RAGBRAI ’22: Agritourism Shines on Day One

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When most people think of activities at RAGBRAI, they think of the towns, but there’s quite a bit of agritourism going on as well. That was a fact out of the gate with RAGBRAI in 2022. The first day of the party on wheels that the event is had clear agritourism impacts.

Steak Sandwiches Reign Supreme in Anthon

Of course, I can’t mention day one of the event without mentioning Anthon, Iowa. This small town of 545 rolled out the red carpet for the masses of riders that came through downtown like a tidal wave. They had a number of activities and a DJ spinning hits.

But Anthon is also the home of one of my sisters, Kari, and my brother-in-law, Kevin! They graciously hosted us at this meeting town before we strolled down for a bite to eat. And eat well we did! Firehouse Steakhouse and Lounge was serving ribeye and prime rib sandwiches faster than they could make them. To say they were delicious for our hungry team was an understatement!

One of the owners of the Firehouse, Kevin Clausen, took the time to take a picture with us in front of the Anthon building-side mural. The placement of the mural was ideal as it faced an open courtyard where the DJ was playing. Numerous pictures were taken with that mural that day. It’s free advertising for this great little town.

RAGBRAI 2022 - Anthon

RAGBRAI 2022 – Anthon

RAGBRAI 2022 Family

The Buff Riders with my Sister and Brother-in-Law

RAGBRAI 2022 - Anthon

RAGBRAI 2022 – Anthon; The Buff Riders with Kevin Clausen

The Legendary Mr. Pork Chop

After Anthon was one of the key early stops in between towns on the route. Mr. Pork Chop. This pink bus is a legend that shows up at multiple points along the RAGBRAI route each year. Although it really can’t be called agritourism, the Mr. Pork Chop bus typically sets up shop on a farm along the way. The site immediately becomes a stopping point along the way as hungry riders hit the brakes to get their own chop to gnaw on.

RAGBRAI 2022 Mr. Pork Chop

RAGBRAI 2022 Mr. Pork Chop

Ida Grove was a Unique Host Community

Rolling into Ida Grove that first afternoon, one is immediately drawn into the town’s theme, castles. Byron Godbersen, founder and owner of Midwest Industries, one of the largest employers in town, had an affinity for castles. Castle architecture is prevalent in the entrance into the town, but also with the airport hangar, on the golf course, at Midwest Industries itself, as well as other locations throughout town.

It’s a quaint town of 1,929 in northwest Iowa. I had been there a few times before in my travels. Most notably for the Byron Originals Aviation Expo, once called the world’s largest RC aircraft event. It was a nice niche event that Ida Grove had that drew visitors from around the country. But it eventually outgrew the town and was moved to Des Moines.

Old Town Winery Shows How Agritourism Can Impact RAGBRAI

Despite the uniqueness of the community, I actually didn’t spend much time in town. Our host for the evening was the Old Town Winery and Pub on the eastern outskirts of town. This vineyard is a hidden agritourism gem for Ida Grove!

Situated atop a hill, the vineyard provides gorgeous views of the surrounding land. The lines of grape vines also help to provide a picturesque setting for those visiting.

For the event, they hung lighting on the posts entering into the rows of vines. The lights provided enough light to navigate about without throwing off the ambiance of the entertainment area. A pergola mounted on the side of the processing facility/on-site store had vines crawling all over it, providing a welcoming shade structure with a great view. A similar structure covered the stage. Though not adorned with vines, it provided shade for the band and mountings for lighting.

The Old Town Winery and Pub also brought in two food trucks. This, along with the entertainment, kept most of the visitors on-site. They also sold wine and beer out of the on-site store.

Overall, the Old Town Winery and Pub was an ideal example of how agritourism and bike tourism can co-mingle to create great results.

RAGBRAI 2022 - Old Town Vinyard

RAGBRAI 2022 – Old Town Vinyard – View Looking Back Toward Ida Grove

RAGBRAI 2022 - Old Town Vinyard

RAGBRAI 2022 – Old Town Vinyard; Camping Near the Vinyard

RAGBRAI 2022 - Old Town Vinyard

RAGBRAI 2022 – Old Town Vinyard; Agritourism Combining with Bicycle Tourism

RAGBRAI 2022 - Old Town Vinyard

RAGBRAI 2022 – Old Town Vinyard

RAGBRAI 2022 - Old Town Vinyard

RAGBRAI 2022 – Old Town Vinyard; Patio Area

RAGBRAI 2022 - Old Town Vinyard Entertainment

RAGBRAI 2022 – Old Town Vinyard Entertainment

RAGBRAI 2022 - Old Town Vinyard Entertainment

RAGBRAI 2022 – Old Town Vinyard Entertainment

RAGBRAI 2022 - Old Town Vinyard

RAGBRAI 2022 – Old Town Vinyard; String Lights Providing Ambiance

RAGBRAI 2022 - Old Town Vinyard

RAGBRAI 2022 – Old Town Vinyard; String Lights Providing Ambiance

RAGBRAI 2022 Camping

RAGBRAI 2022 – Camping at Old Town Vinyard (Note the Buff Riders shuttle bus in the center)