Flock Off the Block 2024

Event Art: evanart.com and @evandrawsthings

Overview

Come 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.
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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. 
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$100 for adults. $50 for kids. ​Tickets available here.

Start Points and Mileage

South Side: Wild Blossom Meadery in Beverly - 20ish mile ride

This is the main start point. We will have about 80 folks starting the ride here at 10am. Neighborhood street parking available overnight. The truck will be here in the morning if you want it to haul your gear and you didn’t drop it off at On Tour Brewery the night before.

This is the only start point for families. We will be rolling out in groups of 20 or so riders, with the families leaving together with plans for a more chill pace and more stops.

Riding pace will be 10-12 mph though certainly will roll at a slower pace for those with families. 

Saturday in route activities: Folks leaving from here will have a nice long lunch break with a variety of restaurants to choose from in Palos Heights. Bringing a picnic lunch with an option as there is Palmer Park less than a block away from the restaurant options.

 Central: Patagonia Mag Mile - 40ish mile ride

Gotta have a start point over with our great friends and partners at Patagonia Mag Mile (48 E. Walton). There are 20 spots available for adult riders to start here at 830am. 

Riding pace will be the usual OOFD overnight pace of 12-15 mph.

Saturday in route activities: Folks leaving from here will have a nice long lunch break with a variety of restaurants to choose from in Palos Heights. Bringing a picnic lunch with an option as there is Palmer Park less than a block away from the restaurant options.

West Side: Pedal to the People - ​60ish mile ride

Such a great bike shop located in West Town (2030 W Hubbard St). This is for the slightly more ambitious folks that want some extra miles. There will be 30 spots available for adult riders to start here at 7am. And this route will ride over to the lake and then cut through some south suburbs before picking up the Cal Sag Trail towards camp.

Riding pace will be the usual OOFD overnight pace of 12-15 mph.

Saturday in route activities: A throw back to last year’s Flock Off the Block with a visit Whihala beach.

North Side: Mack's Bike Shop - 100 mile ride

Going big! Ready to rock a mid-August century? Starting at this most excellent bike shop in Evanston (2948 Central Street). There will be 20 spots available for adult riders to start here at 630am.

Riding pace will be the usual OOFD overnight pace of 12-15 mph though may be a bit quicker at points as well. 

Saturday in route activities/stops: Lots of riding. Optional dip in the lake at Whihala beach. 

Gear Transport

We will have a truck that can haul your camping gear. We'll be at On Tour Brewery in West Town the night before (Friday, August 9) from 5pm-8pm so you can stop by and drop your gear off. Or you can drop your gear the morning of the ride, Saturday, August 10m at the Beverly start point. You certainly are welcome to haul your own gear on your bike as well.

If you are putting your gear in the truck, please be sure to pack it tightly in a bag or bin. Please avoid any loose items such as shoes, pillows, etc. And be sure to label your bag/bin with your name and cell phone number. 

Gear will brought back to Beverly and On Tour Brewery on Sunday. The Beverly pick-yup spot will be at Wild Blossom Meadery located very near the Beverly start point (available from 12pm-3pm) or On Tour Brewery (from 130pm-430pm). 

Saturday Activities

See each specific starting point for the variety of in route activities. Once we get to camp, there will be lots of fun and exploring to be had. We are still working out all of the details but there will be LIVE MUSIC and dinner provided. There will be kid friendly games and options to hike or bike around the trails of the forest preserves. And of course some cool educational activities such as a nature scavenger hunt and a “how to build a fire” clinic.

Sunday Options

Wake up easy. Enjoy a morning campfire. OOFD will provide a basic breakfast of oatmeal, fruit, coffee, and tea.

We will roll out in a variety of groups so as to avoid being a huge mass on the streets/trails. The first group will head out around 10am. We will ride to Wild Blossom Meadery in Beverly which is about 20 miles from the campground and close to the Beverly start point. From there, you are welcome to have a beverage, order some food, and hang out. For those that are heading further north into the city, you can ride back with a group to On Tour Brewery in West Town. Or you can simply take your own route back home on your own. 

If you're not feeling like riding home from the campground, you can ride the 4 miles to the Oak Forest Rock Island Metra Train which can get you back to Beverly or even downtown Chicago. The 91st Street Metra Rock Island train station is less than a block from the meadery end point and the 95th Street Redline is only a few miles away as well.

*Any gear we haul for you in the van will be returned to you on Sunday at  Wild Blossom Meadery in Beverly (available from 12pm-3pm) or On Tour Brewery (from 130pm-430pm). ​

Campsites and Cabins

We have a number of tent pads (two tents each) rented in the campground plus two very large group sites in addition to the pavilion where the live music and meals will be happening. 

We also have 80 spots available across 9 cabins. The cabins are very simple rooms with 4-8 bunk beds in a single room. These cabins are available for the same price as a campsite, so feel free to indicate you want a cabin spot and then you can ride with a much lighter load! 

Finally, for those that want to camp but don’t have camp gear, thanks to our CLIC partners at The Cook County Forest Preserve, we have access to a limited amount of tents, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads. If you are interested in using this gear, it is crucial that you indicate this on your registration form. 

Families that are camping will set up at the group site which is a bit tucked away from the main pavilion and thus will be able to leave the festivities and put the kids to bed or have a more chill campfire at the family site away from the big bonfire/main gathering area.

The Campground

The facilities at Camp Sullivan are excellent. Campground features a fire pit, picnic tables, full-service bathrooms with showers, dining pavilions with electrical outlets for device charging, and camp store as well as access to hiking and biking trails in the surrounding forest preserves.

Partners

We are so honored to be partnering with one of the most supportive and premier outdoor gear in the city on this one. Patagonia has provided support in the planning and in helping to pull this event off with such style! Also, major thanks to our partner bike shops: Mack’s Bikes and Goods and Pedal to the People. . 

Free Tickets Available

Thanks to a grant we received from New Belgium Brewing, we have 10 spots available for any Black, Indigenous, and People of Color that have financial need. To register for one of these free spots, please use the promo code . And contact us here if you have any questions. 

Thanks to a grant from Adventure Cycling Association, we have some free spots available for individuals with adaptive needs, including their families. If your child has an adaptive need, we do have special tandem bikes we can lend as well, and we will work to assign an experienced OOFD volunteer to ride the tandem bike with your child if you are not comfortable riding it with them. 

We also are offering a couple of free spots for adults with adaptive needs. This is very exciting as this will be our first time offering accommodations to adults with adaptive needs. 

For any adaptive riders that are interested in joining us, please email our volunteer Adaptive Program Director, Bradley Fisher - [email protected], and he will help coordinate anything you may need regarding bikes or questions you may have. 

And of course, we are providing one free spot for an employee from each of our partners on this event including Patagonia, Mack’s Bike Shop, and Pedal to the People . ​

Get Tickets Here