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Sid Bohls, pastor at St. James Lutheran Church, displays a collection items donated for RAGBRAI riders.
RAGBRAI brings out the “Iowa nice” in host communities.
With more than 17,000 cyclists set to roll into Mason City on Wednesday, RAGBRAI Mason City has been preparing for weeks to house them for the night. A popular option for riders has been finding a “housing match” with Mason City residents.
“We have had an enormous amount of residents volunteer to host. This has been a combination of yard space for tents and in home accommodations,” said Housing Management Coordinator Kathee Corsello. “The biggest thing we are seeing from hosts is the desire to accommodate for any and all needs.”
RAGBRAI is primarily a camping event, and there are multiple areas around town where riders can camp for free. But some riders prefer the more private option of staying with a local resident.
Housing matches in Mason City have typically been arranged through the “Mason City Housing Match” Facebook page. The monitored group details rules, instructions, and expectations for hosts and guests.
Corsello has managed housing matches for RAGBRAI Mason City, making sure riders have a place to stay if they want an option other than camping. Corsello said local hosts are offering everything from floor space to air mattresses.
“I would say I am amazed at the outpouring of generosity, but living and doing business in Mason City, I was already well aware of just how great this community is,” said Corsello.
Tara Bissig and her family are no strangers to hosting.
The family regularly lets hockey players stay in their home, so giving more than 40 riders a place to stay was no biggie.
“We just love meeting new people and just having that small conversation and learning about RAGBRAI,” said Bissig.
Tara Bissig and her family will be hosting a group of over 40 RAGBRAI riders on July 17.
Bissig became a host after receiving an email explaining a large group of riders would be staying her aunt and uncle, making sure that she was okay with it. The large group fell under her care after her aunt and uncle discovered they double booked themselves.
“We were like, ‘we’ll just take them, it’s no problem,'” said Bissig.
Bissig’s guests will stay both in her front yard and in the basement of her home.
“They’ll have a bus that will plug in. They have a pop-up shower, which I thought was kind of neat,” said Bissig.
The group captain has been texting back and forth with Bissig in preparation for the riders’ stay, and plans on bringing the family a gift of team shirts.
“We talked once on the phone. It was a pretty lengthy conversation just kind of telling us that the crew is a good crew, a well-known crew, and we like to have fun,” said Bissig.
Bissig said preparations have mainly entailed making sure the yard is good to go and the garage is clean. She also is thinking about what breakfast to prepare for the riders before they head to Charles City.
“It’s a great experience learning from just hosting hockey players to having them in our home. It’s a fun experience learning about new people and new things,” said Bissig. “I would recommend it for anybody.”
Pat Wright and Scot Wright made an Iowa connection in Florida. That led to hosting RAGBRAI riders.
Pat Wright and Scot Wright will be hosting over 40 riders split between two different places.
“We were on vacation in Florida and we’re sitting on the beach. My lovely wife said to this gentleman ‘where are you from?’ (and he said) Cedar Rapids,” said Scot. “He said, ‘We’re going through Mason City next year at RAGBRAI’ and he drove the vehicle. Then my wife said, ‘Well, our house is open.'”
That connection is not able to ride this year, but Pat put out a message that her house was available. Her inbox was flooded with messages.
The Wrights will be hosting more than 40 riders, the majority staying on a lot on North Kentucky Street across from East Park. A small number will stay in their home.
The couple hosted riders when RAGBRAI stopped in Mason City in 2014 and had a phenomenal experience. There was no evidence the riders had stayed since they picked up after themselves.
Pat has been texting all of her guests to get to know them. She has learned their stories, like how one man met his wife through RAGBRAI. She is anxious to meet them.
Pat Wright and Scot Wright in the basement space where some of their RAGBRAI guests will be staying.
“I would like the neighborhood to know that this is what they can do next time they come to town,” said Pat.
The Wrights are thinking about breakfast options. It’s a toss up between breakfast casserole or breakfast burritos.
The couple also is preparing their basement and making sure the yard is mowed. They will offer a shower and laundry facilities.
Pat’s hope for what guests take away from their stay? How friendly Mason City is.
“That’s what I hope for the neighborhood, and that’s what I hope for them. That’s truly all, a nice time,” said Pat.
