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.
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
2009 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.
July
Summertime Hills Frolic
Date: Saturday July 18, 2009
Start time: 9:00 am
Ride Leaders: Randy and Connie Schmucker, 317-257-5607, 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: All new route in western Bartholomew county and eastern Brown county. Lots of shade. Wander and roll through the scenic hills around Beck's Grove, Pike's Peak and Rinnie Sietz. The lunch stop at Crouch’s market features hand-made sandwiches and homemade desserts. After rolling around Grandview Lake refresh yourself with ice cream and goodies at Dags.
Download
map/cuesheet ( PDF 888K)
August
Grand Touring Camping Weekend in Madison Indiana
Bikes, Blues, and Barbecue…
Date/Time: August 21-23, 2009
Start Time: 9:30 am ride on Saturday and 10:00 am on Sunday
Start Location: Clifty Falls State Park North Entrance (entrance fee for
park)
Ride Leaders: Kerry and Pam Knipp kpknipp@sbcglobal.net 317-546-8209
home 317-796-8004 cell
Ride Length: 50 miles
Directions: Take I 65 South to SR 256. Go east about 20 miles to SR 62. Go
left (north) 2.5 miles to Park Entrance and turn right. (Approximately 1.5-2
hour drive from Indy)
Ride: Description: Camping, Grand Touring, Barbeque, Blues Bash, Balloon Race; too much fun for any one weekend. Join us for an action packed weekend for the entire family. It’s a camping ride; it’s a touring ride, and a whole lot more. Come for all or any of the activities.
Friday, August 21
Drive down after work and camp or stay at a local B&B. Head on down to
the Ribberfest for the first night of music. Get a good night’s sleep
or go to the first night of the Ribberfest. NOTE: There are only 165 total
campsites [59 primitive] in the Park. Reservations recommended. www.indiana.reserveworld.com
Saturday, August 22, 9:30 am departure
Start the weekend on Saturday morning from Clifty Falls State Park at the
campground parking lot at 9:30 am, www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2985.htm,
for a nice 50 mile hilly ride (similar route as “A Pleasant Tour
of China”) in the Madison area. (Think Hilly Hundred effort!) Work
up an appetite to PIG OUT at the Madison Ribberfest Barbecue, Blues and
Balloons Festival. Check out some great blues acts as well as some of the
best BBQ this side of the Mississippi. [Bring your lawn chairs!] Relax
and enjoy a beautiful balloon race on the Ohio River at 6:00 pm. Entrance
fees for Barbecue and Blues fest. Purchase your tickets before August 1st
for free food coupons. www.madisonribberfest.com
Stay the night in the Madison area by camping at Clifty Falls State park or pamper yourself to one of the charming B&B’s in the Madison area. www.visitmadison.org
Sunday, August 23, 10:00 am departure
Start ride at Clifty Falls State Park at 10:00 am at the main north gate
for a leisurely 40 mile flat to rolling ride. The highlight of today’s
ride will be at the lunch stop, Streamcliff Herb Farm, www.streamclifffarm.com,
Indiana’s oldest herb Farm in the Sprigs and Twigs Tea Room. All
items found on the menu are created using herbs from our gardens. As a
special touch they garnish each plate with an edible flower or herb. After
lunch, stroll through their many different gardens or browse their gift
shops. Reservations will be for 12:00 pm (right when they open) and are
strongly suggested. Please email to let us know if you plan on coming so
we can make sure we have enough for the group OR Stay back at Clifty Falls
and enjoy one of the many hiking trails the park has to offer.
September
Farm Festival 2009 Ride
Date: Sunday September 13, 2009
Start Time: 11:30 am
Ride Leaders: Cheryl Sunman & Ian Seecof
Cells: 317-902-5518 317-604-0482
Ride Lengths: estimated 40 miles
Directions to Start: TBD
Ride Description: This year’s Farm Fest tours 4 different farming operations
in Western and Northern Hancock County (West and North of Greenfield): Gem
Elevator, For-Lou Dairy, Edwards Farm and Eash Racing Stables. Food
and drinks are available at various stops. Maps are provided.
Post Ride: If you did not fill up on snacks at the farms there are great
restaurants nearby. Beer/Margaritas are optional.
15th Annual Ride to Rabbit Hash
Date: Saturday, September 26, 2009
Starting Time: 10:00 am
Ride Leaders: Randy and Connie Schmucker, 317-257-5607, 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.
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.
Download map/cuesheet ( PDF 648K)
October
10th Annual Columbus Fall Color Tour
Date: Saturday October 10, 2009
Start Time: 9:30 am
Ride Leaders: Randy and Connie Schmucker, 317-257-5607, 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
Description of ride: Enjoy the fall color in the hills of western Bartholomew County and eastern Brown County. The lunch stop at Crouch’s market features hand-made 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.
Download map/cuesheet ( PDF 1.22M)
3rd Annual Great Indy Donut Ride
Date: Saturday October 17, 2009
Start Time: 10:00 am
Ride Leader: Joe Hettle, 317-496-5516, joe_hettle@hotmail.com
Route Length: 50 miles
Start Location: 6500 N. Cornell Ave., in Broad Ripple along the Monon Trail.
Directions: From 465 on the north side take the Meridian street exit (#31) south to 86th Street Go east on 86th Street to College Avenue and then south. Turn east on 65th St and then north on Cornell. Park along the Monon Trail between 65th Street and 67th Street.
Description: We will start at Renee’s bakery for a pastry and coffee, then travel to 5 of the best donut shops in the city ending the ride back in Broad Ripple. This is a GT ride, there are no Dan Henry’s. We will provide a route slip to all and we will ride at a moderate pace, no one will be dropped. This is an URBAN ride on city streets and although we will take as many side streets as possible we will also have some limited time on moderately busy streets. We are riding on Saturday so traffic will be light. Bring plenty of water and money for donuts and coffee. The only rule is you MUST eat at each stop.
