For Roecker and Huff ‘n’ Puffers, RAGBRAI is about more than the miles

HARLAN — For Greg Roecker, RAGBRAI has never been about how many miles he’s ridden. It’s about the people who ride them with him.
Now preparing for his 40th RAGBRAI, the Harlan cyclist has logged  countless miles across Iowa since his first ride. As Harlan welcomes thousands of cyclists as the first overnight stop on the 2026 route, Roecker is looking forward to another year with the Huff ‘n’ Puffers Bicycle Club, a group he says is built on friendship, encouragement and making cycling fun for everyone.
“It’s fun,” Roecker said. “If it wasn’t, people wouldn’t keep coming back.”
The opening day of RAGBRAI covers 59 miles from Onawa to Harlan, but Roecker said the destination has always been secondary to the experience.
When he rode his first RAGBRAI at age 32, his 12-year-old son pedaled beside him.
This year, that same son will ride again, this time with his own children.
“That’s pretty special, he said.” Sharing the ride with three generations of family is one of the memories he treasures most.
“It isn’t about riding fast,” he said. “You ride with the people you’re with and enjoy the trip.”
For Roecker, those relationships extend well beyond family. They define the Huff ‘n’ Puffers, the Harlan  area cycling club he has belonged to for decades and now serves as tour director.
The club’s mission has always been to welcome riders of every ability, whether they’re experienced cyclists or climbing on a bike for the first time.
“We’re not going to take you out in the country and leave you,” Roecker said. “We’re going to make sure you get back.”
Regular club rides generally attract around a dozen cyclists, but RAGBRAI brings many more together.
“We’ll have about 45 people riding with us this year,” Roecker said. “Some are from Harlan, and others are from around Shelby County.”
Keeping new riders comfortable has always been one of his priorities.
“I try to make sure new people enjoy it and don’t get scared away,” he said. “It’s supposed to be fun.”
One of the most recognizable members of the Huff ‘n’ Puffers doesn’t even pedal.
For the past several years, Roecker and his wife, Denise, have brought along their small white-and-tan Chihuahua in a specially designed carrier mounted to the back of the bike.
“It’s like a little Blue Bunny milk crate made for carrying dogs,” Roecker said. “She loves riding in it.”
The tiny passenger has become a favorite attraction along the route.
“People always stop and say, ‘I wish I could have brought my dog. Can I pet it?’” Roecker said. “It’s just fun.”
While cyclists come for the challenge, Roecker believes they return because of Iowa’s communities and the people who welcome them.
“It’s the small-town hospitality,” he said. “People come from all over the world because of that.”
He points to churches, civic organizations and volunteers who spend months preparing homemade food for riders.
“The church ladies are already  planning to make Rice Krispie bars and pies,” Roecker said.
Those homemade meals become lasting memories.
“You can sit down next to somebody you’ve never met with a pork chop and a napkin,” Roecker said. “Everything tastes good after you’ve been riding.”
Roecker says the hospitality shown in Iowa towns is still what makes RAGBRAI unlike any other event.
“The food and the hospitality of Iowa people are what everyone remembers,” he said. “People always talk about how friendly everyone was.”
Although he knows there will eventually come a time to hang up his bike, Roecker is thankful to have reached the four decade milestone.
“There’ll come a time,” he said, “but I can say I’ve ridden 40 of them.”
More important than the number, however, are the friendships, family traditions and memories made along the way.
“That’s why I keep coming back.”