Where the Wild Things Grow - LaBagh Woods
Spend a half-day with Out Our Front Door on a short bike ride and service day at the start of the North Branch Trail!
Join us for a day ride to LaBagh Woods for 3 hours of environmental education and service. The plan is for us to clear invasive brush and burn it in a bonfire!
We will meet at the Hexe Coffee (2000 W Diversey Pkwy) at 845am. We will ride the roughly 7 miles to LaBagh on mostly bike lanes.. Our service project will be about 3 hours, ending around 1pm.
If you can't make the ride up, but want to volunteer for the day we love that! Meet us at the LaBagh Woods Grove #1. Afterwards, we'll have an optional hangout to get lunch and a drink nearby.
What to Bring:
- Good, sturdy shoes. It may get muddy as we will be off trail and near the river.
- Cotton/denim based jackets and outer wear. We will be burning buckthorn, and ash/embers from the burn piles can melt through synthetic fibers. Wear layers. It might start out cold, but a 1,300 degree fire warms you up really quickly.
- Refillable water bottle and snacks. We'll have some granola bars, but if you have a go-to snack, bring that just in case.
- Work gloves if you want your own, they will have a limited number to borrow. All tools will be provided by the worksite.
- Clothes to keep you protected and dry. We'll be riding rain or shine and this is an outdoor event so prepare for the weather!
- Any knowledge you'd like to share about local ecosystems, flora or fauna and why we love them!
Your Donation: The proceeds we collect for the event will be donated to the Chicago Ornithological Society, specifically for their LaBagh Woods Project. Learn more about the project here.
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.
