Visit Fort Dodge along with representatives from the Fort Dodge Mountain Bike Club, Dodger Cyclists, and the Prairie River Trail Ride attended the recent Iowa Bike Expo where they spoke with bicyclists and handed out trail maps, destination guides, Save the Date postcards and posters for the upcoming Prairie Rivers Trail Ride and Lizard Creek Mountain Bike Festival (LCMBF).

“We gave away almost all of our Save the Date postcards, as well as lots of guides and maps,” said Bruce Breeser, a founding member of the Prairie River Trail Ride who volunteered at the Visit Fort Dodge booth at the Iowa Bike Expo. “It was far more than last year.”

Breeser and Ron Jacobson, the founding member of the FDMBC and member of the Dodger Cyclists, volunteered alongside Visit Fort Dodge staff at the Expo to promote Webster County trails.

“Their sharing of the Fort Dodge biking experience is such a powerful tool that Visit Fort Dodge is appreciative to be able to utilize,” said Kerrie Kuiper, executive director of Visit Fort Dodge. “These conversations between trail enthusiasts can directly bring people to town.”

-Submitted photo
Ron Jacobson, a member of the Dodger Cyclists and founding member of the Fort Dodge Mountain Bike Club volunteered at the Visit Fort Dodge booth during the Iowa Bike Expo in Des Moines.

Breeser and Jacobson told biking enthusiasts about the Prairie River Trail system which has been organized and funded by the city of Fort Dodge and Webster County through state and federal grants and donations. They also spoke about the Lizard Creek Mountain Bike Trail system which was created and is maintained by volunteers.

“The people that have ridden the Fort Dodge mountain bike trails very much enjoyed them,” said Jacobson. “Many people hope to ride the trails because of the good things they have heard. It’s good Fort Dodge is represented at the Expo.”

Visit Fort Dodge promoted improvements made to the local trail system and the planned construction of a steel cover under the Union Pacific Railroad High Bridge which will allow connection of trails along the Des Moines River.

“People want to know what there is to do off the bike trail,” said Breeser. “They want to know where to stay, where to eat, where there’s music and things to see. With future efforts working to expand our trail system by connecting to bordering counties’ trails, this will offer a unique opportunity for economic growth; from people coming to Fort Dodge to stay at bike-friendly hotels and campgrounds to restaurants. They will all benefit from this.”

According to Breeser, the PRTR, which has more than 200 participants annually, will exceed $60,000 this year that is given back to the community in a variety of ways. The chosen beneficiary of the PRTR this year is the Fort Dodge Middle School Chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which is open to all sixth through eighth grade students and is open to all regardless of school registry or participation in a sport. Breeser said PRTR members decided to support the students as they work towards improving Fort Dodge’s future and reputation.

“Riders want to come here,” said Breeser. “They want to learn about us and experience what we have to offer. When they hear about our plan to connect from town to town and how soon there could be hundreds of miles of trail connecting to places all over the state, they want to be part of that.”

“Leaders like Bruce and Ron want to make their community stronger and recognize the potential of the biking trails and other businesses to bring visitors to town,” added Kuiper. “The impact of tourism on our community is stronger through their efforts.”