The full RAGBRAI XLIX route map was released March 27. It is abundantly clear to me that the map was drawn with assistance from Google Maps, based on the absence of certain county road markers and especially the presence of IA 328 and IA 147. (Not from Google: A weird mashup of County Road X16 and IA 76 south of Waukon labeled X76, and mismarking US 18 east of West Union as IA 18.) I could go on, but let’s look at the more interesting stuff.
- Day 1, Sergeant Bluff to Ida Grove, is a repeat of 2006.
- IA 4 between IA 7 and IA 10, through Pocahontas, has never been used.
- Rolfe to West Bend has to use IA 15. Google — and only Google — incorrectly marks the road from the corner in Humboldt County to Ottosen as C12 (it is actually C20).
- Rodman, on B55 southeast of Emmetsburg, is on the route for the first time but omitted from the map. It’ll be the last pass-through town on Tuesday and the first on Wednesday.
- The map says the route will use US 18 between Wesley and Britt, but a telltale waggle in the line, along with the otherwise duplication of the 2010 route between Whittemore and Britt, makes me pretty sure the actual route will be old US 18 just south. Barring construction, I’d be stunned if it didn’t.
- County roads between Britt and Mason City: R35, B40, R44, B55, S25 (old IA 107), B43, S34, B35. Some are marked only by street name.
- Klemme is on the route for the first time.
- Aside from the two first-timers, the only town on the route not previously visited this century is Hawkeye in 1996.
- Gunder to Waukon is all new save for IA 51 just north of Postville (2017).
Sadly, there will be no line for Gunderburgers. - After avoiding Allamakee County for nearly 40 years (1978-2016), Lansing is the endpoint for the second time in six years/five rides (2017/2022).
UPDATE: THE GUNDERBURGER IS BACK I REPEAT THE GUNDERBURGER IS BACK