In a few short days, an Ames-based cycling team known as Butt Ice will roll across the state with several thousand fellow riders in the annual tradition that is RAGBRAI.

Team member Dan Huisenga, who is credited with developing the name Butt Ice (Bicyclists United To Travel Iowa’s Cycling Experience), said the name came to him out of the blue.

“It just kind of hit us,” Huisenga said. “My friend wanted something to do with the rear end in our name. At the time, about seven or eight years ago, there were a lot of ice beers coming on the market.”

Since the team’s inaugural year in 1995, the membership has grown to nearly 20 riders, according to the team’s Web site.

The team name is just one of the unique characteristics involved with Butt Ice. The tradition known as “icing” accompanies the team each year. According to the team’s Web site, “icing” consists of applying stickers to the butts of members of the opposite sex during RAGBRAI.

Between “icing” and the good times that are abundant at each of the towns along the way, RAGBRAI and Butt Ice make for an unbeatable combination.

Huisenga and team captain Web Wilke have both been participating in RAGBRAI for 10 years.

Wilke said there are a variety of things that keep him and the rest of the team members going back to participate every year.

“I think all of us enjoy cycling,” Wilke said. “It’s kind of a family/community atmosphere. It’s just a traveling community, rolling across the state. It’s just a good time.”

Huisenga said there are health benefits as well, although the ride can cause some pain at times.

“It’s a good break in the summer – something to keep me at least a little bit in shape,” he said. “It’s fun.”

Patty Huisenga, who is joining her husband on the ride again this year, said the team has different levels of riders. Some chose to ride throughout the whole week, while others, like herself, only ride for a few days. She said the team bus is a great thing to have in case someone gets injured or doesn’t want to ride that day.

The 480-mile journey begins Sunday in Sioux Center and runs across the northern parts of the state. RAGBRAI XXX will conclude July 27 in Bellevue.

Wilke and Huisenga both said the route for this year’s ride looks a lot better than last year.

“Last year they called it the 4-H ride: heat, humidity, hills and headwind,” Wilke said. “This year should be a lot flatter. It looks a lot easier. I think up north it’ll be a little cooler than last year. Last year the heat index was way up there.”

Huisenga agreed.

“From what I’ve seen of [the route], it looks pretty good for us – a little flatter than last year,” he said. “It was pretty long last year and I’m ready for a break from that. Hopefully the weather will be with us.”

No matter what the ride brings, Patty Huisenga said the great people along the way make up for it. She said that’s what she enjoys most about the ride.

“We always enjoy seeing what the towns have to offer,” she said. “There’s such a sense of hospitality from one town to the next. The people from the towns are just great.”

Wilke said the team has been trying to get together to train for about the last two months.

The individuals who can’t make it often get their training in before or after work, he said.

Getting the team together on a regular basis has been difficult because members have spread out across the country over the years.

Riders from Ohio, California, Pennsylvania and Florida – who all have Ames or Iowa State connections – will be coming back to Iowa for the event, Patty Huisenga said.

Wilke said the team members who are available get together the first weekend in February for the Brr Ride (Bikeride to Rippey).

“It’s really only 22 miles, but at that time of year . . . it’s always cold,” Wilke said. “It’s pretty weird, but we do it.”

For now, the team will concentrate on RAGBRAI and the weeklong ride ahead of them.

“We always joke that no matter what the distance is from town to town, it always takes us 12 hours to get there,” Huisenga said. “We just have a lot of fun.”