RAGBRAI hits Anamosa

If you’ve not heard of RAGBRAI, I dare say you may have been living under a rock.

RAGBRAI is The Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. Register meaning the Des Moines Register, Iowa’s largest newspaper. For 40 years, bicyclists have spent one week in July winding their way across Iowa, west to east, from the banks of the Missouri to those of the Mississippi. There are six overnight stays, where upwards of 10,000 people lay siege to those six communities. Anamosa is the last overnight stop of the week, and it is expected to host the most people due to that status. (And there's a rumor that Lance Armstrong may be here.)

This has probably been the most challenging project I’ve had in recent memory. The mission: coordinate tons of information and arrange it in a fashion that’s easy to digest.

front, center, back

Aside from thinking of a newsletter, I can’t even begin to describe how I did this. The mantra was: Simplicity. And it was important to keep it a little playful, to keep in tune with the Ride It Like You Stole It logo. I was fortunate to find a font similar to that of the logo, and a couple graphics to go with the prison motif: a guy behind bars and a surly lunch lady. Oh! Why the prison motif? Anamosa is home to a state penitentiary. If you’ve cruised channels late at night on weekends, you may have seen the prison on MSNBC’s Lock Up series.

As late items came in, I had to nip and tuck and tweak and tighten, and make it look like it was there all along. It’s like putting on an addition to a house; you want it to blend in seamlessly. I had hoped to include more pictures, but they were the first casualties in the battle for space. A bonus is the map is being blown up to 4’ x 6’ and will be on display at a couple locations downtown. (I may even get one as a keepsake.)

I plan to wander about on July 27 and take as many photos as possible.

In the meantime, I need to begin my research on basket weaving. Yes, basket weaving. I’ll be doing the brochure, poster, and postcards for a basket weaving weekend in November, but the push for registrants needs to start in late August/early September.

A few words on templates (updated)

Many, if not all, programs come with templates to plug in your information. Templates are used for calendars, cards, flyers, and newsletters, among many, many other things.

I'm not a huge fan of the pre-packaged templates. On the right occasion, one may catch me hating them with every fiber of my being. (And on those occasions I've needed to come up with something better, or shut up.)

A few years back, I got a late afternoon call wondering if I knew Microsoft Publisher. I did. The Kirksville Arts Association newsletter needed to be put together. Ok, shouldn't take long. Ha. Famous last words.

When I took Editing with Dr. Speckman at Truman State, during the section on page layout, she said if anyone finds out that you can do a newsletter, you'll never have a moment's peace.

Anyway, I did not like the template being used. Too much white space (as much as 1/2 an inch between columns), and many other grumblings that are probably best left unsaid. However, I knew it could be better. (An example of which is in this July 7 post.)

Whether or not I could do it, well that was something else.

I started sketching out columns and photo placements, and then I tried to conform Publisher to my will. The first draft wasn't too bad. A few tweaks from the Marketing Committee and the results are what you see in this post. The front page is from Spring 2008, and the back page from Summer 2008.

(The lack of anything more recent is due to the joy of moving from one state to another. If I come across more, I'll add it to this post. Especially if I find the old template. I shudder in horror.)


*Update (24 Dec 09)*

I found it. The old template. I'll let it speak for itself. We didn't print this is four-color. The photos were changed to black and white at the printer's. For future issues, I took the time to convert the photos myself.

*Update 19 Mar 2010*

This is the first center spread for the newsletter. This issue (Spring 2008) came out after the Regional Schools exhibit. I was blown away by the talent of these kids. (And still, there are those who want to cut the arts from schools.) Anyway, it's a shame four-color printing is so cost-prohibitive.