For the eighth straight year, Team LIVESTRONG biked across the state of Iowa in "The Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa" (RAGBRAI) while raising money for the LIVESTRONG Foundation to improve the lives of people affected by cancer now. In this year's RAGBRAI, 70 riders took to the open road to pedal more than 450 miles over six days, adding $140,000 to the $1.5 million, eight-year fundraising total for the LIVESTRONG Foundation.
On July 20, advocates, cancer survivors, caregivers and LIVESTRONG staff members mounted their bikes for the first of seven days, starting in Rock Valley and will finish the ride in Guttenburg on the Mississippi River tomorrow.
The ride was originated by two columnists from "The Des Moines Register," riding with a few friends in 1973, and has quickly grown to a size where it is capped at 8,500 riders per year. Overall, more than 275,000 cyclists have trekked 17,000 miles across the state through 780 towns in 99 counties. Every year, towns all over the state anticipate the announcement of the route in January, since the impact on local economies in mid-summer can be dramatic.
The RAGBRAI spirit epitomizes the efforts of Team LIVESTRONG, and is one of 28 diverse events nationwide this year. Visit www.TeamLIVESTRONG.org for more information on upcoming events or information on how to donate.
