Pork Belly Update-Town Hall, EFS Survey & More

May 14, 2025

Dear Friends,

We have a handful of topics for you today, beginning with this reminder...

Pork Belly Town Hall Meeting

At 7:00 PM tomorrow, May 15th, we will be holding a Zoom session to answer questions. On our app, and in an email update like this one, we will publish the meeting invitation link at about 6:30 PM tomorrow. We hope you can join us, but if you're busy that evening or if the meeting capacity is full, you'll be able to watch the recording later on YouTube!

IF you already have a burning question for PBV, we welcome you to write to becca@pkbelly.com. We would love to know what you're curious about and prepare to respond!

Other News Included Below:

Want A Lift Halfway on Tuesday (74 miles) and/or Saturday, the last day of RAGBRAI (61 hilly miles)? We are gauging interest on two Early-Finish Shuttles. Complete our Google Form, please, if you're definitely or possibly interested. More below.
You can still Book Massage Appointments during RAGBRAI! Julie is standing by...
Wednesday Dorm Rooms and Tuesday Beds with Linens in A/C are FULL, but you can get on the wait list.
Status of Indoor Sleeping--WE STILL HAVE SPACE! More info below...
Hotel Stays Available on Some Nights--Write to Bella!
Remember Your Detail Form
May 15, Tomorrow is the PBV Payment Deadline, but if you want to avoid credit-card processing fees, here's how.

Here we go...

MAYBE Early-Finish Shuttles

We need your help on a decision, friends. For these past three years on the longer cycling days, PBV has offered what we call "Early-Finish Shuttles" that allow a PBV rider to cycle the first half of a day, and then catch our shuttle to Pork Camp in the overnight town. If we decide to offer this option on Tuesday and/or on the last day of RAGBRAI, here are a few points to consider:

Our crew would be set up to load bikes at a pre-determined location in a town about halfway through your cycling day.
Prior to RAGBRAI, we would publish maps of our Early-Finish Shuttle location/s.
A motor coach would arrive 30 minutes prior to the published departure time.
Mileage on Tuesday is 74 miles with 1308 feet of climb. The shuttle would cut this milage approximately in half.
Mileage on Saturday is 61 miles with 2341 feet of climb. The shuttle would eliminate the last 25 hilly miles.
A Tuesday departure time would be about 1:00 PM, with a target arrival in Forest City about 2:00 PM, barring traffic.
A Saturday departure time would be about 10:45 AM, with a target arrival in Guttenberg by about 11:40 AM, barring traffic.
Those who take this option would be transferred by our shuttle directly to our next campsite or staging area.
In the Forest City campsite on Tuesday, shuttle passengers may claim bikes and enjoy the rest of the day.
In the Guttenberg staging area on Saturday, shuttle passengers may claim bikes and perhaps dip their tires. It is only a flat two-mile distance on a residential street to the dip site for those who wish to participate in the tire-dipping tradition at the banks of the Mississippi.
The Saturday Early-Finish Shuttle would help any riders who are concerned about arriving in Guttenberg, loading bikes, getting a shower, getting something to eat, and boarding their coach on time.
On Saturday, our Quad Cities shuttle departs at 2:30 PM.
On Saturday, the smaller early Quad Cities shuttle departs at 1:00 PM.
On Saturday, the Omaha shuttle (all coaches) departs at 3:00 PM.
On Saturday, the Des Moines shuttle (all coaches) departs at 3:15 PM.
We estimate the cost of the Early-Finish Shuttles at $50 to $60 per person, including the transport of a bike. This is similar to last year. We will sharpen our pencils and figure out exact pricing if and when we decide to offer the shuttles.

If you are not interested at all in these options, no need to complete the survey.

If you are definitely or possibly interested, then do take the survey, please, using THIS SURVEY LINK.

BOOK

YOUR MASSAGE!

Prime times are filling.

This offer/service is only for riders who are already signed up for the Weeklong or the Partial-Week Support of PBV. Massage therapy is available from about 1:00 to 10:00 PM daily, on Sunday through Friday of RAGBRAI. Julie, Pork Belly Ventures' massage team leader is ready to take your appointments.

PBV

RAGBRAI

MASSAGE

PRICING:

30 min. @ $50

45 min. @ $70

60 min. @ $90

Complete and submit this request form, which also appears on the Pork Belly Mobile App! Please don't forget the duration of your massage!

Massage Request Form

More Detail in our May 1 Update

Wait Lists and Reservations!

Status of the Extras Offered Recently

by Pork Belly Ventures

Tuesday Dorm Rooms with or without sheets on the beds are FULL, but write to Kay@pkbelly.com to be added to the wait list. The college may spare us a few more rooms, but we won't know until June.

Wednesday Heritage House beds with linens are FULL, but write to Kay@pkbelly.com be added to the wait list. We may be able to add more beds with linens in a new part of the house.

More Detail in our May 1 Update

Indoor Sleeping in air-conditioning on Monday and Thursday is FULL, but write to Kay@pkbelly.com to be added to the wait list.

