County roads crisscross the state just waiting for bicycle riders at the end of every July, but in some places, there just isn’t easy access in without heavy vehicle traffic.
Based on 2010 population and 40 years’ worth of maps (previous disclaimers apply):
- The 20 largest cities that have never been on the RAGBRAI route: West Des Moines, Urbandale*, Bettendorf, Clive, Grimes, Windsor Heights, Spirit Lake, Camanche, Carlisle, Carter Lake, Kalona, Postville, Hull, Fairfax, Tiffin, Columbus Junction, Alta, Traer, Manson, Moville.
- *In one of the first signs that this touring event was growing by leaps and bounds, the “official” hotel for SAGBRAI in 1974 was the Holiday Inn on Merle Hay Road, which is technically in Urbandale, but the majority of campers stayed at Camp Dodge and the latter is considered the “overnight town.”
- Spirit Lake is the largest non-suburb on the list and the only non-suburb in the top 10.
- Of the 312 unvisited incorporated places, only 42 have a population above 1000.
- Three county seats have never been on the route: Corydon, Logan, Spirit Lake.
- Four county seats were on the route in the first 10 years but not since: Centerville, New Hampton, Wapello, Waukon. Vinton is getting its first visit this year since 1978.
- Also notable: Keokuk has only been the final city twice.