About Us

TEAM ROTR was founded by Brett Landon, whose connection to RAGBRAI began long before the team ever existed.

 

While attending college in Waverly, Iowa, Brett played both hockey and rugby.

 

One summer, rather than returning home, he stayed in Iowa to train for the upcoming rugby season. That summer, RAGBRAI rolled through Waverly, and Brett got his first taste of the energy, camaraderie, and craziness surrounding the ride. He thought: Someday, "I’m going to grow up and do this"! 

 

After graduating from college (Wartburg, Waverly Iowa), Brett returned back to Rochester, Minnesota (where he grew up), and began his career at Mayo Clinic. For several years, sports took a back seat as he focused on his career and family.

 

About eight years later, Brett found his way back to hockey, joining a local adult league in Rochester. Before long, he became involved in organizing and managing adult hockey leagues and eventually helped build one of the area's largest and most recognized adult hockey tournaments The Return of the Robin, better known as ROTR.

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At the same time, Brett developed another passion: cycling.

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It didn't take long to discover that many of the hockey players he had met over the years also enjoyed riding bikes and knew of RAGBRAI. Eventually, the idea came full circle... 

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Why not put together a group and finally ride RAGBRAI with the ole'man hockey mentality... this is right up our alley... Why are we NOT DOING THIS RAGBRAI THING.. seems like a bucket list event... WHY are we not there?

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And with that, TEAM ROTR was born.

 

The original TEAM ROTR was a combination of hockey players, cyclists, friends, and people looking for an adventure. What began as a small group of hockey players heading to Iowa to ride bikes became something much bigger.

 

Over the years, TEAM ROTR has developed its own traditions, personality, and culture. TEAM ROTR combines the camaraderie of a hockey locker room with the adventure and unpredictability of riding a bicycle across Iowa. We are a NO DRAMA team, we have riders from WAY advanced to beginners.. we don't care.. if you have a good and laid back attitude you will fit in with ROTR.

 

The team may have started because of hockey and a promise made years earlier in Waverly by Brett, but today TEAM ROTR is about the people, the friendships, the stories, and the adventures.

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We do our own thing!

We are a respected and well known team on RAGBRAI

We support riding your own pace and schedule. 
We take care of each other.

We don't care or talk politics or controversial issues... we just ride!
We don't take ourselves too seriously.

We look for FUN and ADVENTURE!

We support RAGBRAI, the leaders and will always be a REGISTERED team
And we make sure we enjoy the ride.

ROTR is a family! 

 

That’s TEAM ROTR.