NEW Flock off the Block | Shabbona Woods Party 2023

Pace: Casual10-12 mph. Beginner level. There will be multiple starting points - the pace may vary depending on which group you join.

Trail/Route: Paved road with minimal gravel incorporated.

Lodging: Tent or cabin bed(camping gear not provided). We will stay at Camp Shabbona Woods (Cook County Forest Preserve) located 15810 S. Torrence Ave, South Holland IL, 60473 (map)

Support: Semi supported - a van is available to carry your gear at no additional cost. Requires dropping your gear off the night before.

Meals: Dinner Day 1 and Breakfast Day 2 included

Lunch stop on Day 1: Bring your own lunch or option to eat at 18th Street Brewery in Hammond

Lunch stop on day 2: TBD

Transportation: Our starting point will be accessible by Metra, CTA green line, and car. Street parking is available.

Come Flock Off the Block and join one of OOFD's biggest rides ever! We rented the entire Camp Shabonna in South Holland, IL which includes 17 campsites, a group site, and 4 cabins. We are so stoked to be doing with our most excellent partners Patagonia and Specialized Bicycles!

If you'd like to use the support vehicle, we'll be at On Tour Brewery in West Town the night before (Friday, August 11) from 5pm-10pm so you can stop by and drop your gear off. You certainly are welcome to haul your own gear on your bike as well.

This is a family friendly party, and our first time combining the Adult and Family Programs in one overnight bike camping trip - come help us make it a great one!

We will have a four starting points in the city with very short to longer mileage options.

$100 for adults. $50 for kids.

North Side - 40ish miles

Central - 30ish miles

West Side - 35ish miles

South Side - 25ish miles

Saturday is all about enjoying the day and the ride. We have three day time activities to choose from en route to the campground.

- You can spend some time at Wahala Beach in Whiting, IN

- Hang for a few hours at 18th Street Brewery in Hammond

- Go for some extra miles and ride out to The Indiana Dunes and back to the campground. This adds about 70 miles on to the day so potential for a century depending on your starting point for the ride.

We'll all meet at 18th Street Brewery throughout the afternoon and have OOFD guides small groups of folks for the final 4 miles to the campground.

Upon arrival to the campground, there will be time to settle in, and OOFD guides are happy to help you set up camp if you need a hand. You can check out the Sand Ridge Nature Center which is right next to the campground - rangers will be leading an educational hike around the center. And in true OOFD style - you can always kick back and simply enjoy the park and company.

Dinner and beverages will be provided followed by a bonfire and live music....Yes, live music!

Sunday we will wake up easy, enjoy a morning campfire while OOFD will provides a camping breakfast and coffee.

We have three options for your return.

- If you prefer to have a guide get you back to this city - plan to head out with some OOFD guides and ride back to the city right after breakfast. Any gear we haul can be returned to you at the starting point location that you departed from on Saturday.

- If your feeling like spending some time in the area, head across the street and spend some time at the outdoor Green Lake Family Aquatic Center. After some time playing in the lazy river and water slides, you can ride a couple miles to the South Shore Train in Hammond back into the city (or ride home to the city if you prefer as well).

- If you can't get enough and want to have a Sunday funday - ride to an after party at Blue Island Beer Company which is only about 12 miles from the campground. From there, you can decide to take a Metra home or ride the 20 or so miles back into the city.

*Any gear we haul for you in the van can be returned to you at the starting point location that you departed from on Saturday.

The facilities at Shabbona Woods are excellent. Campground features a fire pit, picnic tables, full-service bathrooms with showers, dining pavilions with electrical outlets for device charging, and camp store with concessions.

Families will be in the group site which is furthest from the shared campfire and festivities - if it's time to put the kids to bed or have a more chill campfire at the family site away, families will have that option.

We have 4 basic cabins with 4 bunk beds (8 beds) in each cabin. You can register for a cabin bed if you prefer to sleep off the ground and not pack your own tent. No extra cost is required for the cabin and it is first come first serve.

****To learn more about the region we'll be traveling through, check out the Wetlands Initiative page on the Calumet Region - http://www.wetlands-initiative.org/the-calumet-region

This really is going to be a one of a kind event! Can't wait to adventure with you!

• Your bike!
• Helmet - encouraged but not required
• Tent/Camping Gear
• Head Lamp
• Cash/Debit/Credit Card for your food and your drinks
• Photo I.D. and Emergency contact Info
• Two spare inner tubes and tools to replace a flat if not around a guide
• At least 2 water bottles
• Bike lights, front and rear
• Lock for your bike
• High Energy Snacks
• Change of clothes and be sure to include a swimsuit and/or rain gear!
• Phone battery pack
• Camp mug, plate/bowl, eating utensils
• Welcoming, adventurous, can-do attitude

• Campground fees (sites, firewood, etc.)
• Van support to carry your gear if you would like
• Education about our local history and nature
• Welcoming, supportive, and educational guides
• Dinner with beverages Day 1 and Breakfast Day 2
• Live Music

Our guides are part of a community of volunteers that believe in adventure and helping others find adventure right out our front door. They exude a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive spirit which are foundational values at OOFD. They have love and appreciation for their home and like sharing knowledge about that home with others, thus helping the riders to develop a stronger sense of gratitude for our local history and nature.

