A
Grand Touring ride is a group social ride. Ride Leaders ride with the group
and provide directions and support to the riders. Routes are not marked.
Maps and/or Cue Sheets will be provided. Grand Touring rides are often at
remote locations an hour or more distant from Central Indiana and often focus
on festivals, museums, restaurants and other similar tourist attractions.
Grand Touring riders support local businesses
for food and facilities. Typically ten to twenty riders will attend a Grand
Touring ride. Riding is at a moderate pace and riders try to stay together.
Nobody is left by themselves unless that is what the rider wants.
Grand Touring Ride Philosophy: To emphasize the enjoyment of bicycling as a group and social activity and as a method to explore and discover Indiana and other destinations.
If the weather is not suitable for riding, Grand Touring ride leaders may cancel the ride since riders usually drive long distances to attend rides. Please contact the ride leader before leaving home if the weather looks questionable. Other types of CIBA rides can be found at www.cibaride.org.
Grand Touring Ride Leader Guidelines
Grand Touring Maps & Cue Sheets
Map and cue sheets are intended for individual personal use. If you would like to use the map and cue sheets for an organized event, please contact the ride leader.
2012 Grand Touring Ride Calendar
Note: Grand Touring Ride Leaders - This is the current information that I have for Grand Touring Rides. If a correction needs to be made or I need to add your ride, please contact me at rsdesign@ieee.org with your updates and I will be happy to add them to the Grand Touring Ride Calendar.
March
Grand Touring Weekend in Georgia
Greenbrier Trail Ride
Date: Saturday March 31 - April 2, 2012
Start time: Saturday March 31, 9:00 am
Start time: Sunday April 1, 9:00 am
Start time: Monday April 2, 9:00 am
Start: Near Lewisburg, WV
Ride Leaders: Walter Ambrosius & Leslie Underwood (336-760-3410)
Route Length: About 30 miles each day
Directions to Start: Contact us by phone or at wambrosius@triad.rr.com for
detailed directions. Lewisburg, WV is about 6.5 hours from Indianapolis.
Ride Description: Lewisburg, West Virginia will be our base for the weekend. If you would like to attend the ride, please contact the ride leader so that you can get the motel information and directions. We’ll ride along the Greenbrier Trail in Southern West Virginia. The trail follows an old railway bed and is quite level. You’ll want to bring wider tires as it is not paved. On Day 1 we’ll ride part of the trail north of Lewisburg. The ride will be an out-and-back so the distance can be easily modified to suit. See www.greenbrierrivertrail.com for more information on the trail. We last visited this trail in 2006 so on Day 2 and 3 we’ll try other sections, depending on what those who show up want to ride.
April
Metamora Redbud Ramble
Date: Saturday April 28, 2012
Start time: 10:00 am
Ride Leaders: Randy and Connie Schmucker, 317-257-5607, cell: 317-777-9630, rsdesign@ieee.org
Route Lengths: 26 and 48 miles - hilly terrain
Start Location: Metamora, IN: Visitor parking, (Public Restrooms on top
of the hill)
entry sign to parking lot reads
“ Whitewater Canal State Historic Site Indiana State Museum System Visitor
Parking”
Directions to Start: From I-465, take I-74 east. Turn left on south S.R. 229. Turn right on east S.R. 52. In Metamora turn right on Duck Creek Rd and follow 2 blocks to parking lot.
Ride Description: This tour takes in the scenic Whitewater River valley and hills in scenic southeastern Indiana while the redbuds are in full bloom. Metamora is one of the villages on the historic Whitewater canal and the Duck Creek Aqueduct can still be seen as well as portions of the canal. You can even take a ride on the canal. If shopping is your pleasure, after the ride we’ll go feast in one of the many restaurants and then shop until you drop at the abundant craft houses. Contact Ride Leaders if the weather is questionable before making the trip.
Little Miami Meander
Date: Sunday April 29, 2012
Start Time: 10:00 am
Start Location: Xenia, Ohio
Directions to start: The Old Xenia Train Station. In Xenia, the Station is
south of the courthouse on US 68, across a small bridge and then to the right.
Ride Leaders: Sheldon and Martha Hall, 317-462-4209 or 317-403-1081, hallherin@comcast.net
Ride Length: 55 miles
Ride Description: Once again, we will leave Xenia Station and head south with whistle stops at Corwin and Oregonia, and a “layover” at Morrow for lunch. We’ll pass under the I-71 bridge and wander along the Little Miami River on this Rail-to-Trail. It’s flat, but you can see great hills to climb. Contact Ride Leaders if the weather is questionable (rainy and/or cold) before making the trip to Ohio. If the wind speed is high, route will change to which ever Xenia trail that has the headwind going out and a tailwind to push us back into the station.
