RAGBRAI Co-Founder Dies at 91 After Medical Episode

RAGBRAI, or, Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, has been a staple for bicycle enthusiasts for decades. Actually, the annual event brings people to Iowa from all over the world. Bikers ride from one side of Iowa to the other, starting at one river (Missouri or Missippi) and riding to the other river. The first ride was held in 1973, and now sadly, one of the creators of the event has passed away.

John Karra,

RAGBRAI

co-founder, dies at age 91

John Karras co-founded RAGBRAI with Donald Kaul. Sadly, on Wednesday Karras passed away at age 91. KCCI reports Karras had suffered a minor stroke recently and also had a hard fall. Prior to becoming involved in the evolution of RAGBRAI, Karras was a features writer for the Des Moines Register, which is incorporated into RAGBRAI's namesake. The first ride in 1973 went from Sioux City on August 26th and end on August 31st in Davenport

In the years since John Karras and Donald Kaul created RAGBRAI, the event has grown into a massive, can't miss event for many. The event's own website touts each ride gets 8,500 week-long riders (that number is the max to help prevent overcrowding and injuries). The event has received coverage nationally on the Today Show, Sunday Evening News, and CBS programming. Journalists from major publications have also taken part in the ride over the years.

The 2022 edition of RAGBRAI will run from July 23 through 30. RAGBRAI is the "oldest, largest, and longest multi-day bicycle touring event in the world", according to the official website.

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