By Carrie Moritz, Gazette
Garretson to Brookings. Milbank to Sisseton. Clark to Arlington. The 11th Annual Ride Across South Dakota, known as RASDAK, will have people touring the state on two wheels next week and seeing the state in a whole new light. They'll be starting and ending their route in Garretson.
Last November, the Gazette announced that the 11th annual bicycle tour would be launching from Garretson on Sunday, June 1, with bicyclists arriving on Saturday. Plans have been in the works since then to get the town ready for the event.
Cyclists will be staying in either the school gym or the south fields of the athletic complex and enjoying the local scenery.
"We want to get people off I-90 and exploring the smaller towns," volunteer tour director Kasey Abbott told the Gazette last November.
RASDAK is similar to the Tour de Kota, which was organized and sponsored by the Argus Leader for nearly a decade starting in 2005. Around 2008, Garretson hosted the event, and many remember it fondly.
This year is the 11th annual RASDAK ride, and the coordinators opted to create a loop that toured the east side of the state. In their 10th annual ride, the cyclists had viewed the western border, touring through the Black Hills. This year, they'll head through the Glacial Lakes regions, including Milbank, Clark, and Sisseton, and the Prairie Coteau, including Brookings, Arlington, and Garretson.
"This route will show off more lakes than any of our previous tours, but it will also show off parts of South Dakota that many of you have never seen before," said Abbott.
RASDAK is intentionally kept smaller than the more famous cycling event, RAGBRAI, capping off registrations at 250 cyclists. Beyond that, Abbott pointed out, it can be logistically difficult to support the number of amenities needed.
As of Monday, there were just over 230 cyclists representing 25 states and provinces registered, and Abbott expected registration to stay open until the day of the event. He also pointed out that daily passes are available to anyone who would like to tour 1-3 days.
On Saturday, the cyclists are expected to begin arriving around 4:00 p.m. and are encouraged to view the local parks, businesses, and amenities of Garretson. They'll be off early Sunday morning after a hearty breakfast provided by the American Legion. (The Legion will continue providing breakfast the rest of the morning, and residents are encouraged to come and enjoy their offerings.)
Cyclists are expected to begin returning to Garretson around mid-day on Friday, June 7 after a 60-mile trek from Arlington. Many may not stay for long, but some may still enjoy the amenities Garretson has to offer.
This exciting event will bring many new folks into town, and to them we say, welcome!
To view more about RASDAK, visit RASDAK.com or find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rasdakbiketour.
