Iowa Biking Adventure

DAY 0

If you are interested to improve your inline skating skills, join us on a one-day pre-tour inline skating camp. Professional instructors will help you improve your braking and your stride efficiency so you will feel safer and enjoy the tour more. Please note this one-day camp is not for absolute beginners. You should already be able to skate five miles on your own. We will meet after lunch for instruction, then enjoy a dinner and breakfast the next morning before a final morning instruction session.

DAY 1

We meet after lunch in Des Moines, Iowa with a pickup at the airport, at our downtown hotel, or (if you are participating in it) our pre-tour one-day skate camp. We shuttle a short distance to the Raccoon River Valley Trailhead in nearby Waukee. Following introductions and a bike fitting (for those renting), we’ll be off on one of the finest inline skating trails in the country! The Raccoon River Valley Trail is long, smooth, and flat. After passing through two small towns and the Forest Park Museum/Arboretum, we’ll skate directly to our hotel in quaint Perry with a classic Iowa main street feel.

Distance: 10, 20, or ++ Miles (plenty of extra mileage if desired)

DAY 2

Today, we stay on the Raccoon River Valley Trail, which is sort of a big square. We'll continue north on the eastern portion and then turn west across the top. This is very rural skating, with tractors more common than cars and the songs of birds echoing across the landscape. Make a stop at Tojo's Bar & Grill in tiny Jamaica for lunch. if you are interested. We turn around in the town of Herndon for the main route but anyone interested in more mileage can continue around the loop. Back in Perry, discover the historic buildings, unique shops, dining, public art, and Carnegie Library Museum.

Distances: 13, 26, or ++ Miles

DAY 3

We leave Perry this morning via bicycle or shuttle to the town of Woodward and the start of the High Trestle Trail. While they are building a trail connector, for the moment we'll be on small side roads if you do elect to bicycle to the trail. Shortly after Woodward, we cross over the scenic Des Moines River on the spectacular High Trestle Trail Bridge soaring 130 feet above the valley. After enjoying the views, it is then on to the towns of Madrid and Slater both of which host fun trailside stops for vittles and libations. For those interested, the trail continues to suburban Ankeny ending with a visit to the local Firetrucker Brewery. From Ankeny, we will shuttle to our hotel in Des Moines.

Distances: 13, 25, 36, or ++ Miles

DAY 4

Today we trade the rural Rails-to-Trails for meandering urban park paths. We start by walking to the Des Moines Farmers Market, widely considered one of the finest Farmers’ Markets in America, supporting nearly 300 vendors. It is a fantastic place to connect with farmers, producers, bakers, and artists representing every corner of this hardworking, entrepreneurial state. We then return to our hotel and skate right out the door to the downtown Principal Riverwalk and follow the Des Moines River to the Meredith Trail which will take us along the Raccoon River, around Grays Lake, and to the Bill Riley Trail. We'll enjoy the city skyline, stream views, shaded wetland parks, and a beautiful lake with a smooth path so nice you might do it twice. For those interested, this entire trail network connects to the Great Western Trail, which heads south for another 16.5 miles and provides plenty of cycling. This evening we'll enjoy our final meal in Iowa as we celebrate our skating and biking adventures across the Hawkeye State.

Distances: 8, 16, or 49 Miles

DAY 5

This morning, on our final day, we do a casual skate or bike through the streets of Des Moines to see the downtown sights, including public art sculptures, gardens, state capitol grounds, and Des Moines River bridge. On a quiet Sunday morning, this peaceful and picturesque small city will be ours to discover. As always, there are options for a bit more mileage using the John Pat Dorrian Trail which connects to the Neal Smith Trail. After our skate or bike ride, we'll head back for showers, goodbyes, and a shuttle to the airport if needed.

Distance: Varies