Multiple Sclerosis Day Ride on The 606: OOFD + UIC

Start: We will start at Bikes N Roses (4600 W. Palmer), a great non-profit bike shop in the Hermosa neighborhood, only about 1.5 miles from the western terminus of the 606 Bike Path.

Meet: 10 am Saturday morning

We will ride on low traffic streets to The 606 and then ride 1 mile on the 606 where we will take a break and have some snacks at a green space on the 606. And then ride back to Bikes N Roses

Roundtrip mileage is 5 miles. There will be an option to ride further on the 606 if certain riders want to ride more.

Return to start point at Bikes N Roses by 1pm.

Riders are welcome to bring their own bikes. Out Our Front Door will have a variety of bikes available including standard bicycles (thanks to Bikes N Roses). There will also be a variety of tandem bikes (2 people on one bike) for riders with a variety of adaptive needs. OOFD will have volunteers that are trained and ready to "captain" the tandem bikes for any rider that would like that extra support.

Riders with MS are welcome to bring 1-2 family members though spots are limited. Please be sure to indicate if you plan to bring any family member(s) when you register and if you and them will need bicycles.

All Are Welcome

Explore the beauty one of Chicago's premier bike paths while you get outside and enjoy the fresh air and exercise. Out Our Front Door is partnering with UIC's Exercise Neuroscience Research Laboratory to get patients with Multiple Sclerosis out for a day of bike riding and exercise.

During the ride, the folks from UIC will share some educational bits about their research and how beneficial exercise is for patients with MS. And OOFD of course will be sharing some ecucational bits about the history and natural habitats of the area that we will be riding through.

• Standard, 1 person bikes (if needed) or Adaptive Tandem, 2 person bikes (if needed)
• An educational and professionally guided bike ride
• Light snacks and drinks

• Weather appropriate clothing including gloves (even if its a little chilly) and a rain coat (even if there is a miinmal chance of rain)
• A water bottle
• A bike helmet (if you don't have one, just let indicate that on the registreation form and OOFD will make sure we have one for you the day of the ride)
• Any extra snacks. OOFD will provide some light snacks, but if you would like extra snacks or have specific tastes, please feel free to bring your own snacks
• A can-do attitude and adventureous spirit! We'll be exploring a beautiful Chicago neighborhood and a premier bike trail!

This ride is designated as ALL WELCOME. That means it’s suitable for anyone that knows how to ride a bike and even those don't, as we have a variety of tandem bikes that will be able to support rides of any age and size and ability. This ride is for folks that are diagonosed with Multiple Sclerosis as well as for their family members.

Guides will be a collection of trained bike adventure guides from Out Our Front Door that have a variety of experience leading day rides to even overnight, bike camping rides. There will also be volunteers from the UIC Exercise Neuroscience Research Laboratory to support with ride support and logistics.

Guides will have a bike tool kit, an air pump, a presta/schrader valve adapter, tire lever, chain breaker, and a crescent wrench , a multi-toolkit, lights, and an emergency packet. Our guides will help you with any needed repairs. *If you have any of the above items please bring them along at your own convenience.

Our guides work with historians, biologists, forest rangers, and leading people in their fields to deliver a one-of-a-kind story to remember. They have setup multiple break points along the way in all the right places to ensure you and your kids can go the distance. If this is your first time out on a longer ride, you’ll be surprised by how far you and your children can actually go.

• The starting point is fairly close to the Healy Metra stop on the Milwaukee District North line and the Grand/Cicero stop on the Milwaukee District West Line. It is also a few miles from the California Blue Line station. If driving is easiet for you & your family, there is street parking available.

• No. We will make every effort to put the event on and would only cancel in the event of biblical extreme weather or the zombie apocalypse (in which case, we’d all be furiously peddling with the other bike-powered preppers anyway). We strongly suggest you bring rain gear (especially for the kids as they get much colder faster when not pedaling). If the weather is looking to be extreme, we will consider rescheduling. That said, even if you see a little rain in the forecast, still get geared up and ready to ride!

• Any and all bikes are welcome!

• OOFD guides are cyclists and are here to help. We will have dedicated ride marshals in the group who will make simple repairs and help you out in any type of breakdown in order to get you rolling again.

• We will not leave you behind! This will be a very casually paced ride so we likely will all be able to stay in one group, but if you do drop back, there wil always be a guide that will ride along with you.

We at Out Our Front Door believe in the radical inclusion of all people on our bike camping trips. Regardless of your race, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, economic status, or even the types of bikes you ride, we want you rollin’ with us. We want everyone to feel welcome except those that make others feel unwelcome. As a participant of an Out Our Front Door event, you are inherently agreeing to ride and let ride.

If you exhibit any micro-aggression observed by leaders such as being judgmental of another’s bike, touring experience/skill, mansplaining, or generally being unfriendly you will be politely yet firmly corrected by OOFD leaders. If you commit any serious offense such as repeated unwanted flirtation, sexual harassment, overt racism, etc., you will be asked to leave the tour without refund and will no longer be welcome on future rides.

If you feel you are a victim of any of the above or have observed it, please raise the issue to one of the leaders and they will handle the issue accordingly and with appropriate discretion.

We have this policy in place because we want everyone to feel safe and welcome on tour. Out Our Front Door is an open community of bike campers, and we will forever work to bring all sorts of folks into the fold. Thank you for being a positive contributor to that community.

We're the Out Our Front Door Organization, a Bike Camping Community For Chicago and The Lower Lake Michigan Basin. Learn more about the people behind these all-volunteer adventures here. Want to help? Fill out this volunteer form.

OOFD Mission Statement

Out Our Front Door welcomes you to join us on our immersive, inclusive, and educational bike camping adventures. We aim to deepen your reverence for the region by exploring local trails while learning about the culture, history, and habitats native to the beautiful Lake Michigan area and beyond.

Drop us a friendly visit at www.oofd.org

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Bikes N Roses, 4600 W. Palmer, Chicago, United States