Authorities had to shut down a wild skinny-dipping party along the RAGBRAI route near Mason City on Wednesday afternoon.

Cerro Gordo County Sheriff Kevin Pals says the party at a private pond in Cartersville along the route between Clear Lake and Charles City had to be stopped by authorities at about 2:30 PM after swimmers started taking off their clothes. Reports say many of the partiers were “alcohol-impaired.”

Sheriff Pals says there several hundred people in the pond and about one out of every ten were either not wearing shorts or were topless. Deputies and the Iowa State Patrol’s RAGBRAI Alcohol Team shut down the party but did not make any arrests.

The special State Patrol team is a group of officers who follow the ride and make sure riders leave each community early enough so they aren’t riding in the dark to the next overnight stop.

By Bob Fisher, KRIB, Mason City