Day 5 RAGBRAI route from Mason City to Charles City gives riders a chance to relax
So you survived Century Day. Now it's time to have some fun.
Today's comparatively brief jaunt through the Iowa countryside — a hair under 50 miles — will take riders from Mason City to Charles City. There and along the way, they will have abundant opportunities to dawdle and engage in some amusing distractions like digging in the dirt and splashing in the water. And this week's stretch of near-perfect weather is forecast to continue.
Miles: 47.9
Feet of climb: 1,260
Pass-through town: Rockford
Meeting town: Marble Rock
More: Register database puts 49 years of facts about RAGBRAI towns at your fingertips
Weather: Highs in the 70s. Winds from the northwest.
Themes: Charlie Harper Day, Crazy Socks Day
Highlights: Fossil hunting and weird landscapes at the Floyd County Fossil & Prairie Center; splashing in Rockford's Shell Rock River, Marble Rock's ride-through shower and Charles City's downtown whitewater course on the Cedar River. Also in Marble Rock, a cookout on the town square. Other attractions: Tellurian Brewing, right on the RAGBRAI course in Charles City, and the vibrant downtown of the second-largest town on this year's route.
Entertainment at Charles City: Brad & Kate (eclectic acoustic) 1-2:30 p.m.; Blame Not the Bard (Irish) 2:30-4 p.m.; Levi Smith & The Bad Landings with guest June West (rock) 4:30-6 p.m.; Wheelhouse (Americana and bluegrass) 6:30-8:30 p.m.; Viva Knievel (funk, soul and contemporary hits) 9-11 p.m.
Camping: Lions Field Park, 20 Lions Drive; Kate McLeod Park, Clark and North Illinois streets; Wildwood Ball Fields, Third and South Iowa streets; Kmart parking lot, 1405 S. Grand Ave.; Merten J Klaus Park, Leland Avenue; College Avenue southwest lot, College Avenue; college grounds, Jung Avenue and Clark Street; middle/high school grounds, 1 Comet Ave.; Sportsmen's Park and VFW, 1505 N. Grand Ave.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: RAGBRAI ride from Mason City to Charles City a time for relaxation
