Every year since 1973, the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa has been a summer staple in Iowa.

Eric Abbott, professor of journalism and mass communication, has been a part of most of these rides across the state and plans to join the 37th Annual RAGBRAI, which begins Sunday.

Abbott has ridden in 22 RAGBRAIs since his first in 1978 and has seen it grow into what it has become today.

Three hundred people attended the first RAGBRAI. Abbott said his first ride had 3,000 riders. This year, officials are expecting roughly 10,000 people to complete the 442-mile route through southern Iowa, from Council Bluffs to Burlington.

The route will stop in a different town every night and will pass through 43 towns over the week long ride.

“Things depended a lot more on volunteers from towns to provide things in the beginning,” Abbott said. “Now you have a lot of commercial vendors who come along with the ride. That’s how the Register has been able to allow 10,000 people to ride.”

Although it is a little more commercialized, Abbott still describes RAGBRAI as an authentic experience.

“Every town has a history,” Abbott said. “Every town has people who are loyal to that town and live there and are proud of it and are eager to show off whatever they got.”

Stopping in those towns and seeing what they have to offer is a big part of the experience for Abbott.

“You’ve got to enjoy stopping at every town and seeing what the heck that town is famous for,” Abbott said. “Whatever it is — a big ball of yarn, a pig — whatever it is, they are going to have it out on display, and you are going to be able to see it. Just go up to a town and start talking to people. When else can you do that? ”

Although biking for miles on end is challenging, it is a feat that most people can accomplish with a little training.

“It is definitely not something that is impossible for the average rider,” said Andrew Sherve, graduate student in materials science and engineering and ISU Cycling Club vice president. “It does require a little bit of training, but if you have a regular mountain bike or road bike and you’re slightly above average fitness level, then I would say it is definitely possible without extreme levels of training.”

However, RAGBRAI is about more than fitness. With all the camping, concerts and food, RAGBRAI can resemble a traveling festival.

“It was really fun, like a party on wheels,” said Sherve, who participated in RAGBRAI last year. “It is definitely something you have to experience in order to understand and appreciate it.”