Out of Chicago Area Organized Rides

Since it's that time of to start planning and budgeting my weekend time for the coming spring, summer and fall,  I'd like to hear of peoples recommendations and experiences with out of the Chicago area (defined as originating 25+ miles out of the city limits) organized rides (preferably 50 miles or more in duration).  My goal is to try to do 1 per month is summer and I'm always looking for new adventures and scenery.

I'll start with my favorite one I did last year -

Door County Century.

Time - weekend after labor day. 

Experience - last year out standing weather.  Good routes (24, 50, 70 & 100 mile to choose from), great scenery, great rest stop food (regular stuff + Wisconsin favorites such as cheese curds, pickles, pretzels, beer cheese etc) and a fantastic post ride meal with Fat Tire ale & football on big screen TV's. 

Link

http://www.doorcountycentury.com

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Permalink Reply by SmilingBob on March 5, 2012 at 10:38am

For rides in Wisconsin the following site already has LOTS of them listed.

 

http://www.bfw.org/events/

Permalink Reply by Eduardo on March 5, 2012 at 10:55am

I've done the Potosi Brewery Great River Road Bike Tour last 2 years in SW Wisconsin. Beautiful ride along Mississippi River.

Permalink Reply by David P. on March 6, 2012 at 3:12am

If you like dirt, Michigan has Barry-Roubaix coming up later this month, and the Lowell 50 the following weekend just outside of Grand Rapids. Barry-Roubaix is sold out, but I'll be going to Lowell. Technically these are races, but I know that there are plenty of people who just do it for fun. Gravelgrindernews.com (I think) will tell you about other non-paved rides.

David

Permalink Reply by Todd Boring on March 6, 2012 at 3:44am

Here's the info I have on a Gravel Metric out in Dekalb IL.......I'll post more info when I find it again.

 

Sunday, May 27, 2012
  • 9:00am until 12:00pm
  		•
    North Central Cyclery. 534 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb 60115
  • 7am – Registration Opens – Sign in, Pick up Cue Sheets. Buy something. When you arrive, park behind the store – ample parking available. 9am – Ride Starts – All riders leave NCC together and ride to city limit. Ride Continues for 60some miles on this route. ... When you finish, check in behind NCC and let us know you’ve survived. Make your way to Fatty’s, enter the raffle, get yourself a good sandwich and some free Daisy Cutter. 2:30pm – Schwag Raffle – courtesy of QBP, Surly, Salsa, Bontrager and Twin Six. 4pm – Keg dries up, people head home to lick wounds, forget pain, embellish glory, etc. Amen.
Permalink Reply by mark stetson on March 6, 2012 at 12:31pm

I'm looking to ride Carroll County IL and/or Green/Dane County WI sometime this year.  I plan to pick a day with a good forecast and find my own routes, maybe with some input from MapMyRide.  I'd also like to ride to the top of Charles Mound in JoDavies County.

Permalink Reply by Todd Boring on March 8, 2012 at 2:57am

Here's the link for the Gravel Metric http://gravelmetric.wordpress.com/

Todd Boring said:

Here's the info I have on a Gravel Metric out in Dekalb IL.......I'll post more info when I find it again.

 

Sunday, May 27, 2012
  • 9:00am until 12:00pm
  		•
    North Central Cyclery. 534 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb 60115
  • 7am – Registration Opens – Sign in, Pick up Cue Sheets. Buy something. When you arrive, park behind the store – ample parking available. 9am – Ride Starts – All riders leave NCC together and ride to city limit. Ride Continues for 60some miles on this route. ... When you finish, check in behind NCC and let us know you’ve survived. Make your way to Fatty’s, enter the raffle, get yourself a good sandwich and some free Daisy Cutter. 2:30pm – Schwag Raffle – courtesy of QBP, Surly, Salsa, Bontrager and Twin Six. 4pm – Keg dries up, people head home to lick wounds, forget pain, embellish glory, etc. Amen.
Permalink Reply by Liz Thompson on March 8, 2012 at 7:03am

  CF Cyle For Life at Peck Farms in Geneva, IL on September 8th is a fully supported chairty ride benefitiing the Cystic Fibrois Foundation.  There are two route options - 25 miles and 65 miles with stocked rest stops every 10 - 14 miles, SAG support and a beer garden at the finish line. 

Permalink Reply by olloyd1 on March 9, 2012 at 12:51pm

Me and friends did about seven rides outside the city last year.  We have been calling them Randoneasy rides.  Usually doing mileage of 40 to 60.  Not organized rides like the cycling clubs organize, but we had routes planned out and went as a group.  It ended up being four to eight of us each time.  Contact me at Blue city if you want details . . .

Permalink Reply by olloyd1 on March 9, 2012 at 1:00pm

Oh yea, we used the train pretty often to get out of the city to good cycling areas.

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on March 9, 2012 at 3:00pm

Yeah, it's awesome we can take bikes on the metra to really get to nature.  

olloyd1 said:

Oh yea, we used the train pretty often to get out of the city to good cycling areas.

Permalink Reply by John Sirovatka on March 9, 2012 at 4:04pm

I like Dairyland Dare: www.dairylanddare.com 8/11/2012. great crowd, crazy hills, sweetest swag bag, and beer at the end.

Permalink Reply by Linda Chandler on March 9, 2012 at 4:26pm

Check out the Wisconsin Bicycling Meetup:

http://www.meetup.com/Wisconsin-Bicycling/

These are free, unsupported rides. There are weekend trips as well as one-day rides.

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