DATES: Transportation for RamBRAI 2009 will leave from Mt. Vernon early Saturday, July18, and return Saturday, July 25.

ROUTE: From the Missouri to the Mississippi. Ride Organizers at the Des Moines Register announce the overnight stops the first weekend of February and the detailed route the last weekend of February. The detailed route often undergoes changes prior to the ride to accommodate highway construction schedules. For the latest information on the route consult the Official RAGBRAI® Web Site at http://www.ragbrai.org.

HOME STAYS: RamBRAI Central attempts to find home stays in each overnight community, but the effort requires help from everybody. The overnight town are announced early in February, and information will be forwarded to all those on the e-mail list. Once you know the route, please study the list of overnight stops and think hard about whether you have relatives, friends, acquaintances, etc. who might be willing to host our merry band. If you have any prospects, please contact them as soon as possible. Please let Anna-Doretta Riley (319-396-3790, annadoretta@hotmail.com ) and me know what you are doing.

CONDITIONS: The Cornell RAGBRAI® Organizing Committee (aka Anna-Doretta Riley & Craig Allin) will accept a limited number of riders. If anyone must be turned down, we'll let you know about March 1 in plenty of time for you to apply directly to the Register. (The deadline for individuals and groups not guaranteed spaces is April 1.) We hope to have experienced Wagon Masters, but each rider agrees to perform the duty of wagon master on one day of the ride if that is necessary. We hope to camp at private homes, but home stays are not guaranteed. RAGBRAI® organizers arrange camping space for clubs at schools, parks, etc. That's our fall back strategy.

REGISTRATION: You MUST register on line. The instructions are printed at the top of this page.

WAIVERS OF LIABILITY: Neither Cornell College nor the Cornell RAGBRAI® Organizing Committee (aka Anna-Doretta Riley & Craig Allin) accept any liability for your personal health or safety. You waive all claims against anyone associated with RAGBRAI®, including Cornell College and the Cornell RAGBRAI® Organizing Committee (aka Anna-Doretta Riley & Craig Allin), when you sign the official RAGBRAI® AGREEMENT, WAIVER & RELEASE OF LIABILITY. Read it before you sign it! Riding in motor vehicles, riding bicycles, being out in the weather, eating food prepared by strangers, etc. all entail a degree of risk. You assume that risk.

DEADLINE: February 22. I must have your money and your original signed waivers to the Register by March 1. To do that I need your signed release and your money in my hands by February 22. Please mail to: Craig W. Allin, CORNELL COLLEGE, 600 First Street SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314-1098. Please note: The Register will not accept faxed waivers. I need hard copy signed by you in ink.

FEES: Fees due to the Des Moines Register will be calculated during your online registration. The support fee for the Cornell College group is $270. The Register's Fee supports the official RAGBRAI® establishment that causes this event to take place every year and buys you the right to participate as well as an embroidered patch, insurance coverage, route marking, maps, sag service, campgrounds, possible food discounts, and an opportunity to win stuff. The Cornell Support Fee gets you, your bike, and your luggage from Mount Vernon, through the ride, and back to Mount Vernon; the biggest expenses by far are vehicle rental and fuel. The support fee also defrays the expenses of our fabulous wagon masters; provides modest gifts for our overnight hosts; and provides you lots of free snacks and soft drinks at each overnight stop.

SHORT-TERM RIDERS: Sometimes family, friends and acquaintances express the desire to join our group for a day or two along the way. We encourage that, but notify Craig of your intentions prior to the ride. Riders camping one or more days with Cornell must purchase day passes from the Register and pay Cornell $20/day support fee for snacks and baggage service. Both payments can be made on the route. The Cornell RAGBRAI® Organizing Committee (aka Anna-Doretta Riley & Craig Allin) does not process applications for day passes. We accept only applications for full-week registration and support

PAYMENT: Add your $270 Cornell College support fee to your total RAGBRAI fees, and make your check payable to CORNELL COLLEGE.

REFUNDS:

• If we have to turn down your application, we won't even cash your check.
• You'll get the support fee back if (for some unforeseen reason) we can't provide you support.
• If you have to cancel, you'll get a full refund only if someone is available to take your place. Contact Craig immediately if you must cancel. If there is someone on the waiting list, Craig will handle the transfer of credentials and refund your money.
• If you cancel and there is no replacement on the waiting list, you will forfeit all fees paid to the Des Moines Register. If you want to try to sell your credentials, ask Craig to mail them to you. You may be able to find a buyer through the message board at www.ragbrai.com. Remind the buyer to transfer the registration to his/her own name.
• If you cancel and there is no replacement on the waiting list, you may or may not get some or all of your Cornell support fee back depending on the state of the RamBRAI Central treasury at the end of the ride. Historically, most cancellations have received full or partial refunds, but -- as they say on Wall Street -- past performance is no guarantee. (Our largest expenses, vehicle rentals and fuel, are not reduced by cancellations.)