The first Tuesday of the month, you will find a group of bike adventurers hanging out somewhere in the city, usually at a park, sometimes around a fire or maybe in a bar. There usually is a crew or two of OOFD guides that meet there early to discuss logistics and plan for the upcoming adult bike camping trip. And sometimes a volunteer will lead a brief
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Our Where the Wild Things Grow Program, during our 2023 fiscal year, ran 4 rides to do environmental service, and all of them sold out with 17-20 folks registered, so with guides, we had over 80 folks sign-up to participate in the program over the past year. We did an awesome ride
We did a bunch of tabling and bike camping clinics over the Winter and Spring including a big bike camping clinic at Cosmic Bikes and attending the Winter Bike Swap and a few parties at Patagonia. We did get a few cool ones in during the summer as well. We led a bike rack installation workshop in partnership with West Town Bikes and
This year we ran our first ever fully free Adult Overnight Rides as a way to show gratitude to those in our community. On these rides, we provided a guided round-trip tour, camping, dinner, fire, snacks, some beverages, and breakfast all no cost for our riders.The first one was to celebrate our Essential Workers who did so much for us during the pandemic and continue to do the essential work for Chicagoland. On that one, we had 4 folks ride out to Camp Shabonna in June.
The Youth Program was finally back this past summer after 3 years off from Covid! We reignited some awesome former partners and made really great new ones all under the leadership of our new Youth Program Director Claire Meyers.
Welcome to OOFD WinterThe Sun Harvest ride has ended. The leaves are throwing up their final vibrant flourishes and falling to the ground. It is a nice time for all of us at OOFD to take a breath, soak in the memories of all the year’s adventures, and relax a bit. Celebrate a bit. And start the major planning for what promises to be an amazing 2024. We are ahead of schedule and got our ride dates set so you can get them on your calendar. And . . . and. . .
Do you own a bike? If so, you have a ticket to adventure at any time.
If you don’t own a bike yet, there are lots of great, affordable, or even free ways to get a bike such as buying a beautifully refurbished bike at Working Bikes or even joining the City of Chicago’s free bike program. Have you ever been camping? If so, you likely have all the essentials, tent or hammock, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad, all of what you need to go on a bike camping adventure right out your front door! Out Our Front Door’s Sun Harvest ride is one that draws both veterans and first time bike packers every year. For some riders new to OOFD, this was the longest they’d ridden their bikes in a weekend. For others, a chance to catch up with friends they’d been riding with for years. New relationships and old.
Seeing as this is now the 4th year we’ve done this ride, as lead guide I was concerned that some repeat riders might be getting a bit bored of the route. I think this year’s trip was a great reminder that every year is a little different but always special in its own way. The Door County magic is what has kept me coming back for a yearly visit my entire life! The peninsula may stay the same, but each time you visit there are new adventures to be had and new perspectives to experience. This year was no exception.
The Out Our Front Door Board of Directors are a bunch of rad folks who care a lot about OOFD and are super focused on keeping the org true to its mission and values. In 2020, the board did a number of deep dives into our mission and reworked it as well as established a set of organizational values. Our original mission statement as established in 2015 read:
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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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