Do it Yourself | Shabonna 2024

This ride is to provide overnight accommodations to our more route-experienced riders.

Pace: Your choice

Trail/Route: Paved road with minimal gravel incorporated.

Lodging: Tent (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)

Meals: Dinner Day 1 and Breakfast Day 2 included

Lunch stop on Day 1: Wherever you want. Good suggestion is 18th Street Brewery in Hammond IN

Lunch stop on day 2: Wherever you want. Good suggestion is Grindhouse Cafe in Whiting, IN

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

We believe in adventure, and in helping others find the adventures of their lives. We mainly do that by guiding bike camping trips. But this time, we are going to get a little adventurous in what that can look like and challenge y’all to make it to camp, on your own.

This is how this one will work. OOFD has booked enough camp spots, and we will have some guides there serving up a dinner at 7pm. The guides will have the fire going, and you’ll arrive to a community of welcoming folks. We’ll hang around and share stories of our day's adventures.

So for this one, you can leave from wherever you want, whenever you want, with any other friends that have registered. You can ride as fast or slow as you would like, and create any route you want to get there. This is truly a choose your own adventure. But know that OOFD will be there to welcome you to camp with a campsite, a fire, dinner, and even coffee and breakfast in the morning. And of course, a few educational spiels about the places you rode through during the day.

In the morning, you can roll out with the group back towards Chicago, or you can go on your own meandering Sunday ride, or even take the train back. It's totally up to you. So join us as we try something new.

Day 1: Up to you depending on your start point | Day 2: Up to you depending on your end point *Camp Shabonna is about 30 miles from downtown Chicago

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.)

Education about our local history and nature

Very welcoming, supportive, and educational guides (at camp only)

Dinner Day 1 and Breakfast Day 2

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

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.

First, always bring two spare inner tubes and practice fixing a flat. Second, find the local bike shop. If you can't get there, usually there is a train or bus not too far away that can either get you closer to the campground or back home.

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. We have limitations for ticket transfers but may accommodate in the event certain criteria are met. You may review this updated Transfer Policy flowsheet to determine what next steps you need to take. Contact us if you have any issues.

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, ability, 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.

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: ​ Facebook | Instagram | https://www.oofd.org/

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