get involved and to see when the next meeting is, check out the above hyperlink.

Art Noir- is a member affiliate group of the Des Moines Art Center dedicated to engaging adults in their 20s and 30s in Art Center programming.

Art Noir regularly offers “Meet the Artist” receptions for its members. These events give members the opportunity to meet with and learn more about visiting artists who are featuring their work at the Des Moines Art Center.

The BIG event Art Noir is known for however is the biannual Big Hair Ball. An event that features creative costumes,people and a fantastic runway show of crazy hair designs. For more info on how you can join these creative YP’s check out the Art Noir Facebook page.

Des Moines Music Coalition- If you’ve been to 80/35 at all, you have these people to thank. DMMC’s mission is to “aggressively advocate, sponsor, and develop an independent, progressive live music economy in greater Des Moines for the purpose of urban revitalization, regional economic development, and the retention of our region’s youth and future.”

DMMC offers all sorts of music related events to the city. One event is Music University, this program gives attendees the opportunity to learn more about what it takes to make a living in the music industry. Whether it’s as a musician or someone who works behind the scenes.

DMMC also provides Des Moines with some great music events besides 80/35,  Gross Domestic Product is an annual music festival that showcases the talent of local musicians and bands from across our great state.

DMMC offers plenty more ways for members to get involved with a variety of committees as well.

For more information on the committees you can join, or for more information about DMMC check out the above hyperlink.

So, whether you like music, the arts, athletics, community service or something else. Des Moines young professional scene will definitely have something for you.

And for a bigger list of groups you can join, check out the Juice website.