It’s a celebration.

It’s a bike ride.

It’s an experience.

Ragbrai is all of those things, and more. As we welcome the masses of bike riders to Ames and Iowa State on Tuesday, the numbers can, at times, seem overwhelming: thousands of bicyclists, thousands more support personnel and dozens and dozens of Port-a-Potties.

The preparation for today has gone on for months, and though Ames is a veteran of years of population-multiplying inundations of students – now less than a month away – an influx of bicyclists is another animal altogether.

Granted, getting around town today and tomorrow may be a bit of a headache, but the concerts, the revelry, the experience of Ragbrai will be worth it.

Ames, when it chooses, is capable of spectacular displays of culture, art and entertainment.

Given the opportunity to truly showcase itself to the state and the world, the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau has pulled out all the stops.

But this evening’s events aren’t just about Ames or Iowa State. The Styx/Nadas concert to benefit the Embrace Iowa: 2008 Disaster Relief Fund is at the heart of this evening’s events.

The Embrace Iowa project is a brain child of the governor’s office as well as various Iowa business leaders, seeking to raise funds to assist those throughout the state who’ve suffered as a result of this year’s epic flooding. To date they have raise more than $4.5 million for what can only be described as a noble, generous and caring cause.

There are other entertainment and culture options around town of course: a Cy Look-Alike contest here on campus, Jazz on the Lawn near the Campanile, various meals, activities and musical delights in the Main Street Cultural District downtown are just a smattering of the available activities at this Ragbrai stop.

It’s an honor to have Ragbrai make an overnight stop in town, and thanks to all the hard work from local volunteers and businesses, it should prove to be a great time, and not just for the riders.