The following is a compilation of different group rides and biking opportunities for some two wheeled fun around the Peoria Area. Everything is arranged by date. For further information contact the respective club or noted trip leader. Thank you for all of the groups that are leading the way!
WEEKLY 2022 REOCCURRING RIDES
Monday // 10am start from Methodist Church in Dunlap lead by Bill Semmens. Contact bsemmens5@comcast.net IVW Ride*
Monday // 5:30am start Farmdale to East Peoria lead by NOLB (No One Left Behind) and the Peoria Area Mountain Bike Association
Monday // 8am start from McClellen Park, May 2 through Oct 30. Morton’s Level 1 Ride, 30-40 miles. Contact Al Wenninger at alcycle200@gmail.com IVW Ride*
Tuesday // Locations very but usually northwest Peoria area. Start times vary. Starting date is year round depending on weather. Distance is 20 to 40 miles. Level one no drop lead by Steve Jensen and Randy Swenson. Contact LO Rides of Peoria on Facebook. IVW Ride*
Tuesday // 6:00am start from the Trek store in Peoria Heights. Usually between 20 and 25 miles. Contact sales@trekbicyclepeoria.com or 309-966-1239
Tuesday // 6pm from Dunlap Elementary School in Dunlap, across from the library lead by Steve Kurt. IVW Ride*
Wednesday // 10am start time from the Methodist Church in Dunlap lead by Bill Semmens. Watch emails for changes (bsemmens5@comcast.net) IVW Ride*
Thursday // 9am start time from Russell’s Cycling & Fitness in Washington lead by owned Joe Russell. IVW Ride*
Friday // 6pm Friday Night Fast Rides from Independence Park lead by the Peoria Area Mountain Bike Association
Saturday // Locations very but usually northwest Peoria area. Start times vary. Starting date is year round depending on weather. Distance is 20 to 40 miles. Level one no drop lead by Steve Jensen and Randy Swenson. Contact LO Rides of Peoria on Facebook. IVW Ride*
**IVW (Illinois Valley Wheelmen) // First 3 rides are free, then an annual membership of $15 is required.
RIDING EVENTS BY MONTH
JULY
July 20, 2022 // Wednesday. East Peoria to Goodfield ride -meeting at 8:30 AM. Fondulac park district parking near the caboose. Lunch will be in Goodfield at the Busy Corner Cafe-expect 35 miles. IVW Out of the Box series.
July 28, 2022 // Thursday. Springdale cemetery ride. Start at the Peoria riverfront museum at the Water Street entrance. 6:00 PM. Highlights. Discover how large the cemetery really is and how much of yours history is hidden within as we ride all of the lives of the cemetery.
AUGUST
August 4, 2022 // Thursday. Solar system ride. Start at the Donovan Park parking lot. 6:00 PM. Highlights. Starting at Jupiter, follow the Rock Island Greenway past the terrestrial planets to the sun at the Peoria Riverfront museum and back. We will be returning just after sunset to observe the first quarter moon, Jupiter and Saturn at the Northmoor observatory -a historic 109 year old landscape.
August 5, 2022 // Friday. 9 PM to 10:15 PM. Meet at the bike Peoria co-op for a casual monthly first Friday night ride around town. The event is free and open everyone. Bring your bike, a helmet, and a good headlight, and will guide you on an easy paced loop around the West Bluff and West Peoria neighborhoods. For those wishing to go a bit farther, we may venture out again after that with renewed vigor and deeper into the night. Sponsored by Bike Peoria
August 20-21, 2022 // PAMBA Wildlife Wild Festival Illinois MTB State Championship Race
August 11, 2022 // Thursday. 50s Soft Serve ride. Starting at corner of Lake and Knoxville. 6:00 PM. Highlights. Ride to a classic soft serve ice cream stand
Aug 12, 2022 // Friday . Comalara Park to Lake Bloomington with lunch at Lake Road Inn. Mileage and time to be determined. IVW Out of the Box series. Check the IVW website and Facebook page
August 13, 2022 // Saturday. 8 AM. Breakfast ride downtown to Garden St., Café. Meet at Martini’s downtown by 8 AM. Cruise at a leisurely pace of 10 miles an hour to and from the Garden St., Café. It is about 1.9 miles each way. After the event you can check out the Peoria farmers market. Sponsored by Bike Peoria
August 21, 2022 // The West Adventure. Gravel Dogs/Robert Woo. The Adventure Ride series was created to encourage group rides. Route and milage to be posted on Gravel Dogs Facebook page. Sponsored by Robert Woo
August 24, 2022 // Friday. Alpaca ride departing from Pierce community center, 610 West Cedar St., Chillicothe, 9 AM. Visiting an alpaca farm which is about 18 miles from the start. Lunch is at the Lucky dog pub and eatery at 701 N. 4th St. in Chillicothe following the ride. Mileage 32 miles. IVW Out of the Box series.
SEPTEMBER
September 2, 2022 // Friday. 9 PM to 10:15 PM. Meet up at the bike Peoria co-op for a casual monthly first Friday night ride around town. But that is free and open to everyone. Bring your bike, helmet, and a good headlight, and will guide you on an easy paced loop around the West Bluff and West Peoria subdivisions.
