Ride to Valhalla – Door County 2025 – Adult Overnight with Out Our Front Door out of Chicago, IL
September 12 @ 11:00 am - September 15 @ 7:00 pm
$450 – $500
Ride Specifics
Mileage:
Day 1 – Sturgeon Bay to Peninsula State Park – 30mi
Day 2 – Peninsula State Park to Washington Island Campground – 45mi
Day 3 – Second overnight on Washington Island – 25mi
Day 4 – Washington Island to Sturgeon Bay – 75m
Support: : Semi supported – you carry a majority of your own camping gear etc on your own bike. We will allow 1 school-size backpack to be carried in our support vehicle to lighten your load.
Additional Nights: OOFD has a group site reserved for the Thursday before and the Tuesday after the event that all riders are welcome to stay at for FREE! That way if you want to arrive the night before and/or not drive home after riding 70+ miles on Monday, you can stay with us at Potowatomi State Park in Sturgeon Bay. No meals provided during those additional nights.
Transportation: You can drive (just under 4 hours from Chicago) and park for the duration of the trip in Sunset Park in Sturgeon Bay (this is where we will beginning and ending the ride). There is no charge for parking. Your OOFD guides will help facilitate a carpooling option, by way of spreadsheet prior to the ride. Registered participants can opt to add their open car-seats, or transportation-needs into this spreadsheet. Guides will then help connect possible carpooling folks by email to finalize details.
Parking: Sunset Park, Sturgeon Bay
Pace: 12-15mph
Trail/Route: Paved road with minimal gravel incorporated.
Age: Adult Ride (21+)
Trip Description
This is not your average group bike ride. At certain breakpoints and along the way, our Guides will immerse and educate in the history, geography, architecture and the uniquely beautiful natural habitats and ecosystems of Door County. We will incorporate cultural stops to see some of the more interesting sights of Door County.
We will learn about the quest for Icelandic-American inventor, Chester Thordarson to build a Valhalla in America on Rock Island. Jens Jensen, the landscape architect responsible for such Chicago landmarks as Humboldt and Garfield Parks, has an intellectual commune and natural retreat called The Clearing which will be a stop along the way.
Natural highlights include the splendor and glaciated cliffs of Door County looking out onto Green Bay and Lake Michigan.
We’ll take a rest day on Washington and Rock Islands allowing us some time to explore the island by bike. See such sites as the Stavkirke, a Scandinavian church and the Mountain Park Lookout. Rock Island is a former private estate of the Thordarson family and see the historic boathouse.