Iowa RAGBRAI 2023

The video is designed to show what RAGBRAI 2023 was like and some camping sites the crowds stayed in. This was my first time riding RAGBRAI, and I understand from talking with other cyclists who have done the event in prior years the crowds were 2X to 3X more extensive than in previous years to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the event. You can find details about the event, pictures, and equipment I used at scottmanning.bike/?p=42.
In the RAGBRAI 2023 event, I rode the gravel route on day two, which stopped at all the same towns as the road course. I also did the century loop on day 3.
It was a fantastic ride and experience, and I plan to ride it again - hopefully in 2024. In the video, I used an Insta360 X3 camera. This was my second time using the camera in a cycling event. During the ride, people would run water sprinklers to keep the cyclists cooled off in the afternoon's heat. I did not realize until the end of the ride how dirty the camera lens was getting. For all future videos, I am very diligent about keeping the lens clean. Sorry for the dirt and watermarks in this video.
00:00 - Starting the 2023 RABGRAI
16:55 - A great two-person recumbent bike
17:44 - Coming into the campsite for day 1
23:55 - I rode the gravel option for day 2
27:45 - More of the gravel route
31:01 - Another unique bike step up
31:31 - Camping spot for the night
31:59 - Next day
35:33 - A cyclist riding his bike backward
36:14 - One of a few Unicycles seen on the ride
36:22 - Riding through a football stadium
38:26 - A great two-person recumbent bike
38:32 - Another campsite
38:53 - Riding out of Des Moines
40:16 - A cyclist riding his bike backward
41:47 - A double-stacked bike
42:55 - Riding through the Amana Colonies
45:00 - Seeing John Schlitter and his Encore Recumbent
45:14 - Finishing RAGBRAI 2023
48:12 - Coming to the finish of RAGBRAI 2023

[@longrider42]

Very nice video. I did RAGBRA way back in 2012. I was thinking about doing it this year, but I had a feeling the crowds would be in a word HUGE, and they where. I am planning on doing it in 2024. The music in nice but not very loud. Which in its own way is nice. I am also a bike rider. Although, due to back, neck and arm problems, I ride a two wheeled recumbent. So stay safe, keep your head on a swivel, and I have subscribed.

[@ScottManningCycling]

Thank you. I will be riding RAGBRA again, just do not know if it will be 2024 or 2025

[@longrider42]

The recumbent at 29:55, is called a Tour Easy. Where there lots of recumbent's on the ride this year?

[@roman2holub225]

Hi, What camera did you use at the front of the bike?

[@ScottManningCycling]

I used an Insta X3 camera., which worked nicely for the ride. To offload the SD card on the camera, I had a NewQ Filehub AC750 Travel Router and a SANDisk portable SSD drive. This combination worked perfectly