Peoria Outdoor Adventure

The following is a compilation of different group rides and biking opportunities for some two wheeled fun around central Illinois. Everything is arranged by date. For further information contact the respective club, group of trip leader noted. Thank you for all of the groups that are leading the way! 

If you see any errors or missed trips, please let me know. 

WEEKLY REOCCURING RIDES

IVW (Illinois Valley Wheelmen) Weekly Rides (annual membership is $15, first 3 rides are free, but then membership would be required) 

Mondays -Bill Semmens will lead starting April 11 at 10 AM. Will start from Methodist Church in Dunlap. Contact bsemmens5@comcast.net  IVW Ride

Mondays-5:30 NOLB (No One Left Behind ) Farmdale, East Peoria . Peoria Area Mountain Bike Association 

Morton’s Level 1 Ride. Every Monday at 8am, May 2 through Oct 30. McClellen Park. 30-40 miles. Contact Al Wenninger at alcycle200@gmail.com  IVW Ride

Tuesdays-Steve Jensen and Randy Swenson will lead rides. Locations very but usually northwest Peoria area. Start times vary. Starting date is year around depending on weather. Distance is 20 to 40 miles. Level one no drop. Contact Steve’s email or LO Rides of Peoria on Facebook. Shjensen1@yahoo.com  IVW Ride

Tuesday’s-6:00, A and B rides from the Trek store, Peoria Heights. Usually between. 20 and 25 miles
Sales@trekbicyclepeoria.com
309-966-1239

Tuesdays -Steve Kurt leader. 5:30pm until 5/8, then 6pm from Dunlap Elementary School in Dunlap-across from the library.  IVW Ride

Wednesdays- Bill Semmens will lead again. Starting April 13 at 10 AM. Will start from the Methodist church in Dunlap. Watch emails for changes (bsemmens5@comcast.net)  IVW Ride

Thursdays -Joe Russell will lead the women’s ride from his store in Washington starting May 12 at 9 AM IVW Ride

Fridays-Friday Night Fast Rides, Independence Park, 6:00. Peoria Area Mountain Bike Association  

Saturdays -Steve Jensen and Randy Swenson leading rides. Location varies but usually northwest of Peoria. Start times vary. Rides are year round depending on the weather. Distance 20 to 40 miles. Level one no drop. Contact Steve’s email or LO Riders of Peoria on Facebook (shjensen1@yahoo.com)  IVW Ride

DATE SPECIFIC RIDES

April 30, Saturday. Spring Break Out Ride. 9 AM. Meet at Russells cycling and fitness in Washington. 24 and 40 mile route options. Coffee and treats before ride in lunch afterwards. Courtesy of IVW and Russells. 

MAY RIDES

First Friday Night Ride May 6, 2022 at 9:00 pm – 10:15 pm Bike Peoria Co-op at 612 W Main St, Peoria, IL 61606 Meet up at the Bike Peoria Co-Op for a casual monthly First Friday Night Ride about town. The event is free are open to all. Bring your bike, a helmet, and a good headlight, and we'll guide you on an easy pace loop around the West Bluff and West Peoria neighborhoods. 

 May 10th, 9am.  Epic Ride. Epic is requesting IVW volunteers to lend community support (just to ride alongside) the disabled consumers from the front parking lot at Epic to Cyds and back. The consumers will be on special adapted bikes— side cars and specially adapted tandems w staff doing the guiding and pedaling. These bikes allow the consumers to feel they are “Up front and special”. So… it is just a ride along. SLOWLY. IVW ride.  

May 13, Friday. 9 AM. Mackinaw to Carlock ride. Meet across from the IGA in the parking area. You can park on the side streets. Mackinac has many more peaceful less traveled roads. Lunch will be in Carlock restaurant. Mileage is 32 miles. IVW Out Of Box Series 

May 14, 2022 at 8:00 am – 11:00 am Bike Peoria Breakfast Ride Bushwhacker at 5728 N Knoxville Ave, Peoria, IL 61614 Join your friends and family in jumping on your bicycles and rolling with us on a casual breakfast ride! Meet at Bushwhacker in Junction City by 8am. We'll cruise at a leisurely pace of ~10mph to and from Hungry Moose. It is a about a 5.8mi ride each way. 

May 15th, Northeast Adventure Ride, part of the passport rides by 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 

May 18th, Wednesday. 2022 Ride of Silence. 7:00 PM. Please join us along with cyclists around the world in a silent, slow paced ride in honor of those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways. This event is free and open to the public. 630 to 7 PM ride registration and armband distribution. 7 o’clock to 7:15 PM welcoming briefing and advocate statements. 715 to 7:45 PM Ride of Silence in-convocation.  

May 24, Tues, 9am: Epic Ride. Epic is requesting IVW volunteers to lend community support (just to ride alongside) the disabled consumers from the front parking lot at Epic to Cyds and back. The consumers will be on special adapted bikes— side cars and specially adapted tandems w staff doing the guiding and pedaling . These bikes allow the consumers to feel they are “Up front and special”. So… it is just a ride along. SLOWLY. 

