Thousands of bike riders made their way through the area Wednesday, as RAGBRAI made stops in Marion and Warren Counties during the halfway point of the week-long trek across the state.

This year is the 51st annual RAGBRAI to be held, with riders making the 434 mile trip across Iowa from Glenwood to Burlington. Wednesday’s portion of the ride started in Winterset, and made stops in Indianola, Milo, Lacona, and Melcher-Dallas, before the overnight stay in Knoxville. With a large crowd and many activities taking place throughout Knoxville, Central College professor of psychology and volunteer during the evening’s festivities Keith Jones said that he was impressed by how orderly the event was. 

“One of the things you can clearly see is the organization. It’s set up really nicely, and that is, I think, emblematic of how much organizational work goes in months and months and months and months before today ever occurs. And so the organization, to me, is pretty impressive and it’s just generally a really positive vibe, which RAGBRAI always is. But you mix in a little bit of Knoxville and it’s even better.”

Hear more from the volunteers of RAGBRAI on today’s In Touch with South Central Iowa. RAGBRAI riders will continue through Marion County today en route to their next overnight stay in Ottumwa.