Illinois River Ramble

Come experience the rarely ridden gravel backroads of Northeastern Oklahoma! Our courses lead you on the scenic backroads of Cherokee and Adair counties. We will offer three options: a challenging 65 mile course with plenty of climbing and some bonus views you don't see on the shorter options, a 45 mile intermediate route that will be a fun and challenging day of gravel climbs and descents, and a 10 mile fun intro to gravel riding! Remember this is a ride not a race, have fun and enjoy the day!

 

The two longer rides will leave at 7:30am and the fun ride will leave at 8:00am. (tentative times)

 

The 10 mile fun ride course will be fully marked!

 

The 45 mile and 65 mile courses will not be marked. A GPS head unit is required for navigation. GPS routes will be uploaded to RideWithGPS and available for download. Routes will be posted soon!

 

An event T-Shirt and sticker are included with registration. (Event T-shirt cut-off date of November 3rd)

 

Registration includes local Rose Rock Coffee the morning of the ride. A complimentary post ride pint of draft craft beer will be provided by Downing Brewery with additional pints available for purchase!

 

Details:

Saturday, Nov 16: on-site registration, packet pick-up, and pre-ride coffee open at 6:00amThe ride begins and ends at Serenidad Ranch (18818 S 540 Rd, Welling, Oklahoma)The 65 mile and 45 mile rides begin at 7:30amThe 10 mile fun ride begins at 9:30amCourse Cutoff Times:65 mile - riders must make it the last water stop by 3 pm. All riders remaining on the course will be picked up at 4:00 pm unless inside the final 5 miles of the course.Pre-register for the event on BikeReg.com.  Online pre-registration will close on November 12, 2024.  Day-of registration will be available onsite with a fee increase. Pre-register by November 3rd to receive an event shirt (t-shirt cut off day)There will be food and beer available at the finish line. Use your beer ticket in your swag bag for a pint of draft beer at the end of your ride provided by Downing Brewery!

Event Rules and Regulations:

Be Safe, Have Fun and Follow Rules of the Road

Riders must wear an ANSI certified helmet at ALL times.

Follow the Rules of the Road. The roads are OPEN to vehicle traffic, so treat them as such! These rules include, but are not limited to: Follow the centerline rule. Keep your bike on the right side of the road.

We encourage you to ride as far right as safely possible. Most of the paved sections have a shoulder, but if not, stay as close to the right as possible

On the gravel roads, please stay on your “side of the road”. This is especially important when going around corners. Residents are going to expect that you ride as they drive...on the right side of the road at all times.

The roads are OPEN. Expect automobile traffic. All routes are on open public roads with no special traffic control for this event. Obey all vehicle laws. Ride no more than two abreast. Be alert to traffic 

Pass with care!  Do NOT pass in blind corners, let someone know that you are going to pass them (especially on the paved sections) and pass on the left. This should mean that the cyclist you are passing is staying as far RIGHT as possible.

No headphones, ear buds or texting while riding. If you need to document the ride, please pull over to the right side, come to a complete stop and share away.

Flashing taillights are always helpful for vehicles who may come upon you during the race.

Be courteous and respectful at all times. This goes for your actions towards other racers, spectators, volunteers (they are here to help you on their own time), the community and vehicles. We get to ride these roads all the time and we would love for our community to keep supporting us!

Riders are expected to be prepared to deal with mechanical issues. Please bring extra tubes, a hand pump and/or CO2, etc.,  Be prepared to be self-sufficient. Please be equipped to fix your own flats and know how to do it.  There is limited break down assistance.

Support and rest stops close by 4:00 p.m. If you are still riding at 4:00, we'll give you the option of continuing on your own, unsupported, or taking a SAG ride back to the start/finish.

Main aid stations with have water and electrolytes along with sweet and salty snacks.  All riders should be prepared to have extra nutrition and hydration in case of unforeseen conditions. 

In the event of a natural disaster or weather that could be potentially dangerous to racers or volunteers, the race will be delayed, shortened, postponed or canceled without refund.  

Please Leave No Trace.  Pack out all trash. 

Stay on the course.  It is YOUR responsibility to be in the right place. Study the map, find someone who can show you how to download/upload the GPX file from RIDE WITH GPS to your bike computer.

All Route Maps are available on Ride with GPS app, download the app at the App Store or Google Play. Ride with GPS integrates nicely with Garmin, Wahoo, Strava, and other devices and services

Remember part of the adventure is finding your own way through the course. 

Listen to event officials. If an Event Official gives you a specific direction, you must follow it. If they tell you to stop, it is for a good reason!

If you find yourself needing to drop from the race, please notify the nearest Aid Station or Event Official.

We reserve the right to make any last-minute course/timing changes as deemed necessary for a safe and successful ride.