Diane Francis is one of many volunteers at St. James Lutheran Church preparing for the deluge of visitors.
St. James Lutheran Church Pastor Sid Bohls and planner Diane Francis standing in the grass area where RAGBRAI riders will camp.
The church grounds and facilities will house 400 to 500 riders. Each cyclist will have access to food and the church’s showers, last used in 2014. The showers have been tested to make sure they run properly.
“They’ll be all over, and it’ll be awesome,” said Francis.
The Rev. Sid Bohls said the opportunity to serve the riders is a wonderful chance to bring the community and congregation together.
“Here we have a wonderful reason to be together and to call all of our volunteers and to do something that matters, to do something that can be a real service to the community and in a public way that will connect with people all over,” said Bohls.
Notes from when RAGBRAI stopped in 2014 helped St. James organize for this year. Francis said many in the congregation are finding ways to prepare for Wednesday, from tidying up the grounds to baking pies.
“We collected rhubarb at one point where we wanted to make a bunch of rhubarb pies. People brought their rhubarb because they grew it and we stuck it in the freezer,” said Bohls.
“There’s one gentleman that he’s active in heart but not active in body. Last time, he was all about it. This time, I sat at my email and he is in it (for RAGBRAI),” said Francis. “He was out here walking the grounds this morning.”
One effort volunteers are organizing is the pork chop meal, which both the community and riders are invited to enjoy. The meal cost $10 per plate and will run from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Sid Bohls, pastor at St. James Lutheran Church, stands in the showers in the church basement.
Both Francis and Bohls want RAGBRAI riders to feel welcome their entire time in Mason City.
“I just hope that they feel that it is a nice, easy, comfortable, great place to stay,” said Francis.
“I think one of the things the church does best is to welcome people and bless them with some food, hospitality, and friendliness, and that’s what we’re about,” said Bohls.
The RAGBRAI inspection ride going past Casey’s on 19th Street southwest on Wednesday.
The RAGBRAI inspection ride receiving a welcome as they ride on 1st Street northwest towards Central Park on Wednesday.
Mason City officials and RAGBRAI Mason City welcoming the RAGBRAI inspection team to town on Wednesday.
The RAGBRAI inspection riders and crew that travel from Emmetsburg to Mason City on Wednesday.
The RAGBRAI survey team heads north on South Pierce Avenue on Wednesday as part of their tour of the ride’s route, ahead of the July 27 overnight stay in Mason City.
Members of the RAGBRAI survey team wave as they pass through Mason City on an inspection tour ahead of the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, which kicks off in Sergeant Bluff on July 24.
The RAGBRAI inspection ride going past Casey’s on 19th Street southwest on Wednesday.
The RAGBRAI inspection ride receiving a welcome as they ride on 1st Street northwest towards Central Park on Wednesday.
Mason City officials and RAGBRAI Mason City welcoming the RAGBRAI inspection team to town on Wednesday.
The RAGBRAI inspection riders and crew that travel from Emmetsburg to Mason City on Wednesday.
The RAGBRAI survey team heads north on South Pierce Avenue on Wednesday as part of their tour of the ride’s route, ahead of the July 27 overnight stay in Mason City.
Members of the RAGBRAI survey team wave as they pass through Mason City on an inspection tour ahead of the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, which kicks off in Sergeant Bluff on July 24.
If you have taken a drive around Mason City, you might have noticed “100” signs popping up around town.
Abby covers education and entertainment for the Globe Gazette. Follow her on Twitter at @MkayAbby. Email her at Abby.Koch@GlobeGazette.com
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As a primarily camping event, the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa participants need space to pop a tent. Mason City has given th…
Sid Bohls, pastor at St. James Lutheran Church, displays a collection items donated for RAGBRAI riders.
Sid Bohls, pastor at St. James Lutheran Church, stands in the showers in the church basement.
St. James Lutheran Church Pastor Sid Bohls and planner Diane Francis standing in the grass area where RAGBRAI riders will camp.
Tara Bissig and her family will be hosting a group of over 40 RAGBRAI riders on July 17.
Pat Wright and Scot Wright in the basement space where some of their RAGBRAI guests will be staying.
Pat Wright and Scot Wright will be hosting over 40 riders split between two different places.
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