Thunder Road Gravel Tour 2026

Description

Join us for a series of rides from May through August and explore what the central Illinois has to offer when you venture off of the beaten path. Ride specifics are TBD, but expect something in the ballpark of 30 and 60 mile options with a convenience store stop in the middle. After each ride, we'll have an optional takeover of a local brewery/bar/restaurant.

This is a no-cost series , so there will be no SAG offered. As a gravel rider, you're probably already self-sufficient enough to fix a flat or minor mechanical on the road and if you're not, make some friends out there! But that's just the basic highlights.

Points-Based Competition The most exciting part of the series will be a points-based competition. Each route will have a few gravel segments selected where riders will have the option of competing to do their best efforts. Points will be awarded based on the best times set that day on Strava, with leaderboards tracked for men and women.

While the rides are is not a race, our encouragement of competition on the points segments means that we will use BikeSignup.com so that we can track participants and waivers. This is a no-cost registration, but it will be mandatory for points competition eligibility. Whether you want to get out for a fun spin around some gravel roads you may not have ridden yet, put down some blistering times on the competitive segments, or just get miles rides in with great friends and scenery, we hope you'll join us!!

Dates and locations:

May 23 - Cuba IL, collaborating with Gravel Syndicate June 13 - Petersburg IL at Hand of Fate July 11 - Winchester IL, collaborating with Rural Cyclery August 9 - TBD, most likely Riverton IL and an adventure to seek out as many old decrepit bridges as we can find

This event will be updated with routes and details as we approach each event, and you can keep current with discussion and details on our Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/782650436593916

Route collection - https://ridewithgps.com/collections/3961753

Routes will be posted as we approach each ride.