Earlier than ever before, the 2024 ride lineup is here!
The Out Our Front Door team has been working extra hard to finalize the calendar for next year, and are beyond excited to announce the 2024 Adult and Family overnight rides!
The Out Our Front Door team knows that you like to plan in advance and schedules get crazy, so save the date for the upcoming season and an epic bike camping adventure.
Ride registration is set to open before the end of the year. Stay tuned for more ride details and info on how to sign up coming soon. Until then, get pumped.
About Adult Bike Camping with Out Our Front Door:
Chicago Bike Camping Basecamp
Bike camping offers a completely immersive experience, where the journey is as important and as beautiful as the destination. It’s like backpacking by bike; you carry your camping gear on your bicycle. We offer beginners and experts alike an opportunity to walk out their front door and have an adventure.
A few years ago there was little out there on bike camping trips out of Chicago. That’s not the case anymore. And Out Our Front Door is the home base for all things bike camping. Out Our Front Door leads overnight bike camping trips for adults of all levels and abilities. Along the route, ride organizers teach about the nature and history of the region. Whether you are a bike touring pro or want to try bike camping for the first time, come ride with Out Our Front Door. And if you are interested in shorter day rides, be sure to check out our Where the Wild Things Grow ride series.
About the Overnight Rides
Out Our Front Door mainly leads smaller rides with 12 participants and 3 guides, though they do lead a couple of rides with larger groups as well.
The rides range from 40 to 200 miles round trip and are all 1 or 2 nights. They are self-supported. The pace ranges from 12-15 mph depending on the skill level/distance of the ride. The routes run mainly on bike trails (paved and gravel) with some country roads and city streets mixed in. All participants need to bring and carry their own camp gear as well as basic bike items such as spare tubes, bike lights, etc.
Our Out Front Door provides a team of really awesome, friendly, and knowledgeable guides who will help and support you throughout the ride if needed. Registration includes campsite reservations, 2–3 meals, campfire, s’mores, and a unique immersive educational experience that teaches and tells the stories of our region’s history and native habitats.
Goals & Impacts
1. Riders gain the skills to get out their front door, hop on a bike, and have a fun adventure in local nature. The idea is to help community members learn about history and connect to the natural world.
2. Riders are educated and immersed in local habitats and history, thus inspiring a deeper appreciation of home and natural heritage, thus helping them recognize the natural beauty of the Lower Lake Michigan Basin Area (It’s not just a cool city surrounded by boring corn fields!)
3. Challenge riders to accomplish something difficult and make a memory for a lifetime. All while enjoying making friends while riding and camping with other adventurous folks.
4. The program provides an open invitation to join our community of volunteers, a most excellent group of bicycle, nature, and straight-up adventurous-spirited folks. The Out Our Front Door community offers endless opportunities to get involved in the organization after completing their ride. Come join the community. All are welcome.
