Join Your NATCA Brothers and Sisters in an Epic Bike Ride Across Iowa
Thursday, March 08, 2012



With summer just around the corner, it’s time to get off the couch and start thinking about outdoor activities. This year, Central Region RVP Kevin Peterson and Kansas City Center (ZKC) air traffic controller Cindi Bodine are gathering a group of NATCA brothers and sisters to ride in the oldest, largest and longest bicycle-touring event in the world, The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI).

“For the past few years a group of NATCA members have been participating in local rides,” said Peterson. “We have always discussed organizing a team to ride in RAGBRAI and we decided this was the year to get it started. It is our hope that each year, more and more NATCA members join Team NATCA in this ride. It is a great opportunity to spread NATCA unity while getting the name out there. Additionally our brothers and sisters will be building friendships and having a blast.”

Every year since 1973, thousands of bicycle enthusiasts gather together for a seven-day 468-mile ride across the state of Iowa for the simple joy of riding a bike and enjoying good company along the way. ZKC air traffic controller David Bennett has participated in RAGBRAI for the past three years reaching up to five days of riding time, and this year he’s hoping to ride the full seven-day ride.

“It’ absolutely amazing to see how many cyclists are there,” said Bennett. “If you pull off to the side of the road there will be hours of riders passing you, not 20 minutes worth, just hours.”

Bennett said the race starts on the West side of Iowa with each bike’s back tire at the Missouri River and the ride finishes at the East side of the state with each front tire in the Mississippi River.

RAGBRAI divides each day up to 67-mile rides and is limited to 8,500 week-long riders and 1,500 day-long riders. The entry fee for week-long riders is $150 and $35 for day-long riders. And since there are so many who wish to ride in RAGBRAI, a random computer lottery takes place after all entries have been submitted to select the lucky teams that get to participate. The state strongly supports RAGBRAI and Iowan communities along the bike route serve as “host” communities for rider to stay in the area overnight.

Peterson and Bodine came up with the idea to gather a group of NATCA members to ride as a team at RAGBRAI and they want as many to join as possible! All you have to do is complete your application online at www.ragbrai.com and join “NATCA” as your team. All entry fees must be sent to Cindi Bodine before the deadline to pay the NATCA group fee as one lump sum, which will be paid in full by Peterson. If the NATCA group is not chosen in the lottery, all participants receive a 100 percent refund.

Peterson and Bodine are strongly encouraging that those who do participate show their NATCA pride by wearing the NATCA cycling jerseys available at the online NATCA Store at www.NATCAStore.com.

“These are an amazing way to show our solidarity and at a great price,” said Bodine. “Most jerseys are twice this amount without half the detail and these are available in men’s and women’s cut for only $55. Kevin and I ride in ours every race we do.”

The deadline for the group application is April 1, which is just three weeks away. For more information on how you can get on the NATCA RAGBRAI team, contact Cindi Bodine at bodine7766@yahoo.com.



David Bennett and Melissa Pierce found this airplane for sale while biking in RAGBRAI.