In this episode, we ride from Winterset to Knoxville

  • Miles: 75
  • Feet of climb: 3,041.
  • Themes: RAGBRAI Jersey Day.
  • Pass-through towns: St. Charles, St. Mary’s, Milo, Lacona, Melcher-Dallas.
  • Meeting town: Indianola.
  • Gravel option: 9.5 miles, 708 feet of climb.
  • Highlights: The ride out of Winterset is exceedingly scenic and includes the covered bridge just outside St. Charles. Meeting town Indianola is a Des Moines outer suburb, making its fourth appearance on the ride, with attractions like Simpson College and an active town square. It’s also the home of the National Balloon Classic, a massive annual gathering of hot air balloonists set to start July 26, just two days after RAGBRAI’s visit. Overnight town Knoxville is the home of Knoxville Raceway, one of the nation’s top tracks on the sprint car circuit, a time-honored stepping stone to NASCAR. Riders are invited to pedal a lap or two on the dirt track, And even if that’s not your cycling style, the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum offers an impressive history of the motorsports niche.