The most amazing ride - 65 miles NO TRUCKS, NO CARS, NO DOGS!

Those in the Midwest (or those able to get here), one of the best rides ever has been once again approved by the Navy for May 21!

This is a fund raiser for Ride2Recovery...last year the ride was our first and was well executed and raised about $35,000 for the cause! This year, I bet we will double that! The inspiration of riding with vets who've lost limbs is unbelievable!

http://www.cranecyclefest.com for pics and course elevations (dates not updated yet)
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Routes of 15, 30, 50 & 65 miles everybody can enjoy the day.


A RIDE LIKE NO OTHER
The majority of the ride will pass thru the Crane Military Base, with its highly maintained and excellent road system, and 1,000’s of acres of unspoiled natural beauty and woods (and hills...)

CLOSED COURSE EVENT
Only official vehicles will be allowed on the route the day of the event! Once inside the base you won't have to deal with the dangers we all face everytime we ride on public roadways. NO TRUCKS! NO CARS! NO DOGS!

This is a well done event, an outstanding cause, and an unbelievably pristine course!

Sounds like fun! Especially the closed course part. Even better than a fully escorted ride (like the MS tour), where there are plenty of support cops and/or motorcycle riders to help direct traffic and you get away with blowing traffic signs.

Thanks for the heads up on this ride. Me and DH are actually considering it. The 50 and 65 mile route seem a little much for me (specifically with the hills), but I may be able to do the 15 or even the 30 mile route.

Shannon

Cool. I'd like to be able to do it, but I'll be moving around then. Sounds wonderful, though. No cars...

[wonders why she lives in a cycling desert]

Thanks for the heads up about about the ride-- I'll have to tell the local group about it.
How hilly is it in Crane? As hilly as the Bloomington area? Because although I do plan to do more real climbing this year (there's no telling what my knee will be like though), the Hilly Hundred this past year (my first hilly) kicked my butt!

we do the ride2recovery in Lufkin, Texas every year. It is basically texas plains riding on country roads of variable surface with not much traffic. Unfortunately there are dogs and always the wind, and almost always a headwind or so it seems. Your ride sounds ever so much nicer. Wish I lived closer.

Good luck with it and enjoy the superlative riding conditions.

Sounds *very* appealing. It appears that the best place to spend a night would be Bloomington. Would that be correct?

I'm in. As long as my work event isn't that weekend. :D

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Originally Posted by pll

Sounds *very* appealing. It appears that the best place to spend a night would be Bloomington. Would that be correct?

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Bloomington is best place to stay...I'd encourage you to make a weekend of it! It's 30ish miles from the start.

Other alternatives for those in Illinois include Vincennes (40 miles) and Washington (20 miles), but Bloomington is the most happenin' spot.

It does sound quite attractive indeed and is certainly for a good cause! Indianapolis is close enough that I could drive down that morning. How bad at the hills? I hope to make progress on the finding and feeding of my hill climbing beastie this year, but that is pretty early in the season and I have to make up lost ground from my lengthy recovery...

http://www.cranecyclefest.com/routes.html

Every uphill has an equal and opposite downhill.:D

I still remain unaware of any uphill that can't be walked ;)

Last year, some chose to do repetitions of the 15 and 30 mile routes so they can stay close to the start if they got tired.

It's an easy drive from Indy

We did a similar ride ("The soldier ride") for the Wounded Warrior Foundation on Labor Day. While it actually started just 3.5 miles from my house and the route was a combination of all of my little local rides for a total of 30 miles, it was cool to have police at all of the intersections where you never know what cars are going to do. The group of wounded vets rode with us for the first 10 miles, on some very fancy and cool hand cycles. There were also some vets riding regular bikes adapted for amputees; more than one of them dropped me near the end of the ride.

Looks nice Mr. B. We couldn't join you last year if I recall because we were just getting back from our honemoon. I'll put in on our calendar for this year though with the hope of making it. We'll be in Kentucky the following weekend for Brian's brithday/the Horsey, so while the climbing at Crane would be helpful, it'll really just depend on whether we need to get other things done that weekend. Our perennial problem: too much to do in too little time.

Sounds like a great event. If it was closer I could consider it. LOL

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Originally Posted by indysteel

Looks nice Mr. B. We couldn't join you last year if I recall because we were just getting back from our honemoon.

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yes Indy! I'm still shocked you let your honeymoon get in the way of a ride with me!:rolleyes:;):D:cool:

It's a shorter version of the horsey...without the traffic

Mr. B, I thought of you the other day when I was watching American Flyers. One of the funniest scenes occurred when Kevin Costner told his brother that they were going to work on sprints with Eddie. His brother was up to the challenge and little did he know that Eddie was a pit bull that would came charging out at them as they rode by his house. :D