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Where was Dennis Watson found? Missing RAGBRAI participant located after disappearance

On Thursday, July 27, missing RAGBRAI participant Dennis Watson was found safe in Newton, Iowa. Watson, who was riding with his team, was reported missing after he split up with his group and failed to return to their initial meeting point.

Watson said he forgot his phone and decided to keep riding until he arrived in Netwon, where he was supposed to meet the other riders.

According to the Newton Police Department, Dennis Watson is considered to be safe and healthy. He was described by the Des Moines Register as a veteran RAGBRAI participant who had taken part in the Statewide bicycle tour for years.

He has completed the tour over 40 times. Riding as a team with his brothers Ron and Larry, they completed the tour roughly 15 times together.

Dennis Watson went missing on Wednesday, July 26

The RAGBRAI community first drew attention to the case of Dennis Watson on Wednesday night. The veteran rider was due to meet the rest of his team at either a bus or the host house where they had arranged to stay for the night in DeMoines.

Fellow riders became concerned as the heat index in Iowa is currently over 100, making it one of the hottest RAGBRAI tours.

They were especially concerned as Watson is extremely experienced and typically shows up to the meeting spots on time.

A concerned post from his team read:

"We are all very worried about Dennis (this is out of character). Please keep your eye out."

Since he had forgotten his phone and the address of the host house where he was supposed to meet his team, Dennis Johnson rode straight to the next meeting town, Newton. Johnson knew that the other riders would be due to enter the town on Thursday and that he could regroup with them there.

Bobbie Jean, a friend of Dennis Watson's, expressed how relieved she felt after Newton police officers told her that he had been found safe.

"We are all very relieved. (His brothers) are on their way to get him right now," Jean said. "They are truly an amazing group of guys. We are just so happy to have found Dennis alive and well," she continued.

Due to the current heat wave, RAGBRAI riders and other outdoor enthusiasts across America are becoming increasingly wary. As per Notes on Iowa, across the state, there have been over 40 deaths that can be attributed to heat-related illnesses.

In response to the heat wave, park rangers said that hikers and bicyclists should avoid remote regions where they cannot easily call for help. Outdoor enthusiasts have also been asked to ensure that they have enough food and water.

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