RAGBRAI DAY 2 ROUTE
Harlan to Guthrie Center
MILEAGE
56.5 miles
ELEVATION GAIN
3,572 feet
HIGHLIGHTS
The old saw about Iowa being flat like a waffle applies today, with lots of ups and downs adding up to the most elevation gain on any day of the 2026 ride. But the route is a tad shorter than Day 1 and there are some fun things to see on the way and plenty of time to linger, since there are only three towns to stop in on the way to Guthrie Center.
It’s likely that sort of isolation is the reason some rural Iowa towns have preserved deep ties to the ethnicity of their early inhabitants. Pass-through town Elk Horn is a great example. It lays claim to the distinction of being the largest rural Danish settlement in the United States, and it’s home to the Museum of Danish America.
The latest addition to its already impressive collection is Fjord Fǽrgemand ― the last name means “ferryman” in English ― a 22-foot-tall wooden depiction of a troll boatman crafted by Danish sculptor Thomas Dambo, whose troll characters have become popular focal points of museums, parks and other public spaces around the world. The museum says on its website that the ferryman, installed in spring 2026, is “a symbol of the journeys that shape us, a meaningful reminder of migration, heritage, and the bridges that connect people across oceans and generations.” Participants in June’s RAGBRAI route inspection ride came away saying visiting and snapping selfies with Fjord Ferryman had been one of the highlights of the trip.
Elk Horn also boasts of a towering windmill, built in 1848 in Denmark. Disassembled and transported to Elk Horn, it has stood there since being reassembled on site in 1976. Many towns along RAGBRAI will be asking riders to help fundraising for local causes, and in Elk Horn, preservation of the aging windmill is one of them.
ENTERTAINMENT
Guthrie Center is the smallest overnight town on this year’s route. but it has a big music lineup. In addition to headliner Gimikk at 9 p.m., it will be featuring two of Iowa’s best-known ensembles. At 4 p.m., enjoy the Weary Ramblers, who won the 2026 International Blue Challenge in Memphis and a host of other national awards and have two albums that have climbed the Americana charts. The Nadas, one of Iowa’s favorite songwriter-led bands for almost 35 years, will follow at 6:30 p.m. Their roots are at Iowa State University, so they’re a must for Cyclones alums, a few of whom may be participating in the ride. Kicking off the day’s performances at 2 p.m. will be Hillbilly Air Show, a band with local roots steeped in classic country and ― as their name suggests ― led by an actual former Navy fighter pilot.
FORECAST
Tuesday begins a cooling trend. That’s great news, even if it brings a chance of rain.
LOOKING AHEAD
Riders will be making the journey to Boone.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What’s ahead on RAGBRAI Day 2? How about a 22-foot-tall troll?
Reporting by From staff reports, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By From staff reports, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