AVAILABLE: On Monday, we can offer Sunday School Rooms that are not air-conditioned, but are cool, partly because fans blow the air-conditioning into these smaller spaces. We can offer this space on behalf of Redeemer Lutheran Church for $15 pp (100% goes to our host). During limited afternoon hours, the PBV crew will move bags to the church, a block from camp. We also provide morning pick up of bags outside the church entrance. Write to Kay@pkbelly.com for these reservations.

AVAILABLE: On both Tuesday in Forest City and Friday in Oelwein, we still have air-conditioned space remaining for $25 pp in common areas. Other more private areas can be reserved for a higher price--link to our May 12 Update below. Riders move their own bags to and from the indoor sleeping spaces on Tuesday and Friday.

On Tuesday, we can still offer sleeping in common areas with AC available for $25.

On Tuesday, we have one un-air-conditioned log cabin left for $125.

On Friday, we have sleeping in common areas with AC available for $25.

On Friday, we have entire classrooms (max. capacity of 14) available for $300, and it's unusual to be able to reserve a private space for yourself and your friends.

More Detail in Our May 12 Update

If/when you write to Kay, please be specific. Here's an example:

To Kay@pkbelly.com

Kay, after speaking with my friend, Huck Finn, I'm requesting indoor sleeping for both of us on these nights:

Monday, $15 for Sunday school space without AC

Tuesday, $25 for the RV Building

Thursday, wait list, please

Friday, a private classroom for $300

**include your first and last names

Kay will put the charges, your $25 (or other) donation for each night, on the application of your friend and yourself. Be certain before you write.

Get A Hotel Room!

Hotel Stays During RAGBRAI:

Change Your Game with a Refresher Night!

Hotel Pricing

for Pork Belly Ventures,

including tax and transfer fee

The availability below may not be current.

Write to Bella!

Friday, 7/18, ORANGE CITY-

Holiday Inn Express (in Le Mars, IA- 17.4 miles from Orange City)

2 KING SUITES LEFT

1 person using room, incl transfer: $206.78

2 people using room, incl transfer: $128.40 per person

3 people using room, incl transfer: $102.26 per person

Saturday, 7/19, ORANGE CITY

Holiday Inn Express (in Le Mars, IA- 17.4 miles from Orange City)

3 KING SUITES, 1 DOUBLE QUEEN, AND 1 KING LEFT

1 person using room, incl transfer: $206.78

2 people using room, incl transfer: $128.40 per person

3 people using room, incl transfer: $102.26 per person

Sunday, 7/20, MILFORD- SOLD OUT

*EMAIL BELLA IF INTERESTED IN WAITING LIST*

Ramada by Wyndham (in Spirit Lake, IA- 11 miles from Milford)

1 person using room, incl transfer: $217.99

2 people using room, incl transfer: $134.00 per person

3 people using room, incl transfer: $106.00 per person

Monday, 7/21, ESTHERVILLE-- SOLD OUT

*EMAIL BELLA IF INTERESTED IN WAITING LIST*

Ramada by Wyndham (in Spirit Lake, IA- 16 miles from Estherville)

1 person using room, incl transfer: $217.99

2 people using room, incl transfer: $134.00 per person

3 people using room, incl transfer: $106 per person

Tuesday, 7/22, FOREST CITY- SOLD OUT

*EMAIL BELLA IF INTERESTED IN WAITING LIST*

Best Western Holiday Inn Lodge (in Clear Lake, IA- 21 miles from Forest City)

1 person using room, incl transfer: $257.20

2 people using room, incl transfer: $153.60 per person

3 people using room, incl transfer: $119.07 per person

Wednesday, 7/23, IOWA FALLS

AmericInn (in Webster City, IA- 38 miles from Iowa Falls)

3 DOUBLE QUEENS LEFT

1 person using room, incl transfer: $234.80

2 people using room, incl transfer: $142.40 per person

3 people using room, incl transfer: $111.60 per person

Thursday, 7/24, CEDAR FALLS

Hampton Inn (in Cedar Falls, IA- minutes from camp)

3 DOUBLE QUEENS LEFT

1 person using room, incl transfer: $292.89

2 people using room, incl transfer: $171.45 per person

3 people using room, incl transfer: $130.96 per person

Friday, 7/25, OELWEIN

Comfort Inn and Suites (in Independence, IA- 15 miles from Oelwein)

2 KINGS (W/ PULL OUT), 3 DOUBLE QUEENS (W/ PULLOUTS)

1 person using room, incl transfer: $262.80

2 people using room, incl transfer: $156.40 per person

3 people using room, incl transfer: $120.93 per person

Eventually, we must release unclaimed rooms from our blocks.

Please write to

Bella@pkbelly.com

to reserve or ask questions

about a hotel stay with PBV!

Your Detail Form

We use the information from your detail form for these purposes...

We inform caterers of the number of dietary restricted folks with our charter. (Only those who have indicated the preference on their form can get the meatless or GF options.)
We plan for truck and trailer space for bike transport.
We assign riders to their preferred departure on our shuttle from Omaha to the start.
and more!

If you haven't done it yet, please login to your application at your earliest convenience.

We are aware that you won't have your six-digit Official RAGBRAI Registration Number until early June, so you'll have to login again later to add it to your Detail Form.