The guides will be set with the route and an extensive script about the area you’ll be riding through (a script they may have researched, written, and developed themselves)! They have set up multiple breakpoints along the way to ensure you can go the distance. So if this is your first time out on a long ride, you’ll be surprised by how far you can actually go. They will stick with you and if for any reason you must end the ride early, they will help direct you to the nearest train and way to return to the city.

They will have the tools necessary for most maintenance issues that might arise on a weekend bike camping trip. Our guides will help you with any needed repairs. *If you have your own tools or supplies, especially any that are very unique to your bike, please bring them along. Though guides will have extra tubes and patches, you most definitely should bring at least 2 extra tubes for your bike.

Secure your belongings and keep highly used items like snacks, rain gear and extra layers accessible when packing. Keeping it light usually makes for a more enjoyable ride; So leave the kitchen sink at home. Avoid dangling straps, they can get entangled in the wheels and cause an accident; Be smart and think about your safety.

You might want to bring ibuprofen, comfortable cycling gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm and cool information you would like to share.

Dress for the season and in layers. In the spring and fall, outside temperatures at times may be great to wear a T-shirt but when biking, the wind can make your chest, hands, and fingers cold and the weather may change without notice. Bring a pair of gloves and a sweater/windbreaker if need be. If a little rain is in the forecast, bring a rain jacket. Don’t be afraid of the rain!!! Some of the best views are when a storm is on the horizon. If it gets intense, there are shelters along the way to wait it out.

All bikes are welcome! On most rides, the routes are mixed terrain ranging from paved road to limestone and gravel; super skinny tires aren’t ideal but we’ve seen them work. A bike rack or other systems to keep your gear off of your back/shoulder is a great idea, though if that is how you roll, no worries, though we strongly advocate riding without a backpack, at least on our longer rides.

We do not

We champion perseverance. Our guides will support and encourage you to push on because the reward of completion is great. In the event of injury, major bike failure or just not being able to push on, the guides will help direct you to the easiest way to return home (usually via Metra or other forms of public trans). Very few of our rides provide van support and if the ride does provide it, it will be explicitly mentioned in the ride description. However, this vehicle should not be relied upon for mere fatigue. There are limited seats.

No, we ride rain or shine. Some of the best views are after a rainstorm. Your safety is our top priority, so if there is severe weather we will break and seek appropriate shelter along the route, then continue on to our destination.

General rule of thumb is a steady 12 miles per hour, though some of our advanced longer distance rides the pace will vary from 12 to 18 mph. On shorter beginner rides, as well as Family and Youth rides, the pace can be as low as 8-10 mph.

On most rides, we do our best to ride together as a group. Separation in the group can occur, but we do not leave anybody behind. A guide will always be riding at the back and at the front (and usually at least one floating in the middle). This is not a race, so everyone will do their best to keep the pace of the lead guide and should not plan to ride faster than the lead guide. In the case that a rider is consistently falling significantly behind the rest of the group, a guide may consult with that participant and advise on an alternate method to reach camp or home. This is always a last resort, and rarely happens, but if that participant and their accompanying guide are likely to arrive at camp hours after the rest of the group, those suggestions may arise.

First, always bring two spare inner tubes. Our Guides carry extra tools and supplies, are always ready to help and are trained for emergency repairs. We are usually too far from a bike shop in case anything major happens. Although, if a roadside repair is not possible, then a trek to the nearest Metra Station or best mode of public transportation may be the best option (we’ve even had folks call a friend or an Uber).

Participant Cancellation: No Refunds. | By registering, you acknowledge and agree there will not be a refund if you cancel or do not show up for the event. Tickets cannot be resold. We are a small organization and due to the small group size of our rides, a ticket cancellation or no show has a real impact on the planning of the tour. As such, we cannot provide any refunds for a participant's cancellation. Please contact the ride organizer if you are no longer able to attend.

Organizer Cancellation: Full Refund | Nobody wants an event to be canceled. In the rare circumstance the organizer cancels the event at their discretion, registered participants will receive a full refund.To date, this organization has canceled minimal events; primarily in response to the Covid19 pandemic.

Weather and Rain: We do not cancel an event for rain, storm, or any other weather. We ride rain or shine. Chicago weather is typically passing, if the weather requires, we will pause the ride and wait in a sheltered space then continue biking.Some of the best views of the lake and greenery on the trails are after a rainstorm.

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, economic status, or even the types of bikes you ride, we want you rollin’ with us. We want everyone to feel welcome. As a participant of an Out Our Front Door event, you are inherently agreeing to Ride and Let Ride.

If you exhibit any micro-aggressions 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 a refund and will no longer be welcomed on future rides.

If you feel you are a victim of any of the above or have observed it, please raise the issue with one of our ride 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. 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 Chicagoland.

See Our Full Schedule Of Events Here

As a community organization, Out Our Front Door’s mission is to immerse, educate, and preserve the history, culture, trails, and native habitats of the Lower Lake Michigan Basin Area through exploratory adventures. Established in 2015 with the North Loop Ride, we now have many different resources, events, and programs ​we offer the public.

Drop us a friendly visit at: ​ Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | https://www.oofd.org/

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

TBD multiple starting points, 100 S Shore Drive, Chicago, United States