A new event in 2015 will not be coming back this year to the Raccoon River Valley Trail.

Greene County Conservation Director Dan Towers says the organizers of the Pedaler’s Jamboree have chosen not to return in 2016. He points to logistic problems, financial struggles and lack of volunteers and staff as reasons why the organizers will not be returning. Towers says the organizer, Michael Denehy from Columbus, Missouri, first called him to tell him his decision, which he was disappointed but not surprised.

Denehy’s company, Off Track Events is instead looking at the Wabash Trace Nature Trail in southwest Iowa to host the event this year. The company has had success in the Missouri-version of the Pedaler’s Jamboree on the KATY Trail for years, but that route consists of 29 miles, with far fewer towns and bands along the way. Towers notes that RRVT has over 50 intersections and 14 towns along the 89 mile trail and there were 22 bands involved.

New this year is the special events permit that each of the three counties conservation boards along the trail have developed. There are certain requirements outlined for events consisting of less than 500 people and events for more than 500 people, that organizations have to follow to ensure an event is okay to be on the trail. Towers points out that Iowa Market-2-Market Relay will have to follow the procedures in the permit.

Towers adds that he had a good working relationship with Denehy and is hopeful that Pedaler’s Jamboree will be back to RRVT in the future.