May
Eastern Brown County Dogwood Meander
Date: Saturday May 5, 2012
Start time: 9:30 am
Ride Leaders: Randy and Connie Schmucker, 317-257-5607, cell: 317-777-9630, rsdesign@ieee.org
Route Lengths: 36 and 50 miles - hilly terrain
Start Location: Columbus, IN: Jay C Food parking lot - SR 46 & Goeller
Rd
Directions to start: I-65 South. Exit west on SR 46, go 0.5 miles, turn right
at light, Goeller Rd, into parking lot
Ride Description: Enjoy a nice spring day with the dogwoods and spring flowers in full bloom in the hills of western Bartholomew County and eastern Brown County. This ride will meander through Grandview Lake, Pikes Peak, Hoosier National Forest and other Indiana back road delights. A stop at Crouch’s market for homemade sandwichs and pie is a must to reload those carbs and then after the ride we will stop at Dags for ice cream! Contact Ride Leaders if the weather is questionable before making the trip.
July
Summertime Hills Frolic
Date: Saturday July 14, 2012
Start time: 9:00 am
Ride Leaders: Randy and Connie Schmucker, 317-257-5607, cell: 317-777-9630, rsdesign@ieee.org
Route Lengths: 36 and 49 miles - hilly terrain
Start Location: Columbus, IN: Jay C Food parking lot - SR 46 & Goeller
Rd
Directions to start: I-65 South. Exit west on SR 46, go 0.5 miles, turn right
at light, Goeller Rd, into parking lot
Ride Description: Wander and roll through the scenic hills and views around Beck's Grove, Pike's Peak and Rinnie Sietz in western Bartholomew county and eastern Brown county. There will be lots of shade. The lunch stop at Crouch’s market features handmade sandwiches and homemade desserts. After rolling around Grandview Lake refresh yourself with ice cream and goodies at Dags. Contact Ride Leaders if the weather is questionable before making the trip.
Download
map/cuesheet ( PDF 888K)
September
Labor Day Weekend Triple Header
Date: September 1, 2, and 3, 2012
Start Time: See each day's description
Ride Leaders: Warren Smock, 317-417-3961, warsmockren@hotmail.com
Joe Hettle, 317-496-5516, jhettle@gmail.com
Ride Lengths: 35 - 50 miles
Start Location: Holiday Inn Express, 249 Federal Drive NW, Corydon, IN 47112.
Phone: 812-738-1623
Directions: (From Indianapolis)
- I-65 south to I-265
- I-264 west to 1-64
- I-64 west to exit 105 (SR 135)
- Take exit 105, and then turn right on IN. St Rd.135.
- Right on Federal Drive NW, very near the Super Wal-Mart.
Hotel Arrangements: I have a block of 10 rooms on hold at the Holiday Inn
Express with a special rate of $ 81.00 per night. You must make your own
reservation and mention Central Indiana Bicycling Association or CBA to get
the special rate. The hotel will hold these rooms until August 19th. Their
web site is www.hiexpress.com/hotels/us/en/corydon/cydin/hoteldetail.
Most major chains also have hotels within a reasonable distance of the start.
Ride Description: This will be three days of bicycling in southern Indiana. Distances will be about 50 miles with shorter options. Monday’s ride will be a little shorter, 35 to 40, to allow an early start for the drive home. There will be three days and different road rides; see below. All road bicycling will be on good roads with many ripples and a few larger bumps and a couple of hills.
RSVP, although not required, would be appreciated so I have some idea of how many are coming.
Many other recreational opportunities exist in the area if you want to come down and not ride all three days.
Saturday: September 1, 2012 Beck’s Mill & Beck’s Mill Store
50 miles (+ or -) with a shorter option available.
Start Location: Holiday Inn Express, 249 Federal Drive NW, Corydon, IN
Start Time: 9:30 am (This will give anyone wanting to drive down on Saturday
morning a chance to arrive before we start.)
There is a fee to visit tour the Mill ($5)
This ride will take us some of the historical markers commemorating the invasion
of Indiana by John Hunt Morgan during the Civil War. To learn more visit www.hhhills.org/John-Hunt-Morgan.html.
Sunday: September 2, 2012 Turtle Run Winery Tour 50 miles (+ or -) with
a shorter option available.
Start Location: Holiday Inn Express, 249 Federal Drive NW, Corydon, IN
Start time: 9:00 am
This ride will take us to Turtle Run Winery. (Last year they delivered our
purchases to the Holiday Inn for us that evening) We will stop and enjoy
their hospitality before riding to New Middletown for lunch.
