It's never too early to start training.
Ride Details:
Date: Sunday April 22, 2018
Cost: FREE - Donations are
welcome.
Field Limit: none
Start/Finish: Milledgeville IL
Starting Time: 9:00 a.m.
Registration: Mail a postcard to: Mark Johnson, 1114 Hickory Rd, Sterling IL 61081. The postcard must contain your name, current email, emergency contact name/number, and t-shirt size (only entries received by March 31st will get a t-shirt). Day of event registration allowed, but not preferred.
Morning Check-in: April 22, from 7:00-8:45 @ The Farmers Barn, located at 5493 Otter Creek Drive, Milledgeville IL. All riders must sign an event waiver before riding. Upon check-in, riders will receive route cue cards.
Rider Meeting: 8:45 @ the starting line along the fence line on Fremont.
Finishing Time: Riders should finish by 4:00. A 12 mph pace should allow riders to finish in around 6 hours. Event organizers will be clearing out and heading home around 5:00.
Distance: 86 delicious miles.
Route: The ride will begin just north of Milledgeville IL and take place on country roads mostly north and west of the starting point.
Terrain: The terrain will be a nice mix of flats and rolling hills, with a few grass and dirt lanes. Actually, there will be a few more hills than some Illinois folks would like (or even knew existed), but there aren't any mountains. I think you will find the course to be challenging. There may even be "hike-a-bike" section or two, depending on weather.
Recommended Bike to Ride: Cyclocross bikes, mountain bikes, fat tire bikes, single speeds, tandems, cruisers, or any bike with tires that can handle gravel road conditions. You can ride a traditional road bike if you wish, but it will affect your comfort level, and might give you a lot of practice changing flats.
Ride or Race? Gravel grinds are more of a ride than a race, but feel free to lay down the throttle and race if you want to. Gravel grinds create a sense of camaraderie and are a challenging event for those with an adventurous spirit. Regardless of whether you ride or race, please be safe and use common sense (refer to the safety section below).
Rider Support: Riders must be self-supported! You are responsible for yourself! Mandatory equipment required for this ride is a helmet and a cell phone (to call for a ride if necessary). Recommended equipment for this ride would be necessary food/drink, repair tools/tubes, and odometer. Check the FAQ page periodically prior to registration for other suggestions for items to consider bringing along for the ride.
Checkpoints: There will be one checkpoint on the course, but no cut off times. It is very important that all riders check in at this point. Riders who blow by this checkpoint without checking in will NOT be included in the ride results.
Food and Water Stops: Riders should come prepared for this ride with their own supplies in terms of food and drink. It is likely that something will be available at the checkpoint, if we feel like it, but don't depend on it or you may be disappointed.
Awards: NONE. Recognition of finishers in order of time and place will be done through the posting of online results. Everyone who finishes and enjoys riding a bike is a winner!
Post Ride Food/Beverages: There will be FREE beverages at the finish (water, lemonade, soda, and adult drinks). There will be a Taco vendor (burritos, tacos, tortas, etc.) at the finish where riders may purchase post-ride food.
What Riders will Receive: The first 75 finishers will receive a "finishers mug". Riders will also receive a sense of accomplishment, camaraderie, and a slap on the back for finishing. You may also receive sore knees, tired shoulders, flat tires, an endorphin high, scorn from family members who don't understand "why you do this", etc.
Safety: Prior to riding, participants will sign an event waiver that states they are responsible for themselves and their actions. Riders are expected to follow the rules of the road. The route will include loose gravel, steep hills, unmarked intersections, crossing of state roads, crossing of railroad tracks, etc. Please ride responsibly, safely, and represent all bicycle riders in a positive fashion. Organizers and sponsors are in no way responsible for the rider's actions.
Camping: There will be room on the farm for riders to camp out the night before. Refer to the "Free Range Updates" blog page for a posting with information on camping.
Date: Sunday April 22, 2018
Cost: FREE - Donations are
welcome.
Field Limit: none
Start/Finish: Milledgeville IL
Starting Time: 9:00 a.m.
Registration: Mail a postcard to: Mark Johnson, 1114 Hickory Rd, Sterling IL 61081. The postcard must contain your name, current email, emergency contact name/number, and t-shirt size (only entries received by March 31st will get a t-shirt). Day of event registration allowed, but not preferred.
Morning Check-in: April 22, from 7:00-8:45 @ The Farmers Barn, located at 5493 Otter Creek Drive, Milledgeville IL. All riders must sign an event waiver before riding. Upon check-in, riders will receive route cue cards.
Rider Meeting: 8:45 @ the starting line along the fence line on Fremont.
Finishing Time: Riders should finish by 4:00. A 12 mph pace should allow riders to finish in around 6 hours. Event organizers will be clearing out and heading home around 5:00.
Distance: 86 delicious miles.
Route: The ride will begin just north of Milledgeville IL and take place on country roads mostly north and west of the starting point.
Terrain: The terrain will be a nice mix of flats and rolling hills, with a few grass and dirt lanes. Actually, there will be a few more hills than some Illinois folks would like (or even knew existed), but there aren't any mountains. I think you will find the course to be challenging. There may even be "hike-a-bike" section or two, depending on weather.
Recommended Bike to Ride: Cyclocross bikes, mountain bikes, fat tire bikes, single speeds, tandems, cruisers, or any bike with tires that can handle gravel road conditions. You can ride a traditional road bike if you wish, but it will affect your comfort level, and might give you a lot of practice changing flats.
Ride or Race? Gravel grinds are more of a ride than a race, but feel free to lay down the throttle and race if you want to. Gravel grinds create a sense of camaraderie and are a challenging event for those with an adventurous spirit. Regardless of whether you ride or race, please be safe and use common sense (refer to the safety section below).
Rider Support: Riders must be self-supported! You are responsible for yourself! Mandatory equipment required for this ride is a helmet and a cell phone (to call for a ride if necessary). Recommended equipment for this ride would be necessary food/drink, repair tools/tubes, and odometer. Check the FAQ page periodically prior to registration for other suggestions for items to consider bringing along for the ride.
Checkpoints: There will be one checkpoint on the course, but no cut off times. It is very important that all riders check in at this point. Riders who blow by this checkpoint without checking in will NOT be included in the ride results.
Food and Water Stops: Riders should come prepared for this ride with their own supplies in terms of food and drink. It is likely that something will be available at the checkpoint, if we feel like it, but don't depend on it or you may be disappointed.
Awards: NONE. Recognition of finishers in order of time and place will be done through the posting of online results. Everyone who finishes and enjoys riding a bike is a winner!
Post Ride Food/Beverages: There will be FREE beverages at the finish (water, lemonade, soda, and adult drinks). There will be a Taco vendor (burritos, tacos, tortas, etc.) at the finish where riders may purchase post-ride food.
What Riders will Receive: The first 75 finishers will receive a "finishers mug". Riders will also receive a sense of accomplishment, camaraderie, and a slap on the back for finishing. You may also receive sore knees, tired shoulders, flat tires, an endorphin high, scorn from family members who don't understand "why you do this", etc.
Safety: Prior to riding, participants will sign an event waiver that states they are responsible for themselves and their actions. Riders are expected to follow the rules of the road. The route will include loose gravel, steep hills, unmarked intersections, crossing of state roads, crossing of railroad tracks, etc. Please ride responsibly, safely, and represent all bicycle riders in a positive fashion. Organizers and sponsors are in no way responsible for the rider's actions.
Camping: There will be room on the farm for riders to camp out the night before. Refer to the "Free Range Updates" blog page for a posting with information on camping.
