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.
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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. WelcomeJune. Here we come! Goodness. May was so full of awesome bike adventures and events. From fun, educational day rides to a few bike camping trips to some next level adaptive events. And it was only May. June promises to be incredible, and it kicks off this weekend with 10 OOFD guides leading 70 folks out to bike camp at the Indiana Dunes National Park. We also have a new Vice President of our Board, Ashley Lyons, and Mika Yacobucci joined the board as well!
![]() By OOFD Guide Will Haley A refreshing cup of coffee is a great way to start the day, or so I’m told. In our case, a camp-mug shot of beer helped get our bikepacking riders hyped up to visit the Good Land. With its rich history of brewing, each Milwaukee beer sample we served set the scene for our northern destination. We got on our bikes and departed from The Perfect Cup in Ravenswood under sunny skies. We rolled out towards the North Shore Channel Trail which would bring us most of the way to Gillson Park. The Gillson Park amphitheater was a perfect venue to reflect on the North Shore and its fraught history with alcohol. From dry campuses to a lively speakeasy scene the neighboring area had a love-hate relationship with beer for well over a hundred years. WelcomeHope y’all are getting hyped for some consistent good weather and lots of being outside and biking. We just wrapped up our best Hootenanny Fundraiser party ever! We had a number of fun day rides and social hangs in April. And now, we are full force towards the ride season filled with all kinds of bike adventures! We have a couple of adult overnights this month that are sold out, but definitely lots of rides to look forward to including some great Family Overnights.
WelcomeHappy Spring y’all. And officially welcome to bike camping season! We have our big Hootenanny fundraiser party happening on Thursday, April 11th. We have had huge turn outs to our Month of March Guide Trainings. With the first couple Adult Bike camping trips sold out, we are getting hyped for the big Battle to the Dunes in early June and the 5 day SWMI ride in mid-July. Tons of awesome adaptive rides, Where the Wild Thing Grow, and Day Rides happening in the next couple months.
Written by OOFD Board President and Adult Program Director Breanna Bertacchi
A few years ago, I took part in a conversation facilitated by a local permaculture education group – in which folks were invited to reflect on which roles and responsibilities we felt most aligned to from the graphic above. As a cyclist, I feel a natural inclination towards decomposition. Beyond just a personal inspiration from mycology sciences, this stance is justified by observation of a scrappiness in cyclists that seems to be a common personality trait within our community. We take inspiration from mushrooms in multiple ways, pulling resources together, responding to a new need with an old product, shooting out inspiration to each other in a grassroots fashion like mycelium underground. In this post I hope to bring your attention to the ways you decompose and reuse elements in your surroundings as a cyclist too. |
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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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