November
10th Annual Tour D'Greenways
Date: Saturday November 7, 2009
Start Time: 11:00 a.m.
Ride Leader: Dan and Mary Ann Shields, 317-750-5933, ddshields@comcast.net
Start Location: Monon Trail Parking Area -- Rohrer Rd., ½ mile west
and south of the 146th Street and Meridian Street intersection, Carmel
Ride Lengths: 36 miles (optional short distance 1 to 25 miles)
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.
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. We’ll grab
a bite to eat at “Bub’s” 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.
Download map/cuesheet ( PDF 17K)
The following rides occurred in 2009. These rides are listed as place holders for 2010. Grand Touring Rides typically are repeated at about the same time each year. Ride dates will change slightly if the ride is held for 2010.
March
Grand Touring Weekend in Virginia
Virginia Creeper Ride I
Date: Saturday March 28, 2009
Start Time: 12:00 pm
Ride Leaders: Walter Ambrosius and Leslie Underwood -- 336-760-3410, wambrosius@triad.rr.com
Ride Length: About 25 miles
Start Location: Damascus, VA
Directions: Contact us by phone or at wambrosius@triad.rr.com for
detailed directions. Wytheville, VA is about 7.5 hours from Indianapolis.
Description: Abingdon, 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
Virginia Creeper Trail in Southwestern Virginia. See www.vacreepertrail.comfor
more information on the Creeper Trail. An elevation profile is available
at www.vacreepertrail.com/trailMaps/CreeperTrail.pdf.
The trail follows an old railway bed and is pretty level. You’ll
want to bring wider tires as it is not paved. The ride will be an out-and-back
so the distance can be easily modified to suit. We’re going to start
a little later to allow people to drive part way from Indianapolis on Friday
and finish up the drive on Saturday morning.
Virginia Creeper Ride II
Date: Sunday March 29, 2009
Start Time: 9:00 am
Start Location: Abingdon, VA
Ride Leaders: Walter Ambrosius & Leslie Underwood (336-760-3410), wambrosius@triad.rr.com
Ride Length: About 25 miles
Directions: Contact us by phone or at wambrosius@triad.rr.com for
detailed directions. Wytheville, VA is about 7.5 hours from Indianapolis.
Description: Today we’ll ride on the Virginia Creeper Trail. We’ll
plan to go North towards Abingdon, VA. The grade is mostly flat at this
end of the trail. We’ll do another out-and-back so the mileage can
be adjusted to suit.
April
11th Annual Metamora Redbud Ramble
Date: Saturday April 25, 2009
Start time: 9:30 am
Ride Leaders: Randy and Connie Schmucker, 317-257-5607, 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 east S.R. 244. Turn right on east S.R. 52. In Metamora turn right on Duck Creek Rd and follow 2 blocks to parking lot.
Description of Ride: 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.
Download map/cuesheet ( PDF 615K)
May
10th Annual Eastern Brown County Dogwood Meander
Date: Saturday May 2, 2009
Start time: 9:30 am
Ride Leaders: Randy and Connie Schmucker, 317-257-5607, 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
Description of ride: 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, other Indiana back road delights and a stop at Crouch’s market for lunch.
Download map/cuesheet ( PDF 292K)
Little Miami Meander
Date: Saturday May 9, 2008
Start Time: 9:00 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.
Tour of Historic Indy
Date: Saturday May 16, 2009
Start Time: 10:00 am
Start Location: 6500 N. Cornell Avenue in Broad Ripple along the Monon
Trail
Directions to start: From 465 on the north side take the Meridian street
exit (#31) south to 86th St. Go east on 86th St. to College Ave and then
south. Turn east on 65th St and then north on Cornell. Park along the Monon
Trail between 65th St and 67th St. Near the Bike Line.
Ride Leader: Joe Hettle, 317-496-5516, joe_hettle@hotmail.com
Ride Length: 25 - 30 miles
Ride Description: We will visit several historic sites in Indy. The original stables of the Polk Sanitary Milk Company, Woodruff Place, see Jim Jones original church on the Old Northside. Have lunch at the City Market and tour of the Historic underground Catacombs . Then on to the Scottish Rite Cathedral for a tour. There will be speakers at each stop. Please allow for the ride to end about 3:00 PM. This is a social GT style ride on city streets and greenways at an average of 14 MPH. We will try to ride as a group and no one will be dropped. There will not be “Dan Henries” and each rider will have a cue sheet. Bring a lock or a friend with a lock for your bike during the tours. Don’t forget money for lunch.
June
A Pleasant Tour of China and Switzerland
Date/Time: Saturday June 6, 2009
Start Time: 9:00 am
Start Location: Madison, Indiana - Ivy Tech State College -- 590 Ivy Tech
Dr.
Ride Leaders: Martha and Sheldon Hall, 317-462-4209 or 317-403-1081, hallherin@comcast.net
Ride Lengths: 48 miles (hilly terrain)
Directions: Take I-74 east to Greensburg, exit number 132. Take US 421
south to Madison. Turn right on SR 62 to Ivy Tech State College.
Ride Description: Join us in late Spring for one of the most scenic rides in Indiana. The seclusion, streams, hills, and views from overlooks make for a great ride. Bring your granny gears for the four, long, steep climbs. In the past, we have visited up to four country stores, but we never know how many will still be open. Be prepared to carry food and drink on the bike to make it through the ride. Contact ride-leaders if the weather is questionable before making the trip to Madison.