The 38th Annual Bike Ride to Rippey is this weekend.

It starts in Perry this Saturday and finishes in Rippey and for the small, rural Greene County town of 292, there are huge benefits that the City sees from the one-day event.

Mayor Dan Brubaker says local organizations put on fundraisers that they use throughout the year.  The Lion’s Club has a food stand, the fire department puts on a beverage garden and a local church youth group provides a baked potato bar.  He adds that BRR helps to put Rippey on the map as far as different people visiting the town.

There’s some preparation that the City does for BRR.  Brubaker makes sure there are plenty of portable restrooms available and the streets and parking lots are cleared of snow.  Law enforcement also plays a role.  Brubaker says the Iowa State Patrol and the Greene County Sheriff’s office provides personnel.

Brubaker remembers BRR’s first year only having four-to-five bike riders and now it has grown to 4,000-5,000 bike riders in a good year.

Registrations will be at 7:30am on Saturday, February 7th at the Hotel Pattee in Perry.