New Hartford welcomes RAGBRAI® riders

NEW HARTFORD — More than 10,000 visitors made tiny New Hartford one of the biggest small towns in America last Wednesday, as the community served as a pass-through town for the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, better known as RAGBRAI@.
    The community of just over 500 people located just across the Grundy County line in southern Butler County pulled out all the stops while serving as the final pass-through town on Wednesday’s 58.4-mile route from Eldora to Cedar Falls. Downtown featured a beer garden and band as well as several food vendors and bicycle repair facilities.
    “RAGBRAI® can be such an awesome experience,” Volunteer Jean Loger said. “As I volunteered with my friends in New Hartford I visited with several riders. One man from South Carolina, in particular, commented that while we may think America and American values are in trouble, the RAGBRAI® experience proves that small town/Midwest USA values are strong.  He was assured and refreshed in the promise of our country and it’s people.”
 
For more of this story see the July 30 Grundy Register.