Even after six days of biking and nearly 400 miles under her belt. Bonnie Kuehner had no complaints about this year's RAGBRAI as it reached its penultimate day on Friday, passing through her birthplace, Lawler.

Participating in her 22nd Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, she said she's enjoyed how this year's new RAGBRAI director, Matt Phippen, has been seemingly everywhere on the route, and the spacing of the pass-through and meeting towns along the way.

"The roads have been really good," she said. "I haven't heard any negative comments about the ride."

More:RAGBRAI to end with tough but beautiful ride to the river through Iowa's Driftless Area

Josh Russell of Iowa City, on his first full RAGBRAI, said he also has no complaints about this year's route from Sergeant Bluff to Lansing, where the ride will conclude Saturday with the traditional tire dip in the Mississippi River. He said he even enjoyed Wednesday's Century Day, his first time biking 100-plus miles.

It was the only time since 1985 that the long ride has been part of the ride's regular route, instead of an optional loop. Russell said the fact it was held on a day when the temperature barely topped 80 degrees helped. The riders also had clear skies and a steady tailwind.

"You couldn't have asked for a better Century Day," Russell said.

He did have one complaint: Though he concurred with Kuehner that the pass-through towns were smartly placed along the route, he said he had hoped that a few would have had more vendors. Amid the current shortage of labor and supplies, many towns on the route faced challenges recruiting purveyors and volunteers.

"That made the only available food have crazy long lines," Kuehner said.

Though vendors may have been in short supply. riders weren't. More than 18,000 were registered, posing a safety concern for 24-time RAGBRAI rider Jeff Ledger of Crawfordsville. He said the packed roads were difficult to navigate.

"Safety is a big thing as I get older and I'd like to see new emphasis on riding right and making it safer for the riders," said the 60-year-old.

But even after more than two decades riding RAGBRAI, Ledger said, he still enjoys the other riders, the food, the towns and the company of his teammates.

"It's Iowa's best feature," he said. "I think Iowa has a lot to be proud of."

Mike and Jeri Hammen of Clive have ridden the full week eight times, and said this year has been the best yet. The only thing they would change, they said, is the full-route Century Day. Ride organizers have said they are evaluating whether to continue it in future years

Mike Hammer had heard support-and-gear, or "SAG," wagons were available to pick up riders who couldn't make the entire ride, but he said he didn't see any. He was worried about riders who may not have been prepared for the journey.

More:Mason City continues setting RAGBRAI entertainment bar high, with shows by Don Felder, Sugar Ray

"If you hadn't had the tailwind or good weather, you would have had a disaster on your hands," he said.

Still, he said, the small towns have been "fantastic," and the couple has enjoyed seeing Phippen on the route helping bikers and hanging out in the towns.

"It's just nice that it's back," Jeri Hammen said of the ride, which returned last year after a one-year  hiatus because of COVID-19, and added that "It feels like it used to" before the pandemic.

Sarah LeBlanc covers the western suburbs for the Register. Reach her at 515-284-8161 or sleblanc@registermedia.com. Follower her on Twitter at @sarahkayleblanc