What to look for Thursday on RAGBRAI

Here’s a quick look ahead toward Thursday’s 70-mile ride from Cedar Falls to Hiawatha:

MAP: Getting around in Hiawatha | Routes in and out of town | Linn County route

WEATHER FROM WHO-HD: Temperatures this morning will be comfortable. We will start in the low 60s. It will be mostly sunny today with high temperatures back in the middle 80s. The wind will be light and out of the southeast. Much warmer temperatures and higher humidity is back for Friday. The forecast high is 86; the low, 62.

Today is PeopleForBikes Day.

ALL ABOUT HIAWATHA: Hiawatha’s ride website

THE SIGHTS

Here’s a brief selection of the things you’ll encounter Thursday:

MUSEUM: La Porte City will be setting up a special bike museum for the RAGBRAI crowd and then you could check out the town’s Ag Museum, Iowa’s first FFA museum. You can even milk Maggie the Cow. Be sure to take a look at the historic jail and firehouse and walk through the community orchard.

GIANT ACTIVITIES: Giant inflatable slip and slide and a game of giant beer pong. Those are only a few of the numerous activities in Vinton, the meeting town for Thursday. After all the giant games, take a picture at one of the photo op stations.

RELAX: Tense from pedaling your bike for miles? Stop in Mount Auburn for the massage booth and stick around and help the town raise money to make their church handicap accessible. Did we mention the food, photo ops, games, DJ and beer garden?

THROWBACK THURSDAY: Riders will enter into a blast from the past into the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s music from back in the day in Guthridge Park. There will be a campground and two stages where the Bryce Janey Band, Pop Rocks, Dennis DeYoung: The Music of Styx and the Pork Tornados will showcase the night. Food vendors, bike shops and the main Throwback Thursday beverage garden will all take place during the day.