LEONARD Brothers First to Finish RAGBRAI, 2011

LEONARD, POORE, DRAKE

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 8/13/2011 at 19:09:06

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, August 10, 2011

LEONARD Brothers first to finish RAGBRAI

For the second time the Ringgold county area native brother duo of Chris and Daniel LEONARD have "won" the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. Of course the ride isn't a race and there may not be anyone else competing, but for the second time in 10 years the cycling pair were the first to dip their tires into the Mississippi River after the week-long trek across the state.

The pair left Coralville, the last nightly stop on the trip, at 3 a.m. so that he could finish the route and get back to Mount Ayr in time for the wedding of Scott POORE and Chandra DRAKE at 1 p.m.

The brothers reached the end of the route by 6:56 a.m. this year.

Dressed out in their Iowa State University jerseys, the pair dipped their tires in the water at the Marquette Street boat ramp in Davenport.

The reason for "winning" RAGBRAI was the same 10 years ago -- making it back to Ringgold county for another wedding.

A picture and story about their feat is available online at the Quad City Times website at http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_f7d92fcc-baa4-11e0-8a98-001cc4c002e0.html

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Quad City Times
Davenport, Iowa
Saturday, July 30, 2011
by Mark Ridolfi

First RAGBRAI riders dip their tires in river

Brothers Chris and Daniel LEONARD were the first RAGBRAI dippers at the Marquette Street boat ramp just before 7 a.m.

"We joke that we won RAGBRAI," Chris LEONARD said. "But I think we were the only ones competing."

The brothers started at 3 a.m. from Coralville because Chris Leonard had to make a 1 p.m. wedding in Mount Ayr. No Bix for him.

The LEONARDS also claimed the RAGBRAI "title" 10 years ago when they arrived early to make another wedding.

Their unofficial time of arrival this year: 6:56 a.m.

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2011

Ringgold Documents maintained by Tony Mercer.
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