May 25, IVW Out of the Box Series. Rich Giebelhausen will lead a ride at 9am. Details to follow. Check out the IVW website and Facebook page 

May 26, Thursday. History ride. Start at the Peoria Riverfront museum, Water Street entrance. 6:00 PM. Highlights include riverfront, Springdale cemetery, Randolph Roanoke High Street homes, giant oak park, Moss Avenue homes, Frank Lloyd Wright, Frank Loyd wrong homes. 

May 28, Saturday. 12 PM to 6 PM. Beers and Gears 2022. Spend the afternoon riding a bike and making a few pub stops along the way on the Rock Island Trail. This ride will start an Industry Brewing company with Registration from 11 AM until noon. This is being done as a fundraiser between Bike Peoria and the Peoria area national multiple sclerosis society.  

JUNE RIDES

June 2, Thursday. Peoria Heights ride. Start at the Peoria Heights public library, 816 E. Glen Avenue. 6:00 PM. Highlighting good views from Grandview Dr., Prospect Road, High Point Dr., Lindbergh air mail flight marker.  

June 3, Friday. 9 PM to 10:15 PM. Meet at Bike Peoria Co-op on Main Street for a casual monthly first Friday night ride around town. Event is free and open to everyone. Bring your bike, a helmet, and a good headlight-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, deeper into the night.  

June 5, PAMBA (Peoria Area Mountain Bike Association ) Indy TT. Details to come 

June 5th, Hell of the North 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 they 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 

June 8, Monday. Ride from Princeville to Wyoming. Meeting at the Cutter Park in Princeville at 8:30 AM. Mileage TBD. IVW Out of the Box Series. Check out the IVW website and Facebook page 

June 16, Thursday. Garden and Prairie ride. Start at Luthy botanical garden parking lot. 6:00 PM. Highlights include Springdale Prairie remnant, selected city and community gardens, plus selected historic site. 

June 18, Saturday. 8 AM. Breakfast ride downtown to Mel’s Café. Meet at Martini’s downtown by 8 AM. Cruise at a leisurely pace of 10 mph to and from Mel’s Café. It’s about 3.8 miles each way. After that you will have an opportunity to check out the Peoria farmers market. 

June 22, Wednesday. Allan Wenninger will lead a Hopedale Ride. Details TBD. IVW Out of the Box series. Check out the IVW website and Facebook page 

June 23, Thursday. Sculpture ride. Start at the Peoria Riverfront Museum, Water Street entrance 6:00 PM. Highlights – Public sculptures around Peoria, including the Sonar Tide, Peace and Harvest, Mother Ingersol, various Riverfront Park sculptures and various Bradley University Public sculptures. 

JULY RIDES

July 1, Friday. 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 they guide you on an easy paced loop around the West Bluff in West Peoria neighborhoods. For those wishing to go a bit farther, they may venture out again after that with renewed vigor and deeper into the night. Sponsored by Bike Peoria 

July 6 or July 8, Wednesday or Friday. Still TBD. It is possible Randy Spencer will be a ride leader. IVW Out of the Box series. Check out the IVW website or Facebook page 

 SAT, JUL 9 AT 8 AM Breakfast Ride Downtown to Eggcelent Cafe . By Bike Peoria. Meet at Martini's on Water Street  Join your friends and family and jump on your bikes or casual breakfast ride. Meet at martini‘s downtown at 8 AM. Will cruise at a leisurely pace of 10 mph to and from excellent Café. It’s about two. 1 mile each way. After the event you’ll have the opportunity to peruse the Peoria farmers market. 

 July 14, Thursday. West Peoria ride. Start at the Franciscan recreation complex. 6:00 PM. Highlights include West Peoria brick streets, Saint Marys cemetery and Hillside Prairie, plus selected historic sites. Additional start details -start at the larger parking lot south of main building, Sterling Avenue at Ardmore Pl., West Peoria 

July 15, CORBA Mud, Sweat and Gears, Comlara Park, Bloomington. 5 mile lap of single and double track. 

July 20, 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, 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, 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, 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, and 21 PAMBA Wildlife Wild Festival Illinois MTB State Championship Race 

August 11, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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 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, 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, 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 2nd, 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, 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, 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, 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. 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 

Nov 4th.  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, 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 2nd, 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 

Other Re-occuring bike related opportunities to get involved.

PAMBA (Peoria Area Mountain Bike Association) Trail Work. Come out and join a great group of people interested in maintaining and expanding the area's trail systems. Further information available on the PAMBA Facebook page.  

Kinsey Park-every Tues at 5:30 

Wildlife Prairie Park-Every Wed at 4:45 

Farmdale-Every Thursday at 5:30 

Fort Creve Coeur-Every Wednesday 5:30 (and Sunday)