Des Moines Bike Marathon: Iowa Time Machine June 4, 1972

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On June 4, 1972, Des Moines got rolling with the city’s first bike marathon. The Iowa State Fairgrounds buzzed with excitement as riders of all ages and backgrounds gathered, ready to pedal their way into the record books and kickstart funding for improved area trails.

Led by Des Moines Mayor Richard Olson and Iowa Attorney General Richard Turner, over three hundred riders wound their way through a 2.5-mile course to capitalize on pledges of 10 cents per mile meant to help fund an asphalt bike path connecting Greenwood-Ashworth parks with Gray’s Lake and Water Works park.

Bill Riley, local media legend, helped organize the effort. Riley rode fifty miles, and estimated 250 of his fellow riders did the same. One man was treated for injuries after crashing into the side of a cattle barn and bending his front tire. A 13-year-old girl, Ann Elken, rode her unicycle for 17.5 miles around the course.

The bike marathon helped lay the groundwork for Iowa’s cycling culture. A few years later, the state would become home to RAGBRAI, the world’s largest bike-touring event, drawing tens of thousands each summer and putting Iowa on the map as a cyclist’s paradise. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar