Ride to Valhalla - Door County 2025 - Adult Overnight
Ride Specifics
Mileage:
Day 1 - Sturgeon Bay to Peninsula State Park - 30mi
Day 2 - Peninsula State Park to Washington Island Campground - 45mi
Day 3 - Second overnight on Washington Island - 25mi
Day 4 - Washington Island to Sturgeon Bay - 75m
Support: : Semi supported - you carry a majority of your own camping gear etc on your own bike. We will allow 1 school-size backpack to be carried in our support vehicle to lighten your load.
Additional Nights: OOFD has a group site reserved for the Thursday before and the Tuesday after the event that all riders are welcome to stay at for FREE! That way if you want to arrive the night before and/or not drive home after riding 70+ miles on Monday, you can stay with us at Potowatomi State Park in Sturgeon Bay. No meals provided during those additional nights.
Transportation: You can drive (just under 4 hours from Chicago) and park for the duration of the trip in Sunset Park in Sturgeon Bay (this is where we will beginning and ending the ride). There is no charge for parking. Your OOFD guides will help facilitate a carpooling option, by way of spreadsheet prior to the ride. Registered participants can opt to add their open car-seats, or transportation-needs into this spreadsheet. Guides will then help connect possible carpooling folks by email to finalize details.
Parking: Sunset Park, Sturgeon Bay
Pace: 12-15mph
Trail/Route: Paved road with minimal gravel incorporated.
Age: Adult Ride (21+)
Trip Description
This is not your average group bike ride. At certain breakpoints and along the way, our Guides will immerse and educate in the history, geography, architecture and the uniquely beautiful natural habitats and ecosystems of Door County. We will incorporate cultural stops to see some of the more interesting sights of Door County.
We will learn about the quest for Icelandic-American inventor, Chester Thordarson to build a Valhalla in America on Rock Island. Jens Jensen, the landscape architect responsible for such Chicago landmarks as Humboldt and Garfield Parks, has an intellectual commune and natural retreat called The Clearing which will be a stop along the way.
Natural highlights include the splendor and glaciated cliffs of Door County looking out onto Green Bay and Lake Michigan.
We’ll take a rest day on Washington and Rock Islands allowing us some time to explore the island by bike. See such sites as the Stavkirke, a Scandinavian church and the Mountain Park Lookout. Rock Island is a former private estate of the Thordarson family and see the historic boathouse.
Read more about this adventure on our blog here.
What's Included
- Campsite and firewood
- Most meals from Dinner Day 1 to Lunch Day 4
- Education about our local history and nature
- Really nice and supportive guides
- Ferry to Washington Island
About the Guides
Our guides are part of a community of volunteers that believe in adventure and helping others find adventure right out our front door. They exude a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive spirit which are foundational values at OOFD. They have love and appreciation for their home and like sharing knowledge about that home with others, thus helping the riders to develop a stronger sense of gratitude for our local history and nature.
The guides will be set with the route and an extensive script about the area you’ll be riding through with intentionally chosen breakpoints along the way.
They are more than someone to follow on the ride. They are trained and will be there to encourage and support you as well as support with mechanicals that may arise.
Transfer/Refund/Cancelation Policy
Participant Cancellation: No Refunds. By registering, you acknowledge and agree there will not be a refund if you cancel or do not show up for the event. Tickets cannot be resold.
Transfers permitted before the event and to an event in the same calendar year. Check out this Transfer Policy flowsheet to determine what next steps you need to take. Contact us if you have any issues.
Organizer Cancellation: Full Refund | Nobody wants an event to be canceled. In the rare circumstance the organizer cancels the event at their discretion, registered participants will receive a full refund.To date, this organization has canceled minimal events; primarily in response to the Covid19 pandemic.
Weather and Rain: We do not cancel an event for rain, storm, or any other weather. We ride rain or shine. Chicago weather is typically passing, if the weather requires, we will pause the ride and wait in a sheltered space then continue biking. Some of the best views of the lake and greenery on the trails are after a rainstorm.
Radical Inclusivity and Non-Discrimination Agreement Here
This is included in your registration form. Showing up with a welcoming and inclusive spirit is crucial and expected of everyon that rides with us.
Bike Camping Packing Checklist and Tips here
Learn More About Us
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Ride to Valhalla - Door County 2025 - Adult Overnight
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Some are easy and others are a challenge, but just about anyone who has ridden a bike for a day can do the tours. If you are not an avid bike rider already, you should build up your riding distance/endurance. Not sure you can ride it? Check out other people who completed our tours here
First, always bring a spare inner tube. Our prepared Guides are always ready to help, are trained for emergency repairs, and carry extra tools and supplies.
The pace we ride at is around 12 miles per hour. This is to accommodate everyone riding the tour, to be able to take in all the views and to be able to ride a second day. You have to remember their is a second day and you should pace yourself. (We are bikers but we are not running a Tour de France). Family, Youth and Adaptive Rides roll at a slower pace to accommodate those along from the ride oftentimes dropping to the range of 8-10 mph.
No. We still ride if there is rain. Some of the best views are after a rain storm. Though safety is our top priority, so if there is extreme severe weather we will break and wait it out in a provided shelter, then continue on our journey.
We do our best to ride together as a group. That said, if some space occurs in the group, the OOFD guides will not leave anybody behind. A guide will always be riding at the back and at the front.
Always bring two spare inner tubes and a bike tool kit if you have one. Dress for the season, during spring and fall make sure to bring gloves for your hands and layer your clothing. Even when the weather is nice, when riding your bike the wind can make you chilly really quick.
We champion perseverance and the challenge. We encourage to push on, the reward of completion is great. But if turning around is an absolute must, there is always a train station relatively close by throughout the entirety of the tours.
It's really up to you. But we recommend a Touring, Road, Urban or Hybrid bike. These types of bikes make for a more comfortable ride. Attaching a bike rack will help carry your daily supplies and keep weight off your shoulders. Almost all of our routes are on paved paths/lanes or crushed packed limestone.
At the moment no. Our goal as we continue to grow we will be able to provide bicycles for participants.
Most of our rides are 2 days though we have some that are 3, 4, and even 5 days.
