IOWA, USA — The weather is heating up just in time for the kickoff of this year’s RAGBRAI event, which is set to begin Saturday.
Thousands of cyclists participating in the week-long trek across Iowa will face many physical challenges, with the summer heat being one of them.
"Having been a ride for 50 years and always being the third week in July, we anticipate and expect hot weather," RAGBRAI Cycling Director Annie Lawrie told Local 5.
While many veteran cyclists know how to prepare for the heat, organizers urge new riders to follow their guidelines, which include wearing light-colored clothing and packing plenty of water.
"Each day, they need to know what the weather circumstances are, they need to know what the mileage is, and they need to know their own body limitations," Lawrie said.
Towns hosting the event will have plenty of water available, and this year, they’re also teaming up with the National Guard to stock the pitstops with over 800 gallons of extra water.
In addition to those extra precautions from organizers, they're also telling riders to pick up some essentials from a bike store like Bike World in West Des Moines. Their staff recommend stocking up on electrolytes, energy snacks, and cooling gear in order to beat the heat.
"Water won’t be enough for you throughout the day, so electrolytes are very important to replenish as you ride, especially on days where we’re pushing almost triple digits in temperature," said cyclist and Bike World staff member Nick Meirick.
He's also telling riders "to carry at least 60 ounces of water on them, because you never know when and where you’re gonna find water."
Despite scorching heat in the forecast, RAGBRAI staff are excited to finally kick off the annual event that attracts thousands to Iowa each summer.
"We’re just really excited to get those 20,000+ riders into Iowa and get them safely across the state," Lawrie said.