As many bicyclists hit the Raccoon River Valley Trail to prepare for RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa), the Guthrie County Conservation Board has been working to improve its portion of the trail for users.

Conservation Director Joe Hanner says the asphalt portion of the trail that stretches from north of Yale to the Greene County line is 20-years-old this year, “Asphalt and Iowa winters with the freeze/thaw doesn’t age real well, so we had some large cracks in there that needed to be addressed. And we tried to work with a contractor this spring and that just didn’t work out, so we went and rented equipment and bought product and spent the vast majority of last week – three to four of us – patching the large cracks on there.”

Hanner says he was glad they got the repairs done before this week’s heat wave, and he’s received positive feedback from bicyclists on the trail. Another improvement Conservation has made to the trail this summer is the addition of bike repair stations. These amenities were donated in memory of local residents Kim Lubeck, William Barks, and by the local cycling club Team Curbside, and have been installed in Panora, Yale, and Herndon, respectively. Hanner says they are seeking donations for a final station to be installed in Jamaica. If you are interested in making a donation, call the Conservation office at 641-755-3061.