Monday: September 3, 2012 Quiet Country Cruise 30 to 40 miles (may be shorter
option)
Start Location: Holiday Inn Express, 249 Federal Drive NW, Corydon, IN
Start Time: 9:00 am
We will ride some of the most scenic roads in the state with a short visit
to Harrison State Forest with one long nice downhill, one challenging climb
and some rollers in between.
Overall it is just a very nice cruise to see and enjoy the southern Indiana
countryside.
We should be back to start by 2:00 pm at the latest to give everyone a chance
to get an early start for home.
NOTE: All routes subject to change if road conditions change, etc. Mileages will stay within the advertised range.
Ride to Rabbit Hash
Date: Saturday, September 29, 2012
Starting Time: 10:00 am
Ride Leaders: Randy and Connie Schmucker, 317-257-5607, cell: 317-777-9630, rsdesign@ieee.org
Route Lengths: 45 miles - hilly terrain
Start Location: Central Park - Burlington, KY
Directions: I-74 East to I-275 South to KY 237 (Exit 8) South for 9 miles
to Central Park. KY 237 becomes Camp Ernst Road at KY 18. On Camp Ernst
Road follow the Central Park signs to the park. Approximately 2 hour drive
from Indianapolis. Burlington, KY is a little southwest of Cincinnati,
OH.
Ride Description: Scenic river views! Never heard of Rabbit Hash? Rabbit Hash is right across the river from Rising Sun! That doesn't help either? Then you've got to ride this ride! The Ride to Rabbit Hash rolls, climbs (an occasional power gear (the small chain ring!) hill) and provides scenic vistas of the Ohio River. Naturally, we'll visit Rabbit Hash and it's 1830 General Store. Also, this ride takes in the scenic area where Giant Mammoths and other "really" big creatures used to roam and the bison still roam. After the ride we'll stop for Cincinnati style chili. Contact Ride Leaders if the weather is questionable before making the trip.
Download map/cuesheet ( PDF 648K)
October
Columbus Fall Color Tour
Date: Saturday October 13, 2012
Start Time: 10:00 am
Ride Leaders: Randy and Connie Schmucker, 317-257-5607, cell: 317-777-9630, rsdesign@ieee.org
Route Lengths: 36 and 50 miles - hilly terrain
Start Location: Columbus, IN: Jay C Food parking lot - SR 46 & Goeller
Rd
Directions to start: I-65 South. Exit west on SR 46, go 0.5 miles, turn right
at light, Goeller Rd, into parking lot
Ride Description: Enjoy the fall color in the hills of western Bartholomew County and eastern Brown County. The lunch stop at Crouch’s market features handmade sandwiches and homemade desserts. This ride will meander through Grandview Lake, Pikes Peak, Hoosier National Forest and other Indiana back road delights. There will be a few more hills than the spring version for the now well-conditioned legs. After the ride we will stop at Dags for ice cream! Contact Ride Leaders if the weather is questionable before making the trip.
Download map/cuesheet ( PDF 2.6M)
November
Tour D'Greenways
Date: Saturday November 10, 2012
Start Time: 11:00 a.m.
Ride Leader: Dan and Mary Ann Shields, 317-750-5933, ddshields@comcast.net
Ride Lengths: 36 miles (optional short distance 1 to 25 miles)
Start Location: Monon Trail Parking Area -- Rohrer Rd., ½ mile west
and south of the 146th Street and Meridian Street intersection, Carmel
Directions: Take I-465 on the north side of Indianapolis to the US 31 (Meridian
Street) exit. Go north on US 31 to the stoplight at 136th Street (Old Meridian
Street on the right). Turn left, then immediately right onto Rohrer Rd. Proceed
past the O’Malia’s grocery and shopping center about one mile
to the trailhead on the right. From the far north side, proceed south on
US 31 (Meridian Street) to 146th Street Turn right, then after ½ mile,
turn left on Rohrer Rd. Trailhead will be less than a ½ mile on your
left.
Ride Description: Come take a tour of the Indy Greenways! We’ll ride
together in a relaxed Grand Touring pace and enjoy the scenery that only
our Greenways can offer. The main route is a loop with segments on three
different Greenways trails comprising almost all of the total route mileage.
Halfway through the ride, we will have a rest stop at White River Gardens
(cookies! apples! cider! hot chocolate! coffee!). We’ll grab a bite
to eat at “Detour Grille” on the Monon Trail (just north of Carmel’s
Main Street), about one mile before the end of the ride.
The optional short distances (1 to 25 miles) are simply an out-and-back on
the Monon Trail as far as you care to go. Example round trip distances are
12 miles to the ice cream shop at 86th Street; 17 miles to the cafes and
restaurants in Broad Ripple; and 25 miles to Fall Creek Parkway. Contact
Ride Leaders if the weather is questionable before making the trip.
Download map/cuesheet ( PDF 17K)