RAGBRAI rolls through Cerro Gordo County

The populations of Thornton, Swaledale and Rockwell increased by thousands on Wednesday, July 26, as eager bicyclists pedaled through the Cerro Gordo County area as part of the 2017 Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI).
Now in its 45th year, RAGBRAI is a seven-day-long bicycle ride across the state. The ride kicked off in Orange City on July 23, and by July 26, riders had reached Clear Lake, and were ready to bike through Cerro Gordo County.
The first of this year’s bikers arrived in Thornton as the sun was still rising, marking the first time that RAGBRAI has passed through the town in the bike ride’s history.
“We’ve never had anything like this come through town,” said city council member Rob Duff. “It really helps out a small town like this.”
Read the full article in the August 2 edition of the Hampton Chronicle.