WelcomeGreetings,
October just wrapped up, and with it, so did our Fiscal Year. We just finished up our biggest month of October ever with 5 biking events, including our first ever Indigenous People’s Day Family Bike Camping Overnight, two Where the Wild Things Grow rides, and an Adult Day ride. Not to mention, the 8th annual Sun Harvest Ride which got over 80 folks riding up to Illinois Beach State Park. Read on to hear a bit more about these awesome events and a couple of final events we have coming up to close out the year, including our last Monthly Hang of the year, tomorrow, Tusday, November 5 at Exchequer in the loop.
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WelcomeGreetings,
Hope you are living well and enjoying the end of summer and start of fall. This epic season has not let up as the OOFD crew of volunteers continue to make such cool bike adventures happen all over Chicagoland including leading 5 bike camping trips in September alone! It was a month full of big news including us receiving the $50,000 Laureus Grant again which will help to further bolster our Adaptive Program. And we had a beautiful 6 page write up in the gorgeous Trails Magazine. We are staying after it in October with heaps of fun adventures including 2 Where the Wild Things Grow Rides, an Adult Day Ride, a Family Overnight, and the always amazing Sun Harvest Adult Overnight. Are you looking for a good first bike camping ride? Out Our Front Door’s got you!
A big part of our mission is to welcome and support folks that are new to bike camping. As we state in our Radical Inclusivity and Non-Discrimination Statement, “Regardless of your race, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, economic status, or even the types of bikes you ride, we want you rollin’ with us.” WelcomeY’all. The OOFD volunteers have been rocking this summer oh so well. It is mind blowing to think about all the adventures this rad crew of volunteers have helped plan, coordinate, and make happen. And always bringing that welcoming spirit and consistently pushing the org to be better, to smooth out our processes, and just generally be a more excellent version of what OOFD is and can be.
WelcomeIt’s August! And the adventures keep rolling. The epic and largest SWMI crew ever got all feral riding and living outside into SW Michigan a few weeks ago. The Great Confluence Ride was something magical as was the Family Overnight to Camp Shabonna. We mixed in 3 youth day rides in partnership with Greencorps Chicago, an Adult Day Ride to the Morton Arboretum, a Where the Wild Thing Grow Ride to Bill Jarvis Bird Sanctuary, tabled at Patagonia Mag Mile, and the ultimate cherry on top, our Adaptive bike camping trip in partnership with KEEN Chicago and the young athletes with disabilities that they serve.
By OOFD Volunteer and Guide David Stanford
After riding with OOFD for the past 5 years, this year has been my first year volunteering with them. I’ve been really excited about the Train O’ Lakes ride since hearing about it, since the Chain O’ Lakes state park is one of my favorites, and it’s always exciting to find a new bike route somewhere I’ve only ever driven. This route ended up being even more special because I got to help out doing some of the initial research to talk about the history of the places on the ride, specifically Wheaton, and it’s history as the home of the Chicago, Aurora, and Elgin interurban. WelcomeIt’s July! And I’m a couple days late getting our June newsletter out. Been all sorts of busy with all sorts of awesome bike adventures with and without OOFD this month. June had 9 different events, 6 of which were bike camping including the huge Battle to the Dunes (70+ folks) and the first Family Overnight of the year. 8 more events are coming in July including the big 5 day SWMI ride, a Where the Wild Things Grow Ride on the lakefront, and our Adaptive Program overnight in partnership with KEEN at Camp Sullivan. And of course, we’re ramping up for the big Flock Off the Block (100+ riders) event in early August.
Can I ride my e-bike on an OOFD adventure?! The answer is very likely yes.
Because, we push for radical inclusivity in all we do, and excluding ebikes and their riders just wouldn’t align with our #1 value of being welcoming. That said, there are really two main things for you to consider riding your e-bike on one of our rides: Grant Provides 10 Free Bike Camping Slots for BIPOC Riders on OOFD Bike Camping Adventures6/19/2024 On the Road to Barrier Free Bike Camping
Out Our Front Door won a grant from New Belgium Brewing thanks to the work of OOFD volunteer Haley. The Bicycle Advocacy Grassroots grant awarded us $1600 to provide free spots on our bike camping trips for 10 BIPOC riders that self-report financial need. OverviewCome Flock Off the Block with us! This is one of OOFD's biggest rides ever. We rented much of Camp Sullivan in Oak Forest, IL including campsites and cabins.
This is a family friendly party. It includes a catered dinner, live music at the campsite, and so much more! We will have a variety of start points around the city with very short to longer mileage options. And we’ll be providing a truck to haul your gear if you prefer not to ride with it on your bikes. $100 for adults. $50 for kids. Tickets available here. |
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"To immerse , educate, preserve & advance the history, culture, trails and native habitats of the Lower Lake Michigan Basin Area" Trail Series
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