September 7, 2022 // Wednesday. Tanners ride. 9 AM. Leaving from the Pearce community center at 610 W. Cedar St. in Chillicothe. Lunch at Tanners and returning a different route down Lake Shore Drive, Hallock Hollow, and Cloverdale Road. Mileage 35 miles. IVW Out of the Box series
September 10, 2022 // Saturday. 8 AM to 12 PM. Breakfast ride downtown to Fox pub. Join your friends and family for a casual breakfast ride. Meet at Martinez downtown by 8 AM. Cruise at a leisurely pace of 10 miles an hour to and from the fox pub. It is about 9 miles each way. After the event you can check out the Peoria farmers market on the riverfront. Sponsored by Bike Peoria
Sep 16,17,18, 2022 // PBJ (Peoria Bikepacking Jamboree) RIDE….2-3 DAY BIKEPACKING TRIP AROUND CENTRAL ILLINOIS. Yeah baby. You read that right. This ride has some different options. Option one…2 day/1 night bikepacking and camping trip to Johnson Sauk Trail State Park. I have a spot for 50/FIFTY people to camp that night. You can bike up, camp, bike back. Taking the Rock Island Trail for half the trip, back roads for the rest. Option two…3 day/2 night. Biking up to and Camping at Johnson Sauk with everyone else, but then instead of biking back to Peoria on day two, we’ll continue on to Starved Rock to camp the next night. Limited camping spots reserved at Starved Rock. Second day we take the Hennepin Canal Trail and Illinois Michigan Canal Trail to Starved Rock. Put on by yours truly/Mark Monge/Peoria Outdoor Adventure
September 21, 2022 // Wednesday. Leaving from Russell cycle in Washington at 9 AM to upper Spring Bay Road using back roads and returning on Metamora/Washington blacktop. Estimate 30 miles. Lunch at Kep’s Bar and Grill at 414 Mile Rd. in Washington. Sponsored by IVW
September 25, 2022 // The Trinty Adventure Ride. Gravel Dogs/Robert Woo. The Adventure Ride series was created to encourage group rides. You can get a book by attending ANY Sunday ride we do, doesn’t even have to be one of the Adventure rides. See Robert on a Sunday ride – bring your $10 cash and you’ll get a book. Only 50 passport books exist, so when they’re gone, they’re gone. Route and mileage will be posted. Sponsored by Robert Woo / Gravel Dogs
OCTOBER
Oct 2, 2022 // The Dutchman Classic. Gravel Dogs/Robert Woo. The Adventure Ride series was created to encourage group rides. You can get a book by attending ANY Sunday ride we do, doesn’t even have to be one of the Adventure rides. See Robert on a Sunday ride – bring your $10 cash and you’ll get a book. Only 50 passport books exist, so when they’re gone, they’re gone. Can’t make one of the adventure ride dates but don’t want to miss your sticker? No problem, you have until November to do any/all 9 routes . Route and milage will be posted. Sponsored by Robert Woo/ Gravel Dogs
October 7, 2022 // Friday. 9 PM to 10:15 PM. First Friday night ride. Meet up at the Bike Peoria co-op for a casual monthly first Friday night ride around town. The event is free and open to everyone. Bring your bike, helmet, and a good headlight, and they will guide you on an easy pace loop around West Bluff and West peoria neighborhoods. Sponsored by Bike Peoria
October 8, 2022 // Saturday. Third annual Mural Ride around Peoria. 9 AM start from the Riverfront Museum, Water Street entrance. See Peoria Outdoor Adventure Facebook and website page for additional info and alternative routes. View over 60 murals throughout Peoria and downtown. 7 mile loop at 9am, or 21 mile loop starting at 7:45 am from Bushwhacker. Sponsored by Peoria Outdoor Adventure/Mark Monge
October 15, 2022 // Saturday. 8 AM to 12 PM. Breakfast ride from Junction City to Mayflower Café. Meet at Bushwhacker in Junction City by 8 AM. Cruise at a leisurely pace of 10 miles an hour to and from the Mayflower Café in Dunlap. It is about 9.4 miles each way. Sponsored by Bike Peoria
Oct 16, 2022 // The Big 150 Adventure Ride. Gravel Dogs/Robert Woo. The Adventure Ride series was created to encourage group rides. You can get a book by attending ANY Sunday ride we do, doesn’t even have to be one of the Adventure rides. See Robert on a Sunday ride – bring your $10 cash and you’ll get a book. Only 50 passport books exist, so when they’re gone, they’re gone. Can’t make one of the adventure ride dates but don’t want to miss your sticker? No problem, you have until November to do any/all 9 routes. Sponsored by Robert Woo/Gravel Dogs
NOVEMBER
November 4,2022 // 9 PM to 10:15 PM. First Friday night right. Meet up at the Bike Peoria co-op on Main Street for a casual monthly first Friday night ride around town. The event is free and open to everyone. Bring your bike, a helmet, and a good headlight, and they will guide you on an easy paced loop around the West Bluff and West Peoria neighborhoods. For those wishing to go a bit farther, we may venture out again after that with renewed vigor and deeper into the night. Sponsored by Bike Peoria
November 12, 2022 // Saturday. 8 AM to 10 AM. Breakfast ride from Junction City to Pizza Works. Jump on your bike and go for a casual breakfast ride. Meet at Bushwhacker in Junction City by 8 AM. Cruise at a leisurely pace of 10 miles an hour to and from Pizza Works. The route is about 2.2 miles each way.
DECEMBER
Dec 2, 2022 // 9 PM to 10:15 PM. First Friday Night Ride. Meet up at the Bike Peoria co-op on Main Street for a casual monthly first Friday night ride around town. The event is free and open to everyone. Bring your bike, a helmet, and a good headlight, and we will guide you on an easy paced loop around the West Bluff and West Peoria neighborhoods. For those wishing to go a bit farther, we may venture out again after that with renewed vigor and deeper into the night. Sponsored by Bike Peoria