The fact that RAGBRAI, in Boone, in July of 2026, will be a prominent part of the 53rd annual event is great news for the community. However, since that's been a "heavy" part of the most recent Iowa news cycle , we'll give you viewers a brief respite by making that item the last part of this Korner. P.S. Even then, however, we may find a few interesting tidbits that have been overlooked.
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Here's something I found interesting and it probably hasn't secured the attention it should have.
In mid-January, Elite Power Tumbling and Trampoline hosted an AAU meet at Boone High School that played host to eight Iowa clubs and one from Kansas. During the day, 185 athletes competed in 625 events. Boone's Elite team had 44 athletes involved and they dominated the meet with 39 first place finishes and 28 seconds. In addition, that team won a team high nine high point awards.
Elite will be hosting the 2026 USTA State Meet in April. That will bring 24 Iowa teams, over 650 athletes and 2000 events for the two-day event here.
Sounds like a busy year ahead with this event, the return of the Farm Progress show in August, RAGBRAI and the Super National races, Pufferbilly and all the other usual attractions that lie ahead.
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Ice skating is back in Boone and just the mention, should bring back lots of memories for youngsters of every era.
This oldtimer, although never participating, remembers the popularity of this event all the way back to pre-television days as a winter time pleasure.
The John Hansen Memorial Skating Rink and Shelter held a grand opening earlier this month with the help of the Iowa Wild, the Des Moines based professional ice hockey team which is an affiliate of the National Hockey League Minnesota Wild.
This is the third year of a program which makes rinks available for Iowa communities. The Wild have been committed to growing hockey in the state and Boone is the 13th community to receive this assistance.
On a more personal note......John Hansen was a friend and I'm biased BUT the guy did so much during his time here for our park system and, in particular, the skating pond. There's a very small sign hanging on a tree at the entrance to the ice skating area as a tribute to John. That's nice, but to me, its never been enough?
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Verne Schmickley, BHS-64, recalls some memories of a past Iowa winter.
He wrote, "in the late 60's, I was carpooling back from ISU to Boone and, at that time, U.S. 30 was still two-lane only. Ahead of us, due to whiteout conditions, someone ahead slowed down and the road drifted shut. Many cars, as well as ours, were stuck for the night. Behind us was a Greyhound bus that had enough diesel to keep it running and heated all night. I spent the night on a luggage rack."
Yes, there have been Iowa winters like that but its ironic that Verne ended up in North Carolina, which he probably thought was "safe." However, this winter, even those areas down south are experiencing REAL winter weather.
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Back to some news and notes about RAGBRAI.
This year's route is the shortest of the event's history, 391.4 miles in length. It begins in Onawa July 18 and ends in Dubuque on July 25 and there's 16,027 feet of climb involved. Sixty percent of the riders come from other states and 20 foreign countries.
Historically speaking, Boone was an overnight stop in 1975, 1988, 1998 and 2011 while there were pass-throughs in 1973, 1976, 2008 and 2018. Here's the difference and the financial implications to the communities. The pass-through riders may just grab a drink or sandwich and get back on their way. The overnight stop will mean the riders will spend much more time here and, thus, spend more money locally.
P.S. The Boone County Fair will end less than 48 hours before the swarm of RAGBRAI riders reach Boone.
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Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 928 South Jackson, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is 515-432-1530. Leave a message. To email your stories/memories/comments/death notices........https://kelleyskorner1@blogspot.com.
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